"EPISODE 1.10 - Parental Issues"

Written and produced By Alex Gregg. Copyrighted 2003.
Originally Aired December 8th 2003

The camera fades in to show a birds eye over shot of the Mall. Its packed, shoppers walking in all directions. Cut to the food court. Ashley and Ling are sitting at one of the tables, eating their lunch. 

Ashley:  (takes a bite out of her burger and swallows) So, who else have you gotta get Christmas gifts for?

Ling:  Mom, Dad.... I've got Lok's... Maria's... and yours. Anything you want?

Ashley:  Surprise me?

Ling:  (laughs) Okay. 

At that moment Maria comes over to there table and sits down.

Maria:  Hey! 

Ashley/Ling:  Hey!

Ashley:  She's free!

Ling:  Welcome back to the land of not being grounded.

Maria:  Yup, it feels good! So, how was school? (takes one of Ashley's fries).

Ashley:  Oh, you know, boring.. same old, same old... 

Maria:  (takes one of Ling's fries). Aww, poor you. Well, I'll be back on Monday to stir things up! My suspension will be over.

Ashley:  And that's a good thing, how? 

Maria:  I know, I know. Being suspended is cool in theory, but after a while it gets boring. No one to hang out with cos you're at school, Dad giving me these looks cos *I* should be at school... (sakes head).

Ling:  (Maria goes to take another fry from Lings plate but she slaps her hand) So, have we learnt anything form this little experience?

Maria:  Yeah! DeCole sucks... and so does Taylor.

Ling:  (she gives her a look) Maria...

Ashley:  Look, Li, being suspended is nothing new to me, Okay? I mean, I was being suspended practically every other month last year back in the City. Well, okay, not every other month, but--

Ling:  Hey, it was only last week you where freaking out...

Maria:  Well, yeah... but not about the actual getting suspended... more about disappointing my dad again...

Ling:  Well, now's all the more reason to-- 

Ashley:  Oh, come on Li, you cant really agree with Taylor? I mean, its not like Maria did anything serious. Its not like she graffitied the the quad or... Burnt down the gym... she skipped a couple of classes...

Ling:  A Couple?

Ashley:  Okay... more then a couple... but still...

Ling:  Yeah, I guess...

Maria:  Hey, the being suspended isn't even the worst part. Or being grounded. Dad's taken my Cell. Said I'll get it back after Christmas...

Ashley:  So that's why you haven't replied to any of out message's.

Maria:  Yeah...

Ling:  So, your dad's still giving you a hard time, huh?

Maria:  (sighs) Uh huh...

Ashley:  Well look at it like this. You'll be back at school Monday, Dylan will be there, its Christmas soon... everything will be back to normal...
 

The Credits

Special Guest Stars: Dylan Matthews
Guest Staring: Mrs Ross, Rick, Mrs Lee, Mr Lee, Mr Harris, Principal Taylor

 
A Shot of the front of the school. The bell rings. Cut to the Quad. Maria is sitting at an empty table. Ashley and Ling approach her.

Ashley:  Hey! (sits).

Maria:  Hey.

Ling:  Missed you in class just now... (also sits).

Maria:  Yeah. Didn't feel like Teen Heath class today... 

Ashley:  Its your first day back...

Maria:  Did Mr Hamilton notice I wasn't there?

Ashley:  Yup.

Ling:  So, he wants us to give you this... (pulls out a bag of flour from her school bag, and gives it to her).

Maria:  (takes it) Its a bag of flour. (looks at her friends) What the hell am I supposed to do with a bag of flour?

Ling:  (reaches into her bag) Its our new project...

Maria:  (sarcastically) What, cooking?

Ling:  No... 

Ling gets out her "bag of flour" and holds it up). It has been decorated with a drawn on smiley face, hair and and clothes.

Maria:  (confused) Very, nice. Its a Baby? Okay, what's going on?

Ling:  Well... if you'd been in class, you would know. (Maria gives her a look) Okay, okay... We've gotta do this thing where we look after the "bag of flour" - like a baby. And the person with the best kept bag, well baby, wins.

Maria:  Wins what?

Ashley:  An "A", the rest of the class gets a grade based on how their baby has been kept. No one else can get an "A". The top mark would be a "B".

Maria:  Oh... (to Ashley) So where's yours?

Ashley:  In my bag...

Maria:  (pretend concern) Your suffocating your baby?!

Ashley:  (gives her a look) Ha ha ha...

At that moment Dylan comes over to them and sits next to Maria.

Dylan:  Hey Girls.

Maria/Ashley/Ling:  Hey.

Dylan:  (to Maria) I've missed you.

Maria:  Me too.

They Kiss. Then smile at each other. Totally evolved in their on little world.

Ashley:  (loudly) Okay!

Ling:  This is our que to leave.

Ashley:  Yep. See you later!

Maria:  (turns back to her friends) Uh.. Okay.. Cya...

Dylan:  Bye...

Ling and Ashley head out of the Quad ginning.

Ashley:  Those two so have it all... Makes us look like loveless turkeys...

Ling:  Uh huh...

Ashley:  we *so* need to get a boyfriend...

Ling:  Uh huh...

Ashley Voice Over:  Okay, so its "take-care-of-a-bag-of flour-baby" week at school, well for us Freshmen anyway. This should be fun... not. Its Mr Hamalton's way of teaching us responsibly on looking after kids... Plus as if that's not bad enough tomorrow night is Parent/Teacher night... ugh! I wonder what my teachers are gonna say about me?

Cut to Ashley's House. Cut to the Living room. Mrs Ross is sitting on the sofa, watching Tv. Ashley comes down the stairs.

Ashley:  Hey, Mom. (sits next to her). Rick not home yet?

Mrs Ross:  Hi, sweetheart. No he's still working.

Ashley:  Uhm, where are the photos of me as a baby?

Mrs Ross:  In the cabinet in the dining room, why?

Ashley:  We're doing "babies" in Teen Heath class and we've gotta bring in some photos as part of our assignment.

Mrs Ross nods as Ashley gets up and heads into the dining room. Cut to the Ashley in the dining room looking through photo albums. Cut to later, she walks into the Living room with one of the albums.

Ashley:  Hey, Mom. (goes over to sit on the sofa) How come there's none of me when I was, like... I donno just born and stuff. These are the earliest ones you have... (shows her the album) and I'm like Six months old...

Mrs Ross:  (a little worried) Uh... I'm sure there in another album. 

Ashley:  Well... there's none in any of the others...

Mrs Ross:  Oh. Well-- 

Just then the front door opens. Mrs Ross gets up.

Mrs Ross:  (Rick comes into the Living room) Hi Honey. Good, day?

Rick:  Hi. Yeah, it was okay. (he and Mrs Ross hug) Hi, Ashley. 

Ashley:  Hey...

Mrs Ross:  (to Rick) Have you eaten?

Rick:  No. 

Mrs Ross:  We'll I saved some you dinner.

Rick:  Oh, Thanks. (she and Rick head to the kitchen).

Ashley:  Mom! (she turns back to her daughter) The photos?

Mrs Ross:  Oh, Right. I'll look for them later. I'm sure you can use one in that album... (leaves the room. Ashley sighs).

Cut to the next morning. Cut to the kitchen. Ashley comes wandering in. Mrs Ross gets the orange juice from the fridge and brings it to the table where Rick is sitting. She sits down.

Mrs Ross:  (smiles) Oh, Good morning, Ashley. (holds up the orange juice carton) Would you like some juice?

Ashley:  Uh, no. I'm late for school. Did you find em?

Mrs Ross:  What?

Ashley:  The photos.

Mrs Ross:  Oh. (thinks quickly) No. We did look last night, but we couldn't find them. Perhaps the album has been misplaced.

Ashley:  Misplaced? How do you misplace something like that?!

Rick:  Ashley! Don't talk to your mother in that tone of voice. 

Mrs Ross:  Its alright Rick. Ashley, your going to be late.

Ashley:  I'm going, okay? (turns to leave).

Mrs Ross:  Oh! I'll expect you to come straight home from school, I want to cook dinner before we leave for Parent/Teacher night. 

Ashley sighs and heads out of the door.

Rick:  Rachel, we didn't look for photos, what's going on?

She sighs as she looks at him.

Cut to The front of the school. The girls head down the hall towards class. Holding their bag-of-flour-babies.

Ashley:  I mean, come on... how do you lose an album full of *all* your kids tiny-baby photos?

Ling:  Well, its possible...

Ashley:  I'm not saying its impossible... and its not just that... when I thought about it, there's no pictures of me around the house younger then about six months old either...

Maria:  So? (shrugs) Maybe you where an ugly tiny baby? (Ashley and Ling give her a look) Joking! Joking! Ash, I don't know, the only person that has the answer to that is your Mom.

Ashley:  Yeah, but I also got the feeling she was lying too...

Maria:  About what?

Ashley:  I don't know... this whole thing just spells weird to me...

Maria:  Hey! Maybe you were adopted?

Ling:  (sarcastically) Yeah, that's it!

Maria:  What? (shrugs) I might be right....

Ling:  Uh huh, in *wacko* land maybe... (to Ashley) Ash, its probably nothing, okay? You know? But if you feel that strong about it... maybe you should talk to her...

Ashley:  Yeah... (changes subject) So you guys coming with your parents to Parent/Teacher night tonight?

Ling:  Yeah.

Maria:  Ugh! Don't remind me. I don't even know why Dads comin', I mean he knows what the all teachers think of me...

Ashley:  Heh, yeah. Juvenile Delinquent, right?

Maria:  Yep!

Ling:  Maybe he just wants to hear what they have to say about you from the horses mouth, so to speak...

Maria:  Maybe...

Principal Taylor heads towards them.

Principal Taylor:  Ah, Maria.

Maria:  (to the others) Great, what have I done now? (turns to him) Principal Taylor... Hi.

Principal Taylor:  Will your father be attending tonight?

Maria:  Uh... I think so...

Principal Taylor:  Good, Good. I shall be looking forward it. (he leaves).

Maria:  (sarcastically) Oh tonight's gonna be just fun!

Ashley and Ling give Maria a concerned look. Dylan Catches up to them.

Dylan:  (looks in Principal Taylor's direction) What'd he want?

Maria:  Oh, you know... to make my school like hell... the usual...

The four of them walk down the hall and head to their next class.

Ashley Voice Over:  Okay, so how do you lose an album full of photos? Okay, Ling's right, its possible... the album might really have been lost... but why do I get the feeling Moms lying about something? And why do I get this horrible feeling in my stomach when I think about it? Well tonight I've got bigger problems, three words: "Parent/Teacher Night". 

Cut to later. Shot of the school building. Ashley, her Mom and Rick walk through the front entrance.

Mrs Ross:  So, what do you think your teachers will say tonight?

Ashley:  Uh... I always bring a pen to class?

Ashley grins as her mom gives her a look. Cut to Ling, she's with her parents, they come out of Math class and walk down the hall.

Mrs Lee:  Well, so far so good, sweetheart.

Ling:  Thanks.

Mr Lee:  Yes (sighs) Its just a shame we don't get the same response from your brothers teachers.

Cut to later. Cut the punch table. Maria is with her Dad. 

Maria:  Look, Dad. I know their not saying what you'd like them to be saying... but, uh... you kinda already new that, right? I mean, from what Principal Taylor told you?

Mr Harris:  That's not the point Maria.

Maria:  Right, yeah... (spots Ling) Oh! I'll be right back.

Cut to Ling getting some punch.

Maria:  Hey!

Ling:  Hey, how's it going?

Maria:  You mean, apart from them saying I'm, loud, disruptive, late to class and don't do my homework - its going great.

Ling:  Oh... bad luck...

Maria:  (sighs) Yeah. So how about you? "A" student? 

Ling:  Pretty much. 

From across the room Ashley spots Ling and Maria.

Ashley:  Mom, there's Ling and Maria. I'll be back in a minute.

Mrs Ross:  Alright.

Ashley goes over to her friends.

Ashley:  Hey.

Ling/Maria:  Hey.

Ling:  How's it going?

Ashley:  Haven't seen many yet. But basically, I'm margining on "okay", I've just gotta put more effort in...

Maria:  Well, (points to Ling) Here we have "A student" and... Like you said earlier today (points to herself) "Juvenile Delinquent".

Ashley:  (smiles at Ling, then to Maria) How's your Dad taking it?

Maria:  He's... (glances at him) been better.

Just then Mr Harris walks over to them.

Ling:  (sees him) Hi, Mr Harris.

Mr Harris:  Hello, Ling, Ashley.

Ashley:  Hey, Mr Harris.

Mr Harris:  Maria? We have that appointment with Principal Taylor.

Maria:  Right. (follows her Dad, turns back to her friends). Cya.

Ling:  Bye.

Ashley:  Later.

Cut to Later. Cut to Ashley riding home in the car.

Mrs Ross:  Well. Over all you seem to be doing okay, I think if you put a little more effort in to your work, you could get better grades.

Ashley:  Uh huh...

Mrs Ross:  Maybe spend a more time doing your school work rather than at the Skater Park. 

Ashley:  What? You know how much Skateboarding means to me!

Rick:  Ashley, School comes before skateboarding.

Mrs Ross:  Yes, I agree.

Ashley slumps back into her seat. Cut to the inside of the Lee's Jeep.

Mrs Lee:  Well, we're very proud of you Ling.

Ling:  So does this mean we can talk about raising my allowance?

Mr Lee:  Nice try. But I think you get a fair amount.

Cut to Mr Harris's Van. Maria is sitting in the passenger seat next to her Dad. Mr Harris looks annoyed and Maria looks out the window, a little upset. Its silent as they drive along the road.

Ashley Voice Over:  Well... Parent/Teacher night. There's two things that can happen. Either the teachers tell your parents that your a great, hard working student... or they totally bag you out. For Ling, all went well - as unusual. For me, it was kind of half and half, some said I was okay and some didn't. But Maria... I think she got it bad. Oh! The flour-baby thing went okay. Ling got an "B". And me and and Maria got a" C". Not bad, huh?

The Camera Fades to black.