The gang celebrates the end of school with their year twelve formal. Will Matilda and Ric survive another encounter with Viv?
Extended Summary
As Tam deals with the consequences of her date with Aden, she assures Rachel that, despite everything else, he didn’t force himself on her. After a lengthy discussion with Heather and Rachel, brad asks Tam if she and her mother want to come to Tasmania with him and she couldn’t be happier. As she watches Belle and Drew prepare for the formal, she’s disappointed that she’s not getting ready as well; she was supposed to go with Aden. Brad asks her to be his date and she agrees.
As Ric rushes off to buy a new tie for the formal, Cassie takes him aside and tells him about Viv staying in a caravan. He tells her to keep it from Matilda, he’ll get rid of Viv and he doesn’t want to ruin his girlfriend’s formal. Viv is dismayed when he tells her she has to go, but offers him a lift to Yabbie Creek to buy a tie, he’ll get there faster in her car than on the scooter, and it will give them time to talk. He fast regrets his decision when her car breaks down in the middle of the road, and he doesn’t have the parts he needs to fix it. While Matilda frets, Drew agrees to pick Ric up, and Viv gives him Noel’s tie from the glove box.
By the time he picks Matilda up the formal has started, and Cassie’s already left. But Matilda buys his story that the scooter broke down, and agrees to just have fun from now. Everything goes well, even after Aden attempts to sabotage the formal, and Matilda and Rick win best couple. Then Noel shows up, after confronting Viv at the caravan park. Ric seems to have the situation under control until Noel makes a comment about Ric wearing his tie, and Matilda’s heard enough. Ric chases after her, begs her to listen, but she doesn’t want to hear anymore. As far as she’s concerned, if he wants to be with Viv, he can, because it’s over between them. Rick is left lost and dumbstruck, wandering aimlessly through the Bay until he arrives at Viv’s caravan…