Original subtitles

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Am I the only person that missed this place?

What, Brandon, are you crazy, man?

We only got 15 minutes of freedom left.

Enjoy yourself.

One day, we'll all look back

and wish that we could start high school all over again.

Yeah, you speak for yourself.

Look, all I know is that for the last three years,

I've been working and studying my butt off.

This year, something's got to give.

I got to have some fun.

I thought that's what we've been doing.

Mmm.

How long do you think those two can really last?

I don't know. I'm not an astrologer, Donna.

Actually though, some people do wind up

marrying their high school sweethearts.

Yeah, I guess so.

DAVID (over P.A. system): Good morning, West Beverly.

This is your conscience speaking.

Now, the administration has asked me to inform

all new and transferred students to report to the main quad

where you'll be teamed up with your senior buddies.

There, they'll be able to answer

all those burning questions you may have,

like, where exactly is the main quad anyway?

(rock music playing)

Nikki. David.

You told me you were the school DJ, but what a setup.

So what are you doing here?

I transferred.

This has got to be the coolest place in the entire school.

Well, I thought you were going back to San Francisco.

I did.

But things got really hairy at home,

so I convinced my folks to let me move

down to La La Land and live with my aunt.

That's great.

Listen, uh,

I'd love to hang out,

but I've got to go meet my senior buddy.

Hope it's not as geeky as it sounds.

(rock music playing over radio)

We ever look that young?

I can't believe I'm actually doing this.

Steve, since when did you get a dose of school spirit?

Oh, I didn't. I just needed something

to write on my college application.

Figures.

Besides, I just might be paired up

with some fine postpubescent feline.

Hello.

Are you Steve Sanders?

(chuckles)

At your service.

Are you my new buddy?

No.

That lost little kid right over there is.

(groans)

(chuckles)

I'm out of this.

Too late for that.

Steve Sanders.

I found you.

Herbert Little, your freshman buddy.

Well, let's get one thing straight.

You're not my little buddy, Hubert.

Herbert.

Fine.

I'm only doing this because it looks good on my transcripts.

So if you stay out of my hair, don't embarrass me,

we'll get along just fine.

Got it, Hubert? Herbert.

(chuckles): Whatever.

Are you Susie?

Uh, yes.

Hi. Brenda Walsh. I'm your senior buddy.

I'm here to answer any and every question

you may have about good old West Beverly.

Uh, great.

Um, where's the bathroom?

Is everything okay in there, Susie?

Yeah, everything's fine. Thanks.

So, anyway, like I was saying, when I first transferred here,

my friends thought being a cheerleader was really uncool.

So I didn't go out for the pep squad,

even though it was something that I really wanted to do.

Just remember, the key to being happy in this school

is to forget about everybody else

and just be your own person.

So what were you saying about the pep squad?

There you are.

I was about to give up on you.

Sorry, Chief. I was gonna call you last night,

but it got a little late.

Likely story.

Come here.

I want to show you what I did so far.

I set up some assignments.

Oh, wait till you hear this.

We have a new faculty advisor.

What happened to Miss McCormick?

She's seven months pregnant.

I didn't know she was married.

She's not.

Ah. Oh.

So tell me,

should we run a story on it,

or is that a little too tabloid for The Blaze?

Listen, Andrea, that's kind of what I came here

to talk to you about.

I just don't think I'm gonna be able

to get up for working on the paper this year.

(chuckles): Forget it, Brandon.

That is exactly what you said last year.

Well, I'm serious, Andrea.

It's been two years; it's getting tired already.

Yeah, and we're seniors.

This is our chance to leave our mark. Exactly.

We're seniors. And I don't want to have to work that hard.

ANDREA: Well, that's too bad.

I need you on staff, and I'm not letting you quit.

You're not letting me?

No.

(chuckles)

What are you gonna do, chain me to my computer terminal?

(Meyers laughing)

Don't stop on my account.

You two were definitely on a roll.

Are you Mr. Meyers?

This is true.

This is our new faculty advisor

and our AP English teacher.

This is also true.

Hi. I'm Andrea Zuckerman,

editor-in-chief.

And this is Brandon Walsh,

who has the crazy idea that he's not

gonna be sports editor this year.

That's because I'm not.

(chuckles falsely)

Don't worry. He'll come around.

You see what I have to put up with?

If you're half as good as Andrea thinks you are,

I just might have to help her twist your arm.

Great.

Two against one.

Those are my favorite kind of odds.

Mine, too.

Hi.

I didn't know you were in this class.

Yo hablo Español muy bien, chica.

(chuckles)

I don't hablo at all.

Kelly, I tried to call you last night.

I was home all night.

I hung up when David answered.

Oh, so that was you.

Yeah, he said he got a heavy breather.

What'd you want?

I just, I thought we should talk,

you know, before we walked in here again for another year.

Don't sweat it.

Hi, guys.

Brenda, hi.

This is great.

The three of us are finally in the same class.

(school bell ringing)

Mr. Meyers. Mr. Meyers.

Hello, Andrea.

Hi. I just wanted to tell you,

I thought your class was really terrific this morning.

Thanks. I'm trying.

I thought you might want to take a look

at this preliminary report

that I worked up over the weekend, you know,

summarizing my ideas how to streamline the editorial process

so that, you know, we can... Tell you what.

Why don't you bring that to the organizational meeting

we're having after school today.

Oh. Okay, that's... that's a good idea.

See ya.

Uh, just one other thing.

I, uh...

I want you to know I really appreciate

your trying to help me keep Brandon on the staff.

He seems like a good guy.

Ah, he's a great guy.

He's a terrific writer with unlimited potential.

I can't imagine doing The Blaze without him.

We'll see what we can do.

Just, you know, sometimes,

he can get a little lazy if he's not pushed, but...

That's okay.

Human beings are like that sometimes.

See ya.

Good-bye.

I can't wait for you to meet this girl, David.

She's just the type of person

you can open up to right away, you know?

I mean, we just have so much in common.

That's great.

Sounds like you really made a new friend.

Yeah, I really think I did.

We just clicked, you know?

Oh, there's my student buddy.

I want you to meet her.

Nikki, over here.

Hi.

Hi. Nikki, this is my boyfriend, David.

David, this is who I was talking about.

Hi. Uh, David?

Nice to meet you.

It's nice to meet you, too.

Bren, what do you say we blow this pop stand

and find someplace else to eat?

I can't stand another year of cafeteria food.

What'd you have in mind?

Well, I don't know.

Um, my place?

Yeah, right. I know how much food is in your fridge.

Hey, nobody said anything about having to eat.

I don't think so.

Not the first day at school anyway.

Just a thought.

Well, hold that thought.

Hey, there's Kel.

Kelly!

DYLAN: Let her go, Bren.

Why?

I just want to have lunch alone.

Oh, that's sweet.

(giggles)

(school bell ringing)

So fill out these cards

and let me know a little bit about yourself.

And don't be shy because, well, I'm easily impressed.

Nice to see you, Mr. Walsh.

Yeah, like I had a choice in the matter.

(chuckles)

But, more importantly, I want to know

what you want to do on the paper this term

so that you don't keel over from terminal boredom.

This guy is sharp.

What a great way to boost morale.

MEYERS: In any event,

I read the first four issues of last year's paper over lunch,

and, well, found it to be eminently more digestible

than the mystery meat they were serving in the cafeteria.

(laughter)

You guys did good work.

I was very impressed.

But I know you can do better, a lot better.

Now, with regards to the layout...

Excuse me, Mr. Meyers?

Uh, what specifically didn't you like about it?

Don't get me wrong. It was very readable.

I just think the layout could use a little more graphics,

and the editorial style could be a little more precise.

Well, what you didn't know is

that 70% of the staff was new last fall,

so I'm sure when you read what we did in the spring,

you'll see why the Blaze went on to win a Quill and Scroll Award.

I'm well aware of your accomplishments, Andrea.

Ahn-drea.

(pronouncing correctly): Andrea.

Clearly, you're a first-rate editor,

and since this is my first day,

I don't want to ruffle any feathers.

But that doesn't mean

there's no room for improvement, does it?

No.

Good.

Now, moving right along,

does anyone have any questions?

Yes?

Are you married?

(laughter)

BRANDON: Andrea, if he didn't like you,

why did he say you were a first-class editor, huh?

It's just a vibe I'm getting from him, that's all.

What are you so insecure about?

(sighs) I don't know.

I just feel like all day

I've been saying the wrong thing to him.

Well, maybe you have a crush on him.

What was the name of that drama teacher you went out with?

Will you get your mind out of the gutter, please? I'm serious.

I have to find a way to show him

how much passion I have for the newspaper,

how committed I am.

Will you relax?

Once Meyers finds out what a great journalist you are,

he'll be kissing the ground you walk on.

Yeah.

(laughs)

CINDY: Ready for the burgers, honey?

Forget about the burgers.

I can't even get the coals started.

What's the matter, Dad? Lost your touch.

Well, I'm lost without lighter fluid.

We may be saving the ozone layer,

but we're going to die of starvation.

DYLAN: Come on, Jim. I mean,

I'm not a Boy Scout, but I can start a barbecue.

This is not just any barbecue, Dylan.

It's a smoke 'n bake.

Oh, that's right. It's not just a grill.

It's a mira-grill.

JIM: Hey, it's tricky, okay?

BRANDON (laughing): You're right, Dad.

Come on, papa-san.

Let me show you how you do this fire-starting thing.

Be my guest.

Well, it's simple aerodynamics.

Oh, I see, I see, I see, I see.

What a difference a summer makes.

I told you, all Dad needed

was some time to get used to Dylan.

Yeah. Like, two years.

Brandon, what you're seeing is male bonding

at its very best.

A fire is involved.

Cindy, you, uh... you got any newspaper?

(laughs)

Sure, Dylan.

Come here.

(laughs)

KELLY: Every time I turn around,

I see him hugging her or kissing her.

I don't know if I'm going to make it

through a whole year of this.

Kel, can I ask you something, and I really

don't mean to be getting too personal or anything?

What?

Are you in love with Dylan or something?

No!

I just can't stand

being in every class with him and Brenda.

That's all.

Yeah, well, you're worried about surviving a year.

I may not last a week.

Why?

Remember Nikki, that girl

who I messed around with this summer?

Well, she just

transferred to West Beverly,

and guess who her new senior buddy is?

Uh-oh.

Yeah, when the three of us are together,

she acts like she's never met me.

When we're alone, she's clearly coming on to me.

(laughs) You're right.

You're probably not going to make it through a whole week.

So, what do I do?

Come clean. That's your only choice.

♪ You're the one who's in control now... ♪

You really think honesty is the best policy?

Absolutely.

It's better that Donna find out from you than from Nikki.

Oh, okay, Kel.

You're the expert.

♪ Come out from under there ♪

♪ Show us your beauty... ♪

You're a teacher's dream, Zuckerman.

Mr. Meyers!

What are you doing at the public library

on the first night of school?

Well, like you said in class today,

reading a good book is like doing aerobics

for the imagination.

(both laughing)

Let me ask your opinion about something.

Brandon Walsh.

Is he motivated?

Without a doubt.

Do you think he's a leader?

Everybody likes him.

I know he's popular.

What I want to know-- is he a leader?

Could be.

I think he's a little bored being the sports editor.

(laughs)

To say the least.

You know, I think if you gave him more,

if you challenged him,

he could really rise to the occasion.

That's exactly what I had in mind.

Really? What were you thinking?

I was thinking that he has a chance to be a real star,

but he needs a swift kick in the butt.

(laughs) And since you've done it for the last two years,

I was thinking we make him the next editor-in-chief.

And you could be the woman behind the man.

What do you think?

Yeah.

Well, if you ever need a ride home,

I've got a 'Vette that...

HERBERT: Excuse me, Steve.

(chuckles)

This'll just take a minute.

Make it quick, Hubert.

Herbert.

Oh, uh, where's the computer lab?

Building C.

Second door on your right.

Just follow the dweeb droppings.

(laughing)

Now, where were we?

Sorry.

No harm, no foul.

♪ There's a time and a place for your vision... ♪

(knocking)

Can I come in?

Yeah, sure.

Uh...

Listen, David,

I've been thinking about how I handled things

with Donna yesterday.

I mean, I could have just said

I bumped into you at the beach club this summer,

but I didn't want to lie to her.

I mean I like you.

And I like Donna.

So I really don't want things to get... sticky.

Me either.

So, are you going to tell her?

Well, yeah, absolutely...

I just haven't found the right time.

Well, just don't wait too long, okay?

You're right.

I'll tell her tonight.

Good.

♪ ...And you better be ready ♪

♪ 'Cause you never know when it will be ♪

♪ Close your eyes and your heart... ♪

MEYERS: In the "Song of Myself,"

Whitman wrote, "I am the poet of the body,

"I am the poet of the soul...

"I am the poet of the woman the same as the man.

"And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man."

(school bell rings)

Whitman wrote that 150 years ago.

Talk about being on the cutting edge...

We'll get into more of it tomorrow.

Uh, Brandon, Andrea...

stick around for a minute, will ya?

Had to get me back into the newspaper game,

didn't you?

Have any idea what this is about?

I have a vague idea.

So, are you about ready

to let him in on our little secret?

Whenever you are.

What?

You two ganging up on me again?

Since no one else volunteered,

Andrea and I have decided

that you are the best person at this school

to become the next editor-in-chief of the Blaze.

It's a joke, right?

Nope.

You had something to do with this?

Congratulations, Chief.

Oh.

I'm really sorry.

We've got to stop meeting like this.

I think that one's mine.

Oh, here you go.

Thanks.

Mr. Meyers... Mr. Meyers.

Brandon, I've got to level with you.

Every time someone calls me Mr. Meyers

I keep looking around for my father.

So when we're out of class,

why don't you call me Gil...

especially now since you're the big kahuna.

Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.

Don't tell me you're getting cold feet already.

No, no, no, I just, uh,

I need to get something straight in my own head.

Can we go talk for a minute?

Sure.

BRANDON: So Andrea was okay

with me taking over the paper?

MEYERS: She was your biggest booster.

She's behind you 100%.

Well, to be honest with you, Gil,

in my humble opinion,

she's the one who deserves the job.

She's done it for the last two years.

The poor girl needs a break, for God's sakes.

Well, granted, Andrea is intense,

but... it's like the Blaze is her entire life.

My point exactly.

Listen, I'm really flattered

that you have that much confidence in me,

but I've always been more of a team player.

But eventually every player's got to step up

to the plate, don't they?

Yeah, but it's my senior year.

I, I wanted to just kick back and cruise, you know?

And what...

"party, radical, dude?"

Is that what we're talking about?

'Cause if we are, I can totally relate.

You're talking to the original couch potato.

The thought of reading

for my own pleasure was completely foreign to me

till I was a senior in high school,

and then everything changed.

What happened?

My English teacher gave me a book of poems

by Walt Whitman.

"It's only life...

with its immense passion, pulse, and power."

You really think I'm up for this?

Go for it, Brandon.

You want me to give a barbecue?

Dylan, you have that big house

and you never use it.

I don't know. (sighs)

Hi, Brenda.

BRENDA: Hi, Sue.

Bren, you know that girl?

Yeah, that's my freshman buddy.

Mmm, what reform school did she escape from?

Ha.

Ha. (giggles)

Come on. A barbecue is a great idea.

We'll have it this Friday night.

We'll invite everybody.

Donna, Kelly... speaking of which...

Kelly wasn't in Spanish class this morning.

Where is she?

Mrs. Teasley, I was wondering

if I could make a small change in my schedule.

What did you have in mind, Kelly?

Well, Donna was telling me

about this incredible art class she's taking,

and I was wondering if I can still get in.

I don't recall your ever expressing any interest

in art before.

Oh, I know.

I just thought since it's my senior year and all,

maybe it's time for me to explore my creative side.

Try something new.

Well, there is room in the class,

but you do realize switching into art

will necessitate rearranging your entire schedule.

Oh, really? That's too bad,

but if that's what we've gotta do.

So, what are you doing after school?

I told Nikki I'd drop her off at the Beverly Center. Why?

Uh, well, what about later on tonight?

Nikki's coming over for dinner.

I mean, you can come, too, if you want.

No, that's okay.

David, what's wrong?

Is everything all right?

Yeah.

Everything's fine.

Okay.

Private Zuckerman reporting for duty, sir.

Andrea, just in time.

Take a look at the new layout.

What do you think?

Why are you changing the layout?

Well, the old one's kind of flat, don't you think?

No, I, uh, I liked it.

Mr. Meyers thought it looked flat.

So what should I do?

Let's leave the layout alone, okay?

Andrea's right.

Okay, Chief.

Listen, before I forget, Meyers thought I should

take a look at that report you did

on how to streamline the paper.

Oh, he did, did he?

Yeah.

Can I see you outside?

This is not going to work out.

What isn't?

Brandon, you're editor-in-chief.

It's your job to streamline the paper.

I am merely one of the foot soldiers.

And I am not gonna hand over my ideas, which I stayed up

until 2:00 in the morning to write, so that you

can take the credit.

Andrea, maybe you're suffering from...

sleep deprivation or something--

I don't know-- 'cause I don't know where this is coming from.

Gil merely told me you'd written a report

that may be of some assistance to me.

Now, if you don't want to give it to me, it's no big deal.

Gil?

Well, I didn't realize you guys became so chummy.

Look, Andrea, if you wanted to be editor so badly,

why'd you back me for the job?

Excuse me.

What was I supposed to do?

Tell him you procrastinate, that you're disorganized,

that you're not nearly as qualified

to run The Blaze as I am?

Hold on a second.

No, that's the truth.

You do not have as much experience as I have,

and you definitely don't have the commitment!

I can do the job, Andrea, just as well as you can.

Great.

Then why don't you do the whole damn thing yourself.

Oh, that's just great, Andrea.

Walk away.

It's not my fault you're too egotistical to deal with this!

STEVE: You see, Silver?

This is what it means to have a manager.

I put up my own bucks for these.

Well, that's great, but who plays 45s anymore?

Get with the program, David.

I'm gonna put these in jukeboxes.

I'm gonna have this puppy playing in every diner in town.

But not here at the Pit, okay?

What are you talking about? Of course here at the Pit.

Look, Nikki thinks she's the first person

who heard this song, and Donna thinks

she's the first person who heard this song.

You told me I was the first person who heard this song.

Well, I was excited about it, okay?

Look, I don't care who was the first person to hear this song.

It's going into Nat's jukebox.

I know I'm gonna have to tell Donna about Nikki.

It's just things have been going so great,

I don't want to ruin it.

So, who says tell Donna anything?

Well, Kelly and Nikki said...

Kelly and Nikki, Nikki and Schmikki, okay?

Look, Kelly is Donna's best friend.

And Nikki, come on, she just wants to break you guys up

so she could get to you.

So, what do you think I should do?

Make Nikki a little side dish.

What, are you kidding?

I can't do that.

I don't even want to do that.

All right, but don't tell Donna.

She'll freak.

Well, what if Nikki tells Donna?

You know, the two of them have gotten pretty tight.

David, let me tell you three words of advice

that have always worked for me:

Deny, deny, deny.

All I can say is everybody better be hungry.

You have a ton of food.

Yeah, I guess I better learn to cook, too, huh?

What?

Brenda, I've never, ever barbecued anything in my life.

I ordered room service, remember?

Then what was the show you put on for my father?

Oh, I was just trying to be helpful, you know.

I can't cook.

Dylan, what are we gonna do?

This is gonna be a total disaster.

No, it won't. I mean, you'll help me,

won't you?

Dylan...

Won't you?

All right.

But the first thing we better do,

if you're gonna have a party, is clean up.

Okay, but, Bren, do we got to do that right now?

What is this?

Looks like an earring.

I know it's an earring, Dylan.

Whose is it?

Must be my mother's.

Remember, I told you she stopped by here

for a few days on her way to

a convergence retreat in Sedona.

Right.

Well, you better call her and tell her that you found it.

Well, I will.

I didn't see you in class yesterday.

What happened? Did you skip?

No.

Actually, I changed my schedule around.

I wanted to take art with Donna.

No offense, Kel, I've known you since kindergarten;

you couldn't draw a straight line if you had a ruler.

Well, maybe it's time I learned.

Maybe.

This is yours, I think.

Oh, thank you.

I was looking for that.

Yeah, well, don't thank me. Thank Brenda.

She's the one that found it.

You didn't tell her, did you?

No, I didn't tell her.

I said it was my mother's.

Guess I won't be wearing those earrings anymore.

Kelly...

I didn't like 'em anyway.

Look, for what it's worth,

if you hadn't changed your schedule, I would have.

That way, it'd be more comfortable for everybody.

Dylan, I am not doing anything

to make things more comfortable for everybody.

Just for me.

You and Brenda have each other.

And I don't begrudge you that,

but I don't have to sit around and watch it

with a perpetual lump in my throat.

So, are you coming to the barbecue tonight?

Sure.

I can't believe Dylan's being so sociable.

I'm telling you, he's a changed man.

Mmm.

Oh, my God, hide me. Huh?

Hi, Brenda. Hi, Donna.

Hi. Hi, Sue.

Where you going?

Wherever they're taking me.

(shrieks)

How do you know her?

That's Sue Scanlon.

Donna, I know who she is.

She's my freshman buddy.

She's also Scott's sister.

Scott Scanlon.

Wow, I can't believe I didn't make the connection.

Yeah.

Well, my mom says the family has really fallen apart

since Scott shot himself.

Mrs. Scanlon's always been kind of weird though.

Like mother, like daughter.

(school bell ringing)

Okay, that's it for today.

Andrea, could you stay for a minute, please?

How come you've been shooting me death rays for the last hour?

How come you haven't called on me in the last hour?

Because I knew you knew all the answers.

Listen, I was gonna wait until the newspaper meeting

to tell you this, but I, uh, might as well tell you now.

I'm resigning from The Blaze.

Why do you want to do that?

Because you ripped me off, that's why.

I'm the one who saved the paper

when nobody wanted to work on it.

I found new advertisers. I recruited staff.

I updated the computer system.

I sacrificed my nights and weekends.

And then you walk in, and in one fell swoop,

you take the whole thing away from me.

My God, Andrea.

I had no idea you felt this way.

Why didn't you just say something?

Because I wanted you to like me.

I do like you.

But not as much as you like Brandon.

You know why I put Brandon in charge.

He's the kind of guy who needs a push.

We talked about this.

Now, that doesn't mean I don't think you're terrific.

But don't you think it's time

you learned how to be a team player?

You're not always gonna be number one, you know.

And sometimes, overachievers like you

have to get past their own egos

and learn how to accept disappointment.

That is so bogus.

If I were a guy, you would be congratulating me on my ambition

instead of calling me an overachiever.

You're teaching the male

how to be a leader and the female how to be a team player.

If you're implying that I'm sexist,

you are dead wrong.

Oh, really?

Why is it we call a male assertive

and a female pushy?

Why is a guy tough and a girl a bitch?

What would Walt Whitman say about that...

Gil?

I love that art class.

Oh, me, too.

Mrs. Signorelli is great.

You know, I have that same top?

God, we do have a lot in common.

(both giggle)

Art, clothes...

And our incredible taste in guys.

Oh. David is cute, isn't he?

The best.

Listen, Donna, I am so glad you're okay with all this.

I have to admit I was real nervous

about David telling you.

What are you talking about?

He didn't tell you?

He promised me he'd tell you last night.

Well, he didn't.

But I have this feeling that somebody better.

Donna, please, believe me, nothing happened.

It's just, when you were in Paris this summer,

and I came here to Beverly Hills to visit my aunt,

I met David at the beach club.

So if nothing happened,

why'd you pretend like you hadn't met him before?

I didn't know if you knew, and I wasn't sure how you'd take it.

Well, would you mind telling me just how far things went?

Did you sleep with him, Nikki?

Donna, no!

Please, it was nothing like that.

We met, we listened to music.

And we just kissed. That's all.

Oh.

So I'm supposed to feel relieved

because all you did was kiss?

That's all we do.

Well, I want you to know something.

When it came down to really fooling around,

David told me about you and said that he couldn't.

If you never want to talk to me again,

I understand.

But don't blame David, please.

He's such a great guy.

Yeah.

A great guy who somehow forgot to tell his girlfriend

about the fling he had this summer.

Donna, don't get mad at him.

No.

I'm not gonna get mad.

I'm gonna get even.

Man.

Hey, what's going on?

They won't give me my books.

MILLER: Just a little healthy hazing.

Here, Hubert.

What's your problem, Sanders?

STEVE: Look, Miller.

You can pick on all the freshmen you want.

Just not my freshman, okay?

You know this nerd?

Yeah, I do.

Now beat it, kid.

Thank you, sir.

(all chuckle)

You really are a nerd, aren't you?

Don't call me "sir."

Fine.

As long as you don't call me Hubert.

(laughs)

Let's go, Herbert.

(both chuckle)

Don't you think it's about time we introduced ourselves?

Hi, I'm Nikki Witt.

Brandon Walsh.

Well, maybe we'll run into each other again sometime.

Maybe.

Sue.

Oh, don't mind me.

I'm just doing my daily "makeover" again.

Time to turn back

into little Susie Sunshine.

Hey, I know from experience

what it's like pretending to be somebody you're not.

Yeah, well, it beats hassling with my mother.

You think so?

You don't know my mother.

Yes, I do...

and I knew your brother, too.

Before or after he shot himself?

Actually, I didn't know Scott that well.

But I was at his birthday party that night,

and I was there

when David Silver buried a time capsule

in Scott's memory.

And I can be there for you, too, if you want.

Why?

Because you say you were Scott's friend

or because you feel sorry for me?

Because you're my freshman buddy...

and I hate to see you working so hard

just to earn a bad reputation.

Look, I don't care what you or anybody else thinks about me.

Well, obviously, you care

about what your mother thinks.

Otherwise, you wouldn't bother

cleaning up your act every afternoon.

She's going to learn the truth eventually, you know.

You don't know what it's like living in that house.

Look, if you want to talk to a counselor,

I could give you some people to call.

Thanks.

I just might take you up on that.

Anytime.

How's it going?

I'm not a happy camper.

It could take me three weeks

just to get the budget in order.

Not to mention assigning features,

selling ad space, paste-up.

I know.

It's a lot of responsibility.

What's the matter, Gil?

Are you feeling guilty about ruining my carefree youth?

Guilty, yes.

But not about you.

It's about Andrea.

She really laid into me.

It's my fault.

How could I put her in the tough spot

of having to choose between her own ambitions

and her affections for you?

Do you think I'm sexist?

What's that got to do with this?

Everything.

I can't believe I was so oblivious.

I've read all the studies, Brandon...

about how teachers don't call on teenage girls as much as guys

and that time and time again they'll ignore

even the most talented female student in favor of a boy.

I never thought I'd do it.

Listen...

I... I don't want to sound like a quitter 'cause I'm not...

but if you want to give the paper back to Andrea,

I'd understand.

I don't think that'd be fair to either of you.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

How do we get out of the doghouse?

I had a feeling I'd find you here.

You wanna proof our new masthead?

Brandon... No, Andrea,

just take a look at it, would ya?

This says Brandon Walsh and Andrea Zuckerman,

Co-editors-in-chief. Yup.

My first executive decision.

Look, I don't need your pity, okay, Brandon?

Andrea, it's not pity.

The Blaze is your paper. It's your passion.

Let me be your partner.

We make a good team, you and me.

You and I.

(clears throat)

So are we partners or what?

Sounds good to me, Chief.

Co-chief.

So when do we start?

We start on Monday.

Tonight,

we party.

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Take it somewhere crazy... ♪

(laughing)

There's a Zen thing with the, uh,

barbecue here, Steve.

You gotta become one with the burger.

Yeah, well, those burgers look like

they've become one with the grill.

Hey, man, this spatula can become one with your face.

Ooh. Ooh, come on.

I hate violence.

Dylan, hi.

Hey, Donna.

Nikki?

Brandon?

Do you two know each other?

Um, we've bumped into each other a few times.

Yeah.

♪ You know where it's going ♪

♪ I'm following your lead ♪

♪ Slow down for the taking ♪

♪ Be just how you... ♪

Kelly, where've you been?

Oh, uh...

David couldn't decide what to wear.

Uh, could you excuse me a second?

Sure.

We need to talk.

Sure.

Alone.

Right.

David, I can't take it anymore.

You've got to tell Donna about us right away.

Look, Nikki, there is no us.

But David, I want you.

I know, but you're gonna have to get over it.

Look, I love Donna,

and I know I should have told her, and I will.

But I've just gotta wait for the right moment.

You've gotta stop.

Busted!

Donna...

I think he passed the test.

Yeah, good thing.

(laughs)

Wait, what's going on here?

Boyfriends are so hard

to train these days, aren't they?

You mean you two were in on this together?

(sighs)

Okay, you got me.

So, does that mean you're not mad at me?

Mm-hmm.

Not anymore.

Look, I'm sorry. I love you.

You know that.

Yeah. I do.

Come here.

(all laughing)

Sick... both of you.

Donna.

I've only got one more question for you

and then we'll put this whole "Senior Buddy" business

out of its misery.

Yeah, what do you want to know?

Does Brandon Walsh have a girlfriend?

(clears throat)

(giggles)

What's the matter, Kel?

Nothing.

I'm fine. Come on.

I know you better than that.

I'm just going through a senior slump.

And it's only been half a week.

You know what I think?

What?

I think you're lonely. That's all.

Hey, don't worry.

It'll be a great year for both of us.

You'll see.

Yeah.

We'll find you a guy.

One as great as Dylan.

Thanks, Bren.