The Way We Get By (1) is the thirty-fifth episode of Season 10 of Degrassi. It aired on February 18, 2011.
Summary
After his boiler room cheat-fest with Bianca, girls consider Drew 'gross by association'. But there's one girl who doesn't seem to mind - Bianca. Riley's mom finds out about him and Zane and she's not happy about it. Alli's not having much luck winning over the girls at the Beechwood Private Preparatory School for Young Ladies.
Main Plot
Drew puts the Degrassi basketball team into the finals by scoring the winning shot. To celebrate their victory, K.C. and Dave and their girlfriends invite Drew to the movies with them. Drew feels like a fifth wheel and decides to stay back and work on his jump shot. The next day Drew tries his best to get a date for when they win the Semi-Finals, but no girl seems interested. Bianca walks over and teases him about getting rejected but Drew tells her to get lost. She said that's what he gets for bringing his A game to the B squad. Drew tells her that her number is in every stall in the guys bathroom. She tells him to call her and walks away.
Drew goes and talks to K.C. and asks how the movie was. He said it was fine and he didn't miss much. Dave soon runs in and said that he missed out. K.C. apologizes and said that he didn't want Drew to feel left out. Drew complains that he can't seem to find a girl if his life depended on it. K.C. and Dave pulled him over to the side and talk about why girls won't talk to him. K.C. told him that girls are mad at him, because of his reputation with Bianca. Dave tells him that since they hooked up, that it's gross by association. K.C. tells him that he needs to find a girl that doesn't care about his reputation. Dave playfully suggests that Bianca might be free.
Later, Drew is seen practicing the drums. Bianca comes into the room and starts dancing to the drums. He sees her and stops playing. The two get into an argument and Bianca tells him that she doesn't take any random guy to the boiler room. Drew finally realizes that she likes him. They make out and get together.
The next day, Drew and Bianca walk together and she asks if her number is really in all the stalls. Drew says no and she tells him that it is in all the girls. They both agree that their reputations suck. Bianca asks him how long he's been playing the drums, he told her a few years and says that he's not that good. She states that he cares a lot about what people think. She tells him that he sounded awesome. Bianca asks him to go to the drive in with her and he declines, saying he has an evening basketball game. He tries to get her to come, but she says she's not into it.
In the evening, Drew asks K.C. and Dave if it's too late to RSVP for Trivia night at Little Miss Steaks. K.C. exclaims that he picked up a ringer. Drew says that she's not a ringer, but really cool. He tells them that he's with Bianca. They stare at him shocked and tell him that their girlfriends hate her and bringing her out would be awkward. K.C. says that he doesn't need any distractions. Drew points out to him that Jenna's pregnancy is a distraction. After half time, Drew sees Bianca looking for him. K.C. tells Drew not to let her distract him. While they are playing, Drew gets distracted by Bianca. K.C. passes the ball and it hits him in the head. Coach Armstrong calls a time-out and tells Drew to focus. K.C. tells him again to not let her distract him and Dave tells him not to let her get in the way of finals. Drew scores the last point of the game and everyone gets together. Bianca congratulates them and asks where they're going. Drew asks if they're all going to Little Miss Steaks. Jenna looks at K.C. and asks rudely if Bianca is going. Drew and Bianca look at all their facial expressions. Drew says that he can tell that he's not wanted and departs with Bianca.
Sub Plot
Riley turns to talk to Zane during class. He asks him if he wants to do anything. Riley quickly assumes that Zane wants to watch the Hockey game on the big screen with him. Zane suggests that Riley goes to an art show with him. Riley tells Zane that it would be weird if he went, because he's not artsy, so he declines. Zane gets upset with Riley and says he thought they could do something he wanted to do. Zane left the classroom and Riley started walking with Anya. He tells Anya that he turned down the offer to go to the art show, because Riley thinks it will suck. She tells him that doing things that suck is what being a good boyfriend is about. Riley asks Anya what people wear to an art show and says that he's going to need a make-over. Anya goes over to Riley's house and helps him pick out an outfit for the art show. Riley cuts his hair and Anya finds an outfit to wear, saying that she's sure that Zane will love it.
Riley goes to the art show and sees Zane standing with Thomas. Zane sees Riley and walks over to him and is surprised to see him. Thomas walks over to them and he and Riley meet. Riley claims that he loves the local art community when Zane says that Thomas is a contributor. While they are viewing art, Riley tries to explain the art. When they get to one painting, Riley calls it a "terrible finger painting", not knowing that it was Thomas's artwork. Thomas storms off and Zane follows him.
When Riley gets home he lays down and his mom tells him that he has company. Assuming it was Anya, he was surprised to see Zane. He tells Zane that he shouldn't have gone and Zane reassures him that Thomas will get over it. Riley tells him that since art was his scene, he tried to pretend like he liked art. Zane tells him that since they just got over two of Riley's problems that they shouldn't create another one. He assures him that he doesn't have to pretend to like art and told him jokingly that he sucked at it. Riley asked him how Thomas took his criticism and Zane tells him that he had to talk him out of the bathroom for an hour. They both laughed and Zane said he was a drama queen, but he would get over it.
Riley tells Zane that he can't believe how lucky he is and kisses Zane. They began to make out and Riley's mom comes walks in on them saying "snacks for the study buddies." It startled both of them and she is shocked about what she saw. She put down the plate and left the room. Riley slammed the door shut and Zane apologized for that. Riley said he's not ready for the conversation. Zane tells him that it's coming whether he's ready or not and asks him if he wants him to stay. Riley tells him that he'll just deal. Zane gets ready to leave and he kisses Riley on the cheek and wishes him good luck. Zane leaves and Riley's left alone.
Third Plot
Alli makes a return, all ready for a day at her new school. Sav gives her the idea to become BFFs with a girl from her school that the Bhandaris think very highly of. She invites her over for a sleepover, and while there, Malika asks if she can sleepover again next week and sneak out to see her boyfriend, promising Alli that she'd always be back by sunrise. Reluctantly, she agrees to let her sneak out. When Alli gives Malika her purse, she finds a pack of cigarettes and is shocked at the discovery.
- Melinda Shankar who portrays Alli Bhandari returned in this episode.
- This marks Zane's first appearance as a regular.
- This episode is named after the song "The Way We Get By" by Spoon.
Regular Cast (Ordered Alphabetically)
- Raymond Ablack as Sav Bhandari
- Luke Bilyk as Drew Torres
- Sam Earle as K.C. Guthrie
- Jahmil French as Dave Turner
- Alicia Josipovic as Bianca DeSousa
- Argiris Karras as Riley Stavros
- Shannon Kook-Chun as Zane Park
- Cory Lee as Winnie Oh
- Samantha Munro as Anya MacPherson
- Melinda Shankar as Alli Bhandari
- Jessica Tyler as Jenna Middleton
Guest Starring
Supporting Cast
- Alexandria Benoit as Sadie Rowland
- Will Bowes as Thomas Faron
- Ashanti Bromfield as Cute grade 10 girl
- Gary Durrant as Basketball consultant
- Bren Eastcott as Malika Ahmadi
- Michael Kinney as Darryl Armstrong
- Tom Melissis as Dom Perino
- Mishu Vellani as Mrs. Bhandari
Absences
- Charlotte Arnold as Holly J. Sinclair
- Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson
- Munro Chambers as Eli Goldsworthy
- Annie Clark as Fiona Coyne
- Daniel Kelly as Owen Milligan
- Landon Liboiron as Declan Coyne
- Jajube Mandiela as Chantay Black
- Aislinn Paul as Clare Edwards
- AJ Saudin as Connor DeLaurier
- Jordan Todosey as Adam Torres
- Spencer Van Wyck as Wesley Betenkamp