[Miles] In the aftermath of a trauma, the human body has one amazing instinct...
survival.
Even when it appears as though nothing's happening,
white blood cells spring to life to fight infection,
tissue repairs itself, and the heart...
keeps beating.
Emotional scars can be more difficult to heal,
but we do our best by renewing old friendships...
creating joyful moments...
or trying new things.
To make us feel like we're doing something,
even if we feel helpless.
But through it all, as long as our hearts keep beating...
we survive.
[sighs] And that's my latest post.
It's number 50 since the bus crash.
[ventilator hissing]
Blink once if you totally loved it.
Did you just...
Can you hear me?
Tristan, can you hear me?
Someone, come quick! He just... he just moved!
[theme music playing]
♪ Whatever it takes I know I can make it through ♪
♪ And if I hold out I know I can make it through ♪
♪ Be the best, be the best The best that I can be ♪
♪ Whatever it takes ♪
♪ I know I can make it I know I can make it through ♪
Synced and corrected by Chitorafa www.addic7ed.com
[ZoÃ«] Hurry up. School starts in an hour.
Wow. [chuckles]
What do you think of my first day outfit? I want to say "best year ever."
Why not just get a T-shirt with that phrase printed on it?
Laa-shokran. That means "No, thank you" in Arabic.
I have learned a little so I can help make the Syrians feel more welcome.
All of them? Or just the ladies?
[chuckles sarcastically] All of them.
We didn't spend the summer raising 60 grand so I could get a date, Grace.
[chuckles]
That's a lot of clubs.
Yeah, ten more than last year.
Tristan would be proud. [sighs]
He'd also want me to be president.
Hey, ZoÃ« won last spring's special election, fair and square.
I really thought he'd be better by now and would be here to take over.
[Grace] I'm sure he'll be back soon enough.
Then he can give you some tips on how to pick up...
your presidential dry cleaning.
Well, I gotta get my stuff for class.
I will meet you at lunch to get the food ready for the welcome barbecue.
[ZoÃ« chuckles]
[sighs] Goldi doesn't know I'm gay.
[scoffs] So?
Well, I can't tell just anyone.
- You still haven't told your mom. - [sighs]
She just got engaged, and she was so proud when I won that election.
You'll have to tell her eventually.
But right now, I need to focus on making everything great for the new school year.
Then I'll tell her...
when I go away to college.
What's Arabic for "terrible idea"?
[shrieks] We have spare together! SP 301? [chuckles]
Lola, "S," science. "P," physics. Grade 11.
Ooh! You're breaking my heart, Shay.
[Shay] He's really here.
How do I look?
It might be kind of weird.
You haven't seen him all summer.
[scoffs] You look great. Go.
Okay.
Hey, Tiny, kiss her! Kiss her!
- Would you get lost? - Will you? She's waiting for it.
- Aren't they the cutest? - Suddenly, I can't wait to get to physics.
[Frankie chuckles]
Hey. Are you guys having trouble posting things today?
Only with Mom commenting on photos of me and Yael, calling us "cute."
Are you saying we're not cute?
Yeah. Well, look, it's not letting me post my Tristan update to the Degrassi page.
I mean, can you... can you fix this?
Uh, not without violating the terms of Hunter's parole. Sorry.
[Hunter] As if being back at school isn't scary enough,
now there's gonna be a bunch of strange new people?
[sighs] They're just Syrians. To them, you're the strange one.
Hey, Hunter! Yael! Good summer?
[Hunter] Good summer. [Yael] Hi, Mr. Simpson.
- Hey, Miles. Welcome back. - Hey. Yeah.
Uh, Principal Simpson, is there something
wrong with the Degrassi community page today, or...
Oh, right. Yes. Um... we had some complaints about your posts.
Some people find them upsetting... [sighs]
Wait. Did you... did you... You blocked me?
Look, I just... Listen, after the bus crash,
everyone's trying their best to heal.
Dude, you think I don't know that? I mean, I'm the... I'm living it.
I just wanna avoid anything triggering, Miles.
Okay. But look, regardless, this... This time, it's good news.
Right. Great. So why don't you tell your friends in person
and you can see the happy reaction on their faces instead of on a screen.
Okay? All right. I'll talk to you later.
Welcome to Degrassi. [chuckles]
Hi! Are you one of our new students from Syria?
Welcome to Degrassi. We'll be starting our tour soon.
Yep, a safe space for everyone...
except our president, who's stuffing herself back into the closet.
[sighs]
I'm just not coming out to my mom. I can still be out at school.
How will anyone know? You don't exactly have rainbow emojis in your bios.
My mom follows me on everything.
Just tell your mom. It'll be okay.
She's super Catholic. It most definitely will not.
Oh, come on. No one has a problem with gay people anymore.
We have a problem with the QSA. [sighs]
- Who? - The Queer-Straight Alliance.
It used to be called the LGBT Club.
We have a problem with...
gay people.
What is going on?
A kiss-in, which we're staging until you give us back our office.
This is the prayer room now. Uh, we gave you a different office.
A converted janitor's closet. How ironic.
We just want our new Muslim students
to have a central location within the school.
So let us share the room.
These students are coming from Syria.
They're likely more conservative, and they're just not used to seeing, uh...
Gay people? [scoffs] Some of them might be gay.
[chuckles softly] No.
So because they're more intolerant, they get the better room?
Is our student council seriously just a bunch of cowardly homophobes?
I am not homophobic. I can't be.
- Why not? - I'm gay.
[Grace exclaims]
You?
The LGBT community have already won their fights.
Can't we just focus on making the newcomers feel at home?
[sighs]
I have a tour to do,
then get hot dogs for the welcome barbecue.
Hope to see you all there.
- [Goldi sighs] - [school bell rings]
So you guys combined protesting and kissing?
I've got to get in on this.
It was pretty sweet.
Speaking of kissing, did you see Shay and Tiny this morning?
They're, like, the cutest couple in school.
She's cute. But him? Is it a cumulative score?
They're not that cute.
Okay? Me and Tiny are way cuter.
I totally forgot you two dated.
And you haven't purged the photos yet?
Figured you would've moved on.
I have, but...
Doesn't mean I should forget how cute we were.
You may be asking... [sighs] is it illegal to look this good?
Well, get ready to find out that answer in Grade 11 law.
We'll begin this unit by discussing legal considerations
for social networking users.
You should always act appropriately when posting online because you are liable
for sharing anything that contains defamatory content or...
You know, I almost didn't recognize you without your cast on.
[chuckles] Yeah, it still feels weird to have it off.
I thought Maya was in this class.
Yeah, I actually haven't seen her all day.
[clears throat] Okay, guys.
Come on, who, uh, who narced to Simpson?
Hmm?
Apparently, my updates about my boyfriend's health
were just maybe getting a bit too much for the...
delicate flowers in the room. So who was it?
I, for one, am glad they aren't popping into my timeline.
[chuckles] Are you... Are you... You kidding me right now?
They did get kind of personal.
[Miles] Well, like, yeah. I mean...
my boyfriend nearly died, right? I mean, how could that not be personal?
She means it was sad to watch you delude yourself all summer.
Well, he's getting better. Okay?
He squeezed my hand while I was reading to him.
Uh, that's great! Yeah!
- [Miles sniffles and sighs] - [Esme] That's what I mean.
What actually happened? He went like this?
Yes, exactly.
Probably some leftover signals in the nervous system. Involuntary.
No. No, the doctors were all over it. Why would they lie to me?
- So you don't off yourself? - [school bell rings]
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
Let's stay positive, folks!
To limber up our creative muscles this year,
we're gonna start with a classic first-person story.
"What I did on my summer vacation."
Now this'll be an exercise in more showing rather than telling.
[Goldi] If we hurry, we can still make it back in time.
Did I make a huge mistake with how I handled the QSA?
No, I think pretending you were gay was a great, masterful play.
- It wasn't a play. I am gay. - Really?
You don't look gay.
I mean, I'm cool with it, just so you know. [chuckles nervously]
I mean, I was Tristan's VP last year.
I know it's kind of weird that I was VP last year,
and then you won the by-election, and so I'm VP again this year. But it's fine.
- All of it. It's fine. - [cell phone chiming]
Okay. Why is my phone blowing up?
Bunch of notifications.
About what? Tristan?
My passcode is 1234. Open it.
- Okay. Not the time! [sighs] - Ooh.
Our president is a self-hating gay,
who'll let people trample over our rights like it's 1999.
- Oh, my God. - Okay. I wouldn't worry about it.
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God... - Vijay's a part of my brother's vlog crew,
and he's not exactly viral.
My mom doesn't know I'm gay!
They tagged me in it. What if it gets to her?
I need to untag it before she sees.
- [tires screeching] - ZoÃ«, it's fine...
- [both scream] - [crashes]
[ZoÃ« grunts]
[Mrs. Milligan] Hi. Miles.
- Oh. Mrs. Milligan. - You're early today. [chuckles]
[sighs] Has his doctor been by yet?
I don't know that his doctor's coming today.
- He keeps getting better. - That's what we hope. Yeah.
Did the doctors say that... they hope he is?
Or that... that he is?
It's complicated, honey.
Did he really grab my hand?
It's common for coma patients
to exhibit that kind of auto-response, is what the doctors said.
Do they think that he's gonna be normal again?
They think that ten weeks is a long time to be in a coma at this level.
It's the school year, honey.
Maybe you should get back to your friends.
No, he needs me.
I'll leave you two alone.
[indistinct radio chatter]
How dead am I?
ZoÃ«!
Oh, God! Oh. [pants]
You talk. I'll survey the damage.
I'm so, so, so, so sorry.
Oh, I hope so. The car was expensive. Phil didn't have to buy it for you.
I've just been under a lot of pressure trying to be a good president,
and then these kids were saying that...
Oh, you mean that horrible video?
Oh, honey, no. I get it.
[Ms. Rivas sighs]
I wouldn't want anyone saying those awful things about me, either.
But I wouldn't worry about it.
Okay? No one's gonna believe you're gay.
It happens to all powerful women. Even Hillary.
It'll pass.
[sniffles]
Uh, there'll be a small deductible but, otherwise, I think it's gonna be okay.
More importantly, will you?
[sniffles]
Come...
[Lola] Let's do fashion club this year.
Didn't we agree on cross country?
Yeah, but I thought that we could do something, you know, just us girls.
No boyfriends.
Jonah might be super into fashion. You don't know.
Take down the photo, Lo.
Why? What's the big deal?
It's of you and my boyfriend.
Yeah, it's a Throwback Thursday,
as in, in the past, when he wasn't your boyfriend.
- Tell her, Franks. - Uh...
Tell Lola that posting a romantic photo with my boyfriend is out of bounds!
Uh...
[scoffs] Whatever. You're wrong, and everyone will side with me.
[school bell ringing]
[Mr. Perino] Okay. Let's jump right in.
When judges get a case about social media,
they often have to have the app explained to them,
which is like, [sighs] hmm, dealing with a case of mail fraud,
but not knowing what a stamp is.
So, for young defendants and plaintiffs...
Okay.
What's going on here?
I'm not moving on till someone tells me.
Vijay?
Shay and Lola are sending indirects to each other.
You see, an indirect message is when you chirp at someone without actually...
I know what it is. I'm not that old.
But why is it happening in class?
I posted a photo and Shay doesn't think that should be allowed.
All right. Since you're all too distracted to listen to me...
- let's try this case. - What?
I hereby open the proceedings of The People v. Lola Pacini.
[ZoÃ«] That's it. My mom hates me.
Technically, she still doesn't know.
But either I never tell her, and we have this secret between us,
or I do, and she hates me.
I'm trapped.
Maybe you can cut your way out.
If she'd really be that awful, then you don't need her in your life.
[scoffs] But it's always just been the two of us.
She's the only family I have.
You're not thinking about hurting yourself again, are you?
Sorry to interrupt, but the QSA has not given up their protest yet.
I won't put them back in that closet.
- What about the prayer room? - They'll share.
I can't make the QSA hide.
I have to be a good president for everyone.
If there's an actual conflict, we can talk about it then.
[door closes]
If only you could be that badass for yourself.
[Baaz] And did you pretend the photo was recent?
No. I clearly marked it a TBT.
So, no one who saw it would still imagine
- you two were still dating... - Uh, objection.
She couldn't know if anybody might imagine that.
- Um, sustained? - [Baaz] Withdrawn.
One more thing.
You took the photo, it was on your phone and you posted it to your account. Right?
Yeah, it was a selfie.
So, as the subject, artist, and publisher,
there's no legal reason you couldn't post it, right?
I don't think so. No.
Your witness.
Miss Pacini...
did you ask your BFF if you could post a picture of you with her boyfriend?
Objection. Relevance?
We've established Lola owns the photo.
Your Honor, I'm just trying to prove an element of emotional damage.
Sustained, I guess?
I didn't ask. No.
Perhaps because you wanted to provoke a reaction from her?
What? No! I just thought we looked cute!
And you wanted to threaten Shay with said cuteness?
Because you still have feelings for him!
Because you stole him from me!
[sighs]
Go to hell! [sniffles]
- [Yael] Whoa. - Language! Office, Ms. Pacini.
[Baaz clears throat]
I'd like to request a recess.
[indistinct chatter]
[sighs]
What are you doing? You can't just wreck stuff.
- Who cares? - [indistinct chatter]
I bet that teacher will. Quick!
[door opens]
[sighs]
[sniffles]
It's... it's just such a huge lie.
There's no such thing as a safe space for everyone.
No kidding.
Everyone thinks I should pretend I'm not sad,
just because Shay's happy.
It's, like, we're hurting,
and we're not allowed to talk about our pain,
because it makes them uncomfortable.
What?
We have to care about everyone's feelings,
unless our feelings are hurting their feelings,
then we're not allowed to have any feelings.
Yeah, it's crap.
Exactly.
And that would have been a more appropriate word to say in class.
And, uh, when we danced, the kids all cheered for us.
I got to admit, I kind of teared up.
After the crash, I just felt lucky to be there.
[class applauding]
[Zig clears throat]
Very nice, Zig. Very nice.
Miles, you ready?
I have visual aids. Is that okay?
This is what I did on my vacation.
June 5th, I watched the doctors carve a hole into my boyfriend's skull...
- Miles, take that down! - Have you ever loved somebody
so much that you just wished you could take all their pain
- and give it to yourself? - [Mr. Mitchell] Miles!
'Cause if you haven't, then it's impossible for you
to understand how much it is important that we don't just give up on Tristan.
[sighs]
You're a sadist.
Just because everybody leaves you doesn't mean he's leaving me, okay?
[Esme inhales deeply]
[Mr. Mitchell] Hey! Hey!
- Come on. Let's go. - [school bell ringing]
[Mr. Mitchell] Let's all go!
Except you, Miles.
[indistinct chatter]
- [Jonah] Hey. - [coughs]
- Have you seen Maya? - Uh, no. You?
No. Here comes ZoÃ«'s big speech.
Marhaba.
"Welcome."
I extend this to all of our new students from near and far.
We all have one thing in common...
We wanna be loved for who we are.
We need to celebrate our differences.
For instance... I'm gay.
I'm not bragging about it but...
I've always been afraid to say it and I'm not anymore.
I want this place to be a safe space
where everyone feels free to be themselves.
[student] Yeah.
Welcome to Degrassi.
[cheering]
[chuckles]
[chuckles] You are such a badass.
You're not still worried about this getting back to your mom, are you?
Nah. She wouldn't believe it unless she caught me
making out with a girl.
And I can't even find a girl to make out with, so...
ZoÃ«, this is Rasha. She's staying with our family.
Hi. Uh, you're the one who put the queer students' club
in the same room as the Muslim prayer space?
Yes. Yes, I did.
That would never have happened in Syria.
Very cool.
Come here.
- [sighs] - Best year ever, indeed. [chuckles]
[chuckles]
Po-po caught up to you after all?
No, actually.
I acted up in class, kind of thanks to your wise words.
[chuckles]
You know, you can talk to me about Tristan all you want.
As long as I can talk to you about Tiny.
Okay, this is detention, not NPR.
No talking for the next hour.
I'm... I'm so glad I found someone who understands my grief.
Synced and corrected by Chitorafa www.addic7ed.com
[upbeat music playing]