WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 11 - BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY PART 1
1. Int. Holly J´s Room. Day.
Holly J is on the verge of freaking out and is pacing her room. Jane is there with her.
Holly J:
How much longer?
Jane checks the time on her phone.
Jane:
We´re almost there. Are you nervous?
Holly J:
No! Yes! I don´t know! On one hand, I´m 99 percent sure, that it´ll come up negative. We´ve used protection every time. On the other hand, my period has never been this late.
Jane:
What if you´re preggers?
Holly J:
I´ll get an abortion, I guess.
Jane:
You don´t think Sav would make a good dad?
Holly J:
Someday, perhaps. Not now, when were two weeks into dating!
Jane:
It could be answer time. Do you want me to check?
Holly J:
Okay.
Jane gets out the box that had the pregnancy test in it.
Jane:
If it´s blue, we have a winner! Sorry, bad choice of words!
Jane leaves her and Holly J starts praying.
Holly J:
God, I don´t ask you for much. This one time, can you do me a favor? Don´t let me be pregnant!
Jane comes back in, holding the vial, that´s bright blue. Holly J sees it and the expression on her face says it all.
Jane:
It looks like you have a piece of belly fruit growing inside of you.
Holly J:
I am so unbelievably screwed!
Jane looks sympathetic with her.
2. Int. Doctor´s Office. Morning.
Holly J is getting the definitive result from her doctor and it´s not the news, she wanted to hear.
Doctor:
The pregnancy test you took was correct. You are indeed with child.
Holly J:
I don´t get how it could have happened. We were careful every time.
Doctor:
Condoms are only close to one hundred percent safe, when it comes to preventing pregnancy. A tiny tear in the tip, probably smaller than any of you would have noticed, is most likely the culprit. The only way to be absolutely sure is to use birth control pills.
Holly J:
You wouldn´t happen to have a drug that sends me back two weeks, so I could have started taking them then?
Doctor:
I take it, this wasn´t planned.
Holly J:
Far from it. He´s a really sweet and very nice guy, but we´ve only just started dating.
Doctor:
There is the option of not telling him and having an abortion.
Holly J:
I can´t do that to him. I just know that it´s going to complicate everything like crazy.
Doctor:
You still have time to figure out, what you want to do. There are no right or wrong answers, only the answer to what is the right course of action for you.
Holly J looks frustrated at the situation, she´s gotten herself into.
3. Int. Hospital Hallway. Morning.
Holly J comes out from the doctor´s office, where Jane is waiting for her.
Holly J:
It´s official now.
Jane:
I´m sorry.
Holly J:
It´s my own fault.
Jane:
Not entirely yours!
She gets a small smile out of Holly J, but it quickly fades again.
Holly J:
How would you tell Sav?
Jane:
Beats me!
Holly J wonders what to do.
OPENING CREDITS
4. Int. Music Room. Day.
Allison is playing her violin into a microphone, while Craig has head phones on and is recording it. It´s a very soothing kind of song and sounds alright, but the recording is being ruined by the noise coming from outside of the room. It makes Craig annoyed and he takes the head phones off.
Craig:
Cut! We can´t use it.
She stops playing and looks to him.
Craig:
The background noise is being picked up by the microphone again.
He tries to come up with a solution, but it´s "Computer Says No" time from the looks of it. Allison smiles at him and puts her arm around him.
Allison:
We´ll get your admission song finished in time. Don´t you worry.
Craig:
We don´t just need to get it finished. It has to be perfect.
Allison:
Does such a thing as a perfect song exist? Isn´t that a matter of taste?
Craig:
Then a song, that I know they´ll like. If I´m gonna make it in music, it´s either this way or continue singing songs about girl´s underwear for the rest of my life!
She has to laugh and it eases him up a little too.
Allison:
If you made a boyband, that only sang songs about that, you would be a millionaire in no time!
Craig:
Didn´t the guy behind all those bands turn out to be a huge fraudster? Anyway, I don´t see myself entering into the "Boyband Business" anytime soon!
Allison:
Girl band?
Craig:
Sure, if they´re all sexy and willing!
She gives him a nudge and they smile at one another.
Craig:
I´m kidding. Now that I have you, I don´t need other girls.
Allison:
You don´t think untold millions of teenage boys have told their girlfriends that, just before they broke up with them?
Craig:
You don´t think untold millions of teenage girls have done the same?
She nods in agreement.
5. Int. Hallway. Day.
Craig comes up to his locker. Sean is already by his and they nod at each other.
Sean:
If it isn´t the guest of the week!
Craig:
I´ve been around.
Sean:
Not anywhere I´ve been. What´s up these days?
Craig:
Stress and anxiety, as usual.
Sean:
What do you have to stress over?
Craig:
There´s this music programme, I´m hoping to get into. It´s perfect on paper, it´s right here in Toronto, so I can still see Angie and my daughter every day and it could be a way into a career in music production.
Sean:
Why wouldn´t you get in? I don´t know anyone who´s smarter on music than you are.
Craig:
Thanks for the vote of confidence, but they have far more applicants than spots, so I have to pass an admission test. There´s an interview part and a written test, plus you have to present them with a song, you´ve written.
Sean:
What´s the problem? You´ve always said, you have lots of them lying around.
Craig:
I have a good enough song, but since I don´t have a band to be there to back me up, I have to get a decent recording down. Only this is the only one place I know, that has the recording equipment I need and it´s impossible to get anything that isn´t directly plugged in to the P.A. recorded with the noise around here all the time. You would have thought, they would have taken that into account and done more to sound insulate it, but no.
Sean:
Who would have guessed that most teenagers have a tendency to be noisy, huh?
Craig:
It had to come as a shock!
Sean:
What would you say, if I told you that I can get you free studio time?
Craig:
I would say that you have a lame sense of humor!
Sean:
I mean it. A proper professional studio and a real music producer to help you sound your best.
Craig looks very interested.
Craig:
How would it work?
Sean:
You know how I told you, that I still do a little "Under the Table" repair work here and there? One of the guys I´ve done a lot of work for is a guy named Lance. He owns his own recording studio.
Craig:
He would produce it?
Sean:
I doubt if he´d leave you alone with his fancy equipment! I´ve done him lots of favors, so all I have to do is call one it.
Craig looks thrilled.
6. Int. Classroom. Day.
The sophomores are having biology with Miss Oh as their teacher. The subject is "Reproduction" (quite fittingly!).
Miss Oh:
Many species have their own approach to handling mother and fatherhood. In the case of many egg laying species like birds and lizards, it´s the male who stays at home and protects the nest from natural enemies, while the female goes out foraging for food. To them, our traditional family structure would seem completely askew. Some species take it even further, since after conception, there is no need for the father anymore. The term for this is "Sexual Cannibalism" and it is as gruesome as it sounds. If you´re a male Praying Mantis for example, trying to reproduce is a battle for life and death and you´d better get the job done quick, because she´ll try to first bite your head off, from the moment you get on top of her. Studies have shown that it´s up to 90 percent of the males of their species, who also end up being their mate´s lunch or dinner. If there was such a thing as a "Praying Mantis Prom", then I can guarantee that it would end in a bloodbath.
It gets a laugh from some of the students.
Miss Oh:
Of course, it´s not all of them that succeed in their mission and for those who didn´t, their genes just weren´t good enough to be passed on to the next generation. Their way, it´s only the strongest genes that are passed on, while the weakest are done away with. It´s worked for their species for thousands of years, so who are we to judge? Although I think we can all agree, that we prefer our own much less homicidal way over theirs.
We cut down to Anya, sitting next to Holly J. Anya laughs, but Holly J doesn´t, which makes Anya curious.
Anya (whispering to Holly J):
Too morbid?
Holly J (whispering to Anya):
I don´t think it´s anything to laugh at. She´s gonna be a single mom, after she´s finished eating him. There´s a lot of things to consider, before you take such a drastic step.
Anya (whispering to Holly J):
Unless you´re a Praying Mantis!
Holly J (whispering to Anya):
We can´t all be that lucky!
Anya wonders to herself what Holly J meant, but goes back to following the lesson.
7. Ext. Classroom. Day.
Holly J and Anya come out from the classroom with the others.
Anya:
You don´t really wish, you were an insect, do you?
Holly J smiles to herself.
Holly J:
No, even though it would make some things a whole lot simpler!
Anya:
Yeah, but you could be under the control of a hive mind!
Holly J:
Plus it looked pretty gross when that guy in "The Fly" turned into one! That wouldn´t be a good look for me!
Anya:
That movie gave me nightmares for weeks!
Holly J:
These days they´ve been replaced by sweet dreams about Wesley, haven´t they?
Anya looks a little annoyed at the subject being brought up.
Anya:
Between you and me, I´m starting to think that he´s not mature enough. We haven´t done anything romantic yet.
Holly J:
What do you do?
Anya:
Basically just hang out together. I don´t want to break his fragile little heart.
Holly J:
But on the other hand ...
Anya:
I want someone, who´s at least half way to being a man! Not someone, who gets excited like a kid on Christmas day, when he picks the right "Magic" card and sings along to the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" song!
They round a corner and see Sav talking to Eli, who looks to be on the up and up again. Holly J gets nervous, just at seeing Sav again.
Anya:
Wanna find out what they´re talking about?
Holly J:
Not really.
Anya:
It´s Sav and Eli! What are you afraid of?
Holly J:
A lot of things right now!
The girls come over to the boys and Sav smiles widely at them, Holly J in particular, but it makes her feel uneasy.
Sav:
If it isn´t my favorite girls!
Eli:
I would say the same, but there´s Marisol, so ...
Anya:
How´s that going, by the way?
Eli:
Fine, as in it´s nobody´s business except her´s and mine!
Anya:
Anything we should know, that you´re discussing?
Sav:
Not unless you´ve developed an interest in Indie rock. We were talking about one of the bands, you turned me on to, Holly J.
Eli:
She did? Sorry HJ, but I had you picked more for a Barbara Streisand fan or something like that!
Holly J:
Do I look like I´m a fifty year old?
Holly J leaves them and they look confused at her answer.
Sav:
What´s with her today?
Anya:
She´s been in a weird mood all morning.
Eli:
Isn´t her being a Sinclair reason enough?
The other two nod in agreement.
8. Int. Auditorium. Day.
JT and Manny are alone in there and working on one of his scenes. It´s the one where Ralph has his big monologue.
JT (in character as Ralph):
My name is Ralph Garci. I live in the South Bronx. That's the country just north of Harlem and west of Puerto Rico. It's a very tough neighborhood. The dogs carry knives. Did you ever see a baby with a zip gun? We got ´em. You gotta have friends. You can't alienate anybody up there. Nobody. Black people, white people, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, cockroaches. You gotta respect the cockroaches. They got a good union. Last week, they marched down my block demanding better housing. But I love the South Bronx. Everywhere you go from there is up. Everybody has dreams in the South Bronx. I had dreams. Stop your average boy on a South Bronx street and ask him what he wants to be. He´ll tell ya, "I want to be an ex-junkie, man!" You can see them every day. You can't drive because of the dreams on the streets being seen by cokeheads. The minute that white line's laid down the street, you got somebody going: It's true.
He gets annoyed that he can´t remember the next line, but Manny still looks proud of him.
JT:
So close this time!
Manny:
You´re 90 percent there. If you ask me, it was a great performance.
JT:
Yeah, well, you´re also more than a little biased towards my side.
Manny:
I can´t deny that!
They hug and kiss.
JT:
Have I told you today, how lucky I am to have you?
Manny:
How lucky would that be?
JT:
More than anyone in the entire world.
Holly J comes in to talk to JT.
JT:
Hello there, semi leading lady! Anything you need?
Holly J:
I have to pull out of the play.
JT and Manny look surprised.
JT:
Holly J, we´re two weeks away from opening night! We can´t get someone else to play the part now!
Holly J:
It´s because of a family issue. I´d rather, if I didn´t have to discuss it further than that.
Their looks turn to ones of concern for her.
Manny:
In that case ...
Holly J:
It´s not that I want to. I wanted to be on stage with you guys on opening night as much as anyone, but it´s not going to be possible right now.
JT:
If anyone understands how much family matters, it´s us.
Manny:
Absolutely. If you need to talk, you can always come to one of us.
Holly J:
Thanks. If all of the seniors here were like you two, then this would be a really nice school. I´ll try to follow your example, when it becomes my turn one day.
Holly J smiles sadly at them and leaves. They look sad for her.
JT:
Whatever it is has to be serious.
Manny:
It´s best not to ask, unless she herself brings it up. This leaves us short a Hillary.
JT:
Who says that she can´t be half a head shorter and few years younger?
Manny:
Marisol?
JT:
She´s the only choice we have.
They seem to agree on it.
9. Int. Hallway. Day.
Snake is on his way to class, when Holly J catches up to him.
Holly J:
Mister Simpson, I feel sick. Is it okay, if I go home?
He stops walking to talk to her.
Snake:
Yes, of course. I´ll let the principal know.
Holly J:
Thanks. I should probably be in bed with a cup of tea right now.
Snake:
Are you sure, you don´t want to see the school nurse first? It´s what she´s here for.
Holly J:
If it´s something contagious ...
Snake nods in understanding.
Snake:
I get what you mean. There´s no reason to risk starting a pandemic. Do you have anyone to drive you?
Holly J:
You´re sweet to ask, but it´s not a problem.
Snake:
Okay. Get well soon.
Holly J:
I have a sneaky suspicion, that this one could take a while to get over. Bye, mister Simpson.
Snake:
Bye, Holly J.
She leaves him and it strikes him how she looks around, like it could be the last time, she was here, as she walks away from him.
10. Int. Auditorium. Day.
The cast are gathered for rehearsal, but Holly J is notable by her absence. JT and Eli address the cast with the news.
JT:
Hi, everyone. We have some bad news, I´m afraid. Holly J has, for personal reasons, that she chose not to disclose any further, been forced to pull out.
Most of the others look surprised, none more than Anya and Sav.
Eli:
We´ve chosen to respect her privacy in this situation. We urge you to do the same and not put to any kind of blame on her. She´s probably going through enough, as it is.
JT:
I can tell you from speaking to her personally, that she would have loved to finish this journey with us, that we all started together. I say for her, let´s make this the best show, this stage has seen in years, perhaps ever!
Eli:
One thing this means, is that we need a new Hillary Van Doren to fill her shoes. Marisol, we´d like to offer you that part.
Marisol is so happy, that she almost becomes speechless.
Marisol:
Am I hearing this right?
JT:
Everyone, who´s a someone, got their break thanks to someone giving them a chance to show, what they could do. Who´s to say, that you won´t steal the show?
Marisol:
Yeah, sure! I´ll do it.
She smiles widely and the rest of the cast look to be on board with it, though Anya and Sav look more concerned about Holly J, than glad that they have a new co-star.
11. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
The cast leave the school after rehearsal is done. Anya and Sav are still worried.
Anya:
JT, she didn´t tell you any more, did she?
JT:
All she told me was that it was family related.
Anya and Sav make eye contact.
Sav:
Has she said anything to you?
Anya:
It explains her mood today.
Marisol:
Do any of you guys have her address?
Sav:
I do. Why?
Marisol:
I could bring her something to cheer her up. It feels like the least, I can do.
Eli:
Mare ...
Marisol:
I´ll be perfectly respectful of her privacy. It´ll just be a small thing to show her, that we care.
Sav and Anya look okay with it.
Anya:
In that case, you can have it.
Sav:
You´ve found yourself a sweet little angel there, Eli.
Eli and Marisol smile shyly at each other. Sav and Anya smile at each other knowingly and look happy for them.
12. Ext. Sinclair House. Evening.
Marisol is dropped off by her dad and waves goodbye to him, before he drives off. She looks impressed by the sight of the house, as she walks up to it, but there are small signs here and there, that it´s starting to fall into disrepair. Holding her present for Holly J (that´s very neatly wrapped in Care Bears wrapping paper), she walks up to the house and rings the doorbell. It´s a few seconds before Holly J opens the door. She looks like she´s been crying, by the look of her puffy eyes. Marisol smiles warmly at her.
Marisol:
Hi, Holly J.
Holly J:
I wouldn´t have expected this in a million years!
Marisol:
I hope I´m not disturbing you in anything.
Holly J:
Only wallowing in my misery! Is that for me?
Marisol hands her the present and Holly J smiles at the sight of the wrapping paper.
Marisol:
I hope you don´t mind. The last time I had to wrap a present was for my three year old niece.
Holly J:
No, it´s very cute, like you are. In that way, it´s sort of fitting.
They smile at each other.
Holly J:
Do you want to come inside, now that you came all the way here? I don´t have a whole lot lot offer you, but there are a couple of sodas in the fridge.
Marisol:
I´d just like to be a friend to you.
Holly J:
In that case, you´ve come to the right place.
They head inside.
13. Int. Kitchen. Evening.
Holly J and Marisol sit down at the kitchen table with their sodas. They smile nervously at each other and both take a sip. The present is also on the table.
Marisol:
You´re home alone tonight?
Holly J:
My parents have what I refer to as "The Sinclair Disease". It involves spending all of your time either working, socializing or networking, so we can continue to make that almighty dollar!
Marisol looks at her with pity, which doesn´t help.
Holly J:
Sorry, I didn´t mean to throw my family problems at you.
Marisol:
It´s okay, if you want to talk about it.
Holly J:
You don´t want to get your innocent little self involved with my toxic relatives. Sometimes it would be nice to try what it´s like to have normal parents, who care about their kids and help them with their problems. If I come to mine with something, they book me a consultation with my shrink, so they won´t have to deal with it themselves.
Marisol:
My parents care. I have no idea what I would do without them.
Holly J:
You´re a lucky girl, Marisol and not just because you somehow managed to bag Eli!
Marisol becomes shy at the mention of it, which Holly J finds very adorable.
Holly J:
Do yourself a favor and don´t rush into anything, you´re not ready for.
Marisol:
As in sex?
Holly J:
As in that exactly. Don´t end up regretting your first time, like I did. Wait until you´re completely sure, it´s what you want to do.
Marisol nods in understanding.
Marisol:
You haven´t opened your present yet.
Holly J picks it up and starts unwrapping it. It´s only a small present, but it´s clearly been wrapped with care for how it would look. Inside is a small cardboard box that she opens and pulls out a figurine of a ballet dancer, that with it´s red hair and body frame sort of looks like Holly J. She gets emotional at the sight of it.
Marisol:
Since I´m as perpetually broke, as most kids my age are, I had to pick something from home and I thought of this little thing. The first time I saw you, it struck me how much it looked like you.
Holly J:
Becoming a ballerina was my dream, when I was a kid. I trained for hours on end, I just never had the limber body for it.
Marisol:
Do you like it?
Holly J:
It´s very thoughtful. Thanks.
Marisol:
Now that we won´t get to see you in the real outfit ...
Holly J begins crying and Marisol looks apologetic.
Marisol:
Sorry, I didn´t think me saying it, would get you this emotional.
Holly J:
My life is so messed up right now!
Marisol:
Is there anything I can do to help?
Holly J:
Not unless you can go back in time and stop me from doing it with Sav.
Marisol takes a second to get what she means, then looks shocked.
Marisol:
Does anyone else know?
Holly J:
Only Jane and my doctor. This is the end of everything, I´ve build up for the past year. I´ll be humiliated, when Sav dumps me for someone, who isn´t pregnant.
Marisol:
You don´t know that for sure.
Holly J:
Please, that human bag of hormones stares at every pretty girl, he sees! Anya won´t forgive me for lying to her.
Marisol looks at her with kindness, while she sobs.
Marisol:
I can only tell you, what I would do and I would start off by telling him. Give him a chance to show, that he´s more than some dog like half of the other guys in our school are. When I started High School eight months ago, I thought that was what they were all like. What I´m coming to realize, is that the other half aren´t all that bad. In fact, they´re not that different from girls like you and me, when it comes down to it.
Holly:
What if he can´t handle it?
Marisol:
At least you´ll know where you stand.
Holly J looks at the figurine, as she tries to make up her mind.
14. Int. Craig´s Apartment. Evening.
Craig has invited his old bandmates Spinner, Jimmy and Marco over for a couple of brews and to give him their opinion of his song. He looks at them in anticipation, but it´s clearly not to Spinner´s liking. Jimmy and Marco are at least trying to fake, that they like it.
Spinner:
That´s the song you called "The best one, you´ve written"?
Craig:
What´s wrong with it?
Spinner:
It´s gay as hell! No offense, Marco.
Marco:
None taken. I agree with Spin, that it seriously needs a shot of testosterone!
Craig stops the music and starts to get seriously worried.
Craig:
You´re right! It´s not near good enough!
Jimmy:
It can be fixed.
Craig:
How? I have two weeks until I have to turn it in, or I´ll have to wait until next year.
Spinner:
The melody isn´t bad.
Marco:
It just needs to be 90 percent less Enya and 50 percent more Metallica.
Jimmy:
It sounds to me, like you need an old buddy to come out of retirement.
Craig starts to calm down and smiles back at his friends.
Spinner:
You´ll need a kick-ass drummer, because that drum machine crap you had going on, take that back to the 80´s, where it belongs!
Marco:
It wouldn´t be the same, unless it was the entire line-up back together again.
Jimmy:
Are "Downtown Sasquatch" back in business?
Craig:
That depends. Can you still play?
Jimmy:
Does a bear crap in the woods?
Craig takes a moment to think about it, since it´s a big decision.
Craig:
Don´t make me regret this!
His band mates high five. Craig looks uneasy with his decision.
15. Ext. Sav´s House. Evening.
Holly J rings the doorbell to Sav´s parents´ house. Sav opens it and is surprised to see her.
Sav:
I wasn´t expecting you to come over. Come in.
Holly J:
I´m just gonna say what I have to say and leave. Sav ... ehm ... I´m sort of pregnant. It´s yours.
The door opens fully and she sees Alli standing there with Sav´s parents. He´s not quite sure how to react to the whole thing.
Sav:
Mom, dad, Alli. This is the girl, I told you about.
Holly J:
Hi, mister and missus Bhindari! It´s nice to see you again, Alli.
His sister and his parents look at both of them in disbelief. Holly J looks embarrassed, that they found out this way.
CLOSING CREDITS