With exams approaching at Degrassi, the last thing Sean wants is to repeat Grade 7 for a second time. When he doesn't finish his Media Immersions exam on time, he is convinced he has failed again. Stressed to a boiling point, Sean releases his frustrations in a violent way. Meanwhile, Spinner attempts to get sick to avoid taking his English exam, but ultimately gets help from an unlikely source.
The Kerwin house - Kitchen Toby: Last Day of school, here I come. When he enters the kitchen, he takes from Ashley the muffin she was eating. Jeff: Ash, we're going to drop you and Toby off on our way, ok? (To Kate) You ready? Kate: I'll be there in a minute. Jeff: Ok. Come on Tobs. Oh, working the muscles I see? You're going to be such a girlie boy. (As they go out the door) Come with me! Let me eat you! Ashley laughs Kate: Here's Mrs. Rehn's number, in case you need anything. Ashley: Stop worrying. Toby and I are going to be fine. You're just going overnight. Kate: I know. I'm a being a mother. Ok, so tonight...? Ashley: I know. One friend over each and no parties. I heard. Kate: Good for you for being so responsible. Degrassi - Ms. Kwan's Class Ms. Kwan: A student I'll never forget. Even after years and years of therapy. Who could that be? (Spinner gets up to get his award) Spinner: I'll never forget you either, Ms. Kwan. Ms. Kwan: Have a good break, Mr. Mason Media Immersion Mr. Simpson: Well what can I say? It's been great teaching all of you. (Emma raises her hand) Emma? Emma: We're gonna miss you too, Mr. Simpson. So, look at the screen. (Everyone crowds around) See the present icon? Click it. (When he does, we hear kids shout "Thank you Mr. Simpson" and the grade 7's heads pop up, saying great things about him) Mr. Simpson: This is incredible. Ms. Kwan's Class Ms. Kwan: This one needs no explanation. The student of all students. Drumroll please. (Jimmy does one on the desk) Ashley Kerwin. (Ashley gets up to get it) Ashley: Thanks, Ms. Kwan. Ms. Kwan: (Hugs Ashley) I'm gonna miss you. (Ashley sits back down) Ashley: Student of all students? That is so lame. Terri: I think it's sweet. (Paige sticks out her tongue, puts her finger in her mouth pretending to gag, to Hazel) Ms. Kwan: This next award is for Dave, because he puts the capital G in good student. Media Immersion Mr. Simpson is looking at what they gave him, very happy, when the bell rings. Mr. Simpson: Ok, go. Go clean out your lockers and have a great safe vacation. Liberty: Bye Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson: Adios. Kid: Ciao, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson: Bye-bye. Hall Ashley, Paige and Terri are cleaning out their lockers. Paige: Wow, the Kerwin/Issacs prison. What's Jimmy gonna say when he finds out? Jimmy: Finds out what? (Kind of spins Ashley around) Ashley: That I can only have one friend over tonight. Paige: And she invited Terri. Not you or me. Jimmy: Oh, ok. Ashley: I thought you'd be upset. Jimmy: (With his hand in Ashley's hair) Rules are rules, right? We'll do something tomorrow. Jimmy leaves. Ashley: Ok, am I missing something here? Paige: No, just the chance to hang out w/ me + have way too much fun. Ashley: Paige, if you really want to come over, whatever. (She leaves. Paige shrugs and goes back to cleaning her locker) Hall JT: So girls, what are your plans for this very momentous eve? Emma: Girls' night at my place. Meaning no boys allowed especially boys named Sean. (He walks by as she said that) Hall (Toby and JT are being a trash can to their lockers to clean them out) Toby: Maybe she's learned that bad boys only lead to heartache. JT: And now she's looking for a good boy? One named Toby? Not likely. What you need is a new approach. (Sean walks by) Sean's approach. Hey Sean! Toby here is having the boys over tonight. To play some cards, talk girls, guy stuff. Wanna come? Sean: No. (He starts to walk away) JT: You know Emma's gonna be there. Sean: (As he turns around + stops walking) Emma? Toby: Yeah we're... JT: Having the girls over...later. Sean: Ok. (He leaves) Toby: (Pushes JT up against a locker) Are you insane? JT: After tonight's little tutoring session, Emma will be all yours. Trust me. Hall (Ashley and Terri are walking. Terri is throwing some things out as they pass trashcans) Ashley: Do you think Jimmy's reaction was weird? About tonight? Terri: No I think he was just trying to be a good boyfriend. Ashley: A good boyfriend would wanna come over no matter what. My parents are away... he should... never mind. Terri: Anyway I thought you were cooling on it. Ashley: Exactly the opposite. After you've been going out for awhile, things get deeper. Terri: Oh. Ashley: Unless he's cooling on me. Terri: I don't think that's how it is. Ashley's Paige and Hazel are outside. Ashley clears her throat to get their attention. Paige: Ok, before you go all parental on me, I forgot. Hazel and I had plans tonight. I didn't think it would be a problem. Ashley: No, it's fine. There is loud noise heard and Toby and JT come outside, all dirty from whatever it was. They are coughing. Toby wants to go back inside but JT stops him. Toby: Ash. Ashley: Ok, I know Mom + Jeff said only one friend each... JT: But nothing Ashley. It's our pleasure to share this fine evening with such lovely young ladies. (Before going inside, he winks at Paige) Paige: Did that... THING... just wink at me? Everyone laughs. Inside Ashley They are watching a scary movie wearing 3-D glasses. Hazel screams and covers her eyes when something happens. Terri: Guys I can't handle this. Paige: Do you really think the star's gonna die? Ashley: Paige, you're ruining the movie. There is a knock at the door. Paige: I didn't invite anyone else honest. Sean comes in. They all look. Ashley: Sean? What are you doing here? Sean: Toby invited me. Ashley: Toby? Little scammer. They're upstairs. (He leaves) Ok, Toby's hanging out with Sean? That's weird. Paige: Has Sean become such a total babe since that fight or what? (They laugh then all scream because of the movie) Toby's Room Toby, JT, and Sean are playing cards. JT: So Sean girls. Care to share your expertise? Sean: Wh-what? JT: You know on how you score like Sundien. Sean: I don't. JT: Come on. Girls like drool over you. Sean: I don't know. I just act like myself, I guess. Why? Who do you like? Toby: So guys we gonna play or what? Sean: Emma knows I'm here, right? JT: Yup. Sean: And she's fine with this? JT: Of course. Even more fine is this. I brought us a little party favor boys. (He takes out of a bag a drug) Toby: Aspirin. Sean: Ecstasy. Toby: E? JT, what'd... JT: Ecstasy is the love drug, right? There's a whole room of girls down there needing some love. Sean: I don't know man. This stuff's pretty intense. JT: Better be, I paid my cousin 2 weeks allowance for it. Let's split it. Sean: Ok give me the pill. (JT hands it to Sean) I'll do it. (He leaves the room) JT: What? Toby: Not a good idea. Kitchen Ashley is preparing food and drinks for her and her friends when Sean comes in. Ashley: Hey Sean. Having fun upstairs? Sean: A little too much fun. (Throws her E) Ashley: Is that...? Sean you brought drugs? Sean: Not me, JT. Ashley: JT? Toby? They're way too young to be experimenting with drugs. Sean gets an aspirin and cuts it in half with a knife. Sean: Flush it down the sink. They'll never know the difference. (He leaves) Ashley looks at the E. Toby's Room JT: Toby, come on. Wanna be a bad boy? Start acting like one. Sean: (Opens food) Bad boy? Toby: Ignore him. (Takes the aspirin) Let's just do it. JT: Sure you don't wanna join us? Sean: Yeah my social worker would kill me. JT: Ok. (Eats it) Sean: Hey wait. Chew it slowly. Gives you a better high. Kitchen Ashley picks up the E and sticks it in her apron. She picks up the food when Paige comes in the kitchen. Paige: Terri's slipping in video numero two. Sorry, but uh, this get together, is getting seriously lame. Ashley: Ok then. What do you wanna do? Paige: Invite Jimmy over. Just stop being boring and break a rule for once. Ashley: I already did. Paige: Then invite him again. Hun, you just need to live a little. 'Cause you're pretty cool when you do honest. (She leaves) Ashley sets the food down and calls Jimmy. Ashley: Jimmy come over. We'll have fun, together. (Takes the E out of her apron as she talks. After she hangs up with Jimmy, she takes the E and gags from the taste after she swallows it) Toby's Room JT: Toby, I'm floating, on a fluffy white cloud. Toby: Right. JT: Can't you feel it? How can you not feel it? Toby: I'm starting to, I think. JT puts his hands on the lava lamp and makes buzzing sounds. Sean watches it and can't believe what JT is doing) Toby: Dude, this is incredible. JT: Dude, this ecstasy. I'm feeling the love. It's time to call. Sean: Emma? (Gives JT the phone) JT: (Has the phone upside down, but flips it and then dials) Girls say hello to your destiny. Downstairs Ashley enters and steps on Hazel's hands. Hazel: OW! Ash, my hand. Ashley: Sorry. (She lays down. She watches the movie and screams really loud) Paige: Ok now I'm officially deaf. Ashley: Oh that was so scary. I bet you they heard my scream al the way in China. (They look at her weird as she laughs and then screams again) Outside Ashley's Emma, Liberty, and Manny are outside. Manny: Guys, this is gonna be great. A real party. But if my dad finds out I'm here, I'm gonna be grounded until my wedding day. Ashley comes out. Ashley: Hey you're not Jimmy and Spinner. Unless they had a s*x change. (She laughs) Liberty I didn't invite you. How did you know? Was I sending out psychic vibrations? Emma: Uh, no. JT and Toby called. Ashley: (Laughs) Yeah, one in inviting too many people. Liberty, I've wanted to tell you this for like forever. But I get you. You're like me only sorta not, you know? Liberty: Uh... Inside Ashley's Ashley: You guys look who's here: Liberty. (Ashley shuts off the movie and turns on music) Terri: Ash... When she turns on music she starts dancing with Liberty. Ashley: Get down Liberty! (She laughs as she takes off her apron and whirls it around) Terri: Ash wanted to have fun tonight. I guess she's having fun. As she dances, Ashley breaks a vase. Paige starts to laugh, but stops. [SCENE_BREAK] Toby's Room JT is spinning around on a pole when there is a knock at the door. JT opens it. Emma: Hello. (JT moves his tongue around) Toby? JT: Welcome to the Issacs Zone of Invanite Love and Harmony. Sit. Manny: Thanks, uh, for inviting us. Toby sits next to Emma. JT: (Puts his hands as if he's praying) Shalom. Downstairs Jimmy and Spinner and some friends come in. Spinner has a watermelon. Jimmy: Hey. What's going on? Ashley: (Putting her hands in the air) Hey! Spinner: This is my kind of party. Ashley: Jimmy you're here, finally. Jimmy: When did you decide to have a party? I thought your parents... Ashley: Isn't this just incredible? (Hugs him) Jimmy: Ash you're burning up. Ashley: Oh I know. So hot in here. Jimmy: Have you been drinking? Ashley: No. (Near his ear) A...B...C...D...E. Jimmy: Ecstasy? Where'd you get ecstasy? Ashley: Toby, JT. One of them. Jimmy: do you know how stupid that is? Ashley: Stop being so melodramatic. I'm having fun you can too. Jimmy: You need to drink water and lots of it. (Grabs her hand but she lets go) I can't believe you could take E. Ashley: Ok calm down Dad. Paige is right loosen up a little bit. Paige: (Whispers) Ecstasy? Jimmy: Ash what...? Ashley: I'm going upstairs to the bathroom. I'll drink some water from the toilet. (She laughs as she leaves the room. When she leaves everyone laughs except Jimmy) Toby's Room Sean enters. Sean: Emma. Emma leaves. Sean: Emma. Emma. Emma: Sean, just leave me alone. If I knew you were gonna be here I would've stayed home. Manny: I'll go find Liberty. (She goes downstairs) Sean: Emma, can we talk, please? Emma: There's nothing to talk about. Sean: Emma you're not being fair. Emma: Sean you went too far. We're over, as in finished. (She goes downstairs) Ashley comes out the bathroom. Ashley: Sean. Are you ok? (He looks at her and he is crying) You need to talk to someone. Come on. (They go into a room) Sean: This is so stupid. Ashley: I know what you're going through. Sean: How? Ashley: Ok, everyone thinks you're bad, right? Well everyone thinks I'm this perfect boring girl. (They sit down) Sean: I just thought Emma was so different. Ashley: Why? She's just like Jimmy. She only sees... Sean: What she wants to see. Ashley: Exactly! Sean, don't cry. Don't cry. (She looks at his face and then she kisses him. After she kisses him, they kiss again, laying themselves down on her bed) Downstairs Everyone else is hanging out having fun. Toby comes downstairs Toby: Hey Jimmy, have you seen Emma? Jimmy: There you are, Mr. Drug Dealer. Toby: What? Jimmy: Don't you know that E leads to harder things, like my fist? Toby: What do you care if I did E? Jimmy: 'Cause you didn't. Ashley did. And she said she got it from you. Toby: Sean switched it. Jimmy: Sean? Sean's here? Toby: Yeah, he's upstairs. Jimmy runs upstairs. While she drinks, Paige watches. Upstairs. Jimmy goes in a room but doesn't find Sean. Sean comes out of another room. Jimmy: Sean...what...? As Sean goes downstairs, Ashley comes out of the same room Sean did. Ashley: Jimmy, oh. (Jimmy looks at how her hair and clothes are messed up and goes downstairs so she follows him) Outside Toby: Emma? (He sees her sitting) There you are. Look, it was stupid of me to invite Sean. And I want you to know the only reason I did is because... (Sean comes outside and leaves. When Emma sees him, she looks sad. When Sean looks back, he sees Emma hug Toby) Inside Ashley's JT: 1...2...3... (He jumps and they catch him) Jimmy: Where's Sean? Ashley: Jimmy stop. Jimmy: Where's Sean, Spinner? Spinner: He left, like 2 minutes ago. Jimmy starts to leave but Ashley stops him. Ashley: Jimmy stop. Ok, I know you're upset, but what just happened was the most intense experience of my life. It was like this telescope and I saw me, the real me. Jimmy: Look, you don't know what you're saying. Ashley: What? Jimmy: it's not you, it's the drugs. Ashley: Oh yeah keep going Dad. Keep telling me who I am. Jimmy: Ash look... Ashley: No, this is exactly why me and Sean just...he gets me, you... Terri: Ash, stop. Ashley: Ter, I love your shirt. It's so shiny, like stars. Jimmy: I'm outta here. Ashley: What I should have done is broken up with you on your birthday like I was going to. Paige: Ash would you stop being such a hag already? Ashley: Paige you are a hag. On two fronts: your looks and your personality. (She laughs) Paige gets a mean look on her face and leaves. Ashley: Jimmy, just you don't have what Sean has and you never will. You're just not enough for me, sorry. Oh now you're upset, don't be, it's ok, it is, it's all good, it is. (As she talks she goes up to him but he pushes her away and then leaves and then everyone else does) Spinner: Nice Ash. Ashley: Guy, where are you going? Come on it's a party. Come on. Where's everyone going? Come on guys. Guys. (She dances and laughs) Come on. Downstairs - The next day Terri and Toby are cleaning when Ashley comes in the room in a bathrobe. Ashley: Hey. When did that break? Toby: While you were dancing with Liberty. When you were strung out on E. What were you thinking Ash? Ashley: What was I thinking? What were you and JT doing with it in the first place? Terri: Guys, it doesn't matter. Ashley: Was I really that bad? (They don't answer) What if I just call Jimmy? Terri: Ash, Paige won't talk to you. Do you really think Jimmy will? Ashley: I'm such an idiot. How am I ever gonna face everyone again? (There is a knock at the door. Ashley runs to the door) Jimmy? (Someone comes in and it's Spinner with a box) Spinner: here Jimmy doesn't want this stuff anymore. Ashley: Spinner how is he? Spinner: Just take it and don't call him. (He leaves) Ashley closes the door. Terri: Ash? Toby: Ok, somebody get this place cleaned up. (He goes in the other room) Ashley falls on the floor Toby: They'll be home soon. I mean come on... Ashley is crying with Terri next to her. Toby: Ash? You ok? (He goes back to where Ashley and Terri are and he goes next to her and hugs her)
Under Pressure