WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 5 - YOU´RE MY BEST FRIEND (PART 1)
1. Int. Cafeteria. Morning.
An angry looking Bianca comes walking into the cafeteria and sits down with JT and Manny. She doesn´t say anything at first, which creates an awkward silence.
JT:
Everything okay there, B?
Bianca:
Why is it that adults think the worst of me?
Manny:
Things didn´t go well with your visit to the principal´s office?
Bianca:
I thought that I was being called in to get some praise, for how hard I´ve tried to catch up with the rest of the class and how my grades have already improved massively, since I started here.
JT:
They couldn´t have gotten worse though, could they?
Bianca:
My point exactly! But what does she want to talk to me about? The vandalism in the girl´s locker room, as if I had anything to do with it!
JT:
What vandalism?
Manny:
It was just some graffiti. The gym teacher isn´t everyone´s cup of tea.
Bianca:
How can she think that I would be dumb enough to do that, when I know, I would be a prime suspect? No matter what I do, the things I did keep following me like a curse.
JT:
Keep doing what you´re doing and she´ll come around.
Bianca:
I can take knowing that Katie Matlin and Marisol Lewis are pretending that we´re all BFF´s to my face and no doubt call me all kind of things, when they´re alone.
Manny:
It sounds like you need better friends.
Bianca:
I can even take Drew Torres and Mike Dallas spending most of the classes I have with them, undressing me with their eyes. They´re a pair of boys, both in desperate need of getting some, who don´t know any better.
JT:
You´re most likely right!
Bianca:
Isn´t the main job for a principal to help those, who need help the most?
JT:
In a perfect world, it is. In reality, she has to please everyone, which means that no one ends up being entirely pleased.
Manny:
You just have to hang in there.
Bianca hangs her head and sighs.
Bianca:
I miss my ex-boyfriend and my old friends. They weren´t perfect, but they liked me for who I am and I didn´t have to pretend to be someone, I´m not.
JT and Manny look worried about her.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Day.
Emma, Manny, Sean and JT are all done for the day and are heading for the exit, when Bianca comes over to them.
Bianca:
I´m glad, I caught you, Em. It could be a little late, before I´m home tonight. I´m studying with a girl from class.
Emma:
Too late to make it in time for dinner? Snake is making his world famous Moussaka!
Bianca smiles at her.
Bianca:
I´ll be kicking myself for missing it, but school work has to come first, if I´m ever gonna catch up.
JT:
Don´t work too hard.
Manny:
If you´ve seen "The Shining", then you know what "All Work and No Play" does to someone!
Bianca:
I can always count on you to remind me of the important things in life!
She gives JT a small hug before running for the doors.
Sean:
Somebody´s glad to be done for the day!
JT:
It runs in the family!
Emma:
Only she´s taking studying five thousand times more seriously than you are!
Manny:
She must be. I´ve never seen anyone literally running, like they couldn´t started with cracking the books fast enough.
Emma:
I´m proud of my new pseudo little sister.
Sean:
You don´t think, she could be hiding something from you?
Emma:
Why would you think that?
Sean:
Not that I´ve ever understood people, who like to study. But didn´t that look a little too over enthusiastic to you?
Emma:
Until she does anything to make me doubt her, I choose to trust her. If she says that she´ll be studying, that´s probably what she´s doing.
Emma looks set in her opinion.
3. Int. Skate Park. Day.
Bianca comes walking through the skate park, looking for someone. There´s lots of skaters there, many of them looking like they just got off from school. She sees the one she´s looking for, a 14 year old slightly gruff looking boy, who´s called Fitz by everyone. He´s skating by himself and is looking very lonely, even though he´s surrounded by people. She walks over to him and it takes him a moment to notice her, but when he does, he steps off his board. They smile at one another like two big kids, who have been missing each other like crazy.
Bianca:
I heard that you were out.
Fitz:
How did you know, I´d be here?
Bianca:
A wild guess. Wanna go somewhere, where we can talk?
Fitz:
I think, we need to.
She offers him her hand and he thinks about it for a moment, before taking it.
4. Int. Diner. Day.
Bianca and Fitz are catching up over a soda.
Bianca:
You have to believe me, when I tell you, that I didn´t want to rat everyone out. They got it out of me, those sneaky cops.
Fitz:
I know, you didn´t.
Bianca:
Is that how the others feel?
Fitz:
You´re smart to stay away from your old neighborhood, let me put it that way.
Bianca looks crushed.
Bianca:
There´s no way for me to get my old life back, is there?
Fitz:
Not unless you have a time machine.
Bianca:
I´m fresh out of those.
Fitz:
Aren´t things all peachy at your new, fancy school?
Bianca scoffs.
Bianca:
Fancy? Degrassi? It´s obvious, that you´ve never set foot there!
Fitz:
I just always heard, that it was better than Lakehurst.
Bianca:
Maybe if everyone didn´t treat you, like you don´t belong there.
Fitz:
Is that how you feel?
Bianca:
It´s not that I don´t like parts of it, but I also miss what I had. I´ve missed you.
She gets a small smile out of him.
Fitz:
I´ve missed you too, B.
She looks pleased at the reaction, she got from him.
5. Ext. Street. Evening.
Bianca and Fitz are saying goodnight. Both of them look like they´re high.
Fitz:
Are you sure, you don´t want me to walk you home, like I did in the old days?
Bianca:
Nah, it´s okay. The worst that can happen on my way home, is that a cat scares me.
Fitz:
You don´t have to worry about being mugged? Sounds nice.
Bianca:
You should meet my host family. They´re like family from "Full House" on happy pills!
They laugh a little.
Fitz:
Why aren´t you at home with them, then?
Bianca:
Because that isn´t the world, I belong in. I belong in the one, we grew up in, with you by side.
Fitz:
Aren´t you worried, they´ll get mad at you, for coming home high?
Bianca:
Please! I learned to hide it, when I was 12!
Fitz:
Still the bad girl, huh?
Bianca:
Would it be too forward, if I asked for a goodnight kiss? Listen to me! Like I ever asked for permission before!
Fitz:
You never need to ask for permission with me.
They kiss goodnight. Bianca looks like it was just what she needed.
6. Int. Living Room. Evening.
Snake is the only one, who´s still up, when Bianca comes home. She smiles apologetically at him.
Bianca:
Did I make my curfew?
Snake:
We can pretend, that you did.
He smiles back at her.
Bianca:
Thanks. We lost track of time.
Snake:
Who´s this new friend of yours?
Bianca:
Just a girl from class.
Snake:
You should invite her over for dinner, if you´re becoming friends.
Seeing that saying yes is the easiest way out of this lie, Bianca makes a choice.
Bianca:
Yeah, definitely! I´m sure, she´d like that.
Snake:
What about tomorrow? I´ll make something special.
Bianca:
Sounds great! Don´t stay up too late.
Snake:
I already have a wife and a daughter to constantly remind me. It´s nice of you to care, though.
Bianca:
You and your family care about me, like very few have. I´m only repaying the favor. Sweet dreams, when you get there.
She leaves him and Snake looks pleased with how things are progressing for her.
7. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Katie and Marisol come up the hallway to find Bianca waiting for them.
Bianca:
I need a favor from one of you.
Katie:
You couldn´t have started with "Good Morning"?
They stop walking, so they can talk.
Marisol:
What kind of favor?
Bianca:
I need one of you to pretend to my host family, that we were studying until late last night.
Marisol and Katie smile knowingly at each other.
Katie:
What´s his name and which school does he go to?
Bianca:
I´d rather keep that to myself, if you don´t mind.
Marisol:
Sure, I´ll lie for you!
Bianca:
Great! One last thing. You also have to come over for dinner at their house tonight.
Marisol now looks less in with the plan.
Marisol:
Isn´t your host father a teacher here?
Bianca:
He is, but it´s not like we have him for anything.
Katie:
We could have him later on. I would seriously reconsider, Mare.
Marisol:
Sorry, Bianca. It´s too much of a risk, in case they bust us.
Bianca:
They´re not gonna! Don´t leave me hanging!
Katie:
You got yourself into this mess. It isn´t fair to blame us for it.
Marisol:
Good luck.
Katie and Marisol leave Bianca looking bewildered as to what to do.
Bianca (to herself):
Now you have to find a new best friend in record time!
As she´s thinking about it, Imogen comes running up the hallway, late for class. She wearing mismatched socks, is wearing no make-up and it very much looks like, she grabbed the first thing out of the closet and put it on. She doesn´t notice a greasy spot on the floor and slips on it, sending her books and notes flying everywhere. Students laugh at her and it doesn´t get better, when she slips again on the way up. Bianca eventually can´t help feeling sorry for her and walks over to her. Imogen looks up and makes eye contact with her.
Imogen:
Laugh it up like the rest of them! I´m just a big joke around here to everyone anyway!
Bianca:
Join the club.
She extends a hand to Imogen who stares at it.
Imogen:
You´re not gonna trick me, are you?
Bianca:
Would you stop being so paranoid, when someone is trying to do something nice for you?
Imogen takes her hand and Bianca helps her up. They look at the grease spot.
Bianca:
No wonder, you slipped on that! This place is a death hazard.
Imogen:
Did I get any of it on my clothes?
Bianca gives her a quick inspection and shakes her head.
Bianca:
Nah, you´re good. Your name is Imogen, right?
Imogen:
That´s what my parents decided to name me!
Bianca:
I´m Bianca. Let´s have a chat, Imogen.
Imogen looks glad that someone is being nice to her for a change.
8. Int. Gymnasium. Day.
JT is in the stands with Toby, watching the Spirit Squad practice. His mind is far away though.
Toby:
Remember when we were naive enough to think, that when we became seniors, it meant that we would get our pick of the younger girls?
JT:
I wouldn´t know, not being a senior yet.
Toby:
Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting.
JT:
If only I could! I´m worried about Bianca.
Toby:
What has your wild half sister been up to this time?
JT:
Nothing that I can prove.
Toby:
But?
JT:
I want to give her a chance to prove, that she can be reformed. I´m just not sure, she can.
Toby:
Any reason for this change of heart?
JT:
I wouldn´t call it a change of heart, exactly. More like me having my doubts, that she´s telling me everything.
Toby:
She´s a 14 year old girl. Are you sure that you want to know everything?
JT laughs.
JT:
Okay, so maybe not down to the tiniest detail!
Toby:
Has she done anything to make you mistrust her?
JT:
Not unless you count the last two years, this past month excluded.
Toby:
Until she does, I wouldn´t worry over it. I would worry about my grades though, if I were you!
JT:
Save me that old song. I´m getting tired of it!
Toby:
You´ll never get out of here, if you don´t start doing your school work soon.
JT:
I am. Right here and now, as I´m speaking to you!
Toby:
In which world is this school work?
JT:
You and me, in our capacity as senior members of the student body, are making absolutely sure, that there´s nothing wrong with these girls! If there is, then we need to nip it in the butt!
They lean back and check out the girls.
Toby:
This is the kind of school work, I can handle!
JT nods in agreement.
9. Int. Hallway. Day.
Bianca and Imogen are getting to know one another while getting a snack from the vending machine.
Bianca:
Katie and Marisol hate you for no reason?
Imogen:
I haven´t done anything to them, that I know of.
Bianca:
I´ve seen it before. Mean girls like them will single out a victim, because they know that they´re an easy target. Whether you´ve done anything to deserve it, doesn´t matter to them.
Imogen:
Why do you hang out with them, if you already know that they´re mean?
Bianca:
Because it´s better than being alone all the time. At my old school, I had plenty of friends to hang out with and if they got on my nerves, then I could hang out with my boyfriend and his friends. The threat of not having anyone to talk to was never there. It feels like everyone here is completely different from me.
Imogen:
Welcome to my world!
They get their snacks and get stuck into them.
Bianca:
What do you say, we merge your world with mine?
Imogen lets out an excited squeal, that takes Bianca back.
Imogen:
Are you asking me, if I want to be friends with you?
Bianca:
If you want to be direct about it ...
Imogen:
Sorry! It´s been really lonely, since I started here.
Bianca smiles at her and clearly can´t help liking her, despite her quirks.
Bianca:
That´s cool. I´m just not used to people getting that excited, over something I said!
Imogen:
Do you want to hang out after school?
Bianca:
Yeah, sure!
Bianca looks pleased, that she managed to find Imogen, like she did.
10. Ext. Spike and Snake´s House. Evening.
Bianca and Imogen come up to the house.
Imogen:
You´re sure, I won´t be intruding?
Bianca:
My host family is as nice, as they come. I can´t see why you wouldn´t like each other.
Imogen:
If you say so.
Bianca:
There´s one tiny favor, I need to ask.
Imogen:
What is it?
Bianca:
I need you to be my alibi.
Imogen looks suspicious.
Bianca:
I went to meet with my ex-boyfriend yesterday. Only to talk it out, so we could leave the past behind. Which we did, but I kind of promised everyone, that I would stay away from him.
Imogen thinks it over for a moment.
Imogen:
It was only that one time?
Bianca:
That´s the plan. You would be doing me a huge favor and showing me that you´re a much better friend, than those other two, who I´m not really friends with anyway!
Imogen:
Okay, I guess.
Bianca:
I told them that I was studying at a friend´s house.
Imogen:
Okay. You´ll owe me one, though.
Bianca:
That´s the way friendships work, isn´t it?
The girls smile at each other, but there´s something slightly fake about Bianca´s.
11. Int. Dining Room. Evening.
Imogen is enjoying her dinner with the family. Bianca is trying to hide that she´s nervous, that someone will say the wrong thing and she´ll be busted.
Spike:
Do you live with your parents, Imogen?
Imogen:
With my dad. They´ve been divorced for a few years now.
Snake:
I guess, that´s another thing, you two have in common.
Imogen:
Your parents are divorced too?
Everyone looks at Bianca, who´s put on the spot.
Bianca:
It hadn´t come up yet.
Emma:
It´s fine, if you don´t want to talk about it.
Bianca:
It´s okay. I´m not what you would call "A Wanted Child". I´m more of an unhappy accident, that came from two dumb and drunk teenagers, either forgetting to use a condom or being too drunk to care. I only know my dad´s name from my birth certificate and my mom cares more about how much booze, she can pour down her throat, than she does about anything else. My aunt is the one, who raised me.
Imogen looks full of sympathy for her, which only makes Bianca feel worse over using her like this.
Imogen:
That has to be one of the saddest things, I´ve heard!
Bianca:
It´s not an uncommon story, where I come from.
Talking about it does get to Bianca a little and she sees the need to lighten things up, by getting a second portion of the delicious looking food, Snake has prepared.
Bianca:
You´ve outdone yourself tonight, Archie!
Snake:
It´s nothing special.
Spike:
Yes, it is, Snake!
Emma:
Trust me, girls. We never ate this good, before he moved in!
Snake:
You´re a decent cook too, Spike.
Spike:
Only when it comes to following a recipe!
Imogen:
Why do you call each other "Snake" and "Spike"?
Bianca:
No offense, but it makes you sound like you´re members of a motorcycle gang!
Spike and Snake smile at each other.
Snake:
Are you prepared to hear a very long story?
Bianca and Imogen look like, they´re ready for it.
12. Int. Basement. Evening.
Imogen and Bianca are hanging out alone after dinner.
Bianca:
It sounds like Degrassi in the 80´s was kind of the same, as it is now.
Imogen:
Only there had to have been some horrible haircuts!
Bianca:
Thankfully, the days of the "Jerry Curl" are over!
The girls laugh.
Imogen:
I think, that I would have fit in better back then. It seems like, it was easier to look the way, you wanted to, without getting judged for it.
Bianca:
It´s not like we can fit in any worse, can we?
Imogen:
It´ll be easier, now that we can support each other.
Bianca:
I guess so.
Imogen:
It´s been so long, since I had a real friend, who I can hang out with every day and talk to stuff about! This whole day, since you talked to me this morning, has been like one long dream, that I don´t want to wake up from.
Bianca bats an eye at what Imogen said and sees the need to take the bull by the horns.
Bianca:
Imogen, we´re friends, but let´s not go over board! I´m still getting to know you and you´re still getting to know me.
Imogen stands up and looks embarrassed.
Imogen:
I always do this. My mom says that it´s what scares people off.
Bianca stands up too and gives her a warm smile.
Bianca:
You´re lucky, that I identify better with the weird and quirky, than the normal.
Imogen looks pleased.
13. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Emma and JT are walking towards the school together.
JT:
It´s great for Bianca, that she´s finally made a real friend here. Hopefully, it´ll help her to feel, like she´s fitting in better.
Emma:
When we had been friends for a few days, you already knew most things about me, right?
JT:
Like ... ?
Emma:
Like both of us having a single mother, for example.
JT:
It was one of the things, we bonded over.
Emma:
Yeah, because when you´re getting to know someone, you look for things, you have in common.
JT:
Are you just stating facts, or is there a point, you´re getting to?
Emma:
Bianca and Imogen seemed like, they knew practically nothing about each other. Kind of like if the first time, they´d spoken, was an hour earlier.
JT gets what she means.
JT:
You smell something fishy?
Emma:
Like a freshly caught trout, that´s frying away in a frying pan!
JT:
You should never fry trout! If you want to make it the right way, you steam it.
Emma:
Cooking tips aside, I think she´s hiding something.
JT:
I hope, you´re not right!
They look worried.
14. Int. Skate Park. Day.
Bianca and Fitz are hanging out. He might be bad for her, but she´s still clearly more comfortable with him, than she is with anyone else.
Fitz:
I gotta admit, that I didn´t see this coming.
Bianca:
You´re my drug of choice, Fitz. I can put on the face, that they want me to put on, but I can´t change who I am.
Fitz:
Who´s that?
Bianca:
Your girlfriend.
They kiss.
Fitz:
Do you think we can make it work, with me living in one world and you living in another?
Bianca:
If we can´t, then I know what my choice is. I don´t want my life to be without you in it.
Fitz:
There´ll come a time, when you´ll have to make that choice. It´s unavoidable.
Bianca:
I´ll deal with it, when I have to. Right now, let´s pretend that everything is precisely the same, as it used to be.
She closes her eyes and snuggles up in his arms. If this is wrong, then Bianca doesn´t want to be right!
CLOSING CREDITS