WHAT IF? - SEASON 6 EPISODE 16 - PUSH IT
HI, YOU GUYS! I GOT STUCK ON HOW TO END THIS EPISODE IN A BIG WAY AND ALONG WITH ME FEELING THE NEED TO FINISH UP A FEW OF MY OLDER PROJECTS, I´D HAD ON HOLD FOR A LONG TIME, THIS IS WHY YOU HAD TO WAIT A WHILE FOR IT. I HOPE, YOU´RE ALL DOING GOOD OUT THERE.
1. Int. Paige´s Dad´s House. Day.
Paige is having Marco and Terri over for her presentation. She´s got a white board there, a pointing stick and everything! Written on it´s top is "Manny+Jay?" and a it has lot of sub-points written underneath it.
Paige:
Okay, so this is what I´ve found out through my last week of snooping around: One.
She points to the first of her sub-points with her pointing stick.
Paige:
Through giving one of the teachers at the school a ten percent discount at The Dot for the next month, I found out that Manny and Jay eat lunch together alone in her office every day, and generally are seen talking talking to one another in the hallway twice a day or more.
Terri:
Isn´t that abusing your power as manager?
Paige:
More than a little, Hon. But, the ends satisfy the means. Two: After following them home from work ...
Marco:
Wait! Weren´t you supposed to be at work at that time?
Terri:
This obsession is really hurting your job performance!
Paige:
Will you let me finish, so we don´t have to be here all night?
Terri:
Sorry, Paige.
Marco:
We´ll try to keep our comments to ourselves from now on.
Paige:
As I was saying, point two: When Jay dropped her off, she gave him a hug. I then did some surveillance on the house and nothing more happened that day, but the day after, she went out alone. I would have known where to, if she could have taken a car like a normal person, but she just had to take the subway!
Terri:
Paige, sweetie. I´m not entirely sure that what you´re doing is legal!
Marco:
It´s starting to sound a lot like you´ve been stalking Manny, because you´ve been bored and can´t think of anything better to do with your time.
Paige has to admit, that they´re probably a little right in what they´re saying.
Paige:
Okay, so with you two having mid-terms to get ready for and not having a boyfriend, I haven´t had a whole lot to do, after I get off work and I´ve watched far too many old movies with my dad lately! Still, I´m telling you, Manny is up to her old shenanigans again!
Marco:
Is this because you´re still jealous, that she stole JT away from you?
Paige:
Come on! I got over that long ago! This is about me doing what´s best for my dear friend Eleanor and nothing more!
Marco and Terri don´t look entirely convinced.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Int. Manny and JT´s Room. Evening.
Manny and JT are getting ready for bed, but it´s clear that the passion of the early part of their relationship has started to go away, by the way they´re both looking rather un-interested in having sex.
JT:
We should do something this weekend.
Manny:
Like what?
JT:
I dunno. Anything, that puts a smile back on your face!
Manny:
What are you talking about? I smile all the time!
JT:
Not in front of me, you don´t. I gotta admit, Manny, sometimes I wonder, if us moving into our own apartment together is still what you want.
She shoots him a small smile, but it´s looking a little fake.
Manny:
Of course, it is, JT! I´m perfectly happy with how things are.
JT:
Can you try that line again, just a little less convincingly, if that´s possible?
She sees the need to talk this out and looks him in the eyes.
Manny:
What´s really wrong?
JT:
It used to be that you couldn´t wait to talk to me, whenever you got the chance. It was like you had been looking forward to it. Now, you barely give me the time of day, even when we´re alone together.
Manny:
Is it because we don´t do it nearly as often, as we used to?
JT:
It´s a part of it. It´s like you´re off in some dream world half the time that I´m not apart of. It bugs me, because we used to be able to talk about everything.
Manny:
It´s not you, JT. Please, don´t think that it is.
JT:
Then what is it, Manny? Let me in here!
Manny:
It´s just work stuff that has my head in a bunch. You wouldn´t be interested.
JT:
I get that what happened with the kid, who killed his parents and shot another boy at the school, can´t be an easy thing for you get over. Since you haven´t talked to me for more than ten minutes about it however, it´s like you don´t think there´s any chance that I can help you, when you have to know that there´s nothing I want more, than to.
She snuggles up closer to him and he puts his arms around her.
Manny:
It´s a lot of things. But, yeah, it is one of the big ones. If you feel like I´ve been distant lately, I´m sorry, okay? As I said, it has all to do with me and nothing to do with you.
JT looks a little annoyed with her.
JT:
Why did you have to say that?
Manny:
Say what?
JT:
The "It´s not you, it´s me" line. You know, the most classic break-up line of all time? If you don´t want to be with me anymore ...
Manny:
I do, JT! Things are just a little iffy right now, when it comes to certain things. You and Julia are still the two best things in my life.
JT:
Only, we´re not your top priority at the moment.
Manny:
I swear it, JT. Cross my heart and hope to die, should I tell a lie. I can´t make it any clearer than that, can I?
She gives him a small kiss, as he wonders how sincere she is, when it comes down to it.
3. Int. Jay´s Car. Morning.
Manny and Jay are driving to work together, with Jay behind the wheel. The two of them are laughing.
Jay:
You seriously bought that the kid with the glasses from "The Wonder Years" grew up to become Marilyn Manson? I don´t know anyone else, who fell for that one!
Manny:
I read it somewhere on-line and thought, it was the truth. It was all kinds of embarrassing, when it found out that it was just a hoax!
Jay:
Manny, when are you going to learn that you can trust everything, you read on the web?
Manny:
Remember, when you could trust what you heard?
Jay:
Sure! That was never, wasn´t it?
She smiles to herself, before getting a bit more serious.
Manny:
JT is starting to suspect something.
Jay:
I´m afraid that Ellie is too. Perhaps, we should cool it with hanging out after work for a while.
Manny:
Jay, it´s not that there isn´t a part of me, who wants to give in to my desires for you. Then, I start to think about the consequences and I just couldn´t do that to either Ellie, Julia or JT. I guess, what I´m trying to say, is that if it feels like, I´ve been leading you on, it´s probably because I subconsciously have been.
He has to take it in, which makes her a little worried.
Manny:
Aren´t you going to say anything?
Jay:
What kind of desires are we talking about here, exactly? Is it just sex, or ...
He looks at her teasingly and Manny rolls her eyes at him.
Manny:
I thought, you were capable of being serious for once, but I guess, I was wrong!
Jay:
I´m just curious!
Manny:
In that case, I´m keeping that part to myself!
Jay:
I can´t deny that I´ve had some of those thoughts myself. Don´t feel too bad over it.
Manny:
Are these thoughts of just you and I together, or you, me and and Ellie in a merry threesome?
Jay:
If you don´t want to tell me about your fantasies, I don´t have to tell you about mine either. That´s how it works between friends.
Manny:
Or a pair of would-be lovers, if they hadn´t been snatched up already?
They make eye contact and let the question hang in the air.
4. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.
Paige, dressed as "teeny" as she can, is trying to sneak her way into the school. She gets spotted by Mia and Jane, who laugh at her, and walks over to them.
Jane:
Did you watch that Drew Barrymore movie "Never Been Kissed" and decided to try it out for yourself?
Paige:
I´m trying to be undercover here!
Mia:
Not under a lot of it! Aren´t you cold?
Paige:
I´m freezing! Look, maybe you two can give me a helping hand.
Jane:
Okay, as long, as you don´t mean it in a lesbian way!
Paige:
What do you mean?
It takes a second for her to get it.
Paige:
Oh! They actually do that?
Mia:
They did in a film clip, I once caught my ex-boyfriend watching on his phone!
Paige:
I´m here to keep an eye on Manny and Jay. I have to see for myself, if they´re secretly hooking up.
Jane:
I wouldn´t bet against it!
Mia:
Me neither!
Paige:
Will you help me, please, Hons?
Jane:
Sure, I´ll help you. I guess, it´s something to do today, to make this day feel a bit extra special.
Mia:
What do need us to do?
Paige looks pleased, yet also very cold.
5. Int. Manny´s Office. Day.
Manny is working on her PC, when the door opens and Mia comes in.
Manny:
Hi, Mia. Have a seat and I´ll be ready in a second.
Mia takes a seat and we see that Manny was only pretending to work, in stead reading an article on the "E" website called "The Fifty Worst Red Carpet Fails of All-Time". She quickly finished reading the last of it and closes the browser down.
Manny:
So, what can I help you with?
Mia:
I´m confused over where I stand with my boyfriend.
Manny:
Tell me about it!
Mia picks up on what Manny said and bats an eye. It makes Manny a bit defensive, that she had a small slip of the tongue.
Mia:
You too, huh?
Manny:
We´re not here to talk about me. What did he do, to make you confused over him?
Mia:
It hasn´t really got all that much to do with him. I love him and he´s being a great boyfriend to me, I can´t deny that either. The problem is that there´s this other guy too.
Manny:
And you like him a lot too?
Mia:
Kind of, yeah. It isn´t that I want to speak a bad word about my current boyfriend, but he´s not all that manly, if you know what I mean. This new guy is, to where he´s practically got "Machismo" coming out of his ears! Then, on top of that he´s always really nice to me and he´s someone, I feel like I can talk to about anything. Even the things, I can´t talk to my friends about. Maybe I´m kidding myself into thinking that he likes me that way, but I´m also dying inside to find out. If there´s any advice, you can give me, I´ll gladly take it, because I don´t know what to do right now.
Manny:
Mia, you´re 18 and that means, you´re bound to have these small crushes now and again. It goes with the territory of being your age, I´m afraid. All you can do in these situations is to search your soul and see what comes out of it.
Mia:
What if I´ve already made out with this other guy? Do I tell my boyfriend, or try to keep quiet about it? That can´t be good for the soul either, can it?
Mia tests Manny´s reaction to it, and can see that there´s definitely some part of what she said, that hit home with Manny.
6. Int. Girl´s Room. Day.
Paige is hiding out in a stall in the girl´s room, while a girl is farting like crazy in the stall next to her and she has to hold her nose to get through it.
Girl (off screen):
I knew, I shouldn´t have eaten all those beans last night!
The girl farts very loud and long, while Paige winces and clearly wishes, she´d found a better place to hide out, while waiting for new info from Jane and Mia.
7. Int. Classroom. Day.
Jay is cleaning up a classroom, while he has the chance to. Jane spots him through the window and comes in to join him.
Jane (appearing surprised):
Sorry! I think, I have the wrong classroom!
Jay:
It looks that way, doesn´t it?
Jane:
Sorry, I´ll just ...
She pretends to want to leave, but also changing her mind about it.
Jane:
Actually, can I ask you something?
Jay stops working and smiles at her.
Jay:
As long as you´re not asking me to help you with your homework! There´s a good reason, why I´m a janitor and not a teacher.
Jane:
It isn´t about school. Although, it sort of is.
Jay:
Am I expected to guess, what your question is?
Jane:
Everyone thinks that you and Ms. Santos are doing it, most of the teachers included, from what I´m told. It isn´t true, is it?
Jay gets annoyed at being asked again.
Jay:
What it is, is none of your´s or anyone else´s business, who her and I are and aren´t shacking up with! All I can tell you, is that she´s in a committed relationship and so am I!
Jane:
Okay. Sorry, I asked.
Jay:
Look, I get why it´s a conversation topic among you kids, and if I´d been your age, I would have been the one, who was running the betting pool. But now, as the one, who´s been the butt of this joke for a while, I ask you to kindly respect both mine and Manny´s privacy.
Jane nods.
Jane:
I totally get that! I won´t ever ask you again, I promise.
Jay:
Manny is an incredible young woman, who cares so much about each and every one of you, that I´d hate you to think of her in any way that isn´t respectful to her. That´s all, I´m going to tell you on the subject.
Jane:
Sure, Jay. It just seems like such a waste to me, how two people like you two, who would obviously make for an amazing couple, would choose not to at least give it a try. But, what do I know, right? I´m just a kid, like you said.
She leaves him to think about it.
Jay (to himself):
These kids get nosier by the day! You never used to care about who your janitor was doing it with! Then again, as old as he was, him doing it with anyone could have meant the end of him!
He gets back to work and tries to forget about his Manny problem for now.
8. Int. Janitor´s Closet. Day.
Paige has, for good reasons, relocated to the Janitor´s closet, which is a much less smelly location, than where she was before. She lets Jane and Mia in and shuts the door behind them.
Jane:
I thought, we were meeting in the girl´s room?
Paige:
I had to relocate. There were ... technical difficulties in there! I´d rather not get too into it.
Mia:
Am I the only one, who´s picking up a nasty smell in here?
Paige:
Never mind that!
Jane:
I´m pretty sure, it´s coming from you, Paige!
Paige:
The topic is closed for further debate! What did you girls find out?
Mia:
I´m guessing that they´ve at least kissed one time, from the way she reacted to my story. Whether there´s more going on, is hard to say.
Paige:
At least, you tried. Thanks, Hon.
Mia:
You´re welcome.
Paige:
What did you find out from Jay, Jane?
Jane:
He was being defensive over it, which usually, in my experience, anyway, means that there´s something to hide there. My gut feeling tells me that they haven´t gone all the way, though.
Paige:
Thanks for your help, the both of you. Now, if you´ll excuse me, I badly need to get home, grab a shower and change my clothes!
Mia:
You don´t need our help for anything else?
Paige:
Maybe later. Right now, I have more urgent things to deal with!
She leaves them and they hold their noses, before leaving with her.
9. Int. The Dot. Day.
Paige is getting a visit at work from Marco, who´s finding her story rather amusing. She´s also changed into her work clothes and looks very "Freshly Washed".
Paige:
As unpleasant as it was, I still didn´t get any closer to finding out for sure.
Marco:
Does this mean, you´re starting to come to your senses again?
Paige:
I just wish, I could ask the both of them straight out, but ...
She gets an idea, that should have seemed obvious to her.
Paige:
Come to think if it, why couldn´t I just ask them straight out?
Marco:
Could it be, because you know they´d most likely lie about it, if they were doing anything, they shouldn´t be doing? Or is it, that it would be majorly embarrassing for everyone involved?
Paige:
Perhaps, there´s a way to do it, where it doesn´t have to be.
Her mind starts racing.
10. Int. Hallway. Day.
Jay is handed a coupon by Jane.
Jane:
Take it as my apology, for getting too personal with you earlier today. If I had been in your shoes, then I probably would have reacted the same way, you did.
Jay:
A free burger of my choice at the Dot?
He looks very pleased.
11. Int. Manny´s Office. Day.
Manny is looking at her very similar coupon, she´s been given by Mia.
Manny:
Nice! I´ll take a free burger, anytime of the week!
Mia:
I thought that since it´s going to expire tomorrow anyway, and I don´t have the time to use it, it could be a nice little token of appreciation from me to you, for all of the great work, you do for all us students here.
Manny:
Why, thanks, Mia! It means a lot to hear you say it.
Mia looks glad that the plan is working.
12. Ext. Degrassi. Day.
Jay and Manny come out together.
Jay:
You got a coupon for a free burger too and it also expires tomorrow?
Manny:
The only word I care about in that sentence is "Free"! You wanna go and cash these in now?
Jay:
There´s no time like the present, is there?
They smile at one another.
13. Int. The Dot. Day.
Manny and Jay come in together. Paige is ready to spring her trap on them.
Paige:
Hi, guys! In the mood for some extremely unhealthy food?
They come up to the counter and hand their coupons to her. She pretends to look them over.
Paige:
I thought, we´d seen the last of these by now! Still, they´re good for one more day, so what can we get you?
Jay:
A Paige special.
Manny:
Make it two!
She jots it down.
Jay:
And a pair of large cokes.
Paige (while writing it down):
Two cokes. Who of you are paying for those?
Jay/Manny:
I am!
Jay:
I´ll pay for them.
Paige:
It isn´t often that I hear people arguing over, who gets to pay the bill. You could just pay for your own drinks.
Manny:
We´ll do that, then.
Paige:
Find yourself a table and I´ll get your drinks to you in a minute.
Jay:
Cool.
Jay and Manny find a table, where they can sit together. Paige moves over to the back door and heads outside.
14. Int. Back Alley Behind the Dot. Day.
Paige comes out to where Marco is waiting next to a car for her.
Marco:
I really don´t see this working, Paige.
Paige:
Leave that up to me, Hon! Did you make it so, that it can´t start?
Marco:
I ran the battery all the way down. There shouldn´t be any way, it can start without the help of jumper cables. Can I come inside for a minute, at least? It´s cold as hell out here!
Paige:
No!
She heads inside again, while he sulks a little.
Marco (to himself):
Why didn´t I just say that to her, when she suggested this?
He tries to warm up his hands with some hot breath.
15. Int. The Dot. Day.
Paige comes over to Jay and Manny´s table with their drinks for them.
Paige:
There you go, you guys!
Manny:
Thanks, Paige.
Paige:
You´re welcome. Jay, I don´t suppose there´s any way you could give Marco a hand? His car won´t start and from what I´ve heard, you´re pretty good with that stuff.
Jay:
I can try. You don´t mind, do you, Manny?
Manny:
No, not at all! Go ahead.
Jay:
I´ll be back in time for our burgers.
Manny:
I´ll be right here waiting for you!
Paige:
He´s parked around the back.
Jay leaves them and Paige takes his seat across from Manny.
Paige:
I need to rest my legs for a minute. You don´t mind me keeping you company, do you?
Manny:
I guess not. How´s it going these days?
Paige:
Not too bad. Although, I have to admit that adult life isn´t anywhere near as exciting, as high school was. I guess that for you, though, it has to feel like it never ended.
Manny:
Sometimes, it does. Not that I mind it.
Paige:
Can you believe how immature, we were back then, with the whole you sneaking around with JT behind Craig´s back and all of that? I mean, you would never think of doing anything like that ever again, would you?
Manny shakes her head.
Manny:
No, I´m hoping that I got all of my romantic growing pains out of the way early on.
Paige:
It doesn´t make you a little sad too, to know that you won´t experience the thrill of just having fallen in love with someone for the first time? I don´t know about you, but to me, it was always the best part of any relationship!
Manny thinks about it for a few moments, then smiles to herself.
Manny:
Honestly, Paige, when it comes to all of that fresh love excitement and all of those things, as nice as they are, I don´t mind that stuff being in my past. Don´t get me wrong, it was fun and I enjoyed it, for the most part anyway, but JT is who I´m meant to be with. Most importantly, he´s the guy my daughter calls daddy and if I ever did anything to mess her life up, more than it already has been, I could never forgive myself for it.
Paige looks satisfied with her answer.
16. Int. Back Alley Behind the Dot. Day.
Jay has hooked the battery in Marco´s car up to the one in his through a pair of jumper cables. Marco starts the car up and it sputters to life, as Paige comes out to join them.
Marco:
Thanks, man. You saved me a long wait for Triple A.
Jay:
It´s probably this cold, that´s been draining the battery. I´d replace it soon, if I were you.
Marco:
I´ll make sure to get that done.
Jay gets to work taking the cables off.
Paige:
I can see that you don´t need my expertise!
Jay:
I´ll save that for when I need advice on what gifts to get Ellie.
Paige:
Your burger is ready and waiting for you.
Jay:
Brilliant timing!
He opens the trunk to his car and throws the jumper cables in, before closing it again.
Jay:
See you around, Marco!
Marco:
You too, Jay!
Jay quickly heads inside. Marco and Jay make eye contact.
Marco:
Did you find out for sure?
Paige:
I think so. It was most likely my over-active imagination that got the best of me again.
Marco:
Do you want to know what I think, it is?
Paige:
Sure.
Marco:
Paige, it´s been almost a year since you left Andy behind, and it´s the one part of your past, you haven´t dealt with yet.
Paige has to admit, that he´s probably on to something.
Paige:
Okay, so maybe you´re not entirely wrong.
Marco:
Don´t think I haven´t noticed, how you don´t even bother to give any hot guys a second look anymore, or that you´d rather play it safe and spend an evening at home with your dad, than go out on a date with someone. You´re obviously still in love with him.
Paige:
How can I face him again, after I lied to him constantly for months on end, to hide how bad my addiction had become? I seriously doubt if couldn´t forgive that, if it had been me.
Marco:
You have to, for your own sake. He´s the only possible reason left, why you´re still stuck in this limbo, you can´t seem to move on from.
She thinks about it for a second.
Paige:
Marco, can I borrow you car this weekend? There´s a guy from my past, who I need to pay a much overdue visit to.
He looks glad for her.
17. Ext. Playground. Evening.
Manny and JT have come down to Julia´s favorite playground with her and she´s having the time of her young life! Then again, that isn´t too hard to achieve, when you´re only four years old. Manny and JT smile at the sight of it.
Manny:
I remember, when all it took was a trip to the playground to make me feel that way.
JT:
It´s still fun to relive it vicariously through her, isn´t it?
They smile at each other and give one another a small kiss.
Manny:
JT, I know that I´ve sometimes been distant these past months and I don´t want it to be that way ever again. You´re the only one for me.
JT:
You don´t have to tell me everything, I just want to feel included in your life.
She considers it for a moment, but decides against telling JT about her and Jay´s kiss.
Manny:
You and Julia are my life. We should start looking into getting our own place, when we get back to the house.
She looks glad with her decision.
18. Ext. Bardell University. Day.
Paige and Terri come up to the site of Paige´s biggest defeat: The college that kicked her out for taking and selling drugs. She takes a deep breath for courage, but also looks glad to have Terri there with her for support.
CLOSING CREDITS