Episode 6999

Extended Summary

Ben arrives home and tells Maggie about taking Dean on, protesting that Ziggy ambushed him. He offers to help with the fundraiser but is shocked when Maggie gives him a long to-do list before going for a class with Mason. Later, Maggie is on the headland doing crunches while holding weights, while Mason is standing with his back to her, having a frustrating phone call. Ben comes along and helps Maggie when she struggles, chiding Mason for not supervising. Maggie tells Ben she told Mason to make the call; he missed a study group because of Raffy’s accident and has his final exam coming up but hasn’t been able to reschedule. Mason apologises and tells Maggie to go again.

Roo meets Ryder on the wharf. He tells her he failed Year 11 and asks to resit. Roo is slightly confused after his earlier ambivalence but he says he wants to do Year 12 now. Soon after, at the Diner, Ryder is trying to gee Roo up as Alf joins them and gets filled in on the situation. Alf chides him for not getting his head down. Ryder accepts he stuffed up but Roo is optimistic. Ryder says he needs to be there for Raffy. Roo is worried that that’s the only reason he’s going back.

Ben and Maggie arrive home and are greeted by a smiling Coco, who tells them she nailed the exams. As they’re celebrating, Roo and Ryder turns up. Ryder immediately announces that he needs to resit his exams, leaving Roo to provide a more polite opening. Ben and Coco give them some space after Ryder asks Coco not to say anything to Raffy. At the gym, Mason is having another unfulfilling phone call, which attracts the attention of Leah. He explains he can’t get someone to cover a shift so he can study.

Maggie tells Roo and Ryder that the Department say it’s too late to apply for special consideration. Roo asks if they can go by Ryder’s marks from earlier in the year but Maggie points out that that is special consideration. Ryder says he can’t repeat again and Roo sends him to the car before asking if anything else can be done. Later, Alf, Irene and Roo discuss it at the Diner. Roo points out it’s the Department’s choice, not Maggie’s. She is also worried Ryder’s only going back to be with Raffy. Alf says he can’t be faulted for being a good friend but Roo says he should go back because he wants to do his HSC. Alf offers to talk to him.

Coco approaches Ryder on the beach and suggests he’d still be able to support Raffy at school if he was in Year 11. Ryder says that Raffy’s been through a lot, most of it his fault, and it’d mean breaking his promise to her. Later, Alf is getting Ryder to paint a boat outside the bait shop. He asks if it matters being held back, saying he and Raffy are good enough friends that being a grade apart won’t make a difference and she’ll understand. Ryder says she shouldn’t have to. Alf asks what he’d do if he doesn’t get into Year 12 and Ryder half-jokingly suggests working there full-time. Alf says he needs to go back to school for himself. Ryder agrees, saying he wants to stop being a screw-up and be someone Raffy can rely on and Alf and Roo can be proud of.

Coco approaches Ben and Maggie at home and begs Maggie to help Ryder, for his sake and Raffy’s. Maggie says she’s already gone further up to the District Education Officer to try and arrange a meeting but asks Coco not to say anything to Ryder because nothing’s been agreed yet. At the gym, Mason asks the last worker out, Lara, to turn the lights off, then starts copying his notes. Next morning, Leah comes in and finds Mason asleep at the desk. She wakes him, saying it’s 6.30 and the gym was unlocked. He explains there’s less distractions there. Leah seems worried but goes for a work-out.

Alf finds Ryder at the Diner and Ryder admits he couldn’t sleep. Alf jokingly suggests he could help out around the caravan park. Ryder says he has to go and see Raffy to break the news. Roo comes in and tells them Maggie’s arranged for them to discuss his case with the education officer, so there’s still a chance. They meet Maggie and Coco at the surf club; Coco is there to wish Ryder luck. The rest of them go upstairs.

Alf, Maggie, Roo and Ryder explain to the officer about the troubles Ryder had around the time of the exams. She still seems to feel it’s too late to do anything. They point out he’d done well to catch up and Ryder offers to take extra classes. The education officer thinks it would be rewarding him for slacking off. Alf loses his temper, saying she needs to remember how to do her job and Ryder’s had no stability until now. The education officer says it should have been documented earlier. Alf takes Ryder out, leaving Roo and Maggie looking awkward. At the Diner, Mason asks Leah for a coffee, wanting to study in there. He says it’s easier without Buddy scratching at the door and Justin stomping about. Leah offers him some food, then serves coffee to Ben and Coco, who are looking into sponsorship. Maggie comes in and admits the meeting didn’t go well, then gets a call from the Department.

Alf, Roo and Ryder walk back to the house. None are optimistic although Ryder thanks Alf for sticking up for him. Maggie suddenly draws up in her car and tells them Ryder can resit the exams, but since it needs to be done quickly before Year 12 starts next week, his first one is that afternoon. She takes Ryder back to her place, where the Department have agreed to let him take the exam with her as monitor. She takes his phone and reminds him of exam conditions, then gives him the Maths paper and tells him he has two hours.

At the Diner, Alf, Roo and Irene discuss Ryder’s exam. Ben announces to Coco and the others that Yabbie Creek Party Hire have agreed to supply the marquee. He asks Mason, who is trying to study, if Robbo would offer a gym membership and Mason irritably says they’d have to ask him, with Irene also chatting to him about it. Alf then asks him about handling first aid. Talking around Mason, they discuss moving the event to near the surf club before Irene again disturbs Mason to ask him about getting doctors to come. Mason yells at them to shut up, saying he doesn’t care and just wants to study.