WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 23 - DON´T STOP ME NOW
THE STORY IN THIS EPISODE WAS MORE OR LESS DIRECTLY TAKEN FROM MY OWN YOUTH AND PLAYED OUT MUCH IN THE SAME WAY IN REAL LIFE, WITH SOME ALTERATIONS BEING MADE HERE AND THERE TO MAKE IT FEEL MORE LIKE A DEGRASSI EPISODE TAKING PLACE IN CURRENT DAY, THAN SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN A TOWN IN DENMARK IN THE MID 90´S. I WASN´T PERSONALLY ONE OF THOSE INVOLVED IN WHAT TOOK PLACE, BUT I DID WITNESS MUCH IT AND HEARD THE STORIES LATER ON ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED FROM THOSE WHO WERE THE REAL LIFE MAIN PLAYERS.
AFTER THE EPISODE, THERE WILL BE A NEW TRAILER FOR MINE AND MY WRITING PARTNER´S UPCOMING SERIES "DEGRASSI - PRESENT DAY", WHICH WILL BE DEBUTING BEFORE LONG. THE FIRST EPISODE HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN WITH MORE "IN PRODUCTION", SO IT WON´T BE LONG NOW!
1. Int. The Dot. Evening.
Sav and Holly H are enjoying a soda, when a glad looking Anya comes in. She walks up to the counter, where Paige is working.
Anya:
Do I have time for a large shake before closing time?
Paige:
If you can drink it in fifteen minutes, you can!
Anya:
I´m up for a challenge! Strawberry/Banana.
Paige:
Aren´t you the adventurous type, Hon? I assume you´ll be sitting with your friends?
Anya:
You assumed correctly!
Paige:
I´ll bring it over there.
Anya goes to sit with her friends, who are glad to see her smiling.
Anya:
How was the movie?
Sav:
A few good laughs, but you didn´t miss out on much.
Holly J:
I thought you would be depressed and want to be alone tonight.
Anya:
Nope!
Sav:
So, the break up went as you hoped?
Anya:
Not exactly, there were some tears and some pleading on his part. But it´s for the best that he finds someone, who´s on his level, while I move on to someone, who´s on my level.
Holly J:
Aren´t you technically still on the same level, if he´s the only guy, you´ve done anything with?
Anya:
All that is gonna change! I´m done being the cute and nice girl , who always finishes last and has to settle, for what she can get! I´m gonna grab a hold of this thing called life and not let go!
Paige comes over to them and serves her the milkshake.
Paige:
Word of advice, Sweetheart, The last time I heard a girl talk like that, it ended with her getting pregnant. There is such a thing as grabbing too tight a hold of it!
Paige leaves them, but Anya looks undeterred.
Sav:
How do you plan on achieving this monumental life change?
Anya:
I´m thinking a make-over, some new clothes to replace these old boring ones and last. but not least: A super hot boyfriend!
Holly J:
Are you sure it´s what you even want?
Sav:
Yeah, no offense, Anya, but you´ve always been the ... homely type.
Holly J:
Which there´s nothing wrong with!
Anya:
Has it gotten me anything so far? It´s time I started acting like a sixteen year old, which starts with me drinking this milkshake and you know what? I might not brush my teeth before bedtime!
She takes a sip of her milkshake and says "Mmm". Sav and Holly J don´t look convinced, that she can change.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Montage - Song: "U Got the Look" by Prince.
We see Anya walking down the hallway in her new much more rocking outfit, that also shows a lot more skin than usual! Add to that a spiffy new haircut, that makes her hair look much more alive than her old one did, it´s done wonders for her and she looks to have gotten the self esteem to match with it! She gets plenty of looks from the boys, who are noticing her much more than they usually do, while she gets mean stares from some of the girls for trying to stand out (with the exception of Jane, who gives her a double thumbs up). She soaks up her new found admiration from the opposite gender and smiles to herself, especially when Sav´s jaw almost drops at how hot she´s looking, as she passes him by!
3. Int. Classroom. Morning.
Anya sits down next to Holly J, who´s looking out the window and doesn´t look at first.
Anya:
Morning!
Holly J:
Morning! I have a bad feeling, that this is gonna be a long day! Did you ...
She turns her head to look at Anya, who smiles at her. Holly J can barely believe her eyes.
Holly J:
Raid a "Hot Topic"?
Anya:
Actually it´s from three different stores! What do you think?
Holly J:
I think that it has to be bordering on the school dress code!
Anya:
If a guy can wear a shirt with a Satanic motive, I can wear this! I checked, if you have to know.
Holly J smiles a little.
Holly J:
You still had to be that tiny bit over careful, didn´t you?
Anya:
I´m not gonna risk getting detention! That would just be dumb!
Holly J:
Spoken like a true rebel!
Anya:
Seriously, what do you think of my new look? The boys seem to like it.
Holly J:
No wonder! You´re not leaving a lot to their imaginations!
Anya looks a little down after her friend´s remark. It makes Holly J feel bad for raining on her parade.
Anya:
I look like a slut, don´t I?
Holly J:
No, you look like your same cute self, only fifty percent more rocking!
Anya smiles again and a handsome blonde boy, who´s their own age, comes over to them.
Blue Chessex:
Hi, Anya. You look great! I was wondering, if I can have your phone number, so I can ask you out sometime?
Anya looks flattered, not being used to this. Holly J on the other hand looks a little jealous of her.
Anya:
I guess!
Holly J:
You can get it from her later, Blue! Class is about to start.
Blue:
Of course! See ya later, Anya! You too, HJ, but mostly you, Anya!
He goes to take his seat, as Anya tries to contain her joy and Holly J tries not to look jealous.
4. Int. Hallway. Day.
Anya and Holly J are talking by their lockers, while they´re getting things from them.
Anya:
Can you believe that Blue Chessex wants to ask me out? He is so sexy!
Holly J:
You really think so? I think he´s average at best.
Anya:
Last week you agreed with me, that he´s the hottest guy in our class!
Holly J:
I can change my mind, can´t I? Plus, what the hell kind of name is Blue anyway? If you ask me, any sadistic parent, who names their kid that, is setting them up to be bullied all through school!
Anya:
I like that it´s different. Did you know that he´s a talented painter?
Holly J:
According to who, himself?
Anya:
Why are you trying to make him sound like a loser all of a sudden?
Holly J:
Because he probably is! I mean, do you really want to end up married to some formerly hot guy, who now has a huge beer belly, has lost most of his hair and teeth and constantly complains, that no one could see how brilliant he was, back when he had any belief in himself?
They close their lockers again.
Anya:
Someone got their cynical leg out of bed first this morning!
They´re interrupted, when Sav comes over to them.
Sav:
Are we Bio bound?
Anya:
I wouldn´t miss it for the world!
Her and Sav smile at each other and Holly J´s new found jealousy of Anya makes her scowl.
Sav:
You look incredible, in case no one has said it!
Anya:
You have to say that, because we´re friends!
Sav:
I mean every word of it.
Anya:
Thanks.
Holly J:
I´ll see you in class. I gotta make a stop first.
Sav:
Sure.
Holly J leaves them.
Anya:
What do you think of that guy Blue?
Sav:
He seems nice enough. Why are you asking?
Anya:
No reason.
They head to class together
5. Int. Girl´s Bathroom. Day.
Holly J comes out from a stall, just as the last girls leave. She starts washing her hands, as Manny comes in and they smile at each other.
Manny:
How´s life treating ya down there in sophomore land?
Holly J:
This is one of those days, I´ll want to forget, after I´ve graduated!
Manny:
What´s the matter?
Holly J finishes washing her hands and takes a couple of paper towels to dry them with.
Holly J:
I´m guessing that you´ve tried just about everything in your years here.
Manny:
A thing or two.
Holly J:
I´m worried about Anya.
Manny:
Because of her successful make over?
Holly J rolls her eyes and looks annoyed.
Holly J:
Is there any place in the world, where news travel faster than here?
Manny:
You won´t believe how many senior boys have been raving about "that damn hot little punk chick", as they so poetically put it!
Holly J:
She´s already been asked out by the hottest guy in our entire grade and we haven´t reached third period yet. Meanwhile, boys have been treating me like I have the plague, in every school I´ve gone to, with the exception of Craig and Sav and we all saw how great those two flings ended!
Manny:
I went through my own "Anya Phase" and it was nothing more than a short lived phase, I look back on and smile at how silly I was and have some clothes left over from, that come in handy, when my boyfriend says, he´s too tired.
She smiles comfortingly ay Holly J, who tries to calm down.
Manny:
They still make him go cuckoo bananas, but these days I only put them on for him. It´ll be the same for her, when she finds the right guy to settle down with.
Holly J:
You´re leaving out one very important detail. All this time, you´ve had a kid to consider and take care of. If it hadn´t been for her, can you honestly tell me, that you wouldn´t have played the field, when you were younger and more naive about where it could lead to?
Manny has to admit, that she has her there.
Manny:
I wasn´t the wisest in the ways of love, I have to admit.
Holly J:
Because you hadn´t tried anything yet. Anya is in the same boat and she´s too nice for her own good on top of it. It´s basically a horror story waiting to happen.
Manny:
It doesn´t have anything to do with you maybe being a tiny bit envious, that she´s getting the kind of attention, you´ve been missing all these years?
Now it´s Holly J, who has to admit that Manny has her read. A plan starts to form in her head though.
6. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Jane is enjoying her break out in the spring sun with many other students, who got the same idea and is reading the book "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung: The Work of a Legendary Critic", when Holly J comes over to her.
Holly J:
Hi, Jane. I need your expertise on something.
Jane:
You could try saying please and I might just say yes, considering that I have the afternoon off and no plans, except to catch up on my TV watching?
Holly J:
Please. I´m tired of how I look and seeing what it´s done for Anya´s self esteem, has made me want to try it for myself.
Jane puts her book down and smiles warmly at her.
Jane:
How extreme do you want to go?
Holly J:
So extreme that boys will start noticing me like they do her, but not so extreme that I´ll get disowned for it.
Jane:
That sounds like the perfect amount to me!
Holly J looks pleased.
7. Int. Clothing Store. Day.
Jane is waiting for Holly J outside of the change rooms in what is an all female clothing store, by the looks of it.
Jane:
Are you done soon?
Holly J (off screen):
Just a second!
She comes out and more looks like an uncomfortable pre-teen girl, that´s trying to dress sexy and rocking for Halloween for the first time, than how she wanted it to look.
Holly J:
What do you think?
Jane:
I think that you look about as rocking, as the Duff sisters did when they covered "Our Lips Are Sealed"!
Holly J:
Is that a good thing?
Jane shakes her head.
Jane:
It´s really not! Some people can´t pull that look off and I guess you´re one of them.
Holly J:
There has to be something in here, that´ll look good on me!
Jane:
Don´t panic just yet! I´m sure we can find something! Go and take those clothes off and we´ll see, what we can find.
Holly J goes back into the change room and Jane starts looking through the clothes racks. She quickly finds something she likes and smiles to herself.
Jane:
If it´s sexy, she wants ...
She grabs the article of clothing and heads over towards where Holly J is changing.
8. Int. Hallway. Morning.
Anya is walking up the hallway talking to her new crush, Blue. They look like they´re starting to get on really well.
Blue:
I´m not gonna have the money to take you out on a fancy date.
Anya:
That´s okay. I´m not expecting anything grand, as long as we have fun.
Blue:
There´s a free art exhibit, we could go to. Maybe dinner somewhere not too expensive before that?
Anya:
Are you already in training to become a struggling artist?
Blue:
Art supplies are expensive, when you only have a fifty dollar a month allowance to pay for them.
Anya:
I can pay for myself. All I care about, is that we´ll be together.
Blue:
Cool!
They smile at each other, but are surprised to see several boys gathered by Anya and Holly J´s lockers. When they come closer, they see that it´s a very sexily dressed Holly J, who´s gotten the attention of the boys.
Holly J:
Saturday? I don´t know, that´s a big date night!
Boy #1:
How about Friday then?
Boy #2:
She´s going out with me on Friday!
Holly J:
Boys, it´s okay! I can go out with one of you in the afternoon and the other one in evening, how about that?
Boy #3:
Does that mean you´re free for Friday?
Holly J:
Yeah, I guess!
Anya tries to press through them to get to her locker.
Anya:
Don´t you have places to be?
Holly J:
Later, guys!
She waves sexily at the boys, who leave them. Blue looks a little turned off however, by what is going on.
Blue:
I´ll talk to you later, Anya. Nice threads, Holly J!
Holly J:
I like them too!
Anya smiles nervously at Holly J, not being sure how to react, since she basically took Anya´s make-over and made it fifty percent wilder.
Anya:
You must have gone shopping after school, huh?
Holly J:
You´re the one, who inspired me, but Jane helped pick it out.
Anya:
I did?
Holly J:
Yeah, I figured that it was time, I tried dressing a bit more sexy too.
Anya:
It´s sexy for sure!
Holly J:
The guys think so too apparently! How are things going with you and Blue?
Anya:
Good, I think. We´re going out on a date this Friday.
Holly J:
Great! I´m happy for you, Anya. If any girl here deserves it, it´s you and I mean that!
Anya smiles widely.
Anya:
Cool, cuz I was afraid that you were jealous of me, because he asked me out and not you and ..
Holly J:
He´s only one of many to me. You can have him, if you want. Besides, I don´t think I´ll have any problems finding a date for this weekend, so it all works out!
She smiles back at Anya, who isn´t looking too sure, that Holly J really means it.
9. Int. Art Gallery. Evening.
Anya is on her date with Blue and it looks to be going rather well. She´s clearly enjoying herself and he´s very passionate, when it comes to describing the paintings to her.
Blue:
Look at the brush strokes on this one! Pure genius!
Anya:
I´ve never thought much about brush strokes, when I´ve looked at paintings before!
Blue:
It´s one of those things you only notice, if you know how to look for it. I can teach you, if you want?
Anya:
Yeah, sure!
Blue stands behind her and puts his arms around her waist, so they´re looking at it from the same angle.
Blue:
You don´t mind, that I hold you like this, do you?
Anya:
No, not at all!
She tries to play it cool, that such a hot guy is hitting on her for the first time, but it´s hard to.
Blue:
If you look very carefully, you´ll see ...
Anya smiles to herself and tries her best to listen.
We cut over to the entrance, where Holly J comes in and looks around for them, dressed possibly even more to kill, than she did before, which gets her several looks, not all of them wanted. Undeterred though, she sees Anya and Blue together and walks over to them.
We cut back to them.
Anya:
I think, I get it now.
Blue:
I could perhaps paint you sometime?
Holly J:
I´d say yes, if I were you! You always did love that scene from "Titanic", where Leo paints Kate as he would one of his French girls, Anya.
They turn to notice her and look surprised to see her there.
Anya:
I thought, you had a date.
Holly J:
He cancelled on me, so I thought I´d come down and see what all the Hubbub was about!
Blue:
If you had to pick one free exhibition to go to, you picked a good one!
Anya:
Blue, can I talk to Holly J alone for a moment?
Blue:
Yeah, sure. It´s not like I don´t have anything here to keep me occupied!
He leaves them to go and look at some paintings, while they talk. Anya looks annoyed with Holly J and can see through her act.
Anya:
You didn´t really have a date, did you?
Holly J:
I did, but apparently he made up with his girlfriend last night! How´s the date going?
Anya:
It was going really well, until you showed up.
Holly J:
Relax! You won´t even notice that I´m here!
Anya looks like she´s having trouble believing her.
10. Int. The Dot. Day.
Anya is complaining about the evening before to Jane, who´s working behind the counter and clearly feels a little to blame for it.
Anya:
She spends the entire evening hitting on him, right in front of me, like I wasn´t even there! It´s like she´s turned into some sort of boy crazy monster!
Jane:
It´s not the first time, I´ve seen it happen. If I´m to blame, then you have my apology.
Anya:
Now he probably wants her in stead of me!
She hangs her head in dispair, just as Blue comes in with Holly J.
Jane:
Don´t turn around or you might not like what you see!
Anya does and rolls her eyes at what she sees.
Anya:
Great! There´s no escape from them!
Holly J and Blue walk up to her.
Holly J:
Hi, Jane. Can we have a couple of sodas?
Jane:
You can, if you´re also gonna pay for them!
Blue:
I´ll find us a table. Hi, Anya.
Anya:
Hi, Blue.
He leaves them and Jane gets to work. The air between Anya and Holly J is so cold, that you can almost see the icicles starting to form!
Holly J:
I had a feeling you´d be here.
Anya:
If you did, wouldn´t you have taken your new boyfriend somewhere else?
Holly J:
It´s not my fault, if he likes me more than you.
Anya:
What about the fact, that he was mine first?
Holly J:
We´re not little kids anymore.
Holly J starts to walk away from Anya, whose face gets red with anger. She loses her temper and pushes Holly J from behind, so she falls into some tables, sending the food that was on them flying everywhere, with much of it landing on the fallen Holly J. Blue rushes over to help her stand up and she removes some french fries from her hair, as she stares Anya down. Anya smiles cockily at her, looking momentarily at least proud of herself.
Blue:
Are you alright?
Holly J:
I´m fine!
Anya:
Oops, clumsy me! Sorry!
Holly J:
Yeah? Well, I can be clumsy too!
She picks up part of a very flattened burger and throws it right in Anya´s face! Some patrons laugh at the scene, but not Anya or Blue.
Anya:
I´m so gonna kick your ass!
Holly J:
Try it!
They have what can only be described as a very pathetic and short fight, before it´s broken up by Jane, who holds Anya back, with the help of a few customers, who hold Holly J back.
Anya:
Let go of me!
Jane:
This is for your own good, so you can still become friends again after this!
Anya:
Like I´d want to be friends with a snake like her!
Holly J:
Grow up, Anya!
They don´t even notice that Blue leaves, having had enough of their on-going drama!
11. Int. Back Office. Day.
Jane is being tough with Anya and Holly J, who are both very dirty in their fancy new clothes from their fight.
Jane:
After you´re done talking it out, we can discuss how you´re gonna pay for the damage you caused!
Anya:
I´m sorry, Jane.
Holly J:
Yeah, me too.
Jane:
I´m inclined to ban both of you from coming here!
Anya:
Please don´t!
Holly J:
Where else are we gonna go after school?
Jane:
That´s not my problem! Now act like something resembling adults and talk this out! You´re not the first two friends in history to fall for the same guy, you know?
Jane leaves them and they both look like they feel foolish for how they acted.
Anya:
I´m sorry, that I pushed you. Did you get hurt?
Holly J:
A bruise or two probably. I´m sorry that I tried to copy you, then ruined your date and tried to steal Blue from you. That´s what the old me would have done and I don´t want to be that girl again.
Anya:
You´re willing to admit that knowing me has smartened you up?
They smile at each other.
Holly J:
If it hadn´t been for you, I would have been the same lonely and miserable girl I was, before we became friends.
Anya:
I probably would have spent most of my time pining over Sav, while he went from one girl to the next and I patiently awaited my turn, all the while knowing in the back on my mind, that it would never come.
Holly J:
That almost sounds sadder!
Anya:
There´s no way I would have had the belief in myself, to even talk to a guy like Blue.
Holly J:
You can have him. He was yours first.
Anya:
I don´t want him, if it´ll come between us again. If he even wants any of us, that is.
Holly J:
Considering how we acted, I would call that a long shot! If he still does, then you have my blessing and I promise not to hit on him.
Anya:
Thanks, but as long as we´re friends again, that´s all I care about.
Holly J:
Same here.
They hug it out.
12. Int. Hallway. Day.
Anya, dressed more like what we´re used to seeing from her, is enjoying not getting looks from boys and things being back to usual, when she sees Blue coming towards her. She takes a deep breath and decides to grab the bull by the horns and apologize to him. They smile shyly at each other, when they stop to talk.
Anya:
I feel like I owe you an apology, for getting you involved in mine and Holly J´s drama. We´re friends again, just so you know.
Blue:
That´s good. Having friends is important.
Anya:
I´d still like to be yours, even if you don´t want to go on a second date. I´ll understand, if you don´t.
Blue:
Yeah, but ...
He drags it out and she looks like she´s bracing herself for disappointment.
Blue:
It kind of goes against what I was gonna ask you. I was gonna ask, if you wanted to try it again next weekend.
Anya smiles widely.
Anya:
I don´t have any plans yet!
Blue:
Me neither. We´ll figure something out, okay?
He smiles at her and starts to walk away from her.
Anya:
Wait a minute!
He turns his head and they make eye contact.
Anya:
If you like me, why did you go to The Dot with Holly J?
Blue:
She told me, that you would be there. It´s not that I don´t like her, but she´s really not my type.
Anya looks relieved.
Anya:
What is your type then?
Blue:
Dark haired girls that go to Degrassi and are named Anya, who by the way, look great no matter what they´re wearing.
He heads off to class and she smiles to herself, as she watches him walk away.
CLOSING CREDITS
WE OPEN ON A LIVING ROOM, WHERE THE MASON-NELSON FAMILY ARE SITTING ON CHAIRS AND FACING THE CAMERA, EMMA NEXT TO SPINNER AND THEIR 14 YEAR OLD TWINS (A BOY AND A GIRL) SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, WITH A LITTLE EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN THEIR CHAIRS.
EMMA:
Remember us?
SPINNNER:
The last time you saw us together, we got married and since then a few things have happened.
EMMA:
First you almost bought The Dot.
SPINNER:
Until I saw their books!
EMMA:
When he came home that day, I could give him the news that I´d become pregnant with these two.
The twins wave at the camera.
TWINS:
Hi!
SPINNER:
Do you guys want to introduce yourselves?
BRENDA:
First, I think that they should know why we have the two lamest names you can possibly have, when you´re a pair of twins!
BRANDON:
For once, we agree on something!
They look blamingly at Emma.
EMMA:
I was really bored, when I was pregnant, so Manny, bless her heart, bought me the entire Beverly Hills 90210 box set as a way to pass the time. Then one day early in the pregnancy I said jokingly, that if we had twins and it happened to be a boy and a girl, then we should name them after the Minnesota twins.
SPINNER:
I figured that the chances were so small, that I could humor her by saying yes. I´m sorry, kids and you know your aunt Manny is too!
BRENDA;
She´s told us plenty of times!
BRANDON:
Don´t worry, mom and dad, we still love you! Hi, I´m Brandon and unlike her, I believe in living life to the fullest!
BRENDA:
You mean, believe in being oblivious to our planet getting destroyed and neither of us living to the age of 50, because we´ll both be dead from skin cancer?
BRANDON:
Hear that? Ever since she found that Greta Thunberg girl on YouTube ...
BRENDA:
It wasn´t on YouTube! It was in the actual news! You know, TV that actually means something and isn´t just cat videos and idiots, that fall on their butts?
BRANDON:
Whatever! That girl looks like someone has made her bite into a really sour lemon!
Emma and Spinner can´t help laughing a little, making Brenda annoyed with them.
BRENDA:
Are you gonna let him say that and not do anything?
SPINNER:
We´re sorry Honey, but she does!
BRENDA:
All he cares about is scoring with as many girls as possible and I´m not gonna continue to be his babysitter and chase them off, like I´ve been doing since we were ten!
BRANDON:
Good, because no one asked you to!
BRENDA:
At least I´m in control of my hormones!
BRANDON:
If by that you mean, that you´re in serious denial of them!
She sticks out her tongue at him and he does the same to her.
EMMA:
As you can see, we´re like most other families.
SPINNER:
Come and join us soon!
Emma and Spinner wave goodbye to the camera, as we fade to black.