"EPISODE 1.9 - From Bad To Worse"

Written and produced By Alex Gregg. Copyrighted 2003.
Originally Aired December 1st 2003

An Exterior Shot of Ling's House. Cut to the kitchen. Mrs Lee, Ling, Ashley and Maria are sitting around the Table, finishing a meal.

Ashley:  That was very nice Mrs Lee, Thanks.

Maria:  Yeah, Chinese... man you can cook!

Mrs Lee:  Thank you girls.

Maria:  Yup, it was awesome Mom.

Mrs Lee:  (begins clearing the plates away). Why don't you girls go on into the front room while I clear the table?

They get up from their seats and head out of the kitchen. Cut to the front room. Ashley and Maria sit on the couch, Ling sits in one of the chairs. There are presents spread out on the coffee table.

Ling:  (smiles) Oo! Prezzie time!

She grabs one off the table and unwraps it. Its from Ashley.

Ashley:  Hope you like it.

Ling:  (holds up a red and white 'Nike' sports top) Oh, Ash I love it, thank you! (puts it aside) What's next?

Maria:  (taps one of the presents on the table) This one's from me.

Ling takes it and unwraps the paper. Its a CD.
 
Ling:  Oo! Dido's new CD! Thanks Maria! So, how was the date last night?

Suddenly the lights in the front room  go off and and Mrs Lee comes in with a Birthday cake, lighted with candles.

Ling:  (surprised and embarrassed) Aw, no. Mom....

Mrs Lee:  (to Ashley and Maria) Okay girls, ready?

They all begin to sing "Happy Birthday". Ling looks embarrassed.

Ashley Voice Over:  If you haven't guessed, its Ling's Birthday. Heh. It was a laugh. It was cool of her Mom to kick her Dad and her Brother out of the house while she cooked us all dinner. And gave Ling a mini party with cake and stuff. Ling got some pretty cool presents from her parents too.
 

The Credits

Special Guest Stars: Abby Tumbridge, Dylan Matthews
Guest Staring: Mrs Lee, Mr DeCole, Mr Harris, Principal Taylor

 
The next day at Chestaville High. The girls are sitting at a table in the Quad. Ashley's reading the new addition of the school paper.

Ling:  I had a really nice time last night guys. Thanks for coming.

Ashley:  Hey, no it was fun.

Maria:  Yup, I had a good time too.

Ling:  Yeah? Cool.

Dylan:  Hey Maria!

She sees him approaching at a quick pace.

Dylan:  That's what I came over for. Hey.

Maria:  (smiles) Hey. (they kiss lightly). 

Ashley and Ling look at each other and smile.

Dylan:  Sorry, I've gotta bail. Coach wants to see me about the game before class. You guys are coming, right?

Ling:  Yeah, sure.

Ashley:  We'll be there.

Maria:  (nods) So, see you later?

Dylan:  Okay! (he leaves).

Maria:  (calls after him) Good luck!

The bell rings. Cut to Bio Class. Mr DeCole is showing Video on Plant Life. Maria is at the second to last table by the windows. She's twisted around in her seat, whispering to Ashley and Ling, who are sitting at the last table.

Maria:  So after the movie, we end up at the beach...

Ling:  (try to watch the video) Huh huh...

Maria:  So we go up to the rock's and-

Mr DeCole:  (interrupts) Ahem, Miss Harris?

Maria faces the front and gestures that she's now going to be watching the video. When she sees that Mr DeCole has turned away she immediately turns around again to face her friends.

Maria:  So, me and Dylan are sitting on rocks, and he's like "Maria, I want to talk to you about something...". So I'm like "uh.. Okay" and-

Ling:  (interrupts) Maria? Video? The one we're supposed to be taking notes from, to do our assignment?

Maria:  (seems to get it) Right. Okay... Sorry...

She turns back again to watch the video, but then turns around.

Maria:  (to Ling) Sorry, Li. (moves over to talk to Ashley). Okay, so I'm thinking, "oh god what's he gonna ask me" but it turns out that he worried about me, which was really sweet...

Ashley:  (tries to concentrate on the video also) Well we did tell you...

Maria:  Yeah. Anyway, so I told him about mom's letter and we was really supportive, he was like-

Ashley:  (realizes that Maria's isn't going to end her story anytime soon, interrupts) Hey! Can we talk about Maria's "date with Dylan" later? We got a video to watch and take notes from. Granted its boring, *very* boring, but its notes I need so I don't flunk Bio! Plus, some of us actually wanna watch it (points to Ling). Okay?

Maria:  (wants to tell the ending of her story) Yeah, but--

Mr DeCole:  (interrupts, loudly) Okay, Harris, out!

Maria:  What?!

Mr DeCole:  I won't have you disrupting this class!

Maria:  But sir--

Mr DeCole:  (shouts) Out! Now!

Maria gets up, grabs her bag and heads for the door. Ashley, Ling and the rest of the class watch her go.

Mr DeCole:  Wait outside the door. I'll be out in a few minutes.

Maria opens the door and leaves the room. Ashley and Ling look at each other not believing what just happened.

Cut to outside in the halls. Maria is leaning against the wall, waiting for Mr DeCole. He comes out of the Class room door.

Mr DeCole:  Miss Harris. I think its time we had a talk about your behavior in my class. (Maria just looks at him). You know I don't tolerate students that don't behave. I asked you to stop talking and watch the video, yet you seemed to have felt that you doing so was beyond your capabilities. Therefor I will assign you detention each lunch time for the next week.

Maria:  What?! That is *so* not fair! Detention for a week!

Mr DeCole:  Assigning you detention is not just for your behavior today. Over the past few weeks, you've been cutting my classes, turned up late, failed to hand in homework assignments... I will not accept this behavior.

Maria:  You're being so unfair. Okay, I hate school, everyone knows this.  No way am I doing detention for talking to my friends.

Mr DeCole:  Alright, if that's the way you feel about the situation, you can visit Principal Taylor's Office.

Maria:  Fine. (heads down the hall).
 
Ashley Voice Over:  Woah... what happened in Bio today, that was... not good. I think Maria's trying to put on this strong attitude about the whole thing, but inside, she's freaking. I don't know why she acts the way she does... I guess being brought up in a rough/tough inner City... that's the way you are, and when you move to a small town... it shows... Plus, the whole "letter" thing with her mom?  think that's on her mind a lot. She's pretending to be okay with it, but its obvious she really isn't.

Cut to the sports hall, the game is already in play. "The Golden Tigers" (Chestaville High's team) are playing "The Red Lions". The camera pans from the court to the sidelines where Cheerleaders (including Abby) are cheering through all the noise from the supporters.
 
Cheerleaders:  Tigers! Tigers! Goooo Team! Yeah!
 
The camera now pans from the cheerleaders, back to the court, then across to the other side to the hall where the crowd are sitting on the Bleachers. It then pans up to Ashley, Ling and Maria who are also watching.

Ashley:  You really said that?!

Maria:  Yup...

Ling:  So what did Principal Taylor say?

Just at that moment 10th grader Jack Morris passes the ball to Dylan, who aims and makes a basket for the Golden Tigers. The crowd cheers. 

Cheerleaders:  Goooo Tigers! Wooo!

Maria:  (claps) WoooH! Go Dylan! (terns back to Ashley and Ling) Well, Put it this way, he didn't exactly congratulate me on a job well done... he's written to Dad. We've got an appointment with him tomorrow... 

Ashley:  So, what do you think is gonna happen, what do you think he'll do... in your experience I mean...

Maria:  Hey!

Ashley:  Sorry...

The game continues, and of the other teem members makes a basket.

Maria:  I donno... Best case Sanrio, I get a another warning...

Ling:  And worst case?

Maria:  I have no idea... You know, it the city, at my last school, it was different. What happened? You wouldn't even get sent to the Principal... I mean, it was Jr High... but still...

The camera cuts back to the basketball court. Dylan dribbles the ball down the court, he aims to shoot but is blocked by a tall boy on the other team. The camera cuts back to the girls.

Ashley:  How can you act so cool about this?!

Maria:  I'm not acting cool, I-- Well, how do you want me to act?!

Ling:  Worried, maybe?

Maria:  I am worried, Okay? Worried that my Dads gonna totally freak - again! But, for now, I just wanna watch the game.

Cut back to the court. A colored boy playing for The Red Lions attempts to make a shot, but 12th grader Elliot Johnson blocks, the ball goes wide and into the hands of Jack Morris, who dribbles it down the court and passes it to Dylan, who makes another basket. The Chestaville High crowd cheers. As do the Cheerleaders. Abby Cheers particularly loud. 

Cheerleaders:  Go Tiger's! Go Tigers! Go Tiger's! Go! Yeaaaah!

Abby:  Wooo! Go Dylan! Yeaaah!

Ashley:  (jumps up and claps) Wooo! Go Tigers!

Maria:  (jumps up and claps) Go Dylan!

Ling raises her eyebrows at he friends. Ashley and Maria sit back down. Abby is still cheering loud for Dylan. This catches Maria's eye.

Maria:  Look at her. All over him!

Ling:  Maria, she's no where neat him...

Maria:  Well, I didn't man physically all over him...

Ashley:  I get what you mean... if she could be, she would be...

Ling:  Hey, Dylan's with you. And she knows that.

Ashley:  And that fact that someone's dating someone she likes has stopped her before? Remember the whole Jimmy Nash thing in 7th grade?

Ling:  That was never proven... 

Maria:  What whole Jimmy Nash thing?

Ashley:  Well, Abby used to have this friend called Amy Hanson. And when Jimmy Nash moved to Chestaville Amy started to date him, but Abby liked him too... so she asked Amy to dump him so she could go out with him, but she wouldn't, so Abby got her expelled. 

Maria:  How?

Ling:  Ashley, you don't really believe that Abby-- 

Ashley:  (to Ling) Its true, everyone knows it. (to Maria) No ones knows. One day she was in school the next... she was expelled.

Maria:  Then why is she still one of the most popular girls in school?

Ashley:  No one could prove it. Besides, people forget...

Ling shakes her head in degust at Ashley, who just shrugs. Then they all turn back to watch the game again. 

Cut to Mr Harris's store. Maria comes in through the back entrance of the store and goes up the stairs leading to the flat. She goes into the kitchen. Not expecting to find her dad sitting the table.

Maria:  Dad! Hi! How come you're not in the store?

Mr Harris:  I took the afternoon off. Eddie's running it.

Maria:  Oh. (sits) So how are you? You in a good mood?

Mr Harris:  What'd you do?

Maria:  Why do you always assume I've done something wrong? (he gives her a look, she sighs) Okay... Don't yell...

Mr Harris:  Maria...

Maria:  Okay, Okay! (takes a deep breath) I got sent out of Bio, sent to Principal Taylor... (pulls out a letter from her bag) and he wants to see us both tomorrow morning... (waits for his reaction).

Mr Harris:  (sighs heavily, disappointed in her) Oh, Maria...

Cut to the Arcade's Cafeteria. The camera pans across the interior, past some tables and stops on Ashley, Ling and Maria who are sitting on high stools at a high table. They each have a soda.

Ashley:  So... Was he mad?

Maria:  I don't know if he was, mad. I mean, yeah I guess he must of been. But he didn't yell, or send me to my room, or ground me..

Ling:  So, what did he do?

Maria:  He sighed and said "Oh Maria", picked up the letter that Principal Taylor wrote and walked out of the room...

Ashley and Ling don't really know what to say.

Maria:  Now that I think about it... Maybe him walking out is probably worse than the yelling, or the sending me to my room, or the grounding me... God, what am I going do do?

Ashley and Ling look as if they don't have the answer to that question, which they know wasn't really directed at them anyway.

Ashley:  Mara, why did you speak to DeCole like that?

Maria:  'Cause he's jerk? *sighs* I don't know... Its just, for the past week, all I can think about is that stupid letter. And I didn't need him adding to my problems... which now, I guess he's done in a major way, rather then if I'd gone to his stupid detention...

Ling:  Have you told your dad about the letter yet?

Maria:  No... I was going to... but then this all happened...

Ashley:  Maria, you can't keep putting it off..

Ling:  Yeah. I mean if your dad knew, I'm sure he'd understand why you've been in so much trouble lately... I mean, Maria's it not just De Cole's class.

Maria:  I know...

Ling:  Most classes this week you've been sent out... And I'm betting Taylor knows that, and he's probably gonna tell your dad tomorrow...

Maria:  I know, okay? I know!

Ling:  Sorry...

Maria:  No, I'm sorry... its just... everything so much lately... (gets up) I'd better go... Dad's already mad, I don't really want to add to it...

Ashley:  See you tomorrow then.

Maria:  Yup

Ling:  Hey, tell your dad, huh?

Maria:  (not convincingly) Yeah.

Maria laves the Cafeteria and Ling turns to Ashley.

Ling:  Do you think she'll tell him?

Ashley:  Somehow? (shakes her had) I doubt it...

Cut to the next day at Chestaville High. From across the hall Ashley and Ling watch Maria and Mr Harris enter Principal Taylor's office. Dylan catches up to them as Maria walks in behind Mr Harris.

Dylan:  Hey.

Ashley/Ling:  Hey

Dylan:  Is she okay?

Ashley:  She's Maria...

Ling:  Yeah, even if she's not okay, she tries hard to not show it.

Dylan:  Yeah... I know. She called me last night... and well, she wasn't very... Maria-like...  you know?

They all exchange a worried look.

Cut to inside Principal Taylor's office. He's sitting behind his desk. Maria and Mr Harris sit in chairs on the other side of the desk.

Principal Taylor:  Thank you for coming Mr Harris.

Mr Harris:  (looks at Maria) I don't see I had any other choice.

Maria doesn't look very happy, she looks down at her hands.

Principal Taylor:  I would like to discuss Maria's behavior since she's been here, and what we can do about the whole situation.

Cut to after the meeting. Maria and Mr Harris walk out of the office. Ashley, Ling and Dylan haven't moved form across the hall. They've all waited to see the out come of it all. Maria and Mr Harris head for the exit.

Ashley:  Maria!

She turns to see her friends and her boyfriend. She looking upset.

Dylan:  Are you okay?

Ling:  How'd it go?

Mr Harris:  (guides her away) Come on Maria.

She takes a last look at her friends and is guided out by her dad.

Ling:  Okay, I don't think that went very well....

Ashley:  What do you think happened? 

Abby walks past the. She seen it all.

Abby:  My Guess? She's just been kicked out of school.

Ashley:  Yeah, well no one asked you...

Abby just grins and walks off down the hall, but then turns back.

Abby:  Oh! Dylan. Congrats on winning The Basketball game, yesterday. 

She gives him a huge smile and heads down the hall. Dylan turns abck to Ashleya nd Ling, they all look very worried for Maria.

Ashley Voice Over:  Abby was right. Maria got suspended... for a *week*. Okay, I know Maria can be a little... Rebellious at times, but suspended?! Maria told us that, it wasn't just for the whole thing with Mr DeCole. It was for other for stuff too, like cutting classes and not handing in homework. She said that Principal Taylor said she should have time away from school to think about her "behavior" over the past few weeks... Man, what a jerk!

The Camera Fades to black.