Episode 6246

Extended Summary

Leah tells Zac how happy she is that she doesn’t have to sell the diner due to his inheritance, then when she leaves Charlotte accosts Zac and asks why he’s lying to Leah. Zac tells Charlotte that he’s got it under control, there won’t be a problem with repaying the loan once he gets the promotion to principal. Charlotte reminds him that there are no guarantees and as they talk we see a hooded figure is watching them. As the figure watches they take out the family photo from Leah’s house…

Josh apologises to Maddy, Matt and Evie for being stressed over the past few days and as the teens go to hang out Evie reassures Josh that he’ll be fine, he’s put in the hard work already.

Chris tries to get Irene onside about doing a car wash to raise money for Leah and Zac but Irene’s having none of it, seeing through to Chris’ plan of getting bikini babes doing the washing. As they talk Irene goes into the bathroom and shocks both herself and Nate, who’s in there. Chris uses the situation to suggest a nude calendar of the Summer Bay hunks but Irene remains unpersuaded saying everyone needs to discuss the situation together.

Oscar’s tutoring session has gone well and he jokes about being such a good teacher that Zac should look out. Maddy teases Roo about waiting for a text from her boyfriend. Evie rounds up the teens to start studying but the new de-stressed Josh decides to go home instead. Oscar arranges to pick up his notes from him in the morning. Josh arrives home and checking that no-one is home, takes one of the pills that he bought to aid with studying.

Zac is on edge checking his phone as Leah joins him in bed. He tells her optimistically that someone is coming in the following day to discuss the principal’s role and Leah says she feels as though things are getting back on track for them. The next morning Zac is met by a representative who thanks him for how well he’s filled in the role and then tells him that the new principal is coming in today. Zac’s knocked for six and says that he thought the job was his, clearly worried about the effect that this is going to have.

Josh quickly hides the pills as Oscar arrives, but as Oscar grabs his notes he sees the baggie and asks Josh about it. Josh tries to say they’re for a headache but Oscar isn’t a fool and Josh just tells him not to tell anyone.

Chris tries to sell his hunks of the bay idea to Alf, John Roo and Marilyn but no-one’s interested, although Chris continues to try, telling an unsuspecting Nate to take his shirt off as he walks in. Irene suggests a beach banquet and they vote, but it’s three all.

A despondent Zac shows the new principal around, answering his questions and introducing him to Charlotte who more than understands the effect of his presence on Zac. Once they’re left alone Charlotte asks Zac what he’s going to do and he admits that he may have to back out of the loan.

Evie asks Oscar how Josh was when he went round to pick up his notes, Oscar just says he was studying. Zac arrives home early saying he has some stuff to get done and as he, Maddy and Evie go inside Matt asks what’s wrong with Oscar who’s acting strangely. Oscar reluctantly breaks Josh’s trust and tells Matt that Josh is taking pills to stay awake and study. As he says it Evie walks out of the house and overhears them. She’s outraged and taking Oscar with her confronts Josh, who is angry with Oscar and not apologetic about what he’s doing, saying everyone does it. He washes them down the sink as a seething Evie watches.

Zac calls to cancel the loan and finds to his horror that there’s a huge fee. He tells Charlotte about it, who offers to lend him the money. Zac talks about telling Leah and dealing with it together but then immediately finds out that she’s just lost her job at the school due to budget cuts. As Leah rants about everything being against them apart from having the money from Zac’s ‘godfather’ Zac chickens out of telling her about the loan. Hearing about Leah’s job, Charlotte offers again to lend Zac the money and this time he accepts, seeing no other option.

Leah tells Irene, Roo and Chris about her job loss and asks for extra shifts at the diner. After Leah leaves the others really push the fundraising idea and decide on the beach banquet but with a twist: topless male waiters.

The teens come out of an exam and Evie gives Josh the cold shoulder when he comments that it wasn’t so bad.

Leah vents to Alf who tries to reassure her by telling her about the fundraiser and how much everyone wants to help them. We pull back to see the hooded figure watching, then enter the house. As they walk around Josh arrives at the house looking for Evie. He walks upstairs and discovers the hooded figure. A scuffle ensues and Josh falls down the stairs, leaving him unconscious…