WHAT IF? - SEASON 2 EPISODE 42 - BLACK OR WHITE PART 2
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
1. Int. Betsy´s Apartment. Evening.
Betsy is on the couch laughing, as a standing and drunk JT is going on a rant, while "Rocket Queen" by Guns N Roses plays from her small stereo. Several empty beer cans are still on the table.
JT:
I can´t explain how utterly sick and tired I am of going to school! Ten years! For ten years of my life, I´ve been made to sit and listen to teachers ramble on and on about stuff, there is no way I could care less about! Is this some sort of sick punishment for being a child?
He even gets Scarlet excited and she barks happily at him, thinking that it´s some sort of fun game.
JT:
That´s right, Scarlet! This is something to bark over!
Betsy:
The are some, who like it.
JT:
Who in their right mind wouldn´t rather be out there living life, than getting their heads filled with facts, that will for the most part be useless to them, the second school is over? Am I wrong?
Betsy:
Hey, you´re preaching to the choir!
JT:
I don´t care what Manny thinks. I´m done with it! No more, never again, this cowboy is riding off into his sunset!
Betsy:
Is Manny your girlfriend?
He calms down again, as he thinks of her.
JT:
She´s the best, like literally. How she´s managed becoming a mom at 15, getting kicked out of home, splitting up with her daughter´s dad, all the while never missing a beat, never taking life with anything except a smile and always being the world´s best mom on top of it, I´ll never know.
Betsy:
She sounds like a cool girl. Do you love her?
JT:
Eternally!
He looks her in the eyes and she rolls hers at her, as she gets up.
Betsy:
Now you´re sounding drunk enough. Shall we?
JT:
Yes, we shall, my dear!
They smile at each other.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Jimmy´s Parent´s House. Evening.
Liberty is having dinner with Jimmy and his parents, but she´s finding it hard to keep her head in it. The mood at the table is pretty great, though. Certainly a big change from the last time, we saw him with his parents, before he went off to rehab.
Jimmy:
Painting has been really good therapy. I was thinking of taking an art class next year.
Jimmy´s Dad:
If it doesn´t get in the way of the important classes, I don´t see a problem with it.
Jimmy´s Mom:
I think that it´s nice, you´re finding new hobbies, Jimmy.
Jimmy´s Dad:
Do you have any hobbies, Liberty?
Jimmy sees that Liberty wasn´t following the conversation and nudges her with his elbow. She snaps out of it and smiles at him.
Jimmy:
Any hobbies, I should know about?
Liberty:
I don´t know. Can learning on your own time be a hobby?
Jimmy´s Mom:
I can´t see why not?
Jimmy´s Dad:
Did you look up some list on-line of "Perfect Daughters in Law", where you found this one, Jimmy?
Liberty smiles widely at the praise, to Jimmy´s delight.
Jimmy:
I don´t think such a list exists, dad. I just got really lucky. Which I could use as a lead-in to something ...
Jimmy´s Mom:
Whatever it is, just say it. We´ve held enough secrets from each other.
He stands up and Liberty joins him, albeit looking somewhat uncomfortable.
Jimmy:
I don´t want to leave Toronto and I don´t think, it´s what´s best for me either. It´s better if I stay here, where I have Liberty, my friends and you close for now. She´s been my rock through all this and I don´t know, what I´d do without her.
His parents look at each other, as Liberty gets more and more uncomfortable.
Jimmy´s Dad:
We didn´t want to tell you, but we´ve been thinking the same thing.
Jimmy´s Mom:
It´s not that we don´t believe in you. But after what you´ve been through, being new and alone in a big city at your age, would be too much, too soon.
Jimmy´s Dad:
I have contacts at TU, who can help you get in on a late admission. It´s settled, then.
Jimmy looks delighted by their reaction and Liberty tries to do the same.
3. Ext. Jimmy´s House. Evening.
Jimmy is saying good night to Liberty. He looks a little concerned for her.
Jimmy:
Are you sure, you don´t want me to drive you? I can get my dad to follow us there, so he can drive me home, no problem.
Liberty:
You´re so sweet to ask, but it´ll be okay.
Jimmy:
I just hope that it´s nothing to serious. I hate to see my girl feeling sick.
She smiles at his words.
Liberty:
I never get tired hearing you call me your girl.
He smiles back at her.
Jimmy:
I never get tired of saying it. I also meant what I said about you being my rock. Sometimes it feels like I´m drowning in open waters and you´re the one thing, I have left to hold on to. Can you wait for just one minute, before you leave?
Liberty:
Yeah, sure.
Jimmy:
Just a moment.
He runs inside, as looks around and enjoys the nice weather of the early summer´s evening. He quickly returns, holding a small box and hands it to her. She smiles.
Liberty:
What´s this?
Jimmy:
A crazy idea, I had!
She opens it and inside is an extremely beautiful (and clearly not cheap!) ring. It almost makes her mouth drop.
Jimmy:
I think that we´re too young to get engaged, but I don´t think we´re too young to exchange promise rings.
He gets another one from his pocket, a man´s ring and hands it to her.
Jimmy:
These are the same promise rings, my parents gave to each other.
Liberty:
Jimmy, I don´t know what to say ...
Jimmy:
Say that you´ll wear it.
Liberty:
Yes, of course I will!
The put the rings on each other´s fingers and she forgets about all of her problems for a moment, as they put them next to each other and they gleam in the soft moonlight together.
4. Int. Manny´s Room. Evening.
Liberty is visiting Manny, who´s gently rocking Julia. She´s flustered.
Liberty:
How can so many good things happen in such a short time, yet somehow be bad?
Manny:
It´s like the universe took all the bad luck from JT and gave it back to you in good luck!
Liberty:
I wouldn´t mind giving him some of it back!
Manny:
I mean, it´s the choice between great and even better, when you look at it. The question is which is which.
Liberty:
I love Jimmy, but at the same time, I would get to feel much more challenged and fulfilled down there, than I do at Degrassi. It´s not that I won´t miss you guys, but I know that I would absolutely love it.
Manny:
Pick the school, then.
Liberty:
At the same time, Jimmy seriously feels like he could be the one. What I have with him, that´s what I always dreamt of having with JT. Only it´s so much better, because it´s actually happening! I´m in love with an awesome guy, who loves me back in the same way. Can I ask for more?
Manny smiles, as Julia yawns. She looks up at her mom, who smiles at her.
Manny:
Is it nap time for a little lady?
Julia smiles and nods and Manny gives her a kiss on the forehead, before getting up from the bed. Liberty gets up too.
Liberty:
I should get home too. Thanks for listening.
Manny:
You helped take my mind off JT, so thanks back at ya.
Liberty:
What do you think, he´s doing?
Manny:
As long as it isn´t sitting around and looking like a drowned puppy, I´m fine with it.
Liberty:
That could be a dangerous statement, considering that it´s JT!
They smile at each other.
5. Int. Strip Bar. Evening.
JT is in a private set of box seats with Betsy and her two very lightly clad and extremely attractive stripper friends Starla and Candy. The bubbly is flowing and he looks like he´s enjoying getting the attention of these kinds of ladies for the first time in her life.
Candy:
Aww! That little girl is so lucky, that you´ll be her dad!
JT:
I hope so, Starla.
Candy:
I´m Candy.
JT:
Sorry. I´m not the best with names!
Starla:
You know what I think?
JT:
What´s that, Candy ehm, Starla?
Starla:
I think that guys like you are the real men. You just don´t get the credit you deserve for it.
Candy:
Yeah! Don´t let what anyone says bring you down, JD. I wish that I´d known a guy like you back in school.
She smiles sweetly at him and he soaks it up.
Starla:
We should go and shake our booties, Candy.
JD, ehm T:
Aww! I was enjoying myself.
Candy:
We´ll be back later, sweetie.
Her and JT wave goodbye to each other, as Betsy shakes her head at it.
Betsy:
They could fit two of you into her boyfriend, so don´t even consider it!
JT:
I don´t care. Just getting that kind of attention from someone like her is enough. Thanks for taking me here.
Betsy:
Would it surprise you, that I work here?
JT:
As a stripper?
Betsy:
I work in the topless bar.
JT:
What about the whole "who cares, what guys think of me"? How does that fit into it?
Betsy:
JT, in a room full of boobs that are much bigger than my little coconuts, do you really think they´re busy staring at mine?
He smiles at her and takes another sip.
Betsy:
If anything, I feel liberated and free, because here all us girls are on an even playing field. All of us are here to show what we´ve got and get paid for it. There can be plenty of reasons why, but it´s a fact we all share. It´s not like high school, where I had these high and mighty types, who acted like they´d never done anything wrong in their lives. If I´d felt the kind of love and sisterhood, that I feel with Candy, Starla and the other girls here, I would have loved it in school.
JT:
You´re saying, that it is possible to make even better friends, after school is over?
Betsy:
You´ll definitely never know, if you close yourself off from it.
He raises his glass and they toast.
JT:
Have I told you how glad I am, that I met you today?
Betsy:
I´m glad too, that I followed my instincts with you.
JT:
What did they say?
Betsy:
That you´re one hell of a guy. One, that I´d like to get to know.
He moves a little away from her.
JT:
Betsy, I can´t cheat on Manny!
She laughs at the suggestion.
Betsy:
Will you get over yourself? I´d feel like I was robbing the cradle!
He smiles and eases up again.
Betsy:
Plus, I´d know that you were thinking about her the whole time and I´m better than that!
JT:
Touche!
She gets up and takes his hand.
Betsy:
The question is, can you dance, high school boy?
JT smiles it off.
JT:
Can I dance? Ha! No, I seriously have two left feet, but I can look silly dancing!
Betsy:
Then you´re exactly as good as me. Why do you think, they won´t make me a dancer?
JT:
Show me!
He grabs her hand and she squeals with surprise, as he spins her around and catches her in his arms.
6. Montage. Music: "Livin´La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin.
We see JT and Betsy dancing and drinking together and all the while having a great time, while they both get drunker and drunker too. One of the bouncers starts to become suspicious, so Betsy has to talk him (in a very flirtingly way) into letting him stay there. JT can´t help smiling at how great she is at playing the bouncer like he were her own little fiddle. We also see from a POV shot from JT´s eyes, as he dances though, where we see that his vision is starting to get very blurry.
7. Int. Car. Evening.
Liberty is looking very tired, as she´s driving home. She sees a bicycle rider, a man in his 30´s, riding in front of her and passes him with a pretty wide margin. Things are going smooth as usual, so she yawns and completely forgets that there´s a cat walking over the street up ahead, as she fidgets with the radio, that´s cracking up. It´s only at the last second, that she realizes how close she is to hitting it and she slams the brakes. Moments later, she hears a bump coming from the back of the car and her face freezes.
Liberty:
Oh, god!
She gets out of the car, as the cat runs off.
8. Ext. Street. Night.
Liberty comes round to the back of the car, where the bicycle rider from before is trying to get up. She helps him does so.
Liberty:
Are you okay?
Bicycle Rider:
Kinda wild with the braking there, aren´t you?
Liberty:
Did you get hurt?
Bicycle Rider:
A little battered and bruised, but I´ll live.
Liberty:
There was a cat, that crossed the road. It´s no excuse, I wasn´t paying proper attention.
Bicycle Rider:
Is that what you agree to tell our insurance companies?
He picks his bike up and we see that the front wheel is looking pretty much done for.
Liberty:
Of course. I´ll pay for the damage to your bicycle. No sweat. It was totally and one hundred percent my fault, after all.
Bicycle Rider:
Or you could blame the cat.
They smile at each other. He seems like a nice enough guy.
Liberty:
Can I give you a ride to where ever you were going? I feel like it´s the least, I can do.
Bicycle Rider:
I was just heading back to my house up the road.
Liberty:
Sure, no problem. We can put your bike in the trunk.
She opens it and helps him with it, still a little shocked at what happened.
9. Int. Liberty´s House. Evening.
Liberty comes home to find Danny surfing the web. She looks over his shoulder and smiles to herself.
Liberty:
"10 places in Boston, you need to visit"?
Danny:
You can´t blame me for being excited. You´ve been to the states before, I haven´t.
Liberty:
No one will.
She playfully ruffles his hair and heads into the living room, where her parents are watching Tv. They´re a little surprised to see her.
Liberty´s Mom:
What are you doing home this early?
Liberty:
I was feeling queezy, so I called it an early night.
Liberty´s Dad:
Are you coming down with something?
Liberty:
Only a bad case of guilty conscience.
Her dad mutes the TV and she sits down next to them.
Liberty:
Jimmy is staying here and going to TU.
Liberty´s Mom:
That´s nice for him, but how can it be weighing on your conscience?
Liberty:
Because I´m one of the main reasons, he wants to stay. He says that he can´t live without me and with him still in such a dangerous phase after his addiction, I don´t know if it would we wise to leave him here. Or if I want to, for that matter.
Liberty´s Dad:
It´s only a few hours by air, Honey. Face it, you´re from a family, that´s well off and so is he. I´m sure that his parents would gladly chip in for plane tickets, just like we will.
Liberty is at the same time happy and almost crying.
Liberty:
Why do you have to be the perfect parents right now?
They smile at her.
Liberty´s Mom:
We didn´t know, we were. We love Jimmy and if he becomes our son in law some day, we´ll welcome both him and his family in with open arms.
Liberty´s Dad:
But this kind of once in a lifetime chance won´t come along again.
Liberty:
I know. I really want to go.
Liberty´s Mom:
Then I think you and Jimmy should have a talk first, before we discuss it with his family.
Liberty´s Dad:
We´ll do everything we can to help you two young lovers feel like, you practically were living together.
Liberty:
So, if Jimmy came down to visit, it´s okay that we live in the apartment alone together?
They make eye contact and smile at each other.
Liberty´s Dad:
We don´t need to know everything. That´s one of the great things about living like an adult.
Liberty looks pleased with their answer, but her smile fades.
Liberty:
I also have something sucky to tell you. I was in an accident.
They look worried.
Liberty´s Dad:
You aren´t hurt, aren´t you?
Liberty:
No, I wasn´t, but a bicycle rider was. Not seriously, though!
Their worried looks start to turn more stern.
Liberty´s Mom:
What happened?
Liberty:
A cat crossed the road and I guess, I saw it too late ...
Liberty´s Dad:
Because you weren´t paying attention, while you were driving again?
Liberty´s Mom:
How many times do we have to tell you: Keep your mind on the road, when you´re driving!
Liberty looks a little uncomfortable now, as her luck is clearly changing.
Liberty´s Dad:
How much is the damage?
Liberty:
I don´t know yet. We got each other´s insurance number and everything ...
Liberty´s Mom:
You didn´t take any pictures of the bike or ask about whatever injuries he had?
Liberty:
No. Should I have?
Liberty´s Dad:
Not unless you wanted our insurance company to pay out for a brand new bike for him!
Liberty:
He seemed like an honest enough guy ...
Liberty´s Dad:
Liberty, people always try to get as much out of these things, as they can. Let´s hope, that he at least isn´t hurt and doesn´t sue us.
Liberty´s Mom:
Maybe it´s not so bad. He should have been paying better attention also, so we can claim that it was only half her fault.
Liberty:
Actually, I said that it was all my fault.
They both shake their heads at her.
Liberty:
It was!
Liberty´s Dad:
Are you trying to ruin us?
Liberty´s Mom:
Even if it was, you don´t admit to it. Go to bed. We´ll figure some way out of this mess tomorrow.
Liberty looks glad that the talk is over and gets up.
She passes by Danny on the way to her room.
Danny:
Nice going, Brainiac!
Liberty:
The way you drive, it won´t be long until it´s your turn!
They smile playfully at each other, as she heads off to her room.
10. Ext. Strip Club. Evening.
Betsy is with a very drunk JT, who´s fighting to keep his balance.
Betsy:
Hang in there! The cab will be here in a moment.
JT:
Can I ask you a question?
Betsy:
Shoot.
JT:
In my situation, would you rather A: Head home to my grandmother, who will be most pissed off, that I came home in this state.
Betsy:
That doesn´t sound like a choice, I´d go for.
JT:
B: Find a park bench somewhere and pray, that I don´t get robbed during the night.
Betsy:
I definitely can´t recommend that one!
JT:
Or C, take that taxi to Manny´s house, hope that she´ll take pity on me and take me in.
Betsy smiles at hm.
Betsy:
There really isn´t much choice, is there?
JT:
Not really. I just hope that she won´t get mad.
Betsy:
As sweet of a guy as you are, she´ll get over it right away.
JT:
You´re sure?
Betsy:
Positive. She knows, that she has herself a catch.
JT:
I don´t want to face the world, I have to wake up to.
She looks at him sadly.
Betsy:
Why not?
JT:
Because I´m being held back next year and one of my best friends is probably moving to the US.
Betsy:
That sucks. Are you gonna miss him?
JT:
It´s a her and yes, I really am.
Betsy:
I´m sorry.
JT:
It´s okay. It´s the future coming to get me, whether I like it or not. Things seemed perfect yesterday, but I was pretending that they would stay that way forever. They won´t.
Betsy:
It´s a tough one to take in, isn´t it?
JT:
One of the toughest.
A taxi pulls up and Betsy opens the back door for JT.
Betsy:
Cheer up, JT. Things are always better, if you look on the bright side of life.
He starts humming "Always look on the bright side of life" to himself, as he gets in.
JT:
I had a blast, Betsy. You sure know how to party.
Betsy:
It´s one of the things, I do best. Get home safely.
She closes the door and the taxi soon drives away. She watches it leave and smiles to herself, before going to meet up with Candy and Starla.
11. Int. Joey and Caitlin´s Living Room. Morning.
JT wakes up in the best way possible for him. By having Julia crawl on him, as Manny holds onto her. He opens her eyes, and she smiles at him.
Manny:
Hi.
JT:
HI.
He smiles back at her and lets Julia clutch his finger with her entire hand.
JT:
Good morning, Julia. Did you sleep well?
Manny:
She did. She was such a good girl last night, yes, she was!
JT smiles at the baby talk and gently takes Julia from Manny. He looks full of love, as he holds her in his arms.
JT:
If certain people heard us talking some times, they´d think we were weirdos!
Manny:
Aren´t we, in our own way?
They smile at each other.
Manny:
Do you remember anything, you told me last night?
JT:
What did I tell you?
Manny:
About some wild girl, who got you drunk and took you to a strip club, where you met Kid Elrick ...
JT:
I don´t remember that part! Perhaps it´ll come back later.
Manny:
It´s true then?
JT:
Are you mad at me?
Manny:
Did you kiss her?
JT:
No, it was absolutely nothing like that. It was platonic fun, through and through!
She thinks about it for a moment, then nods.
Manny:
In that case, I guess, it´s okay.
JT:
Thanks. Did you talk to Liberty?
Manny:
I did this morning. She´s moving to Boston the day after Junior Prom.
They can´t help looking a little sad.
Manny:
It sucks, but at the same time we should be happy for her.
JT:
What about Jimmy?
Manny:
They´ll be living together down there all summer and after that, their parents are helping them figure it out. She said, that he´s coming apartment hunting with her parents and Danny next week.
JT:
I guess there´s nothing in the way of it, then.
Manny:
Things are gonna constantly change, JT. That´s the way it is.
JT:
Wouldn´t it be nice, if you could stop the time sometimes?
She smiles at him.
Manny:
Then how´s this for a time stopper moment? How would you like to live here?
He smiles, but is a little taken aback.
JT:
What about Craig?
Manny:
He´s bought an apartment in Montreal. This isn´t his home anymore, but you spend much more time here, than you do at your grandmother´s.
JT:
That´s true.
Manny:
I asked Craig and he´s fine with it, so are Joey and Caitlyn. We can guess, which way Angie´s vote would go ...
They smile at each other.
Manny:
It´s unanimous, so what do you say? Wanna be my roomie? Only a hundred bucks a month and I can probably negotiate the prize down?
JT:
You don´t have to sell it to me. Roomie.
They both look happy, as he gently cuddles Julia´s hair.
12. Int. Arcade. Evening.
JT and Toby are finally getting their "Whack a Mole" rematch, but JT isn´t as much in the spirit this time. He´s far behind and pretty gives up by the end. Toby looks triumphant.
JT:
Congratulations, bud.
Toby:
Thank you. Will you be buying me my Slurpee now?
JT:
Yeah, sure.
Toby:
The crushed ice should be good for your hangover too.
JT:
Sounds great. This one really doesn´t want to stop punishing me! It´s like the hangover version of school!
They laugh.
Toby:
Are you dropping out?
JT:
Nah. I mean, what else am I gonna do with my days? Just sit outside all day and wait for you to get off?
Toby:
I´ll help you study, if it´s a problem.
JT:
I already have Manny, who gives better rewards. All I know, is that I don´t want to have another humiliating talk with Hot Sauce, like I had yesterday. If that means, I have to study, then that´s a mental block, I´ll have to get past. Manny´s rewards should help make it easier, now that she knows.
Toby:
Are you still bummed over Liberty leaving?
JT:
Aren´t you?
Toby:
The key is to enjoy the good times, while they last.
JT:
How do you know when it´s the good times?
Toby smiles to himself and takes his phone out. He plays with it a little.
Toby:
You don´t remember sending me this picture at two in the morning?
Toby holds his phone up showing a picture of a drunk JT posing and giving two thumbs up, as he´s being kissed on the cheek by Starla, Candy and Betsy at the same time. He gulps at how incriminating it could look, while Toby smiles cheekily.
Toby:
That looks like a good time!
JT:
It was. Has Manny seen that picture?
Toby:
She never has to. Which one was the wild girl?
JT:
The one on the right.
Toby takes a good look at the picture and whistles to himself.
Toby:
She´s pretty.
JT:
Cool too. In fact, that´s the best way to describe her. Cool.
Toby smiles at his answer.
Toby:
Are you gonna see her again?
JT:
Probably, but let me get over this time first, will you? It took a lot out of this old boy!
He puts his arm around Toby´s shoulders and they go off to get their Slurpees.
CLOSING CREDITS