Production Code: 423

Air Date: 02 Sept 2005

Episode Title: Let The Music Play

Summary: Abby is very upset when she finds out she’s stuck working at The Dot all summer while her friends go off on wild adventures. But will some newfound friends – or possibly more –  make the situation more bearable?

[At Emma’s House…]

(JT, Liberty, Emma, Toby, Manny, and Abby are gathered in Emma’s living room, eating food and watching TV.)

Emma: Our last night together, all summer! How sad is that?

Manny: I think I might cry!

Abby: Hey, I’m the one who should be crying, here.

JT: (sarcastic) And why is that, Abby? Not that we haven’t heard it sixty million –

Abby: You’re all leaving me! I’m going to be all alone all summer! I mean, even Lizby is in BC for that internship, and Charlie is working as a lifeguard so he can pick up chicks – which leaves me with just Morgan. 

Liberty: It won’t be that difficult, Abby. We’ll all write you.

Emma: Snake’s bringing his laptop with him, so I can email you.

Toby: Mom says there will be internet access in our hotel room.

Abby: It’s just not fair! I mean, I’m so excited for all you guys, going off to camps and countries and stuff – but I’m stuck here. With my ten-year-old sister.

Emma: It’ll be fun. You’ll make it fun.

Manny: Find a hot guy to make out with.

(Everyone looks at her. She shrugs sheepishly.)

Manny: Well, what? It would help ease the pain!

[Scene Ends]

[Abby’s Bedroom…]

(Abby’s alarm clock begins going off. She’s buried in her bed and reaches out an arm to slap the snooze button. The clock reads 7:35AM.)

Nina: Abby! Breakfast!

(Cut to Abby walking into her kitchen, disheveled and tired. The rest of her family is already assembled and eating breakfast.)

Nina: Hey, sweets! I made pancakes – a special start-of-summer treat!

Abby: Great. That helps me deal with the fact that I will spend this summer alone and depressed.

Morgan: Mom’s pancakes probably can do that.

Charlie: The kid’s right – these are amazing, Mom.

Nina: Thanks, hon. Well, go on, Abby – eat up! You have to be ready by eight!

Abby: (looks up from her pancakes suspiciously) Why?

Nina: (turns back to stove, shamefaced) Uh – because – you have plans –

Abby: Yes, I do. I was planning on spending the day wallowing and watching Jerry Springer.

Charlie: (to Morgan, stage whisper) This is going to be fun to watch!

Morgan: Shh, quiet, I want to hear!

Abby: Nina, what’d you do?

Nina: Well, I didn’t want you to spend the summer all alone and bored out of your mind…

Abby: Yeah…?

Nina: Because, you know, Charlie’ll be gone all day at the pool – what with his lifeguard job – Morgan’ll be at day camp, and Lizby’s in BC, working on the magazine…

Abby: Is this going anywhere, Mom?

Nina: (facing away from Abby) Igotyouajob.

Abby: What?

Nina: (turns around) I got you a… job.

Abby: A what?

Nina: A job! I figured you’d get to make money, it’d be fun – you wouldn’t waste your summer, at least –

Abby: Without talking to me, you mean?

Nina: I wanted to help and I knew you’d say no!

Abby: Well of course I would say no! I don’t want a JOB!

Charlie: Sorry to interupt this very entertaining squabble, but – Mom, inquiring minds want to know – where did you volunteer Abby’s labors?

Morgan: A sweat shop? The fields?

Nina: No, no, of course not. I got Abby a fun, full-time job at… The Dot.

Abby: The DOT? I DON’T WANT TO WORK AT THE DOT! I DON’T EVEN WANT TO EAT AT THE DOT!

Nina: Oh, honey, it’ll be fun! Aren’t there some kids from Degrassi who work there?

Abby: Spinner! The kid who got expelled for causing the shooting! The kid who got me shot works at The Dot, Nina! How does that make you feel?

Nina: Oh… oh. Well, I’m sure he’s quite nice.

Charlie: Spinner? Nice? Hah. That’s funny.

Morgan: Is he the man with the funny hair?

Charlie: Yes, as a matter of fact. He’s the one with that weird flip thing going on. Not really working for him, I must say.

Morgan: He’s ugly. I don’t like him!

Nina: Now, Morgan, it’s not nice to judge people based on their appearances.

Abby: Yeah, I mean, look at Charlie –

Charlie: (through a mouthful of pancakes) Hey!

Abby: Sorry. I’m in a negative mood this morning.

Charlie: You’re always in a negative mood ever since Sean –

(Abby glares at her brother. Charlie shoots her a knowing look.)

Abby: Shut up.

Charlie: You shut up.

Abby: You shut up.

Charlie: No, you –

Nina: Guys, is this going anywhere?

Morgan: In circles!

Abby: Shut up, Morgan.

Morgan: You shut up!

Abby: You shut up!

Morgan: No, you shut up!

Charlie: (To Nina) You’re right, Mom, that is annoying.

(Morgan and Abby continue to fight)

[End of  Scene]

[At the Dot…]

(Abby walks in, sullen and pale. Spinner is mopping down the counter as their boss sits on one of the stools, holding a clipboard. Other workers are doing menial jobs around the store. When Abby walks in, the boss immediately pounces.)

Boss: Which one are you?

Abby: What?

Boss: Which of the newbies?

Abby: Oh – Abby. Abby Benson.

Boss: Okay, Abby – (checks clipboard) your shirt size is small and you’re with Spin.

Abby: Mhm?

(The boss leads her to Spinner, who awkwardly waves.)

Boss: Oh, so you two know each other? Splendid.

(A new girl walks in and the boss dashes off, leaving Abby with Spinner. Very awkward.)

Spinner: So – uh – yeah. That’s Amelia, our boss. She’s cool.

Abby: That’s – good?

Spinner: Um. Yeah.

(Awkward pause)

Abby: What does it mean that I’m with you?

Spinner: Oh, because we’re getting so many new people, Amelia doesn’t have time to help them all. So every newbie is being assigned to someone to help them out and show them around.

Abby: And I got you.

Spinner: (shrugs) I guess.

Abby: Great.

(Another awkward pause)

Spinner: So, why are you here?

Abby: Huh?

Spinner: Don’t you have friends to hang out with, or something?

Abby: (counts them off on her fingers) Emma’s on a road trip with her parents. Manny’s in the Phillipines. JT is a counsler at a summer camp. Toby’s with his mom in Vancouver. Liberty’s at an internship in New York City. Which leaves me here. At The Dot. With you.

Spinner: That sucks.

Abby: Tell me about it.

[End of Scene]

[At Abby’s House…]

(Abby is sitting on her bed, talking on the phone with Emma, who’s in a trailer. Switches back and forth between both girls as they talk.)

Emma: I can’t believe your mom got you a job without even asking. That’s pretty horrible of her.

Abby: Yeah, I know. And that’s not even the worst part.

Emma: How can it get any worse?

Abby: Guess who all my shifts are with?

(Emma thinks – her expression darkens as she realizes who Abby is talking about.)

Emma: No! It can’t be!

Abby: Yeah, well, it is. I have to spend six hours a day with Spinner Mason.

Emma: The guy who indirectly caused you to get shot in the arm.

Abby: Yeah.

Emma: What are you going to do? Are you going to be nice to him?

Abby: Why should I be?

Emma: How are you going to survive if you aren’t at least civil?

Abby: I’ll manage.

(pause as Abby collapses on to her bed)

Abby: I just can’t believe my only option for friendship this summer is Spinner Mason!

Emma: I’m sorry, Abs. Maybe you should take Manny’s advice – find some guy!

Abby: My only choices are incest or Spinner. Summer romance at it’s best.

(pause)

Abby: So where are you guys?

Emma: We crossed the American border yesterday and our on our way to Niagra Falls, which promises to be incredibly cheesy.

Abby: Hah! Eww!

Emma: But after that we’re going into New York City, which is going to be amazing.

Abby: Oh – well, that’s cool.

Emma: Yeah.

Abby: When are you coming back again?

Emma: Not till a few days before school starts.

Abby: Spinner will probably have gotten me shot again by then.

Emma: (laughs) I’m sure things will be a little better than that.

Abby: We can only hope.

[End of Scene]

[At the Dot…]

(Before the store opens, Abby’s behind the counter, stacking salt shakers. Spinner carries a crate of cups to stack.)

Spinner: So you didn’t hate this job that much, eh?

Abby: (annoyed) What?

Spinner: You came back.

Abby: My mother made me. It wasn’t my decision, believe me.

Spinner: Oh.

(They stack in silence. After a few minutes, Spinner attempts a conversation.)

Spinner: So, did you see that new Adam Sandler movie that came out a week ago? I heard that it’s –

Abby: Listen, Spinner, I’m not about to pretend I like you.

(Spinner looks confused, so Abby continues)

Abby: You triggered the most tragic event in the history of Degrassi, which in turn put me in the hospital and sent the love of my life to Wasaga Beach. You nearly killed two of my best friends. You put a perfectly nice guy in a wheelchair and bullied an innocent kid to his breaking point. I want as little to do with you as possible. Don’t talk to me.

(Spinner looks hurt.)

Spinner: Oh – um – okay.

[End of Scene]

[At The Dot…]

(Abby is sitting at the counter, lazily wiping  it with a rag. Spinner, holding a pile of dirty dishes, walks up to her. He looks a bit intimidated.)

Spinner: Um, listen, maybe you could help me bus the empty tables? I mean, a lot of customers are waiting and I can’t really do it by myself –

(Abby, pissed, drops the dish rag and stands up.)

Abby: I’m going on break!

Spinner: But – you have to work –

(Abby ignores him and walks into the girl’s bathroom, the door closing with a slam.)

[CUT TO: Abby holed up in a bathroom stall, talking to her mother on the phone]

Abby: Can’t I quit, Mom, please? I hate it here! My only form of companionship is Spinner Mason!

(Pause as Nina talks)

Abby: Stop being so compassionate, Mom! He’s an asshole who got exactly what he deserved – expulsion and banishment. I don’t want to have anything to do with him.

(another pause)

Abby: Why do I have to stick it out for another week if I already know I hate it? Seems sort of pointless, don’t you think?

(pause)

Abby: Oh, fine. Be cruel. I got to go. My break’s almost up and if Amelia yells at me one more time I’ll be forced to take ten more Zoloft.

(pause – Abby holds the phone away from her ear as Nina shouts)

Abby: I’m not going to stop making jokes about my overdose until you let me quit.

(Abby winces as Nina shouts some more)

Abby: Talk to you later, Mom.

(Abby walks out of the bathroom, when Spin ambushes her)

Abby: What do you want?

Spinner: You’re friends with Jimmy, right?

Abby: We had adjoining rooms after the shooting, but –

Spinner: Go wait on table three, okay?

Abby: What? I’m not allowed! Lowly bus-girls don’t take orders, remember?

Spinner: Please? Just do it.

(He goes behind the counter and takes the register. Abby shrugs and walks over to Jimmy and Hazel. They look happy to see her.)

Jimmy: Yo, Abby, what’s up? Haven’t seen you since you were released!

Abby: Yeah, it’s been a while! How are you? How’s your summer going?

Jimmy: Pretty good – you know, same ol’ same ol’.

Hazel: Didn’t know you worked here.

Abby: My mom signed me up. It sucks pretty bad.

Jimmy: Must, with him (nods towards Spinner) around.

Abby: Seriously.

Hazel: He actually tried to wait on us! As if!

Abby: Yeah. What’d you say to him?

Jimmy: I said that if that bastard even tried to talk to me, I’d being walking. Rolling, really, thanks to him.

Hazel: We told him to get us a new waiter. One who didn’t get people shot.

Jimmy: Little piece of shit. You know what I’m talking about. He put you in the hospital, too.

(Abby nods and forces a smile, shooting a pitiful look at Spinner.)

Abby: Yeah. I guess.

[End of Scene]

[At the pool…]

(Abby is holding Morgan’s hand as they walk into the community pool. They wave at Charlie, who is sitting in a lifeguard chair. Morgan jumps in and Abby goes over to Charlie to talk)

Abby: Where are all the hot chicks?

Charlie: What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be working it up with Shoot-the-School Mason?

Abby: I get off early today. Mom wanted to get me out of the house, so I’m accompanying our little sister to the pool.

Charlie: Sounds fun.

Abby: About as fun as being a lifeguard when there are no hot chicks. (looks around) Seriously, where are they? No point without them.

Charlie: (sighs) They normally don’t come until later. Right now is mainly little kids.

Abby: Awesome.

(Charlie stands up and blows his whistle.)

Charlie: NO RUNNING NEAR THE POOL! HOW HARD IS IT TO WALK?

Abby: Not.

(pause)

Charlie: So how’s your job going?

Abby: Jimmy and Hazel came in today. Spinner tried to wait on them.

Charlie: That must have been fun to watch.

Abby: They sent him away and I had to take their orders.

Charlie: Or not.

Abby: They were mean to him, Charlie. Really mean.

Charlie: Well, he deserves it, doesn’t he?

Abby: No one deserves to be called a little piece of shit all the time.

Charlie: (sighs) I knew this was going to happen.

Abby: What?

Charlie: I knew you were going to start feeling bad for him.

Abby: I don’t feel bad for him! (pause) Well, only a little!

Charlie: Have fun on the dark side.

Abby: It’s just – you know – what he’s dealing with? I only saw five minutes of it and I feel guilty. His life sucks right now. I don’t want to be a part of that.

Charlie: Fifty bucks says you end up making out with him.

Abby: What? No! I’m just not going to be as asshole-y to him, is all. I’m not about to go around dating the school outcast.

Charlie: Mark my words.

Abby: You know what? I hate you.

Charlie: Impossible.

Abby: (pointing across the pool) Oh! Look! A hot chick!

Charlie: (excited, looks around) Where? Where is she?

(Abby laughs when Charlie realizes she’s lying)

Abby: You totally deserved that.

Charlie: Just – just – go amuse Morgan. I don’t want to talk to you.

(Abby climbs down from the chair)

[End of Scene]

[At The Dot…]

(Spinner is waiting on a table as Abby watches, looking guilty. She ambushes him when he reaches the counter.)

Abby: Spinner – um – hey –

(Spinner calls the order to the kitchen and goes about his work, ignoring Abby)

Abby: Listen, I just wanted to say –

Spinner: Since when do you want to talk to me?

Abby: Yeah, about that –

Spinner: (bitter and sarcastic) I thought you weren’t going to pretend. I thought I triggered the most tragic event at Degrassi. I thought you wanted as little to do with me as possible.

(Spinner begins to carry a plate to a table. Abby, looking desperate, calls after him.)

Abby: I’m sorry, okay?

(Spinner sets the plate down and turns to her.)

Spinner: What?

Abby: What you did was horrible, there’s no denying that. But – your life sucks. Even more than mine.

Spinner: No kidding.

Abby: And I don’t feel like making it any worse. So, let’s agree to be civil?

(Spinner shrugs and goes back to working. Abby approaches him hopefully.)

Abby: Besides, with all my friends gone, I’m in the market for a new friend for the summer. Know anyone who might be availible?

(Spinner stands up, looks at her for a second, and smiles)

Spinner: I think my schedule just opened up.

(Abby grins)

((freezes))