Episode 3712

Australian Air Date: 6th April 2004

Have Kirsty’s lies ruined everything for Kane? Have Jade and Seb sacrificed everything? Seb attacks Principal Hyde!

SNR CONST. KEN HARPER (MARK McCANN)
Fourth appearance, last seen in Episode #3694. Confronted Jade and Seb after breaking into the lock-in.
CONSTABLE RICE (LEON FRYER)
Second appearance, last seen in Episode #3705. Assisted with the resolution of the lock-in crisis.
BARRY HYDE (IVAR KANTS)
Final regular episode.

Extended Summary

RECAP
Sally tells Hyde that the kids are determined, and not ready to give up, but he is equally adamant that he is not going to give in.
Robbie tells the rebel kids that he has a plan that could play Hyde at his own game
Seb assures Jade that it’ll work out, and Jade hopes so – otherwise Hyde will expel her
Kirsty has told Flynn the truth about the fake pregnancy/miscarriage, and doesn’t know what to do. He insists that she come clean – for everyones sake, reminding her of the agony she put Kane through over the ‘miscarrage’

***

BEACH
Kirsty sits in a scene strangely reminisant of the ‘crab’ scene of 2002, with Kane approaching her from hehind. He sits down beside her, and she tells him she couldn’t sleep, as she felt “like a traitor”. Kane reassures her – Jade can handle it – and realises that something is wrong, concerned that something is wrong between them. She does herself no favours by failing to raise a smile whilst attempting to convince him that all is fine, before telling Kane that she needs to tell him something… she wants him to listen to the full story before he gets m… they are interrupted by Dani and Scott, who are taking a stroll along the beach just at the right time to shatter the moment in true soap fashion. They exchange pleasantries, and Dani and Kirsty talk about Jade – her mobile is off, and Scott reckons they’ll call the cops in soon. Seeing that Kirsty looks down, Dani can only assure her that Jade will be fine. Kirsty is still feeling the guilt about deserting Jade, but Kane and Dani both try to convince her that she’s doing the right thing by looking after the baby. Kirsty tells them she’s fine – no morning sickness or anything, and Dani and Scott leave. The moment has gone, and Kirsty brushes off the issue she wanted to talk about as being simple worry about Jade. She gets up, wanting to go and get breakfast and Kane hesitates before following her along the beach.

FLYNN’S PLACE
Sally is on her way to work as Flynn gets back from his morning run, and they recognise that they need to talk – and not only about his mother. She is in a rush, and they vow to talk later.

SCHOOL
It’s morning, and tonight the parents don’t seem to have been holding their overnight vigil. Hyde is the only one on the premises, and he finds the gate now unlocked. Cautiously, he enters, and not until he reaches the door inside does he meet with resistance in the form of Seb, who refuses to let him in, but will get Jade for him. He calls out “Has anyone seen Jade?” and proceeds without hearing an answer (or at least not one audible to viewers…) with “Well, will someone please get her for me?”. In no time, Jade is by his side, and Hyde tells them he wants to talk. She refuses to leave the building until she knows what he wants, and he tells them that they have a choice – leave now, or suffer the consequences. She is adamant that they’re not shifting, so he tells them that the Education Department – and the police – will be informed, and one way or another they will be ejected from the building.

CARAVAN PARK
Beth is still wound up, and insisting that she will not let Hyde set the police onto the kids – the very least she can do is try to sort things out. Dani and Scott arrive, and they all decide to go down to the school together. Just as they’re about to leave the building, Robbie comes down for his breakfast. Beth is astonished, whereas Robbie is acting as if nothing has happened. When put on the spot, he is adamant that he can’t talk about it – they’ve got a pact… Beth informs him that it’s not a game, and Robbie agrees, before grabbing his bag and announcing that he will be late for school. Scott drags him back as Rhys tells him to forget about school – he has some explaining to do…

BEACH HOUSE
Kane is carefully scooping poached egg onto a piece of bread as Kirsty enquires when his counselling session is. She half-heartedly reassures him that it won’t be as bad as he thinks. He suggests that they do something together that afternoon – maybe go down to the beach and have a picnic, or go and see a movie… she is unenthusiastic, telling him “not tonight”, and he is starting to get the feeling that she is avoiding him. Footsteps on the stairs interrupt them, and they are amazed when Tasha emerges. She skirts around telling them the full story, and doesn’t want to go to the school as Hyde has called the police. Kane insists that she get her uniform on – they’re going into school.

SCHOOL
The cops have arrives, and Constable Harper and Hyde introduce themselves. Hyde explains the situation, and Harper wonders why they weren’t called sooner, since the pupils had been there since Friday. All Hyde can say is that they wanted the chance to sort it all out themselves, and he reckons 20-30 pupils are involved. However, neither he or Sally can give an exact number. Sally insists they’re not armed or anything – it’s passive resistance, but Hyde is quick to make it clear that they don’t know anything for sure. Harper decides that they will try again to negotiate with the students, before leaving, and Alf is unimpressed that Hyde’s poor handling of the situation will mean that the kids will face charges.

Harper talks into the school via a megaphone, assuring students that they’re aware of the concerns, and that they only want to help. After receiving no response, they break through the chain on the door, and enter the school. All they find is Jade and Seb, sat in uniform at desks in a neatly arranged classroom, and denying that there are no ‘others’ involved – “our principle’s famous for getting it wrong”.

Harper tells Hyde that they have searched the whole premises, and found just two students. Needless to say, Hyde and Alf are baffled. Tasha and Kirsty watch from the sidelines, and Kirsty reckons Hyde will be in more trouble than they will. Hyde thanks Harper for his help, wanting to deal with Jade and Seb himself, but Harper tells him that the Department has asked him to take formal statements from all students, and also from he and Sally. Sally allows the students to enter school and prepare for lessons as usual. Hyde and Alf wonder how the kids manage to escape, and Alf is blaming Hyde for letting it get so far.

BREAK

CARAVAN PARK
As Beth talks on the phone, Robbie apologises for letting them and Irene down, but insists he didn’t want to let Jade down – they’d have been proud of her, and it’s not like they even like Hyde. Rhys insists that it doesn’t matter what they think of Hyde – there are better ways of making a point than staging a lock-in. Scott wonders how they all managed to escape unseen from the school, despite no one thinking to question Kirsty, Kane and Kim about this tactic earlier on. All Robbie is able to do is joke about it, and he is soon packed off to school as usual. All Dani cares about is that Jade is alright – she’ll lose everything she has worked for if Hyde chooses to expel her.

SCHOOL
The twins are reunited, and Hyde walks past just in time to hear Kirsty tell Jade that Tasha explained everything. Hyde pulls her to one side, wafting off Jade’s interruptions, and probes Kirsty for information. He’s prepared to be lenient on her, seeing as she bowed out early – but only in exchange for what she knows. Kirsty calmly states she wasn’t there – so she wouldn’t know a thing. With a smile she announces that she’s the “dumb twin”, and therefore has no idea what he is talking about, before walking off down the corridor, leaving Hyde’s face to fall.

BEACH
Dani is taking a walk, and spies Kane sitting alone on a bench. She approaches him, surprised that he isn’t out on the boat, but he tells her that he has ‘something’ to do later, presumably the anger management session. He wants to talk to her, in need of some help regarding Kirsty. He hasn’t failed to pick up on the fact that she is worried – even scared – about something. He knows that it’s not something simple, and that it’s eating her up – in turn, it’s putting him on edge and eating HIM up. She suggests it may have something to do with the small matter of Kirsty going to become a Mum, but Kane knows it’s more than that. Dani agrees to talk to her, and Kane offers sincrer thanks, glad that they’re able to talk, even if they can’t be friends. She doesn’t see she has a lot of choice – he’s going to be the father of her niece or nephew, so they have to get along.

SCHOOL
Rhys is getting impatient about waiting so long just to see Hyde, but Beth doesn’t caere – so long as they get it sorted. Alf and Seb emerge from Hyde’s office, followed by the man himself, and it seems things aren’t as bad as anticipated – Seb only got a 2-week suspension. Hyde invites Rhys, Beth and Jade into his office but Rhys stubbornly refuses to budge. Hyde breaks the news in the school corridor – since Jade has admitted to being the ringleader, and since she doesn’t regret it, he has no choice but to expel her. Rhys tries to object, but Hyde has made his mind up. However tragic it is, Jade will not be returning to Summer Bay High.

CARAVAN PARK
Rhys is adamant that they will sort it out by talking to the Department, but Jade doesn’t seem to care – she knew the possible outcomes and the seriousness of the protest from the start. Rhys agrees that she should have thought things through, and Beth is optimistic, using the tried and tested phrase “it could be the start of something new”. Jade sees right through it, but Beth feels that her age allows her the right to give advice. As Jade stabs her knife repeatedly into the corner of a slice of bread, Beth tells her that she may simply be finding a new direction in life – and that’s different to just losing your way. Jade is still upset that no one particularly cared about what they said or did at the protest, and the will to fight has left her.

OUTSIDE SURF CLUB
Kirsty stares out to sea as Flynn catches up with her. Kirsty tells him that Hyde expelled Jade, and Flynn assures her that Sally will be doing all she can – they can’t give up hope against Hyde. Flynn wonders if Kirsty and Kane have talked, and Kirsty responds that they’ve “talked a lot”. Of course, Flynn instantly takes this to mean that Kane knows the whole truth, and goes on to tell Kirsty that Kane will have been upset at first, but they’ll work it out. Kirsty just wants to put the past in the past and have the baby, but Flynn advises her that it’s best to acknowledge the past. Kirsty swiftly changes the subject, wondering what Sally said about the lock-in, before trying to make a getaway. As she leaves, Flynn tells her that she did the right thing by telling Kane…

CARAVAN PARK
It’s Seb’s turn to try and reassure Jade, but all Jade can think about is how pointless the whole protest was, especially as Hyde ended up getting his own way in the end. Seb agrees with Beth that they must keep fighting, but the enthusiasm has left Jade. Seb tries to cheer her up – it’s not the end of the world, as she can finish her HSC at Yabbie Creek. Jade is dead set against the idea – she doesn’t want to go there, as she won’t know any of the teachers.

SCHOOL
Seb marches up to Hyde, demanding to talk, but Hyde gives him the cold shoulder, reminding him that he is suspended and therefore not allowed on school grounds. Seb insists that he is just as responsible as Jade, and demands to be expelled too. When Hyde refuses to comply – he has no grounds to expel Seb, Seb roughly shoves Hyde to the floor. Quickly bouncing back to his feet, Hyde gives in to Seb’s demands and expels him.

SURGERY
Kane has returned from his anger management session, and is cheerful – it wasn’t as bad as he had envisaged, everyone was alright, and he will be going back. Flynn is happy for him, and also glad that he and Kirsty have sorted things out. Kane assumes he’s referring to the fight and AVO, and agrees with Flynn that it’ll take time to work through. However, when Flynn remarks that he can see “how the lie got away from her”, Kane is baffled, wanting to know exactly what is going on. Flynn realises that he has royally put his foot in it, and suggests that Kane talk to Kirsty…