 ZUT ALORS!by David Hanson Sammy, Alex and Ed are stuck in to their schoolwork; Tigger is in a playful mood and is frustrated by how spoddy they are. Rawlinson reminds the gang to be in the CLC shortly to greet a French exchange student who is coming today. The girl is staying with Alison and apparently is a pain, which leads Tigger to think he might have a chance with her. Alison and the French student arrive. Rawlinson introduces Cecile to the class, she's attractive and chic and Tigger's jaw is almost on the floor. He still can't take his eyes off her in science as Alison moans about her interference at home. Rawlinson asks for a volunteer to show Cecile around the school and allows her to pick someone - Cecile chooses Tigger and they head off together. At lunchtime, Tigger is still telling Cecile about himself when his friends join him; Cecile offends Sammy and Alison by criticising their dress sense and excessive make-up. She's not impressed by the school dinners either, so Tigger and Cecile bunk off to go down the chippy. On the way out they bump into Theo and Laxo, who embarrass Tigger by forcing him to admit his real name is Timothy. When they get back, Cecile insults Alex and Ed, and offers to help them all change their image. Worse, she tells Sammy she can do something about her "geek look" but at least she puts Chloe and Andrea in their place by calling them "pigs eating pigs" - Chloe is surprised when Andrea demonstrates her grasp of French by translating the remark. Ed, Alex, Sammy and Alison discuss the effect Cecile is having on him; Alex thinks perhaps they have all taken Tigger for granted but Ed thinks Cecile will "spit him out" soon. Unfortunately, Cecile and Tigger walk in on the conference and both are disgusted that he is being talked about in absentia. In the playground, Tigger arrives with Cecile sporting pointed boots and slicked back hair. This amuses the lads but Alison asks for a word - Tigger says he's "too busy having a life" so the gang confront Tigger during games. He turns the tables on them, telling them some bitchy home truths. Laxo and Theo are shocked by Tigger's new look and realise they have to do something. So when Tigger runs after Cecile through the playground, he runs straight into a basketball post being carried by the pair. The pair beg Tigger not to snub his "biggest fans" but a frustrated Tigger walks off nursing the blow to his head. Tigger arrives in the CLC to find a power-suited Sammy barking orders down the phone. She's set up her new fashion label, encouraged by Cecile who takes all the credit. Tigger wonders whether or not he's in the same universe; especially when he sees Ed who's now a laid-back Emo conducting experiments in the science lab. Tigger starts to wonder about Alex. An increasingly spooked Tigger wonders what's happening as Alex has taken over Miss Gayle's office, sporting a gangster outfit. He's taken over the buddy system and turned it into a protection racket - though Alex is offended when Tigger makes that suggestion. Worse still, Alex is using Andrea as "muscle" and then goes to meet Rawlinson - dressed in seductive kinky boots - and gives her a bung to keep quiet. Alex has both Tigger and Cecile to thank as the inspiration for his enterprise. Tigger is upset when Cecile ends their friendship. Alex, Tigger and Andrea head back to the CLC where Sammy is barking orders at her PA - Alison, dressed in an Ugly Betty-style outfit. Alison thanks Tigger for making her realise that she used to be vain but worse is to come - an amorous Chloe throws herself at Tigger and produces an engagement ring - this is all too much for Tigger who again finds himself running after Cecile, only to run straight into his classmates. Laxo and Theo again grab hold of Tigger and cause him to fall backwards, then... A distressed Tigger screams incoherently but then looks up to see his worried friends, along with Rawlinson. It turns out Tigger was KO'd by the basketball post; Rawlinson helps him back to the CLC. Tigger tells the gang about his nightmare and apologises for his behaviour. Cecile arrives and Tigger tells her the boots and the hair just aren't him, and that his friends don't need changing. But just as Tigger is relieved to be back in the real world he then spots Chloe and hopes that bit of his nightmare wasn't true! |