Production Code: 501
Air Date: 07 Oct 2005
Episode Title: Silk and Steel
Summary: Abby’s
had a good summer – hanging out with her new boyfriend and working at the
Dot. She may finally be over the traumatic events of last year – but when reception to her new relationship is less
than welcoming, will she be able to handle it?
[At the Dot…]
(Abby is sweeping. Spinner flips the “OPEN”
sign on the door to “CLOSED”.)
Abby: Our last day of summer. Who thought
it would come so quickly?
Spinner: Not me.
Abby: It was a good summer, though. At
least, I thought so.
Spinner: Me too.
(Spinner sits down. Abby sits in his lap. He rests
his chin her shoulder.)
Abby: I’m glad we’re dating,
Spinner. I really like you.
(Spinner smiles)
Spinner: I like you a lot, too.
[End of Scene]
[At the Pratt House…]
(It’s the morning of the first day of school.
The four kids are sitting and eating breakfast. Robbie is at work and Nina is urging the kids to hurry up.)
Nina: Hurry up, or we’re going to
be late!
Abby: I’m done!
Morgan: I’m done!
Lizby: I’m done!
Charlie: But isn’t there enough time
for me to have another pancake? They’re SO good!
Nina: In the next twenty minutes, we have
to hit the middle school, the high school, and the university. Plus, I have a
meeting in thirty. If you want a ride, you better be outside in ten – nine – eight – seven – six –
Charlie: Fine! I’m coming!
[CUT TO: The middle school, where they’re
dropping Morgan off]
Nina: Bye, Morg, sweetie! Have fun!
Abby: Hurry up, Mom! I have to meet Spinner!
(Charlie laughs)
Charlie: You are so dead.
Abby: What are you talking about?
Charlie: You’re dating, in your very
own words, the school outcast. I hate to sound like Paige Michalchuck, but, like – total social suicide!
Abby: No one’s going to care. My
friends are too cool –
Charlie: To like a guy like him.
Abby: But he’s actually really nice!
You know – he came over for dinner that one time!
Charlie: I’m sure he’s got
a heart of gold underneath that flippy hair –
Abby: He got a haircut, okay?!
Charlie: – but the rest of the school
is a little too blinded by his recent expulsion.
Abby: I’ll just have to make them
see that he’s a good person, then.
Charlie: Oh, yeah. Because that’s
totally going to work.
(Abby’s mouth opens in shock)
Charlie: I’m telling you, it’d
be in your best interests to dump the loser before anyone finds out.
Nina: Charlie!
Lizby: Charlie!
Abby: That’s awful!
Charlie: I’m just being honest! Lizby,
you get what I’m saying, don’t you? You know what’s going to happen to Abby. This is high school
we’re talking about. She’ll be slaughtered!
Lizby: If she likes him that much, it shouldn’t
matter!
Charlie: She better like him a hell of
a lot, then, because –
Nina: Shouldn’t Abby decide this
for herself?
Abby: Yeah!
(Pull into Degrassi)
Charlie: Listen, Abby, I’ll use my
extreme popularity to protect you for as long as I can, but even I’m not a miracle worker. Please, for both our
sakes, ditch him. I don’t want to be the brother of the chick dating the shooter, okay? That will hurt even my stellar
reputation –
Abby: You’re such an idiot!
(Abby, angry, climbs out of the car and slams
the door. She begins walking toward the school with Charlie when she spots Spinner. He’s all alone on a bench. When
he sees her, his face lights up and he waves. She smiles back and begins to walk toward him when Charlie stops her.)
Charlie: Abby, I’m older and more
experienced. Remember what I said!
Abby: Screw off, Charlie.
(Abby runs towards Spinner, they hug.)
Spinner: Hey!
Abby: Hey!
(Begin walking toward school together, holding
hands)
Abby: So how does it feel to be back?
Spinner: Weird.
(Group of girls snicker at him.)
Spinner: Kind of shitty.
Abby: It’ll get better.
Spinner: I can only hope.
(They stop at the front of the school.)
Spinner: Is it just me, or did Degrassi
get bigger and scarier over the summer?
Abby: Come on, we’re going to be
late for homeroom!
(She pulls him up the stairs.)
[End of Scene]
[At School…]
(Abby’s in English class with JT when Emma
and Manny walk in.)
Manny: Oh, my God!
Abby: HEY!
Emma: Hey, guys!
(They all hug and sit down)
Abby: So how were your summers? Any hot
men?
JT: Actually –
Emma: (laughs) Shut up, JT.
Manny: There was this cute Fillipino boy
who I flirted with a bit. He worked at the grocery store. But he didn’t really speak English, so it never went anywhere.
Emma: I’m just completely in love
with this guy Peter! (puts hand to heart) Abby, you HAVE to see him, he’s new here and absolutely adorable –
JT: Well, there was this amazingly hot
twelve-year-old in my arts and crafts group –
Manny: Pervert!
(Hits him)
Abby: God, I missed you guys!
Emma: We missed you too, Abs! Anyway, did
you see who’s back?
Manny: No, who?
Emma: Abby should know.
Abby: (hesitating) You mean – Spinner?
Emma: Yes. (makes disgusted face) He’s
in my homeroom.
JT: What a complete phsyco. I can’t
believe they let him back in the school.
Manny: I can’t believe I dated him.
Eww! (shudders)
(Abby looks guilty)
Abby: Actually, guys –
Emma: Once again, I’m sorry we left
you here all summer with that loser. How did you survive?
(Abby looks torn, but eventually just shrugs)
Abby: Dunno how I did it.
[End of Scene.]
[At School…]
(Abby’s walking down the hall with Liberty
and Emma. Spinner’s at his locker. At the sight of Abby, he waves. Abby ignores him.)
Liberty: So then my boss told me
I was the hardest working intern he had ever had and said as soon as I graduated he would offer me a position –
(Abby and Emma look really bored and desperate
for a change of subject)
Emma: That’s great, Liberty…
Wait, Abby – is Spinner waving to you?
Abby: (embarrassed) Um – I don’t
know – er, I hope not –
Liberty: Must think you’re friends,
after all that time working together.
Emma: That loser!
Abby: Um, I guess?
Emma: I’m going to go tell him off.
Abby: What? Em – no! I mean,
you don’t have to, it’s fine, really…
Emma: No way will I have that freak thinking
you like him.
Abby: Stop! Please! Really, it’s
not that big a deal!
Emma: It so is.
(Emma walks up to Spinner. Liberty stands back
with Abby, who looks completely freaked out.)
Emma: Listen, Mr. Big, Bad Bully –
you already did enough harm last year, and no one wants you back. I mean no one. Especially Abby. She already had to
deal with you all summer.
Spinner: (flabbergasted) Wait, what?
Emma: Stay away from her, okay? She wants
nothing to do with you. Just leave her alone.
(Before Spinner can reply, she turns away and
begins to walk down the hall. Liberty follows. Abby shoots Spinner an apologetic look, mouths “I’m sorry!”
and runs to catch up with them. Spinner stares after them for a while, making an angry face.)
[End of Scene]
[At The Dot…]
(Abby walks in to the café with her backpack,
having rushed over from school. Spinner is already at the counter.)
Abby: Um, Spin?
(Spin looks up angrily.)
Spinner: What happened this morning?
Abby: Listen, you have to let me explain
–
Spinner: Was that, like, some twisted way
of dumping me? Because if it was, you should at least have had the guts to tell me to my face instead of having little Miss
Righteous Bitch do it!
Abby: No, that wasn’t it at all –
Spinner: What the hell was it, then?
Abby: It’s just – I haven’t
exactly told anyone about – well – you know – us –
Spinner: You haven’t?!? What,
you’re embarrassed to be dating Shoot-the-School Mason?
Abby: It’s
just – everyone’s been talking – what would they think?
Spinner: Oh, I get it. You don’t
want anyone to think someone like you would ever like someone like me. Is that it? Huh?
Abby (beginning to tear up) No,
Spin, that’s not it, not at all –
Spinner: Oh, really? Then why don’t
you call Emma, right now? Tell her we’re dating?
(Abby opens mouth, then shuts it)
Spinner: I figured.
Abby: Spin – please – don’t
do this –
Spinner: (looks at her coldly) I’ve
got to work.
Abby: Don’t do this –
(Spin disapears into the kitchen. He doesn’t
answer her.)
[End of Scene]
[At The Dot…]
(Spinner is walking out of The Dot with a backpack
and his shirt still on, having just finished his shift. Jay’s waiting for him outside.)
Jay: Hey, man!
Spinner: Jay, what’s up? Haven’t
seen you in a while.
Jay: That’s because you decided to
pull an Honor Roll on me and go back to school.
Spinner: Honor Roll?
Jay: You know, Abby? Your girlfriend?
Spinner: Not anymore.
Jay: What’d you do this time?
Spinner: No, it’s her. She refuses
to tell anyone we’re dating.
Jay: (laughs) Well, can you blame her?
Spinner: Yeah!
Jay: Dude, everyone hates you. Why would
she want to admit to everyone she’s shacking up with the school freak?
Spinner: But if she really likes me –
Jay: Of course she likes you. She just
likes her friends and her squeaky clean reputation, too.
Spinner: I can’t believe you’re
taking her side, man!
Jay: Think about it for a second –
did you really expect her to just walk up to the school and go, (takes on a fake high voice) “Guess who I’m dating!
The guy who almost got you all shot!”
Spinner: (sighs) Well, I guess not.
(pause as they walk down the street)
Spinner: Dude, since when do you give good
advice?
Jay: Since you got so desperate even my
opinions look good.
[End of Scene]
[At School…]
(At lunch, Spinner goes to buy his food and tries
to sit at Jimmy’s table. They kick him out immediately and he sighs and goes to sit by himself. Abby, sitting at her
usual table, watches all of this sadly.)
Liberty: He totally failed his Chem test.
I don’t think he’s even trying in his schoolwork.
Manny: Then there’s no point in him
even coming back.
JT: So why is he here?
Toby: Stinking up our air?
Emma: He should just leave. No one wants
him here.
Abby: Are you still talking about Spinner?
Liberty: Who else?
Abby: Why do you guys care so much? I mean,
I thought you just thought he was a loser.
JT: A loser who shot you in the arm! A
loser who pointed a gun at me and Emma!
Abby: He didn’t do that, Rick did!
You know, the girl-beater with an anger problem who you all seem to have forgotten about?
Emma: Rick was a victim, Abby, I thought
you knew that. He never would have done anything if it weren’t for Spinner bullying him –
Abby: (angry, voice is getting louder)
Godamit, Spinner wasn’t the only one teasing Rick! You bullied him too, Emma, remember? Seriously, you were the
one that started it all with that anti-violence campaign and all those stupid ribbons! And you – JT – remember
how you ditched Toby because he was hanging out with Rick?
Manny: That’s completely different
–
Abby: (so loud the entire caf can here
her) No, Manny, it’s not! I’m not saying Spinner was a saint, or that what he did was okay – but you
all did it, too! It’s not fair to pin all the blame on him! He’s more than just your stupid scapegoat! HE
DOESN’T DESERVE THIS!
JT: Why are you taking his side?
Abby: (realizes the entire lunchroom can
hear her, begins to shout louder)I’m not taking anyone’s side! I’m just sick of all of you ragging on him
for doing the same thing you did! Besides, rememeber the entire REASON Rick brought a gun to school?! BECAUSE YOU ALL TEASED
HIM MERCILESSLY! I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, DO YOU ALL WANT A SECOND SHOOTING!?! BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE SPINNER’S
ABUSE IS HEADED! REALLY, HOW HARD IS IT TO LEARN FROM YOUR FUCKING MISTAKES?!?!
(Abby, enraged, picks up her tray and marches
over to where Spinner is sitting. She slams her tray down, sits down, and smiles at Spinner, ignoring the rest of the cafetiria,
all who are staring at her.)
Abby: Hey.
Spinner: Hey.
(Abby begins to eat nonchalantly. Spinner looks
amazed.)
Abby: Sorry about before.
Spinner: Uh… no problem?
[CUT TO: Emma, JT, Manny, Toby, and Liberty looking
utterly shocked.]
Emma: (shocked) Did she just do what I
think she did?
JT: Must have been one long summer..
[End of Scene]
[At School…]
(Manny’s at Emma’s locker as they
discuss the lunch fiasco)
Manny: So I heard from Paige who heard
from Alex who heard from Amy who heard from Jay that they were dating all summer!
Emma: Abby? And Spinner?
Manny: Wrong on so many levels, I know.
Emma: How could she forgive him? After
what he did? She still has the scar on her arm, for crying out loud.
Manny: I just can’t believe it. I
can’t – I can’t even process it. Abby? And Spinner?
(Emma nods as they walk down the hall, past Abby
who is at her locker. People call out to her as she gets her books.)
Girl #1: Hey,
Mrs. Mason, when’s the wedding?
Girl #2: Will
you get yellow paint poured on you at the ceremony?
Girl #3: Guns
instead of rings, maybe?
(Abby blinks away
tears and begins to walk down the hall. She sees Emma and Manny and attempts to catch up with them.)
Abby: Emma, Manny, wait up!
(Emma and Manny turn around and stare at Abby
in disgust.)
Emma: It’s true isn’t it?
Manny: You’ve been shacking up with
Spinner all summer behind our backs?
Abby: We weren’t shacking up! And
we didn’t even start dating until August!
Emma: Well, thanks for telling us!
Abby: What was I supposed to say?
Manny: You were supposed to not
date him!
Abby: Oh, you’re one to talk, Manny!
You dated him, too!
Manny: I dated Spinner before anyone knew
what he did –
Emma: And promptly dumped him as soon as
she found out!
Abby: Yeah – but – but –
(Manny and Emma roll their eyes and walk away
from Abby, who looks crushed.)
[End of Scene]
[At The Dot…]
(Abby is clearing dishes while Spinner works the
cashier. Emma, Manny, JT, Liberty, and Toby are at a table in a corner. Abby goes to pick up the plates from a table where
Paige and Hazel sit. They glare at her.)
Paige: Why are you still working here?
I thought it was only for the summer?
Abby: Well, a couple people quit, and the
boss, Amelia, said I have a good work ethic, so –
Paige: Cut the crap. You’re here
for Spinner, aren’t you?
Abby: Actually, I’m here for the
money –
Hazel: After all, you two are dating. Aren’t
you?
Abby: Well, I guess you could call it that
–
Paige: How could you do that? To Emma?
To JT?
Hazel: To Jimmy?
Abby: I wasn’t trying to hurt
anyone!
Paige: Yeah, well, you did!
Abby: If anyone was hurt by who I’m
dating, then they kind of need to find a life, don’t you think? (nervous laugh)
Hazel: Jimmy’s in a wheelchair –
Paige: Because of that bastard!
(points to Spinner)
Abby: You know what, Paige? I’m sick
of hearing about –
Paige: News flash! We don’t care.
Hazel: We’re leaving.
Paige: We don’t eat at places that
hire criminals and their mistresses.
(Abby stares after them as they leave. She turns
to her friends, but they just stare at her blankly and then go back to their food. Abby sighs and runs over to Spinner.)
Abby: Did you just see that?
Spinner: Screw ‘em! Paige is a bitch,
anyway. And Hazel’s just her little sidekick. No brain of her own.
Abby: It’s just – how long
is this going to go on?
Spinner: Who knows? They’ll stop
caring eventually.
Abby: When?
Spinner: When… (pauses, wraps arm
around Abby) When they do. Don’t worry about it! It’s just idiots like Paige and Hazel.
Abby: And my friends.
(Abby sighs and puts head on Spinner’s shoulder)
[End of Scene]
[At School…]
(At lunch, Abby goes and sits with JT, Emma, and
that crowd. They all stare at her.)
Abby: What?
JT: Shouldn’t you be with your little
lover boy?
Abby: Don’t start on that!
Emma: Well, you did freak out at us yesterday
because of him. We just figured your new seat change was permanent.
Abby: I can still be friends with you guys,
can’t I?
Manny: I don’t know. You tell us.
Abby: You want me to dump him, don’t
you?
Toby: Yeah. That would be nice.
Abby: Someone want to remind me why I was
friends with you guys, anyway?
JT: Our looks, our charm, our witty banter
–
Abby: Oh, shut up, JT. Listen, it doesn’t
matter how much you hate Spinner. This isn’t about him.
Manny: Didn’t seem like that yesterday
–
Abby: This is about me, and how you all
are fucking acting. I need you guys right now. The entire school hates me by association. I’ve been there for you guys
for a lot – when (turns to Manny)you slept with Craig and became the school slut; when you (turns to Emma) got a STD
from Jay of all people; when you (turns to JT) were in that suck ass commercial. All these times when people gossiped
about you, hated you – and I was there for it all. And the one time where my image isn’t so perfect, where I need
you more than anything… You abandon me.
Emma: It’s not like that –
Abby: Oh, really? Then what was up with
yesterday, huh? At the Dot?
Manny: It’s just – it’s
just –
Abby: It’s just nothing. I’m
not expecting you to become best friends with Spinner. All I’m asking is that you accept me and trust that if I’m
dating Spinner, he’s not some homocidal maniac. I’m a better judge of character than that, right? Well, basically
– right now, I need you. Plain and simple. Whether you’re going to come through for me? That’s completely
up to you guys.
(Abby picks up her tray and leaves.)
[End of Scene]
[At School…]
(Abby’s sitting in the library with Spinner,
studying, when Emma and Manny walk up to her.)
Emma: Abby?
Abby: (coldy) What?
Emma: We just, uh, came over to say hi.
Manny: And to invite you to the movies
Friday night. Everyone’s going to be there. We’re seeing that new Adam Sandler flick.
Emma: Supposed to
be pretty good.
Abby: (smile) That’s
what I heard.
Manny: You can bring
– uh – him, too.
Spinner: Really?
Emma: Suprisingly
enough? (nods)
Spinner: Cool.
Emma: Well, we’ve
got to get to history –
Manny: But call me later, okay?
Abby: Yeah, yeah. I will.
Emma: Okay, so, bye!
(Emma and Manny walk away and Abby turns back
to her books, surprised.)
Spinner: Maybe this year won’t suck
so much, after all.
(She and Spinner grin at each other.)
((freezes))
