WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 1 - GOOD OLD FASHIONED LOVER BOY
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
IT´S TIME TO KICK OFF THE FOURTH SEASON AND TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS SEASON, I´M NOT GOING TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU WHAT THE "WHAT IF" FOR THIS SEASON WILL BE BEFOREHAND. IT WON´T BE A PART OF THE STORY UNTIL EPISODE 2, BUT IT´S A VERY INTERESTING ONE THAT CAME ABOUT IN AN INTERESTING WAY TOO!
FOR THESE EPISODES, I´M NAMING THEM AFTER SONGS FROM WHAT IS QUITE SIMPLY ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS TO GRACE THIS EARTH WITH THEIR PRESENCE, WHILE WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE THEM. THAT BAND WAS THE INCOMPARABLE AND INCREDIBLE "QUEEN".
1. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Craig is coming up towards the school with Sean and Emma, who are holding hands. Snow is on the ground and going by the mist clouds that come out, every time someone exhales, it´s a Canadian winter in it´s fullest. He isn´t looking like he´s looking forward to school.
Craig:
They should let us have these days off.
Sean:
It´s inhuman to force anyone to go outside in these temperatures!
Emma:
You´ve just had a two week holiday.
Sean:
Can´t we extend it by two more?
Emma and Sean smile at each other.
Sean:
I can think of plenty of things to spend it on.
Emma:
If you can´t, then I can!
Craig:
I´m going inside ASAP!
He hurries on ahead as quickly as he can, while Sean and Emma take it a little easier.
Emma:
I can´t believe how cool he is about us dating.
Sean:
I´m sure that half of it is an act and he screams into his pillow, every day when he comes home. He needs a girlfriend, sooner rather than later!
Emma:
There´s that sophomore girl, he dated. Is she still single?
Sean:
They´re too different. Then again, I don´t have any clue, what kind of girl would be perfect for him.
Emma:
The best thing we can do is let him figure it out on his own.
They head inside the school.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Paige´s Parent´s Kitchen. Morning.
Paige is busy making a breakfast that´s big enough to feed a small army. Her only guests however are Marco and Ellie, who make wide eyes at the sight of it.
Paige:
Should I make Belgian Waffles too?
Marco:
Paige, you´ve made enough food to feed half of Belgium!
Ellie:
It´s gonna be hard making it to my first class in time, if you guys have to carry me there!
Paige sees what they mean and looks at the mountain of French Toast and the like, that she made.
Paige:
I may have gone a little overboard!
Marco:
You think?
All three of them get stuck into it and each fill up a plate, before going back to the kitchen table.
Paige:
I don´t know what it is with me. Since I came home, it´s like I´ve lost the ability to relax.
Ellie:
It´s a natural human reaction. You messed up, so now you want to make it right as fast as possible, so you can start feeling good about yourself again.
Paige takes a bite of toast and considers it.
Paige:
I suppose that makes sense.
Marco:
Is that what your Psych professor would say, dr. Nash?
Ellie:
It´s also what I would say!
Him and Ellie smile at each other.
Paige:
I guess that I have to start looking for a job. Which won´t be made easier by me still having a court date for the sale of hard drugs to look forward to.
Marco:
Look on the bright side. Now you get to find out what the inside of an unemployment office looks like.
Paige:
How I can´t wait! But with my mom off living with my aunt and my dad´s money mostly going to paying the divorce lawyer and my shrink, it´s not like I have a choice.
Ellie:
Any idea what kind of job, you´re on the lookout for?
Paige:
I have no idea! Banting was my one and only plan.
She takes another bite and considers what to do.
3. Int. Hallway. Day.
Sean and Craig are heading to their next class and Craig´s mood doesn´t look to have improved. They´re approached by Snake, who´s walking next to a plainly attractive looking girl with shoulder long brown hair, that clearly loves to dress in earth tones and turtlenecks at this time of year. This is Allison Myers. Snake smiles at the two boys, making them worry.
Snake:
If it isn´t my son in law and Degrassi´s number one musician?
Allison:
These two?
Sean:
And you are?
Allison:
Allison Myers, if you must know.
Snake:
Allison just transferred here. She could also use the help of a pair of big, strong boys like you two.
Sean:
What do we have to do?
Allison:
What guys like you do best.
She waves her finger at them to follow her, as she continues up the hallway with Snake. The boys look at one another, a little puzzled.
Craig:
Was that an insult?
Sean:
I guess we´re about to find out. What a strange girl!
They nod in agreement and follow after them.
4. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Craig and Sean are unloading a van in the extreme cold, while Allison is in charge of the operation. Snake rubs his hands together to try to keep them warm.
Snake:
You seem to have it all under control. I should go inside and do some "principalling"!
Allison:
Thanks for your help, principal Simpson.
Snake:
It´s us who say thanks. Welcome to Degrassi, Allison.
He heads inside in a hurry, as Allison hands a large box to Sean.
Allison:
Since he called you a musician, I take it that you know where the music room is?
Sean:
He´s the musician, But yeah, I do.
Allison:
When you´re done, there´ll be another box here waiting for you.
Sean:
Aren´t I the lucky one today?
He takes the box and hurries inside as fast as he can. Allison hands a large box to Craig, but he refuses to take it.
Allison:
You´re supposed to help!
Craig:
First answer me something. Was that an insult back there?
She smiles at him and it´s a very cute smile at that.
Allison:
I like to test people, boys especially, when I first meet them. It was nothing personal against you or your friend.
Craig:
You´ll only end up giving a bad first impression.
Allison:
It weeds out the uptight types and leaves me with those, who are worth my time.
Craig smiles back at her and seems to like her way of thinking. He picks the box up.
Craig:
Which group do I belong to?
Allison:
You haven´t run off yet, so that´s a great start. You can also show me where the music room is, because in spite of this confident demeanor, I´m still new to this large school!
Craig:
Grab a box and follow me.
She does.
5. Int. Classroom. Day.
Craig comes inside and sits down. He´s brought a cup of hot chocolate, but it´s mostly used to warm up his hands, when he holds it. Emma smiles to herself at the sight of it and comes over to him.
Emma:
Don´t tell me, you got into a snow ball fight.
Craig:
I was doing my bit for the school, just so you know.
She looks like she´s having trouble buying it.
Emma:
How exactly did you do this?
Craig:
By helping to offload a van with musical instruments and carrying them all the way to the music room.
Emma:
My dad made you do it, didn´t he?
He nods and she now looks like she´s starting to believe him.
Craig:
Him and this bossy girl named Allison. I mean, she turned out to be okay, when I got to talking to her, but she´s ... different.
Emma:
Different how?
Craig:
She doesn´t seem to care much, what everyone else thinks about her. I kind of like that.
Emma sees an opportunity to take down two birds with one stone.
Emma:
Do you want me to ask Snake about her? Find out what the low down is?
He looks surprised, that she would offer it.
Craig:
Yeah, that would be great. Only if you want to, of course.
Emma:
If I can do my little part in helping you to move on, it´s the least I can do. I´ll ask him at lunch.
Craig:
Thanks, Em.
Emma:
It´s no big deal.
She goes back to sit with Manny as usual.
6. Int. Unemployment Office. Day.
Paige is sitting across from a woman, who´s looking over her resume and everything else, that she´s brought, which is a lot of papers!
Woman:
You didn´t need to bring your old report cards. Just like I didn´t have to know that you were vaccinated for small Pox, when you were a baby.
Paige:
I didn´t know what we´d need, so I brought all of it.
Woman:
That I see!
Paige:
I´m really hoping that you can help me. After I messed everything up and got kicked out of college, I need some help to get back into the thick of things.
The woman looks over her resume, which is very short.
Woman:
The only job you´ve had was at a movie theater?
Paige:
I´d rather not go back to that.
Woman:
It could be your best choice.
Paige looks disappointed.
Paige:
There´s no chance of me getting a good job, is there?
Woman:
Not unless you have connections, you can tap into. With a possible upcoming trial, most employers will put your application in their rejected piles without a moment´s thought. I´m sorry, but it´s my job to be upfront with you.
Paige:
I know. It´s my own fault, that my life has been eternally ruined!
Woman:
Paige, you haven´t entered your 20´s yet. Many young people like you, who made a bad mistake in their teen years, have gone on to lead rich and fulfilling lives. At this time however, it severely limits your options.
Paige nods in understanding.
7. Int. The Dot. Day.
Paige is comforting herself with a burger, when Peter brings her a soda. There´s only a few other people there.
Peter:
On the house. From what I remember, you used to practically keep this place in business.
He puts it on the table in front for her and she looks grateful.
Paige:
Thanks. Shouldn´t you be in school right now, by the way?
Peter sits down across from her.
Peter:
I´m suspended for the week. Some guy talked some smack, so I had to smack him one.
Paige:
Is that really what happened?
Peter:
Nah, I got caught cheating on one of my mid-terms. 3rd time this year. As an extra punishment, my mom made me beg the boss here to give me my job back.
Paige:
Shouldn´t that at least have taught you to become better at cheating?
He smiles to himself.
Peter:
They don´t know about all of the times I´ve gotten away with, do they?
Paige:
Have you met my ex-boyfriend JT? You two would be a perfect match!
Pater:
Why aren´t you off at your fancy college?
Paige:
I got kicked out. Drugs.
Peter looks surprised.
Peter:
You? Sorry, but you don´t strike me as the type.
Paige:
Drug addicts come in all shapes and sizes. Including that of a girl, who ruined her life completely, when she got busted with enough Coke to fuel an entire Motley Crue concert back in the 80´s!
Peter:
Enough that you´re going to jail?
Paige:
Hopefully not. At the same time there´s no point in starting at another college, if I´m only gonna be there for a few months, before they send me off to the slammer. I´ve been trying to look for work, but it´s like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Peter:
If you need a job, there´s an opening here on the morning shift.
She considers the idea and doesn´t look dismissive of it.
Peter:
It´s like the mothership is calling you home!
Paige:
It´s not the worst idea, I´ve heard.
Peter:
If I ordered a number nine, what am I ordering?
Paige:
The tuna melt. Although, If it was up to me, it wouldn´t be on the menu at all.
Peter:
Say that I ordered a number three with a number fourteen on the side?
Paige:
That would be a ... bacon burger with chilli fries.
Peter:
You would be perfect. With Spinner, Jane and my recommendations, there´s no way he wouldn´t hire you.
She smiles to herself and cuts into her burger.
Paige:
Thanks, Peter. Or should I say colleague?
She looks to be heavily cheered up again.
8. Int. Hallway. Day.
Craig is on his way to lunch, when he hears the sound of a violin playing very soft, soothing and beautiful music. He comes up to the door to the music room and peers in through the peephole. Seeing that it´s Allison, who´s playing it, he decides to go inside.
9. Int. Music Room. Day.
Allison is playing with her eyes closed and Craig moves as silently as he can, so she won´t hear him at all. He waits for her to finish and she´s a little shocked, when she opens her eyes to see him looking at her.
Craig:
That was beautiful.
Allison:
You can thank mister Vivaldi. He´s the one, who wrote it.
She puts the violin in it´s case and closes it to keep it safe.
Craig:
Was he a teacher at your old school?
Allison:
No, he was a composer in medieval Italy. You don´t know a whole lot about classical music, do you?
Craig:
It´s never interested me. I´m more of a rock and pop kind of guy.
Allison:
Why doesn´t that surprise me?
Craig:
Are you always like this?
She smiles at him teasingly, as she gets ready to leave.
Allison:
Like what?
Craig:
Naturally hostile. If anything I´ve been your welcoming committee and all I get from you is sass.
Allison:
Still you haven´t given up on me. That tells me a lot about you, Craig.
She leaves him looking a little frustrated, but at the same time intrigued with this new girl in his life.
Craig (to himself):
Who the hell does she think, she is? And why can´t I stop thinking about her?
He shakes his head and tries to take it all in.
10. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Craig is last in the line for food, that doesn´t look all that appetizing. He decides on getting a slice of pizza, when Emma comes up behind him.
Emma:
Admit it, Craig. You´re gonna miss that pizza with the cardboard crust, the fries, you have to pretend are still warm and the salad you spend a minute sorting for rotten bits before you eat it, when you leave here!
Craig:
I´d call that highly unlikely! How´s your day going?
Emma:
Alright. I asked Snake about that Allison girl for you.
Craig:
What did you find out?
Emma:
Not a whole lot, I´m afraid. She transferred here from a school up north and she´s a junior. Oh, and her family donated some instruments to the music department.
Craig:
Thanks for trying.
Emma:
You´re welcome. Do you like her?
Craig:
I can´t make up my mind. Something draws he to her though.
Emma:
Something, as in a crush perhaps?
He looks her in the eyes, as she awaits his answer.
Craig:
It´s weird talking to you about girls.
Emma:
If we´re going to go back to just being friends again, then we´d better get used to it.
Craig:
Okay, in that case, I guess I do. I´m just not sure in what way. At this moment, I would more say that I find her intriguing, than anything else.
Emma:
It doesn´t sound like a half bad starting point.
He looks in silent agreement.
We cut down to a table, where Allison is sitting alone and is eating a veggie burger. Craig comes down to her with his tray.
Craig:
Is it okay if I sit here and enjoy my extravagant lunch with you?
She stops eating and puts her burger down, before nodding at him.
Allison:
You got the pizza. I was considering it, until I saw this tasty looking Veggie Burger.
Craig:
Is it tasty?
Allison:
It´s not bad for a cafeteria burger, but I wouldn´t give it more than a few stars out in the real world. How´s the pizza around here?
Craig:
I´ll let you know in a moment.
He takes a bite of his slice.
Craig:
Close to cold, way over baked crust, extremely dry meat and a tomato sauce, that´s the cheapest money can buy. As expected!
They smile at each other.
Craig:
Are you a vegetarian?
Allison:
No, but I think it´s disgusting how much meat some people eat, so I try to limit my own consumption to what my body needs.
Craig:
Speaking as a meat junkie myself, I get where you´re coming from.
Allison:
Tell me something about yourself, that I don´t already know.
Craig:
My last name is Manning.
Allison:
I meant something remotely interesting!
Craig:
I play guitar and at one point last year I almost scored a record deal.
Allison:
Which is interesting for sure, but I was thinking more in the line of something personal.
He swallows and takes a second to consider it.
Craig:
I got a 14 year old girl pregnant, when I was 15. We have a daughter, who´s almost three now and is learning to talk. How´s that for interesting?
He gages her reaction and is a little relieved to see, that at least she´s not freaking out over it, even if she is a little shocked.
Allison:
I was the one, who had to ask! Are you still together?
Craig:
It´s a long story, but we couldn´t make it work. She´s moved on with a guy, who´s better for her, than I was. We´re still friends and I´m glad to see her doing well, even if it is with someone else.
Allison:
Have you been able to move on?
Craig:
I haven´t done too badly in that department, if I say so myself!
Allison:
So, you´re a rocker with a guitar, who probably has the girls lined up around the block, to get a date with you. Are you a bad boy, Craig?
Craig:
Only in private and only when a girl wants me to be.
She seems to like his answer and smiles to herself.
11. Int. Marco and Olivia´s Apartment. Evening.
Paige is hanging out with Marco and Olivia and is enjoying her success today. They toast on their glasses of wine.
Olivia:
To you, Paige.
Marco:
May this be a sign of better things to come for all of us.
Paige:
Thanks, you guys. It´s a relief to know that I have something to get up in the morning for, while I wait for them to make up their minds on whether and what to charge me with.
Olivia:
What are the options?
Paige:
Hopefully, I´ll get charged with a one time sale and possession and as a first time offender, they´ll probably go light on me. If it becomes possession with intent to distribute in large amounts, then it´s a whole different matter. That girl dying isn´t likely to make them go easier on me either, that´s for sure! In that case, I´ll most likely be looking at a few years behind bars.
Marco:
Any idea on when they´ll let you know?
Paige:
They´ll let me know, when they feel like letting me know. That´s how the legal system works.
She gets quiet, as it´s clearly weighing hard on her mind, so Marco puts an arm around her to cheer her up.
Olivia:
Sorry that I brought it up.
Paige:
It´s not like I didn´t know, that what I was doing was illegal. All I can do is move on the best way I can and try to make amends to everyone I hurt.
Marco:
I´ll be here for you every step of the way, Hon.
Paige:
That´s still my catch word you´re stealing, Marco!
They smile at each other and she looks glad, that she at least has Marco close again.
12. Int. Sean´s Apartment. Evening.
Craig and Sean are hanging out too and are lounging on the couch, while watching TV.
Sean:
Do you think anything´s gonna happen with you and that Allison girl?
Craig:
Could be. She´s kinda hot in her own way, don´t you think?
Sean eyes him.
Sean:
Compared to the other girls, you´ve dated? She´s not a dog, but she´s not anywhere near as hot as Emma, Manny or even Holly, for that sake!
Craig:
I think, she is. It could be time that I tried a girl, who´s different. Going by my latest track record, it´s not like I can do any worse with this one!
Sean:
Different than what?
Craig:
The rest of them. Manny was like no other girl I´d met, when I first met her. Maybe no one else saw it than me and perhaps JT, but there was something special about her and it was almost like it shone from her. I like the idea of being with someone, who´s special in their own way.
Sean:
You can definitely say that about your latest love interest!
Craig:
She seriously doesn´t care, what anyone thinks about her. I would be lying, if I said that there wasn´t potential there!
He smiles to himself.
CLOSING CREDITS