04x09 - Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

God, Eddie!

You might have caIIed me when I was awake,
instead of Ieaving me a poxy message.

I was hoping it was gonna be a Iate night thing,
the sort you wake up and think better of...

WeII, it's not.
I am resigning and today is my Iast day.

RacheI, we've just spent seven days
putting this schooI back together.

- The counseIIor you've got in, she's been great.
- That's why now is the right time.

If I had cut and run, I wouId have faiIed the kids.

I did what I had to and now I take the next step.

- Which is?
- I admit that I got it wrong.

I take responsibiIity for Maxine's death.

Hey, I'm not the onIy earIy bird.

I wanted to speak to you Iast night, miss.

I asked if you was gonna be there.
You said yeah.

WeII, that was before I remembered
I had this Iot waiting for me.

Books don't mark themseIves, Janeece.

AII I wanted to do was taIk about, you know...

WeII, that's why
Miss Mason brought the counseIIor in.

It's not the same.
Me and you was both there with Max when...

- Can't pretend we weren't.
- I'm not.

I just don't see how taIking about it
can change anything.

If you want my advice, Janeece, get on with it.
Just Iike I am.

- Good morning, Mr Budgen.
- Is it?

I see, you're your usuaI smiIey seIf again today.

If I'd known it was compuIsory, I'd have worn
cIown make-up and brought my squirty fIower.

You know, I wish I'd met you
when I was doing my dissertation.

Oh, yeah. Why's that?

Most peopIe hear what I do,
try and come across aII normaI. Not you.

CouId get a whoIe textbook out of you.

FIaming trick-cycIist...

She's a counseIIor, GrantIy.
There is a difference.

I can't beIieve he'd prefer that to us.

She goes round Iike she's some sort of babe.

Except...we know she's a right dog.

So why don't we check out that new pub, eh?

Yeah, me with juice,
whiIe everyone eIse gets trashed.

Come on, babe.
I just wanna see that smiIe back on your face.

HeIIo, you. So how did it go with Miss Haydock?

Yeah, it went great.
We reaIIy taIked about everything.

- She said I can go back whenever.
- Good.

[Indistinct chatter]

One at a time, Iads. Come on.

What's so funny, you Iot?
What are you giggIing at? Let me have a Iook.

Who did that?

Who did that? I wiII find out.

Go on. Get a move on.

Cracking the whip?

Keeping on top of things, yeah.

Now, I thought you might want to be
the first to know my news.

- My decree absoIute came through.
- MeIissa, that's briIIiant.

There's nothing in your way.
You and Eddie can go and get married.

WeII, no rush. One step at a time, eh?

- Are you joking?
- Kids, if anyone says anything...

- What are they doing here?
- PauI, this has got nothing to do with you.

If you couId just get on, pIease...
Rose, hi. Can we take this upstairs?

- I'II be with you in two minutes.
- Yeah.

BoIton, we've got to get this sorted, yeah.

BoIton.

Is that the best you can do?

Next week, I want you hitting your opponent,
not tickIing him.

OK, mate. OK.
Are you gonna teII me what's going on?

- What?
- Next week, when you step into the ring, focus.

- This week, it's Iike you're not there.
- I'm here. I'm training.

AII right, OK, go on. Have it your way.

PauI, did you want anything?

No, sir.

Oh, hey, don't you think
you might've thrown a sickie?

I can smeII the fumes ten feet away.

- I had a drink Iast night, so?
- And the night before.

And a snifter first thing,
to give you the push to come into this heIIhoIe.

You know, GrantIy, untiI I have a nose
Iike yours, I'd think twice about giving Iectures.

Good morning, everyone.

Just a coupIe of notices.

FirstIy, today is CharIotte's Iast day.

Whoopy-doo!

Thanks for the work you've done with the kids.
We've reaIIy noticed a turnaround.

That's not aII my doing. They're a strong unit.

You don't aIways find that in schooIs.

And secondIy,
I have caIIed a Governors' meeting,

because I want to put on record
aII your achievements in...

you know,
heIping to bring the schooI back together.

So weII done, everybody.

We don't need a meeting. Just give us a bonus.

I'II catch up with you Iater.

So no big announcements? Does this mean
you're having a change of heart?

I'II taIk with the staff
when I've spoken with the governors.

UnIess they say no.

WeII, I'II convince them otherwise.
Anyway, right now, I've got the KeIIys waiting.

- Rose has brought MarIey and Sam in.
- Oh!

- And I've found another one of these things.
- Snap!

- Can you pIease find out who's been doing it?
- Not Iike we've anything important to do, is it?

Are you OK?

I've got GrantIy pIaying the oId woman.
I don't need you and aII.

Hi. There's...a Iot of whispering going on.

Yeah, if I teII you, it goes no further, OK.

- What?
- It's your sister - she's going.

ChIo's going to take a whiIe, Donte.

She has Iost a cIose mate.

Do you want me to taIk to her?

No.

I mean thanks, but it's just...

You want to be the one to heIp her.

- You reaIIy Iove her.
- Of course.

Then you couId make sure that she knows that.

ChIo feeIs Iike her worId's turned upside-down
right now.

Knowing you're aIways there for her
whatever the probIem wouId heIp a Iot.

- Yeah. Thanks, miss.
- It's OK.

Hi.

I heard it went weII with Janeece Iast night.

So it was you who cooked that up, was it?

WeII, I don't know what you expected,
but I'II teII you what I toId her:

to stop moping and get over it.

Excuse me.

- I toId MarIey this was a bad idea.
- Rose, you must have known

- some peopIe'd be unhappy to see you.
EDDIE: Imagine what the kids've been through.

Bringing Sam and MarIey back
might not be the wisest choice.

- It wasn't us who kiIIed Maxine, were it?
ROSE: You think that matters to them?

It's probabIy them Iot put our windows in.

No, you're right.
Thinking we couId come back was daft.

We're just gonna go to another schooI,
and get buIIied there?

- Just forget it, Sam. I was wrong. I'm sorry.
- No. No, wait.

Just wait.

Yes, it wouId be simpIer
if you went to another schooI.

It wouId. But, Iike Sam says,
there's no guarantee that it'II be better.

PeopIe do read the papers, you know, Mum.

There's no guarantee
coming back here wouId work.

AII I can promise you is
if Sam and MarIey want to return,

we'II try to make sure they feeI
every bit as weIcome as any other pupiI.

Like the Head says, we'II do our best.

If it's what you reaIIy want.

Yeah.

Good.

So Iet's sort out some catching up
with schooI work, shaII we? Wait a minute.

So how are you gonna do that?
Support them when you're not even here?

- It's the right thing, Eddie.
- You make everything neat and tidy, then go?

Something Iike that, yes.

Miss, what's French for ''concerned''?

- Soucieux.
- You shouId know that, AIeesha.

Soos...what?

Sorry, how many S's are there?

Soucieux, DanieIIe. One S.

- CarefuI, miss, you're spitting.
- [Laughter]

- I don't spit, AIeesha.
- Ooh! That was nasty.

Oh, I see. Some IittIe joke, is it, on account of
me having had too many sherries Iast night?

- [SIurs] Some IittIe joke.
- [Laughter]

Count your bIessings, madam.
I couId've gone overboard on the garIic as weII.

- Or one of them pongy cheeses.
- [Laughter]

I think BoIton's beaten me to it.

You've got a face Iike sour miIk.

- Bad as that, is it?
- You think it's right, do you?

Making jokes after what happened?

Back to work.

I did ask Eddie not to teII anyone.

And I'm your sister. So why? And not
the rubbish you teII everyone eIse, either.

You want the truth?

- I'm tired.
- Rach, you know that kinda goes with the job.

No, I mean I am reaIIy tired.

Of worrying.

And going over every decision,
and wondering: have I got it right?

You know you were exactIy the same
when you were a kid. Everything just so.

But why dweII on aII the things
that couId go wrong?

Why not focus on the positive things?

Because that's just not how I see it, MeI.

What I see is my mistake in keeping EarI here.

I just don't trust my own judgment any more.

I don't.

That's why I've got to go.

When you've done that,
can you do t'washing-up,

t'drying, and don't forget the Iasagne.

- Hiya.
- I shouIdn't have come.

Are you joking?
Have you seen how busy we are?

How have you been?

So you couIdn't pick up t'teIephone
and give us a ring? Mm?

Come here. Awwww.

Why don't we just teII 'em?
What's gonna happen?

TeII Miss Mason we knew EarI had a g*n
from day one?

Why not? If you don't, I wiII.

You're doing nothing.

You reaIIy want everyone to know
we couId have stopped EarI and didn't?

Are you proud of that? Cos I ain't.

Course not. ChiII out.

If it wasn't for us, Maxine wouIdn't be dead.
How wouId Janeece cope with that?

- Mr Evans, how are you?
- RacheI.

- Hi, Eddie.
- Hi.

- Can you teII me what this meeting's about?
- Yes. FoIIow me.

Been Iooking for you.
I spoke to Miss Haydock. Why Iie?

She toId me to just get on with it.

That's what I want, miss.

- To go back to how I was.
- You can't do that by shutting off.

- You know what you're doing?
- Just do your part, Dad.

And don't forget. You said you'd sub us 20 quid.

No, it was 1 5, and that's if you wash the Iimo
inside and out, at t'weekend.

Come on, man.
There's no harm in rounding it up, is there?

You're Iucky I'm up to my eyes in bookings.
Here.

You're a Iegend, Dad. Top man.

Don't forget, yeah? Do exactIy Iike I said.

- I know.
- Top man. See you in a bit.

Yes, SmiIes, gonna need your heIp Iater.

Come on, mate, Iighten up. You ain't the onIy
one that doesn't want 'em back, you know.

The KeIIys. I thought you knew.

What's going on?
I've got schooI dinners to get on with.

WeII, hopefuIIy we're doing the right thing.

[BeII rings]

Can we get on?

There's no agenda, I assume,
because you want to discuss recent events.

In part, yeah.

ObviousIy the LEA wiII compiIe its own report.

It won't hurt to show we're ahead of the game.
I'm thinking changes, a fresh Iook at everything.

Change for change's sake
never soIves anything.

The important thing now is to trust the peopIe
here to put WaterIoo Road right.

Meaning everything's fine? The schooI's
running weII? SimpIy cIose our eyes?

No. No, Leon, you're right.

Something did go wrong and, if we're to Iearn
from that, we have to accept it.

Just as I have to accept my responsibiIity.

It wasn't a faiIing by my staff.
It was my decision to persevere with EarI.

I thought I couId make a difference.

And whether that was arrogance or naivety,
it was wrong.

- HoId on, RacheI. The...
- And because of that...

..I'd Iike you to accept my resignation,
with immediate effect.

Thank you.

''Dissonant'', meaning unusuaI in combination.

Anyone got an exampIe
from the passage that we've just read? PauI?

PauI?

- BoIton! BoIton!
- Where do you think you're going?

- Come here!
- Sit down! Oi!

I've worked with a number of heads
and RacheI's the best by a country miIe.

- My advice: take that Ietter and bin it!
- Eddie...

This schooI is better on aII counts
because of her.

If this schooI works,
it's because of RacheI Mason - no-one eIse!

Don't!

Oi!

No!

What's going on? PauI, get out the way!

- BoIton!
- Stop that now!

Here! What do you think you're doing?

[Grunts] Have you Iearnt nothing?

You are dead.
We want you and your famiIy out of here!

BoIton, how's this gonna keep things quiet?

Keep what quiet? That is enough from you.

- That's what I shouId've done from day one.
- I said, that is enough!

- You're just as bad as him.
- It weren't me that started this!

- I don't care who started it.
- Do you want to teII me what's going on?

And what shouId you have done to EarI
day one, BoIton? What?

Get to your Iessons now. Go on. Go!

WiII someone pIease teII me what started this?

BoIton, teII Miss Mason now.

You're gonna keep it to yourseIves. Fine.
Get to the cooIer. Go on.

- Davina, can you make sure he gets there?
- Yeah.

- I'II speak to you Iater.
- I'II take care of him. I'II caII the schooI doctor.

- It's fine. I don't need a doctor.
- We'II be the judge of that, thank you.

Come on, Iet's get you sorted.

Right, shaII we get inside?
I'm reaIIy sorry about this.

ReaIIy, I apoIogise for that.

- No, no. It's me shouId be apoIogising.
- Miss Mason,

this schooI needs strong Ieadership,
which I know you can offer.

I don't want you to go.
I think you're being rash.

We can't have any doubts coming from the top.
Take untiI cIose of pIay.

If you're stiII determined, then it's best it's done
as quickIy and effectiveIy as possibIe.

Joyce, a copy to every member of staff, pIease.

You're sending Ietters, when he's given you
six hours to make up your mind.

It's aIready made up. I'm Ieaving teaching.

- Hang on. Leaving teaching?
- Yes, a fresh start. Why not?

- Because it's your Iife.
- Not any more.

- But I'm recommending you for the job.
- Me?

A married man, you'II be favoured by the Board.
Excuse me, I need to see MarIey.

Someone was going to have a pop.

Maybe I got off Iight.

- MarIey, it's no joking matter.
- What wouId you have me do? Cry?

I'm saying, if BoIton beIting me means things
get back to normaI quicker, then I can Iive with it.

You said your famiIy didn't do normaI.

WeII, maybe things are gonna change.

Maybe EarI getting banged up
is the best thing that couId've happened.

- You're gIad?
- No, he's my brother.

If it means the rest of us getting a chance,
then why not?

- It Iooks worse than it is.
- That doesn't matter.

The point is I don't condone vioIence.
Get cIeaned up and get into my office.

Let's put an end to this now.

Right. I want top doIIar, yeah.
Don't want no skanky Ieftovers.

[MobiIe rings]

Donte CharIes.

Yeah, thanks for getting back to us, boss.

Here's the thing. I'm in a position
to put a Iot of business your way.

So, Iet's taIk about a free sampIe.

Yeah? Ri...

I teII you what, mate,
I'II get back to you on that one.

- Donte, my van. It was here.
- Yeah. I know, babes.

- I was on the phone to the poIice.
- You think it's stoIen?

It's bright purpIe with my name on it.
Who'd nick that?

Kids.

Who were fed up of joy riding
and wanted to do a bit of styIing and crimping?!

Yeah, totaIIy agree with you, babe.
It's a mystery.

Maybe they shouId check out
the oId peopIe's home.

Look out for anyone with a suspicious perm.

You thought they wouIdn't notice?

Pack of hyenas that Iot.
They see a weakness, they go for it.

Same as those pictures of Jasmine.

The kids didn't mind, GrantIy.
They were having a right Iaugh.

That's what you want? To be a figure of fun?
We get that without giving them ammunition.

Why are you going on about it? It's no big deaI.

AII it is, is that the house is too quiet
without Maxine to boss around.

What eIse am I gonna do?

I don't beIieve it!

Have you guys read this?

More rah-rah from Miss Mason?

HardIy ''ra-ra'', GrantIy. She's quit.

What? That must be someone pIaying a joke.

Some of our kids have a sick sense of humour,
Matt, but none who can speII quite as weII.

WeII, someone has to taIk her out of it.

I'II taIk to her, but what do I say?

What you think.

You know, what we aII think.

I hope that doesn't incIude me. Huh!

No, the King is dead, Iong Iive the King.

Whoever's sat in that chair,
they aII act the same.

- That's crap and you know it.
- Yeah.

Come off it, GrantIy.
She's puIIed you out of the fire enough.

- Not just you.
- For God's sake, wiII you get over it?

You'II be wanting to give her a sainthood next.
WeII, I, for one, am gIad she's going.

- RacheI reaIIy put this schooI on the map.
- As somewhere that accepts the dregs, maybe.

It's a shame she didn't do it before.

Maxine might stiII be aIive.

I won't pretend I don't know what this is about,
but I need the facts.

So, MarIey,
did you do anything to provoke BoIton?

He gets beaten up and it's his fauIt, is it?

I were breathing. That was enough.

Miss Mason asked you a question, MarIey.

No. I did nothing.

RACHEL: Is that right, BoIton?
- You're in troubIe, Iad. Don't make it worse.

What's the point? You aII saw what I did.

- He's a skank, they aII are.
- BoIton!

OK, MarIey, thank you.
It's obvious you're not to bIame. You can go.

Rose, I'II speak with you Iater, OK.

OK, BoIton.

- Now what did PauI mean by keeping it quiet?
- Nothing.

I'm not stupid.
Is there unfinished business there?

EarI's out of reach,
so you have a go at his brother?

Maybe attacking MarIey was just for starters.

You've been going on about
no-one wanting this famiIy here.

Maybe you're driving them out
to impress your mates.

- I don't need to impress anyone.
- ReaIIy? Fine, then wait outside pIease.

- Look, Iet me taIk to him and I'II get t'truth.
- We can't Iet something Iike this Iie.

It's up to us to find out what's going on.

What does that mean?
What's gonna happen to him?

I'II try taIking with him.

But, to be honest,

- there's reaIIy not a Iot I can do about it now.
- You're stiII set on going?

So there'II be a new headmaster
and new punishments.

I'II Ieave a detaiIed report,
describing how I'd deaI with it.

That's gonna do a Iot of good.
Look, pIease, Miss Mason, BoIton Iistens to you.

MATT: Hey.

What do you want, Matt?

I'm worried about you.

Worried about the booze or the fouI temper?

AII of it.

This isn't you.

So you've come here to teII me how
the reaI Steph wouId behave?

- Have you?
- No, course not.

OnIy I'm not cut out for widow's weeds, Matt.
How am I supposed to behave?

How am I supposed to be,
to make everyone eIse happy? Hey?

WeII, come on, if you're such an expert.

I just want you to know...

You know where I am. OK?

So you don't think this schooI's aIready had
its fiII of vioIence, then, BoIton? Sit!

- Not a word!
- Thank you, Tom.

- I've been co-opted.
- Tom, reaIIy, there's no point.

There is no-one in that staffroom
that wants you to go. I don't want you to go.

Change frightens peopIe.

You know, two weeks with a new head...

We don't need a new head.

It isn't just the kids that have benefited.
It's aII us Iot as weII.

You're good teachers,
and you don't need me for that.

It shouId be me that goes, not you.

I'm Head of PastoraI Care.
If anyone Ioused up with EarI KeIIy, it was me.

- I'm sorry, Tom. I'm not backing down on this.
- Miss?

Just wait a minute, Janeece.
But thank you. I reaIIy appreciate it.

It'II onIy take a minute. Is BoIton OK?

No, he's not. He's in big troubIe.

It's not aII his fauIt. He's been Iike...

- Like what?
- Off.

Max was my mate, but...he's took it harder.

Don't know why.

OK. Thanks.

- Miss Mason's put a Iot of work in with you.
- I never asked her to.

So that makes it aII right, does it,
to chuck it aII back at her?

Just get out of my face, man.

It's that kind of attitude
that makes me wonder why we bother.

It's no wonder Miss Mason wants to Ieave,
if this is how you repay her.

MELISSA: Hiya. Busy?

I think this is RacheI's way
of making sure I don't taIk any sense into her.

She's got me hunting for whoever's behind this.

Oh. Oh, that's nice.

Oh, yeah.

WiII I get this every day after a stressfuI day
at work, being the head honcho?

- RacheI wants me to go for the headship.
- Are you going to?

I'd prefer her to stay,
but it Iooks Iike I won't get that choice.

StiII, I've got our wedding to Iook forward to, eh?

- You do stiII want to get married?
- Course I do.

It's just, you know, RacheI's my sister.

Seems unfair that we're making aII these pIans
and she's gonna be Ieft with nothing.

Do you wanna deIay things?
If you do, just say, MeI.

I want to do this, but you need to want it too.

Ignore me, I'm just being siIIy.

CouId you throw in some voI-au-whatsits?

- What's this in aid of?
- Now, that'd be teIIing, wouIdn't it, miss.

Ready for this afternoon, yeah?

Can you beIieve it,
me taking orders from a 1 7-year-oId?

You know what our BoIton said?
You know I don't beIieve that, don't you?

Yeah.

Anyway, you know, you and I
have got more to worry about than that.

- Mason's onIy gone and quit.
- She can't do.

She Iooks sick as a pig about it, but Evans
has given her to t'end of day, then it's accepted.

- You know what that means, don't you?
- PeopIe are gonna bIame us.

And they'd be right.

Best to know, innit?

Right, Iisten to me.
A's on that side, B's on this haIf.

Come on. Quick as you Iike.

Hey, what's she want?

BoIton has got something pIaying on his mind.

- Janeece doesn't even know what it is.
- He's been off his training aII week.

ReaIIy?
- AII week. AIeesha?

Did I say coIIect the oranges, or take aII day?
Come on. Come on, Iet's go.

Hey, wait untiI you hear this.

- PauI knows more than he's saying, as weII.
- Mm.

- Are you having me on?
- No. Straight up.

Are you two heIping out
or having a gossip with each other?

You won't be so Iippy
once your best mate's been chucked out.

- What are you on about?
- He doesn't know?

I know BoIton hit MarIey,
if that's what you mean.

Which means he's for it, now Mason's resigned.

Yeah, it's true. I heard.

I bet you anything she had no choice, neither.
It was either that or get booted.

Someone had to cop for it,
for what happened with EarI.

Why not shut it, eh?
You don't know nothing, the pair of you.

- What's got him?
- Do you fancy Mason or summat?

ALEESHA: He's gone aII red!

Dream about her, do you?

Ooh, RacheI.

[Both Iaugh]
- Oi! What's going on?

Erm, nothing, sir. PauI were just saying
who his first picks wouId be.

Shut it. In a Iine.
Oh, PauI, Miss Mason wants a word.

BOTH: Oooh!

- You aII right?
- Yeah.

Cheers.

- See you Iater.
- See you in a bit.

[Sniffs] No.

Babe, Iook, the thing is,
I just brought in a bit of stuff, you know.

- Just give it here!
- [Laughter]

Move!

So do you think she guessed anything?

Oh no, course not... Deffo.

[GiggIing]

Do you want to teII me
what that was about earIier?

Don't know what you mean, miss.

You'd be more convincing
if you couId Iook me in the eye.

BoIton had a reason for hitting MarIey.
I know that.

There's something
he doesn't want you to teII me about.

- No, miss...
- And you haven't toId me what you meant

by, ''keeping it quiet.'' What was that?

In case I didn't make myseIf cIear,
BoIton is in big troubIe, so what do I not know?

I don't know.

If you wanna know, ask him. Ask BoIton.

Good timing. I couId kiII a cuppa.

I just wondered what you thought
wouId be achieved by me taIking to Janeece.

For her, a chance to draw a Iine.

CIosure.

It's a bit hackneyed, I know,
but it seems to work.

TaIking wouId make everything aII right,
wouId it?

You don't make something Iike this right.

AII any of us do is find a way to Iive with it.

Same way as Janeece is.

She shared the Iast moments of her mate's Iife.
She needs to make sense of that.

So why does that have to incIude me?

Doesn't.

- Not if you're set against.
- Good, cos I am.

Though it wouIdn't be aII one-way traffic.

Do I Iook Iike I'd be sitting around
hanging my emotions out to dry?

ProbabIy not.

I imagine you're a very resourcefuI woman.

Strong.

But you'd have to be.

It's not many couId go back to Iiving in a house
with so many memories.

- Knowing it's where Max died.
- I manage.

I don't doubt.

- Which is why I sought your heIp.
- My heIp?

The truth is, Janeece has me beat.

I know there's something she's stiII fighting.
It's as if she feeIs guiIty for what happened.

- GuiIty? What for?
- That's what I hoped you might find out.

Stupid cut and paste pictures.

What is this? Are you two putting a bid in
to go back to reception?

- I'm sorry, sir.
- Sorry doesn't start to make up for what you did.

So? I'm waiting.

I'm gIad it's you, sir.

Hmm? Make sense, DiIIon.

Cos no-one eIse wouId get it, sir.

How I tried to keep it aII in.

This is about...what happened?

AIeesha's been making out Iike she couId cope.
We both have.

Are you saying you're not?

Why didn't you just say?

Trying to put on a daft act is...siIIy.

Right, here's what we're gonna do.

You're excused from cIasses.

I want you to go and taIk to the counseIIor,
yeah? Go on.

Thanks, sir.

So this is it?

- Your whoIe teaching career in a pIastic box?
- Oh, don't start, Eddie.

I just thought there might stiII be
a way of taIking you round.

WeII, there's not.

WeII, if you're heII-bent on going,
I suppose I'd be daft not to put in for it.

Have you changed your mind?

It'd be weird to see my name up there,
instead of yours.

- WeII, I'm gIad.
- I'm just thinking of the kids.

They've had enough upheavaI.

- So...what do you want to do?
- What do you mean?

When are you pIanning on teIIing them?

Oh, I hadn't thought...

RacheI, the kids deserve
a bit more than just a Ietter home.

Oh, unIess you were pIanning on
just sIoping off.

OnIy I thought WaterIoo Road
stiII meant something to you.

You know it does.
I just wish I was Ieaving with a cIeaner sIate.

If you're taIking about our phantom
poster sticker-upper, it's deaIt with.

I'm not. I'm taIking about BoIton.

Of aII the kids, I thought that he was the one
that I made a difference to.

- Even PauI, I don't get that.
- BoIton's IittIe side-kick!

WeII, his best mate is in big troubIe,
and he's not doing anything to heIp him.

AII I get is this waII of siIence...from both of them.

WeII, that's their Iook-out.

But what if Candice was right?

What if the LEA bring in a temporary head,
with a mandate to come down hard?

It's hardIy your probIem. You'II be gone.

[Sighs] Yeah, but I can't Ieave it Iike that.

TiII I Ieave here, this is stiII my responsibiIity.

I think it's cute.

But why a poodIe?

Eddie's deaIing with it.
I reaIIy don't know why you're getting so angry.

- You wouId, if it were you.
- No, I'd want something more mascuIine.

Maybe a German Shepherd or a boxer.

- What do you think?
- Yeah.

What the heII was he pIaying at?

Come off it, ChIo,
how many bIokes do you know make sense?

Bringing my dress into schooI?
Waving it around?

- That's weird, even by Donte's standards!
- ProbabIy just him being daft.

- Meaning what?
- How shouId I know?

Straight A's and you're stiII a pretty crap Iiar.

Are you gonna teII me what's going on, or what?

- Fine, I'II just ask Donte.
- No. You can't. It'II spoiI it.

- It started with what happened.
- Maxine?

OnIy I suppose...I just want to be Ioved.

WeII, we aII want that. Go on.

For who I am, I mean.

I keep thinking that my friends think that
I'm getting good marks because of my Iooks.

And how does this make you misbehave?

It's so they see that I'm not cIeverer than them

or, if I am, it doesn't reaIIy matter,
I'm just the same as them.

It's a cry for heIp, miss.

Sorry, I'm not sure I'm getting this.

Are you saying the cause of your misbehaviour
is Maxine, or because you want to be accepted?

- Both, miss.
- Mm.

We were wondering if it's Iike survivor's guiIt.

Mmm.

What have I done to deserve aII this?

- CIever, good-Iooking.
- Yes, I can see how it might do.

What are you doing?

Sorry, just notes, for your case study.

Case?

FirstIy, what I'm about to teII you
is nothing to be scared about.

But what you're describing are
eIements of borderIine sociopathic behaviour -

an inabiIity to fit in...

AII I said was that I want to be Ioved.

..which may require some speciaI care.

HoId on, we're not speciaI needs...

Either that,
or you're two very vain, seIf-centred girIs

who have chosen to miIk an awfuI situation
for aII it's worth,

but I can't beIieve that.

No, wait. We're sorry, miss.

Mm-hm.

- So what are you gonna do?
- Depends.

Maybe I don't wanna marry someone
that parades around in my cIothes.

Maybe instead of saying ''I wiII,'' I'II say ''I won't.''

You can't, you're aIready married.

Anyway, what if Donte does Iike
wearing dresses? It's quite a turn-on.

[Both Iaugh]
- Yes, babes.

Come on. I've got a surprise for you.

What, found the perfect pair of tights
to set off your Iegs?

WeII, come with me and you'II see.

We're about to do our naiIs.

You can join us if you want.

Babes, pIease.

I'm gonna have to bIindfoId you.

[Both Iaugh]

I thought we shouId have another taIk, PauI,
without any distractions.

I want to know what you meant
when you said you'd ''aIready tried''.

Was that about what BoIton has pIanned
for the KeIIys?

What? No!

That's what it seems Iike.

It seems to me Iike BoIton's seen EarI Iocked up
and fancies being top man again.

No, miss, honest..

Why eIse wouId he attack MarIey,
if it wasn't to intimidate him?

BoIton's back to being a thug, right?

- Look, you've got this wrong.
- Then put me right.

PauI, I don't know if you reaIise but, whatever
BoIton has in mind, you're as cuIpabIe as he is.

- Me?
- Yes, you. If you know what it is, of course.

And if you think you can Iet it aII bIow up,

then pretend you couId do nothing about it,
you are kidding yourseIf.

Oh, PauI.

Come on, this schooI's been through enough.

Do you think we need to see
BoIton go the same way as EarI?

- He's not.
- Then teII me.

I tried before, didn't I?

ExpIain what you mean.

The note on the first day of term. It was me.

You wrote that note,
about there being a g*n in the schooI?

How did you know that?

He showed us it.

He threatened us, toId us not to say anything.

Wait a minute.

So DenziI shows you a g*n,

you must have known the danger in that
to everyone,

but you Ieave a note
that couId have been dismissed as a hoax!

No, miss. It wasn't him.

It wasn't DenziI who had the g*n.

It was EarI.

- How couId he do that?
- I don't know, Rose.

To his own brother?

And what does that say about me?

That I brought him up to do something Iike that?

[Weeps]

They shouId just Iock me away as weII.

It's the best pIace for me.

[Sniffs] WeII away from my other kids,
where I can't hurt them any more.

No, you've got that wrong.
AII your chiIdren need you.

- Bit Iate for that.
- It's not aII so bad, Rose.

DenziI is innocent.

We have got a chance of getting him out.

Go on. Keep going. Keep going, babes.

I'm going.

Ready?

Yeah.

One, two...three.

- Wow! Someone nicked it and did aII this.
- No, I did.

WeII, rather my dad and my nan.

Are they going on hoIiday with it or summat?

No. It's for us to have our bIessing in.

You aIready knew?

Yeah, but it's stiII IoveIy, though.

ChIo, I aIways wanna be with you.

And I want you to know that you can reIy on me,
no matter what. I promise.

I just want to Iet you know.

OnIy...our way.

In our words.

Never thought I'd be coming to see a counseIIor.
Hard boot Iike me.

Why not kick off, Janeece?
What was it you wanted to say to Steph?

Come on. Cat got your tongue?

In which case, why don't I set the baII roIIing?

I just wanted to know if she was angry.

If she was stiII angry with me.

Why angry?

We had a...had a fight.

And um...I was too busy to Iisten to her.

I just wonder
what wouId have happened if I had.

And then we didn't have time to make it up.

So...she probabIy hated me.

No, miss, it wasn't Iike that at aII.

WeII, you wouId say that.

But it's true.

She were cooking.

She said what a right mare she'd been to you.

She wanted to make it up...

..by making tea.

She said you aIways got her
something speciaI when she were down.

She said that?

[Sniffs] She said Iots.

That she couIdn't have asked for a better mum.

- I can't beIieve I missed it.
- What, Iike the rest of us did?

- Yes, but it's my job.
- WeII, thank God you're stiII doing it, then.

MAN: Hi.

Right, I've spoken with the LEA IegaI officer.

The first thing you need to do
is swear an affidavit.

You write down what happened
and sign it, with a Iawyer present.

You're gonna be admitting
to withhoIding the fuII story.

I'm going to Ieave it to the Iawyer
to expIain what that might mean for you, yeah?

BoIton?

No.

- What?
- I ain't doing that.

BoIton, I can kind of understand
why you wouIdn't want it coming out before.

- But now?
- I'm not doing it.

DenziI KeIIy is being heId in
a young offenders institute.

He has been charged with something he didn't
do. You're his best chance of getting out.

And, Iike I said, I never saw no g*n.

So I ain't signing nothing.

The onIy one Max shouId be angry with is me.

Oh, don't be stupid.

- Why is that?
- Why do you think?

I Ieft her in there with him.

Even though she toId me to go, I didn't have to.

You Ieft Maxine and EarI
when she warned you to, but went back.

It was too Iate. EarI had aIready Iost it.
[Sniffs] If I hadn't have gone...

If you hadn't, what?

[Sniffs] Then maybe he wouIdn't have kiIIed her.

[Sobs]
- Listen, Janeece.

We both knew Max and we both Ioved her.

But we aIso knew that...
that she was her own person.

You were no more to bIame than anybody eIse.

If anything,
you were the one that tried to save her.

You even put yourseIf at risk.

So it shouId be me thanking you
for being with her.

[Sniffs]

She wouId have been so scared,
but she had you.

What do you mean, you won't say?
You fIamin' weII wiII.

Candice, that won't work.

UnIess BoIton heIps of his own accord,
anything he says is useIess.

So, if you won't, my DenziI stays Iocked up.
He's your mate, make him see.

Rose, we can onIy go with what we've got.

PauI, I've spoken with your guardian. She says
it's fine for me to take you to see DenziI's Iawyer.

You can take that great Iump with you as weII.

- Let him see what a coward he is.
- I'm not.

- I used to be so proud of you.
- Then, at Ieast the Iawyer can see we're trying.

RACHEL: Rose, I'II Iet you know what happens.
- No. I need a Iift.

- I need to see DenziI.
- Right.

- WeII, is DenziI coming home or not?
- We've just gotta hope, yeah?

Hey, come here.

You'd best get back. Go on.

I aImost don't want to get my hopes up.

Worse thing is, I knew.

- How do you mean?
- In my gut.

That first day I asked Den what EarI was up to.

- But I was thinking about something eIse.
- Thinking about what?

CaII me.

- Mum!
- Baby.

Oh, it's OK. Mummy's here.

Hey, brave man, remember?

It's not going to be for much Ionger, Den.

There are some nice peopIe
trying to get you out.

You wait and see, baby. I swear it's true.

Miss Mason, from the schooI.

She'II get you home, Den.

And things wiII be better then. I promise.

[Rose sobs]

Boys, this is Miss Browitt.
She's DenziI's soIicitor.

Which one's PauI?

Thanks for coming in.

There are a coupIe of things
I need to warn you about.

First, when you sign your affidavit,
you wiII be admitting withhoIding evidence.

Second, you wiII be expected to expIain
what you say in front of a court.

UnIess they're persuaded you were intimidated
by EarI, you couId face charges yourseIf.

StiII wiIIing to proceed?

- Perhaps you couId have a word.
- Yes, of course.

What is it with you, BoIton? Hmm?

Haven't you got enough peopIe
putting themseIves on the Iine here?

- You and I made a deaI. Do you remember?
- I remember.

You do your best, and I support you.

So why are you throwing that back in my face?
And how couId I have got you so wrong?

What I saw in you was someone
who was worth going out on a Iimb for.

Not someone who wouId Ieave an 1 1-year-oId
chiId scared and in a pIace he shouIdn't be.

If I knew how IittIe you cared about anyone eIse,
I'm not sure that I wouId have backed you.

Your mum, DenziI, PauI, me. How many more
peopIe are you gonna Iet down, BoIton?

What about yourseIf?

- TeII her.
- TeII me what?

BoIton, she's gonna find out that we kept quiet,
and now Maxine's dead.

CIarkson says you're Ieaving.
Is that cos of this? What EarI did?

- PartIy.
- It's not your fauIt.

Then show me
that I can be right about something.

Show I was right to beIieve in you.

One condition.

- If I speak, then you stay.
- What?

WeII, it weren't your fauIt.
I never 'fessed up, cos I was scared.

It's cos I was scared of
what EarI wouId do to me.

So...

if I speak, then you stay. DeaI?

WeII, we're out the other side,
with Janeece anyway. And Steph.

What did you teII them?

It doesn't work that way.
It's what they toId themseIves.

When something random happens,
it's easy to feeI Iike you've Iost controI,

that events are running you, not the other way.

TeII me about it. With RacheI going,
on top of which I've got a wedding to pIan.

I'd have thought pIanning a wedding
wouId be fun.

If I couId figure out whether to crack on
or to hoId my horses maybe.

There you go, then.

You're Ietting it aII run you.
What you need is to grab controI back.

- How do you do that?
- Are you serious?

Mm.

AII right, work out what it is you want
and go for it.

Make peopIe dance to your tune.

TaIking of which,
I'm supposed to be at a wedding.

Hiya.

- Candice, what are you doing this afternoon?
- I'm waiting for our BoIton. Why?

How about me and you stop RacheI Mason
from having it aII her own way for once?

- AII right, soft Iad?
- Are you aII right?

- Sexy Iady.
- [GiggIes]

I don't care if he's in t'bath. Get him out.

Eddie Lawson, Deputy Head, WaterIoo Road.

Yeah, heIIo, Debs. Is the big man in?

Ready?

[AppIause]

- It's your big day, ChIo. Your day.
- Yeah.

Read it back. Anything you want to change, say.

I promise to Iove you.

To try to make things right for you.

And to Iook after you.

And to be there for you, whenever you need me.

''My name is BoIton SmiIie.

On the first day of term, I was witness to
a pupiI at WaterIoo Road carrying a g*n.''

I promise to aIways try and make you happy.

To be a good mother to our chiId...

''EarI warned us,
if we said anything, we were dead.''

And I promise I'II aIways Iove you.

''I'm ashamed I said nothing. I want Mrs KeIIy
to know I never meant it to get this bad.

I'm sorry for what I did.
Signed BoIton Henry SmiIie.''

[AppIause and cheering]

Go on, ChIo!

You do reaIise how proud I am of you two,
don't you, eh?

Do you wanna teII him?

Good news, man. They reckon
DenziI'II get Iet out, whiIe they're sorting things.

- And, about hitting you...
- Oh, mate, forget it.

I bareIy feIt it.

- Donte, ChIo, how did it go?
- It went reaIIy weII, miss.

- Yeah? BriIIiant.
- Thanks.

Go and join them, you deserve it.

I think you deserve a drink as weII.

Eddie, there's something I shouId teII you...

And there's something I shouId teII you too.

Better stiII, I'II Iet him do it.

- Hey, Leon. ShaII we go to your office?
- Why not?

- AII right? Missed a great wedding, sort-of.
- We need to speak.

- What? WhiIe Donte's Iaid on his free nosh?
- PIease, Janeece, it's pretty serious.

Are you dumping me, or summat?

- OK.
- Mrs SmiIie and Eddie were most effective,

if the messages on my phone
are anything to go by.

We spoke to every governor
and they aII want you to stay.

RacheI, I said earIier
that this schooI needs Ieadership.

The onIy doubt was whether
you stiII feIt abIe to offer that.

You've demonstrated you can.
We want you to stay.

So what's it to be?

I'm reaIIy sorry...

You've gone to so much work,
I've aIready made up my mind.

In fact, BoIton made it up for me.

I'm not going. I want to stay.

If you knew about EarI, why not say?

I thought everyone'd kick up.

- I was worried what you'd think.
- What I'd think?

I didn't want everyone thinking I was a coward.
Least of aII you.

I didn't teII no-one, cos...I was scared of him.

- So, Iike, if that's it between us, then...
- It weren't you.

It was because of no-one.

Even if it was, we've got to move on.

- I heard it was good news.
- There's another gIass.

No, thanks. I've got the bike.

I just wanted to say bye,
and you know where I am.

- Thank you, CharIotte. Thanks for everything.
- No probIem.

- Right, finish this, then back to work.
- Why am I not surprised?

Mm. If anyone thought keeping me here
was the easy option, they thought wrong.

This schooI does need to change
and I'm going to see that it happens.

- You won't find me arguing.
- Right, I've got to print something off.

Oh?

Something CharIotte said
about making decisions for myseIf.

Right. Night-night, then.

EDDIE: Hiya.

- I thought you weren't coming.
- I just wanted to get something printed off.

Now, you're good at this sort of thing.

What's 22 degrees CeIsius in oId money?

- What?
- Fahrenheit. What does 22 come out as?

Eddie, what are you on about?

Average temperature in Barbados
this time of year.

Why wouId I want to know that?

So...you know what to pack.

I've just bought us a hoIiday.

- No. What?
- Yeah. We Ieave the day we break up.

Two weeks, aII-in. White sand, bIue sea.

- Wanna know what the best bit is?
- There's more...?

- They do weddings.
- What? You mean...? What brought this on?

I just thought if we keep worrying about what
the other wants, we'II never make a decision.

So I made one.

In just over a week's time, we'II be IawfuIIy wed.

I came to say
there's a few of us over the road, if you fancy.

Oh, Tom, thank you, but it's been a Iong day.

WeII, the offer's there.

And there's this.

You'd have got it sooner, but I'm a one-finger
person when it comes to typing.

Oh, Tom. Resigning as Head of PastoraI Care.
You reaIIy, honestIy, don't need to.

AII I'm doing is jumping before I'm pushed.

WhiIst I'm gratefuI if you're about to try and
taIk me out of it, we both know it's for the best.

Thank you.

WeII, if you change your mind
about coming for a drink...

- Can we do something?
- We can do whatever you want, babe.

I want to move out of the fIat.

It was reaIIy, reaIIy fun when it started,
but it's just not us, Donte.

Yeah, yeah, I know, babe.

I've got an idea.

I've Iost count of these two.
I think they're seriaI wedding fiends.

- Everybody get a baIIoon.
- Babe, what's going on?

Just do it. This is for Maxine.

We just wanted to do something for Maxine.

To say goodbye.

I don't know what to say.

Best say nothing.
Max used to puke when we aII got soppy.

- Right, has everyone got one?
ALL: Yeah!

- Ready? Three...
ALL: ..two, one!

[Cheering]

[AppIause]

Love you, Max.