Episode 598

Extended Summary

Steven and Paul are at the boat shed. Paul complains about how he hasn’t managed to get anything out of Vicki and Steven admits it was a dumb idea. Emma walks past and glares at them. Paul wants to tell her what they’re doing but Steven says if they want to see the plan through they have to keep quiet. Paul notes he’s tired of play acting but Steven notes he’s being pretty convincing. At the Fisher house, Blake, Sophie and Karen explain to Don how they turned the sprinklers on by mistake. Don is cross about what’s happened and refuses to pay them for the one wall they cleaned. He tells them to get on with tidying up.  Blake looks unhappy about the way things have worked out.

Outside the beach house, Adam shows Steven the motorcycle and sidecar that he’s got working again.  Marilyn comes out of the house and asks Steven for help on the essay she’s got to write on Othello. Steven realises he hasn’t done his and will have to do it that night. He tells Marilyn to come round later and he’ll give her some tips. Later, Sophie, Karen and Blake arrive back at the Fletchers’ house. They tell Pippa and Steven everything that happened at Don’s. Pippa doesn’t think it’ll be a problem but after she’s gone upstairs to see to Christopher Steven winds Karen and Blake up, saying Don is impossible to reason with, despite Sophie trying to reassure them he won’t hold it against them.

Paul and Vicki are kissing on the beach. Paul says he’s cross with Emma for trying to set Vicki up and pouring the water over her. Vicki assures him she got her back for that but won’t tell him how. Paul insists there shouldn’t be any secrets between them and gets up to storm off. Vicki goes after him and tells him it was her who framed Emma over the exam papers. She says she got her cousin Liz to ring the school and tell Don Bobby had been in an accident to get him out of the way.

Steven gives Marilyn some advice on the text. Marilyn doesn’t understand the language so Steven explains the plot to her-how Othello fell in love with Desdemona but killed her because Iago convinced him she was cheating on him. Marilyn is shocked she missed all that, having not really listened to what Don said about the subject, and goes off to re-read it. Sophie shows Blake and Karen out and has a go at Steven for winding them up. Paul arrives and tells Steven he’s got a result. Steven sends Sophie away so they can talk.  Paul tells him what Vicki said and thinks they should tell Fisher. Steven points out it’ll be just his word against Vicki’s and they need evidence. He thinks they need to talk to Liz…except they don’t know who she is. They head to the Diner where Paul orders a milkshake from Ailsa so they can stay. Paul wonders if they should ask Vicki but Steven thinks that will give them away. Steven suggests they get hold of Vicki’s address book. Grant comes in and is bemused about the fact Paul is dating Vicki. Paul tells Steven they need to end it soon.

Next morning, Marilyn is running late for school, having finished her essay. Adam offers her a lift on his new motorbike and sidecar but as they’re about to set off the engine splutters and dies. Ailsa takes Blake and Karen to the school. She passes Sophie and asks about the horror stories she’s told them. Sophie says it was Steven. Nearby, Steven gets Paul to distract Vicki while he goes into her locker to get the address book. Vicki wonders why he didn’t come round hers and Paul says he had to look after Mullet, taking her into a classroom to make up for it. Steven retrieves the book as Grant comes past. Steven fails to stop him going into the classroom and he walks in on Paul and Vicki kissing, sending them on their way.

In the office, Don looks over Blake and Karen’s old reports. He says they say Karen is an exemplary student and thinks she’ll be an asset to the school. He notes Blake is in the same class as her despite being a year older. Blake says he broke his leg in Year 8 and spent a lot of time in hospital so had to repeat. Don notes Blake’s teachers say he has ability but needs a push. Blake sarcastically notes Don’s been doing that.  Ailsa explains they were worried the previous day will count against them and Don assures them what happens in and out of school is separate. He asks if they understand each other. Karen responds enthusiastically, Blake less so.

Marilyn and Adam are getting ready to set off again and this time the engine holds. Back at the school, Steven tells Paul he got the address book but Vicki has listed everyone by their first initial and surname, so they have no idea which of the Ls is Liz. He says they need to photocopy it. Ailsa leaves Blake and Karen with Sophie. Blake notes he doesn’t like Don but Karen doesn’t think he’s that bad. Sophie says Blake will get used to him. Blake thinks Don should get used to him. Meanwhile, Pippa finds Emma at the bus stop; she explains the eight o’clock bus never came. Marilyn and Adam drive past and Marilyn waves at them with the folder containing her essay, causing it to fly out of her hand. Pippa and Emma help her collect the pages, which are wet and covered in mud. After she’s gone, they can’t help laughing.

Grant introduces Blake and Karen to the class. Blake makes a point of calling him “Mitch” like everyone else does. Grant throws him the board rubber and tells him to clean the blackboard but Blake just throws it back and tells him to clean it himself. Grant does so and Blake whispers to Sophie that Grant will be a pushover. Meanwhile, in Don’s class, Don is collecting up the homework. Vicki says her mum had a cold so she had to cook tea for her sister instead of doing it. Don tells her to bring it in in the morning. Paul asks to be excused and Steven says he had a curry. Don lets him go. Marilyn comes in and apologises for the state of her homework, offering to write it out again, but Don accepts it. Vicki quietly tells Marilyn to bring a note next time. Meanwhile, Paul photocopies the address book

Grant wants Blake and Karen to play a get to know you game where he asks “Why” and they have to complete the question. He gets Sophie to join in as well. Sophie and Karen get into the spirit of it but Blake gives moody answers, before saying the class and Grant are a joke. Grant tells everyone to read while he takes Blake outside. He asks Blake if he wants to learn anything and says he won’t tolerate his class being disrupted, so Blake can play by the rules or get out. Blake agrees but looks resentful.