Episode Report Card Niki: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Go Greyhound
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 21 | Aired on 04.24.2001
Wannabe runs to Eli's computer lab, where he, too, is fighting off sleep. She motions for him to come on, and he gets excused by the teacher. He tells Wannabe, "I really need to be in this class if I'm going to graduate." "Listen, I'm outta here," she interrupts. She explains that she's leaving town. He's stunned but manages to ask where she's going to go. She says she thinks her mother is in Oregon, so she'll head there. Eli starts to stammer out more questions, still trying to register what she's telling him, but she cuts him off to explain, rapid-fire, that the principal called him to her office, her father's coming to pick her up, and he's going to ship her off again. Urgently, the little drama queen adds, "I don't have much time! I have to go!" and spins around to take off down the hallway. Eli grabs her arm and says he'll go with her. She says, "You don't have to do that. Your dad will freak." Eli stares at her passionately, saying that Rick's "already freaked," and he wants to go with her. Wannabe stares into his eyes and registers the intensity of his feelings. He adds, "I can't let you go alone." She considers this, nods a quick affirmative, and tells him to meet her at the bus station to catch the 7:45 to Oregon. She says again that she really has to go, puckers up those big old lips, and gives him a goodbye kiss. She runs off down the hallway.
Cut to Rick and Lily standing side by side in the living room, facing Eli and Grace on the couch. The parentals are saying that they trust the kids, and know that they're responsible -- that's not what this is about. The kids just watch them sullenly, looking slightly bored, until Lily mentions the name "Carla." Lily and Rick relate that some of Lily's pills were missing from the medicine cabinet, and Grace immediately jumps to Wannabe's defense, saying she can't believe they would accuse her. Rick says that Wannabe admitted it. Eli works through the information. Realization dawns in his eyes, and he says, "You didn't talk to her parents, did you?" Rick says they did. "Well, that's great," Eli mutters bitterly. Lily says that she spoke with Wannabe's stepmother that afternoon. "And what exactly did you say?" Eli demands, arms folded. Cocky little...Lily says she told the woman what happened. "You mean your perception of what happened," Eli snaps. "Eli," Rick says, trying to sound stern. Now Grace is figuring things out, too. She realizes that's why Wannabe got called to the principal's office and fumes, "I can't believe you did that! I can't believe you did that to her!" Um, because Lily forced her to steal prescription drugs? Eli gripes, "You know, she trusted us. And she trusted you guys, too, and you just turned your back on her!" Oh, please. The girl's a lying thief, bottom line. "Trust" -- that's a funny word to be throwing around at people who opened their home to a spoiled, fucked-up kid who took advantage of them. Rick points out that Wannabe stole pills from them. Lily adds that their concern is for their own kids; that's who they're responsible for, not Wannabe. Jessie and Zoe wander into the middle of things, letting Lily and Rick know that Jessie's got her things settled. She says that they're going to need another dresser, though, and there's a tense silence for a few seconds, until Rick promises to bring her old one over. Eli sulks and snaps, "Are we through?" The parentals say yeah. Grace and Eli storm out of the living room full of piss and vinegar and righteous indignation. Brats.