Lucas and Ric’s plan to reconcile Belle and Matilda backfires. When Brad is stood down as Principal following his drug charges, he leaves Johnny rattled when he lays down his own threats.
Extended Summary
Brad is being questioned at the Police Station and denies selling the drugs. McGrath insists they will need to search his premises to prove his innocence. The police return to the school with an embarrassed Brad in tow. They check his office and it’s all clear. Sally and Brad are relieved it’s all finally over but McGrath insists they need to make the last check of his car. Brad opens up the car boot and is horrified when McGrath retrieves a bag of marijuana. Back at the Police Station, Brad vehemently denies being a drug dealer and is convinced Johnny has stitched him up.
McGrath tracks Johnny down and questions him about any involvement in framing Brad. Johnny denies it and lands Brad in even hotter water when he recounts Brad’s threat against him the other day at the Diner. Johnny spins a convincing story, leaving McGrath questioning Brad’s credibility. Back at the Station, things take a turn for the worst when McGrath advises Brad he’d better find a good lawyer. Morag is called on for help and she joins Brad in the Interview Room. Together they try to defend the fact Brad has been subjected to Johnny’s taunts for weeks and now Johnny is turning everything around to make Brad look guilty. McGrath is convinced that with Brad’s previous conviction when he was younger and the evidence found in his car – things aren’t looking good. Sally, Morag and Brad arrive home, still in disbelief that Johnny’s been allowed to get away with all of this. Brad goes for a walk to clear his head but comes face to face with Johnny. Johnny continues firing off his smart arse remarks and finally Brad snaps and grabs Johnny by the collar. With clenched fist, Brad decides Johnny’s not worth it. Brad returns home to update Sally and Morag, who are in disbelief that Brad has fallen right into Johnny’s trap again. Suddenly, McGrath appears at the door and drops the bombshell that Johnny has taken out an AVO against him and therefore the police have no choice but to charge Brad with drug possession. Everyone is shocked. Down at the Station, Brad is filling in the paperwork when Sally comes off the phone and delivers the final blow that the Education Dept have stood Brad down from his role as Principal. Things are just going from bad to worse.
Meanwhile, down at the Diner, Brad is talk of the town. Cassie moves off, leaving Ric, Lucas, Belle and Matilda to continue the conversation but suddenly there is an awkward silence between the girls – their noses still out of joint with one another. The girls make a quick excuse to move off, leaving the boys to concoct a plan to get their girlfriends to speak to each other. Ric and Lucas set to work planning a picnic. But Belle and Matilda’s initial excitement at the idea of a romantic picnic turns sour when they discover it involves one another. The guys attempt to keep things light and fun and make an excuse to leave the girls alone in the hope they will get chatting. At first Belle and Matilda sit in awkward silence but eventually decide to get the boys back and play a prank. The boys return and the girls stage a scrag fight. The boys quickly realise their plan has backfired. In no time, the girls break out into laughter and Ric and Lucas realise they’ve been had a beauty! Matilda and Belle are pleased with themselves and the boys are happy their girlfriends are now on speaking terms even if it didn’t quite happen how they’d planned.
Brad is at his lowest as he returns to the school to collect his belongings. He is stunned to find Johnny waiting for him – smug as hell. Brad stands his ground, congratulating Johnny because now Brad doesn’t have anything to lose so therefore Johnny had better watch his back! Johnny can’t help but be rattled by Brad’s threat – this battle is far from over!