Paige has her whole future planned out: She is going to the best Canadian university, Banting, she will live with Matt, and everything will be perfect. That is, until Matt comes back a changed man. Meanwhile, Jimmy is proud to be the new basketball coach, but a new member, Derek, causes trouble.
At the movie theatre, Paige and Alex are working Alex: You could be in one of these university guides. Everybody in here looks so happy! Paige: Say it in your squeaky voice. Alex: (In a squeaky voice) Everybody looks so happy! (Paige laughs.) Alex: I'm bored. Maybe I should eat something. Paige: Twenty universities and colleges are coming to Degrassi on Wednesday. Alex: So? Look don't worry about me. You're applying to Banting. Worry about choosing the right SUV following graduation. Paige: Alex! Oh um want to take my shift tomorrow? Alex: I need the money. Paige: Wanna know why? Matt's back. Alex: Now say it in your squeaky voice. Paige: He called me last night all out of the blue. By this time tomorrow, Matt and I will be reunited. Resuming quelle grande romance. Alex: Great. Now I'm bored, nauseous and irritated. All at the same time. Paige: Well I'm just plain all happy. In the cafeteria, JT and Liberty walk in JT: (He clears his voice) Ladies and gentlemen, your new president. (Everyone claps and cheers for her.) Marco: Looks like Liberty won school president. Paige: Was there an election? Marco: There was an acclamation and nope you didn't miss anything. Paige: So Matt's back tonight. Marco: Mini hurray! Now back to me. Look I need to decide my future over my lunch of cabbage rolls. Paige: Apply to Banting. Alex: Banting's for rich kids and freakish genius savants. Paige: Did you sign up for those college info sessions tomorrow? Alex: Why do you drone on about me going to college? Paige: Because I don't want to come back for the reunion to find out my former friends are losers. The sign up sheet's in guidance. Go. (Alex gets up and sits at another table, glaring at Paige.) In a classroom Teacher: So Prime Minister Trudeau had two choices. He could either bring in marshall law or let the Quebec rights escalate. He chose the first. Why? Is anybody paying attention anymore? Paige? Paige: Um... he, he had to do what was best for the country. Alex: Sounds like you Paige. Teacher: Something to share Alex? Alex: Paige likes to decide what's best for people sir, and jam it down their throats. Paige: What is your problem? Alex: Your judgemental self. Paige: Alex. Shut up. Teacher: Okay I'm now gonna bring in marshall law. You can work this out later in detention. Paige: No. No, no, no sir not today! Alex: Sir you can postpone detention for work right? I have to work tonight. Paige: And I have a date! A beyond life-changing date. Sir! Sir! Ugh. In the gymnasium during basketball practice Mr. Armstrong: K guys bring it in. Let's go. Hustle let's go. Jimmy: What's going on guys. I'm Jimmy Brooks, assistant coach and I will be watching you shoot today. Derek: Why? Jimmy: So I can help you get better. Look I played for this team three years in a row. Team captain each and every one. Except for last year. Derek: You're the guy that got shot. Jimmy: Uh most players make the mistake of not setting their feet before they shoot. Derek: Oh like this, right? (Derek shoots a basket.) Jimmy: Okay. You set your feet. That's cool, but you're not using your legs. Derek: So? Jimmy: The power from your shot comes from your legs, not the hands. The hands just guide the ball. In detention Paige: Can you mentally will this thing to go faster? Peter: I've tried. All week I've tried. (Mr. Simpson walks in the room.) Mr. Simpson: Got a minute? Oh yeah you've got thirty. *He laughs at his own lame joke* Been saving that one. Um look Paige you listed your top three choices for University. Banting, Banting, Banting. Paige: It's good to aim high sir. Mr. Simpson: You've aimed for the highest. Paige: Well the business program I'm applying for, it's extremely selective. Only thirty applicants accepted annually. Mr. Simpson: All the more reason for a plan B. Paige: Keep a secret? My mom's bestest girlfriend, she's head of admissions. Mr. Simpson: Well it sounds like you got your whole life planned out Paige. Paige: I know what's best for me. Now sir, I sniped at Alex in class. He distributed Manny Santos' breasts through the school electronically. I don't belong here. Mr. Simpson: Far be it from me to stand in the way of your perfect life. Peter: Hey if she gets to go can I? Mr. Simpson: Isn't this your first in five weeks of detention? Yeah, Ms. Hatzilakos...oh I mean your mommy would say no. At Paige's house (Paige rushes around changing, having a shower and getting ready for her date.) Outside the gymnasium Jimmy: These kids Haz, I do not know where they learnt to shoot. They're gonna have me busy all year. Hazel: Well they couldn't have a better coach. Coach Brooks, I'm so proud of you. (Hazel gives him a kiss on the cheek and Jimmy sees Derek and some of the kids on the team walking down the hall.) Derek: (Imitating Jimmy) Less power on that ball. Faster on those crossovers. All the coaches out there and they give us a cripple. At a restaurant, Paige is sitting by herself and orders a drink Paige: Thank you. (Paige is waiting and looking at her watch for a while before Matt shows up.) Matt: Paige. (Paige hugs him.) Matt: Sorry about the bag. I uh didn't get a chance to go home. Came straight from the airport. Paige: I... I like that I'm your first stop. (She kisses him and pulls back.) Paige: You're scratchy. Matt: Oh yeah the beard. Paige: And your hair. Matt: Yeah, it's not healthy to wash it too much. Something I learned this summer. Paige: Okay. Here. Presents don't have to wait until after dessert. Matt: Oh it's uh, it's an organizer. Paige: You said your life was chaos. Matt: Yeah I wasn't complaining. Paige: Matt I'm applying to Banting. Matt: Banting wow. That's uh aiming for the stars. Paige: Yeah and once I graduate from business school I'll be able to aim even higher. Everyone that graduates from there does well and I was thinking that with me moving to Kingston for school, maybe you'd consider moving too. Matt: I know you want this whole big money executive thing and that's, that's great... for you, but my life's just not set. I'm re-evaluating things. Paige: You'll figure it out. Matt: What like you figured it out? I mean Paige like, you always have the answers, but you don't even know the questions. I have a buddy in Vancouver who says that he can get me a job painting houses. Paige: So when will I see you? Do I get to see you? Matt: I feel like such a jerk. You got me a present and I didn't bring you back anything. (He pulls out a bag with a joint in it.) Matt: Here. Paige: You're dumping me and giving me drugs? Matt: Paige I can't be expected to sign up for this boring routinized life you've got laid out. Paige: I don't expect anything Matt. I was hoping that you would want to be with me. That's all. Matt: Paige I... come on. (She leaves angry.) Outside the school Paige: The most humiliating part, afterwards. The public transit ride of shame. Marco: Bus? You couldn't take a cab? Paige: Why be hysterically emotional in front of one cab driver when you've got the entire TTC. Marco: Well look I have to get to a seminar for University Nunavut. Paige: Marco come to Banting. Marco: You're gonna be okay? Alex: Your face is puffier than usual. Paige: Does that answer your question? (Marco leaves.) Alex: So your date didn't go so well? Paige: Aren't you uh going the wrong way? Colleges you want to speak to are inside. Alex: I'm not talking to any colleges. Paige: Fine. (She pulls out the joint) Take it. It's a present. Alex: You're pulling out a joint on the front steps of Degrassi? How very un-you of you. Paige: Would you go if you're stoned? Alex: I'll go if you're stoned. [SCENE_BREAK] Outside the school, by some bushes Paige: My clothes aren't going to smell, are they? Or my hair? 'Cause you know sometimes in movies, characters eyes like gloss over and they start to nod their heads a lot. (Alex nods her head laughing.) Paige: You're nodding. So it's true. Alex: It does suck, Matt dumping you. (She lights the joint and passes it to Paige.) In the school, during the college information sessions College Rep. 1: Have you thought of Sudbury as a potential post-secondary school? (Paige and Alex stop and turn around.) College Rep. 1: Have you thought about Sudbury as a potential post-secondary school? (Paige and Alex burst out laughing and walk away.) College Rep. 2: We have a state of the art campus. Um great facilities. Great library, pool... (Paige tries to focus on what the guy is saying, while Alex takes off the guy's glasses and puts them on while making weird faces.) In a classroom, during a college info session (Paige is doing shadow puppets on the overhead and laughing.) College Rep. 3: Our university has an international reputation for excellence in academics, but our real strength lies in our passion for teaching our students how to become leaders and innovators. Today we're going to discuss our ten world class faculties and their admission requirements. In the hallway Jimmy: Derek I want to talk to you. Derek: Yeah. What's up? Got some more pointers to share? Teach me how to jump? (Jimmy grabs his arm.) Derek: Woah. Easy. Jimmy: What makes you so arrogant? You think you're better than me? Derek: What? Jimmy: Answer my question. Derek: Dude back off now. Jimmy: Make me. What's wrong, scared? Derek: Yeah I'm scared. Scared of hurting a cripple. (Jimmy pushes him against the lockers and they start fighting until Mr. Armstrong walks over.) Mr. Armstrong: Hey! What's going on? Derek: He started it! Jimmy: I'm in a wheelchair. Mr. Armstrong: Well whatever happened, it's over. I'll see you two at practice. In the auditorium while the sessions are still going on, Paige and Alex are sitting on the floor Alex: How are all these people supposed to afford university or college? Paige: Lots and lots of student loans. (Paige trips a random student and laughs.) Alex: What if your only collateral is your mother's welfare check? Paige: The point is to pay back the loan after you graduate. Alex: Right. Off my welfare check. Marco: So I'm applying to Banting. Paige: What?! (Paige jumps up excitedly and hugs him.) Paige: What changed your mind? Mr. Simpson: Paige! I'll confess when you said you had a family friend at Banting I did not believe you. Paige: She's here? Mr. Simpson: Well she's leaving, but I said I'd come get you before she goes. She'll be in the resource center. In the girl's washroom, Paige is splashing water on her face Alex: Paige! Paige! This person, she's a family friend? Paige: Yes, which means not only am I gonna lose out on Banting. My parents are going to find out I'm a pothead too. Alex: Blow it off. Paige: No I cant just blow it off! Alex: It's remarkably easy. Paige: My entire future depends on this. Alex: I don't understand you. Paige: Because you don't have a future! Alex: What did you say? Mr. Simpson: (Knocks on the bathroom door) Paige? Alex: Have a good interview Paige. In the gymnasium Jimmy: Okay gentlemen bring it in for me please. Okay you can't win without fundamentals so today we're gonna work on our three point shooting okay? Give me the ball. (He moves to center court and shoots a basket.) Jimmy: Superstar that's how you shoot a three point shot. Derek: Really? Cause this is how I do it. (Derek shoots a basket and gets it in.) Derek: So what'd you think? Jimmy: I think it's time to take you to school. Give me the ball. Derek: See what you got. (Jimmy moves back, shoots another basket and motions for Derek to shoot, which he does.) Derek: It was easy. (Jimmy goes to the end of the court, bounces the ball and throws it into the basket.) Derek: I got this. I got this. (Derek throws the ball and misses the basket.) Jimmy: Congratulations. You just got beat by a cripple. In the resource center Paige: Uh Ms. Myers, Elizabeth, Liz? Ms. Myers: Paige! (They hug.) Ms. Myers: So you want to come to Banting. That's pretty exciting. Paige: Uh yeah it is um exciting. Pretty. Ms. Myers: Maybe we can finally get your mother up for regular visits, huh? Paige: Definitely. Um lots and lots of mom. Ms. Myers: So this fair, did you find it at all helpful? Paige: Not really. Ms. Myers: You didn't find any of the universities here interesting? Paige: Interesting? That's an interesting question. Were they interesting? Wow. Who's to say. Um... Ms. Myers: Why Banting? Paige: Well you're the, the Harvard of the north. I mean not you Ms. Myers, Elizabeth, Liz, but Banting I mean... Ms. Myers: Banting has caché yes, but what also attracts you to our university? Paige: Well it's very green. Ms. Myers: Sorry Paige, I feel I have to ask you this. Why do you want to pursue a career in business? Paige: I have absolutely no idea...and I am so high. (Paige starts laughing as Ms. Myers stares at her silently.) In the hallway Derek: Woah. Dude stop. Was that a fluke? Please tell me that was a fluke. Jimmy: Are we talking about me sinking it from the ten second line? Derek: Not just that. Four. In a row. From a chair with no jump. Jimmy: Try twelve. I've done twelve in a row from a chair with no jump. Derek: Look you've got to teach me. Come on. Jimmy: Okay, but when you're showing off for your friends and I know you will, tell them you learnt it from your coach, not the guy who got shot. Derek: You got it. At the movie theatre, Paige and Alex are working Alex: Strew the popcorn and don't talk to me. Paige: If it's any compensation my mom's bestest friend is also her informant and I'm grounded until I die...or go to university. Your party to celebrate my demise can commence now. Alex: What happened to the you not talking idea I had? Paige: I was a toad to you. A warty, bumpy, green skinned, horny toad. Alex: But you were right. Paige: No I wasn't. I'm not. Alex! Alex: Paige I don't have a future okay? I don't even know where I'm sleeping tonight. The way my mom and her stupid boyfriend fight I might be at home or I might be at a women's shelter. So how am I supposed to plan for something like university? No I'm wearing this for the rest of my life. Paige: You're not. Alex: Odds are I am. Paige: Well good to know. That's two of us who are scared. Scenes for next week JT: (To the camera) Liberty is such a control freak. I don't know how she's going to handle this. Toby: You and Liberty have been uh? JT: Getting our freak on? Oh yeah. Dozens of times. Voiceover: JT and Liberty have relationship issues. Liberty: Maybe this will teach you to keep private matters, private! (A scene shows her dumping pop down his pants and then it shows her getting a pregnancy test.) Voiceover: And some are bigger than others. Liberty: (Talking to JT) I don't want to be pregnant.
Death of a Disco Dancer