"EPISODE 1.8 - Off The Rails"

Written and produced By Alex Gregg. Copyrighted 2003.
Originally Aired November 24th 2003

The Camera pans down from a cloudless blue sky, to the green grass of Skater Park. And over to Ashley and Maria are sitting down on the grass, chatting, they're shaded by a massive tree. 

Ashley:  So, did you meet up with Dylan last night? 

Maria:  Yup.

Ashley:  And? Did you ask him?

Maria:  (smiles) Wouldn't you like to know!

Ashley:  Maria! Come on spill!

Maria:  Okay, okay! Yes, I asked him. And yup, its official. I have a boyfriend!

Ashley:  Alright! Heh, you two are good together. (Maria just smiles). So, have you finish the History homework yet? 

Maria:  Ashley! Its Thanksgiving weekend. Which means no school. - How on earth can you think about homework?!

Ashley:  Well, uh... I dunno...  Too many years hanging out with Ling?

Maria:  (laughs) Probably.

Ashley:  No seriously, have you done it? I wanted to see what you got.

Maria:  Nope... I might attempt Sunday night... If I feel like it...

Ashley:  Your so bad when it comes to homework.

Ling comes up behind them. 

Ling:  Now, that, I'd have to agree with!

Ashley and Maria turn to see their best friend.

Ashley:  (gets up) Ling, Hey! (hugs her) 

Maria:  (gets up) Your Back! (hugs her).

They all sit down of the grass.

Maria:  So, you had a good time?

Ling:  Well, the funeral was... you know, pretty much a funeral. But, I guess, yeah... I had a good time, considering...

Ashley:  Well, we're sure glad your back!

Ling:  Yeah, me too! Oh! (reaches into her bag) I come baring gifts...

She hands Ashley and Maria a gift each, both wrapped up in tissue paper.  Ashley gets her undone first, its a wooden painted Chinese Dragon.

Ashley:  Woah, Cool! I love it. Thanks!

Maria undoes hers. Its a necklace with a silver Chinese symbol.

Maria:  Ah, cool! (looks at the symbol) What's it mean?

Ling:  Well, According to the lady in the store, its the symbol of the "rebel", so I thought, yup, that's Maria alright!

Maria:  Ha! Yep! Thanks Ling!

Ling:  So! Have I missed anything?

Ashley:  Well, Maria I officially has a boyfriend.

Ling:  (turns to Maria) Really?! You and Dylan? (smiles) That's so cool.

Maria:  (smiles) Yeah, I think so.
 

The Credits

Special Guest Stars: Dylan Matthews
Guest Staring: Mr Harris, Mrs Ross

 
Cut to a shot of Ashley's house. Cut to Ashley's room. She's laying on her bed watching TV. Her Mom knocks on the door and enters.

Mrs Ross:  Hi, honey.

Ashley:  Hey, Mom.

Mrs Ross:  (sits on her bed) Do you have plans for the weekend?

Ashley:  Um.. Nope. But we're still gonna cook right?

Mrs Ross:  That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about.

Ashley:  We're not cooking? But we've gotta! We've done Thanksgiving dinner together forever... You and me cook dinner... its like our tradition...

Mrs Ross:  Well, maybe its time to start a new tradition... with Rick. You see, he'd like me to meet his parents. His whole family has a big Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of his relatives go down to his Parent's Farmhouse.

Ashley:  And you wanna go? 

Mrs Ross:  Well, I think its a nice opportunity to meet his family. 

Ashley:  (disappointed) Uh huh...

Mrs Ross:  And of course your invited too...

Ashley:  Oh, well, uh... I donno... maybe you should go on your own... you know, you and Rick, just the two of you?

Mrs Ross:  Honey, I can't leave you by yourself all weekend. 

Ashley:  Well, maybe I can stay with Ling?

Mrs Ross:  Well....

Ashley:  Come on, Mom, please?

Later. Cut to Ling's bedroom. She, Ashley and Maria are sitting on her bed.

Ling:  So, you're pretty disappointed, huh?

Ashley:  Yeah... we've done Thanksgiving dinner together since... well... forever... (remembers, smiles) Heh. Every year after dinner we end up having a food fight when we're trying to clear up!

Maria:  Sounds fun.

Ashley:  Yeah...

Ling:  So Maria... Are you and your Dad doing anything for Thanksgiving?

Maria:  Nah... We haven't done Thanksgiving since Mom left...

Ling:  How Come?

Maria:  Mom left us the day after... so Dad just never celebrated it since then... I don't think he can face it...

Ashley:  Man that's rough...

Maria:  (shrugs) I'm used to it...

Ling:  Well this year its gonna be different! Miss Harris, your gonna celebrate Thanksgiving, complete with Thanksgiving dinner! Ashley's spending the weekend at mine. So I can talk Mom into letting you stay too. We can have dinner and then after we can have a sleepover in here!

Maria:  Yeah? Okay, Cool.

Ling:  Is that okay with you, Ash?

Ashley:  (nods) Yeah, sounds fun! 

Ashley Voice Over:  Its gonna be weird this year, me and Mom always do Thanksgiving dinner together... I guess now that she's met Rick, things aren't gonna be the same anymore... Anyway, Ling's Mom said Maria can come to her Thanksgiving dinner and stay over after. So, that's all good. I'm thinking, music, Dvd's and a whole lota fun!

Next morning. Cut to The Flat above Mr Harris's store. Cut to the kitchen. Mr Harris is sitting at the table with a cup of Tea. He's reading the morning paper. Maria walks into the kitchen.

Maria:  Morning Dad.

Mr Harris:  Morning.

Maria opens the refrigerator and takes out the carton of milk. She moves across the kitchen and opens a cabinet and gets out a box of cereal. She then moves to the next cabinet to get a bowl.

Maria:  (pours the cereal into the bowl) You got plans today? Or tomorrow? (pours milk in to the bowl) Or this weekend? Cos you know, its Thanksgiv--

Mr Harris:  Maria... please...

Maria:  (comes over to the table) Dad, its been over eight years...

Mr Harris:  (gives her a look) There's a letter for you.

Maria puts down her spoon and picks up the envelope, she tears it open and begins to read. Mr Harris watches his daughter as she reads. His expression becomes concerned when he sees her staring at the letter without saying a word or reacting in any way.

Mr Harris:  Maria? Is everything okay?

Maria:  What? (looks up at him) Um, Yeah. Fine.

Mr Harris:  Who was the letter fom?

Maria:  Oh! Uh.. just from... a friend in the city. (gets up) You know what? I've.. uh, I've gotta go... (heads for the door).

Mr Harris:  What about your breakfast?

Maria:  (stops, turns back) Uh... Not hungry... (leaves).

Later. Cut to the Play Park. Maria's sitting on a swing, looking straight ahead. She's holding the letter in her hand.

Ashley:  (from the other side of the park, shouts) Hey! Maria!

She turns to see Ashley and Ling heading towards her. She shoves the letter in her pocket and looks straight ahead again.

Ashley:  (she and Ling sit on the other swings) What you doing? 

Maria:  Nothin'... 

Ling:  You wanna come with us to the Skater Park?

Maria:  Not really... 

Ling:  (looks at Ashley, surprised) Oh... Okay... 

Ashley:  (looks at Maria) Are you okay? 

Maria:  Fine. 

Ashley:  Are you sure, cause--

Maria:  (interrupts) I'm fine! Okay? (gets up and walks away).

Ashley and Ling get up and go after her.

Ling:  Maria...

Maria:  What?!

Ashley:  (catches her up) What's wrong?

Maria:  Nothing, Okay!!

She quickly walks past them and heads for the play park exit. Ashley and Ling give each other a confused look, and watch their friend walk away.

Ashley Voice Over:  Okay, *what* is up with Maria! She's acting weird to say the least... She seems upset about something, cause she's all bad moody... plus she's totally shutting me and Ling out... Maybe I should call Dylan, he might know something...

Cut to a shot Of Ling's house at night. Cut to her bedroom. She and Ashley are in their night clothes, laying on her bed. Ashley is on the phone to Dylan.
 
Dylan:  We where supposed to meet up at the Mall at five thirty, but she never showed...

Cut to Dylan's house. He's sitting in the kitchen at the table.
 
Ashley:  Well... maybe you missed her?

Dylan:  I waited for over an hour, Ashley...

Cut to back to Ashley.

Ashley:  Oh... well, if you hear from her, will you let us know?

Dylan:  Sure.

Ashley:  Okay, Thanks. Bye. (she hangs up and turns to Ling).

Ling:  Well? What did he say?

Ashley:  He said, Maria was supposed to meet up with him at the mall. He waited for her for over an hour, but she never showed...

Ling:  That's not like her. I wonder what's wrong. Do you think its serious?

Ashley:  I donno. What ever it is, its serious enough for Maria. (looks at her watch, sighs) Well its, ten thirty.... and too late to do anything else now...

Ling:  Yeah... I guess. 

Cut to the next day. Cut to the beach. The camera pans from the sand over to the rocks and upwards to Maria sitting by herself. She's sitting at the spot where Dylan took her on their date, staring out over the ocean.

Ashley:  Man! You're a hard person to find. 

Cut to Ashley and Ling climbing the rocks, making their way up to her. She looks over at them and back at the ocean.

Maria:  (looking straight ahead at the ocean) How'd you find me? 

Ling:  Dylan...

Ashley:  He thought you might be up here.

Ashley and Ling sit down next to her.

Maria:  Remind me to kick his ass next time I see him...

Ashley:  Oh, so you *are* gonna see him again then? (Maria looks at her) He told us you blew him off yesterday...

Maria:  (looks straight ahead again) He'll deal.

Ashley:  Maria, why wont you tell us what's wrong? 

Ling:  Yeah, we wanna help... We're worried. Dylan's worried.

Maria:  I'm Fine. Just leave it, okay guys.

Ashley:  No! (shakes her head) No we won't "just leave it". Maria, something is upsetting you... and as your friends we wanna help you deal..

Maria looks at her, gets up and climbs back down the rocks on to the beach. Ashley follows her, with Ling behind.

Ashley:  (calls) Maria wait!

She ignores her as she makes tracks to quickly get away. But Ashley catches up with her, takes her by the arm and spins her around to face her.

Ashley:  Wait a minute!

Maria gives her an angry look and then begins to walk off again, but Ashley steps in front of her, which means she has to stop and face her friend.

Maria:  (angry) Out of my way, Ashley!

Ashley:  Nuh uh! Not until you tell me what's going on!

At this point Ling has caught up with them.

Maria:  I told you, I'm Fi-

Ashley:  (interrupts) Fine. Yeah, you said. But you don't look fine...

Maria:  (angry) I'm serious, get outta my way. (she doesn't move). Get outta my way before I *make* you get outta my way!

Ashley:  (getting angry) Oh yeah?

Ling:  Guys, come on...

Maria:  Yeah!

Maria suddenly pushes Ashley backwards. She goes back but doesn't go over. She then comes back at Maria returning the push. She also goes backwards but doesn't go over.

Ling:  (tries to stop the fight) Guys!

But Ashley and Maria ignore her. They tackle each other to the ground and roll about on the sand. Ashley pins Maria down.

Maria:  Is that all you got, Harris?!

Maria rolls to the side and pins Ashley down.

Ashley:  No...

They get up and start pushing each other again. Ling goes for it. She steps in between them and shoves them apart.

Ling:  That's enough! You two are *friends* you shouldn't be *fighting*! What is the matter with you? (glances back and forth between them). Huh?!

Ashley:  (still angry) I wanna know what (points to Maria) her problem is! Since *when* do we shut each other out?!

Maria:  You wanna know what my problem is? Huh? (almost shouting) You wanna know?! Here! (gets the letter from her pocket and shoves it into Ashley's hand) Read it! (points to the letter) That's what my problem is! Its official, I couldn't deal! Alright!

Ashley looks at Maria and then at the folded up piece of paper in her hand. Cut to later. The girls are sitting on the sand a little way from the water. Ashley's reading the letter again.

Ashley:  (looks at Maria) You should have told us... (hands the letter back).

Maria:  (takes it) I know... I... was just so angry... Part of me wanted to deal with it by myself, but the other part couldn't even get to the dealing...

Ling:  Have you told your Dad?

Maria:  (shakes her head) No...

Ling:  Don't you think you should?

Maria:  I was working on it. I just needed to deal myself first, I guess... I mean we haven't heard from her in eight years. About three weeks after she left, Dad got a letter from her saying she was okay, and that she wanted to get on with her life without him or me... and for us to do the same. (sighs) Since then, nothing, no more letters or phone calls... until now. (holds the letter up) How did she even know where to send this?

Ling:  I dunno... Maybe she'd heard from the last shop your Dad owned? They probably gave her the new address...

Maria:  Yeah... (looks at the letter again) But why send it now? After so long? There's no returning address... so, what does she expect me to do?

Ashley:  Maybe she just wanted to let you know that she's okay? (Maria gives her a look) Not that I'm defending her... at... all...

Maria:  You know what? I don't even care about her anymore...

Ling:  Maria, she's your Mom...

Maria:  No! No, she *was* my Mom. She hasn't been my Mom for the past eight years... and Moms don't walk out on their kids. (sighs) 

Ashley and Ling share a concerned look. Maria catches the look.

Maria:  Guys, I'm okay, alright? You know, I've told you now... so, with your help.. I guess I can begin to deal...

Ling:  What about your dad? Are you gonna tell him?

Maria:  (sighs) Yeah... I'll tell him...

Cut to later. Ashley, Ling and Maria are in the Ling's kitchen. There clearing away the plates and watching up.

Ling:  So, you guys liked it?

Maria:  Oh yeah! Your mom's cooking is the best!

Ashley:  Yeah it was great.

Ling:  Now we just gonna do one more thing. Ashley?

She looks up as a some mashed potato splats on her face. 

Ashley:  Ling?!

Ling:  (smiles) What?!

Suddenly Maria throws some broccoli at Ashley.

Ashley:  Maria! (grabs some food) Okay, you know what? We are so not gonna have a food fight!

They both throw more food at her.

Ashley:  Screw that! Okay, that's it! (throws food at her them).

The girls mess around throwing food at each other as the camera pans up. Then to an overview of the kitchen.

Ashley Voice Over:  Food Fight, Fun! Man, that was pretty rough on Maria, getting a letter from her Mom. Its like she's just stepped into her life again, messing it up, without actually stepping in exactly. After all this time she writes now? And sends it with no returning address... that's just not fair. No wonder Maria acted the way she did. See the thing about Maria, is she gets angry before getting upset. And lets her anger take control... its never good. As for me? I got angry at her because I was upset that she was shutting us out.. and, I guess my anger didn't really help matters. But I think she's dealing a little now. And she got me and Ling to help.

The Camera Fades to black.