WHAT IF? - SEASON 2 EPISODE 38 - DIRTY DIANA
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters for it.
Author´s Note: I hope you like Paige, because you´ll be getting a lot of her this episode, since it´s only one long story with her as the main focus of it. I still hope, you´ll like it.
1. Montage. Music: "I Know What Boys Like" by the Waitresses.
We start on your classic makeover montage, as Paige gets shined up by Hazel and Marco, until she´s truly dressed to kill! She looks happy with it, as all three of them check her out in the mirror.
Paige:
World, get ready to meet Diana Colby, the goddess of love!
Marco:
Nice touch with the "Alexis/Dynasty" reference in the name, by the way.
Paige:
Thanks, Hon.
Hazel:
Will the world be ready for her, though?
Marco:
I still think, you should be yourself.
Paige:
Where´s the fun in that? This way, I can be whoever I want to be.
She´s clearly looking forward to it.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int, Restaurant. Evening.
Paige is on a date at what looks to be maybe not a high class restaurant, but definitely one that isn´t completely on the cheap end of the specter either. Her date Aaron is a quite well dressed, attractive and very fit looking guy. It would be perfect, except that he looks to be at least 25, which he is. He´s drinking wine, while she´s sticking to club soda.
Aaron:
You must have a lot of willpower, to be able to stick to club soda. If you ask me, a great meal deserves an equally good glass of wine.
Paige:
You know how college is. I need to come in with a clear head tomorrow.
Aaron:
I´m not so old, that I don´t still remember! You still like to cut loose sometimes, don´t you?
Paige:
Of course, I do! But you have to keep the right mix between business and pleasure, don´t you think?
Aaron:
I try not to let one get too much in the way of the other. I´ll let you guess which one I meant.
He takes a sip of wine and she looks pleased to be having dinner with such a dream boat.
Paige:
So, what´s the real world like?
Aaron:
It´s okay, but it´s not as much fun as college was. Enjoy it, while you can.
Paige:
Do you miss it?
Aaron:
Sometimes. It´s mostly getting to see my old friends every day. Are you still in touch with anyone, you went to High School with?
Paige smiles a little at the question and is clearly liking this "playing pretend".
Paige:
Pretty much all of them.
Aaron:
Really? I´m still in touch with one and we speak maybe once a month.
Paige:
We were a close group. I think, we´ll stay friends for life.
Aaron:
You really are a special girl, aren´t you, Diana Colby?
They smile at each other and she raises her glass. He does too.
Paige:
To this evening. I´m really enjoying myself.
Aaron:
I am too.
They toast and drink.
3. Ext. Street. Evening.
Aaron´s reasonably prized looking car pulls up in front of what looks like some college dorms. They get out of it and are ready to say goodnight.
Paige:
This was one of the best dates, I´ve ever been on!
Aaron:
I´m glad. Does that mean, we can do it again?
Paige:
How about tomorrow?
Aaron smiles at the suggestion.
Aaron:
You don´t think, that´s moving a little fast?
Paige:
I´ve never been one to hold back, when I like someone.
Aaron:
Okay. We could go out dancing. I know a really good night club, that has great live music every Friday.
Paige takes a moment to consider it.
Aaron:
We don´t have to ...
Paige:
Sure. I´m game.
He looks pleased and she smiles back at him.
Aaron:
Pick you up here at seven? They open the doors at eight, so we could get something to eat first, if you want.
Paige:
It´s a date.
They smile at each other and she gets a small kiss on the cheek, before he drives off. She watches him leaving with a longing stare in her eyes, before getting out her phone and calling a number. She puts the phone to her ear.
Paige:
Hi. Can I have a taxi sent to the TU dorms? I´ll wait outside. Thanks.
She puts the phone away and looks thrilled with how the evening went. She gets her phone out again and eagerly gets to work on something.
We focus on the screen and see that it´s her Face Range profile. She changes her relationship status from "Single" to "It´s Complicated".
4. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Paige arrives for school and is soon met by Chantay and Mia, who look excited.
Mia:
So, who´s the guy?
Paige smiles at how excited they look.
Paige:
You saw that I changed my relationship status, did you?
Chantay:
Fess up! Is he hot? I bet, he´s hot!
Paige:
He´s not just hot, he´s a real man, who knows how a woman should be treated and does so.
Mia and Chantay squeal with excitement.
Mia:
Does he go to another school or ...
Paige:
As my status says, it´s complicated and I´d like to keep that to myself, until it isn´t.
Chantay:
Is he good in bed?
Mia:
Chantay!
Chantay:
Aren´t you curious?
Paige:
I don´t know yet, but I plan to before long. Is that enough of an answer for you?
Chantay:
You are like, a goddess!
Mia:
Congratulations, Paige. If anyone deserves it, it´s you.
Paige:
Thanks, girls!
She soaks in their adulation with joy written all over her face.
5. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Alex is talking to Amy by the entrance to a classroom, when Paige comes over to them. She´s still all smiles, at how incredibly well everything is going for her.
Alex:
You look particularly sparkly this morning!
Paige:
Is it that obvious?
Amy:
Why, Alex, I think, she has a crush on someone!
Alex:
A big one, by the looks of it!
Paige:
Okay, so I might. Although it also leaves me with kind of a big problem.
Amy:
Love always does.
Paige:
He wants to take me to a concert. At a night club.
Alex and Amy smile at her predicament.
Amy:
He doesn´t know, you´re underage?
Paige:
I didn´t want to turn him down and I´ll be old enough to in less than half a year anyway, so it´s not like I would be seriously breaking the law!
Alex:
Let me guess. You need a fake ID?
Paige:
Disco, Hon!
Amy:
I know a guy, who´s pretty good. It´ll cost you a hundred, though.
Paige:
Thanks! You guys are the best! Only one thing. The name on it has to be Diana Colby and could he make me 23? Just so I could use it in the US, if I wanted to!
Amy:
He´ll give you whatever name you want, Diana.
Alex:
Is that some new abbreviation for "Paige", that we´re not aware of?
Paige:
It´s a long story.
Amy:
You lied about your name, didn´t you?
Paige:
Okay, so it´s not so long! Please, you guys. I haven´t felt this great in a long time.
Alex and Amy look each other in the eyes.
Alex:
We can throw this poor girl a pittance, can´t we?
Amy:
If ...
They turn their eyes to her.
Amy:
She takes one shift for each of us at the movie theater, but we still get paid for it. I could use an extra night off, couldn´t you, Alex?
Alex:
I sure could, Amy.
Paige:
It´s a deal! I´m so happy, that I could hug the both of you!
Amy:
Easy there! Save the PDA for your dream boat!
Paige:
That´s exactly what he is! My dream boat!
She heads into the classroom, like she floating on a pink cloud of love. Amy and Alex look at each other and laugh.
6. Int. Classroom. Day.
Miss Kwan is teaching the class, but Paige is way off in her own thoughts and is staring out the window with a small smile on her face.
Kwan:
What to you, is the definition of false advertising?
Several hands come up and she picks out Spinner.
Spinner:
Lying essentially. You´re making people believe that they´re buying something, they´re not.
Kwan:
That´s not a bad answer, but maybe not broad enough. Anyone else?
She picks our Ellie, who looks eager to answer.
Ellie:
I would call it luring people in by unethical means. It doesn´t just have to mean physically buying something. Deceiving, could be another word for it.
Kwan:
Interesting answers.
Kwan continues to teach the class, but we cut to Marco, who´s sitting next to Paige. He writes her a note and passes it to her. She reads it and we focus on it. It reads:
WAS IT THE BIG L CONNECTION?
She turns her head to him and nods. He looks happy for her.
7. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Paige is having lunch with Hazel, who´s very curious.
Hazel:
So? As your BFF, I deserve to know everything!
Paige:
His name is Aaron Priestly, no relation to Jason, I asked.
Hazel smiles to herself, as she takes a bite of her food.
Paige:
He´s just turned 25, has a nice, but affordable two room apartment downtown and he works for an advertisement agency, where he´s working his way up as a junior copywriter.
Hazel:
It sounds like a guy with his life in order.
Paige:
Nothing against JT or Spinner, but this was like being a real adult for an evening. It was like being with him made me into one and I was this woman, who has her whole life in order.
Hazel:
What´ll you do, when it´s time to head off to college?
Paige:
I don´t want to think about it.
Hazel:
At some point, there´ll be no getting around it.
Paige:
These past months since me and JT broke up, I´ve had to look at him and Manny running around here looking like Degrassi´s version of "Brangelina" five days a week. On top of that, I don´t even have the right to complain, because I was the one, who dumped him and drove him into her arms. I can´t tell you how much, it´s really sucked big time!
Hazel:
Yeah, but ...
Paige:
Couple that with my exam anxiety, fears over what will happen in the future, my constantly messed up home life, with a pair of parents that it feels like could announce their divorce at any minute and you can´t blame me, for wanting to feel that way.
Hazel:
I get the allure, but wasn´t the plan to find someone, you could easily dump and then move on, when the time came?
Paige:
You have a plan, until you make a new one!
Hazel:
If you say so ...
What Hazel is saying doesn´t look like it´s registering with Paige, who´ll rather stay in her own dream world.
8. Ext. Night Club. Evening.
The concert looks to be attracting a nice crowd, who have lined up outside waiting for the doors to open. It´s mostly an early to mid 20´s kind of crowd and many look like they´ve already been "preparing" for their night out for a while. Paige and Aaron, who are both more casually dressed than the day before, are among the first in line and she looks like she´s feeling at home with this crowd.
Paige:
What kind of music am I in for?
Aaron:
It´s just a local band, that I´ve seen down here a few times. They play sort of a groovy mix of funk and rock, that you can dance to. They´re pretty big with the college crowd.
Paige:
Sounds cool.
Aaron:
I´d love to take you to some huge concert with a megastar some day, but you have to start somewhere, right?
Paige:
I understand why you can´t afford to spend big on every date. I asked my dad how much a junior copywriter makes, so I can pay my own share on our dates from now on.
They look deep into each other´s eyes and it looks very much like he´s fallen big time for her too.
Aaron:
Are you for real, or is this some amazing dream, I´m having?
She gives him a small kiss, their first.
Paige:
I´m all real, Hon. In truth, I´m just a plain, normal girl, where what you see, is what you get.
Aaron:
That all, I´ve ever asked for. I´m surprised, that you haven´t been down here before. Lots of TU students come here in the weekend.
Paige tries to come up with a quick lie.
Paige:
Oh, you know. There´s so many bars and clubs in this city, that it´s impossible to cover all of them.
Aaron:
Perhaps on our next date, you could take me to one of your favorites? I´m getting tired of going to the same ones all the time.
Paige smiles it off and nods excitedly.
Paige:
Sure! I know just the place!
She really trying her best to keep the lie going, bless her heart, as the doors open and it´s time for them to go in. She hands her fake ID to a bouncer, who only gives it the slightest of glances, before handing it back to her and letting her and Aaron in.
9. Int. Paige´s House. Evening.
Paige´s dad is still up, sitting by himself in the living room with a two thirds filled glass of Brandy in his hand, with Dean Martin´s "Everybody Loves Somebody" quietly playing from a high prized record player attached to an equally high prized sound system. He´s looking more than a little drunk and there´s a quarter full bottle of "Louis Treize" brandy on the table. Paige comes in cautiously and he smiles at her.
Paige´s Dad:
Hi, Buttercup! Did you have fun with your friends?
Paige:
Yeah. Sorry, that I´m a bit late.
Paige´s Dad:
Are you? Oh, whatever! You´re only young once, you should get to enjoy it, while it lasts!
Paige:
Where´s mom? I didn´t see her car in the driveway.
Paige´s Dad:
She´s gone up to visit your aunt Sylvia for a "Time Out", as she called it! Don´t worry, she´ll be back in a day or two, when she´s cooled off. Have a seat, but first, grab yourself a glass from the bar cabinet.
Paige does and takes a seat next to her dad, who pours her a very small drink.
Paige:
The "Louis Treize", that you´ve had since forever?
Paige´s Dad:
This is the king of Brandies, sweetheart. Cheers.
They take a small sip each and both go ahh, afterwards.
Paige:
It burns a little.
Paige´s Dad:
A good brandy has to. My dad always told me, that the best Brandies are like the best kind of women: The perfect mix of rough and smooth.
Paige giggles a little.
Paige:
What does that mean?
Paige´s Dad:
You don´t want one, who it´s impossible to get along with. On the other hand, you don´t want someone, who lets you decide everything either. What you want is someone, who´s smack dab in the middle!
Paige:
Where do you think, I fit into that equation?
Paige´s Dad:
Honey, you´re perfect, just the way you are. Any man would be lucky to have you.
Paige:
You´ve told me that, since I was a kid, but I´m not perfect, dad. Most of the time, it feels like I´m the complete opposite.
She takes another sip, as he looks at her with sadness.
Paige´s Dad:
Being your age isn´t always easy, Princess. You´ve just started the most exciting time of your life and I know how scary it can be, when you have all of these big, life altering events coming your way in such a small span of time. I also know deep in my heart, that you´ll come out perfectly fine at the end of it, just like your brother will.
She looks a little re-assured by his words.
10. Int. Paige´s Room. Evening.
Paige dumps down on the bed and stares up at the ceiling, while she takes it all in.
Paige (to herself):
You are in so deep now, Hon, that it´s not even funny!
She thinks about it, as she closes her eyes and tries to fall asleep.
11. Int. The Dot. Day.
Paige is having a large burger with an equally generous amount of fries, while Marco is jealous, only having a low fat, whole wheat tuna roll, that looks kind of dry and unappetizing, to be honest. He takes a bite of it and chews it with very little delight, while Paige is letting out small "Mmm´s", every time she chews. He put it back on his plate and waves his hands at it, as if to get it away from himself.
Paige:
Not liking your diet, Hon?
Marco:
I don´t care! I need junk food! SPINNER, A PAIGE SPECIAL AND A BUCKET OF FRIES!
Spinner (off screen):
Sure thing, buddy!
Paige:
Have some fries, while you wait.
He takes some and it looks like it helps a little, as he pushes his dry tuna roll to the side with disgust.
Marco:
What´s the latest with you and mister right?
Paige:
It´s bad. He´s falling for me, like big time. He already wants us to meet each other´s families.
Marco:
Which under the usual circumstances would be a dream come true, but in yours is turning into a nightmarish web of lies.
Paige:
He´s a really sweet guy, who just wants a normal girl, he can treat right and call his girlfriend. Knowing that I´ll eventually have to hurt him, burns me up inside.
Marco:
Would it be so bad, if you told him the truth?
Paige:
That I´m in reality a 17 year old, who´s moving half way across the country in three months and I´ve been lying to him constantly? How would you take those news?
Even Paige has lost her appetite now and puts her knife and fork down on the plate.
Marco:
You really care about him, don´t you?
Paige:
Marco, I´m falling in love with him.
Marco:
Then it´s better to tell him sooner, rather than later. The longer you keep it up, the worse it´s gonna get, when he finally finds out.
Paige doesn´t like it, but knows that he´s right.
12. Ext. The Dot. Day.
Paige waves goodbye to Marco, who heads up the street and she gets her phone out. Clearly not really wanting to, she calls someone anyway and puts the phone to her ear. She smiles to herself at what she hears.
Paige:
I´m not gorgeous, come on! No, I´m not. You just think, I am, because you like me so much! Look, can we meet up somewhere, like perhaps outside of the dorms, where you first picked me up? is half an hour cool with you? There´s some stuff, we should discuss. Great, I´ll see you there.
She hangs up and is clearly not looking forward to the talk, she´s about to have.
13. Ext. Street. Day.
Paige is awaiting anxiously by the side of the road, when Aaron comes pulling up. He gets out and they smile at each other, as she tries to hide her nerves. He moves in to try to kiss her, but she stops him.
Aaron:
What´s wrong?
Paige:
Everything.
She pushes him away and looks at him sadly.
Paige:
I´m gonna tell you the truth, because I think you deserve to hear the truth and nothing but the truth from me, for once. My real name isn´t Diana and I´m not a 23 year old college student. It´s Paige and I don´t even go here. In fact, I haven´t graduated high school yet.
She nervously bites her lip and looks ashamed of herself, as he tries to take it in.
Paige:
I only created that profile to find a casual fling to relieve my loneliness with, because I couldn´t deal with my ex getting over us, before I did. Not that I´m even sure, I am yet, if you want the entire truth. My life this past year has been one big, uncontrollable mess, so I created the girl I wish, I were and pretended to be her. I never expected to meet someone, I´d fall for as hard, as I´ve fallen for you. I´m so sorry, Aaron.
He´s so flabbergasted, that he barely knows what to say.
Aaron:
That´s ... I don´t even know if there´s a word for it!
Paige:
I understand, if you hate me. If someone did this to me, I probably would.
He´s heard enough and gets back in his car, before driving off. She´s left crying by the side of the road.
14. Ext. Park. Day.
Paige is sitting on a bench by herself and is feeding bread to the many hungry birds, who happily eat it up in an instant. When she´s finished, though, they quickly fly away. She sees JT, who comes walking towards her. They smile at each other.
JT:
Couldn´t think of a better way to spend your Saturday?
Paige:
I felt the urge, to some sort of good deed.
He sits down next to her.
Paige:
Where are you heading?
JT:
This is my shortcut over to Joey´s house, remember?
Paige:
Can´t you afford a car by now?
JT:
This way, it keeps me fit.
Paige:
That´s true, I guess.
JT:
Anyway, I love a good walk, especially on a nice day like this.
Paige:
Sorry, JT, but I can´t agree, that it´s a nice day. Not at all.
He sees how sad she looks and gets concerned.
JT:
Did something happen?
Paige:
Am I the most selfish and irresponsible girl, that´s ever lived?
JT:
You´re not. Most people just don´t get you.
Paige:
I´ve done things, I´m not proud of, but what I did this time ... it´s like all of those things, if you compiled them into one big, horrible act.
JT:
What did you do?
Paige:
Played with a guy´s heart, like some total sociopath would.
He takes a moment to take it in.
JT:
That´s harsh!
Paige:
It was supposed to be a carefree date or two, where I could forget about my problems and just have fun.
JT:
I´m still waiting for the crazy sociopath part.
Paige:
In stead I met a guy, who I completely connected with in every way and I allowed myself to get swept into it. To make it worse, he really fell for me too.
JT smiles at her.
JT:
I´m still not hearing anything negative.
Paige:
I made him believe, that I was someone, I´m not. A 23 year old college student named Diana.
She looks him in the eyes and he can see how bad she feels about it.
JT:
How old is he?
Paige:
25.
JT:
Yikes!
Paige:
When I told him the truth, he freaked out and took off, before I could properly explain it to him. He´s probably wishing right now, that he´ll never see my lying face again.
JT:
Damn!
Paige:
I´m sure he had plenty of one sillable words to say too, as he drove away!
JT can´t hide, that he´s a little shocked.
Paige:
From now on, I´m sticking to the truth and solely to the truth!
JT:
I can´t say, that I wouldn´t do the same!
Paige:
I feel like the absolute worst person to walk the face of the earth right now.
JT:
Nah. There´s always Carrot Top.
His joke makes her laugh a little.
Paige:
He´s not a terrible person, just terribly un-funny!
JT:
The guy will get over it and move on, just like you will. It get that it feels terrible now, but it doesn´t make you a horrible person. You feeling this sad over it proves that.
She can´t help herself from crying a little.
Paige:
Why do you still know exactly how to cheer me up, JT?
JT:
Everyone has some special skill, I guess.
Paige:
I mean it. How am I gonna get over you, knowing that I might never again meet someone, who gets me, like you do?
JT:
Did this guy?
She takes a moment to wipe her eyes.
Paige:
Yeah. Or the version of me, that I made up, anyway.
JT:
Then he would get the real you too. She´s pretty lovable, when you get to know her.
Paige looks a little comforted by his words, but is still clearly upset.
15. Int. Movie Theater Lobby. Evening.
Paige is working off her debt to Amy and Alex and is looking none too pleased at being back in her old work uniform, as she gets ready to clean the very messy looking floor of the lobby, as the last of the night´s guests are leaving. Alex, who´s dressed to leave, comes over to her.
Alex:
You´re sure, you don´t want me to help?
Paige:
Believe it or not, doing penance work like this, is just what my guilty conscience needs right now.
Alex:
He´s a guy. Chances are, that he´s on to the next one already.
Paige:
I hope so, for his sake. Get home, Alex. You spend enough time here, as it is.
Alex:
I´m not going home, if you catch my drift.
Paige:
Say hi to Ashley from me.
Alex:
I will.
Alex leaves and Paige looks around at the mess, as she sighs. A man comes walking in.
Paige:
We´re closed, sir.
Her mouth almost drops, when she sees that it´s Aaron.
Aaron:
A friend of mine was here earlier and told me, he saw you here. You met him at the club, we went to.
Paige:
I recognized him. I just hoped, he didn´t recognize me.
Aaron:
I don´t have to explain, why I can´t date a 17 year old high schooler, do I?
Paige:
I´m less than half a year away from turning 18.
He smiles warmly at her and comes over to her, as she holds her breath with anticipation.
Aaron:
There´s so many reasons why it would work, but one very big reason, why it won´t. We´re in different places in our lives right now.
Paige:
It´s only 7 years and change.
Aaron:
It´s seven very important ones. I´ve grown so much, since I was your age, that I shake my head sometimes, when I think back to how I was. You´ll do the same and when you get to be my age, I´ll have moved on to the next stage. I don´t think the difference will as big, as it is now ...
His answer makes her smile a little.
Paige:
You´re saying that there´s a chance, when I´m 25 and you´re 32?
Aaron:
Who knows? Maybe we´ll meet up again someday in a dark, cozy bar and live happily ever after. It just can´t be now or anytime in the near future.
Paige:
I absolutely get that.
They smile at each other.
Aaron:
Goodbye, Paige. I wish you all the best.
Paige:
You too, Aaron.
He turns around and leaves, as she gets to work on her penance, albeit now feeling a lot better about herself than before.
CLOSING CREDITS