WHAT IF? - SEASON 2 EPISODE 23 - THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL
Author´s Note: Given that the season is now 44 episodes long, thanks to my blunder, I can´t come up with 22 more Prince songs, that would work as titles, so in stead I´m naming the episodes of this second half of the season after songs from in-arguably the biggest star in music history, the king of pop himself Michael Jackson. If you think The Weeknd or Ed Sheeran are big, try watching a documentary on Jacko. No one will EVER again be as huge as he was, when I was growing up! Anyway, you didn´t come here to read me rambling about music artists, so let´s get on with the show!
1. Int. Hallway. Morning.
JT and Toby have arrived for the first day of school after their holiday. JT is constantly repeating his mantra, as they walk.
JT:
Stay strong. Stay strong.
Toby:
You´ll crack the moment, she smiles at you!
JT:
I won´t. Stay strong. You can say no to her!
Toby:
I give it two minutes, until you´re back as president of the Manny Santos fan club!
JT:
It would be too easy, to take your money! See, I have a thing called self control and ...
He sees a cheerful Manny talking with Liberty and Emma outside of the classroom and pretty much instantly melts into a goofy smile, at the sight of how happy she looks. Toby just shakes his head at it, since he clearly knew that it was coming.
Toby:
You have the back bone of a Jellyfish!
JT:
Look at her. I mean, what´s not to like? It´s Manny.
Toby:
I should have called it at two seconds!
They head towards the girls and JT and Manny nervously smile at each other. It´s clear though, that they´re very happy to see each other again.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Science Class. Day.
Manny and Emma are paired up and Emma is back to her usual self, being very enthusiastic about it. They´re heating up a beaker with some yellow liquid in it over a Bunsen burner.
Emma:
In a few seconds, it should turn green.
They look at it excitedly, as it slowly turns green. They look satisfied.
Manny:
"Automatic A Emma", it´s great to have you back!
Emma:
I can´t tell you, how great it is to be back. I just want to put this whole thing behind me and go back to living like I did. You know, before everything turned into one big mess!
Manny:
You do know, that the time machine hasn´t been invented, right?
Emma:
It worked for you and JT, didn´t it?
Manny:
Once we figure out all the million and three kinks, we have to deal with.
Emma:
You counted them?
Manny:
It´s a rough estimate. There´s nothing I want more, than for us to get our fairy tale romance and live happily ever after. The realist in me in saying, that it won´t be that easy.
Emma:
I still don´t know, where me and Sean stand. We haven´t talked much, since we handed the baby over to the woman from the adoption agency. I hope, we can get through it, but the best thing for us would be to take a break.
Manny:
It is par for the course, for you two!
They see that the teacher is looking at them and get back to work.
3. Int. Hallway. Day.
The vending machine has been fixed, to Manny and Emma´s delight. Manny gets her small bag of gummy bears and looks delighted.
Manny:
Finally the school spends money, where it needed to be spent!
She opens the bag and offers one to Emma, who politely shakes her head.
Emma:
They have gelatine in them. It comes from animal products.
Manny:
No way! You can´t tell me, there´s meat in gummy bears!
Emma:
Not meat as such, but meat by product. I´ve been filling myself with so much junk these past months, that it´s time I gave my body a cleansing from all those toxins.
Manny:
You sure make them sound appetizing!
She eats one, as Emma puts money in the machine. A nervous looking Sean comes over to them.
Sean:
Hi, Emma. How have you been?
They look at each other and there´s a moment of electricity between them. Manny sees that she´s the fifth wheel and smiles to herself.
Manny:
I´m gonna go and find JT. At least, he won´t call my snack toxic!
Manny leaves them and neither of them really know how to start the conversation.
Emma:
So ...
Sean:
What are you getting?
Emma:
I was thinking, maybe an orange. Get some vitamin C into the system.
Sean:
That´s very sensible. Then again, you always were one, to make the sensible choices.
Emma:
Sean, we don´t have to back, to what we were. You don´t need to feel, like you owe me anything.
Sean looks disappointed.
Sean:
Is that, what you think this is?
Emma:
It´s not that I don´t love you. Please don´t think, it is.
Sean:
It sounds like, you want to break up.
Emma:
What happened is gonna take time to process. You weren´t the one, who carried that baby in your womb for nine months.
Sean:
What do you want then?
Emma:
Time. Right now, what I need is to feel like I´m back on track, because I haven´t felt that way in a long time.
Sean:
I don´t know what to say.
Emma:
You don´t have to say anything.
She punches the numbers and an orange plops down into the tray. She picks it up.
Sean:
I don´t want to break up.
Emma:
Can you settle for being friends, at least for a while? I´m not sure, if I can handle any more than that.
Sean:
We´ll always be friends! That´s never gonna change!
Emma smiles at his reaction.
Emma:
I´m glad to hear it. This is completely new territory and I don´t have any idea how long it will be, until I´m ready. It could be years, so if there´s someone else you find out you like, don´t hold back on my account. I´d rather see you happy with someone else, than alone and moping, every time I see you. We both know, that being alone has never been good for you.
She smiles sadly at him and leaves him. He´s left trying to comprehend, what just happened.
4. Int. The Dot. Day.
JT and Manny are sitting at a table and are getting caught up, while holding hands.
Manny:
Doesn´t it feel great, that we can finally do this in public?
JT:
You don´t hear me complaining, do you?
They smile at each other.
Manny:
It only took us close to seven years, to get here!
JT:
I´m glad, that we waited, until the time was right.
Manny:
I am too. If we´d gotten together when we were 14, it probably wouldn´t gave lasted more than a few months.
JT:
I take it, you´ve broken up with Craig?
Manny:
That´s finito! He´s back on the road and doing his thing.
JT:
Julia lives with you and Emma or what?
Manny:
Their house is more than full enough, as it is! She´s still with Joey and Caitlin, which makes for quite the awkward situation, as you can imagine. I´m meeting up with them tonight, to discuss it.
JT:
Do you want me to come?
Manny:
That´s sweet of you, but this is something, I need to do on my own. I´m free tomorrow, though. Doesn´t your grandma have her evening school knitting class on Tuesdays?
JT:
You remembered that, did you?
Manny:
I´ve been looking forward to it, since you smiled at me and I knew, we were okay.
JT:
I´d better not disappoint you, then.
The two of them kiss and look very in love.
5. Ext. Raceway. Day.
Sean is looking over the engine of Peter´s swag new car, while Jay and Mia look on.
Sean:
There´s a tricks you can use, to add a few extra horsepower and still keep it perfectly legal. I can set you up for say, a hundred?
Peter:
That doesn´t sound too bad.
Sean:
Bring it down to the garage this weekend and I´ll have a look at it. It won´t take more than fifteen minutes.
Peter looks more than happy with the deal.
Peter:
Awesome! Mia, should we go for a spin to celebrate?
Mia:
Sounds like a plan to me! Later, boys!
Sean closes the hood and they get in the car, before driving off. Sean and Jay can´t help looking a little bit jealous of him, as they watch him drive off.
Jay:
To be just turned sixteen with that car and have a cute little honey like her, to call his girlfriend!
Sean:
Some guys get everything they want! Guys who aren´t you or me!
Jay:
I wouldn´t trade Ellie in for anyone else, to be honest.
Sean:
Neither would I, if I were you. I´m back on the meat market, now that Emma effectively dumped me.
They walk over to Jay´s car, a much more modest and older looking car than Peter´s was.
Jay:
See it as a positive. Nothing against Emma, but every time you get back together, you instantly let her start pulling the strings!
Sean:
Only in your imagination!
They get in the car, with Jay behind the wheel.
Jay:
It´s exactly why I refuse, to let Ellie change me!
Sean:
You don´t think, it could be a good thing, if she did?
Jay:
Shut up! My point is, that this could be good for you. Ever since I´ve known you, you´ve gone right from one girlfriend to the next, without stopping to smell the roses! Play the field and meet some girls, it doesn´t have to be serious with! There´s plenty of them, who are looking for a fun time with a handsome guy, who doesn´t expect it to be more than that.
Sean doesn´t look dismissive of the idea, as Jay starts up the car and they drive off.
6. Int. Liberty´s Room. Day.
Liberty is helping Emma get caught up in her subjects.
Liberty:
Didn´t they give you the material, so you could keep up at home?
Emma:
I have to admit, that laziness had a tendency to take over. That and the addiction to bad soap operas, I´m trying to shake!
Liberty:
Wasn´t it hard, handing your own child over? I don´t know, if I could do it.
Emma:
It was even worse, than giving birth to him. I think about him all the time, but what´s done is done. I hope that someday in the future, he´ll find me and we can get to know each other, but as for now, I have to get back on track. Which unfortunately starts, with a huge amount of school work!
Liberty:
I don´t mind helping, considering all the times you´ve helped me out.
Emma:
What´s this I hear about you and Jimmy Brooks?
Liberty gets shy and smiles to herself.
Liberty:
Let´s call that a subject for another day!
Emma looks happy for her.
7. Int. JT´s Room. Day.
JT and Toby are playing Madden against each other on JT´s Playstation. For once, Toby is winning!
Toby:
It´s almost sad, how slow your cornerbacks are. Let´s see, what kind of play should I pick? I know, I´ll go deep!
JT:
Laugh it up, while you can. I smell an interception coming!
Toby runs the play and scores an easy touchdown.
Toby:
Told you!
JT:
If we had even teams, I would be wiping the floor with you!
Toby:
Excuses, excuses! Do you want to add more to your collection, while you´re at it?
JT:
How about the fact, that my girlfriend is deciding our future, while I´m playing video games with you?
Toby:
Girlfriend, huh? How does that feel to say?
JT smiles widely.
JT:
Pretty damn good! It´s like all that time waiting for her, only made this even sweeter!
Toby:
You´re not worried at all?
JT:
Her and Craig are deader than the Dodo and Disco combined! She told me that herself.
Toby:
I wish you the best of luck, but I still don´t think she´s broken your heart for the last time.
JT:
To prove you wrong, I´m gonna score on the kickoff!
Toby:
It´s a weird way of showing it, but I wish you the best of luck.
Toby´s team kicks off and JT´s tries to return the ball. It doesn´t go according to plan though and his player fumbles, before Toby´s returns it in for a touchdown.
Toby:
We can call it on the mercy rule?
JT:
That doesn´t prove anything!
He looks a little annoyed and determined to turn the tide of their game.
8. Int. Joey and Caitlin´s House. Evening.
Manny has come over to discuss things with Joey and Caitlin. She´s greeted with a big hug from Angie, who´s clearly missed her.
Angie:
Don´t ever leave again!
Manny:
It´s nice to know, that someone´s missed me!
Joey:
She´s been asking "When is Manny coming home" every day, since you left.
Angie:
Things here aren´t the same, without you here.
Manny:
I´ve missed you too, Sweetie, but I still don´t know what´s going to happen yet.
Angie:
Find a way to work things out. It can´t be that hard!
Caitlin:
Run off to your room. Let us adults, talk about the adult things.
Angie:
Manny, can we talk, when you´re done? I have so much to tell you!
Manny:
Of course, we can. Run along now.
Angie runs off to her room and Joey and Caitlin look at Manny invitingly.
Joey:
We want to sort this out in a way, that´s what´s best for everyone, you included.
Manny:
That´s such a relief!
Caitlin:
We´ll allow you to move back, but it comes with some new rules.
Manny looks delighted.
9. Ext. Skating Rink. Evening.
The skating rink is busy this evening, as everyone from parents with their kids, who are just learning to skate, to more accomplished skaters are down there enjoying themselves. We see Jay and Sean walking through the crowd.
Sean:
I told you, I don´t skate! Me and ice don´t mix, except when I put it in a drink!
Jay:
Who said, that we´re here to skate? This is to help you, get back in the game.
Sean:
I´m not gonna find someone down here!
Jay:
Not with that kind of attitude!
Sean:
Let me get used to being single first. It hasn´t even been a day.
Jay:
Does that exclude us, from going window shopping? I would personally suggest, you choose a non-blonde.
Sean:
Your reason is?
Jay:
A blonde could make you long for Emma. You don´t want that.
Sean:
I suppose, it makes sense.
They come up to the edge of the rink and look over the girls, who are skating.
Jay:
See anything, you like?
Sean:
I see lots of things, I like. It´s not like I´m ready to jump into bed, with any of them!
Jay:
No one says, you have to. If you want to play it slow and spend weeks or even months getting to know the girl first, that´s fine. The guys at the garage will laugh their butts off, when I tell them, but that´s a different story!
Sean rolls his eyes at him.
Jay:
You make the rules, this time around.
Sean:
When you say it like that, it doesn´t sound too bad.
Jay:
What are you in the market for? A brunette, a red head, maybe go exotic with a Latina beauty, or for some weird girl with multi colored hair, twelve ear rings, four demonic looking tattoos and a tongue stud?
Sean:
A red head would remind me too much of Ellie.
Jay:
That still leaves over half of the young female population. If we say half of those have boyfriends, it leaves you with twenty five percent to choose from.
Sean:
And you wonder, why you flunked math?
Jay:
I never said, I was a genius, but you my friend, have no reason to be sad! There is a delicious buffet of single girls in this city, that are waiting for you to start digging in! Emma and Ellie aren´t the only two girls in Toronto, who are worth your time.
Sean smiles to himself and makes eye contact with a pretty brunette his own age, who´s skating with a pair of her girlfriends. They smile at each other and he looks like he´s getting into the spirit of it.
10. Int. Basement. Evening.
Manny and Emma are getting ready for bed. Emma in her real bed and Manny in her sleeping bag on her air mattress.
Emma:
I was just getting used, to having you as my room mate!
Manny:
I´ve been enjoying it too, but I can´t deny that I´ve missed them. It´s more important that Julia has her mom back and Angie her pseudo older sister.
Emma:
It is a bit funny, how alike the two of you are starting to look!
Manny:
I know. It´s like our DNA´s have started mixing!
Emma:
What were their new rules?
Manny:
Nothing, I can´t live with. JT can still come over, but there´s a strict no smooching rule, when we´re in the house or out with the kids. That one´s mostly for Angie´s sake, so she doesn´t get confused. Apart from that, I have to follow a curfew and do more chores around the house. No biggie.
Emma:
Craig is okay with this?
Manny:
I suppose, he´ll have to be. He´s got his career, so he probably won´t be around much.
Emma:
I gotta say, I didn´t think, it would turn out this well.
Manny:
There were times, when I had my doubts too. Good night, Emma.
Emma:
You too.
Emma turns out the light and they try to get to sleep. Manny can´t stop herself from smiling, as she rests her head on her pillow.
11. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Sean is surfing on a PC before class. Emma comes over to him.
Emma:
Mind if I join you, pal?
Sean smiles at her.
Sean:
You know, that you don´t have to ask, don´t you?
Emma looks pleased and sits down.
Sean:
What did you do, on your first day of being single?
Emma:
Oh, it was a party bonanza! We´re talking homework, excessive studying and going to bed early, so I could be fresh as a daisy for today!
Sean:
Sounds like quite a party! I´m almost sad, I missed it.
Emma:
The best news, is that things are working out for Manny and she´s moving back in with Joey and Caitlin. We´re having a special farewell dinner for her tonight.
Sean:
Good for her.
Emma:
What did you do?
Sean:
Hung out with Jay and did this and that. Looked at some cars, then we went to look at girls. Guy´s stuff, you know?
Emma smiles to herself.
Emma:
Single or not, Jay never changes, does he?
Sean:
We´ll see cockroaches changing, before he does! We were only looking though. You´re not easy to replace.
Emma:
It´s for the best, that you´re getting back out there.
Sean:
I´m still not sure, if I want to.
She can´t help looking a little pleased with his answer.
12. Int. Hallway. Morning.
JT is heading to class, when Manny sneaks up behind him and pokes him on his left shoulder, before sneaking over to his right side. When he looks over his left shoulder, she kisses him on his right cheek. They smile at each other.
Manny:
Got ya!
JT:
If that´s your version of it, then do it more often!
Manny:
Did you beat Toby at Madden?
JT:
Let´s not talk about that! How did things go with Joey and Caitlin?
Manny:
I´ll be sleeping in my old bed tomorrow.
JT:
Do you need help moving? I can carry your suitcase.
Manny:
I´m pretty sure, I can handle it. You know what this means, don´t you?
JT:
That Angie went to school, with a smile on her face this morning?
Manny:
That´s a safe bet, if I´ve ever heard of one! What I meant, was that there´s no more obstacles in our way. The last excuse not to give it a shot, like we promised each other, we would all those years ago, is gone.
JT:
What on earth makes you think, I wouldn´t want to give it a shot with you?
He takes her hand and they look happy together.
CLOSING CREDITS