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Chapter Text

Jane Vaughn put on her yellow polo shirt and khakis. She and Lakehurst had to wear that new uniform, since Degrassi students had burned down their school. Today was Lakehurst’s first day at Degrassi, and Jane had been dreading it for two reasons: her brother Lucas and Mia Jones.

Jane had known Mia for the past two years, thanks to Lucas. He’d sexually assaulted Mia, resulting in the birth of Jane’s niece. Lucas wasn’t only a rapist, but also a murderer. Jane had vivid memories of the night he murdered JT Yorke…

 
Lucas had barged into the house while Jane and their mother were watching television. She and her mother had seen his clothes stained crimson. Jane’s heart pounded when she saw the same crimson fluid on the knife Lucas let slip from his fingers.

Blood.

She wondered if he’d done something stupid again. Glancing at his blood-stained clothes, he confirmed her suspicion. “...I did something bad.”

Their mother had eased towards him. “Did something bad? Be specific, Lucas.”

“I-I stabbed a guy.”

Their mother had gasped as Jane confronted him. Violence was always the subject with him. “Is he dead?”

“He was bleeding out.”

“Is he dead, Lucas?!”

“He was badly hurt, so maybe.”

Jane had snatched her phone to call the cops. Lucas should’ve stayed in his cell. Dangerous people shouldn’t roam freely.

Jane had overheard her mother question Lucas. “Lucas, what were you thinking?!”

“He had sex with Mia, and I got triggered. I warned him to stay away from her. But they talked at a party tonight...”

Jane’s eyes rolled, wondering why he felt triggered. Mia wasn’t his girlfriend. She was his victim.

When the operator answered, Lucas interrupted Jane before she could disclose her emergency. “Jane...who are you calling?” 

Jane had faced him, seeing that he looked furious because he knew who she was speaking to. She’d made a beeline for the stairs as Lucas lunged at her.

“Jane! Hang up the phone!”

Jane had never ran so fast. His monstrous behavior made it a life-or-death situation. She got to her room, and Lucas slammed into the door. She locked it as he pounded on it.

“Jane! Open the door!”

Jane had backed away, flinching each time he banged on it. “Lucas, fuck off!”

“Open the door!”

She’d heard the operator speak through her phone. “Is everything okay over there?!”

“No! My brother stabbed someone, and he’s trying to stab me too!”

“I’m not! Open the door!” Lucas exclaimed.

Jane spoke to the operator; the police were on their way after she gave her address. As she hung up, Lucas demanded to come in, his demeanor calming. He sounded defeated.

“Jane...I’m not angry, okay? Please open the door.” Jane had heard a soft thud, like someone pressing their forehead on the door. “Please. I just want to talk.”

Jane had walked to the door, but she didn’t open it. She wanted him to know his reign of terror was ending. “The cops are coming to take you back to your cell. You’re done destroying people’s lives.”

Upon hearing him break down, she broke down too. Why was she related to a devil? Worst. Luck. Ever.

After that moment of reflection, Jane wiped her stray tears. Recalling that night always brought tears to her eyes. For JT, Mia, and all of Degrassi. Not for Lucas. He was a demon, and she felt no remorse for snitching on him.

Thankfully, she had the sense to change her name after he got arrested the first time. She’d face dire consequences if her peers became aware of her connection to him. Imogen Moreno, her best friend since grade nine, was the only person who knew her secret.

Her mother entered the room. “Jane? You need to get going.”

“Yeah, to Lucas’ school. Yay.” She spoke with sarcasm, but her mother didn’t catch it.

“You miss him, don’t you?”

“I miss when my life was normal. Lucas ruined it, and he’s still ruining it by forcing me to live a lie.”

Her mother rubbed her back. “No one will know your true identity. Yes, your classmates thought it was strange how you changed your name from Anastasia Valieri to Jane Vaughn, but they suspect nothing.”

“I hope it stays that way.” Jane feared how the students would react to the truth. Both Degrassi and Lakehurst would despise her. Degrassi would despise her because of JT’s death, and Lakehurst would despise her because his death caused their school to burn down.

Jane sighed and grabbed her bag. She walked out, ready to begin her dreadful day.

 - 

Jane stood outside Degrassi with Imogen. The only people she recognized were the Lakehursters, who looked unhappy as they walked inside. Jane felt guilty. They had to coexist with their enemies because of her brother.

“I don’t think I can do this, Imogen.”

“Of course you can. I’m here.”

“You don’t understand. How can I go inside after what my brother did? How am I supposed to act oblivious? JT’s blood was on him, and I saw it!”

“You didn’t stab him.”

“You think these students will care? If they find out I’m—”

Imogen silenced her. “If you stop talking about it, they won’t.”

Jane was talking too much, so she kept her mouth shut. Her heart sank when she saw Mia Jones saying goodbye to her mother and daughter. For a moment, their gazes locked, making Jane tense. Mia didn’t know her identity, right...? She didn’t look angry, so maybe not.

“How can I face Mia and pretend we’re strangers? Her daughter is my niece!” Jane exclaimed, pointing to Isabella. How old was she now? Fifteen months?

Imogen glanced at the Jones family. “You’re asking questions I don’t know the answers to. Just act normal.”

That was easier said than done. “I need to talk to the principal about He Who Shall Not Be Named. Come on.”

She and Imogen walked inside. They moved through the foyer. The space was cramped, making it hard to squeeze by.

They left the foyer and entered a hallway with more space. Imogen sounded agitated. “Jesus. Do we have to deal with that every day?”

“I already hate it here,” Jane grumbled as they approached the principal’s office. She told Imogen to wait outside. She then saw a blonde-haired woman going through folders at her desk. She raised a curious brow at Jane.

“Hi. My name is Jane Vaughn.”

Her principal recognized her. “Oh, yes! Please take a seat.”

Jane sat across from her. Her gaze was on the nameplate—Ms. Hatzilakos.

“We have a mandatory assembly, so I can’t speak for long. I just wanted you to know that your principal, Shep, informed me about your situation.”

“About Lucas,” Jane elaborated. 

“Yes. Lucas.” Ms. Hatzilakos clasped her hands on the desk. “I’ll do everything in my power to protect your identity. I’ve seen how my students react when they feel endangered.”

“Endangered?” Jane repeated with furrowed brows. “I’m not my brother. I’m not a killer.”

“Still. Lucas’ sister attending this school won’t please them. So I’ll keep you safe, alright?”

Jane was unsure whether she believed that promise. “Sure. Whatever.”

“Alright. Here’s your schedule.”

“Thanks.” Jane glanced down at her schedule before leaving the office. She had History with Mr. Perino. Whoever that was.

She saw Imogen waiting outside. “How’d it go?”

“Fine.”

“Not for me. These Degrassi kids keep looking at me funny.”

Jane saw students in blue polo shirts whispering about them. Were they talking about her relation to Lucas? No, they couldn’t know yet.

Lucas’ haunting words came back to her. I did something bad. If the school found out about Jane, she might also have to do something bad.

 
After gathering her things, Darcy descended the stairs. Her parents and Clare were getting ready as she headed to the coat rack. She put it on while saying, “I have to meet Spinner at The Dot before school.”

“Again?” Her father looked at her. “You went to The Dot with him every day during winter break.”

Her mother chimed in. “You spent more time with him than with us, Darcy.”

“Is that a problem?” Darcy didn’t get what the big deal was. She lived with them, and could see them whenever she wanted. Shouldn’t she be spending the rest of her time with her friends?

Her mother shook her head. “No, but what’s going on? Do you like that boy?”

“Oh, does she.” Clare focused on Darcy. Darcy’s eyes narrowed when a smirk spread across Clare’s lips. What more was she going to say? Because Clare knew about her crush on Spinner; she’d overheard Darcy raving about him to Chantay. There was a lot to rave about, like his good looks, his sense of humor, and his incredible cooking.

Her thoughts ended with her mother’s call. “Darcy?”

“Huh?”

“You spaced out.”

“She was daydreaming about Spinner,” Clare answered, her smirk never fading.

“Don’t act like you don’t have a crush. Eli ring a bell?”

Clare’s face darkened. “Eli and I haven’t spoken in three months, and it’s staying that way. He’s despicable.”

“When he said Rick deserved what happened to him, he didn’t lie.” Darcy was aware Clare had distanced herself from Eli because of that statement.

When Darcy didn’t retract what she said, Clare became upset. “Seriously?”

“Yes. He abused a girl, and murdered students. Why are you on his side?”

“Because the bullying caused everything? I don’t support violence.”

Clare wasn’t making sense. She despised violence, but she was on Rick’s side, although he was violent?

Clare dragged Spinner into the conversation. “And you know what? I think that’s why you like Spinner. Because he’s violent.”

“He’s not violent. And I like him for his personality.”

“What personality? An unintelligent clown?”

Darcy’s fury emerged. She approached Clare, but their mother placed her hand on Darcy’s chest. “That’s enough, you two!”

It was enough. Darcy couldn’t believe Clare was dissing Spinner. At Liberty’s party, she wanted them to be together. Now she disliked him?

“Rick’s name is off-limits in this house. Do you understand?” Their mother waited for them to agree to her rules. They did, before their father stepped forward.

“Well, listen. I don’t care who likes who. You’re both allowed to date, but—”

“No sinning. Yeah, we know.”

Darcy’s phone buzzed. She’d received a text from Spinner asking for her location. She smiled and told him she’d be right there.

“I have to go!” 

-

Darcy and Spinner arrived at Degrassi. Spinner felt the irritation radiating off her. “Are you gonna tell me why you’re in a foul mood? It’s kinda killing the vibe.”

“My sister kills the vibe. She’s one of the rare Rick sympathizers at this school, and it’s aggravating. She also said you’re violent. Can you believe that?”

“I thought Clare didn’t have a problem with me?”

“That’s what I thought! But you know how things are here. People’s allegiances change like the days of the week.”

“I guess I know who to steer clear of. Paige, Craig, and Clare.”

Spinner spoke too soon because Paige stood at the top of the stairs, surrounded by other cheerleaders.

“Look who’s back, ladies. Sparcy: the most basic couple at Degrassi.”

“We’re not a couple,” Spinner told her.

“That’s shocking, since you jump at the chance to date my friends.”

The cheerleaders snickered. Darcy rolled her eyes, finding Paige as annoying and bitter as she remembered. “Hate harder, Paige.”

“Hun, please. Been there, done that. Not worth going back.”

The cheerleaders laughed as Spinner and Darcy’s faces lacked amusement. Paige and those traitorous cheerleaders needed to be silenced. Darcy knew how to do it: by showing them she and Spinner were thriving.

Darcy took hold of Spinner’s hand. He yanked his hand away. When he saw the sadness in Darcy’s eyes, he appeared regretful. Darcy knew he wasn’t intentionally being cruel; he was surprised, but it still hurt. His startled reaction also gave Paige the upper hand.

“Ouch! That’s one hell of a rejection!”

Yes it was, so Darcy vanished at the speed of light. Tears gathered in her eyes as she hurried through the foyer with her head bowed. She wanted to cry, but Spinner’s footsteps stopped her. “Darcy, wait!”

She blinked away her tears before turning. “What, Spinner?”

“You held my hand. That’s what.”

“I’ve held your hand before.”

“Yeah, to comfort me. Not to show off in front of Paige.”

“You think I was showing off?”

“Uh, yeah? Why else would you hold my hand?”

Because she liked him. How could he not see the signs? Maybe Clare was right; he was unintelligent. Darcy wasn’t going to waste her breath because he wouldn’t get it. “You’re right. I was showing off.”

“Can you not do that? Paige has a big mouth, and-”

“I understand, Spinner. It’ll never happen again.” She smiled, but she was furious on the inside because why was he so concerned about Paige’s opinion? So what if she told everyone what she saw? Was Spinner ashamed of her?

“Thanks. I should get going, but we’ll talk later?” He embraced her. Darcy’s hands remained at her sides, and Spinner didn’t notice. Or maybe he didn’t care.

He hurried away. She hid her face because there was always something going wrong. She didn’t understand why her friends loved switching up on her. Was it her life’s purpose to be replaceable?

“What’s wrong with you?” That was her friend Linus’ voice. They’d bonded over their Christianity.

Darcy embraced him, unlike with Spinner, since she knew he’d never switch up on her. “Oh, Linus! My day is going horribly!”

Students from Lakehurst bumped into Linus because of the crowded space. He grimaced. “Mine too. These Lakehurst students have no manners.”

“Well, I don’t think Spinner likes me!”

“Thank heavens.”

“Thank heavens? This is a tragedy!”

“Darcy, come on. He’s not a good guy. His best friend got shot because of him.”

“Most of his friends forgave him for that. Jimmy too. Who are we to hold a grudge?”

“What about his sex life?”

Darcy’s body stiffened. “His what?”

“His sex life,” Linus stated. “I’ve heard rumors that he had sex with Paige and Manny.”

She refused to believe Spinner had sex with them. He wasn’t that foolish. “That’s all they are. Rumors.”

“Rumors?!” Chantay Black exclaimed as she hurried up to them. She was Holly J’s replacement, since Darcy now hated her. They first connected at cheerleading practice. Chantay was Clare’s replacement. They’d been best friends ever since. “If there’s tea, you must spill it.”

Darcy knew Chantay wanted to put it on her gossip blog. Regardless, Darcy filled her in. “Linus said Spinner isn’t a virgin.”

“You think he is?” Chantay laughed. “The boy went between you, Paige, and Manny in a matter of weeks. And they aren’t exactly the most innocent girls. I’m sure they gave it up.” She shrugged. “But what do I know? Just ask Spinner for the truth.”

Linus said, “He’ll lie. Because that’s what he does, Darcy. He indirectly lied to Rick-”

“He won’t lie to me,” Darcy interjected. “He doesn’t lie anymore altogether. He knows I hate that.”

Chantay wished her the best. “Well, good luck.”

She and Linus walked off with joined arms. Chantay asked, “Are you ready for my weekly blog update, Linus?!”

Darcy nibbled her bottom lip. She tried to avoid assuming the worst since she liked Spinner, but she couldn’t shake the feeling she was crushing on a sinner. She wouldn’t know the truth unless she questioned Spinner, so that was what she planned to do.

 
Maya Matlin loved her friends. Did she ever feel overwhelmed by Nic’s crush on her? Yes.

Did it get annoying when Becky Baker talked about God? Sure.

And because of Becky’s brother Luke’s self-centered personality, did Maya want to damage every camera he came into contact with so that he couldn’t take selfies anymore? Definitely.

But despite that, she wouldn’t trade them, Katie, Marisol, Fitz, Jake, and Anya for the world. However, she’d trade Degrassi for anything.

Maya kept her eyes fixed on the school she loathed. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

She couldn’t believe Lakehurst was a distant memory.

After a beloved Degrassi student got murdered, some students retaliated by setting fire to Lakehurst. Mia Jones was to blame because she attended Lakehurst before transferring to Degrassi. The Degrassi arsonists believed if she hadn’t transferred, JT wouldn’t have gotten stabbed. They targeted Lakehurst because of the bullies who taunted Mia for being a teen mom, which had caused her to change schools.

Lakehurst caught on fire while Maya and the other students were in class. They mistook it for another drill until smoke filled their lungs. Maya remembered fleeing the building while firefighters fought the fire. She recalled waiting outside for hours, desperate to learn the fate of their school. She tried to believe the damage could be repaired, but when their principal, The Shep, made an announcement with a dejected tone, Maya knew her worst fear had come true.

Lakehurst was gone.

Nic wrapped his arm around her. Normally she’d remove it, but she needed the consoling. “You good, Maya?”

“No. I miss Lakehurst.”

“Well, I’m having a good time. Yellow is my color!” Luke took a selfie, showing off his uniform: a yellow polo shirt and khakis. Maya couldn’t believe he’d taken off his coat in such cold weather.

Anya poked fun at his sister, who they referred to as Little Miss Sunshine. “I know Becky’s happy. She loves yellow. Right, Becky?”

Becky was distracted. With her Bible, not her camera.

“Becky?”

“Huh?” Becky glanced up. Her nervous chuckle conveyed her cluelessness. “Uh...yeah! Go Degrassi!”

Marisol muttered to Katie. “Sometimes I wonder why we befriended the Bakers.”

Katie chuckled. As she focused on something ahead, her eyes narrowed. “Do you guys see that?”

They noticed students taking their coats off as they entered the school. They were wearing blue shirts instead of yellow. Maya knew they were Degrassi students because she’d never seen them before, but why were they wearing different colored uniforms? Wasn’t it supposed to be a single school?

“How come we’re wearing yellow and they’re wearing blue?”

“Different grades?” Jake Martin guessed.

“I wouldn’t be wearing the same color as you then. You’re a Senior. I’m a Junior.”

Jake hummed as he pondered. “Maybe we’re wearing different colors to distinguish who’s from Lakehurst.”

“Shouldn’t there be unity? Why bring us here if they won’t treat us equally?”

Katie rotated her body. “What are you saying, Maya?”

“I’m talking to the principal.” With angry energy, she stomped up the steps. Katie tried to stop her.

“Maya, don’t!”

Nic flirted with her. “Maya do.” Maya spun around, and he continued to flirt. “You’re hot when you’re worked up.”

“I’m glad you think so, because you’re helping me confront the principal.” Maya dragged him into the school while their friends ran after them. Katie tried to persuade her to be civilized, but why should she be polite when Degrassi wasn’t? They weren’t being welcoming.

Maya dashed to the principal’s office. She stormed in without warning, startling the blonde-haired woman at the desk. The woman gave their slightly visible shirts a glance. “I’m assuming you’re from Lakehurst.”

Maya got to the point. “Yes we are. Why are we wearing yellow?”

The woman furrowed her brows. “I thought you’d want your own identity?”

“You were mistaken. Why did you let us to transfer here if you had no intention of unifying us? We could’ve gone anywhere else, and would’ve been better off.”

Her principal rose and talked carefully.  “Can you tell me your name?”

“Maya Matlin.”

“Well, Maya Matlin, the school will be unified. A different color shirt won’t change that.”

“We shouldn’t be wearing different colors! What don’t you understand?!”

Her principal’s jaw dropped. She was polite before, but not anymore. “Lower your voice, young lady. You may not be happy to be here, but I’m still your principal.”

“A horrible one from the looks of it,” Nic said, causing Maya to smirk. She knew she could rely on him.

“Excuse me?”

Nic kept battling for Maya. “It’s true. What principal divides the students?”

Marisol spoke. “And what principle lets us attend her school after her students destroyed ours?”

“Exactly!” Maya exclaimed. She looked at the principal, sensing they wouldn’t get along. “You’re asking for trouble, Ms.-” She glanced at the nameplate on the desk. “-Ms. Hatzilakos!”

“Ms. Hotzilakos,” Fitz joked to Luke.

Luke joked back. “Ms. Hot Sauce.”

They snickered. Ms. Hatzilakos threatened them because she disliked being teamed up against. “Do I need to hand out detentions?”

Katie spoke. “No. Maya, let’s go!”

Katie dragged her out the office. She yanked her arm out of Katie’s grasp, scowling and rubbing it. “Are you crazy, Maya? Do you want mom to get involved?”

Marisol shrugged. “I think it was ballsy.”

Katie hissed at her. “Don’t cosign her.”

Maya rolled her eyes. “I don’t care what mom says. This school is the reason ours is gone, and we’re supposed to let bygones be bygones? Not happening!”

“You’re right. We should fire back,” Fitz suggested.

“Fitz,” Katie growled.

It was too late, though. Maya had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “No, he’s right. We should make sure they never forget what they took from us.”

“I like where this is going,” Nic said.

Becky’s voice reflected her nervousness. “I don’t. What are you saying, Maya?”

Maya shifted her attention between them, noting the concern and eagerness. She said five words with a malicious smirk. “Does anyone have a lighter?” 

Chapter Text

Maya still had a wicked smirk on her face, which made Katie uneasy. Maya planned to burn down Degrassi to avenge Lakehurst, leaving Katie puzzled. Maya couldn’t possibly hate Degrassi so much that she’d risk getting arrested.

Since Nic was crushing on Maya, it wasn’t shocking when he pulled out a lighter. Katie was going to grab it, but Jake was two steps ahead of her. “Yeah, no.”

Katie was thankful for the save. “Thank you, Jake. At least someone has sense.”

Maya stared at Katie with a sour expression. “I don’t have sense?”

“Not if you wanna commit arson. We’re not doing that.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re better than those Degrassi students.”

Jake sided with her. “Katie’s right. We’ll no longer be the victims if we burn down this school. It’s not worth it, Maya.”

“Yeah. I don’t feel comfortable being a sinner,” Becky agreed, and Katie appreciated the support. If more of them opposed the plan, it was less likely to happen.

Maya looked at them in disappointment. “You three are being way too chill. Do you not care about Lakehurst?”

“Of course, but we also care about our futures,” Anya responded, confirming whose side she was on. Maya felt betrayed. She expected them to ruin their lives, but that wouldn’t happen.

Marisol leaned against the wall and said, “It sounds like you guys are Degrassi apologists.”

Did Marisol want to get arrested, too? However, Katie entertained their crazy plan. “What happens after we burn down Degrassi? Our fellow Lakehursters have nowhere else to go.”

Marisol said, “Bardell,” as she pushed herself off the wall. “And there are other schools. Anywhere is better than here.”

“Bardell doesn’t sound too bad.” Maya called out, “Ms. Hatzilakos!” She wanted to change schools, and Katie grabbed her because she had enough of her misbehavior.

“Maya, stop it! You’re acting insane!”

“I’m not insane!” Maya argued as she fought her off. “I want justice for our school. Is that so wrong?”

“I don’t care about this school either, but we can’t fight fire with fire. But if you guys want justice, we can get it.”

Maya’s face lit up. “Really?”

Becky looked terrified. “Yeah...really?”

“Yes. In a way that keeps us from getting arrested.”

“Looks like I have planning to do,” Maya chirped before running off. Nic followed her after grabbing his lighter from Jake.

The group fell silent, unsure of what to say next. Luke broke the silence. “Damn, this lighting is beautiful.” He took selfies while everyone watched. He turned to see their irritated looks. He put down his phone and spoke awkwardly. “Oh...were we having a conversation?”

They looked at him, baffled, because he couldn’t be serious. Becky snatched his phone and followed Anya, Jake, and Fitz as they walked away. Luke pursued his sister, and only Marisol and Katie remained.

Marisol focused on Luke in the distance. “I don’t know why we befriended him.”

“I don’t know why you were encouraging Maya,” Katie matched.

Marisol returned her attention to her. “Are we gonna argue about it?”

“Yes! Maya’s turning destructive, and I don’t like it.”

“She’s right to be upset, Katie.”

“Yes, but she can’t become an arsonist.”

Marisol began to respond, but Ms. Hatzilakos left her office. She was surprised by their presence. “You ladies are still out here?”

“Yeah...”

“I’m glad.” Ms. Hatzilakos stood in front of Katie. “You’re Katie Matlin, right?” Katie nodded. “I was reviewing your file. You were the editor of the Lakehurst school newspaper?”

Katie beamed with pride. “I was.”

“I have the perfect opportunity for you. It’s a new year, and I believe Degrassi needs its own newspaper. Some students have already thought of a name: The Degrassi Grapevine. Since you have experience, would you like to be the editor?” Ms. Hatzilakos proposed.

“Of course!”

Marisol looked dissatisfied, but Ms. Hatzilakos looked overjoyed. “Great! All you need are writers.”

“I’ll get to it right away.”

“I know you will,” Ms. Hatzilakos said with a grin. Her faith gave Katie confidence to run the paper. It also made her feel valuable because Ms. Hatzilakos could’ve asked one of her Degrassi students, but she chose not to. It proved her importance.

Katie jumped up and down, squealing with glee. “The Degrassi Grapevine’s editor? This is amazing!” Marisol wasn’t excited. Her deadpan expression dampened Katie’s mood. “Can you pretend to be happy for me?”

“Katie, don’t you see the problem with this? You’re good at that newspaper stuff, so you’ll be contributing to Degrassi’s success. That doesn’t make me happy. Maya won’t be either.”

“I should quit?”

“I think that’d be wise, unless you wanna hear Maya’s mouth.”

Katie certainly didn’t. She’d label Katie a traitor. But Katie didn’t want to miss the opportunity to prove herself. She be sad if Ms. Hatzilakos gave the job to someone else, so she wasn’t quitting.

She came up with an excuse. “Marisol. Don’t you think it’d be better if I’m in charge?”

“No?”

“It would. I control what gets published. Catch my drift?”

Marisol gasped after she understood. “Wait...didn’t she say you need writers? You can have Lakehurst write about how awful this school is!” She paced in realization. “With you in charge, we might not have to resort to arson. This school can be ours.”

“Right.” Katie nervously chuckled. If she criticized Degrassi, Ms. Hatzilakos wouldn’t let her edit the paper. That woman was putting her trust in her, so no matter how badly Katie wanted to support her friends, she had to paint the school in a positive light.

Marisol appeared happier than she had in months. “This made the day better. We have to tell Maya!”

And Katie had to find a way to avoid criticizing Degrassi in the paper.  

“Jimmy’s outside!” Hazel exclaimed as she rushed up to Alisha. When Alisha heard those words, every muscle in her body tensed.

“What’d you say?”

“I said Jimmy’s outside.” Hazel noted the blank stare Alisha had. She jogged her memory. “He’s your boyfriend who left for three months, remember?”

Alisha had forgotten about Jimmy, thanks to the lack of communication between them. Despite promising to FaceTime daily, they hadn’t spoken in two months. Jimmy just stopped calling one day. Alisha would’ve called him, but he always initiated it because she didn’t know his schedule. He’d call her whenever he had time, so when he suddenly stopped, she assumed he didn’t want to talk.

Alisha stopped thinking about Jimmy since he wasn’t thinking about her. She was sure he had a new girlfriend, but she was unfazed because her feelings for him had faded.

Hazel snapped in her face. “Hello?”

Alisha cleared her throat. “Yeah, Hazel. I remember.”

“So why do you sound unenthusiastic? I’d be ecstatic if my boyfriend returned after being gone for months.”

“Jimmy and I haven’t talked in ages. How do you know he wants to see me?” Alisha asked. “He might’ve found a new girlfriend.”

“Did he break up with you?”

“No.”

“Then he doesn’t have a girl. That’d be cheating.”

“Then explain why he broke his end of the deal? He ghosted me.”

Hazel tried to think of an excuse for Jimmy, but couldn’t. “I can’t explain that because I’m not him. That’s why you should welcome him back to see where you two stand.”

Alisha sighed, knowing she had to confront him. She moved towards the school entrance with Hazel because she needed answers. Paige, Craig, Ellie, and Marco were already there. Alisha didn’t know where Spinner was.

Paige squealed. “I can’t believe Jimmy’s coming back! I know you’re happy, Alisha.”

“Totally,” Alisha replied dryly as Paige’s focused on the doors. She gasped, then screamed into her hands.

Alisha saw her boyfriend entering the school. She gaped as she concentrated on his crutches. Her friends also gaped, stunned to see Jimmy standing.

“Are y’all just gonna stand there?” Jimmy joked.

Paige was the first to approach him. Jimmy held her with one arm while she wrapped both of hers around him. “I missed you, Jimmy!”

“I missed you too, Paige.”

Hazel was the next to approach him, her voice calm and caring. “Hey, Jimmy. It’s great to see you walking again.”

“Yeah, everything worked out fine.” Jimmy smiled at Alisha, who looked at her shoes. He didn’t greet her because their matching outfits preoccupied him. “Why are we wearing uniforms now?” he asked as kids squeezed by. There was no room to breathe. “And why are these halls so crowded?”

Marco said, “We have uniforms because of Rick. Ms. Hatzilakos found out he got teased because of his clothes, so she’s making sure it can’t happen again. She doesn’t want another shooting.”

Jimmy was on board with that. “Neither do I. I’d hate for someone end up like me. And my second question...?”

They told him what happened to Lakehurst after he left; a group of Degrassi students burned it down in retaliation. Jimmy’s eyes widened. “Transferring them here is a good idea?”

Hazel shrugged. “We don’t have a choice.”

Jimmy shook his head as Craig greeted him. “Anyway, I’m glad to have my best friend back.”

Marco agreed. “Same here. It was kinda boring without you.”

“Damn. Just kinda?” Jimmy responded in a lighthearted manner.

They chuckled before Craig and Marco embraced Jimmy. Jimmy focused on his girl, and Alisha focused on him as well, despite her strong desire to look away. Seeing him made her experience every emotion imaginable, but mostly anger, because he’d abandoned her after everything she’d done for him. She got him out of his abusive relationship with Ashley, and she told him about stem cell surgery, which allowed him to walk again. Being ghosted for two months was her reward?

Jimmy walked over to her, oblivious to her anger. “Alisha, it’s great to see you again. I missed you.”

“Really?” She laughed bitterly. “Don’t you think that’s ironic?”

“Alisha...” Hazel murmured, not wanting things to get heated. Jimmy understood her frustration, though.

“It’s alright, Hazel.” He returned his attention to Alisha. “You’re upset because I didn’t call you, huh?” He sighed and hung his head. “Listen, that’s my fault. I was busy and exhausted, but you were on my mind every day.”

Alisha couldn’t say the same. “So, you don’t have a girlfriend?”

“What?” He laughed at that question. “No! You thought I moved on?”

“Is it that far-fetched?”

Her doubts made Jimmy tuck his crutches under his armpits so he could hold her hands. “You’re the only girl I’ll ever want, okay? I’m sorry for disappearing on you, but when I didn’t hear from you either, I was shocked. I was expecting you to call or send hundreds of concerned texts.”

“I didn’t know when you were free. And I didn’t text you because I thought you didn’t wanna talk anymore.”

“Well, none of that matters. We’ll get our relationship back on track. Do you wanna go on a date this weekend?”

“Say yes!” Paige insisted, but Alisha wanted to say no. How could she, though? She didn’t want to embarrass Jimmy, and she didn’t want to be the toxic one. So, she supposed they could go on a date. Maybe it’d rekindle her feelings for him.

“Sure, we can go.”

Their friends cheered as if he’d gotten down on one knee and proposed. Jimmy pressed his lips to hers, and she brought him closer to deepen the kiss. She wanted to feel something, anything, but it didn’t happen.

There was no point in kissing him if she wasn’t enjoying it, so she backed away. It caused worry to cross his face. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me I forgot how to kiss too.”

“It’s not you. It’s me.”

He waited for her to elaborate, but they heard Ellie clear her throat. Jimmy smirked because he knew what she wanted.

“Don’t think I forgot about you, Ellie.”

Their eyes twinkled before Ellie rushed to him. “I’m so glad you’re back!”

Jimmy wrapped one arm around her. “I missed you like crazy.”

The group watched as they held each other. They seemed unwilling to release their grip, prompting Alisha to speak up. “You two are closer than ever.”

They let go of one another as Ellie bragged. “Oh, are we. He said I’m his bestest friend.”

“Oh? When?”

“While he was away! We—” Once Ellie saw Jimmy giving her a stern look, she went quiet.

Paige wanted her to keep going. “Keep going, hun. That sounded juicy.”

“Yeah it did.” Alisha pressed her boyfriend for an answer. “What did you two do, Jimmy?”

Ellie gave him an apologetic look as he huffed. He then revealed their secret. “Ellie and I...we kept in touch while I was away.”

Alisha’s eyes burned with rage. He had time to chat with Ellie, but not her? “You talked to her, but not me?”

“Alisha, it was long after we lost contact. About a month later.”

“It doesn’t matter. You claimed to be tired and busy, but that was a lie.”

“I was tired and busy, but Ellie knew when to call.”

Craig didn’t like his girlfriend keeping secrets from him. “Ellie, why didn’t you tell me?”

Ellie’s eyes alternated between them. “It’s not a big deal, guys. I was just impatient.”

“Whatever.” Alisha began walking off as Jimmy called after her. She shouted, “We have an assembly to go to, Jimmy!” But she addressed one last question that had to be bothering him. “The date is still happening, just so you know.”

Because she needed to know whether it was worthwhile to stay with him. She needed to see whether their date could reignite their spark. If not, she had to let him go.

 
Degrassi gathered for a mandatory assembly. Manny suspected it was related to the new transfers.

Manny was certain the newcomers would make their lives miserable. They already were; earlier, Lakehurst girls bumped into Manny to intimidate her. Manny would’ve fought them, but she didn’t want to begin the semester with a suspension. But if they tried her again, anything goes.

Manny scanned the auditorium, seeing every seat occupied. Students without seats sat in the aisles, stood in the back, and even sat on each other’s laps.

Emma sat across the auditorium with her boyfriend, Milton. Manny understood her reason for keeping her distance. They were enemies, thanks to Emma’s disapproval of Manny’s friendship with Jay. Manny remembered when Emma and Darcy had jumped her, so it was best to stay away.

Manny shifted her gaze to Liberty and Toby, who sat beside her. “On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you about the merge?”

“Zero,” Toby and Liberty muttered.

Toby went on to say, “Why did Ms. Hatzilakos allow them to come here? She has to know this’ll be a disaster.”

“Mia’s to blame,” Liberty complained. She hated Mia for several reasons. 1) JT had slept with her. 2) JT got murdered because of her. And 3) Lakehurst had burned down because of her.

Ms. Hatzilakos approached the microphone. “Settle down so we can begin.” All eyes turned to her. “I understand the merge has caused frustration. There’s animosity between our two schools, but you all have no choice but to be here together.”

“Degrassi, I’m counting on you to make our new arrivals feel at home. Our school has a history of being a nurturing and welcoming place.”

“Nurturing? Welcoming?” A blonde girl with glasses stood. Manny could tell she was a Lakehurster because of her yellow shirt. “We’re already being treated unfairly. Look at our uniforms; they’re not the same color. So, Ms. Hatzilakos, we won’t feel ‘welcome’ until we all wear blue.”

Her school supported her. “Yeah! Stop alienating us!”

Liberty shook her head and muttered, “Lakehursters are so entitled.”

Manny scanned around. Lakehurst was behaving like wild animals. Ms. Hatzilakos took control. “Settle down!” Lakehurst ignored her, so she raised her voice. “Now!”

That made them sit.

“I’m not trying to alienate anyone. I wanted to make it easier to differentiate between the new and returning students. I also wanted you newcomers to have your own identity.”

The blonde stood again. “We don’t need our own identity. We’re supposed to be a single school. So, I’m sorry, but I’m not listening to your nonsense.”

She made a beeline for the exit. Ms. Hatzilakos tried to stop her. “Maya Matlin!”

Maya didn’t come back. Ms. Hatzilakos raked her fingers through her hair, stressed. “I want our schools to coexist in harmony. Maybe it was wrong to assign different colors. So if it promotes peace, everyone will wear blue. We can’t afford to have any more tragedies.”

No one knew what the Lakehursters were thinking because they remained silent, only exchanging glances.

“Speaking of tragedies, anyone wishing to pay their respects to JT Yorke may do so in the memorial garden we’ve created in his honor.”

Murmurs, mostly from Degrassi students, filled the room. There was a memorial garden? The news surprised Liberty. “A memorial garden? I didn’t notice it.”

Manny shrugged. “We have some exploring to do.”

“And because our population has grown, everyone must share a locker. Come up to see who you’ll be sharing with. After getting your paper, you may go to class.”

Manny hoped she was sharing with Liberty or another familiar Degrassian. She refused to share with someone from Lakehurst. She couldn’t trust them with her valuables.

When Ms. Hatzilakos summoned her row, they moved down the aisle in a single file line. The students reached for their slips, stepped aside, and looked at them. Toby took his paper and moved aside while Manny took hers.

“Who are you sharing with, Toby?”

His scowl communicated his displeasure to Manny. She looked over and saw two words written on the paper: Sean Cameron. He still disliked Sean because of the Rick situation.

“Oh...Sean. But he hasn’t returned from Wasaga Beach.”

“He will, and I have to share with him. Great.”

“Why is he your enemy? Because he ended Rick’s life?” Manny sighed as Toby nodded. “Toby, get over it. He made the right decision.”

“Whatever,” Toby grumbled, because he’d heard those words before. “Who are you sharing with?”

Manny took a deep breath, hoping the paper would say Liberty, but it didn’t. It said Emma Nelson, and she was now sharing Toby’s annoyance. “Emma? Ms. Hatzilakos knows we aren’t friends!”

“If you ask me, she’s trying to get us to spend time with our enemies to mend our friendships,” Toby said.

Manny wasn’t sure if she could salvage her friendship with Emma. Not after Emma called her a slut, mocked her abortion, and jumped her with Darcy’s help. However, Ms. Hatzilakos was forcing them to share a locker, so Manny had no choice but to talk to her.

Manny approached her. “Hello, Emma.”

Emma turned with a contemptuous look. “What do you want?”

“We’re sharing a locker.” Manny showed her the paper, and Emma’s eyes blazed with disapproval.

“Go share with Jay.”

“He got expelled, genius.”

“Keep hanging with him, and you’ll end up like him.”

Manny groaned because Emma was dragging the situation. “Ugh, Emma. Stop with the jealousy.”

“How can I, when Jay stole my best friend?”

Manny’s eyes widened. She wasn’t sure Emma realized what she’d just admitted. Jay made her feel replaceable, which was one reason she despised him. “Wait, you’re jealous? I knew it!”

“Please don’t start bragging.”

“I’m not trying to. You don’t need to be jealous, honestly. You can hang out with us.”

“After what he did? Students died because of him. Sean got shot because of him!”

“Sean got shot because you refused to kiss Rick.”

Emma’s tone was as bland as her expression. “Are you really trying to portray Jay in a favorable light?”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” Manny responded, moving closer to her. “I don’t think you should be upset with Jay. You weren’t always on Rick’s side, either. When he first arrived, you wanted him to leave.”

“I was angry.”

“Jay and the other students felt the same way. Can you blame them for being hostile towards Rick?”

Emma sighed after a minute of silence. “I guess not. I mean, Jay didn’t tell Rick to bring a gun to school, right? He certainly didn’t tell him to point it at me. But Manny, what about Jimmy? Jay still lied.”

Spinner did as well. Manny ended their relationship because of that. She couldn’t stand him, but what she couldn’t stand even more was that, despite her anger, she often reminisced about how things used to be.

She’d get sad when she remembered the way Spinner made her feel like the only girl in the room. She used to be the only one he was interested in, and she loved it.

She promised to always be by his side, but broke up with him days later. Manny hated that she couldn’t keep her word. She hated that he’d gotten his best friend shot, and she hated that they weren’t in contact anymore.

But that was sometimes. When she wasn’t reminiscing, she harbored a deep hatred for Spinner. Like now, because he was nearby, laughing with Marco. Spinner’s laughter stopped when he looked at her. She rolled her eyes and turned to Emma.

“You can be mad at Jay, but I’d prefer it if you two got along. We’d have fun together.”

“Not too much fun. I’m not trying to get a social disease,” Emma joked. Manny laughed loud, making it clear she was enjoying herself without Spinner.

She asked, “So...are we good?” after their laughter subsided.

“We’re more than good.” Emma gave her a warm hug. Manny embraced her in return. She missed their hugs. “And about the things I did, like calling you a slut and jumping you-”

“I forgive you,” Manny said as she drew away. “Besides, I said some nasty things, too. It’s what we do.”

“Not anymore. Our friendship will be better from now on. Can you bring Jay to The Dot after school? I’ll talk things over with him.”

Manny always wanted to hear those words, but never imagined she’d get the chance. “Wow. I love this mature side of Emma Nelson.”

“New year. New Emma.” Manny laughed as Emma linked their arms. “Now, come on. We have a locker to settle into.”  

Chapter Text

Manny told Jay to meet her at The Dot at 3:30 p.m. It was 3:40 p.m., and she still hadn’t arrived. He was getting impatient.

He was more annoyed because he could’ve been at The Break Room playing pool with the regulars. He had nothing else going for him; no education, no job, no girlfriend, and few friends. That was thanks to Spinner.

All Spinner had to do was keep his mouth shut about Rick, but he didn’t. Jay promised he’d end up in a body bag. Maybe Spinner needed a reminder, so Jay approached the counter. Spinner jumped out of his skin when he turned around.

“Hello, Mason.”

Spinner avoided Jay’s gaze while speaking. “I don’t have time for you, Jay. I have to do everything myself because Elliot called out at the last minute.”

“At least you have something to do. I’ve done nothing since I got expelled.”

“I did the right thing.”

“The right thing?” Jay scoffed. “You’re proud of being a rat?”

“I’m proud of giving my best friend the answers he deserved.”

“Well, do you remember what I told you? Snitches like you end up in body bags.”

“And I said you’d be no better than Rick if you killed me.”

Jay remembered what he’d said in response. “I am better because I’m alive.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“And you should be in a wheelchair,” Jay retorted as he moved even closer to Spinner. 

Spinner stood upright, putting space between them. “Jimmy isn’t in a wheelchair anymore. He uses crutches now.”

Jimmy also got a happy ending? Why was the universe only punishing him? “Wow. I’m the only one whose life has been ruined.”

“It’s well deserved. You’re problematic, Jay, and you show no remorse for anything you do. It’s been three months and you’re still the same jerk, so save your pity party for someone else. I don’t feel sorry for you.”

Jay clenched his fists. He would’ve grabbed Spinner and ended him if Manny hadn’t shown up. “Jay, what’s going on...?”

“Your ex and I were catching up.” He stood and faced her. As soon as he saw Emma, shock filled his face. Didn’t they hate each other? “What’s Goldilocks doing here?”

“She’s here for you. You two will resolve things.”

“That’s not happening.”

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Because you hate me more than anyone?”

He overheard Spinner mutter, “That’s debatable...”

Jay glared at him. Spinner was lucky Manny was present. He didn’t want to fight in front of her.

Emma then said, “It’s a new year, Jay. I’m trying to be mature.”

Spinner spoke, and Jay was about to lose it. “Emma, don’t be his friend. He’s a bad guy.”

“Spinner, stop talking!” Manny yelled. That caused him to roll his eyes. Jay snickered as his enemy walked away to focus on his job. “And Jay, stop snickering. Pay attention to Emma. Not Spinner.”

Jay obeyed, hiding his amusement. “Okay. You wanna be friends, Emma?”

“I want to be cordial. Manny enjoys your company, and I don’t want to lose her again, so I have to accept that you’ll be around. It’ll be easier if we’re on good terms.”

“Sure. We can be cordial.”

Manny wasn’t satisfied. “Apologize for what you did.”

The problem was that Jay didn’t feel guilty. Spinner was right; he had no remorse. He lied, though. “I’m sorry for bullying Rick.”

Emma saw through him. “You’re not. I can hear it in your voice. But tell me this: would you be sorry if I died?”

Jay needed time to consider that. “I know how much you mean to Manny, so yeah.”

“What if Sean died?”

“Definitely. He’s my best friend. He told me he doesn’t blame me, and I’m thankful for that.”

“He said that?”

“Yeah. We talk on the phone sometimes. He asks about you.”

“I bet he does...” Emma said, her face showing trouble. Jay suspected it had to do with that Milton guy she was seeing. Manny filled him in on that.

Jay should’ve told Sean about their relationship, since Sean believed they’d be together when he came back, but it wasn’t his place.

Emma spoke. “I accept your apology. Just don’t get more innocent boys shot, okay?”

“I’ll try my hardest, Goldilocks.” Manny gave him a look that showed she wanted him to properly address Emma. “I mean Emma.”

“Okay, Hogwarts.” Emma corrected herself  after Manny gave her the same look. “I mean Jay.”

Manny smiled, revealing the dimples Jay adored. “Great! Now hug it out!”

“Seriously?” he and Emma complained.

“Yes! Convince me this is really happening!”

Emma huffed, closing the distance between herself and Jay. She made herself hug him, and he also held her. He was glad they resolved their conflict because he didn’t have time to focus on Emma. He needed to concentrate on Spinner.

Freaking snitch.  

 
Aggravation racked Liberty’s body on Tuesday. Lakehurst guys were behind her, monkeying around without regard for anyone else. She snapped and told them to be quieter. The guys laughed and ignored her outburst.

She was furious that Lakehurst had merged with Degrassi. Mia was to blame, which was one reason Liberty despised her. Her first reason was that Mia’s actions resulted in the death of her lover.

Liberty’s mind raced back to that horrific night. JT was taken to the hospital, and Liberty thought it was a waste of time because he was obviously a goner. But he could’ve been saved, so she let it happen. However, he wasn’t saved. The following day, his grandmother told them he succumbed to his injury. Everyone offered to assist with the funeral arrangements, but she refused to have a funeral for JT, which was strange. She also asked to be left alone, and they obeyed.

A week later, they checked on her, but she’d moved away. It must’ve been hard for her to stay in her apartment without JT.

After that, they had a memorial for JT in the school gym. Mr. Simpson spoke highly of him, saying they weren’t there to mourn JT, but to celebrate him. Then he showed a slideshow he made with the help of some students. The school now had a memorial garden in JT’s memory, and Liberty’s feet led her there.

When she arrived, her eyes fixed on the plaque on the wall that read JT Yorke Memorial Garden. Liberty traced her thumb over the inscribed letters. She opened her mouth when someone said, “You miss him, huh?”

Mia.

Liberty wasn’t sure what she wanted, but she had to go. “What do you want?”

“To talk. I haven’t spoken to you since your party.”

“You weren’t supposed to go.”

“Holly J needed a date.”

“I don’t care. You tainted my birthday. I’ll never be able to celebrate again!”

Mia got closer. Liberty hoped she didn’t get too close. She might snap. “I didn’t go to the party to summon Lucas. I wanted to have fun.”

“You had a lot of fun with JT. Now he’s dead because of it. So you and Lucas can go to hell.”

“I’m trying to work things out, and you’re being rude.”

“Why do you wanna work things out?”

“JT would want us to.”

Liberty felt outraged. Mia had no business commenting on what JT would “want.” She barely knew him. “JT would want to be alive, but he’s not because of you. You just had to sleep with him.”

“It wouldn’t have happened if you knew how to please him,” Mia fired back. “JT was seeking pleasure that you never gave him, but keep blaming me to make yourself feel better. When in actuality, you’re the reason he died. You bored him.”

“Take. That. Back.” Liberty’s chest heaved, as if it were about to burst from her rage.

“No. But I’m gonna leave, because talking to you was a mistake. You’re hopeless.”

Liberty’s hands clenched as Mia walked away. She’d never fought before, but she wanted to put her hands on Mia. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Mia was right, though. Maybe she wasn’t enough for JT. If she were, he wouldn’t have cheated.

Mia should’ve been long gone, but she was heading in Liberty’s direction with Ms. Hatzilakos. The older woman spoke seriously. “Liberty, we need to talk about JT.”

Oh great. Did Mia tell her about their argument?

“His locker hasn’t been cleaned out yet.”

Oh. Mia didn’t tell.

They were supposed to clean out JT’s locker last semester, but the death was fresh in their minds. However, it was a new year and semester. They had to do it now, but why was Mia there?

“Toby and I can do it.”

“Mia will join you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Liberty grumbled, giving Mia a dirty look. Mia had a self-satisfied one. “Can I say no?”

“Why? I assumed you’d want to.”

“Not with her.”

Ms. Hatzilakos noticed their hostile stares. “Come on, ladies. My original Degrassi students have to stick together. As for JT’s locker, clean it out this week, okay?”

Ms. Hatzilakos patted her on the shoulder and left. Mia moved forward while speaking smugly. “You hear that, Liberty? Stick together. So, I’ll see you at JT’s locker. Or don’t show up for all I care. I’ll have more items to take home.”

“Take home?” Liberty repeated. “You’re not keeping his belongings.”

“Then you better show up to stop me.”

She will. 

“I’m glad Ms. Hatzilakos paired us up,” Spinner exclaimed as he and Jimmy stuffed their belongings into their shared locker.

“Why are you so hyped?”

“Because this could’ve gone badly. What if she paired Craig and me?” Spinner shuddered. It made Jimmy believe they still hated each other, which was ridiculous. Three months have passed. 

“You still aren’t cool?”

“Na, man. He and Paige will always hate me.” Spinner put his last book in his bag and kneeled to close it. “When you were gone, I only hung out with Marco and Darcy. Hazel and Ellie were always around Paige and Craig, so I couldn’t hang with them.”

“What about Alisha?” 

“Oh, yeah. I’d hang out with her occasionally.”

“And everything was fine...?” Jimmy asked. “She wasn’t acting weird?”

Spinner looked at him, curious. “What are you saying, Jimmy?”

Jimmy asked that question because Alisha didn’t seem pleased to see him yesterday. She also didn’t seem to enjoy their kiss, and the five words she said afterwards were confusing. It’s not you. It’s me. Jimmy had no idea what that meant.

“I kissed her yesterday, but she didn’t like it. She said, ‘It’s not you. It’s me.’ What the hell does that mean?”

Spinner broke the news as gently as he could. “Jimmy, it’s never good when a girl says that. It sounds like a breakup is incoming.”

“A breakup?” He and Alisha had been going...not so strong for almost four months, but there was no way they were breaking up. They were meant to be. “No, that can’t be. We’re going on a date this weekend.”

“Oh. If that’s the case, everything should be okay. Maybe she needs to warm back up to you.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Hopefully. “So, what’s up with you? I remember you and Darcy getting close.”

“I have feelings for her.”

“Seriously?”

Spinner nodded, and it was odd that he was single. He was always quick to date the people he liked. Paige and Manny were good examples.

“How come you’re not dating her?”

“I’m not sure how she feels about me. At Liberty’s party, I told her if she develops feelings for me, she should tell me. But she hasn’t said anything, so I guess she doesn’t. But she did something irritating yesterday. She wanted to show off, so she held my hand in front of Paige. I freaked out and jerked my hand away, and long story short, Paige won that argument.”

Jimmy wasn’t sure why Darcy was trying to rile Paige. Paige didn’t care about Spinner, so trying to make her jealous was a waste of time. Darcy and Spinner should just focus on one another. But since Spinner freaked out, Darcy might be upset. Maybe he should’ve let it happen.

“If she wanted to put on a show, maybe you should’ve gone along with it.”

“If she gave me a heads-up, I would’ve. If we’re gonna put on a show, I want to know about it first. How else can we make it look real?”

Jimmy nodded. “You should find out how she feels about you.”

“Yeah.”

Jimmy took hold of his crutches, and they went to class. Spinner looked amazed. “I’m still shocked you can walk.”

“I still use my wheelchair whenever my legs get tired.”

“Wow, you’re lucky. You can choose whether to walk. We don’t have that choice.”

Jimmy chuckled before he noticed Ellie heading in their direction. He felt irritated with her. She’d told Alisha they kept in touch while he was gone, despite her promise to keep it between them.

Ellie went up to him, but couldn’t meet his gaze. “Hey, Jimmy. Can we talk?”

“I need to get to class,” he said as he stepped around her. She blocked his way.

“Jimmy, please. Hear me out.”

“You said everything you needed to say yesterday.”

“You’re right. I said a lot, and I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

"Yeah, you won’t, because I can’t trust you with my secrets.” Jimmy sidestepped to go past her.

“Wait, Jimmy!”

“No!” he exclaimed. “You don’t understand, Ellie. You almost put my relationship in jeopardy. What if Alisha dumped me?”

“I’d do everything possible to reunite you two,” she answered, inching closer. “I’m sorry I opened my mouth. I was happy about you calling me your bestest friend, because no one’s called me that before.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“I’m serious. You’re the first to say it, so you’re also my bestest friend. But I understand if I’m no longer yours.”

“You are.” He sighed because he still cared about Ellie, and appreciated everything she’d done for him while he was away. She kept him entertained and encouraged him to embrace his artistic side. They sketched together whenever she called. He simply wished she’d kept it a secret.

“I’m so not jealous,” Spinner said from the side. Jimmy sucked his teeth because he knew his friends would get jealous.

Ellie wasn’t concerned about Spinner’s emotions. Her eyes lit up when Jimmy said she was still his bestest friend. “Okay. So can we put this behind us?”

“As long as you don’t do it again.”

“I won’t. I’ll keep quiet about anything you tell me.”

“Then we’re good.”

“Yay!” Ellie wrapped her arms around him in a heartfelt hug. The unexpected embrace nearly knocked Jimmy off his feet, but his crutches kept him upright.

Ellie released Jimmy. “Well, we should go to class. Bye.” She waved as she left. Spinner followed her lead, but Jimmy grabbed his arm because he needed to speak with him.

“Spin. About what I said—”

Spinner didn’t let him finish his sentence. “I was joking. I’m not jealous.”

“Okay. But I want you to resolve your issues with Paige and Craig.”

“They hate me, Jimmy.”

“Try your best to make them like you. I want no more arguments.”

“Fine. Marco and Craig share a locker, so I’ll stop by before class.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later.”

They parted ways.  

Chapter Text

Marco rubbed his sore throat, which was making it difficult for him to speak. When he did speak, his voice was croaky.

His family was to blame. To welcome the new year, his father hosted a family get-together over the weekend. Marco had objected, saying that Del Rossi gatherings always went wrong. He was right; he got sick this time. He asked to stay home, but his father told Marco to “toughen up” and forced him out.

“Why are you caressing your throat?” Craig asked from beside him. He took his books out of their locker. “Are you thirsty?”

Marco was in discomfort, but drinking water might help his throat. “Yeah. I need water.” 

He headed to the nearby water fountain as Craig said, “Oh, geez.”

Marco flinched and turned around. “What?”

“Your voice...”

“It sounds awful, doesn’t it?” Craig bit his lip and nodded. Marco covered his face. “What am I gonna do?”

“What’s the matter with your voice?” Craig questioned as he closed their locker.

“I have the worst sore throat.”

“Why didn’t you stay home?”

Because of his strict father. “I wanted to, but Pa told me to toughen up.”

“Did you tell Tristan?”

Marco grinned at the thought of his boyfriend. After months with Tristan, he grew fond of him and had brought him home to meet his parents. Everything went well, and Tristan invited Marco to meet his parents too. Marco declined; he was nervous about going to the Milligans’ house because of Owen.

Marco remembered Owen’s threat at Liberty’s party: If you break his heart, I’ll break your face. His love for Tristan grew as much as it did because of that threat.

“What was Tristan’s reaction?”

Craig’s question jolted Marco from his thoughts. He said, “He’s devastated,” before smiling. “When I’m in pain, Tristan feels it too. It’s like we’re connected.”

Craig laughed. “That’s how being in love should be.” Marco didn’t laugh since the statement was false. He loved Tristan, but he wasn’t in love with him.

He didn’t need to tell Craig because his silence spoke for itself. “You are in love with him, right?” Craig’s eyes widened as Marco remained silent. “Marco...”

“Do I love him? Yes. But in love? That’s a big deal. I think he’s in love with me, though.”

Craig shrugged. “I won’t tell him you’re not madly in love with him.”

“I appreciate that.” Marco laughed, which he regretted when the pain hit. He stroked his throat as he neared the water fountain. He drank, went back to Craig, but stopped when he saw Craig ripping out a paper from his notebook. He extended a pen towards Marco.

Marco opened his mouth, but Craig shut him up. “No speaking! You can write whatever you want to say.”

Marco wrote ‘seriously?’. He held it up for Craig to read.

“Yes. You need to rest your voice, Marco.” 

Marco wrote ‘I appreciate that’. Craig laughed. “That seems to be your favorite expression.”

Marco cracked a smile as Spinner approached them. The laughs and smiles vanished because Spinner and Craig weren’t on good terms. They hadn’t been in months.

Spinner concentrated on Marco. “Hey, Marco.” He shifted his focus to his enemy, sounding less enthusiastic. “Craig.”

Hey, Spin, Marco wrote. Spinner gave him an odd look. “Why are you writing and not speaking?”

Craig was quick to attack him. “He has a sore throat, genius.”

“How was I supposed to know? This is my first time talking to him today.”

“You wouldn’t have known anyway, since you’re not the smartest.”

“And you’re so intelligent, right?” Spinner retorted with an eye-roll.

“I’m Albert Einstein compared to you.”

“Oh, really?” Spinner got in Craig’s face, and Craig got closer to show Spinner he wasn’t scared. They exchanged heated words as Marco scribbled on his paper. He got between them and shoved it in their faces.

It read: Please don’t argue! Then I’ll have to stop you, and my throat is way too sore!

“I didn’t come to argue,” Spinner clarified. “I came to settle things with Craig.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Because everyone moved past the Rick stuff.”

“I didn’t.”

“Are you sure? Or is this about Manny and me?”

Craig flexed his fingers. He used that move whenever he wanted to punch something. Marco comforted him to prevent their peers from thinking he needed to be sent away like Ashley. He moved back once Craig calmed down.

Craig cut his eyes back to his enemy. “There is no Manny and you. And I have Ellie now. I’m not worried about that.”

“I’m not worried about Manny either, so come on. Our reconciliation is long overdue.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Did I mention Jimmy wants us to make up?” Spinner said, and Marco hoped that’d sway Craig. Their feud had been going on for too long.

But Craig wasn’t letting go of his grudge. He said his goodbyes. “See you in class, Marco.”

Spinner yelled for him to come back. “Craig!”

“Leave me alone, asshole!” Then he vanished.

Spinner flung his hands in the air and turned to Marco. “He’s never gonna forgive me, is he?”

“He despises you. Fix it, man.”

As for himself, he needed tea. 

 
Maya summoned a handful of her Lakehurst classmates to the auditorium. She would’ve reached out to the entirety of Lakehurst, but she didn’t want Ms. Hatzilakos to interfere with her retaliation, or for the Degrassi students to find out about her plans. She was hoping to catch them off guard.

Her friends thought burning down Degrassi was too extreme, so they’d start small and trash the place. They couldn’t get arrested for that. At most, they’d get detention.

Nic walked beside her as they made their way to the auditorium. He used to be someone Maya didn’t care about, but she’d grown to appreciate him. She let him know. “I feel like we’re on the same wavelength, Nic. We have to be in charge.”

“Fitz and Marisol are also on the same wavelength.”

“Yeah, but you understand me the most.” Maya halted, facing him. She took his hand, something she’d never done before. “You used to make me uncomfortable, but now I appreciate you. Thanks for sticking with me.”

Maya admired his handsome smile. She was discovering a lot of new things about Nic, but one remained clear—his adoration for her. “I care about you, Maya. We’ll do whatever it takes to get justice for Lakehurst. It’s also fine if you decide to call it quits one day. I’ll support any decision you make.”

“You’re the best.” She kissed his cheek. It happened fast, and when she moved back, Nic was staring at her lips. He wanted her to kiss him, but that was a gesture reserved for boyfriends.

Could he be her boyfriend? Maybe if he played his cards right.

As they entered the auditorium, the Lakehursters sat in rows. Jane Vaughn and Imogen Moreno sat in the front, giving Maya stern stares. “Maya, what’s going on?” Jane asked.

“Well, Anastasia—”

“Jane,” she corrected with a snarl, as if the name Anastasia had triggered her. Maya didn’t understand why. It was her birth name. But Jane had changed her name two years ago for whatever reason, but Maya and the other Lakehurst students would never forget her true identity.

“Jane,” Maya began. “I’ve called you here because I know you’re angry about being around the people responsible for burning down our school. Am I right?” Everyone nodded. “It’s only right that we show these Degrassians they messed with the wrong school. We need to get justice for Lakehurst.”

“Why does that sound sinister?” Imogen asked.

“I won’t lie, I wanted to burn this school to ashes.” They gasped, driving her to continue. “But it isn’t worth throwing my life away. I’m thinking we trash the school instead.”

The next question came from a boy. “With actual trash? Like...from the trash cans?”

“Yup! Litter the hallways with trash and anything else that comes to mind. Be creative!”

“I don’t know, Maya,” a girl said. “This is intense.”

Maya noticed a few nods. She expected them to be thrilled about getting revenge, but perhaps this group was fine with adjusting to their new surroundings. Maya would never be.

She lacked the energy to explain herself to her hesitant peers. Maya walked away because they wouldn’t understand, but Nic kept trying to persuade them. “You wanna know what was intense? The smoke in our lungs. I’m sure you remember.”

Lakehurst seemed distressed by the memories. Nic was getting through to them. “We almost died that day. So what we’re doing to them doesn’t compare to what they did to us. They’re lucky for that. We’re showing them mercy.”

Maya smiled, knowing he wasn’t persuading them for himself, but for her. He was definitely playing his cards right.

The random girl he was talking to had stood. “I want justice, but don’t you remember Ms. Hatzilakos promising us blue shirts? What if she changes her mind after this?” 

“Oh, please. Ms. Hatzilakos will keep making false promises to get us to behave. Believe nothing she or the Degrassians say. They’re not our friends, and they don’t have our best interests at heart.” Nic spoke those words with such conviction that they couldn’t help but think about them. “So, all in favor of messing shit up?”

Maya raised her hand. Other Lakehursters, except for Jane and Imogen, raised their hands. “Are you two not gonna help?”

“I’ve got other things to worry about,” Jane explained as she stood.

Imogen followed suit. “Same. Bye!” They rushed up the aisle and through the double doors.

Maya waved them off as she spoke to her supporters. “Whatever. We don’t need them. Spread the word throughout Lakehurst, and we’ll get started.”

Lakehurst cheered and exited the auditorium. Maya saw Nic leaving. She grabbed his wrist, and his intense stare caused her to look down and clear her throat. “What you did was epic. Thanks.”

“You deserve the credit, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. Her heart raced as she repeated that word in her head. She wondered if his heart was beating as fast as hers. Maybe she was overthinking it. It was only a word.

“Is that all?” he asked, breaking her trance. “We have a school to trash, remember?”

“There’s something else.”

He gave her a look, encouraging her to finish. She told him she’d rather show him, then put her hand on the back of his neck and begged him not to panic. His eyes widened as he grasped what was about to happen. Her eyes closed as she leaned in, but they got interrupted just before their lips met.

Marisol asked, “What’s going on?”

Maya and Nic sighed at her poor timing. They turned to her, and Marisol’s focus shifted to Maya’s hand on his neck. “Am I interrupting something?”

“You did, yeah.” Maya drew her hand away from Nic’s neck. “What do you want?”

“Why did those Lakehursters run out cheering?”

“They’re getting justice with us.”

“What are they about to do?”

Maya laid out the game plan for her. “For now, we’re keeping it simple. We’re gonna trash the hallways.”

“Shouldn’t they hide their faces?”

Nic entered the conversation. “What’s the point? They’ll recognize us because we’re wearing yellow shirts. Besides, if we get caught, we’ll probably only get detention.”

“And if we get more detentions, they’ll become suspensions and then expulsions. Then we’ll be able to get out of here,” Maya finished, exchanging a delightful smirk with Nic.

“We don’t have to leave,” Marisol pointed out. “We can take over Degrassi. Katie’s the newspaper’s editor, and—”

“She’s what?” Maya and Nic exclaimed. Why was Katie involved with Degrassi? Was she a traitor like Jane and Imogen?

Marisol calmed them. “That was my reaction, but it’s good having her in charge. She has the power to publish nasty things about Degrassi.”

So, Katie was playing both sides. Smart. But it wasn’t enough. “That’s nice, but bashing Degrassi won’t make them feel the pain we felt. Ruining their beloved school will. Are you coming?”

Maya didn’t wait for Marisol to respond. She and Nic hurried up the aisle, exiting. They were ready to “mess shit up,” but Nic held her wrist and demanded, “You’re not gonna finish what you started?”

Heat rushed to Maya’s cheeks. She didn’t hesitate since Marisol was about to come, and she’d most likely interrupt them again. Maya placed her lips on his. Nic grasped her hips to draw her in while he ravenously kissed her.

Sensations of all kinds flooded Maya’s body. If they hadn’t heard Marisol speak, she was certain she would’ve fallen over because her knees felt weak.

“That’s what I interrupted.” Marisol smirked at them. Nic was upset, but Maya needed to be rescued because things were about to escalate. “Get some, Maya.”

Marisol laughed and left. Nic followed Marisol and expressed his annoyance at her interruptions. Maya focused on him. He’d played his cards perfectly, and now she wanted him to be her boyfriend. 
 

“Alright, Hazel! That’s the last one,” Paige exclaimed as she hung her final flyer. It was a reminder that cheerleading tryouts would take place on Friday. After last semester’s tragedies, many cheerleaders left the squad. Or moved, in Daniella’s case. Paige needed new members.

Hazel stood with her back to the wall. “Who do you think will try out?”

“We can’t afford to be picky. Spirit Squad will disband if we don’t have enough girls.” Her eyes lingered on something over Hazel’s shoulder. “Speaking of girls...”

Hazel whirled around to see Alex strolling down the hallway. Alex’s uniform caught Paige’s attention. It was a simple outfit, but she looked gorgeous in it. Paige couldn’t deny that Alex looked gorgeous in anything. She also couldn’t deny her feelings for the girl who’d become a stranger to her.

She freaked out when Alex kissed her three months ago, saying she wasn’t into girls, but Paige was done fighting her feelings. She missed Alex’s presence. They were an epic duo, and she wanted that epicness back. She wanted Alex back.

To get Alex back, she had to admit she lied about her feelings. It was a cover-up, since her parents wanted her to give them biological grandchildren. She had to reject Alex since she didn’t want to disappoint them.

She also lied because she was in denial about her sexuality. Paige never expected to be anything but straight, so it was scary for her to discover otherwise. But she was tired of living in fear. She told Alex she didn’t want to pretend to be something she wasn’t, but she’d been pretending to be straight. It had to end.

Paige moved in closer, raising her hand. “Hi, Alex!”

Alex continued walking without looking at her. Paige saw her do a slight eye roll as well. She groaned and leaned against the wall. “Hazel. How do you talk to someone who doesn’t wanna talk to you?”

“I guess I’d leave them alone.”

“I’ve left her alone for three months. I don’t wanna do it anymore. I miss the good times we had.”

“What happened between you two?” Hazel inquired. “You were close, and then you weren’t.”

“I hated her after learning about her involvement in the Rick situation. And there was something else...”

Like how Alex had begged to stay at Paige’s house after her mother’s boyfriend injured her arm. Paige had cared for her before they kissed in her bed. And she enjoyed it. But how could she tell Hazel that? She’d tell their friends, who’d question Paige about her sexuality.

“I can’t talk about it.”

“You can’t? Or you won’t?” Hazel said, raising an eyebrow. Paige sighed, hating how well Hazel could read her.

“I just can’t, okay? But I think I overreacted. I was too harsh on her.”

“Tell her that.”

“She refuses to speak to me!” Paige gestured down the hallway where Alex had left, reminding Hazel of what had happened. “I don’t exist to her, and it hurts.”

“Then I’m not sure. Just wait for her to calm down.”

It’d been three months, and Alex still wasn’t budging. How long would she have to wait? She was getting impatient!

Suddenly, students in yellow shirts stampeded through the hallway. Lakehurst. They hollered and kicked trashcans over, spilling the contents on the floor. They began picking up the trashcans and hurling them at lockers. The impact made Paige and Hazel flinch.

Other Lakehurst students threw milk on the floor, lockers, and walls. A blonde-haired girl with glasses yanked one of Paige’s flyers from the wall, ripped it up, and threw the pieces on the floor.

Hazel’s jaw hung. “Did she just...?”

“Yes she did!” Paige couldn’t let her get away with that. They could wreck the hallways all they wanted, but her Spirit Squad was off-limits.

She stormed up to the blonde. “Uh, excuse me! Who do you think you are?”

“Maya Matlin,” she said matter-of-factly. “And you?”

“Paige Michalchuk.”

Maya focused on Paige’s blue shirt. “You’re a Degrassian, so I don’t care.”

“I care! You can’t tear down my flyers! And why is your school destroying ours?”

“You should be grateful. We could do a lot worse.”

“You’ll get expelled,” Hazel fired back.

“That doesn’t sound bad.” Maya shrugged with a sly smirk. Paige wanted to smack Maya’s smirk off, and make her replace the flyer, but Maya was now dismissing herself. “Later, Degrassi. And this is just the beginning.”

Maya ran down the hall, gesturing to her supporters. “Let’s go!”

Lakehursters followed her. They were probably going to damage another hallway, which was ridiculous. 

“She’s Maya Flatlin, huh?”

“Flatlin?” Hazel repeated with a laugh. “It’s Matlin.”

Paige knew that. She was mocking Maya’s last name because she had no respect for her. “Either way, Maya and the rest of Lamehurst have to leave.”

“Lamehurst?!” Hazel realized Paige was intentionally mispronouncing their names. She loved it. “You’re on fire today.”

“Thanks, hun.”

Paige assumed the Lakehursters weren’t pleased with her name-calling because some of them threw milk in their faces. They gasped, causing milk to enter Paige’s mouth. It also landed in her eyes, causing her and Hazel to cry in pain. Those Lakehurst idiots ran behind the rest of their school while the two girls wiped their faces with the dry part of their shirts.

Hazel practically had smoke coming out of her ears. “Have they lost their minds?!”

“They have, and I’m sick of it! Let’s go!” Paige demanded as she stormed off. Hazel lagged behind her.

“Where are we going?!”

“To Ms. H!” She needed to control the monsters invading their school. They needed to transfer, get expelled, or whatever. Paige just wanted them to leave.

They barged into Ms. Hatzilakos’ office. Her eyes widened as she noticed their milk-stained clothing. “Ladies, what happened?!”

Paige summarized their situation in three words. “We’re at war.” 

Chapter Text

Ellie covered her nose as the overpowering smell of alcohol invaded her nostrils. Shutting the door, she glanced around. Alcohol bottles littered the room. Her mother laid on the couch, her hand on her forehead.

“Mom?”

Her mother heard her. With a lopsided smile, she raised her head. “Hello, sweetheart. H-How was your day?”

The thought of her hectic school day made irritation prick at her. She wished Ms. Hatzilakos hadn’t allowed Lakehurst to transfer to Degrassi. They caused problems.

“You won’t believe how stressful today was. Lakehurst ruined our hallways.”

“L-Lakehurst?”

Ellie looked at her mother with grave eyes because the slur in her speech was clear. “Remember the school that burned down?” Her mother was too drunk to give a damn. “Anyway, they threw milk on Paige and Hazel.”

“Paige and Hazel...?”

She’d forgotten who her friends were? The alcohol was giving her amnesia, which was concerning. “My friends. Do you remember nothing?”

“I remember plenty of things, Elena.”

“Elena?” Ellie frowned because her mother not only forgot who her friends were, but she’d also forgotten her name. “It’s Eleanor.”

“Oh. Right. Elena is your sister.” She jerked her head up. “Where is she?”

“I don’t have a sister.”

Ellie saw her mother’s perplexed look. She thought she had two daughters. Ellie couldn’t understand how someone could get so drunk that they start hallucinating about having more children.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I think I’m out of it today.”

“You’re out of it every day.” Ellie sped up the stairs. Her mother called her name, but Ellie didn’t want to talk to her. It hurt that her own mother had forgotten her name.

Caroline could be great, but she wasn’t, which made Ellie want to revert to self-harm. She had sharp objects, but someone had to keep the family going, so she wouldn’t hurt herself. 

Ellie felt the need to vent to someone. She dialed Craig’s number, and he answered fast, as if he were already looking at his phone. “Is this my beautiful girlfriend?”

“Yes.” She lied down with her phone to her ear. “She feels awful.”

“Why?”

“My mother’s drinking again!” Ellie shouted. “She forgot my name, and thinks I have a sister.”

“I can’t stand your mother, Ellie. I know it’s not nice—”

Ellie cut him off. Right now, she couldn’t stand her mother, either. “It’s fine, Craig. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same way, especially after she forgot my name. What’s next? She’ll forget she has a daughter altogether?”

“She needs help.” He clarified what he was hinting at. “Rehabilitation.”

“Who’ll make her go? I can’t.” Her mother was an adult; she couldn’t make her check-in anywhere unless she could prove she was a danger. Her forgetfulness didn’t seem dangerous. “My mom won’t wise up until something bad happens.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to you, so maybe you should spend the night here,” Craig suggested.

“Will Joey agree to that?”

“Of course. You know he adores you.” Craig’s voice was upbeat as he spoke. “So...?”

“I’m on my way.”

-

Ellie was at Craig’s house a few hours later, preparing for bed. He was right; Joey was fine with her staying the night. He told her she could come over whenever she needed, and Ellie thanked him for being so accommodating.

She then spent time with Angie. Angie made her play with dolls, and Ellie had no idea she’d have so much fun. She envied Angie because she missed being a carefree child. Her life had gotten messed up since she became a teenager. She’d do anything to go back in time, as long as she could keep Craig. She couldn’t live without him.

Craig finished putting on his pajamas and sat on his bed. Ellie stood in front of him. “Will Joey let us share a bed?”

“I mean...he doesn’t have to know.”

His sly look wasn’t amusing to Ellie. She was terrified of Joey catching them. She didn’t want him to think she was coming over to get freaky.

“What if he walks in?”

“He won’t. Now, can you come here?” He reeled her towards himself. She lost her balance and fell on top of him. Craig coughed because her hair had gotten into his mouth, and Ellie giggled into his neck before moving it. Their faces were close when she lifted her head, their eyes locked. That was until Craig dropped his attention to her lips. Ellie wanted to kiss him, but it was nighttime and they were in his bedroom. She needed to make sure things wouldn’t escalate.

“Craig, I’m not read-”

“I know,” he interjected, knowing she wasn’t ready for sex. “All I want is a goodnight kiss.”

He deserved one because he rescued her from her mother. She pressed her lips against his, and his hands wandered her body. Ellie didn’t panic; he could touch her, but he couldn't take her clothes off.

The door swung open, ruining their intimate moment. Ellie thought it was Joey, so she sprang off Craig, her heart pounding so hard it hurt. It wasn’t Joey, though. Instead, Angie barged in, wearing her pajamas and clutching a teddy bear.

Craig had no idea what was happening as she jumped onto his bed. “Uh, Angie. You should be asleep.”

“I am! In here!”

“You never sleep in my room.”

“I wanna be with Ellie!” Angie grabbed Ellie’s arm and pulled her onto the bed. She then gave Ellie a tight squeeze, which made her laugh because Craig looked irritated.

“It’s okay, babe. It’s only one night, right?” she reasoned. He took her hand and kissed it, then nodded. He went under the covers, and Angie followed suit.

After turning out the light, Ellie overheard Angie wish them a good night. The couple said, “Night, Angie,” before calling it a night. 

 
Maya was excited to get to Degrassi on Wednesday. Every day, their goal was to wreak havoc, like they did yesterday. The best part was that Ms. Hatzilakos never caught them. Was she oblivious, or was she allowing it to happen because she knew their rage was justified? Maya had no idea, but she was sure they’d get away with more revenge schemes.

Nic was beside her, where she liked him best. She liked him altogether after the kiss they shared the day before. It felt incredible, and she hadn’t gotten him out of her head since.

Anya distracted her when she spoke to Katie about the editor position for the newspaper. “So, Katie. You’re the editor? What’s it called again?”

“The Degrassi Grapevine!” Becky gave that response, which stunned them. She’d paid attention for once. “What? I’m not always lost in my Bible.”

Katie’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Yes, it’s the Degrassi Grapevine. Ms. Hatzilakos found out I was in charge of the Lakehurst newspaper, so she put me in charge of Degrassi’s.” She grasped Jake’s arm, leaning her head against it. “Jake may or may not be helping me.”

Jake smiled, confirming his involvement. Anya smiled as well. “You two will do great. Congratulations.”

They thanked her before Maya addressed her sister. “I was upset when I found out, but I know you plan to publish negative things about Degrassi. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jake appeared surprised. “Publish negative things? I didn’t know we were doing that.”

Why wouldn’t he know? Wasn’t he one of Katie’s writers?

Katie chuckled. “Don’t be silly, Jake! Of course we’re gonna talk badly about the school. We’re fighting back, remember?”

Katie gave him a look as she emphasized that last word. The look confused Maya, but Jake understood her. “Right...”

Maya’s eyes alternated between them with suspicion. Something weird was going on. “Word of advice? If you’re gonna work together, he has to be up to speed, Katie.”

“Of course. It won’t happen again,” Katie vowed. Maya wasn’t sure if she was convinced. Katie sounded like she was hiding something, but Maya didn’t have time to interrogate her since Degrassi students were blocking the entrance to the school. Two familiar girls were leading them—Paige Michalchuk and her friend.

Maya moved up the stairs. “Paige Michalchuk. We unfortunately meet again.”

“I’m not thrilled to see you either.”

“I don’t care.” Maya motioned to the loyal followers who stood behind Paige. “Tell your minions to move. We have class.”

“As if you care about class. You and your minions are too busy ruining our hallways,” Paige shot back.

Anya declared her innocence. “I didn’t ruin anything.”

Becky’s whiny voice pierced the air. “And we’re not minions! We’re friends!”

“The students behind me aren’t minions either,” Paige said, looking back at her supporters. “We share a common enemy in you and the rest of Lamehurst.”

“Lamehurst?” Marisol laughed. Not because it was funny, but because it was childish. “Is that the best you can do?”

“It’s probably the first successful joke she’s told,” Maya dissed, glaring at Paige.

“This arguing is unnecessary. I’m going inside. Come on, Anya.” Becky grabbed Anya’s wrist, intending to remove her from the situation. Maya wasn’t surprised. She, Anya, and Jake were drama-free.

Paige blocked their way. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“We haven’t bothered anyone!”

“You’re friends with them, so you’re guilty by association.”

Becky stomped her foot, silently urging Maya to fix the situation. Becky’s definition of “fix” was bowing before Paige and begging for forgiveness. Maya would never do that. If Paige wouldn’t move willingly, she had to force her.

“Move out of the way, Paige.”

Paige’s friend spoke. “I don’t think so, little girl. You’re not destroying our school.”

“Like how you destroyed ours?”

“I didn’t set fire to Lakehurst. I didn’t even know the students who did it, so your outrage towards the entire school is childish.”

“Blocking the entrance is childish. Move. Out. Of. The. Way.”

“Are you gonna make us move?” Paige taunted.

That challenge was music to Maya’s ears. Paige was the Degrassian she despised the most, so she was ready to shove her, but Ms. Hatzilakos appeared.

“What’s going on out here?”

“We’re at war.” Paige kept her attention on Maya when she said that.

“There will not be a war. I told you and Hazel that yesterday.”

Hazel. That was Paige’s friend’s name? When the girl, Hazel, complained to their principal, it was proven. “They threw milk on us!”

“I didn’t throw milk on anyone,” Maya asserted. That was the doing of her Lakehurst classmates.

“You might not have done it, but your followers did,” Paige said. “They follow your every command. You told them to do it.”

Maya had encouraged her supporters to get creative, but she didn’t tell them to throw milk on anyone. Their imagination was to blame for that. “Proof?”

“You hate us! That’s enough proof!” Paige settled on Ms. Hatzilakos. “Ms. H, I don’t want them here! They’re trying to destroy the school!”

“I know the halls were a mess yesterday,” Ms. Hatzilakos said before shooting Maya a brutal stare. “But they can’t stay outside.”

She expected her Degrassi kids to step aside, but no one moved. “Did I stutter, or are you all asking for detention?”

The Degrassians sucked their teeth and stepped out of the way, scowling at Maya and her friends. Maya and her friends matched their energy before Ms. Hatzilakos told them to go inside. Maya tried to follow her friends, but the older woman singled her out.

“Maya. We need to talk.”

Paige snickered the loudest. “Bye, Maya Flatlin.”

Was she mocking Maya for not having big boobs like other girls? Maya was ready to lash out at her for body-shaming, but Ms. Hatzilakos dragged her into the school. She drew her arms across her chest and demanded answers. “Tell me about yesterday’s incident.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Did you not order Lakehurst to ruin the halls?”

“Why do I have to be the ringleader?” She didn’t understand why Ms. Hatzilakos was blaming her. Dozens of students were involved. What made her think Maya was the mastermind? 

“You’re the angriest about the transfer. Paige is also correct; you’re a leader to your school. They listen to you.”

Maya doubted Ms. Hatzilakos would believe her if she denied the accusations. Why should she be afraid, anyway? She knew she couldn’t get arrested. “Okay, fine. Yes, I did.”

“Why? You know that’s not acceptable.”

“Degrassi deserves to feel our pain.”

Ms. Hatzilakos shook her head and sighed. “Listen, Maya. Degrassi is now your home, whether you like it or not. You’re hurting yourself and your friends by trashing it.”

“I think we’ll be fine, Ms. H. We didn’t need Degrassi before, and we don’t need it now.” Ms. Hatzilakos tried to argue, but Maya cut her off by asking, “Now, am I expelled?”

“If I expel you, I’ll have to expel most of Lakehurst, which would reflect poorly on me. Believe me, this ‘war’ will be resolved soon.”

Maya internally scoffed, thinking, yeah right.

“However, you’ll have detention after school. And stop wrecking the halls, or I’ll reconsider your stay here.”

“Whatever.” Maya proceeded towards her first class. Nic rushed up to her, as if he’d been watching from nearby.

“Maya! What did Ms. Hatzilakos say?”

“She gave me detention, and threatened to expel me if I destroy the halls again.”

“So that’s it? We’re done getting revenge?”

“Absolutely not!” Maya shouted as she turned to him. “Paige and Hazel tried to stop us from entering the school. We have to match their energy.”

When she said that, Paige and Hazel walked by, giving her dirty looks. Maya mischievously smirked, because she was going to have fun with those two.   

 
Marisol met up with her close friend, Sadie Rowland. Although Sadie was a Degrassian, Marisol, Katie, and Maya had a soft spot for her. They were friends with her before Lakehurst had burned down.

Marisol recalled visiting the park with Sadie and Katie, and meeting Dave Turner, Owen Milligan, and Drew Torres. She wasn’t sure what happened to Owen and Drew. She never spoke to Owen again, and Drew ghosted Katie after the school shooting.

She and Sadie walked to the main office to use the copy machine. She dashed to it, pulling out a homemade flyer from her backpack. It said: Marisol Lewis’ dance team tryouts begin Friday. Come show me what you’ve got!

Sadie looked impressed. “That came out great.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks for coming over yesterday.”

A deep shade of pink invaded Sadie’s cheeks. “I am pretty creative. Maybe I should forget about basketball and focus on art.”

“If you do, I’ll support you.”

Marisol made fifty copies. The entire school needed to be aware of her dance team, but she wasn’t allowing Degrassi students to try out. She was simply rubbing the news in their faces.

She snickered as Sadie responded to her. “I support you and your dance team. What prompted the decision?”

“I saw Paige’s cheerleading flyer. Cheerleading seems cool, but I’m skipping Degrassi clubs.” Marisol explained why. “If Lakehurst is gonna take over the school, we have to lead our own activities. Hence the dance team!”

She noticed Sadie’s troubled look. Marisol sighed. “I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m in the middle of the war, so it’s weird, but it’s not like Lakehurst doesn’t have the right to hate us. Those Degrassi students were wrong.”

“Exactly!” Marisol was glad Sadie recognized the real aggressors. “So...would it be crazy to ask you to join my team?”

“I may be artistic, but a dancer? I don’t know...”

“Come on, Sadie. I need people I can rely on.” Sadie looked doubtful, so Marisol said, “You don’t have to try out. You’re automatically on the team.”

“What about your other friends?”

Marisol went down the list. “Katie’s busy with the newspaper. Maya’s busy causing chaos. And the guys don’t dance.”

“And Becky and Anya?”

“Becky’s worried about God, and Anya...” Marisol was unable to think of an excuse for Anya. She wasn’t preoccupied with an extracurricular activity or the war. Nothing was stopping her from joining the team. “I guess she can join, but I also want you! I know you’ll do great.”

Sadie looked uncertain. Giving her puppy dog eyes was all Marisol could do. It was a tactic she used to get her way, and it always worked with Sadie. “Well, it’s not like I’m doing anything else...”

Marisol encircled her in a loving embrace. “Thank you!” She drew back, concentrating on her flyers. “Alright, let’s finish making copies.”

When they finished, Marisol looked at her fifty flyers as they exited the office. She bumped into someone because of her lack of attention. She scowled upon seeing Owen.

It took him a moment to register her face. “Marisol?” His gaze was on her yellow shirt. “You’re from Lakehurst?”

“I’m surprised you remember my name.”

“Almost didn’t.”

“Typical.” Marisol walked past him. She’d hoped to never run into him, but that didn’t happen. She could still choose not to entertain him.

She headed off with Sadie, but Owen wanted her attention. “Wait! Aren’t you gonna ask me why I didn’t contact you after we met?”

“It’s obvious you didn’t like me, which is fine because I don’t like you either. I don’t like any of you.”

“Any of us?”

“Degrassi students,” she elaborated.

“You’re at our school. You kinda have to respect us.”

Marisol laughed. Owen gave her a dubious look, unsure of what she was laughing at. She was laughing because she’d never respect Degrassi. And while Degrassi belonged to the OG’s, it was only for the time being. Marisol had big plans.

“Oh, Owen. You confused little thing. Soon, this will be our school.”

He snorted in derision. “Yeah, whatever.”

“That was tense...” Sadie remarked once he was out of sight.

“I hate your boyfriend’s friends, Sadie. I’ll never be interested in a Degrassi guy again.”

“Can’t relate,” Sadie joked. She assisted Marisol in hanging up the flyers as students walked by, gossiping about Marisol’s dance team. One of them was Paige Michalchuk.

“Uh, what is that?”

Marisol gave her a disgusted look. “You again?” Why was Paige’s annoying ass popping up every two seconds? For someone who despised ‘Lamehurst,’ she sure loved being around them.

“Can you answer my question?”

Marisol stared at her flyer. “That’s my way of introducing this school’s dance squad.”

“There’s never been a dance squad.”

“Don’t you think it’s time for that to change?”

“If Spirit Squad wasn’t a thing, sure. But cheer tryouts are on Friday, and you’re detracting attention from it.”

“If the attention is that easy to take away, then no one was interested in that stupid squad,” Marisol argued.

“Stupid?” Paige felt offended. “I built that team. You’re not gonna discredit my hard work!”

“You’re not gonna discredit mine!” Marisol matched. “It’s time for someone else to shine. Me.”

Paige let out a mirthless laugh. “You and your friends are hellbent on tearing this school apart, aren’t you?”

“Maya may want this school to not exist, but I wanna take control of it. Lakehurst students leading Degrassi’s extracurricular activities is the first step.” She moved closer to Paige to issue her a dire warning. “Instead of focusing on me, focus on how you’re gonna stop your school from getting stolen.”

“Oh, it won’t. You’re going down.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Marisol challenged.

“Mhm.” Paige’s outraged eyes shifted to Sadie. She scoffed and labeled her a “Traitor.”

“Traitor?” Sadie shrieked as she watched Paige disappear. She switched her focus to Marisol. “Did she just say that?!”

“Let her throw a tantrum. That’s all she can do, because she knows she won’t win.”

Marisol was going to make sure of it because Paige Michalchuk was becoming a serious problem. 

Chapter Text

“Who wants to solve this problem?”

To avoid Armstrong picking him, Johnny slouched in his chair and avoided eye contact. It wasn’t like he knew the answer, anyway. Math was one subject he never paid attention to.

English was the only class he paid attention to, since he enjoyed reading. Fortunately, he had English next period, so he focused on the clock, watching the time pass. Armstrong called him out. “DiMarco!”

Johnny jumped as the class stared at him. He recognized Lakehursters and Degrassians, like Bruce, Drew, Owen, and Dallas. “What?”

“The board is this way,” Armstrong said, pointing over his shoulder. “Maybe you can solve the problem for us.”

“I don’t know the answer.”

“It seems that way every day.”

Students snickered at Johnny, causing his anger to mount. They most likely didn’t know the answer either!

“Pay attention, Jonathan. I’d hate for you not to graduate.”

Johnny deadpanned as Armstrong chose a random student to go up to the board. Johnny heard Drew, Dallas, and Owen laughing. Johnny couldn’t stand them, but Dave was the worst. He wasn’t worse than Elliot the coward, or insane Lucas, though.

The bell rang not long after. Johnny dashed to the door, but got stopped by Armstrong. “I’d appreciate it if you paid attention tomorrow.”

“Whatever,” Johnny murmured before exiting the room. A guy named Fitz from Lakehurst bumped into him. They’d just finished math together.

“You should move out of the way, DiMarco.”

“You should watch where you’re going, Fitzgerald,” Johnny retorted, echoing Fitz’s threatening manner. He’d have to try harder than that if he wanted Johnny to tremble. He knew guys ten times scarier than Fitz. Lucas and Spinner were first in mind. “And about what your school did yesterday? Trashing the halls? Real nice.”

“Aw. Is the gang member upset?” Fitz teased. Johnny’s eyes were so wide, he worried they might pop out. “Yeah, I know about you and Bruce. What’s your leader’s name? Elliot?”

The mention of Elliot caused Johnny to squeeze his hands. Elliot would never be his leader. He was a coward. “Elliot’s not my leader.”

“Oh. Right. That Lucas guy was.”

Fitz knew too much about him and the gang. How? He’d just transferred.

Fitz noticed his bewilderment. “Yeah, I heard about him too. Your school shunned you after what Lucas did, and I can’t blame them. For all we know, you and your boys were involved in that JT guy’s death as well.”

He walked away. Johnny was pale, and his heart was beating fast because Fitz was right. He was involved in JT’s death.

At the party, Johnny saw JT talking to Mia, which reminded him of Lucas warning JT to stay away from her. Johnny took a picture of them conversing, sent it to Lucas, and the next thing he knew, JT was dead.

He woke up every day regretting what he’d done. He was loyal to Lucas, and he had no idea why. Maybe it was because he despised Elliot and wanted someone else to look up to.

Whatever the reason, a life was lost because of him. No one knew what he’d done except for Bruce, and he was determined to keep it that way. Fitz could speculate all he wanted, but Johnny would confirm nothing. If the school found out, he’d be done for.

“Johnny, boy!”

It was Bruce, and Johnny was relieved to see him, since he needed a distraction from his guilt. “Armstrong was on your case, huh?”

Bruce laughed, but Johnny’s expression lacked amusement. Bruce looked concerned after realizing his laughter was the only sound he could hear. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I think he knows.”

Bruce’s attitude changed to alarm. “Who knows what?”

“Fitz knows what I did to JT. He knows I basically helped Lucas.”

“How is that possible? He just transferred here.”

“I don’t know. He said, “For all we know, you and your boys were involved in that JT guy’s death as well.”

Bruce laughed. Johnny couldn’t figure out what was funny. He was being serious, which was what caused Bruce’s laughter. “Calm down. He’s not catching on to you. He’s making assumptions because we were friends with Lucas.”

“It doesn’t matter. He knows too much about our gang.”

“Yeah. It seems like he’s trying to form a gang of his own.” He jerked his chin down the hall. Johnny saw Fitz with their other classmate, Luke Baker. An unfamiliar guy joined them, all three staring at the duo.

“That’s not fair. There’s two of us and three of them.”

“There doesn’t have to be two of us.” 

Johnny was aware of what Bruce was implying. He wanted him to make amends with Elliot. Their friendship ended when Elliot refused to help Johnny get revenge on Jimmy, who had intervened in his fight with Dave four months ago. Elliot had turned over a new leaf since he started working at The Dot, and Johnny couldn’t stand it.

“No way, Bruce. We’re not involving Elliot.”

“Come on! We need the manpower!”

“Elliot isn’t strong! He’s a coward!”

“Well, that coward is over there,” Bruce stated. Elliot was on the phone with someone. “The school hates us, Johnny. Degrassi and Lakehurst. We need him.”

Johnny groaned as Bruce hauled him towards Elliot. He was still on the phone, so they stood behind him, listening.

“How’s your day going?” asked someone who sounded like Elliot’s father over the speaker.

Elliot acknowledged his troubled past. “Horrible. I’m still hated, remember?”

Because of what he’d done to Mia.

His mother couldn’t stand it. “Those kids should ease up on you! It’s been three months!”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m an accomplice to rape. I fucked up.”

His father took the blame. “No. We messed up. If we were around to stop you from attending that party two years ago, you wouldn’t be guilty.”

Johnny leaned into Bruce. “Since when is he cool with his parents?”

“I have no idea...”

Johnny listened to the rest of the conversation. They waited for Elliot to hang up, and when he did, he jumped at their unexpected presence. “Hey, Bruce.” He didn’t look at Johnny because they weren’t friends.

“Hey,” Bruce greeted. “You were talking to your parents? I thought you hated them?”

“They’re more present in my life, so I’m giving them a chance.”

“That’s good.”

Bruce looked at Johnny, dissatisfied with his quietness. He wanted them to work things out, so he elbowed Johnny. Johnny didn’t want to breathe the same air as Elliot, but there was no use fighting it.

“Look. Lakehursters are fucking with us,” he said to Elliot.

“Yeah, no kidding. My locker was covered with milk.”

“Ours too. But three particular Lakehursters are after us.” Johnny looked down the hall towards Fitz, Luke, and their unidentified friend.

Elliot recognized them right away. “Fitz, Luke, and Nic?”

“Nic?” Johnny figured this “Nic” was the third person he didn’t recognize. “That’s his name?”

“Yeah. He’s a Junior.”

“Well, yeah. We need three for their three. Catch my drift?”

“Oh, I see. You want me back in the gang.”

Bruce nodded. “We need you. Fitz knows too much, like how Johnny kinda helped Lucas.”

“Helped him do what?”

Johnny and Bruce exchanged a look. They’d forgotten Elliot knew nothing. Johnny checked for eavesdroppers before speaking. “I got JT killed. I sent Lucas a picture of him conversing with Mia at the party. He died because of it.”

Elliot’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not. Lucas showed up that night because of me. He got upset and retaliated.”

“Oh god, Johnny.”

“I know! I feel like shit, but I swear, I had no idea he’d stab the dude!”

“I had no idea he’d force himself on Mia, either. Lucas makes us do his dirty work, and then gets shipped off to his cell while we deal with the backlash. It’s annoying.”

“That’s why we have to stick together,” Johnny insisted.

“So you don’t hate me because I didn’t help you get revenge on Jimmy?”

“I guess I’m over it. Plus, I can’t mess with Jimmy. Spinner will kill me.”

“What does he have to do with it?”

“Wow, you’re missing out on a lot.” Johnny laughed and put his hand on Elliot’s shoulder. “We need to catch up.”

“We have the same class next period. Tell me as we walk?”

“Okay.”

The three friends walked as Johnny informed Elliot about his failed attempt at stabbing Jimmy, which was thwarted when Spinner had acted as his bodyguard. Elliot was invested in the story, but Johnny could tell he was just glad to have his friend back. Johnny was glad too, because he needed all the friends he could get. 

When Johnny and Bruce approached Elliot, Drew was at the water fountain. They conversed quietly, but not quiet enough, since Drew heard every word that came out of Johnny’s scheming mouth.

He got JT killed? Wasn’t Johnny dating Alli as well? Why date someone who caused her classmate’s death?

Drew’s mind raced as Owen and Dallas approached him after leaving Armstrong’s class. Owen boasted as he spoke to Dallas. “Armstrong’s already praising me for my participation? This semester’s gonna be great.”

“Are you ready for basketball tryouts?” Dallas asked.

“We don’t need to try out. We’re already on the team. But I’m curious to see who’s chosen.”

“Hopefully none of these Lakehurst students. They don’t deserve to be on our team.”

“They sure don’t. They’re trying to take control of our school.”

“How do you know?”

“Marisol told me.”

“Marisol?” Dallas was familiar with that name. Owen had told him about meeting Marisol months ago. “That girl you met at the park?”

“Yeah. She’s from Lakehurst. Lucky me, right?” A scoff followed Owen’s sarcastic words. He looked at Drew after noticing how silent he was. “Why do you look like that, Drew?”

“You guys won’t believe what I heard,” Drew breathed. “He got JT killed.”

“Who? Lucas?”

“No. Johnny,” Drew clarified. “He sent Lucas a photo of JT and Mia conversing at the party, which made Lucas retaliate.”

They both exclaimed, “What?!” before exchanging shocked expressions. “Why is he not in trouble?”

“I guess nobody knows, but Alli must, right? He’s her boyfriend. My question is, why is she still with him?”

“Because she’s stupid? Foolish? Dense? I thought we established that,” Dave chimed in as he walked up to them.

Dallas made fun of him. “Someone’s been reading a thesaurus.”

Unimpressed by that comment, Dave deadpanned. He didn’t need to read a thesaurus to understand those simple words.

“And are you sure that’s not your broken heart talking?” 

Dave said, “I’m not worried about that girl. She chose Johnny over me, and that’s fine because I have a better girl now. But you’re saying Johnny got JT killed?” A head shake accompanied his snicker. “Oh, Alli’s gonna regret her choice.”

Owen inserted himself. “We can’t assume she knows. If she did, she wouldn’t be with him.”

“I have to tell her, right?” Drew asked. “Johnny’s dangerous.”

Dallas’ eyebrows lifted. “Since when do you care about Alli Bhandari?”

“I don’t. She doesn’t care about me either, because I rejected her at the start of the school year. But doing the right thing is more important. I have to find her.”

Drew hurried through the hallways. It’d be strange to speak to Alli after four months, especially after everything that had happened between her and Dave, but he couldn’t keep Johnny’s evil acts a secret. She needed to be informed of his dangers, and hopefully she’d leave him.

Drew asked Degrassians for her location. No one knew her whereabouts. Drew continued his search until he came upon a girl with jet-black hair. She was rocking a pretty nose ring, too. She was pretty altogether, and he knew she was a Lakehurster based on her yellow shirt. She wasn’t just any Lakehurster, though. She was his former crush, Katie Matlin.

He remembered Owen mention Marisol attending Degrassi, but it didn’t occur to him that Katie was also there. He felt awkward because he hadn’t spoken to her since after the school shooting. They had feelings for one another, but he abandoned Katie after Bianca dumped Elliot for spiking Mia’s drink. He and Bianca began dating, and he’d forgotten about Katie.

He never explained himself to her, so he was in an uncomfortable position. “Katie...”

“Drew,” she answered dryly. “I'm not surprised to see you here.”

“It’s the third day of school, and we haven’t seen each other until now.” He chuckled awkwardly as he stroked the back of his neck. “I guess it was bound to happen.”

“I guess.” She drilled a hole into his skull with her cold eyes, and her silence was more painful than her anger. Drew would rather have her lash out at him. Actually, he’d rather they make amends, so he sighed and apologized.

“I think I owe you an explanation.”

“About why you stopped talking to me?”

“Yeah. It was because of Bianca.”

“The girl you claimed broke your heart?”

“Yes, her. She found out something horrible about the guy she rejected me for, and ended her relationship with him. I consoled her, and we became close. It caused me to put you on the back burner.” Drew peered into her blue eyes with sincerity. “I liked you a lot, Katie. I don’t want you to think otherwise.”

“But you like her more,” Katie summarized.

Drew dropped his gaze and nodded. “I’m really sorry. What I did was terrible, but I don’t wanna fight with you.”

“There’s no beef between us. I don’t have time for that. I have to worry about my sister, who wants to see the world burn.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s not.” Katie checked to see whether the coast was clear before she whispered a dire warning to him. “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but there’s a storm brewing.”

“A storm...?” Drew didn’t recall hearing about a storm on the news.

“War, Drew,” she explained. “You think Lakehurst’s destruction of the halls was bad? It’ll only get worse.”

His eyes blazed with terror. “What should I do?”

“Warn your school. They have to be prepared for anything. Lakehurst, my sister, won’t show mercy.”

“I’ll warn them right now.”

Katie nodded and moved past him. Drew shouted after her. “Katie!” She turned, her eyebrow arched in interest. “Thanks for warning me. I’m glad we can talk normally.”

“Believe me, Drew. Things are far from normal around here.”

That was the sad truth.  

 
Dallas summoned Bianca and her best friend, Alex, to the auditorium. Drew had an announcement to make, which sparked anxiety in Bianca.

Approximately thirty familiar Degrassians sat in the first four rows. Drew had invited everyone they knew? She thought it’d only be her small circle of friends.

Bianca and Alex sat. Alex crossed her legs while her eyes explored their surroundings. “Drew called this meeting, but he’s not here?”

Bianca shrugged. “Maybe he got held up.”

“But what’s happening?”

“I have no idea.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Alex struggled to accept that. “You’re his girlfriend.”

“I’m in the dark like the rest of you, Alex.” Bianca disliked being clueless since Alex was correct about her being Drew’s girlfriend. She should’ve been the first to know what was going on.

The door opened, and Drew strolled down the aisle. Everyone stared at him, especially Bianca. As he stood beside her row, she sat up straight and questioned him. “What’s going on, Drew?”

“Come here, B.” He reached out his hand. Bianca clutched it, and he escorted her to the front. 

“Alright, Drew.” Owen leaned forward and pressed his elbows into his thighs. “What’s the big secret?”

“It’s not a secret. It’s a warning.”

“A warning?” Holly J said while relaxing in her seat. “That sounds ominous...”

Drew said, “Yeah. It’s not good,” before explaining further. Apparently, a Lakehurst girl named Katie told him a storm was brewing. Dallas blinked, unable to understand Drew. It didn’t make sense to Bianca either. Especially when Dave said, “Katie? You’re cool with her again?”

Again. Was Dave implying that Drew was once cool with this ‘Katie’? Bianca had been talking to Drew for three months, and he never mentioned her.

Paige stood and criticized Drew’s actions “After what happened to our halls, why are you talking to Lakehursters?”

Drew told her, “Katie isn’t like them. She’s neutral. And to answer your question, Dallas, it means we’re at war. Katie says things will worsen.”

The next person to leap to her feet was Hazel. “Because of us?” she questioned, gesturing between herself and Paige. “Paige and I tried to stop them from entering this morning. I guess they’re upset about it.”

Emma joined in. “Of course they’re upset. This all started because they blame us for their school burning down.”

Liberty said, “And they’re upset about having to wear a different colored shirt. It’s stupid.”

Sadie raised a finger. When the floor was hers, she said, “Katie’s sister made a big deal out of it. Maya Matlin is her name. She’s a friend of mine.”

Bianca had to be concerned about Katie and her sister? Great.

Alli stated, “So you’re admitting to being a traitor?” She laughed as Sadie glowered at her with pure hatred.

Dave growled low and deep. “Don’t start, Bhandari.”

“It’s not my fault your girlfriend’s playing both sides.”

“Sadie is playing both sides. I spotted her hanging out with a Lakehurster named Marisol Lewis,” Paige revealed, drawing everyone’s attention to Sadie.

Sadie faced forward, avoiding their critical looks. Dave wrapped his arm around her to soothe her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Bianca frowned. Sadie didn’t deserve to be attacked.

Paige concentrated on the main issue. “We need to keep an eye on Marisol. She wants Lakehurst to take over Degrassi.”

“So half of them are trying to destroy the school, while the other half are trying to take control,” Bianca concluded. “Can someone remind me why they came here?”

“Because Ms. Hatzilakos wants them here,” Toby said. “She thinks giving them a place to learn is the least we can do, since those rogue Degrassians destroyed their school.”

It was Drew’s turn to speak again. “Well, we need to be ready for anything.”

Dallas rose. “Don’t worry, bro. We’ll wait for their next move, and then we’ll hit them where it hurts.”

“Yeah!” was the unanimous response from everyone who agreed with him. Clare wasn’t one of them.

“You want to go to war? Did we learn nothing last semester?”

Dallas huffed. “What are you talking about?”

“We went to war with Rick, and look how that turned out. With students being killed!”

“Nobody will bring a gun.”

“We thought the same about Rick!”

“Sit down, little sister,” Darcy commanded through clenched teeth. “It’s not like we’re gonna mess with them first.”

“But we’ll still mess with them!”

“We have every right to protect our school!” Darcy argued.

Clare knew Darcy was too stubborn to see her point of view. She looked around, but no one stood up for her. “Am I the only one who thinks clearly?”

Emma’s boyfriend Milton shot up from his seat and agreed with her. Emma’s puzzled expression was unmistakable. She tugged on him to silence him, but Milton stayed firm. “No, Emma. This will get us nowhere.”

“Okay...” Drew addressed the rest of the group, allowing everyone to express themselves. “Does anyone else object?” Nobody said anything. “Then the majority rules.”

“Unbelievable,” Clare muttered. “Degrassi will never be great if you guys don’t change your mindsets.”

Her footsteps thundered as she left the auditorium. Alli was the only one who chased her. 

Darcy apologized on behalf of her sister. “I’m sorry about that. My sister has been annoying lately.” Then she grabbed her bag and exited.

Everyone else, including Drew, left. Bianca reeled him back, preparing to interrogate him. “You’re not going anywhere. We need to talk.”

“Don’t tell me you’re backing out, too.”

“No. I’m curious about Katie. How do you know her?”

Bianca noticed him swallow hard as he looked at his sneakers. Katie’s name unnerved him, but why? “Do we need to discuss this right now?”

“Yes,” Bianca insisted. “I don’t like that Dave knows her, but I don’t.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “Alright, look. When you were dating Elliot, I was messing around with her.”

“Messing around with her?”

“Romantically,” Drew said. He told her that he, Dave, and Owen had gone to the park and met Katie, Sadie, and their best friend, Marisol. Afterward, Bianca grew close to Drew after she dumped Elliot, and Drew ghosted Katie. “But Katie and I talked it out. She’s over me. Everything’s okay.”

“It better be. I don’t want any drama.”

“She won’t give you any trouble.”

“I believe you.”

The bell rang. Bianca knew they had to go to class, or they’d get detention. “We need to get to class.”

Drew held her hand as they walked out. They had separate classes, so he kissed her goodbye and walked in the other direction. Bianca spotted Alex waiting for her and joined her, praising her for being patient. Alex said it was no problem and asked if everything was okay. At first it wasn’t, but she believed Drew when he promised Katie wouldn’t bother her.

They were on their way to class when something grabbed Bianca’s attention. It was a flyer for Marisol Lewis’ dance team. Tryouts were taking place on Friday.

Alex didn’t like the excitement on her face. “Please don’t tell me you’re considering joining.”

“You know how much I enjoy dancing, Alex.”

“Marisol is a Lakehurster. They hate us, remember?”

“Isn’t that more motivation for me to join?” Bianca responded. “How does the phrase go? Keep your enemies close? I can find out what she’s up to.”

“That’s if she lets you on the team. She might not let you through the door.”

“Have you forgotten who I am? When determined, I’m unstoppable.” She posed, one hand on her hip. “I’m getting through that door.” 

Chapter Text

Clare’s feet led her far from the auditorium, eager to escape her immature peers and sister. Why did aggression have to be the answer to everything? Couldn’t they see that if they ignored Lakehurst, they’d become bored and stop bothering them? Feeding into their negativity was unwise.

“Clare, wait!”

Clare recognized the voice as Alli’s. She and Alli became enemies three months ago when she accused Alli of having feelings for Dave. Clare also hated that Alli had chosen Johnny over her, but that was in the past. They’d reconciled and were even sharing a locker.

Clare expected Alli to have her back earlier, but Alli did nothing. That left a bitter taste in Clare’s mouth as Alli raced in front of her. Alli’s first question was why Clare was upset. She told Alli they didn’t need to go to war with Lakehurst. Degrassi had to be mature and disregard them.

“Clare, if we don’t fight back, they’ll take over our school,” Alli replied. “That doesn’t sound very pleasant.”

“I’m sure we can coexist if we sit and talk to them.”

“Lakehurst is past the point of talking. They want war, and it’s only fair that we give our guests what they want, right?”

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not. This is our school, and we have to fight to keep it.”

“Great. Drew got inside of your head too.” Clare threw up her hands. “I’m the only sensible person in this school!”

Alli sighed. “Listen—”

“Don’t,” Clare hissed. “You meant what you said. Just go to Johnny or something. I need to cool down.”

She stormed to the water fountain and drank, the cold liquid reducing the heat in her body. A recognizable voice spoke from behind her before her feet could move. “Hello, Clare.”

It was Eli. She craned her neck to stare at the ceiling. She couldn’t figure out why God was punishing her today. What had she done to deserve these annoyances?

Clare faced the person she hated the most. “What do you want, Eli?”

“To tell you I agree with you. I don’t want to fight back.”

If he didn’t want to fight, why didn’t he object when Drew asked?

“I know you’re wondering why I kept silent. It’s because it wouldn’t have made a difference. There were three of us vs. thirty of them.”

“You may disagree with them, but you’re exactly like them. You said Rick deserved what happened to him. Remember that?” He remembered. That’s why he huffed. “What’s next? You’re gonna say JT also deserved to die?”

“Can you stop? I apologize for what I said about Rick. He didn’t deserve to be bullied to that extent.”

"Well, he did, and you didn’t stop it.”

“You didn’t either. Last I checked, you wanted him gone. You even spoke to Raditch.”

Clare wanted Rick gone at first because she was afraid he’d abuse another girl, but he didn’t. He was trying to change, and they should’ve allowed him to do so. “I wouldn’t have done it if I knew he’d die. I would’ve befriended him. What about you, Eli? What would you do differently?

“Oh, I know! You wouldn’t change a thing. Or maybe you would. Maybe you’d help Spinner, Jay, and Alex spill the paint and feathers on him. So, goodbye.”

She rushed away, but Eli opened his mouth again. “I guess there won’t be a play this year!”

Clare wheeled around. “What are you talking about? You always put on a play.”

“I haven’t written anything in three months. Without you, I get writer’s block,” he said, motioning towards her. “I was distracted too. I can’t stop thinking of ways to make things right with you.”

“You can start by apologizing.”

“I did—”

“Again. And this time, convince me.”

He reached for her hand and squeezed it, and she let him. “Clare Diana Edwards, I’m sorry. The things I said about Rick? That was my anger talking. I got pissed off because he could’ve killed me, my friends, you. And if you died, it would’ve been my fault.”

Clare demeanor softened. “It wouldn’t have been.”

“It would’ve,” he insisted. “Remember what Sean did? He took the bullet for Emma. So if you were one of the innocent students who got shot, it would’ve meant that I failed you. I don’t want to fail you, Clare.”

“I don’t want to fail you either. Or anyone.” She was being sincere. “So, if you still want me to be your writing partner, I’ll help.”

“You mean that?”

“The show must go on, right? But what about us?”

“It depends on how you feel about me. My feelings haven’t changed.”

“Now that my anger has subsided, I guess I still have feelings for you. We can continue where we left off.”

Eli grinned. It was infectious, causing her to beam as well. “That sounds great, but we should be past the talking stage. We should make this official.”

“Eli...”

“What’s the issue? We like each other.”

“We just started talking again. Let’s give it time.”

“Fine,” he forced out. “We’ve got forever, right?”

Her smile never left her face as she nodded. She hadn’t expected to make peace with Eli, but she was relieved she did. She had one victory today.

Eli wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Just to be clear...you know I’d take a bullet for you, right?”

Clare held his hand as it dangled over her shoulder. “I do now.” 

 
On Thursday, Emma put on her earrings. Milton was coming over to go to school with her. It was sometimes hard for Emma to believe she was dating him.

JT’s death was the tragic incident that set everything into motion. Once he died, Emma fell into a depressive state, and Milton was there to comfort her since Sean wasn’t.

Milton was always there for her whenever she needed him, and she was grateful for that. So grateful that she’d kissed him impulsively and later dated him. She promised Sean she’d wait for him, but three months was a long time.

She knew she’d have to explain herself to Sean. Emma also knew he’d be upset that she was dating his enemy, but hopefully they could sort it out. She still cared for Sean and didn’t want him out of her life. She wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him.

Her phone rang. She grabbed it, believing it was Milton, but she saw Sean’s name on the screen. Why was he calling her? Was he back in Toronto?

The phone would go to voicemail if she didn’t answer. A part of herself wanted that to happen since it’d be weird talking to Sean, but she had to face him eventually.

Emma cleared her throat and answered the call. “Hello?”

“Emma!” Sean sounded just as she remembered. “It’s been a while, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yours too.” He apologized for the unexpected call. “I’m sorry for calling so early. You’re probably getting ready for school.”

“Are you?” Emma questioned, interested in his life at Wasaga Beach. Was he a student there? Sean said he wasn’t enrolled in school, which made sense because his stay there was temporary. It was so temporary that he told her he was returning to Toronto this weekend.

“That’s why I’m calling,” Sean added. “Can you pick me up?”

“Me?”

“Well, you can bring our friends. It doesn’t matter. I just wanna come home with you.”

“Manny can go with me. She’ll most likely bring Jay.”

Sean was surprised, since Emma had previously said she and Manny were no longer friends. However, they had settled their issues on the first day of school, thanks to Ms. Hatzilakos. Emma also told Sean she was on good terms with Jay, which made him thrilled.

“I’m glad things are going well,” he replied. Emma could picture him smiling. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

Emma said her goodbyes and hung up. She really had to bring Sean home this weekend. That wasn’t ideal since she was keeping a secret from him. She wasn’t sure if she should tell Sean about her relationship with Milton when she saw him.

“Emma! You need to get going!” her mother shouted from downstairs. Emma said, “Coming!” as she gathered her belongings and descended the stairs. Her parents were getting ready in the living room. When she came into view, they gave her their full attention. Her father was the first to welcome her.

“Good morning, Emma. Would you like me to drive you?” Archie offered.

“I’m going with Milton.”

“Okay. I’ll see you at school.”

Emma nodded, and her parents resumed their preparations. Emma fiddled with her fingers, still thinking about her chat with Sean.

Spike looked over her shoulder, surprised to see her still standing there. “Em? Is something wrong?”

“Sean called. He’s returning this weekend.”

Spike could see where this was headed. “Let me guess. You haven’t told him about Milton.”

Emma shook her head. “It’s hard. How am I supposed to break his heart after he nearly died for me?”

“Sean did that out of the kindness of his heart,” Archie chimed in. “I doubt he thinks you owe him anything.”

“Don’t I owe him? Loyalty, at least?” Because Sean had jumped in front of a bullet for her. She was forever in his debt.

Spike spoke again. “If you feel that way, let go of Milton.”

“I can’t. I like him. Love, even. But Sean has been gone for so long, and I miss him, but my feelings have faded.” But what if she saw him and those feelings came back? Then what was she supposed to do?

“Well, you know what they say. Honesty is the best policy,” Archie quoted. “Giving Sean false hope is the last thing you want to do. You should rip off the bandaid.”

The doorbell rang. Emma hurried to answer the door, knowing it was Milton. She swung the door open with a smile. He returned the smile. “Hey. Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah.” Emma looked back and said, “Bye mom! Bye dad!” as she left the house. They strolled silently, which was odd because they usually talked. Milton sensed her trouble, so she confided in him.

“Sean is returning this weekend, and I agreed to bring him home.”

Milton looked like his head was spinning. “Uh, okay. Throw it on me all at once, I guess.”

“I have to. My dad’s right; I have to rip off the bandaid. But Sean and I won’t be alone. I want Manny and Jay to come with me.”

“Not me?”

“I’d invite you, but it’d be strange.”

“Yeah. Sean doesn’t wanna see me, anyway.” He looked at his sneakers. “What happens afterwards? He still doesn’t know we’re together.”

“Rip off the bandaid, remember?” Emma replied. “I have to tell him the truth. You both deserve it.”

“Do you want me to talk to him with you?”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I want him to stay as calm as possible, because I want us to end on good terms. Your presence might upset him.”

“I hope you do end on good terms. We might have to fight again if he disrespects you.”

Emma chuckled before defending Sean. “I don’t think he’d disrespect me, no matter how upset he gets. If anything, he’ll ignore my existence.”

She didn’t want that, though. She couldn’t imagine her life without Sean. He wasn’t her current love, but he was her first, and no one forgets their first love. He’d always hold a special place in Emma’s heart.

She embraced her boyfriend, resting her chin on his shoulder. “All we can do is hope everything works out.”

For once. 

Manny was at her and Emma’s locker before first period. Emma had just finished telling her about Sean’s phone call. He was returning to Toronto and had asked Emma to pick him up. Manny agreed to go with her, and of course she was bringing Jay. She didn’t want to be a third wheel, and Jay was the only one who could drive.

Emma questioned her. “What will Sean say about Milton?”

“He might get angry,” Manny answered. She saw Emma’s panicked expression, and regretted what she’d said. “Or maybe he won’t. Maybe he mellowed out. His feelings could’ve faded as well.”

“His feelings didn’t fade. He sounded excited to see me, and it sucks because I have to break his heart.” She tugged on her hair while saying, “Ugh!”

Manny squeezed Emma’s hand, forcing her to stop pulling her hair out. “Don’t get too worked up, Em. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“I guess. How are we getting to Wasaga Beach?”

“I’ll try to convince my dad to let us borrow his car.”

“Try?” Emma was worried again. “Manny, I promised Sean we’d bring him home!”

“I will convince him, okay? Jay will drive us there and back.”

Emma leaned on the lockers. “I’m glad Jay and I worked things out. I think his presence will come in handy, and—”

Manny drowned her out when she heard applause. Her eyes followed the noise and found Jimmy Brooks making his way through as students congratulated him on his recovery. Her attention lingered on his crutches before moving to his biceps. Did he work out while he was away? Because, good lord, he was in great shape.

Her gaze settled on his face, soaking in every detail. She was pleased with what she saw, but it was confusing. When did Jimmy get so attractive? Maybe he always was.

Emma looked to see what caught Manny’s interest. Once she saw Jimmy, she squinted. “Were you staring at Jimmy?”

“Um...no?”

“Manny.”

Manny sighed, knowing there was no escaping this. “Okay, yes. Look at him!” She made a motion towards Jimmy. “He’s gotten handsome! And those biceps!”

Emma took in Jimmy’s appearance. “Yeah, he got buff. He probably wanted to keep his upper body in good shape, since his lower body got injured.”

“He succeeded.”

Emma’s eyebrows knitted together because Manny seemed fascinated. When she questioned Manny about whether she liked Jimmy, Manny said, “I don’t,” but Emma wasn’t buying it.

“You seem mesmerized.”

“I’m not. He’s just cute.”

In response to Emma’s reminder that Jimmy had a girlfriend, Manny said, “Yeah, I see that,” as she spotted him conversing with Alisha down the hall. Jimmy had to be bored with Alisha because Manny was bored watching them. 

“So get that look out of your eye,” Emma said. Manny’s perplexed expression prompted her to elaborate. “The look you get when you’re thinking of chasing a taken guy.”

“Please don’t make it sound like I steal guys daily. It only happened with Spinner.”

“Okay, but Jimmy? I don’t think you should be near him because you’ve already dated—” Emma caught herself. “Forget it.”

“No, say it,” Manny insisted. “Who have I dated?”

“I don’t wanna ruin our friendship again.”

Manny wasn’t stupid. She knew Emma was going to say she’d already dated his friends. “I dated Craig and Spinner, huh?”

“You have.”

“I’m not sure why that matters. I can still be Jimmy’s friend. We’ve known each other for years and should be closer.”

Jimmy was still speaking to Alisha, and because he was smiling, Manny assumed they were having a great conversation. She sighed, wishing it was her instead. “How can I get him to talk to me?”

“By saying, “Hey Jimmy!” Emma responded while imitating Manny’s voice. “You’ve talked to him before.”

“Yeah, about Craig. We can’t talk about him anymore.”

“Why? Don’t you and Craig get along?”

“Yeah. He didn’t hate me for dating Spinner, but I don’t want him to be the topic of every conversation. It’s weird.”

“Just be yourself.” Emma put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re Manny Santos. You know how to talk to guys.”

Manny smiled, revealing her dimples. “You’re right. I’m the best at it.” 

Jimmy was down the hall; Alisha was gone. Now was her chance, so she fixed herself before strutting up to him. His back was turned, and he appeared to be texting someone. When Manny said, “Hey, Jimmy!” he recoiled and his phone flew out of his hands.

Manny gasped as she watched his phone fall. Jimmy gave her an expressionless stare, and she apologized. He bent down to pick up his phone, but Manny did it instead. It was the least she could do. Besides, he shouldn’t bend in his condition.

She grabbed the phone and saw he messaged Alisha, but she couldn’t read the conversation. She didn’t need Jimmy to hate her for spying. “Here you go.” She stood and handed him the phone. “Is it damaged?”

Jimmy examined the phone. “No, it’s okay.”

Manny still felt terrible. He chuckled. “Manny, it’s okay. I’ve dropped my phone before.” He put it away and changed the subject. “Anyway, what’s up? You’re not someone I’m used to talking to.”

“That’s why I’m here. We’ve known each other for years, but never had a deep conversation. Don’t you think that should change?”

“Sure. How are you?”

“I think I should ask you that,” she deflected, her chin jerking towards his crutches. Jimmy smiled at them.

“I can walk now, so life is good.”

She smiled back, seeing him focus on her dimples. “I’m so happy for you. I wanna apologize on Jay’s behalf, though. He was wrong for lying.”

“You’re still his friend.”

Yeah, Jay was a jerk, but he had his good moments. “He’s a cool guy, Jimmy. He just does stupid things.”

“He doesn’t seem cool to me, but it’s none of my business if you wanna be associated with him. Just don’t mention him around me.”

“So...we’ll be talking more?” Manny inquired, hoping he’d say yes. He did. She couldn’t contain her happiness, so she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. “Oh, thank you so much! You’re so kind!”

“Woah!” He laughed at how tightly she was hugging him. “Someone’s in a good mood.”

Manny let go. “Sorry! I’m just...happy to talk to you.” She chuckled as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “So...what have you been doing for the past three months?”

Jimmy informed her he was getting into art. When Manny asked if he enjoyed painting, he said, “Yeah, something like that. I enjoy drawing.” He allowed her to see his sketches, and Manny flipped through the first pages in awe. He had skill.

She froze when she saw a drawing of Alisha. Jimmy drew her perfectly, capturing every detail. Alisha was lucky. “Wow, Jimmy. You’re freaking talented.”

“Thank you. Can we keep this between us? I haven’t shown Alisha yet.”

“Of course.”

On the following page, she saw a girl whose red hair made her recognizable. Ellie. Manny’s astonishment was replaced with confusion. Drawing Alisha made sense since she was his girlfriend, but why was he sketching Ellie?

“Ellie? That’s weird.”

“Na. When I was away, she encouraged me to embrace my artistic side. That drawing’s a thanks.”

Manny supposed that made sense, but now she felt excluded. It wouldn’t be weird to ask Jimmy to draw her, since he drew Ellie, right?

She thanked him for trusting her with his art before making a proposal. “This may sound strange, but can you draw me? On a larger scale. I was thinking you could paint me on a canvas.”

“Oh, damn. Fancy,” Jimmy joked.

She giggled. “I think it’ll be good practice for you.”

He thought for a moment. “I’ve never drawn on a canvas, so sure. I’m up for a challenge.”

That was what she was hoping. “How about we do it from reference? Like figure painting?”

“You wanna pose for me?”

“If it’ll help.” Jimmy told her it would be helpful. He could paint her faster and with more accuracy. “Great! After school, then?”

Jimmy’s expression became dejected. “Sorry. I’m gonna be busy for the next couple of days. Maybe Monday?”

Manny frowned in response to his rejection. That was four long days of waiting.

“I know it’s a long wait, but I have to prepare for my date with Alisha, and—”

“Oh,” Manny cut in, her ears perking up. “You’re going on a date?”

“Yeah, this weekend. I’ve been gone for so long, and we fell off. I wanna get our relationship back on track.”

“You should. You and Alisha are cute together.” Very boring, though. “On the date, show her the sketch.”

Jimmy hadn’t thought of that. “That’s a good idea. Thanks.” The bell rang, prompting everyone to hurry to class. “I have to go, but Monday?”

“You got it.”

Jimmy gave her a quick hug, and Manny wished he could’ve hugged her for longer. She didn’t want him to let go, but he didn’t belong to her. So she let him leave, but he had one more thing to say. “And Santos? I’m impressed with your painting knowledge.”

She’d impressed him? They were definitely getting closer. “I guess I’m artsy too. We’ll have something to bond over.”

Jimmy gave her the most charming smile she’d ever seen. “Can’t wait.”

That voice...oh, Manny’s knees trembled. She would’ve fainted, but she didn’t want people to believe she was experiencing a medical emergency. Her heart was pounding, though.

With a dreamy look, she watched Jimmy go. Emma approached. “Manny! What happened? I saw him hug you.”

“We’re gonna do more than that, Em. I’m gonna pose for him.”

“Since when are you a model?”

“Since now. I’m Jimmy’s first figure painting model.”

Manny was determined to be the best model in order to leave a lasting impression on him. She had to be memorable, and she intended to be.

Chapter Text

Alli sat on a bench in the memorial garden, but she wasn’t there to pay her respects to JT. Instead, she bit her fingernail and stared at her unfinished history homework.

Alli had lost track of how many homework assignments she missed last semester. Mr. Perino told her he wasn’t tolerating it this semester. If she showed up without her homework, he wouldn’t hesitate to fail her and contact her parents. She didn’t want that to happen, since they’d blame Johnny for her irresponsibility.

They’d accuse him of being a distraction and insist they break up. It didn’t help that they hadn’t met Johnny yet. Alli didn’t want them to have a bad first impression of him.

She only had a few minutes to finish the questions. Fortunately, Alisha entered the garden as Alli had requested. Alisha scanned the area, finding no other students. She returned her attention to Alli, unsure of what was happening.

Alli held up her paper. “I need your help with my history homework. Mr. Perino will involve my parents if I don’t finish this!”

“History isn’t that hard.”

“It is for me. It’s the one subject I’m terrible at, and I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t care, or because I’m dumb.”

“You’re not dumb,” Alisha assured her as she sat beside her. “I’ll show you how easy it is, but why isn’t Clare doing this?”

Alli said, “Because you learned this last year,” but there was another reason. Clare had been dissatisfied since yesterday’s meeting. She wanted to prevent another war, but everyone else, including Alli, wanted to fight back. Being silent and passive wouldn’t make Lakehurst leave them alone. Being strong and fearless would. Why couldn’t Clare understand that?

“I also don’t know where Clare and I stand,” Alli continued, causing Alisha to worry. “She hates that we’re going to war with Lakehurst. She wants peace because she fears we’ll have another Rick situation.”

“I hope not.” The thought made Alisha shudder. “I don’t want someone to get shot again.”

“Like Jimmy...” Alli responded. Alisha nodded with a deep frown. “But he’s walking now. That’s awesome!”

“Mhm.” Alisha’s dry tone was off-putting. She should be happy about his recovery.

“Okay, that sounded dry.”

Alisha let out a troubled sigh. “I’m not sure how I feel about Jimmy anymore. We had a nice talk earlier, but it doesn’t erase that he was gone for so long and stopped calling me. But he spoke to Ellie. Can you believe that?”

Alisha scoffed, and Alli scoffed too, because Jimmy must’ve lost his mind. “That’s so wrong. I’d be furious if Johnny left for three months and called another girl instead of me. I would think something’s going on between them.”

“Yeah. I hope when we go on our date this weekend, we can rekindle the flame. If not, I’ll have to call it quits.”

“Well, I hope everything works out. You and Jimmy are cute together. Not as cute as Johnny and I, but...”

Alisha laughed as Alli rechecked the time. Her heart dropped because class was about to start. She urged Alisha to help her, and they spent the rest of the time focused on her history assignment. When the bell rang, Alli had answered all the questions and understood the lesson. Alisha was a great teacher.

Alisha stood as Alli put her homework away. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

Alli hugged her. “Thank you! You’re the best teacher ever. Like, better than Perino. You should take his job!”

Alisha waved her hands. “I don’t want to be a history teacher. That’s Marco’s style.”

Alli laughed as they exited the garden. The first person they encountered was the man of the hour. “Bhandari. Will I see your homework on my desk?”

“Yup! Every question has been answered correctly.”

“We’ll see.”

Alli’s joy faded as he walked away. She whined to Alisha. “See? He has it out for me!”

“Keep completing your homework. He’ll ease up on you.”

“Are you gonna continue helping me? You taught me a lot.”

“Sure, but you should ask Clare for help sometimes.”

Yeah, if Clare wanted to speak to her again. Alli huffed before heading to Perino’s classroom. As she walked, she heard someone calling her name. They sounded like Drew Torres. She turned around and had to blink several times because it was Drew.

Why was he talking to her? They hadn’t spoken in four months. 

“Hello, Drew. How are you?” she asked in a polite tone. There was no need to be rude.

“Wait...you’re being nice? You don’t hate me?”

“Why would I?”

“Because you were in love with me, and I turned you down.”

“I’ve moved on from that. I have Johnny now.”

“That’s why I’m here. Why are you still with him?”

She was with Johnny because she loved him. She told Drew that and he said, “Why do you love him after what he did?”

“After what he did...?”

Her obliviousness told Drew everything he needed to know. “So he didn’t tell you. Can’t say I’m surprised.”

Alli hated feeling lost. “Okay, I’m confused. What’s going on with Johnny?”

“Alli, he’s no good. He did something unforgivable.”

“Spit it out!”

“I want to, but now I think it’s better if you hear it from him. He has the details, anyway. Just promise you’ll break up with him afterwards?”

“I can’t promise—”

“Trust me,” Drew started with the utmost seriousness. “You’ll never wanna speak to him again.”

Uneasiness flooded every part of her body. What did Johnny do that was so horrible? And if Drew’s claims were true, why hadn’t Johnny told her?

She didn’t know, which meant she and Johnny needed to have a talk. 

At lunchtime, Maya had summoned Lakehurst to the cafeteria early. She’d thought of a way to retaliate after Paige and Hazel tried to stop them from entering yesterday.

Marisol stood next to Maya while the rest of their friends sat around the table, with the rest of Lakehurst clustering around them, excluding Jane and Imogen.

Luke questioned Maya. “What are we doing?”

“Remember how Paige and Hazel stopped us from entering the school?” Maya said, which elicited a nod from him. “We should do the same to them. We should keep them out of the cafeteria.”

“That means they won’t be able to eat,” Katie said. The cafeteria was Degrassi’s only food source. Maya wanted them to starve, upsetting Katie. “Seriously, Maya? Do we have to clap back every time they challenge us?”

Maya and Marisol both disliked the way Katie sounded. It was as if she was trying to protect Degrassi. Maya reminded her of her allegiance. “Didn’t you say we could get justice? You’re also gonna criticize Degrassi in the newspaper.”

“So?”

“So, why do you feel sorry for them?”

Marisol was eager to hear Katie’s response because her sympathy was questionable. She prayed Katie wasn’t playing both sides.

“I don’t want us to get in trouble,” Katie explained. “Do you think Ms. Hatzilakos will let this happen? She already gave you a detention.”

“She can continue giving me detentions. It won’t stop me from giving Degrassi hell.” Maya faced the entire school. “Is it gonna stop you guys?” Everybody said “no!” except for Becky, Jake, and Anya. They were angels. “Good. Can we get our revenge now?”

A Lakehurster who was keeping watch ran up to them. “Degrassi is coming!”

Marisol and the rest of her school ran to the double doors to prevent Degrassi from entering. Becky, Jake, and Anya remained seated. Marisol saw Katie, who also seemed uninterested. Her suspicions were skyrocketing because of Katie’s behavior. It was clear on her face, so Katie forced herself to join.

Marisol, Katie, Maya, Fitz, Nic, and Luke stood at the front of the crowd. Degrassians stopped when they saw Lakehurst blocking the entrance. Paige demanded an explanation. “What’s going on?”

Marisol thought it was a dumb question. “What does it look like?”

“It looks like you’re blocking the entrance, and you need to move because I’m hungry.”

“Starve.”

“You guys are doing the most,” stated a girl named Bianca DeSousa. Marisol recognized most of the seniors because they’d been in her classes.

Maya blamed them. “Paige and Hazel started this by blocking the entrance.”

Hazel justified her actions. “You trashed our halls. What did you expect?”

Dave spoke to Hazel. “They expect us to let it slide.” He hissed at Maya. “That ain’t happening.”

Drew Torres walked to the front of the crowd. “This isn’t happening, either.” He pleaded with Katie. “Tell them to move, Katie.”

Marisol wasn’t the only one eyeing Katie with suspicion. All of Lakehurst wondered why Drew was talking to her like a friend. He’d ghosted Katie with no remorse.

Marisol was about to put him in his place, but Maya intervened. “Don’t talk to my sister! She’s on our side!”

“And honestly, you guys are to blame for this. If you left Lakehurst alone, there wouldn’t be a war. But, no. You burned it down,” Marisol continued.

Mike Dallas spoke, and she rolled her eyes. He was on the opposite side of the war, but he was also Owen’s friend. She had two reasons to despise him. “Sweetheart, we’d be in handcuffs if we burned down your school.”

The name “sweetheart,” made Marisol feel sick. “I’m not your sweetheart.”

“I don’t want you to be.”

Owen snickered, and her glare shifted towards him. “Yes, Owen. That was sooo funny.”

His amusement disappeared in an instant. “Let us in, Marisol.”

“I don’t think I will.”

“Yes, you will,” a familiar voice said. Ms. Hatzilakos. “What on earth is going on now?”

“They’re not letting us eat!” Paige whined.

Ms. Hatzilakos looked stressed out. Marisol didn’t care, and she knew the rest of her school didn’t either. Degrassi chose the wrong people to mess with. “Lakehurst, please step aside.”

“We’re not doing that,” Nic was quick to say.

“Yes you are! You must coexist. We’re one school!”

Maya uttered her favorite complaint. “We’re not one school if we wear different colored shirts!”

“I apologize for that. But don’t take your anger out on each other.”

“We don’t hate them because of your mistake. We hate them because they destroyed our school.”

Maya’s accusation prompted a girl named Alli to declare her innocence. Maya snarled at her. “I don’t remember asking you, Alli Bhandari!”

Alli’s jaw dropped in response. “You want a war? Fine. But can you please take Sadie with you?”

Sadie gave Alli an “excuse me?” look, and Alli told her, “Don’t act surprised. You’re on both sides.”

Dave jumped in to defend his girlfriend. “Mind your business, Bhandari!”

“Don’t be mad because you’re dating the enemy.”

“You are. Your boyfriend hasn’t told you what happened that night.”

“What night?”

“The night JT died!”

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances before focusing on Johnny DiMarco. His fists clenched, as if ready for a brawl. Dave was his target.

Johnny was inches away from Dave, towering over him. “I’m sick of hearing your voice.”

Jimmy Brooks stepped between them, laying his palm on Johnny’s chest to create space. “You need to take a step back.”

Marisol watched as Johnny’s angry gaze shifted to Jimmy. “Protecting him again?”

“He’s my brother. Of course I’m protecting him.”

"Well, you should step aside before your legs get messed up again.”

Students from Lakehurst said “ooo.” When Jimmy said, “You think these crutches are gonna stop me from kicking your ass?” their ‘ooo’s’ grew louder.

Johnny gave their spectators a scowl before turning back to Jimmy. “Step aside, Brooks. I don’t want to fight you.”

Spinner Mason was the next to step up. “You don’t want a repeat of last semester, do you?”

What happened last semester? Marisol was lost, and so was Alli. “What is he talking about, Johnny?”

“Nothing, Alli. They’re making stuff up.”

“So everyone is telling lies about you?” Drew interjected. “Come on, Johnny. Admit it. You have skeletons in your closet.”

Elliot Fikes shoved Drew backwards. “You also need to back up.”

Bianca checked to make sure Drew was okay before addressing Elliot. “You two are friends again?” She gestured at Elliot and Johnny. “Why am I not surprised? Misery loves company.”

“No one’s miserable,” Elliot retorted.

“Really? Last time I checked, the school hates you for spiking Mia’s drink, which resulted in her being raped.”

Lakehurst’s loud gasps filled the air. They were well aware of Mia Jones’ existence. They were also aware of her daughter, but weren’t aware of her sexual assault. Was that how she became pregnant?

“Yup,” Dave said, smirking at Johnny. “Meanwhile, Johnny sent Lucas a-”

He didn’t get to complete his sentence because Johnny punched him in the jaw. Dave collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. Johnny was ready to attack, but Jimmy intervened. He couldn’t walk on his own, but he was giving Johnny the business by utilizing his crutches. He beat Johnny with them, and Marisol hoped he kicked Johnny’s ass. It’d be impressive.

Spinner and Craig Manning stepped in to defend him. They attacked Johnny at the same time, overwhelming him.

Dave staggered to his feet, massaging his sore jaw. He charged at Johnny. Johnny was being jumped, so his friend Bruce rushed in to help. Elliot would’ve as well, but he was fighting Drew.

Marisol watched as Drew and Elliot threw punches. Suddenly, she heard girls scream and saw them fleeing. It turned out, Sadie and Alli were also fighting. As the school guards barged in, Ms. Hatzilakos yelled for everyone to stop.

Lakehurst stood pretty as they watched everything unfold. They smirked because they’d never fought each other like that. They were a solid school that always had each other’s backs. Degrassi seemed to be the opposite. They disliked each other, so how could they band together to fight Lakehurst?

Marisol laughed at the thought. “Would you look at that? They’re fighting each other for us.”

“We’re winning this war,” Nic declared.

“Yeah, we are.” Maya agreed. “And I know what to do next.” 

 
Lakehurst was punishing them for the actions of a few Degrassians, which was stupid. What happened at lunch was also stupid. Why did Degrassi fight in front of Lakehurst? They showed weakness, and Liberty knew Lakehurst would take advantage of that.

Ms. Hatzilakos had given everyone who fought detention. Liberty didn’t fight, so she was safe, but it was time to clean out JT’s locker. She’d never forget how Mia had treated her the other day. She accused her of not being good enough for JT, which led to his death. It still pissed Liberty off, and if Mia spewed the same crap today, she might be the next one fighting.

She bobbed and weaved through the halls to get to her deceased lover’s locker. When she arrived, she saw Toby there. He spotted her and waved. Liberty waved back before gazing sadly at the unclaimed locker before them.

“This is it. JT will be gone once we finish this.”

“The memorial garden will still be here,” Toby assured her. “His memory will live on forever, Liberty.”

“I guess.” Her eyes scoured the hallway. Mia wanted to be involved, but now she was nowhere in sight. Maybe she decided not to come.

“Mia’s not coming. Let’s do this.”

“Are you sure? She could be on her way.”

“That’s why we need to hurry. We can do this without her.”

Her eyes begged him to comply, and he understood why she was rushing this. “Oh, I get it. You don’t want her around JT’s stuff.”

“I don’t. She keeps acting like she was his girlfriend, and it irritates me. She also hinted at keeping his belongings to herself. That can’t happen.”

“Let’s get started then.”

She was thrilled that he also didn’t want Mia there. They’d empty the locker without her, and Liberty knew Mia would argue with her about it, but she couldn’t care less. As long as Mia didn’t have JT’s belongings, she was happy.

JT’s possessions greeted them, including posters, action figures, a sweater, books, and open chip bags. Toby threw the chips out before removing JT’s posters. He then grabbed the books while Liberty took the action figures.

Only JT’s sweater remained. Toby gave her a look, knowing it was right for her to have it. Liberty handled it with care, as if it were a fragile item. It still smelled like JT, making her feel hollow because this was so messed up. They shouldn’t be emptying his locker. He should be here to wear his sweater and eat his chips, but he wasn’t, which made her dislike Mia even more.

“Hey! Wait for me!” yelled a girl. Mia.

Liberty demanded to know what she was doing there. “Helping?” Mia responded in a sour tone. “I heard you were starting without me.”

“Of course you did,” Liberty grumbled. Mia demanded to know what that meant. “You’re obsessed with JT. That’s what it means.”

“I have a right to be here, since I offered to help. By the way, Ms. H will be hearing about this.”

It wasn’t that serious. Even Toby thought so. “You’re gonna rat on us for cleaning out a locker?”

“Yes. This is JT we’re talking about. He meant a lot to each of us,” Mia said.

Liberty laughed. “That’s funny because last semester, you told me you weren’t worried about him.”

“Things changed.” Mia caught sight of the sweater Liberty was holding. She must’ve known it belonged to JT because she snatched it from her. Liberty grabbed it back.

“You’re not keeping this!”

“Yes I am. You two have stuff to remember him by. I deserve something,” Mia argued as she grabbed the sweater.

“You deserve nothing. He’s dead because of you!”

“I thought I proved you wrong when I told you he’s dead because of you.”

Toby looked at her, appalled. “Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true. If she hadn’t bored him to death, he wouldn’t have come to me for pleasure.” Mia diverted her focus to her enemy. “Please your man next time, Liberty.”

Toby saw Liberty’s flexing fingers. She was itching to slap Mia, so he got between them. “Mia, cut it out. JT didn’t like you; he felt bad for you because of what Lucas did. There’s a difference.”

“Maybe. But he risked everything to have sex with me, so what does that say? She wasn’t enough for him. But make me the villain. I’m used to it.”

Mia began walking off, but Liberty blocked her path because she still had JT’s sweater. Liberty held her palm out, waiting for Mia to hand it over, but she claimed she deserved it because she was kinder to JT than Liberty ever was.

“Let’s not forget he ran out of the house because of you,” Mia said. “All you had to do was dance with him. If he asked me, I would’ve done it. And it would’ve been the best night of his life because he’d be alive.”

Mia left with JT’s sweater as Liberty’s chest heaved. Her eyes trailed over to her friend. “Toby, have I ever fought?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s about to change. I’m gonna drag her across this hall.”

She stormed off in the direction Mia had gone, but Toby reeled her back. “Liberty, no!”

“If she keeps trying me, I will! She keeps blaming me for his death, and it’s making me go crazy! I’m even madder because what if she’s right? Did JT not storm out of the house because of me? He wanted to dance, and instead, I yelled at him and called him a clown!”

Toby sighed, putting things into perspective for her. “Even if he didn’t storm out of the house, Lucas would’ve gotten him eventually. What happened was inevitable. So don’t start believing what Mia says. She wants to deflect the blame.”

No matter how badly she wanted to disregard Mia’s accusations, she still felt guilty, and she hated it. She hated everything that happened, because it shouldn’t have.

Toby closed JT’s locker. “I guess we’re done here. Who do you think Ms. Hatzilakos is giving the locker to?”

“I don’t know. I just hope they know how important it is. Not just to us, but to this community.”

Toby nodded with a frown. “Yeah. There’ll never be another JT. He was special.”

Really special, and Liberty had the honor of being his lover. It was a shame Lucas had cut their romance short, but she’d never forget the memories they shared, or the love they had. She wasn’t sure if she could love anyone else. Her heart had died with JT, and she’d do anything to be with him again.  

Chapter Text

“You’re starting a dance team?” Anya asked Marisol. Ms. Kwan had paired them, and Anya was relieved she didn’t partner her with a Degrassian. Anya didn’t have a problem with Degrassi, but it’d be strange working with one of them under the circumstances.

Marisol responded. “Yeah. I’m holding tryouts tomorrow after school. Sadie promised to come.”

“That’s awesome. This war has been wild, but I’m proud of you, Katie, and Jake for making a name for yourselves.”

“What about Maya and Nic?”

“They’re well known, but in a bad way. But you three are helping the school.”

Marisol laughed, shaking her head. “You’re mistaken. We aren’t trying to help this school succeed. We hate Degrassi, remember?”

“Sure, but—”

“There are no buts. Katie and Jake are sabotaging the school newspaper to take down Degrassi from within. And I formed a dance squad because I want us to take over the school, starting with the clubs. So, which club are you planning to join? The newspaper, or the dance team?”

“There are other options. Like cheerleading.”

“Cheerleading? As in Paige Michalchuk’s Spirit Squad?” Marisol gesticulated in response to Anya’s nod. “No way, Anya. You can’t associate with the enemy.”

“I’m neutral, remember?”

“You shouldn’t be. You should fight with us.”

She’d never fight. She wanted peace and prosperity for everyone. “I’m not a fighter. I’m not trying to defend Degrassi, either. All I want to do is cheer. At Lakehurst, I was the captain, and I was good.”

“You can be good at dancing too!” In desperation, she tugged on Anya’s arm. “Come on. Support your school. Support me.”

Marisol performed her signature move: puppy dog eyes. Anya wanted to be a cheerleader, so she had to object. Marisol would most likely be upset, but honesty was the best policy.

“Marisol—” Anya couldn’t finish her sentence because a girl spoke from behind her.

“Hey! You’re Anya, right?”

Anya shifted in her seat to see who it was, and her jaw dropped when she saw Paige. Paige stood over her with a dazzling smile. She waited for Anya to respond, but she was too baffled.

Marisol spoke on Anya’s behalf. “What do you want, Michalchuk?”

“I wanna talk to Anya about joining the Spirit Squad.”

“Wait, really?” Anya’s face was bright as the sun. This was a dream come true!

“Yeah!” Paige’s smile never wavered. “We need girls, and I heard you were the captain of the Lakehurst cheer squad?”

“I was!”

“Well, I’m the captain here. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

“No. It’ll be an honor just to be a part of the team.”

“Alright. Come to tryouts tomorrow.”

“That’s not happening,” Marisol stated.

“She can think for herself, hun.” Paige strode to her seat. Anya clapped and squealed to herself while Marisol’s mouth formed into an unpleasant twist.

“Did you not hear what I said?”

Her attitude cut Anya’s celebration short. Holding back a sigh, she echoed Paige’s words. “Paige is right, Marisol. I can make my own choices.”

“Your choice is to side with her?” Marisol spoke with bitterness. “She’s trying to make sure my dance team flops. Can’t you see that?”

“It’ll flop with me,” Anya countered. “I’m not a dancer! At least if I cheerlead, I’ll be doing something I enjoy!”

“While betraying your school!” Marisol argued. “Do you wanna be labeled a traitor?”

“No.”

“Then do the right thing and show up for dance tryouts.” Marisol stood because she needed to speak with Ms. Kwan. She said one more thing to Anya, guilt-tripping her. “I’m hoping to see you.”

Marisol approached Ms. Kwan while Anya tried to control her irritation. She wanted to accept Paige’s offer since it’d make her happier, but was it worth losing Marisol? Not to mention how Maya and the rest of Lakehurst would react. They’d most likely exile her. That didn’t sound pleasant, but she wanted to follow her heart. But was the risk worth it?

She had some thinking to do.  

Jimmy and Dave knew they were in trouble when Jermaine came downstairs on Friday morning. It was because of Johnny DiMarco. Lakehurst had started the conflict by blocking the cafeteria entrance, but Johnny had started the violence by punching Dave.

Jimmy warned Johnny months before that if he ever touched Dave, he’d kick his ass, which he did. He attacked Johnny using his crutches rather than his hands, which worked well. He also had Spinner, Craig, and Dave’s help.

Jermaine was furious because Ms. Hatzilakos had contacted him, and he hated it when his sons got into trouble at school. He paced, and Jimmy felt the heat emanating from him.

“I think this is the part when we explain ourselves,” Dave said, receiving an aggressive yes from Jermaine. “We got into a fight.”

“Why?”

“Johnny punched Dave because he was about to expose him.” Jimmy said. “I jumped in to protect him.”

“You think that’s okay?” Jermaine retorted, and Jimmy had never been more perplexed. 

“Dad, what was I supposed to do? Let him hurt Dave?”

Jermaine released an exasperated breath before explaining the severity of the situation. “James, do you realize your body isn’t in the same shape it used to be? What if you injured your legs again?”

“I didn’t.”

“What if you did?!” Jermaine barked. “Then you’d have to do more physio, which is unacceptable. You can’t afford to miss any more classes, or you won’t graduate. Do you not care?”

“I won’t apologize if that’s what you’re expecting. I did the right thing. If I could do it again, I would.”

“That’s why you’re grounded.”

Jimmy couldn’t get grounded. Not when he had big plans coming up. “Dad...” He rose with his crutches, pleading his case. “I understand your anger, but I have plans. I’m going on a date with Alisha.”

“Cancel it.”

“I can’t, or my relationship will fall apart!” 

“You should’ve thought about that before fighting.” Jermaine shrugged and started walking away. Jimmy trailed behind him.

“Dad!”

“Enough, James!” Jermaine’s voice became brutal as he spun around. “My decision is final. You’re grounded until you prove you can behave in public.”

Dave tried sneaking upstairs but got caught. Jermaine informed him he was also grounded, which irked Dave because he planned to see his girlfriend this weekend. 

“That’s another issue you two have. You’re more concerned about your girlfriends than your studies. That’s changing. You’ll be doing homework this weekend.”

“What about today?” Dave inquired. “I can’t be grounded. I’ve got basketball tryouts.”

“Didn’t you make the team?”

“Yes, but I wanna meet the new guys.”

Jermaine loved basketball, so he let Dave go, but Dave had to come straight home afterwards. “Get ready for school so I can drive you. And stay away from Johnny!”

Jimmy had no intention of going near DiMarco unless he attacked Dave again. If that happened, Jimmy would always intervene. Being grounded wouldn’t stop him, but it sucked because he didn’t know what to do. Canceling his date wasn’t an option since Alisha needed to warm up to him. She’d only be able to do so if they spent time together. It’d happen faster in a romantic setting, but his father foiled those plans. Unless...

He and Dave were in front of Dave’s room. Dave was about to go inside, but he apologized. “Hey. I wanna say sorry. I know you were looking forward to your date.” Jimmy nodded. “How do you think Alisha will react?”

“She won’t have to, since I’m not canceling.” 

“But we’re grounded.”

“Yeah, we are...” Jimmy smirked as a rebellious thought came to him. “...so I have to sneak out.”  

Adam watched as Audra cared for Drew’s tender face. Elliot had fought him after Johnny began fighting Dave. Adam wanted to intervene, but Dallas and Owen broke it up before he could.

Ms. Hatzilakos had called Audra about Drew. Audra demanded to know why Ms. Hatzilakos let things escalate. Audra also issued her a grave warning: if anyone touched her sons again, there’d be consequences.

Audra caressed Drew’s face. Drew’s wincing caused her to frown. Elliot must’ve done serious damage if a light touch hurt him. 

“You’re too handsome to have your face roughed up, Andrew,” Audra remarked as she stepped back. “I don’t understand why Elliot would do this.”

“We’ve never liked each other because of Bianca. I think he still loves her.”

“I don’t want you fighting over girls, Drew. Maybe you should let Bianca go.”

“And let Elliot win? I don’t think so.”

“Bianca would never go back to him. She hates him,” Dallas reminded him.

“I don’t care. I’m not leaving her. I love her,” Drew asserted, eliciting an eye roll from Audra. 

“Well, I should talk to Ms. Hatzilakos about that boy.” Audra was referring to Elliot. Drew objected, but she insisted. “I’m serious, Drew! He shouldn’t be there after what he did to that poor girl. What was her name?”

“Mia,” Adam answered.

“Yes! He aided in her sexual assault! He should get arrested as well!”

“It’s too late. He’s not going anywhere. But don’t worry, I won’t talk to him again,” Drew said.

“All three of you need to steer clear of him. I also want you to come straight home after school. Things are getting out of hand.”

Dallas told her that wouldn’t be possible because he and Drew had to attend basketball tryouts. Adam also notified his mother of his after-school plans. That  surprised them, since he usually had none.

“I’m gonna hang out,” Adam said, and it was true. He did plan to hang out, but not with his friends. He intended to visit The Break Room to learn how to play pool. It seemed like something he’d be good at, and Adam desperately needed to be good at something because he felt bland. Everyone was talented, athletic, or popular. Adam needed to make a name for himself. 

Audra grilled him with folded arms. “You’re being vague, Adam. Who are you hanging out with?”

“You know...the usual. Tristan and Dave.” Dallas corrected him, telling him Dave had to go to basketball tryouts. Adam said, “Oh. Then Tristan.”

“Mhm.” Audra wasn’t buying his story, but she didn’t question him. “Don’t stay out too late.”

“Mom, it’s Friday.”

“Don’t stay out too late, Adam,” she said again. Adam agreed to her terms, not wanting to upset her. “Now, come on. Let me drive you boys to school.”

She and Dallas departed as Adam scooped up his bag. Drew should’ve followed Dallas, but he lingered behind to speak with Adam.

“Are you ready to deal with annoying Lakehurst?” Adam joked. Drew didn’t crack a smile. 

“Never mind that. Where are you going after school?”

“I told you I’m hanging out.”

“Yeah, but mom’s right. You were being vague, which means you’re hiding something.”

Leave it to Drew to read him like a book. Adam needed to work on his discretion. “Fine. I’m going to The Break Room.”

Drew remembered that name. “That pool hall? Why are you going there?”

“I wanna learn how to play.”

“Well, bring someone with you. I don’t want you alone with those adults.”

“I’ll tell Tristan to come.”

Hopefully, he’d want to.

   -

“You want me to go to The Break Room?” Tristan emphasized as he fixed his hair in the bathroom mirror. Adam shouldn’t be in there, but it was important. “Not happening.”

“Tristan, I can’t go by myself. I’ll be surrounded by adults.”

“That’s why we shouldn’t go. We need to be around teenagers. Not adults with access to alcohol. Who knows what they’ll do to us?”

“They won’t do anything if we stick together,” Adam assured him, but he refused to budge. “Come on! I wanna learn how to play pool!”

“Who’s gonna teach you?”

“I’ll look up the rules. I just need to practice, which I can only do at The Break Room.” Adam spoke with obvious desperation. “Be a good friend and come with me, please.”

“Best friend?”

“Yes, best friend.” And he was. Tristan had been by Adam’s side since the beginning, defending him when he’d gotten ridiculed. Even Dave, who Adam now considered his second best friend, had criticized him. Tristan was the most loyal, so he deserved the title.

“Fine, I’ll go with you. But can we not stay for too long? Marco has a killer sore throat. I have to be there for my man.”

Adam was thrilled for Tristan, recalling his crush on Marco at the beginning of the school year. Tristan had interrupted Marco’s outing with Dylan, but it paid off since he now had Marco to himself.

Adam had a realization. Everyone around him was not only skilled, but also in relationships, while he’d been single his entire life.

Damn. 

Chapter Text

Johnny was in his least favorite class: math. Everyone’s attention was on him, thanks to the bruises on his face. That stupid fight from yesterday was the cause.

No, he couldn’t call it a fight because he went up against Jimmy, Dave, Craig, and Spinner. How was that fair? Fortunately, Bruce jumped in to help him, but the two of them weren’t enough manpower.

Johnny received more intense stares. The gossip caused him to sink into his chair, keeping his head down. He wished he was invisible, since Elliot and Bruce couldn’t take their eyes off his damaged face. 

“You can stop staring,” Johnny hissed.

“Sorry,” Elliot said without looking at Johnny. “It’s just...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Damn.”

“Rub it in. Why don’t you?” 

“I’m not trying to rub it in.” Elliot turned to Johnny, which Johnny didn’t like. He didn’t want Elliot to see his bruises again. “I’m sorry you got jumped. I would’ve joined in, but I was fighting Torres.”

“Yeah, you’re lucky. You came out unscathed.” Johnny didn’t bother to hide his envious tone. “But I’m not mad at you. Bruce did everything he could, but it wasn’t enough.”

Bruce spoke from beside him. “I’m sorry to say it, but Craig and Spinner are brawlers.”

“Didn’t Spinner and Craig fight not too long ago?” Elliot mentioned. Johnny nodded, knowing Craig and Spinner were feuding over Manny and Rick. “So why are they teaming up?”

Bruce shrugged. “They love Jimmy.”

“Jimmy’s the problem, isn’t he?” Johnny was tired of Jimmy challenging him and succeeding. “He’s always been the problem.”

“Is this the part where you ask me to help you take him down?” Elliot asked.

“Would you say yes this time?”

“I would.”

Johnny believed him. “Well, you might not have to. I doubt we’ll be able to take Jimmy down when he has bodyguards on standby.”

“Because he’s weak,” Bruce interjected. “He and Dave proved that.”

They were weak. It took four of them to bring Johnny down. Johnny guaranteed Jimmy wouldn’t have stepped to him if Spinner and Craig weren’t there.

Johnny started talking to his boys again, but Armstrong interrupted him. “DiMarco. Didn’t I tell you to pay attention?”

“Why am I the only one getting called out?”

“He got stomped out,” Johnny heard Fitz say. The students laughed as Johnny glared at Fitz. He waited to see if Fitz would repeat the insult now that he had his attention. Fitz didn’t get the chance, since Armstrong chastised him.

“That’s enough, Fitzgerald.”

“Yeah, that’s enough,” Johnny said again.

Fitz chuckled and raised his hands. “I’m stating facts. By the way, how does your face feel?”

He smirked. Johnny jumped out of his chair, maneuvering through the desks to reach Fitz. He wanted to slap the smirk off Fitz’s face. Fitz sprang to his feet and took a defensive position as Johnny lunged at him. His attack got blocked by Armstrong. “You’re not fighting in my classroom! Sit down!”

Fitz sat, but Johnny remained standing, glaring at Fitz. Armstrong moved in front of Johnny, obstructing his line of sight from Fitz. Armstrong urged him to sit, which Johnny did.

He approached Johnny’s desk and asked, “Don’t you think you’ve been fighting enough?”

“Whatever.”

Armstrong shook his head in disappointment. “Unbelievable.”

He finished teaching. Johnny was silent for the rest of the class because he was so mad.

- 

Johnny flew out of his seat when the bell rang. He’d disregarded the lesson, and would for the rest of the year. He couldn’t stand Armstrong.

He heard Elliot and Bruce tell him to wait, but he needed space before he exploded. Unfortunately, Armstrong called him. “Johnny!”

He handed a paper to Johnny, who grabbed it and demanded answers. “What is this?”

Armstrong gestured to the paper. “That’s my way of inviting your parents to see me. Your behavior has been out of control, and I’m concerned. For my students and you.”

“I’m not a psycho. I won’t hurt anyone.” Armstrong remained silent. Johnny could tell what he was thinking from the look he gave him. “Oh, I see. I was friends with Lucas, so you think I’m crazy.”

“That’s not what I’m say—”

“That is what you’re saying, and it’s messed up!” Johnny interrupted. “So, no. I won’t be your messenger. You can call my parents if you wanna talk to them so bad.”

Johnny ripped the paper, letting the pieces fall to the floor before hurtling to the door. Armstrong insisted he return, but Johnny was done with that judgmental piece of shit. Armstrong was attacking him, but not Fitz, who began the whole thing by taunting him? Armstrong was targeting him, and Johnny would get him fired if he could.

He surged through the hallway, shoving people out of his path. “Slow down, Johnny!” Elliot exclaimed.

“No! I need to get out of here!” Johnny felt like he was suffocating inside those walls.

“Out of where?!”

“This school!” Johnny swiveled around. “Armstrong thinks I’m a lunatic like Lucas, and wants to tell my parents!”

Elliot and Bruce exchanged concerned glances. “Does he know what you did that night?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Everyone seems to know. I’m on the verge of having a mental breakdown because I made a mistake, and everyone keeps throwing it in my face!”

Bruce touched his arm. “Okay, man. Calm down.”

“I can’t calm down!” Johnny yanked his arm away, forcing Bruce to recoil. “My life is in jeopardy because of Lucas!”

“If you don’t calm down, people will think you need help. They’ll send you away like Ashley. Do you want that?”

“Of course not. You two are all I have.” His troubled eyes flickered between his bros. “How do I deal with Fitz? He keeps provoking me.”

“Oh, am I?” Fitz said as he approached with Luke. As Elliot and Bruce grimaced at him, Johnny felt his exasperation resurface.

Elliot mumbled, “Here goes the fan.”

“Fan?” Fitz snorted. “In your dreams.”

“It has to be true, since you won’t leave Johnny alone.”

“Maybe it’s fun seeing him get triggered like a bitch.”

Johnny got in Fitz’s face. “People already think I’m crazy. Do you want me to prove them right?”

“I know you’re crazy. Especially after those guys nearly exposed you yesterday. Apparently, you sent something to Lucas the night JT died?”

“They were lying.”

“Or maybe you are,” Fitz responded before motioning between them. “Maybe I was right about you three. You helped Lucas kill JT.”

Bruce told him how wrong he was. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I guess we’ll see.” Fitz’s irritating smirk reappeared as he made an insult out of Johnny’s name. “Later, DickMarco.”

He and Luke snickered and walked away. Johnny unclenched his fists, which he hadn’t realized were clenched. He had crescent marks on his palms from his nails digging into his skin.

“This is bad, Johnny. Everyone’s learning about what you did,” Elliot warned. 

“I know. I pray Alli never does.”

“She’s over there,” Bruce said, jerking his chin in Alli’s direction. Johnny found Alli doing homework down the hall. He needed to see how she was doing, since she fought Dave’s girlfriend yesterday. He also had to make sure she wasn’t suspicious of him. She could never know what he did that night. She’d never look at him the same.

Johnny advanced towards her, towering over her. “Hey.” He felt his anger return when she didn’t respond. “I said hey.”

He tapped her leg with his foot to get her to look at him. She didn’t. She simply huffed. “What do you want, Johnny?”

“Lose the attitude,” he demanded, because he’d done nothing to her.

Alli slammed her book shut and looked up at him. “No. I got in trouble with my parents for fighting."

“Okay? Why are you mad at me?”

“Because you began everything by punching Dave! It was stupid!”

It sounded like she was siding with that weak guy. “You’re defending Turner? Do you like him or something?” 

Alli matched his loud tone. “I don’t like him, and I don’t like what I’m hearing about you either.” She rose as Johnny’s rage turned to worry. Did she know...? “Dave mentioned you sent something to Lucas. What?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh really? Spinner also brought up an incident that happened between you and him last semester. What are they talking about, Johnny?”

“They’re lying.”

“So everyone is lying about you?” Alli stated with disbelief. “How is that possible?”

Okay, she was way too skeptical of him. He had to save face, and he despised that PDA nonsense, but he pushed himself to hold her hand and lock eyes with her. “Listen, baby. I’m being targeted. Even Armstrong has it out for me because of my connection to Lucas. Everyone wants Elliot, Bruce, and myself gone.”

“Well, you know what I think? I think you’re keeping secrets from me.”

“I’m not!”

“You are, Johnny!” Alli shouted before stepping away from him. “I’m not talking to you until you tell me the truth.”

When the late bell rang, she snatched her bag and strode away. “Alli, come back! We’re not done talking!”

“I’m done talking!”

That was the end. Johnny punched a nearby locker. He then rested his forehead against it, taking slow breaths to calm himself because he was about to lose his mind. His girlfriend had joined the I Hate Johnny club, and the situation wouldn’t improve unless he confessed to causing JT’s death. But how could he? She’d leave him. But if he said nothing, she’d leave him anyway. He couldn’t win.

Bruce clamped his hands on Johnny’s shoulders. “Looks like she wears the pants now.”

Bruce was right. Alli controlled their relationship, which was another issue.

The newspaper team met in the newspaper room after school. Only the Lakehurst kids were there because Katie didn’t want to raise suspicion. Being on both sides of the war was bad enough.

Her friends expected her to criticize Degrassi in the paper, but she wouldn't. She didn’t want to be replaced as editor. However, the newspaper was being published next week. Katie had no idea what excuse she’d come up with when her friends saw no criticism.

She spoke to her small crew as they took their places at the computers. “Before we begin, I’d like to thank you all for your help.”

“No problem. We helped at Lakehurst,” a girl said. “But it’s strange that Lakehurst students are writing about Degrassi. Shouldn’t Degrassi do this?”

“I would’ve let Degrassi students in, but we’re at war. My friends don’t want them to take part in this. They actually want us to bash Degrassi in its own newspaper.”

“Oh my god,” that same girl exclaimed. “So we’re double agents?”

“Yes...except we won’t. If we do, those same Degrassi students will replace us. You don’t want that, do you?” They shook their heads. “Good. Ms. Hatzilakos is letting us take control of the newspaper. We have to keep it that way.”

“What happens when the newspaper publishes, and they find out we didn’t attack Degrassi?” the girl wondered. “We’ll look like traitors.”

“I’ll think of something. I always do.” Katie  concentrated on what was important. “Anyway, you’re right. The paper will be out soon, so we need to focus on who’s writing what.”

Jake raised his hand from his seat. “The after-school clubs are a hot topic. I figured I could handle that.”

“That sounds great.” The other writers shared their topics, and she agreed because they were interesting. Everyone turned on their computers and worked. Katie spoke to Jake while he began writing his article about Marisol’s dance team.

“You’re writing about Marisol’s dance team?”

“Yeah.” Jake raised his head to look at her. “Maybe it’ll distract her from the fact we’re not attacking the school.”

“Hopefully. I don’t want to hear her or Maya’s mouths.”

Jake chuckled and continued to type. Katie fiddled with her fingers after a brief silence.  “I spoke to Drew.”

“Drew?” Jake took his fingers off the keyboard. “That guy you talked to for a week?”

“Yeah. I ran into him and warned him about the war. Degrassi will be ready for whatever Lakehurst throws at them.”

Jake looked at her with a “yikes” face. “You better hope Marisol doesn’t find out.”

“Find out what?” a girl exclaimed from behind them. Marisol. Katie leaped off the table, her heart racing like a marathon runner. What was Marisol doing there? How much did she hear?

“Marisol!” Katie said with phony enthusiasm. “What are you doing here?”

“I was on my way to the auditorium for dance tryouts, but I stopped by to see how the ‘Bashing Degrassi in their own newspaper’ thing was going.”

Jake rose and shifted to block her view of the computer screen. “It’s going smoothly.”

“Let me see!” Marisol maneuvered around him, but Jake stopped her, saying, “no!” Marisol flinched, not knowing what was wrong with him. Jake had to concoct a convincing lie.

“I mean...we want to keep it a surprise!”

Marisol chuckled, tilting her head. “You can’t keep anything from me, Jakey.” She pushed him to the side. As Marisol’s eyes went from word to word, Katie’s insides screamed. Marisol now knew they weren’t writing a condemning story.

Marisol remained glued to the computer. “Wait, you’re writing about my dance team?” 

Jake swallowed as she refocused on him. “Um, yeah. You want exposure, right?”

“Of course, but shouldn’t you be criticizing Degrassi?”

“We will!” Katie insisted. “After he writes about your team. Friends first, right?”

Marisol gushed and placed her arms around their shoulders. “Oh, you two are the best! We’ll take over this school in no time!” Jake and Katie exchanged nervous glances as Marisol retracted her arms. “Well, I should do my part to make the dance team a reality. I’ll see you later!”

“Bye!” Katie watched Marisol skip out of the room, the happiest she’d ever been. Because of a lie...

Jake released the long breath he’d been holding once Marisol was out of sight. “That was nerve-racking.”

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Jake.”

“Not just me. All of these students,” he clarified, motioning around the room. He gave her a solemn stare that matched his tone. “Katie, we can’t lie forever. Our friends will want explanations next week.”

Katie was well aware they’d get interrogated, especially by Marisol. Which meant she had to come up with one hell of a lie.

 
Holly J strolled across the grassy field outside Degrassi. Her team had to endure the cold weather since the basketball team was using the gym.

As she approached her destination, she saw the new girls who were trying out. The old girls—Hazel, Manny, Alli, Darcy, and Chantay—were also present. Holly J rolled her eyes at the last two as they gave her hateful looks.

Paige gave her a warm welcome. “Holly J, I’m glad you could make it.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” She was glad she and Paige were on good terms. Their feud over the captain's position last semester was unnecessary. “Are these our new arrivals?”

“Yup! They’re Degrassians, but I’m expecting a Lakehurst girl to show.”

“A Lakehurst girl?” Darcy asked. “Did I hear that right?”

“Yes, Darcy,” Paige answered irritably.

“But we’re at war with them.”

Chantay scoffed at their captain. “Paige Michalchuk is a hypocrite.” Paige looked offended, but Chantay refused to retract her comment. “You called Sadie a traitor, but you’re a traitor, too.”

Even though Holly J despised Chantay, she had a point. Paige had no business allowing a Lakehurster on their squad after the disrespect they’d shown them. “I don’t want to agree with Chantay, but she’s right. I thought we despised Lakehurst?”

“I’m not switching sides,” Paige insisted. “I hate Lakehurst as much as you. They threw milk on me.”

Darcy snickered. “Well deserved.”

Paige glared at her before returning her attention to the Sinclair. “I thought if some of them joined us, they could help us destroy their school.” She finished her thought with a quick shrug. “And I wanna annoy Marisol.”

“Who is she?” Holly J inquired, referring to their newcomer.

“She’s in our classes. Anya.”

“The girl who can’t read?” Chantay asked in disbelief. That was true. Anya fumbled over her words and had trouble pronouncing them correctly. “What an amazing pick.”

“I don’t care about her reading comprehension. She used to be Lakehurst’s captain, so she’s skilled. We need her.” Her eyes drifted across the field, and she beamed. “There she goes!”

Everyone followed her finger and saw the shy girl with shoulder-length brown hair. Paige rushed over to her. “Anya! I’m so happy you came!”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“You’re sounding like Holly J.” Paige laughed as she led Anya to the rest of the group. “Ladies, this is the Anya I was talking about.”

“I was the topic of conversation?” Anya exclaimed, surprised. 

“Of course, hun! You’re more important to this team than you know. So important, you don’t need to try out. You’re automatically in!”

Anya covered her mouth, as if she was about to burst into happy tears. Darcy, on the other hand, looked enraged. “How is that fair?”

“Shut up, Darcy! It’s not like you’re trying out either.” She then addressed the newcomers. “However, the rest of you must try out, and your routines have to impress me.”

Holly J noticed the new girls shivering. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold or their nerves. Paige chose the first girl to perform from the list of names. The girl remained motionless while nervously surveying the team. Paige was unsure of what she was waiting for. “You may begin...”

“O-Oh, okay!” She removed her heavy jacket and handed it to Paige to hold, so she wouldn’t be stiff. The girl played a song and performed a two-minute routine. It wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t awful.

Paige went through the rest of the girls and concluded the tryouts. “Okay, that’s everyone. So—”

“Wait!” Mia dashed across the field, short of breath. “Am I too late?!”

Holly J hugged Mia because she missed her, and also needed her warmth. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

“My mom thinks it’ll be good for me to join a team, so I can be a somewhat normal teenager.”

Darcy added her two cents. “You’re not normal. You’re a teen mom.”

Mia scowled. “I can still cheer.”

“I think you should keep your legs closed. That’s how you got into this situation."

Manny yelled at her. “Darcy, shut up. You’re way out of line.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Of course you’d defend her. You were also pregnant.”

Holly J was the next to lash out at Darcy.  “Enough, Darcy! Let Mia try out if she wants. It’s not affecting you.”

Mia smiled, grateful for her support. “Thank you, Holly J. I promise it’ll be worthwhile.”

“Show us what you got, Mia.”

Mia took out pom poms, and began without taking off her jacket. Everyone paid close attention to her because her routine was unique. She didn’t need music because she had made her own song.

“We’re mad, we’re bad, we’re gonna kick your ass!” Mia danced while singing.

Chantay whispered to Darcy. “Someone needs to kick her ass.”

Darcy snickered, and Holly J glowered at them because she hated Chantay as much as she hated Darcy. She wished she hadn’t let Chantay become a cheerleader all those months ago. Chantay was Clare’s replacement, and Holly J had approved of her back when she was the captain. Clearly, she made the wrong decision.

Mia kept singing while doing cheerleading moves, including a pike and a cartwheel. “We’ll beat you, defeat you, might even try and eat you! We’re nasty, we’re sassy, cause baby, we’re Degrassi! Go, Degrassi!”

She finished her routine by doing a split, waving her pom poms in the air. The cheerleaders went wild.

Paige was impressed. “That was great, hun! Even better than Manny’s routine last semester.”

That comment didn’t sit well with Manny. “Ouch?”

Paige flicked her wrist at her. “That wasn’t shade.”

Darcy said, “It’s always shade with you. And why is everyone impressed? That was basic.” Darcy ordered Mia around. “Mia, let’s see a heel stretch.”

Mia obeyed her without question, doing an excellent heel stretch.

“What about a backwards walkover?”

Holly J knew Darcy’s intentions. She was trying to prove that Mia was unfit for the team. Thankfully, Mia didn’t let her win. She did the backwards walkover, but Darcy wasn’t satisfied. “Toe touch!”

Mia did the moves perfectly, but Darcy still criticized her. “Mmm, needs work. And would it kill you to smile?”

Paige reminded Darcy who was in control. “Uh, hun? I’m the captain, not you. You don’t get to spew orders.”

“Please stop talking to me.”

Paige had an ‘oh really?’ expression on her face. “That’s it! You and your attitude are free to leave the team!”

“You must have forgotten that you can’t remove anyone without Ms. Hatzilakos’ approval.”

“Because you ran to her for help!”

“Because, unlike Manny, I have a backbone!”

Manny didn’t give Darcy the satisfaction of looking at her. “You’re so jealous of me.”

“What is there to be jealous of?”

“You’re jealous because Spinner wouldn’t be worried about you if I were still with him.”

Darcy chuckled. “That’s where you’re mistaken. Spinner and I became close during your time together. That’s why you two hate me so much,” she explained, gesturing to Paige and Manny.

“Or maybe she’s just obnoxious,” Mia muttered to Holly J, who snickered.

Anya looked uncomfortable with the arguing. “I know I’m new here, but why are you arguing over a guy?”

“Because Darcy’s universe revolves around him,” Paige replied. “It’s too bad he couldn’t care less about her. He didn’t even wanna hold her hand.”

“Ouch.” Hazel laughed, as did the rest of the cheerleaders. Darcy was pissed.

“You know, Paige, I don’t get you. Why are you siding with Manny? Didn’t she pounce on you like a wild animal?”

“Didn’t you pounce on her with Emma’s help?” Paige fired back.

Darcy justified her actions. “I was trying to stop their fight. Manny kicked me in the stomach, so I had every right to protect myself.”

“Well, maybe it’s your turn to see how it feels to get jumped,” Manny said, folding her arms. “There’s at least five girls here who don’t like you.” 

Manny pointed to herself, Paige, Mia, Hazel, and Holly J. Darcy didn’t mind having so many enemies as teammates. “That proves how awesome I am. You’re all threatened by me.”

Everyone snorted because she was delusional. Holly J was also tired of Darcy being the center of attention. They were supposed to be concentrating on tryouts. “Can we get back on track? Mia’s great, and we need her.”

Darcy shook her head. “Mia, your baby is a huge responsibility, and so is Spirit Squad. You can’t do both.”

“My mother is watching Bella for me. I can do this.”

“You should be the one watching her. It’s your responsibility.”

Mia gave up. “You know what? I don’t have time for this.”

Holly J grabbed her arm to prevent her from leaving. “You’re not leaving. You’re on the team.” She switched her gaze to their captain, seeking confirmation. “Right, Paige?”

“100%. The rest of you will find out on Monday if you made the team or not.” She  stood next to Anya, arms linked. “Come on, Anya! We have some things to talk about!”

They walked off together, and Holly J watched them in shock because, wow. Paige really took a liking to Anya.

Darcy and Chantay were the last girls off the field. Mia and Holly J exchanged intense glares with them. Darcy and Chantay couldn’t scare Mia away. Holly J was going to protect her with her life.  

Chapter Text

Marisol tapped her foot as she stared at the auditorium doors. Sadie and the other Lakehurst girls who had come to try out were present, but Anya was missing. Did she join Paige?

Marisol waited a few minutes, but no one else entered, so she began. “Welcome to Degrassi’s first dance team tryouts!” Cheers rang out in the air. “I’m pleased to have so many of my Lakehurst peers eager to join my team. I’ve also chosen my co-captain. Sadie!”

She thanked Marisol, but she should thank Anya. Marisol had planned to make Anya co-captain, but she didn’t show, so she didn’t deserve it.

After the applause died, Marisol made another generous announcement. “And here’s a secret: You’ll all make the team.”

“We don’t have to try out?” one of them inquired.

“I still want you to try out. I wanna see what you can do and where we can improve. Who wants to go first?”

Everyone’s hand shot up. Marisol chose a random girl, and she hurried onto the stage as Marisol sat beside Sadie. Her eyes were  on the girl’s movements, but her thoughts drifted back to Anya. She couldn’t be running this late.

Marisol returned her gaze to the double doors. From beside her, she heard Sadie speak. “You have to pay attention, you know.”

“I can’t when Anya isn’t here.”

“Don’t worry. She’ll come.”

“Really? She hasn’t yet. I think Paige got to her. And if she did, I’m never talking to her again.”

“Please don’t say that.”

“I’m serious. I’m done with her if she joins that Spirit Squad.” Because remaining neutral was one thing, but fraternizing with the enemy was unacceptable. 

The doors opened, and Marisol leaped from her seat. “Anya!” But it wasn’t Anya. It was a Degrassian who was dating Drew Torres instead of Katie. Bianca DeSousa.

Marisol blinked as Bianca strode down the aisle. “Are you lost?”

“No. I’m here to try out.”

Bianca had come for nothing because Marisol wouldn’t allow her to join the team. She was the enemy. “What makes you think you’ll make the team?”

“I can dance. Let me show you.”

Marisol put her arm out in front of Bianca. “I’d rather you leave. This team is exclusive to Lakehurst students.”

“That wasn’t in the flyer.”

“Well, I’m saying it now.”

Bianca wasn’t leaving without showcasing her talent. “I’m already here, so I’m not leaving. So have a seat and watch me work my magic.”

She shoved Marisol out of the way. Marisol’s patience was wearing thin as she watched Bianca insert a CD into the stereo. Lakehurst stood there with crossed arms as Bianca showcased what she could do. Marisol hated to admit it, but the girl knew how to move. 

Marisol noticed everyone looking at Bianca with a twinkle in their eyes. She didn’t like it, so she turned off the music. Miss DeSousa wasn’t going to steal her team from her.

Bianca was caught off guard when the music paused. “I wasn’t done.”

“Oh, you’re done,” Marisol responded as she walked towards her. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Dancing?”

“You’re trying to take control. Did Paige put you up to this?”

“I don’t like her. I’m here because I wanna dance.”

“Well, stop. You’re not impressive. I can do all of that, too.”

“Not better than me. So, am I on the team?”

A random girl answered, “Yes!” Marisol kicked her out of the auditorium, since she wanted to be a traitor. “Does anyone else want Bianca to join the team?” Nobody said anything. “I didn’t think so.”

Bianca’s expression looked disdainful, as if she believed Marisol was a tyrant. “What’s your problem?”

“You and your school.” Marisol ordered her girls around with a snap. “Ladies, get her out of here.”

Bianca saw Lakehurst storm the stage. They grabbed her arms and hauled her off the stage. Bianca pleaded for Marisol to intervene, but Marisol ignored her. 

Marisol felt relief when Bianca left, but she still hadn’t seen Anya. She had a feeling Anya was with Paige and needed to confirm her suspicions.

She instructed Sadie to continue tryouts as she exited the auditorium in pursuit of Anya. She halted when she heard voices conversing in a hallway. They sounded like Anya and Paige. Sure enough, it was them.

Anya laughed at Paige’s comment. “Degrassi’s cool. It’s a shame we’re at war.”

“Marisol didn’t want you on my team, so what do you think she’ll say?”

“She’ll be upset, but I can’t let her control me. I need to listen to my heart, which told me I should be a cheerleader. Marisol has to deal with it. If not, maybe we shouldn’t be friends.”

Marisol stopped peeking and scowled. Was Anya giving up their friendship for Paige Michalchuk? Was she that desperate for attention?

Paige spoke. “You don’t need her. You have me and the rest of the team.”

Marisol peeked again and saw Paige and Anya engaging in a loving embrace. She scoffed, shook her head, and returned to her true friends. Anya wasn’t real and never would be.

 
On Saturday, Jimmy was determined to go on his date with Alisha. Unfortunately, he couldn’t leave the house until his parents did.

Jimmy heard them laughing in the hallway, which annoyed him. Then his phone buzzed. Alisha had texted him, saying, I’m waiting...

Jimmy texted Alisha back, wanting her to keep hope. He said, I’ll be there soon. My folks are taking forever to leave, to which she answered, Hurry, or I’m going home.

That was enough to get him to pick up his crutches, and confront his parents. When Jimmy saw them conversing outside his room, he interrupted them. “When are you guys leaving?”

His mother gave him a familiar look, telling him to drop the attitude before he got himself into more trouble. “Soon, James. What’s the rush?”

He had to see his girlfriend. That was the rush. “I’m trying to do my homework, and you’re distracting me.”

Jermaine advanced towards him, and Jimmy tried not to show any signs of panic. “I’m proud of you, son.”

“For what? Getting grounded?”

“No, but you’re handling it well. I know you were looking forward to that date, but-”

Jimmy raised his hand. “It’s fine. I’ll see Alisha at school.”

“Alright, then. Do your homework. We’ll be back soon.”

“What time?” Jimmy inquired as unsuspiciously as he could. He needed to know, since he couldn’t risk getting caught. 

“I’m not sure. Why?”

Damn it. He couldn’t spend much time at Little Miss Steaks. It was unfortunate since it was their first actual date, and everything felt rushed. “No reason.”

His father squinted. “Okay...watch David. You know how he is.”

Jimmy agreed, and his parents left the house. Dave exited his room, scoffing. “Watch me? I should watch you.”

“Whatever. I need to get dressed.” He returned to his room, grabbed his button-down shirt, and tossed it on his bed. He did the same with his dress pants. Then he unbuckled his pants, but saw Dave observing him. “Are you gonna watch me get changed?”

“Definitely not.” Dave cringed and turned his back to Jimmy. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Yes, because you’ll cover for me,” Jimmy replied, taking off his shirt to put on his button-down shirt.

Dave shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m letting you do this.”

“I’d do it for you.” Jimmy slid his dress pants on as fast as he could.

Dave turned around after Jimmy allowed him to look at him. Jimmy needed him to do one more thing. “Dad will check on us. I won’t answer my phone, but you have to. He’ll wonder why I didn’t respond, and you’ll tell him I’m constipated or something.”

Dave had expected him to come up with something better, but he complied. “Fine.” His gaze fell to Jimmy’s clothes. “Uh, you’re going out like that? Your clothes are wrinkled.”

“Does it look like I have time to worry about wrinkles?” Jimmy retorted, his head turning in every direction. “I got Alisha a necklace a few days ago. Where is it?”

Dave held up a black box. He rushed up to Dave and opened it to display the stunning rose gold necklace. He personalized it with his and Alisha’s initials, A and J. It wasn’t cheap either.

Dave was stunned. “This is dope.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! It makes me wanna get one for Sadie.”

Jimmy chuckled before saying, “Do you think Alisha will like it?”

“She’d be a fool not to. So, give it to her.”

Jimmy grabbed his belongings before dashing out of the house, gripping his crutches. He realized he’d have to take public transportation, making him later. He sucked his teeth, his hopes fading, when a car honked at him. He heard the driver yell, “Yo, Jimmy!” as the window rolled down.

It was Spinner. With a big grin, he popped his head out the window. “Need a ride?”

Jimmy had never been happier to see Spinner. He slid into the passenger seat,  putting his crutches in the back. Then he buckled his seatbelt and smiled at Spinner. “You’re a lifesaver, bro.”

 - 

During the drive, Jimmy asked Spinner how he knew to show up. Spinner said he remembered Jimmy complaining about being grounded. He knew getting punished wouldn’t stop Jimmy from seeing Alisha. He also knew Jimmy wouldn’t be able to rely on his father for a ride, which meant he’d have to rely on public transportation. Spinner didn’t want him to do that, given his condition. So he showed up to be Jimmy’s chauffeur. It was the least he could do, since he didn’t have work until later.

“We’re here.”

Jimmy gave a heartfelt “Thanks again” before peering out the window. He watched people enter and exit before returning his attention to his best friend. “Can I get your opinion on something?”

When Spinner nodded, Jimmy pulled out the black box. He opened it to show Spinner the necklace, and Spinner was as taken aback as Dave was. “You’re taking this date serious.”

“I have to. This is my last chance to prove I’m worth it.”

“Well, Alisha will love it. She’s right there.”

Spinner jerked his chin forward. Jimmy saw Alisha pacing, fixated on her phone. He shouldn’t keep her waiting any longer.

“Should I pick you up?” Spinner asked.

“Yes, please.” Jimmy reached for his crutches before using them to exit. Alisha saw him and ran up to him. When she was right in front of him, Jimmy apologized. “I’m sorry for taking so long. My parents took forever to leave, and they’re coming back soon, so-”

“So we have to make this quick,” she finished. “I get it.”

Jimmy could tell she felt disappointed. It made him sigh. “I’m sorry. I—”

“Stop apologizing,” Alisha demanded. “We don’t have much time, remember?”

She entered the restaurant. Jimmy treaded behind her, and country music played as they were led to their seats. Alisha removed her jacket to reveal a black jumpsuit that hugged her body. Jimmy couldn’t believe he had someone as beautiful as Alisha. He got lucky.

They summoned a server. Jimmy placed his order, and Alisha followed suit. When the boy asked Alisha how she liked her steak, she said, “Well done.” The guy looked at her as if she’d committed a horrific crime.

“I’m not trying to be pushy, but may I suggest medium-well?” the guy said.

“May I suggest doing your damn job?” Jimmy snapped. Alisha chastised him, but he refused to back down. “No, Alisha. He has no right changing your mind.” His attention returned to the server. “She said she wants it well done.”

“I understand, but cooking it for that long causes the meat to become tough. The steak should be tender and juicy—”

“Listen. To. Me,” Jimmy hissed, his words growing harsher than the ones before it, as he stood to confront the guy. “I need you to give the cook our order. Then I need you to come back with a well-done steak, or we’ll have problems.”

The guy swallowed hard and said, “Coming right up!” before fleeing. Jimmy sat after straightening himself out. He expected Alisha to be upset, but she praised him. “I appreciate that. Everyone looks down on me because I like my steak well done. That’s why I hate eating out.”

“Don’t let them make you feel bad. You like your steak fully cooked. Who gives a damn?”

He checked his phone and discovered that five minutes had passed. It was a good time to give her the gifts he brought.

“We don’t have much time left, so I should say what I have to say.” He reached across the table for her hand. “First, I want to say sorry about the circumstances. I know this isn’t an ideal redemption date, but I’m doing everything I can to make sure we have a good time. I’m also sorry for not talking to you for two months. I’d never be able to do it again. I’d go crazy without you, even for a day. Because I love you, Alisha. More than I’ve ever loved anyone, and that won’t change.

“And I’m sorry for missing the holidays, but I have something to make up for it.” Jimmy took out the box carrying the pricey necklace. When he opened it, Alisha gasped. She must like it.

“Rose gold? That’s my favorite color.” Jimmy knew that. “And...AJ?”

“Our initials,” he said. “I thought we could name our child that. When we’re older, obviously. It’s a unisex name, so—”

“Jimmy.”

He chuckled and put the future out of his mind. “I’m getting ahead of myself. So, do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful,” she remarked, holding the necklace. “It must’ve cost a fortune.”

“Money isn’t an issue for me. I also have something else.”

“There’s more?!” 

“It’s not as major.” He dug inside his jacket pocket for the sketch he’d folded up. Manny had recommended he show Alisha the sketch, so he was going to do it. If all goes well, he could thank Santos.

He handed the sketch to Alisha. She unfolded it, her face changing from confusion, to shock, to awe. “You drew me?”

“Yeah. I think I did a good job.”

“Understatement of the year! I look flawless!” She pecked him on the lips to show her appreciation. “Thank you.”

Jimmy said, “You’re welcome” by kissing her and smiling into it, because if she was planning on leaving him before, she wasn’t anymore.

Manny, Emma, and Liberty spent the afternoon at Liberty’s house. Manny overheard Emma and Liberty raving about a new Netflix show she didn’t care about.

“Manny,” Emma said, wanting her to add something to the discussion. “What did you think of the show?”

“Corny.”

“I bet you didn’t even watch an episode.”

“I watched the trailer. It looked corny.”

Liberty took a lighthearted jab at Manny. “Manny doesn’t know greatness when she sees it.”

“Did someone say greatness?” Danny said as he entered with Derek. “That’s my middle name!” 

“That’s my first name!” Derek stated as they got closer to the girls. Liberty asked what they wanted. Derek said, “We wanna see what you fine ladies are up to.” He sat beside Emma, wrapping his arm around her. “Especially you, Emma.”

“Remove your arm, Hag.”

Derek corrected her. “It’s Haig.”

“Remove your arm, Hag.”

Derek removed his arm. Her scathing words, however, didn’t discourage him. “I see you’re playing hard to get. I like it.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

Derek moved to the spot next to Manny. “How about you, Manny? Are you single?”

Yes, but Jimmy let the world know he wasn’t. He’d posted Alisha on his story, showing them at a restaurant. Alisha opened a black box, showcasing a gorgeous rose gold necklace with the initials A and J.

Manny then saw Jimmy assisting Alisha with putting on the necklace. Manny caressed the region on her body where those initials would be if she wore the necklace instead. However, the initials would be MJ, for Manny and Jimmy.

“Why are you lurking on Jimmy?” Derek was leaning over to see her phone screen.

Emma whipped her head towards her, and Manny knew why. Emma grew uneasy whenever Jimmy was mentioned. “What did he post?”

“He and Alisha are on a date,” Manny explained. She didn’t sound overjoyed, but she didn’t sound sad. So she couldn’t understand why Liberty accused her of “secretly hating.”

“I’m not hating. I’m happy if Jimmy’s happy.”

“But you’d be happier if he went on a date with you, right?” Liberty said.

If Jimmy flaunted her in front of his  followers, she’d be elated, but that meant nothing. Jimmy would bless any girl with his presence because there was nothing to dislike about him. He was incredible—clearly, if he bought Alisha a pricey necklace with their initials placed in the center. Anyone would be lucky to be in her position. Anyone would be lucky to be Jimmy’s girlfriend, but Manny would never be that girl.

She was unaware of it, but a twinge of disappointment had crossed her face. Emma sighed when she saw it. “Manny, I’m not sure where your sudden fascination with Jimmy is coming from.”

Manny shrugged. “He’s cool.”

“He has a girlfriend.”

“I know that, Emma.”

“Then get that look out your eyes,” Liberty interjected.

“What look?!”

“Your ‘I’m gonna steal a boyfriend’ look.”

Manny remembered Emma saying the same thing two days before. If Liberty was backing up Emma’s claim, it had to be true. Maybe she made it obvious when she was thinking about pursuing a guy.

Danny sat on the couch. “Stealing Jimmy Brooks? That’s brave.”

Derek spoke next to Manny. “It’s a Manny move, though.”

Manny pushed herself off the couch, unhappy that they were talking about her as if she wasn’t there. She also didn’t enjoy being labeled as a boyfriend stealer. It was disrespectful and untrue.

“I’m not stealing anyone. I’m just gonna pose for Jimmy, so he can paint me. It’s not my problem if he stays after that.”

Liberty issued a dire warning to her. “It will be, if Alisha has anything to say about it.”

As if she’d ever be afraid of Alisha. Alisha should be afraid of her, because she gave her buddy Paige the business last semester. Alisha did not want to be next.

“Alisha has nothing to worry about. I know Jimmy’s hers.”

Emma spoke. “Well, if you suddenly expect something to happen between you and Jimmy...don’t. He won’t let that happen.”

“I just said I don’t want him!”

“You can keep telling us that, but do you believe it?”

Their constant questions were causing Manny mental distress. The more she thought about Jimmy, the more upset she became. Because she wasn’t, and never would be his.

In his eyes, she was no match for Alisha, which was unfortunate because Manny was sure she could treat him just as well. If not better. But Alisha was Jimmy’s focus, which made her angry as she imagined what they were doing right now.

Jimmy was most likely holding and kissing Alisha, and the thought made Manny’s body ache. Why couldn’t Jimmy hold and kiss her? 

Everyone was waiting for her response. She refused to acknowledge her feelings for Jimmy. “Whatever, Emma. Don’t you have to worry about Sean, who’s coming home tomorrow?”

“About that...” She fixated on Liberty. “Liberty, do you want to bring him home with us?”

“I think I’ll skip the trip to Wasaga Beach.”

“Why?!”

Liberty explained herself, but Manny drowned her out since her phone vibrated. She received a notification that Jimmy had posted. It was a picture of him showing off his button-down shirt and dress pants. Manny savored every inch of his body because he was gorgeous. And honestly? It was making her mad.

Because there was nothing she hated more than something she couldn’t have. 

Chapter Text

Alex’s work shift was about to start. A highly anticipated movie was released the day before. Alex’s patience and time management skills would be tested, but she wasn’t worried. She’d worked stressful shifts in the past. Besides, she was working with her favorite coworker, Maddy, short for Madelyn.

It wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows between them. Alex had caught Maddy stealing candy on her first day. She alerted Meeri, and knowing how strict Meeri was, Alex had been surprised to see Maddy come back.

“If you try that again, you’ll get fired.” That had been Maddy’s threat. Alex didn’t know what she’d done, but Meeri had let her off with a warning.

After that, she dreaded every shift with Maddy. Then something changed. Maddy became nice to her, even sneaking glances at Alex’s chest and waist, smiling at what she saw. It was off-putting, and as the shifts progressed, Maddy’s bitchiness faded. Alex never questioned it. She gave Maddy a chance, and she was now one of her favorite people.

“God, this uniform makes me sweat,” Maddy grumbled as she looked at the uniform they were wearing. Alex took in her physique. She had fair skin, red hair, green eyes, and was as thin and tall as Alex. 

Alex replied to Maddy. “Maybe candy will cool you down.”

“So you can snitch again?”

“If you pay for it, I won’t.”

Maddy declined her offer. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sneak a snack. Customers are on their way.”

Excitement filled the lobby as individuals of all ages rushed towards them. Maddy received half of the customers, while Alex received the other half. Alex’s first customer was a young guy with blonde hair. She asked him what he wanted, and he said popcorn.

“Do you want butter with that?”

“Yes, please. Can you layer it?”

She complied with the boy’s request before giving him the popcorn. He gave her his money and left for his screening. 

“How may I assist yo—” As she looked up at the familiar face, Alex’s voice caught in her throat. It was Paige.

What was she doing there? Alex had avoided her the other day for a reason. She never wanted to see or speak to Michalchuk again. 

“I don’t miss wearing that uniform,” Paige remarked.

“I don’t miss hearing your voice,” Alex retorted.

“Ouch?”

Alex huffed loudly, so Paige could understand how annoying she was. “Why are you here, Paige? Meeri will freak out if she sees you.”

“Why? Spinner and Craig got banned. Not me.”

“It doesn’t matter. She fired you.”

“Is this about Meeri? Or do you not want to see me?”

“You know I don’t.” Alex took a pack of M&M’s and set it on the counter. Paige looked at it.

“Um.” Her manicured nail pointed at the candy. “I didn’t order that.”

“You don’t have to. I already know what you want,” Alex replied as she approached the popcorn machine.

“Do you?” Paige asked, her flirtatious tone making Alex’s head spin. “Because I don’t think you do.”

Her eyes moved up and down Alex’s body, and Alex didn’t know what she was doing or implying. Of course she knew what Paige wanted; she went to the movies a few times in the last three months and always ordered a small popcorn, soda, and M&M’s. So, Alex made her order.

Paige handed Alex her money, and Alex placed it in the register with one hand on the counter. Paige placed her palm on Alex’s hand, and Alex pulled away. “What are you doing?!”

Paige jerked back, surprised. “I’m trying to talk to you.”

“By putting your hand on mine?”

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, I did.” Paige spoke sincerely. “I like you a lot, Alex. I want you.”

Paige told Alex she didn’t like girls, so this had to be a joke. She was trying to play with Alex’s heart again. “It’s not April Fools’ Day.”

“I’m not joking.”

“You suddenly want me?” Alex scoffed. “That’s funny, since I kissed you and you freaked out.”

She saw Maddy’s eyes expand. Alex ignored her and focused on the girl who’d ripped her heart from her chest.

“Alex, that was three months ago.” Paige’s focus diverted to the impatient customers behind her. They appeared to be listening in, so she lowered her voice. “I panicked because everything happened so fast. I wasn’t used to being intimate with a girl, but I’ve had time to think about it, and I’m sorry. I overreacted, and lied to both you and myself. I am into girls. I’m into you.”

Maddy whistled. Alex and Paige turned a cold eye on her. Alex hated that Paige had declared her “love” for her, because Maddy would question her later.

“So why did you say you weren’t interested in me?” Alex asked.

“You were right. It was hard for me to accept that I wasn’t straight. I was also trying to please my parents. They want grandkids, and—”

“We can still give them grandkids,” Alex said quickly. A rosy hue appeared on her cheeks as she fixated on the register. “I’m not saying I want to, but...”

“But don’t you want to?” Paige grabbed her hand, and Alex couldn’t deny that her heart had just skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe Paige was being affectionate in public. It was out of character for her. So, to protect her heart, she pulled her hand away.

Paige sighed. “Alex, I’m ready to give myself to you. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yeah. Three months ago.”

“So you’ve moved on?” Paige asked. She shook her head, unable to believe Alex’s nod. “No, that can’t be.”

“Why?”

“Because I haven’t,” Paige stated before trying to gain her trust. “I know you’re putting up your guard because you’re afraid I’ll hurt you again, but I swear I won’t. I’m all in.”

Alex was afraid. She’d been open with Paige only to get brutally rejected. Alex thought she’d recovered, but she still felt stinging sensations in her chest whenever she looked at Paige, heard her voice, or thought about her.

Alex wasn’t sure if she could trust her. What if Paige realized this was just a phase, and that she actually belonged with a guy? Alex couldn’t handle another heartbreak.

Paige disliked her silence. “Are you gonna say something?”

Alex released a long sigh. “I don’t know what to say, Paige. And customers are waiting.”

Paige looked over her shoulder and noticed several unhappy faces staring at her. “I’ll let you get back to work. Just remember what I said, okay?”

She laid a kiss on Alex's hand, peering into her eyes. Alex couldn’t steer her eyes away, no matter how hard she tried. It was as if a magnetic force was pulling her towards Paige.

Paige took her popcorn, drink, and candy. She went to her screening, her hips swaying harder than usual. She was probably hoping Alex would look, and she did.

Alex rested her elbows on the counter and raked her fingers through her hair. Paige wanted her, but her brain told her not to date Paige because it’d be a mistake. But her heart was telling her to go for it!

“Are you taking my order or not?!” a middle-aged man yelled as he towered over her. “I’ve been waiting ages for that little girl to leave!”

Alex looked up at the asshole before her. “That little girl has a name.”

“I don’t give a damn! All I want are my nachos!”

Alex made his stupid nachos. As she did so, Maddy hurried up to her. “Would you mind telling me who that beautiful blonde was?”

“That was my classmate, Paige Michalchuk.”

The girl she adored above all. 

It’d been five days since Jay had shown up at The Dot, expressing his resentment towards Spinner for getting him expelled. He hadn’t seen Jay since that day, but every time The Dot doors opened, Spinner was terrified Jay would walk in. He also looked over his shoulder anytime he walked outside, in case Jay was following him.

Jay was making him paranoid because he was desperate to see him in a body bag. Plus, Spinner knew how insane Jay was when he was angry. He was capable of murder, and a gun would be his weapon of choice.

Spinner prayed Jay would let go of his grudge. He complained about having nothing going for himself, but who was to blame? He could’ve gotten a job and worked on bettering himself, like Spinner and Alex, but he didn’t. He enjoyed wallowing in self-pity.

“Gavin?”

Spinner saw his boss standing there, unimpressed. “Yeah, Gamal?”

“Customers are waiting.”

Customers were certainly waiting. Every seat was taken, and hungry and impatient eyes returned his gaze. Spinner looked at Elliot, who was also doing nothing. Why couldn’t he take the customer’s orders? But Spinner couldn’t expect much from the guy. Elliot was only good for spiking drinks.

“Gavin!” Gamal yelled.

Spinner went to the first table, but the door opened. He flinched, waiting to see who entered. Was it Jay? But no, it was Darcy.

He and Darcy had an awkward encounter with Paige on the first day of school. But they were still good friends, and he still liked her. Jimmy told him to figure out how Darcy felt, and he guessed he could do it today.

“Hey, Darce.”

“You seem jumpy. Is everything okay?”

“When is anything okay with me?”

Darcy went into defense mode. “Who’s bothering you now?”

“Jay.” Spinner’s eyes raced to the windows to make sure he hadn’t summoned the guy.

“As in Jay Hogart? The guy you got expelled?”

“He got himself expelled, but yeah. He’s still threatening to kill me.”

“And that’s scaring you?”

It was doing more than that. He was paranoid and constantly on edge. He hated living in fear, but he couldn’t let down his guard. Knowing Jay, he’d catch him when he was least expecting it.

Darcy laughed when Spinner told her about his concerns. “You don’t have to be paranoid. Jay hasn’t touched you in three months. He’s trying to keep you on edge.”

“Well, it’s working!”

“Gavin,” Gamal snarled, as if he was tired of his distractions.

Elliot stopped idling. “Don’t worry, boss. I’ll do his job.”

Spinner didn’t hold back his retort. “Yeah, be useful for a change. And try not to spike their drinks.”

Elliot swiveled around, hissing at Spinner. “You need to stop talking.”

“What if I don’t?” Spinner taunted. “What are you gonna do, Elliot?”

“I’m gonna make you,” Elliot warned, getting in Spinner’s face.

“Oh?” Spinner wondered. “Did you learn nothing from the fight with Johnny?”

“I’m not Johnny.”

“And I’m not Drew,” Spinner said in response. “Your face will get bruised this time.”

“Gavin! Elliot! What’s going on with you two today?!” Gamal demanded to know as the customers stared worriedly.

“Nothing,” Elliot said, his eyes never leaving Spinner. “I’m getting back to work like the civilized guy I am.”

“Civilized?!” Spinner burst out laughing. “That’s a good one!”

Elliot stuck up his middle finger before taking a young woman’s order. Gamal and Spinner both shook their heads. “I can’t believe I was his friend,” Spinner said.

Darcy said something. “Yeah. Him spiking Mia’s drink was horrible, but I hate her. I always will.”

“It’s the same for me and Jay.” Spinner turned his body to face her. “Anyway, are you here to eat?”

“Yes! You know what I want.”

“A Spinwich.” Spinner chuckled as he remembered how she’d promised to order that every time. 

Darcy sat at the counter. “We also need to get to know each other better. Don’t you agree?”

His forehead wrinkled as he prepared her order. “We know each other plenty.”

“We don’t really know each other. For example, what are your thoughts on sex?”

The word “sex” should never leave her mouth. She was a devout Christian, so what gives? “Uh...” He worked hard to keep his voice from shaking. “Why are we talking about sex?”

“Because we’re teenagers, and teens have sex.”

“You don’t.”

“Do you?”

Yes. He lost his virginity to Paige and had sex with Manny many times during their two-week relationship. But he couldn’t tell Darcy that. She didn’t believe in sex before marriage.

Spinner kept his back to her as he spoke. “Um, no. But I don’t mind if other people have sex.”

Darcy delved further. “You don’t have sex right now, or ever?”

“Ever,” he lied, glancing at her. “I’m waiting until I’m older.”

“Me too!” Darcy exclaimed before clapping. “Okay, you passed!”

“Passed?”

“That was a test.” He knew it. “Linus and Chantay believe you had sex with Manny and Paige. I keep telling them they’re insane.”

“Yeah, totally insane...” Spinner kept a smile on his face, but he was crumbling inside. Linus and Chantay had figured him out? “I’m so virginal, Mary’s jealous.”

Darcy laughed, and he laughed too, but uneasily. He wanted Jay to come and end this hell, because he didn’t pass any tests. If Darcy found out the truth, he’d failed.

Darcy devoured her sandwich. He leaned over the counter, his palm mushing his cheek as he watched her. How could someone look so gorgeous while stuffing their face?

The sandwich was in her stomach before he realized it. Now they had nothing to do but talk. He told her Jimmy wanted him to reconcile with Craig and Paige. Darcy wasn’t happy about the Paige part, but Spinner told her he didn’t care about Paige. He was trying to please his best friend. He was more concerned about Craig, anyway. He tried talking to him the other day, but Craig dismissed him.

“Your words won’t convince him. Your actions will,” Darcy said.

“So, what? I buy him something?”

“Sure! Who doesn’t like apology gifts?”

Spinner couldn’t think of what to get him, so Darcy helped jog his memory. “What does Craig love more than anything?”

Spinner’s response was, “Girls?”

Darcy rolled her eyes and told him it was music, and she was right. Craig was obsessed with guitars, wishing for a new one. What if Spinner made his dream come true? Craig couldn’t hate him after that.

“Darce...” A grin formed on his face. “You just gave me the coolest idea. I’m gonna buy a guitar for him! And not a cheap one.”

“You’re gonna spend all your money on Craig?”

“If it helps me get my brother back, sure.”

“Let’s hope it does,” Darcy said as her phone buzzed. She checked the text before huffing. “Great. I’m needed at home.”

Spinner said, “Wait! I have a question for you.”

About if she liked him. He wanted to discuss their feelings, but didn’t want it to be rushed. “Never mind. We can talk about it another time.”

“Okay.” She went, then returned since she’d forgotten something. “Oh, here.” She took out the money for her lunch, but Spinner waved his hand around.

“It’s on the house.”

A smile complemented her features. “You’re the best.”

He returned her smile as he watched her walk away. He couldn’t wait to make things official with her.

“On the house?” a harsh voice asked from beside him. Spinner didn’t have to look. He knew it was Gamal.

Shit. 

 
Adam got introduced to the pool scene two days ago. He’d see the same adults bustling about, but Adam’s gaze would be drawn to the pool table. If it was occupied, he’d observe the game, eager to see who’d win while taking notes to improve his own game. If it wasn’t occupied, he’d practice.

The pool table wasn’t in use at the moment. Adam went to it, and Tristan followed grudgingly since he didn’t want to be there. He mean-mugged any adult who passed by. If they came too close, he’d scoot away, colliding into Adam.

“It’s our third day here, Tristan. How are you still scared?”

“I don’t trust these people, Adam. They give me bad vibes.”

Tristan was being paranoid for no reason. The adults drank a lot, but they weren’t belligerent or violent.

A man strolled by and said hello to Adam, proving his point. “Hey, Marcus,” Adam said. Marcus grinned, and Adam returned the smile, pleased he was making a name for himself.

“You’re on a first-name basis with these people?” Tristan said.

“That’s what happens when you continue to show up. People get familiar with you.”

“Well, I’ll stop coming here now that you’re making friends.” Tristan grimaced at a man walking by with an alcoholic drink.

“You can’t,” Adam said. “Drew won't let me come here alone.”

“Because we shouldn’t be here!”

Adam was becoming irritated by Tristan’s whining. He was supposed to be enjoying himself, but Tristan was stressing him out. “Tristan, let me have fun for once! I’m enjoying myself here, and I’m gonna be great at pool. I can feel it.”

“Fine. You should start practicing before someone takes over the table.”

Adam went to get a cue stick for himself and Tristan. Tristan didn’t like pool, but he hated standing around doing nothing. He and Adam would take turns potting the balls, although Tristan was never successful.

Adam bent over the green table, his gaze on the balls and the holes they needed to go into. He struck the balls and they scattered. He planned to pot another solid ball after one went in. He aimed as precisely as he could at a hole, and another solid ball fell in.

“Yes!” Adam exclaimed as he stood tall. “See, Tristan? I’m getting better at this.”

“You are, aren’t you?”

Tristan didn’t say that. It was a man Adam had never met before. He was tall and fair-skinned, with short black hair that was dip-dyed teal at the ends. Adam noticed his tongue piercing while he talked. “Play me for $100.”

There was no way this guy was giving away free money. But when the man slammed a $100 bill on the table, Adam’s eyes widened.

“Still think I’m joking?”

“I guess not...” Adam had to decline his offer, as much as he desired the money. “I’m sorry, but I can’t play you. I don’t have any money to bet.”

“This one’s on me.”

Those words took Adam by surprise. Why was he so adamant about playing him?

“Are you in or out?”

Adam wanted to comply since it’d be foolish to turn down free money, but would he win? Did it matter? He didn’t put any money down; it wouldn’t be a big deal if he left empty-handed. And if he won, he’d gain respect.

“I’m in.”

Tristan grabbed Adam’s arm and dragged him away from listening ears to talk sense into him. “Excuse me? You’re gonna gamble?”

“What’s the big deal? It’s free money.”

“Not if you lose.”

“I didn’t put any money down. If I lose, so be it. But if I win...” Adam smirked at the thought.

“You won’t win,” Tristan replied, making Adam’s smirk falter. “You’re new here. He has experience. He’s trying to humiliate you.”

“What if he gets humiliated?”

“He won’t!”

“I guess we’ll see.” Adam wrenched his arm free and returned to his opponent. “I’m ready.”

“Alright.” The man shouted the news. “Listen up, everyone! Me and Little Man are playing 8 ball pool for $100.”

“Come on, Bill,” a middle-aged man said as he sat at the bar. “That ain’t fair. He’s new here.”

“He is, so we should let him prove he belongs here.”

“I will prove it!” Adam declared. Snorts and snickers erupted in the air. They had no faith in him. They wanted Adam to fail; therefore, he was going to play his heart out.

Tristan stood next to Adam as Bill returned the balls to the center of the table. He was kind enough to let Adam start the game. Adam hit the balls and scattered them. He became solids again, but he missed his second shot and heard the men celebrating.

Was this a mistake? Maybe, because Bill potted three striped balls in a row. Adam was sweating, afraid he’d lose. He made sure it didn’t happen by pocketing a ball every time Bill did. No balls remained except for the black 8 ball. The person who potted it would win the game and get the $100.

“I must admit, I wasn’t expecting the game to be this close.” Bill complimented him. “You’re impressing me, kid.”

“Don’t patronize me. Just play the damn game,” Adam snapped, eliciting ‘ooh’s from the audience. Adam covered his mouth, since he didn’t mean to be disrespectful. He respected his elders, but was caught up in the game.

Bill hit his ball but missed the hole, causing the men to gasp and watch with bated breath as Adam took his turn. Everything depended on this moment. He couldn’t miss because Bill wouldn’t fail next time.

Adam aimed his cue stick towards the nearest hole, and his heart beat twice as fast when he watched the ball disappear into it. He rose with astonished eyes while everyone exchanged baffled glances. He actually won?

Bill exhaled an unbelieving sigh. “Congratulations, Adam. You’re the winner.”

“Oh my god! I did it!” Adam grabbed the $100 and spun around to face Tristan. “I did it, Tristan!”

“Holy crap. I can’t believe it! What are you gonna do now?”

“I have to tell Drew and Dallas!”

“Not so fast, Torres,” a male voice cautioned. It was one that Adam used to hear at school every day.

The crowd stepped out of the way to allow the guy to pass. Adam hoped his ears were deceiving him. He hoped it wasn’t that person, but it was.

When Jay emerged, the corners of Adam’s mouth bent downwards. He never expected to see Jay again after his expulsion. Plus, he was convinced Jay, Johnny, and Bruce were the ones who vandalized his locker last semester, writing tranny on it. He’d thought it was Dave, but he was mistaken.

“Jay?” Tristan looked as irritated as Adam. “You play pool?”

“I do.”

“But you weren’t here yesterday.”

“Or the day before,” Adam said, his angry stare piercing Jay.

“I don’t come here every day. But I’m surprised to see you here, Adam. And what you just did? Beating Bill?” Jay whistled. “You have skill.” He took the cue stick from Bill. “But winning means nothing until you beat me.”

“What makes you so important?”

“I hold the record for the most wins. I’m the best player here.”

Bill confirmed Jay’s claim. “Jason never loses.” He had an idea. “You know what? I want a chance to win my money back. Jay, how about you play for me?”

“Absolutely not,” Tristan said.

Adam agreed. “Yeah. I’m keeping my money.”

“Are you afraid of getting embarrassed, Torres?” Jay replied in the most mocking tone Adam had ever heard. It made the men say ‘ooo’ once more.

Heat rushed to Adam’s face. “I-I’m not afraid! And the only person who’ll get embarrassed is you!”

“Play me then.”

“Adam, don’t,” Tristan cautioned. “Take the high road.”

Tristan was right. It’d be wise to leave with his money, but the way Jay and Bill were sneering at him made Adam want to forget his morals and give in. Jay deserved to get humiliated, anyway. It’d be karma for his destructive behavior. And if he defeated Jay, he’d be unstoppable.

“I’m in.”

“Adam, no!” Tristan cried out. “We need to go!”

“I’m not leaving!”

“Then I am! I don’t condone this!” He left, and Adam disregarded him. He’d get over it.

“He doesn’t like me, does he?” Jay asked as he watched Tristan storm out the door.

“No one does.”

“I’m used to it.” Jay shrugged as Bill repositioned the balls. Because Adam’s curiosity was getting the best of him, he conversed with his opponent.

“I didn’t know you gambled.”

“Why do you think I’m not homeless yet?” Jay responded. “I had no idea you gambled, either. Does your brother know?”

“No. Are you gonna tell him?”

Jay chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not a snitch like Mason.”

Adam realized he was talking about Spinner. Was he still angry about being expelled?

Bill rubbed his palms together. “I set the table. Jay will play Adam to get my money back.”

Jay looked at Adam with confidence. “May the best man win.”

Adam was not the best man. He expected the game to be neck-and-neck, but Jay never missed his shots. The game was over in an instant, and Adam had never felt more embarrassed.

The room filled with laughter, and his heart crushed when Bill took his money back. “You lost by a landslide, little man! You didn’t even get to touch your balls!”

Everyone laughed harder. “Good shit, Jay! This is why you’re the king!”

Adam sped to the exit as hot tears pooled in his eyes. He should’ve listened to Tristan and taken the high road, but no. Jay humiliated him, and now Adam was forced to stop playing pool.

He walked out as Jay pursued him. “Adam, wait!”

“Why?!” Adam yelled as he spun around. “So you can humiliate me some more?”

“You’re mistaken if you think that’s what I was trying to do.”

“That’s exactly what you did! You defeated me by a landslide!”

“You got humbled. Who cares? We’ve all been in that situation before,” Jay explained. Adam focused down the street, refusing to listen to him. Jay sighed as he noted his disdain. “Listen, I didn’t get to this level overnight. It took hard work and dedication. But Adam, just because you lost, doesn’t mean you’re not good. You beat Bill. You have skill.”

“Not enough.”

“That can change. If you want to get on my level, maybe I can teach you.”

“You wanna coach me? Why?”

Jay stuffed his hands into his pockets. “My life is a mess, and I barely have any friends. I can finally do something good instead of messing everything up.” His head turned towards Adam. “But that’s only if you let me.”

Jay seemed sincere. So sincere that Adam considered letting him teach him. He despised the guy, but he loved pool and aspired to be a pro.

Jay grinned, pleased Adam was allowing him to prove himself. “Alright. I’ll see you soon.” He headed inside, but he needed to get something off his chest. “And Adam? I’m sorry for what Johnny, Bruce, and I did.”

Adam knew what he was talking about. “You vandalized my locker?”

Jay nodded, his focus falling on his sneakers. “It was nothing personal. We wanted to frame Dave.” He raised his head, reuniting his eyes with Adam’s. “Do you accept my apology?”

Adam was tempted to say no since they’d made his life a nightmare, but if he didn’t forgive Jay, he’d never become the best pool player. “I’ll tell you what. Teach me to be as good as you, and I’ll forgive you for everything.”

“Consider it done. You and I are gonna have a lot of fun together, Torres.”

Adam believed it. Jay Hogart was a wild one.

Chapter Text

Clare disagreed with the war going on, so she no longer loved going to school. So when Eli proposed they go to The Dot to write, she didn’t object because it was the next best place she could find refuge.

Eli opened the door for her, and she jokingly praised him for being a gentleman. They sat across from each other, and he reached into his bag to retrieve his laptop. He turned it on before digging into his pocket for his money.

Eli had offered to pay for both of their lunches, which Clare appreciated. She appreciated him. She couldn’t believe she’d been angry with him for so long. Eli wasn’t the same jerk he’d been three months before. He’d matured.

Eli summoned a server, and Clare’s joy faded when she realized it was Elliot. She averted her attention to the table, her stomach shriveling at the sight of him.

“Cousin!” Elliot exclaimed. He had the audacity to greet her, which upset her even more. “Clare! How may I assist you?”

Eli placed his order. The cousins stared at Clare, but her response wasn’t what they wanted to hear. “Can someone else take my order?”

“Clare...”

“No, Eli. I want someone else to take my order.” Because Elliot left a bad taste in her mouth. Mia had gotten sexually assaulted because of him, and Clare couldn’t understand how he’d gotten away with it.

Elliot gave her a strange look. “I guess Spinner can.”

“Ugh. I forgot he works here too.” Spinner was just as awful as Elliot. He’d gotten his best friend shot, and he was violent. Why did atrocious people surround her?

“Do you like anyone?” Elliot remarked, and Clare gave him a withering glare. Elliot got the hint and stepped behind the counter. Clare felt better now that he was gone, but Eli wasn’t pleased with their conflict. 

“What was that about?”

She explained everything to him. “I forgive you, but your cousin will never be forgiven. He’s nasty.”

“Elliot regrets what he did to Mia.”

“How do you know? You’re not in his shoes.”

“Because he says so, and I see it in his actions. He’s not the same person he was two years ago.”

Clare raised her hand to silence him. “I know he’s your cousin, but please don’t defend him. Nothing you say will change my opinion of him.”

Eli leaned back in his chair. “Can we change the subject? I don’t wanna argue about Elliot.”

“You’re right. Let’s concentrate on the play.” Clare placed her chair next to his. She had to reread the script because she’d forgotten everything. “Do you mind if I read through everything? I can’t remember what we wrote.”

Eli pointed towards the laptop, giving her the go-ahead. She read, but she noticed Eli’s hand trembling out of the corner of her eye. “Why are you shaking, Eli? Are you cold?”

“I’m nervous.”

“You don’t have to worry about my reaction. I helped you write this.”

“It’s not that...” He trailed off, lower lip tucked between his teeth. Clare needed him to spit it out, and he did. “I told my folks we’re back on good terms...”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“...And they wanna meet you.”

Eli wanted her to meet his parents? They hadn’t even started dating! Plus, she never met a guy’s parents before. Her stomach churned just thinking about it, because what was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to act? Dress? This was nerve-racking!

“I’ve never met a guy’s parents before, Eli! We aren’t even dating!”

“I know, but they want to meet the girl their son is crazy about. I already told them you agreed.”

She swatted his arm in horror. “You can’t do that!”

“Why not? Isn’t it our goal to be together? We should get a head start.”

“Alright, but how should I style my hair? What should I wear? How should I act?” Clare fretted. This was too much, too soon. Eli should’ve given her a heads-up.

“Be yourself.” His voice, like his demeanor, was soothing. “They’ll love you as much as I do. As for your attire, you don’t have to go all out. My parents aren’t formal.”

“Do you know what they have planned?”

“My mother’s gonna cook a nice meal. She’ll ask you questions about yourself, too. It won’t be anything crazy, I promise.”

“Is he gonna be there?” Clare inquired, her gaze on Elliot, who was cooking.

“He’s family. He’s welcome anytime.”

Elliot was family. So Clare wasn’t sure how they could have a pleasant relationship if Elliot was always around. 

 
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to Wasaga Beach?” Archie asked as Emma moved about. Today was the day she’d bring Sean home. She couldn’t wait to see him. However, his return meant the truth would be revealed.

Emma wanted things to stay how they were. Milton was good to her, and she grew fond of him, while her feelings for Sean faded because of the distance. She had to tell Sean they wouldn’t get back together, and she prayed he wouldn’t hate her for it.

She replied to her father. “No, Dad. Manny convinced her father to let us take his car.”

“Who’s driving that car?”

“Jay...” Emma replied almost whisperingly. The color in his face vanished. He, like the rest of Degrassi, didn’t trust Jay. Not after the devastation he wreaked last semester.

“Jay, as in Jay Hogart? The boy who got expelled?” Archie asked before resting his hands on his hips. “Oh no, Emma. That’s not happening.”

Emma couldn’t stay home. Sean expected her the most, and she didn’t want to break yet another promise to him. “I know Jay’s bad news, but I promised to bring Sean home. Jay’s the only one who knows how to drive.”

“I can!”

“Manny and Jay are on their way, Dad.” Emma stroked his shoulder and spoke reassuringly. “I’ll be fine, okay? We won’t get into trouble.”

“What about Sean? Are you ready to tell him the truth?”

“I am, but I’m afraid of how he’ll react. He’ll either forgive me or hate me.”

“I believe Sean will act sensibly.” Archie continued, “But if he doesn’t want to talk to you, you’ll still have your mother and I.”

Emma nodded, delighted to know she’d always have her parents’ support in whatever she did. But she also wanted Sean’s.

“Emma?” her mother called from behind her. “Manny’s outside.”

She kissed their cheeks before saying she’d be back in about four hours. She strode out the front door and spotted Manny and Jay resting against a car. “Manny!”

Manny dashed up to her, both extending their arms to embrace. Manny rocked back and forth before pulling back. “I can’t believe we’re going on a mini-road trip!”

“Don’t get too excited,” Jay said, still leaning on the car. “We’ll be back in no time.”

“Don’t kill my vibe, Jay.” She then squinted at his eyewear. “And why do you have sunglasses on?.”

Jay shrugged. “For aesthetic purposes.”

Manny headed over to her male best friend, setting both hands on his shoulders and pressing her body against his. “I’d like to see your gorgeous eyes, please.”

“Not as gorgeous as yours.”

“Yours are better.”

Jay argued that her eyes were more beautiful. They kept going back and forth, and Emma smiled as she watched them. Were they flirting? If so, she wasn’t complaining. She’d rather Manny pursue Jay than Jimmy. At least Jay wasn’t close friends with her past lovers.

“Okay, we get it. You both have nice eyes.” Emma interrupted. “Can we get Sean now?”

“Are you sure you want to?” Jay said as Manny stepped away from him.

“Of course I do. He belongs here.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Jay added, “When he comes back, he’ll find out about your boyfriend.”

“He is, because I’m gonna tell him.”

Manny said, “Please don’t tell him today, Emma. This should be a happy reunion.”

“If I don’t tell him today, when will I tell him?”

“Tomorrow!” Manny insisted, causing Emma to sigh. She didn’t want to put off telling Sean the truth. She wanted to get it over with.

“Hey,” Jay said, attracting her attention. “You’ll have an extra day to prepare.”

Emma nodded, and they got into the car. Manny and Jay sat in the front, leaving Emma in the backseat. Just as Jay was ready to drive off, Emma spotted Craig and Ellie jogging towards her house. Craig was about to ring the doorbell, leading Emma to unfasten her seatbelt and rush out of the car.

“Craig?” she said to the guy she hadn’t spoken to in ages. “What are you doing here?!” Emma questioned while hugging him.

“Sean messaged us and said he’d be returning today. We wanna bring him home with you.” He drew back, gesticulating between Emma and Manny. “If that’s okay with you guys.”

“Of course! The more, the merrier!” Manny wrapped her arms around him like Emma had done seconds before. “It’s great to hear from you again.”

“You too.”

Ellie stared at them impassively. Emma knew Ellie had an issue with them; Ellie disliked Emma because Sean had chosen her, and Ellie disliked Manny because Craig used to love her. Emma couldn’t care less about the redhead, but she was trying to be more mature. “Hello, Ellie.”

Ellie said nothing. Being civil wasn’t her strong suit. Jay was aware of it. That was why he said, “Ooh. That tension is thick.”

Ellie cut her eyes to him, not thrilled with his presence. “Why is he here?”

“Because Sean’s my best friend?” Jay responded, motioning between the couple. “So are you sure you wanna be in the same car as me? I’m the devil, remember?”

“At least you know it,” Ellie murmured, leading Jay, Manny, and Emma to give her a sour look. If she had an issue with Jay’s presence, she could go home.

Craig was unfazed by Jay’s involvement. He was only concerned about Sean. “All I want is to bring my friend home.”

“Great!” Emma clapped her hands. “Can we get going now? Sean’s waiting.”

Everyone nodded and piled into Mr. Santos’ car. Ellie was upset as Emma conversed with Craig and Manny. It was as if she wanted him to stop talking to them. However, Craig continued his chat, ignoring Ellie.

Two hours later, they were at Wasaga Beach. Emma took in the sight. She remembered seeing it three months ago when she’d said goodbye to Sean. Their goodbye was changing into a hello because she noticed a guy coming towards them. Sean. 

“Em!” He dropped his bag and held out his arms, encouraging her to come to him. Emma jumped into his arms. Sean spun her around, and she giggled as she gripped him. She became dizzy, so Emma patted his back, signaling for him to put her down. He did, and her arms wrapped over his shoulders as they exchanged smiles.

“It’s good to see you,” Sean said before acknowledging the rest of the group. “All of you.”

Craig and Ellie exchanged hellos with him. Sean said, “You two are still going strong, I see.”

“And it’ll never end.” Ellie smirked at Manny, provoking an eye roll from her. Jay chuckled, sensing the animosity. His chuckle prompted Sean to acknowledge him.

“Jay! Manny!”

Jay grinned at his best friend. “You have no idea how happy I am to have you back. Maybe my life will be less shitty now.”

“Impossible,” Craig mumbled. Jay’s stare looked hostile, and Emma had no choice but to step in.

“Alright, relax. Today is about Sean, remember?”

“Yes it is,” Manny said. “Sean, tell us what you’ve been up to!”

“I’ve been working out a lot.”

“Like Jimmy.”

Emma huffed because there goes Manny’s daily mention of Jimmy. She didn’t want Manny and Jimmy to get close. Hopefully Jimmy had the sense to tell Manny to leave him alone, or else there’d be another war. Between him and Craig.

Craig’s ears perked up. “Jimmy? Do you talk to him?”

“Oh. Uh.” Manny fell silent, gulping. “Yeah, I talked to him. I wanted to congratulate him on regaining his ability to walk.”

Her attention drifted to Emma, who gave Manny a look that said she shouldn’t say anything about her and Jimmy’s upcoming figure painting session. Craig would be bothered.

Sean had no idea Jimmy was on crutches. Craig confirmed the news, raving about how incredible it was. His tone was starkly different from Jay’s; nothing but bitterness flowed from Jay’s mouth. “Yup. It’s a miracle.”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Jay wasn’t pleased with Jimmy’s happy ending.

Emma changed the subject by asking Sean if he’d run into that Tyler guy he deafened. Sean told her he did, but they never spoke. Sean mainly spent the three months repairing his relationship with his parents. He was sad to be leaving, but he knew he belonged with them in Toronto.

“Yes you do,” Emma said when he was done speaking. “I’m glad you had a good time, though.”

“Me too. I hope you didn’t feel too lonely without me.”

“Oh, she had plenty of company,” Ellie mentioned, slyly smirking. Emma’s face flashed with dread when she realized Ellie was talking about her relationship with Milton. She’d planned to tell him the truth tomorrow, but Ellie was pressuring her. She had no choice but to confess right now. 

“Sean, I have something to tell you...” Emma began sheepishly.

“Is it bad?”

Ellie inserted herself once again. “So bad.”

Craig reprimanded Ellie. “Stop with the sly comments. They’re unnecessary.”

Ellie didn’t appreciate him protecting Emma. “You’re choosing her over me?”

“I’m not choosing anyone.”

“That’s the problem! I’m your girlfriend! Not her!”

They argued back and forth. It was becoming more heated, so Sean reminded them of how strong their connection was. Ellie blamed Craig for their deteriorating relationship before storming to the car.

Craig apologized on her behalf. “I’m sorry about that.”

“I’m sorry for you,” Emma deflected. “She’s trying to make you look like a bad boyfriend when you’re not.”

Manny added to that. “She needs to calm down, Craig. We’re trying to have fun, and she’s ruining it. She should’ve stayed at home.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he responded, glancing at the car. “I’ll talk to her.”

“So much for no drama,” Jay commented. “This time, I wasn’t the cause. How lovely.”

He put on his sunglasses and returned to the car. Manny followed him, but not Emma. She felt like she needed to apologize as well.

“I’m sorry, Sean. Ellie wasn’t supposed to come.”

Sean had a frown on his face. “I guess it’s my fault for inviting her. But I’m stuck on what you needed to tell me.”

“You and I have a lot of talking to do tomorrow,” Emma said as she draped her arm around his shoulders. “For now, we need to get you home.”

The sooner they did that, the sooner she could prepare herself for the bombshell she was going to drop on him.

“Ellie!” Craig called for the thousandth time. 

Ellie disregarded him as she bolted to his front door. The ride had been filled with an uncomfortable silence between them, and she intended to keep it that way. He could go talk to Emma, since he seemed to like her more. That was why Ellie loathed her. Her boyfriends always replaced her with Emma. Sean was first, and now Craig.

Craig kept repeating her name, driving her to yell, “Don’t talk to me, Craig!”

She heard his footsteps quicken. Ellie also increased her pace, barging into his house and slamming the door in his face. She sped towards the stairs as she heard the door open.

Craig’s peeved voice pierced the air. “Okay, that was rude.”

He had no right to call her rude. Not after what he’d done at Wasaga Beach. “You wanna know what’s rude? Siding with Emma!”

“She’s my friend!”

“Since when?! You never talk to her!”

“We have different friend groups, but Emma and I have known each other since before Degrassi. Everyone knows that.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to choose her over your girlfriend of three months.”

Craig advanced closer until their bodies were almost touching. Ellie couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Listen, Ellie. I’ll always have your back, but you were wrong.”

That made her laugh. He couldn’t be serious.

“You were! You were about to expose her and Milton’s relationship!”

“Sean deserves to know.”

“He will know, but it isn’t your place to tell him. That’s between him and Emma.”

“What happens when Sean gets upset and hates her? You’re gonna pick Emma over him, too?”

“Do you want me to have no female friends? Is that it?”

“You can have female friends. Trustworthy ones like Paige, Hazel, and Alisha. Not your ex-girlfriend, and her boyfriend stealing best friend!”

“Boyfriend stealing...?” That didn’t sit well with Craig. “That’s what this is about? You want Sean back?”

What did he just accuse her of? “Excuse me?”

“Yeah. That’s why you were eager for him to learn about Milton. So he’ll forget about Emma and come back to you.”

Ellie’s head filled with rage at the fact that Craig thought he had her figured out. He was trying to portray her as the traitorous partner when it was actually him. “I’ve been all in with you since the beginning, Craig. I worked hard to be with you.”

“I guess it was for nothing, because now you only care about Sean.”

“I don’t want him! But he’s our friend, and we shouldn’t let him get played. He deserves better than Emma. You know that.”

“She’s not a bad person.”

Really? Emma took Sean away from Ellie for no reason, since she was now with Milton. Emma stole guys, and discarded them like toys when she grew bored with them.

“She’s breaking Sean’s heart. What do you call that?”

“El, people grow apart. It’s not a big deal.”

Ellie was tired of going back and forth with him. It was pointless because he’d always defend Emma. Ellie wanted to go home, and she told him so. However, Joey came down and said, “You can’t.”

Craig stood behind Ellie, which bothered her, but Joey was more important. He looked at them, his voice troubled. “I’m sorry for interrupting your lovers quarrel, but I have bad news for you, Ellie. It has to do with your mother.”

Ellie and Craig exchanged a fearful look. What had happened? Judging by Joey’s serious expression, it was something horrible.

Chapter Text

It was the beginning of a new school week, but Ellie wasn’t getting ready. She sat on Craig’s bed with her face in her hands, wondering how her life had become so stressful.

Why did her mother have to be an alcoholic? She’d gotten drunk and passed out while having boiling water on the stove. Fortunately, their neighbor came to her aid. 

Joey told Ellie that their neighbor, Mr. Johnson, jumped in to save the day. When he spotted the house ablaze, he forced his way inside and found her mother passed out. He had to drag her out. He called for help outside the house, and firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. Ellie thanked God that only the kitchen was damaged. It could’ve been a lot worse. 

She planned to visit her mother in the hospital. Should she scold her? Maybe not. She didn’t have the energy because she’d gotten no sleep last night. She felt terrible because Craig stayed up all night to make sure she was okay.

He kept dozing off, but forced himself to stay awake. She wanted him to get his beauty sleep, but he refused. “Your pain is my pain,” he reasoned. It had made Ellie smile because Craig was an amazing boyfriend. His friendship with Emma and Manny was her only issue with him. 

Craig entered the room, as if he knew she was thinking about him. “Ellie, do you want something to eat? Joey cooked breakfast.” 

“I’m not hungry.” 

She felt the mattress dip, indicating he was sitting in front of her. He took her hands, and Ellie didn’t fight it. She revealed her face, noting the tiredness and concern on his. It made her frown because her mother’s alcoholism affected not only her, but also Craig.

“You’ve got to get food into your system. You haven’t eaten since we heard the news.”

“How can I? My mom almost died.”

“She didn’t get severely burned.” 

“She was still burned, Craig!” Ellie argued, pushing his hands away and rising to her feet. She paced, angry at her mother for putting her in this situation, and at Craig for downplaying how serious things were. It didn’t matter if her mother wasn’t seriously hurt; she still got hurt, and Ellie hadn’t come to her rescue. Her neighbor had to do what she should’ve done, which she hated. 

Ellie was therefore angry with herself as well. “I wasn’t there to help her, Craig.”

“What could you have done?”

“I could’ve dragged her out sooner! Or I could’ve prevented her from passing out. But no, we were arguing about Emma!” 

“So, this is my fault?” He climbed to his feet, adding, “Like, pretty much everything? Including my friendship with her?”

“Stop putting words in my mouth. And for Christ’s sake, my mother almost died, my house nearly burned down, and you’re talking about Emma?!”

“You mentioned her! She’s constantly on your mind. I’m thinking you have a crush on her.”

“Now he’s trying to tell me what my sexuality is.” 

“I’m not!” Craig exclaimed. “But always talking about Emma is annoying. I don’t understand why you’re upset with her instead of Sean. You gave him the choice, and he chose her, but you have no hatred for him?” 

“I did hate him. Then he got shot, and we worked it out, just like you.”

“You should work things out with Emma, too. She didn’t ‘steal’ him.” Craig compared Ellie’s predicament to Manny's and Spinner’s relationship. “Now, Manny and Spinner? That was stealing.”  

“Now he’s bringing up Manny, knowing how much I hate her.” Ellie was out of there.

“Seriously?” Craig pursued her. “Why can’t we have a mature conversation?”

“Because you’re a hypocrite, Craig!” she yelled as she spun around. “You hate Spinner for dating Manny, but you like Manny? How does that make sense?”

Ellie could tell those words hit a nerve because Craig’s face softened, recognition and turmoil coming across his features.

“Yeah. You should be the last person to tell me to be civil.” Ellie descended the stairs, leaving him alone with his hypocritical thoughts. As soon as she stepped into the living room, she ran into Joey.

“Good morning, Ellie. How are you feeling?”

“Between what happened with my mother, and me and Craig constantly bickering, I don’t know how much more I can take, Joey.”

“You and Craig are going through a rough patch. It happens,” Joey explained. “But he loves you, Ellie.”

“I love him too. I just don’t like the company he keeps.”

“Emma, right?” Joey wondered. He heard their argument. “You know, Craig’s right. She’s not a bad person.”

Ellie was sick of hearing that. But she couldn’t snap at Joey like she could with Craig. Joey knew she was suppressing her rage. “Look, I don’t know what happened between you two girls.”

“She stole my boyfriend. Sean.”

“Oh.” Joey sipped his coffee awkwardly.

Ellie continued to air out Emma’s dirty laundry. “Yeah. Now she doesn’t want him, which irritates me.”

“I understand,” Joey said as he laid down his mug. “But Sean is the past. You have Craig now, so why does it matter?”

Ellie realized he was suggesting she still liked Sean. “I don’t like Sean. Craig is everything to me, but it’s still painful. It was my first heartbreak.” 

It stung so much that she had resorted to self-harm, but Craig had barged into her room and stopped her. He was the only one who cared enough to check on her, so it hurt that they’d been bumping heads lately. Who knew where she’d be if it weren’t for him?

“If it’s any consolation, everyone knows Craig loved Manny. It’s a miracle he got over his heartbreak, but if he can heal, so can you.”

She couldn’t heal if she had to deal with new nonsense every day. But she blocked out Sean, Emma, and Craig from her mind because she needed to concentrate on her mother right now. 

She was starving, so she helped herself to the food Joey had prepared as Craig came downstairs. Joey wanted to know why Craig was still in his pajamas. Craig said he wasn’t going to school today. He insisted on staying with Ellie, but she refused. “I’m going to the hospital.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No, Craig. I want to do this by myself. You don’t like my mother, anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t wanna check on her.”

“I said no, Craig!” Ellie shouted, which irritated him to no end. 

“Does everything have to be an argument with you?”

She didn’t get to respond since Joey inserted himself. “Drop it, Craig. Go to school and hang out with your friends, okay? Get your mind off things.”

“I guess I have no choice,” Craig grumbled as he stomped up the stairs. Ellie sat at the table, her fingers running through her hair in agitation. She and Craig used to never argue, but now they fight over everything. She was tired of it. 

Joey picked up his mug, feeling uneasy following that spat. He tried to lighten the mood by saying, “Like I said, rough patch.”

-

Ellie arrived at the hospital. When she entered the room her mother was in, she noticed her lying in bed, tears accumulating. “Eleanor!” 

“Wow. You remember my name,” Ellie muttered as she walked up to the side of the bed and into Caroline’s arms.

“Of course I do. I’m sober.”

“But you weren’t. You almost died, mom. I was terrified.”

“I know.” Her hand made its way to Ellie’s, covering it. “I’m grateful for Mr. Johnson. He saved my life.”

Ellie was equally grateful. She’d hate to lose her mother at such a young age. “I have to thank him. Maybe I should bake him something.”

“I’m sure he’d want you to spend that time focusing on me.”

“I need to.” Ellie tightened her grip. “I’m sorry for not being there. I should’ve rescued you.”

“I’m glad you weren’t there. I don’t want you to see me like that.”

“I’ve seen you like that many times.”

“I know, but yesterday was the worst it’s ever been. I never want to go through that again, so I’m done with the alcohol. It’s time to get my life together.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Eleanor, I’m serious. I don’t want to let you down again. I don’t want to...die.” Caroline uttered that word carefully, as if it were a curse. “Not right now. I want to meet my grandchildren first.”

Ellie wasn’t sure if she’d be with Craig long enough to have kids.

“I understand, but I don’t think you can go through this sobriety journey alone.” Ellie made a suggestion, one that her mother would oppose, but it was the best choice. “You need to go to rehab.”

“Rehab?!” Caroline shrieked before laughing. “Eleanor, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not kidding. They’ll help you more than I can.”

Caroline struggled to sit up, relying on her elbows to stay upright. “If I go to rehab, I’ll be away from you!”

“I don’t mind that, as long as you’re getting better. Joey’s taking good care of me.”

Caroline continued to protest. “I’m not sure, honey. You need a parent around—”

“Mom,” Ellie said, her voice stern and devoid of sympathy. “I need you to go to rehab. That’s the only way I’ll believe you’re trying to change, and the only way for us to begin the healing process.”

Caroline rested her head on the pillow, breathing deeply. She stroked her forehead, never expecting things to get so bad that she needed rehabilitation, but that was their reality.

Caroline couldn’t get clean on her own; maybe it’d work for a while, but she’d relapse eventually. She needed professionals to help her avoid it. And, while Ellie would miss her, it was for the best. She’d get fixed, and when she returned, everything would be as it should’ve been. No alcoholism, no fires. Just blissful peace.  

When Mr. Armstrong said he wanted to talk to Johnny’s parents about his behavior, he meant it. He opened the door and motioned for them to enter. Johnny trailed behind his parents, ignoring Armstrong’s greeting. He sat in a chair in front of the small teacher’s desk. His parents sat in the other two.

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. DiMarco. It’s a pleasure to see you.” He offered his hand to them, and they accepted his handshake. Johnny fought the urge to groan, because why was Armstrong trying to befriend his parents?

“I called you because Johnny’s behavior is concerning. The number of fights he’s had this semester is disturbing.”

Johnny corrected him. “There was no fight. I got jumped. How is that fair?”

“Why did they jump you? Was it something you said?”

“I didn’t say shit!” Johnny shouted. His profanity elicited a horrified gasp from his mother, who whacked him on the arm.

“Jonathan George DiMarco! You don’t talk to your teacher like that!”

“Mom, you don’t understand! Everyone thinks Jimmy and Dave are innocent boys, but they’re not. They’re the aggressors. And if I catch them by themselves—”

Johnny trailed off, not needing to finish his sentence because what he was implying was clear. His parents’ faces became appalled.

Armstrong cocked an eyebrow before returning his attention to the parents. “You see? Johnny instantly goes from zero to ten. It’s concerning.”

“Our Jonathan is easily provoked,” his mother said. “We blame it on the company he keeps.”

Johnny jerked his head towards her, grimacing. “You’ve never had a problem with Elliot and Bruce, so don’t start now.”

“We don’t have a problem with them, but you can’t deny that hanging around them gives you a sense of power, Johnny,” his father added. “It makes you want to act out.”

“If you’re gonna point fingers, point them at Lucas. He destroyed our lives, and now everyone hates us.”

Before speaking to Armstrong, his father let out an uneasy sigh. “We apologize for his behavior. Is there a way to prevent this from happening again?”

“Yes.” Armstrong had everything figured out, but he didn’t want Johnny to hear his conclusion. He asked Johnny to leave the room so he could talk to his parents, and Johnny snorted because that wasn’t happening. His exact words were, “You can gossip in front of me,” but his father supported Armstrong. 

“Get out, boy!” 

His father pointed at the door he wanted Johnny to exit through. Johnny stormed to the door, swinging it open so fast that it almost came off its hinges. He slammed the door behind him, making the kids in the hallway shudder in fright. Johnny ignored them as he saw Bruce approaching. 

Bruce peeked into the glass window of Armstrong’s room. He noticed Johnny’s parents were inside. “Dude, your folks are here? What happened?”

“Armstrong’s slandering me, as usual. That man has nothing better to do.”

“Are you in trouble?”

“It depends on what he tells them. He’s probably painting me as the villain. I can’t stand him.”

“Maybe switch classes?” Bruce proposed. “You shouldn’t be beefing with your teacher, man.” 

Johnny couldn’t get away from Armstrong because he was the only math teacher at Degrassi. Bruce told Johnny not to worry because he and Elliot had his back. Johnny’s forehead creased at the mention of Elliot, unsure of his whereabouts. He and Bruce rotated their heads in every direction, hoping to locate Elliot. They didn’t, but Bruce spotted another person.

“Oh shit.”

Johnny followed his best friend’s gaze and came across a girl with straight brown hair and a beanie on her head. She was wearing khakis like the rest of them, but she had a yellow shirt, so Johnny recognized her as a Lakehurster. In addition, she wore spiked cuffs and had a nose ring.

The girl was Anastasia Valieri, Lucas’ sister, and Johnny’s heart stopped. He repeated Bruce’s “Oh shit” before asking, “Is that...”

“Anastasia, our old friend?” Bruce completed with equal disbelief. “Yeah...”

“Should we run?”

“I’m not sure. Does she look angry to you?”

“Her expression is unreadable, and she’s on her way over here.”

“Yeah, we should run,” Bruce advised. They swiveled around, but it was too late. 

“Hello, Johnny. Bruce.”

Johnny and Bruce gulped, gathering the strength to turn and face her. They said, “Hi, Anastasia,” robotically. 

“It’s Jane now,” she announced. “I changed it after what Lucas did to Mia.”

“I’m surprised you’re talking to us after that,” Johnny responded. 

“You two had nothing to do with that, unlike your friend.”

Johnny knew who she was shading. “Elliot?You remember him?”

“I wish I didn’t,” Jane muttered. “How have you been these past two years?” 

Bruce was quick to blame her brother for their suffering. “Not so good. Because of Lucas, we’ve had to deal with a lot. He ruined our lives, and is still ruining them.”

“I know how you feel. If someone finds out I’m related to him...” Jane shuddered at the thought. 

“They still don’t know?”

“No way. I’ll get bullied to death.”

“We won’t let that happen. We don’t like Lucas, but Anastas—Jane, you’ve always been a sister to us.” Bruce chuckled awkwardly, stroking the back of his neck. “Calling you Jane is gonna take some getting used to.” 

Jane said, “I snitched on Lucas, you know. He came home with JT’s blood on him, and I called the cops.”

Johnny’s eyes widened as he wondered if Lucas was upset with her. “I’m not gonna find out,” she said in response. 

True. She should keep her distance from him. Lucas might murder her. Johnny made sure she knew she did the right thing, though. Jane knew she did, but she couldn’t figure out why Lucas wanted JT dead. She knew he was jealous, but she was curious to know who told him about JT and Mia at the party. She wanted to know who’d set JT up.

Johnny and Bruce looked at each other, with Bruce slightly shaking his head no, instructing Johnny to stay quiet about sending the picture to Lucas. Johnny was going to take Bruce’s advice. No one could find out what he did.

He told his “sister” he didn’t know how Lucas knew to show up that night. Jane sighed, expecting that response. She then felt sorry for Mia. “Poor Mia. My brother has put her through a lot, and sometimes I wanna tell her I’m his sister.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I want Mia to know that not all Valieri’s are evil. Her daughter is also my niece. Shouldn’t I try to get to know her?”

They didn’t get to respond since Elliot approached them, questioning Johnny. “How did it go with your parents, Johnny?” 

Johnny alternated his focus between Jane and Elliot, so Elliot could see it wasn’t the right time to discuss his parents. Elliot followed his gaze and recognized Jane. He took a step back, gaping. “Oh shit. Anastasia?”

“It’s Jane, asshole!” Jane didn’t want to breathe the same air as him, so she bumped shoulders with him so hard that he nearly fell over.

Elliot was perplexed as she disappeared into a classroom. “Uh,” he said as he faced his bros. “Was she acting like that with you guys?”

Bruce responded. “Nope. She’s cool with us, but she doesn’t like you. It’s easy to see why. You were involved in Mia’s sexual assault.”

“Is everyone gonna stay stuck on that?”

“I mean...they have every right. It’s a big deal.”

Elliot huffed as Johnny’s parents wrapped up their conversation with Armstrong. They walked out of the classroom. “Jonathan?”

“What?” Johnny snarled with an icy demeanor. It was mainly aimed at his father. 

“After school, come straight home. We need to discuss your behavior.” 

“Whatever.” 

His parents exited the school. Armstrong let his students in while looking at Johnny. Johnny returned his stare because what had he told his parents? Some lie to make him look like the bad guy?

Johnny was certain Armstrong would never do that to Jimmy or Dave. They were his basketball players, after all. Former and current. Armstrong would always protect them, so he was just as problematic as they were. 

If Armstrong continued to test him, Johnny might put his hands on him next.  

 
Hazel couldn’t imagine losing her mother. So when she heard that Ellie’s mother was on the verge of death yesterday, she broke down as she imagined how afraid and devastated Ellie must’ve been. 

Craig had texted them to let them know what had happened. He also texted them this morning, saying he was coming to school alone, which was troubling because he was supposed to be there for Ellie, but she went to visit her mother. 

Paige, Marco, and Jimmy stood in a line next to Hazel. She wasn’t sure where Alisha was, and she’d seen Spinner, but Craig and Paige didn’t like him, so he wasn’t there. 

They focused on the school entrance and saw Craig enter. There was a great deal of tension and sorrow around him. Hazel moved forward, arms spread, because Craig needed comfort. 

She brought him in for an embrace. “Oh, Craig. I’m so sorry.”

Craig rested his chin on her shoulder. “I don’t think you need to apologize to me. It wasn’t my mother.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you’re just as upset,” Hazel replied. “Mrs. Nash is family.”

“Mrs. Nash is someone I don’t like, but this was a wake-up call. She has to stop drinking.” He continued, “Last week, I told Ellie her mother needed to go to rehab, but who knows if she will?”

Hazel rejoined her friends in line. “Why do bad things happen to this friend group? We have the worst luck.”

Marco shrugged and approached Craig. “Is Ellie okay?” he asked, straining to speak. He’d had a sore throat for the past week. 

“Marco, you shouldn’t be speaking,” Craig scolded. 

“My soreness doesn’t matter. Ellie does.”

“Well, she’s not okay, and neither am I. I’m trying to be the boyfriend she needs, but she’s making it hard, man.”

“She’s going through a lot and taking her anger out on you,” Paige said to cheer him up. “That’s all.”

Hazel suggested they visit Ellie after school, since they needed to be there for one another right now. Craig informed her that Ellie was living with him for the time being. They were planning to go to his house after school, but Jimmy wanted out.

“I’m grounded for fighting, remember?”

Craig spoke. “It’s not like Johnny didn’t deserve it. And you snuck out to meet Alisha for your date. Why not stop by for a few minutes?”

“Well...” Jimmy paused mid-thought, breaking eye contact with Craig. The four of them fixed him with intense stares. Jimmy spoke honestly because he knew he couldn’t avoid the situation. “Look, I have something to do.”

“What’s more important than Ellie?” Hazel inquired. “Isn’t she your bestest friend?”

“Yeah, but I made a promise to someone. I don’t wanna break it,” Jimmy said. Hazel felt upset because he was choosing a mysterious person over his friends?

Jimmy promised to make it up to Ellie. Then he was gone, which Hazel was relieved about because he’d irritated her. “Am I the only one who thinks Jimmy’s becoming secretive? He had secret conversations with Ellie while he was away, and now he’s making secret agreements with someone?”

Craig agreed. “We don’t know a lot about him. I didn’t even know he talked to Manny.”

“Manny?” Marco repeated in an interested manner. “Why would he talk to Manny?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Craig didn’t understand it. “She wanted to congratulate him on his ability to walk. The fact that Jimmy didn’t tell me is odd.”

Hazel didn’t find it odd since Jimmy liked keeping secrets. Paige also didn’t find it strange. “It’s not a big deal, hun. It’s not like they’re still talking.”

Craig nodded while looking at the floor. “I know. It just rubbed me the wrong way because—” He stopped himself, which prompted the squad to motion for him to spit it out. He couldn’t leave them hanging like that. 

Craig picked up where he left off. “Manny and Spinner are to blame. After their relationship, Manny gave me trust issues, so I got worried when she told me she talked to Jimmy. I’m afraid she’ll make a move on him next.”

Paige and Marco started laughing. “No way! Jimmy would never let that happen. Unlike Spinner, he’s loyal to you,” Paige asserted. 

“Yeah...” Craig shook off the paranoia. “Maybe I’m overthinking.”

Was he, though? Jimmy was being secretive, making commitments to someone without mentioning their name. Was it Manny? Because Hazel was aware of Manny’s effect on men.

Craig informed Paige of his desire to work things out with Spinner. Marco never expected those words to come out of Craig’s mouth, but he was glad they did. He was tired of Craig and Spinner’s feud, and Hazel was too. 

Not Paige, though. She wanted Craig to despise Spinner as much as she did. “Seriously?” 

Craig told Paige he needed to set a good example, since Emma was always the subject of his arguments with Ellie. He wanted Ellie to forgive Emma for being the reason Sean had broken her heart, but Craig realized he was being a hypocrite. He was angry at Spinner for dating Manny and for betraying Jimmy. So Ellie might be more inclined to work things out with Emma if he resolved his issues with Spinner.

“Do you understand?” he asked Paige.

“Yeah, I get it. That doesn’t mean I like it.”

Craig spoke in a calm and direct manner. “All I want is for Ellie to get along with my friends.”

Paige wanted to object, but she couldn’t stop Craig. He was going to do whatever he wanted, regardless. Paige also wanted him and Ellie to have an enjoyable relationship, so she let it happen. 

“If you think being Spinner’s friend is the best option, go for it. I won’t hate you for it, but I’ll always hate Spinner.”

Craig’s smile widened until it reached his eyes. He hugged Paige and thanked her for being cool about it.

“Yeah, yeah,” she murmured as she patted his back. “You should tell Jimmy the news. He’ll be thrilled.”

“I’m coming with you!” Marco told Craig. They set off in the direction Jimmy had gone. 

“Well, that was a happy ending,” Hazel said.

“Not for me,” Paige answered before switching her concentration down the hall. Hazel’s mood dampened when she saw Anya approaching. She didn’t dislike Anya; she just didn’t like Paige’s sudden fascination with her.

On Friday, Paige had left the tryouts with Anya and had ignored Hazel. She’d called Paige over the weekend, but Paige said she’d call her back because she was talking to Anya. Paige had met Anya just three days ago, but she already seemed more important.

Paige raced over to Anya and exclaimed, “There goes my favorite Anya!” 

“I’m pretty sure I’m your only Anya,” Anya jokingly said. 

“I want it to stay that way. You’re all I need.” 

All she needs? Why hadn’t Paige gushed about Hazel like that before?  

“Thank you,” Anya replied, changing the subject. “I wanted to talk about the Spirit Squad. I saw the list of girls who got selected—”

“Oh, yes!” Paige cut in. “I made sure to put your name first.”

She certainly did. As expected, Hazel was second. 

Anya completed her sentence. “That surprised me. I hope the other girls don’t think of it as favoritism.”

Hazel already was.

“If they have a problem with our friendship, I’ll handle it,” Paige declared. “No one’s gonna mess with my Anya.”

Hazel screwed her face into one of discontent. Anya noticed, but said nothing. She continued to chat with Paige, and they weren’t trying to include Hazel in the conversation, so she took that as her sign to excuse herself. Paige not telling her to stay was the most heartbreaking part. Paige hadn’t even realized she’d walked away. She was too busy joking around with her new best friend. 

So, it was nice that Craig was getting his friend back, but it wasn’t so nice that Hazel was losing hers. 

Chapter Text

Sean passed by students in the hallway. They recognized him and yelled, “Hero!” Meanwhile, unfamiliar students in yellow shirts pinched their brows together, wondering what he did to be considered a hero.

Sean thought everyone would be past the hero thing by now. He was, because every time a student praised him, it brought back memories of that terrible day.

Sean knew Toby disapproved of him taking matters into his own hands. Sadly, the paper in his hand said he’d be sharing a locker with Toby. Ms. Hatzilakos thought it’d help them work out their differences, but Sean was skeptical because Toby didn’t forgive easily. 

Sean slipped past the crowd while saying, “Excuse me.” He didn’t know the new students or why they wore yellow shirts. He couldn’t ask questions since he needed to find Toby, but someone found him.

“Liberty!” Sean greeted. 

She examined his matching uniform. “I never expected to see you in a polo and khakis.”

“Right? I still have this, though.” He pulled out his signature denim jacket and black beanie. Liberty laughed because she expected nothing less from him. 

“Oh, good. I’d be worried if you didn’t.”

They managed one last laugh before Sean remembered what his friends had told him the day before. They’d informed him of JT’s death. Lucas Valieri had killed him on Liberty’s birthday because of a girl named Mia. 

“Um.” Sean spoke hesitantly, reluctant to bring up her lover’s death. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Why?”

“I heard about JT.”

Liberty couldn’t talk about it because it hurt too much, and Sean understood. “I’m just sorry,” he said as sincerely as possible, as if it’d ease her grief. He regretted going to Wasaga Beach. Maybe he could’ve saved JT if he’d stayed. 

“I’m sorry too. I’m starting to think it’s my fault.”

“No way. It’s Lucas’ fault.”

“It’s my fault too,” Liberty insisted. “JT wanted to dance, but I refused. It caused him to leave the house.” She summarized what she was saying. “My rejection got him killed.”

“Come on, Liberty. You don’t think Lucas would’ve gotten him another day?”

“That’s what Toby said, but what if he hadn’t?”

“We’ll never know, but I don’t want you to think it’s your fault. You don’t need that weight on your shoulders. You need to heal, okay?”

“Heal...” Liberty mulled over his words. “Okay.”

Sean looked down the hall to see Toby putting his belongings into his locker, which was now Sean’s locker. “There goes Isaacs.”

“He still hates you.”

“I know, but I have to share a locker with him.”

“Good luck with that.”

He’d need all the luck he could get. Every step he took towards his friend-turned-foe was torture. Once he was inches away from Toby, Sean explained why he was there. “We’re sharing a locker, Isaacs.”

Toby kept stuffing his things into the locker, ignoring Sean.

“No welcome back? Okay.”

Toby’s abrasive tone reached Sean’s ears. “Just put your belongings inside and be quiet.”

Sean did as instructed. When he finished, he stared at Toby, who was doing his best not to meet his gaze. 

“You can go now.”

Sean had no plans to leave. They needed to resolve their issues. “I understand you’re upset about Rick, but I had no choice. Your friend was—”

“Insane?” Toby interjected. “I know that.”

“Then why are you mad?”

Toby turned his entire body towards Sean. “He understood what it felt like to be hated, too.”

“No one hated you.”

“They did. Ashley abused Jimmy, and everyone looked at me suspiciously. They assumed I was insane like her, but not Rick. He was good to me.”

“If you give me a chance, I can be good to you too,” Sean said. He didn’t want to argue with Toby anymore. He could be the brother Toby needed. He wasn’t trying to replace JT and Rick, though. Toby told him he didn’t want him to replace them, because that meant forgetting them.

Toby closed the locker and leaned against it. He folded his arms as he stared ahead. “I never thought I’d have to imagine a world without the unremarkable JT Yorke. At least that’s how he started, but by the end, he was pretty remarkable, despite his wrongs.”

Toby had downturned facial features and moist eyes. His battle to hold back his tears brought moisture to Sean’s eyes too, as he remembered JT. There was never a dull moment with JT. It was hard to be in his company and not laugh at least once. He had that effect.

Toby dropped his head, one hand concealing his face as he sobbed. It caused hot tears to roll down Sean’s cheeks. He hated weeping, but it was unavoidable in this situation. However, Toby needed more comfort than he did, so he wrapped his arms around him. 

“I’m so sorry,” Sean said quietly. “If I had been at that party, I would’ve taken the stab for JT. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.” Toby wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist. “If I knew what Lucas had planned, he would’ve had to kill me too, because I would’ve given him so much hell.”

“We both would’ve.” As Sean imagined himself and Toby working together to defeat Lucas, he chuckled. Lucas would’ve been done for, and Toby knew it, choking out a laugh. Then he said four words. 

“I forgive you, Sean.”

Those words removed Sean’s sadness from his body. “Really?”

“Yeah. JT wouldn’t want us to hate each other. He’d want us to give the bad guys hell.”

“That’s what we’ll do. I’m not going anywhere, Toby. I’ve got your back if you have mine.”

“Always.”

Their reconciliation took Emma aback. Toby told her they’d settled their issues, and she was relieved. She then focused on Sean. “Sean. I need to talk to you, remember?”

Sean dreaded this conversation because he didn’t want to burst into tears again. He’d just regained his happiness. 

Emma moved him away from listening ears. She paced, as if preparing herself. Because class was about to start, Sean signaled for her to speak. “Any day now...”

“Okay.” Emma inhaled deeply. “I’m dating Milton.”

Sean burst out laughing. She had to be joking, right? But Emma’s expression was devoid of humor, letting Sean know it was the truth. Emma had promised to wait for his return, so they could pick up where they left off. Sean couldn’t believe she’d lied to him.

Emma tried to explain herself. “I’m sorry. After JT’s death, I went into a depressed state. Milton was there to comfort me—”

“He always comforts you.”

“Yeah,” Emma responded, nodding. “That’s why I gave him a chance. He’s good to me, Sean. And I know I said I’d wait for you, but I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t, or didn’t want to?”

“I guess both.”

Sean shook his head, putting distance between them. He felt so blindsided. He’d obsessed over Emma for three months, eagerly awaiting their reunion. But her focus was on his enemy. 

Emma didn’t like his silence; it made her nervous, so she demanded he speak. She even encouraged him to yell at her if necessary, and Sean laughed flatly. “Yell at you for what? Moving on? Why waste my breath? But I’m upset that I wasted my money.” 

He pulled out a small black box. The box contained emerald earrings he’d found in Wasaga Beach. He knew it would look great on Emma, but he’d never see it.

Emma opened it, exposing the gorgeous emeralds. Her expression changed to regret as she closed the box and held it out to him. “Sean, I can’t accept this.”

“And I can’t return it.”

“You don’t have to. Save it for the next girl you fall in love with.”

“You’re the only girl I’m interested in, but you want Milton.”

Emma dropped her head in shame. “I’m so sorry. My feelings faded because of the distance, but I still want you in my life.”

“As the fallback guy?”

“No! As a very close friend.”

If she was single, maybe, but she was dating his enemy. How was he supposed to sit back and watch? It hurt to hear about her and Milton, and it’d be even more painful to see their PDA. 

“Please, Sean. I don’t want to lose you.” 

“I’ll think about it,” Sean said as he backed away from her. He felt angry, but he wasn’t sure if he should be. He believed that Emma intended to wait for him, but then JT died, and everything fell apart.

Sean should’ve known if he lost Emma to anyone, it’d be to Milton. He constantly felt like he was competing with Milton, because Emma was always interested in him. If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have slept with him behind Sean’s back last year.

Milton won this conflict, so Sean wasn’t sure if it was worth hating him. It wouldn’t make Emma come back to him. She chose Milton, and a part of Sean wanted to say whatever and let it go. He’d never be at peace if he harbored a grudge against them. And he really needed peace in his life. 

So if Emma wanted to be friends, he might agree. All he knew was that he’d focus on himself from now on. He had to accept his loss and move on, because he’d be damned if he spent his entire life chasing Emma. That wasn’t happening. 

 
Did Anya choose the opposition over Marisol and Lakehurst? Maybe she hadn’t overheard Anya talking to Paige, admitting she’d joined the cheerleading team behind Marisol’s back. Or maybe she had overheard, since Anya’s name was on the Spirit Squad list. 

Anya had given her loyalty to a girl she’d just met. It was messed up, considering Marisol had been by her side for years. Did Anya ever care about her?

Marisol cast one last icy glance at Anya’s name before proceeding to English. Unfortunately, Anya also had that class, and Ms. Kwan had paired them up. Marisol wasn’t putting up with it. She wanted to avoid Anya, and so would the rest of her squad after learning what Anya had done.

Marisol walked into English and sat. Anya entered the room with Paige by her side, arms linked, and Marisol laughed. Anya and Paige looked at her, and Anya’s expression had remorse, but not Paige’s. She gave Marisol an indifferent look, and Marisol returned it. Paige was by far her least favorite Degrassian. 

Paige told Anya, “We both know why she’s upset. I’ll let you take care of that.”

Paige strutted to her seat as Anya stepped towards Marisol. “Hi, Marisol.”

Anya was a fake person, and Marisol disliked fake people. Therefore, she stood. “Ms. Kwan, I’d like a new partner.”

“What? Last week, you and Anya were getting along well.”

“Her allegiances have changed.”

Anya said, “Marisol, stop it,” in an exasperated voice. 

“Don’t tell me to stop! You betrayed me!”

“Because I didn’t join your team?”

“Yes!” Marisol responded matter-of-factly. “There were a lot of girls there, but all I wanted was you. But you weren’t there for me.”

“I was following my heart.”

“Yeah, and you broke mine.” Marisol brushed past Anya, but Anya wrapped her hand around her wrist to get her to listen. 

“Marisol, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just not good at dancing, okay?”

“Who cares? I would’ve been there for you. And you not only didn’t support me, but you didn’t support Lakehurst. You chose Michalchuk, Maya’s number one enemy. Do you think she’ll be happy about that?”

Anya’s face flushed with fear. “Please don’t tell her. No one needs to know.”

“Yes they do. They need to know you’re not a friend. You’re a foe.”

Anya took that slander seriously. “So that’s it? Our friendship is over?”

“You made it this way. You made me hate you.”

Anya surrendered, knowing Marisol would always despise her. “Whatever. I tried to be civil.”

If she wanted to be civil, she wouldn’t have become a cheerleader, knowing the problems that would arise. She couldn’t respect Anya for acting selfishly.

Anya went to Paige, which wasn’t surprising. Marisol sat and took out her phone to text Maya. She sent five devastating words: Anya joined the dark side.

Anya was responsible for whatever happened next. 

Manny was going to an empty classroom for her figure painting session with Jimmy. Half of herself was nervous because she’d never posed for anyone, let alone someone as cute and wholesome as Jimmy. The other half of herself was ecstatic.

She was so excited that she hadn’t slept last night, and had spent all morning making sure she looked her best. She wore her hair curly, and her curls were so luscious and eye-catching that students did a double take as she strolled past them. Craig was also captivated, and Manny had approached him to tease him. 

“Take a picture, Manning. It’ll last longer.”

Manny had noticed Craig’s eyes running up and down her body as he responded playfully. “I think my memory will have to do this time.”

“The memory won’t fade anytime soon,” Manny said with a wink. She had no intention of going back to straight hair, especially if Jimmy showed an interest in her curls. She was about to find out, since she arrived at their agreed-upon classroom.

She stood in the doorway while Jimmy stood in front of an easel. There was a white canvas, and he had paint and brushes ready. 

Manny said, “Hi, Jimmy,” keeping her voice soft and enticing. Jimmy turned as she moved across the floor, his eyes flitting from curl to curl with awe. 

“Wow.” He continued to soak in her beauty. “You look great with curly hair, Manny.”

“Thanks. I wanted to look my best since this is a special occasion.”

“You did a good job. I love it.”

Love? She was never going back to straight hair.

“I’m sorry for not looking my best. I’m also sorry if I seem out of it. Ellie’s mother was involved in an incident, and...yeah.”

Jimmy pursed his lips, signaling to Manny that he didn’t want to discuss it. She didn’t want to know, anyway. It was none of her business, and she didn’t care about Ellie. 

“You really care about Ellie.”

“She’s my bestest friend.” 

Manny sighed inwardly. She wanted Jimmy to be her bestest friend. Not toxic Ellie’s. 

“Anyway, we don’t have much time. I’m grounded, but I told my father I was watching Dave’s basketball practice.”

“You lied for little old me?” 

He laughed. “I’m trying to keep my promises from now on.”

“Okay. Let’s get started.”

Manny grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started lifting it over her head. Jimmy freaked out. “Whoa! We’re not doing a nude painting, Manny!”

Manny rolled her eyes, amused. “I have clothes on underneath, silly.”

He watched as she removed her shirt, revealing a black tube top beneath. Manny unbuttoned her khakis, and Jimmy’s gaze followed her movements. She pulled down the zipper and slowly shimmied out of her pants, never looking away from Jimmy. He struggled to redirect his sight off her booty shorts.

“How do I look?” Manny asked, turning around to give him a full view. She let him see her slightly exposed ass cheeks. Jimmy averted his gaze, as if he’d just cheated.  

“You look fine,” Jimmy said, still directing his attention elsewhere. Manny was dissatisfied. 

“You’re not even looking at me.”

Jimmy glanced at her face and stomach. He lingered on her legs for longer before turning away. “You look great, Manny. You always do.”

That was all she wanted to hear. Jimmy would never forget her undressing for him. “Thanks. Where should I stand?”

“That’s up to you. I need a full view.”

“I’m thinking the window for the scenery.”

She went towards it and stood with her hands clasped. Jimmy gazed at her. “Any day now...”

He wanted her to pose, but she didn’t know how. What were the most common poses used by models? She didn’t do any research.

She put one foot in front of the other. She had one hand on her hip, and the other behind her head. That was a good pose, wasn’t it? Jimmy must’ve thought so, since he chuckled before grabbing a pencil and settling on a stool. Manny knew he was sketching a rough draft, since his eyes were on the canvas, occasionally glancing at her. 

Manny zoned out as Jimmy finished the painting. She rubbed the achy part of her arm as she moved closer to him. Jimmy apologized. “Sorry. That took some time, but I think it was worthwhile.”

He turned the easel, presenting his creation to her. Jimmy had gotten everything down to a T. She couldn’t believe he’d never painted. He was a natural. 

“Jimmy, this is perfect!”

“You think so?” He inspected the painting. “I think I missed a spot.” 

Manny leaned closer, peering hard to see if she could spot any flaws. She turned her head to question him, and the next thing she knew, he dipped his finger in the green paint and tapped her cheek. Manny gasped, feeling as if she was about to suffer a heart attack.

“That’s not face paint, Jimmy! My skin is gonna be damaged!” 

Her whining amused Jimmy. “Calm down, Santos. It’s a tiny spot.”

“I don’t care,” she said, pouting. “Fix me right now.”

Manny wasn’t really upset. She was looking for an excuse for him to touch her. 

Jimmy playfully rolled his eyes. “You’re such a baby.” He reached for a tissue and motioned for her to come closer. Manny leaned in close, and he wiped the paint away. 

“Thank you.” She moved her hand towards the art. “And thank you for the painting. How am I gonna repay you?”

“A simple thank you will do.” 

“No way! This is ridiculously good. I should pay you.”

“Please don’t. I don’t need more money.”

She giggled, noting that his concentration was on her face. It made her think she had something on it, but Jimmy said her dimples had attracted his attention. He thought they were adorable. 

“That means a lot coming from you.”

Jimmy nodded, ready to rise, but she couldn’t allow it. This was her chance to connect with him. “Actually, my muscles are tense from the posing. Can you help me?” 

Jimmy didn’t grasp what she was saying. She suggested he give her a massage, which Jimmy thought was an unwise move, but Manny was the queen of getting her way. He couldn’t say no to her. 

“Do you mind if I sit on your lap? Will that hurt your legs?”

“Not if you’re light.”

“Let’s see.”

Manny sat on his lap, moving her hair so he could access her shoulders. Jimmy cupped his hands over her shoulders before massaging them. Manny felt immense pleasure from his actions.

“Is that helping?” Jimmy asked. 

“It’s perfect, Jimmy.” Like him. 

Jimmy tended to her for another two minutes. Manny didn’t want him to stop, but he was becoming tired. When he finished, one of his arms wrapped around her to keep her from falling off his lap. Manny wasn’t sure if he knew that his free hand was resting on her thigh. 

She locked her eyes on him, and he locked his eyes in return. “Why haven’t we talked before?”

“We have. About Craig,” he replied. 

“I mean, like an actual conversation.”

Jimmy shrugged. “Different friend groups.”

“I guess so. I had an amazing time, though. I wouldn’t mind doing this again.”

“You want me to repaint you?”

“No, this is enough. Believe me,” Manny joked as she gestured to the large canvas. “I wanna hang out with you more. We have the potential to be great friends.”

“That sounds great, Manny.”

“Really?” Manny’s voice was higher in pitch. “You’re the best.” 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. She drew back, but her arms stayed around him as her eyes descended to his lips. Her lips also transfixed Jimmy. That had to be a sign. He wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him.  

Manny was preparing to shoot her shot, but was interrupted by a girl talking from the doorway. “Sorry for interrupting?”

Manny and Jimmy turned towards the doorway to see Alisha. Manny jumped off Jimmy’s lap, wide-eyed. Jimmy grabbed hold of his crutches and rose. “Alisha, it’s not what it looks like!”

“It looked like she was sitting on your lap.” 

“I was giving her a massage,” Jimmy said. Manny cringed because he wasn’t doing anything to help his case. 

“A massage...?”

“She had tense muscles, because she was posing for me.” His thumb pointed to the finished artwork behind them. “See?”

Yes, Alisha saw, but she wasn’t pleased with Manny’s attire. “Posing in booty shorts?”

Manny and Jimmy exchanged a look. Manny felt suffocated by the tension, so she excused herself. “I’m gonna go.” She grabbed her uniform and the canvas. “Thanks again, Jimmy.”

She rushed out, ignoring the dirty look Alisha was giving her. She was now outside the room, but she didn’t leave because she heard Jimmy exclaim, “Alisha, nothing happened. I swear.”

“It would have if I hadn’t stopped it. She was about to kiss you.”

“No! She—”

“I’m not stupid, Jimmy! I saw her!”

“Well, I would’ve pushed her away.” Alisha was doubtful, so he tucked his crutch under his armpit to grasp her hand. “I love you. Not her. Manny means nothing to me.” 

Manny’s face contorted with a pain she’d never felt before. She meant nothing to him? So why paint her? What about his compliments? The massage? Jimmy also said he wanted to spend more time with her. Why say that if she meant nothing to him? He was lying to save his ass, or she’d misinterpreted the situation.

Alisha and Jimmy were hugging. As Jimmy embraced his girl, he noticed Manny standing by the door. When he saw her pained eyes, he realized she’d heard everything.

Jimmy frowned, and Manny frowned too. She thought he was feeling her as much as she was feeling him, but maybe not.

Chapter Text

Fitz had only been at Degrassi for a week, but he’d already summed up Johnny with three characteristics. 1) Johnny was confrontational. He proved it every time he tried to pounce on Fitz for one of his sly remarks.

Johnny was also brooding, as shown by the amount of times he’d stare into space in Armstrong’s class. Fitz knew what he was thinking about, which led him to the last trait—Johnny was suspicious. 

Fitz was certain Johnny had something to do with JT’s death. How could he not, when his original gang leader stabbed the guy? Bruce and Elliot were also close to Lucas, so they couldn’t be innocent either.

“Fitz, why are you so quiet?” Luke posed that question, which jolted Fitz out of his thoughts. He forgot he was talking to Luke and Nic on the phone, as they did every morning before school. 

“We need to end Johnny,” Fitz said. “For JT.” 

“JT?” Nic’s speech was unclear, as if he was brushing his teeth. “The guy who died?”

“Yes. That Lucas guy got arrested, but Johnny and his friends didn’t. We need to figure out what part they played in JT’s death.”

“What for? It won’t do anything,” Luke countered. 

“We can get them arrested. We’ll be on top once they’re gone. Isn’t that our goal?”

“Yeah. That Dave guy knew something about Johnny. Maybe you should ask him what he was talking about,” Luke suggested. 

Nic warned Fitz that Maya would call him a traitor, but sacrifices had to be made sometimes. They’d have three less Degrassians to worry about if they took out Johnny and his crew. Maya would love that. 

His mother entered his room, leading him to hang up. “Mark, are you ready?”

“Yes. Is Jake ready?”

His mother shrugged. Fitz followed her to Jake’s room. When they got there, the strong scent of marijuana hit them. Jake was busy getting high.

Fitz shook his head as his mother coughed. She despised Jake smoking in the house because of the secondhand smoke, but Jake’s father, Fitz’s stepfather, was okay with it. 

“Really, Jacob?” Fitz’s mother chastised. “You’re supposed to do that outside, and it’s seven in the morning!” 

“Weed is his breakfast.” Fitz laughed.

“Not funny, Mark.” She refocused on her stepson. “Can you please get ready? Mark is ready to go.”

Jake put out the blunt. “Fine. I’ll be down soon.” 

Fitz turned to leave, but his mother grabbed his forearm. “No more detentions, Mark.”

No promises.

-

Fitz felt conflicted about whether he should talk to Dave. He wasn’t sure if he should lessen himself by asking the enemy for help. He didn’t want to owe anyone from Degrassi, but what other choice did he have? Dave had the information he needed to get rid of Johnny. 

“Maya wants Lakehurst to meet in the auditorium,” Nic said, slipping his phone into his pocket.

“Don’t tell me it’s another revenge scheme.” Jake sounded exasperated. 

“When isn’t it?” 

“But for what? Degrassi didn’t retaliate when you blocked the cafeteria entrance.”

“And we’re not giving them a chance to,” Nic responded, but Jake refused to take part. He told Nic to count him out, and Nic replied, “Come on, Jake. You’re missing the fun.” 

Jake stated that hostility wasn’t fun. He wished for both schools to forget the past, because he believed there was no right in this situation. That irritated Nic. “I think the weed is getting to him, Fitz.”

Fitz laughed, but Jake didn’t. Katie arrived to collect Jake for newspaper things. Nic told her Maya wanted Lakehurst in the auditorium. Katie told him to tell them about Maya’s plans later. 

“Okay then...” Nic said as she whisked Jake away. “Let’s go, Fitz.”

They went to the auditorium. Fitz and Nic sat in the front row, intended for Maya’s close friends. Marisol and Luke were present, and the meeting didn’t take long to begin since Maya stood in front of them.

Maya thanked everyone for coming. She noticed Jake and Katie were missing, and Nic explained that they were busy with their newspaper duties. She asked where Anya was, and why Marisol had said she’d joined the dark side.

Marisol clarified her point. “She chose Degrassi. She’s best friends with Paige Michalchuk.”

Lakehurst said, “Wow, that’s crazy,” clearly dissatisfied with Anya. Luke spoke, warning them not to expect Becky to show because she was neutral.

Maya sighed. “I guess it’s just us then. I figured out how to tear Degrassi down. I’m sure you saw how they turned on each other last week. They were fighting one another.”

Fitz nodded. “They don’t like us, and they don’t like each other.”

“Exactly. We should take advantage of that.” Maya expanded on her thoughts. “We could further turn them against each other by spreading rumors. Then we sit back and watch how fragile Degrassi friendships are.”

Nic said, “We should spread rumors about those who are feuding. They won’t doubt the truth for a second.” 

Marisol stood and continued. “Instead of whispering in people’s ears, I have a faster way to spread the rumors.” Everyone stared at her, waiting for her next words. “Two words: Chantay Black.”

Maya posed the question that was on everyone’s mind. “Who is Chantay Black?”

“She’s in my classes. She’s a gossip fanatic, who posts the hottest tea on her blog,” Marisol explained. “I think we should have Chantay post the rumors for us.”

“That’s great, except she’s a Degrassian,” Fitz observed. “She won’t help us take down her school.”

“I’m more convincing than you think, Fitz. Besides, they took one of ours: Anya. It’s only right if we steal one of theirs.”

Marisol’s lips curved into a wicked smirk as she exited. She was going to carry out her plan. All they could do was pray Chantay cooperated. 

Maya spoke. “Okay, then. We have our plan. Let’s hope Degrassi falls apart.” 

Lakehurst celebrated before dispersing. Luke was just as quick to leave, eager to take another selfie. Fitz and Nic were going to leave as well, but Maya intervened.

“Wait, Nic!” She couldn’t speak freely with Fitz staring her down, so she asked him to go. “Can I talk to Nic in private?” 

“Nope.”

Maya tilted her head, annoyed with Fitz. Nic chuckled, assuring her that everything was okay. “You can talk in front of him.”

“Okay...” Maya inhaled, her gaze falling to the floor. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we kissed last week. The love you show me...I don’t think I’ll find that anywhere else. I don’t want to. So, what I’m saying is...”

Maya went mute. She put her palm over her face. Nic picked up on what she was trying to tell him. “Are you saying you wanna be my girlfriend, Maya?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, revealing her rosy-colored face. “I’m hoping you feel the same way.”

“How can I say no?”

“Seriously? I’m your girlfriend?”

Nic nodded, causing her to squeal in delight. She pressed her lips to Nic’s, and their kisses were sloppy and passionate, like a young couple in love. Fitz averted his gaze; he was happy for them, but didn’t want to witness that up close. 

Their romantic show got interrupted when a Lakehurster entered the auditorium and asked for Maya. Fitz spoke to his bro as she went. “You finally got the girl of your dreams. Good shit.”

“When are you getting a girl?” 

Fitz laughed. “I don’t have time for a relationship. I have more important things on my mind.”

Like seeing Johnny and his gang in handcuffs.

 
“When will we see David again?” Chantay’s mother asked. Chantay was eating breakfast with her parents, but froze when Dave was mentioned. Because of the lies she’d told them. 

Chantay hadn’t mentioned Dave being her cousin to anyone at school. Even Darcy and Linus were unaware. Chantay had no intention of claiming Dave either. His actions were shameful.

If she associated herself with him, she’d lose her popularity, which she’d garnered from her intriguing gossip. She’d created a name for herself, and Dave wasn’t going to undo her hard work with his shenanigans.

Her parents thought she and Dave were two peas in a pod. Chantay couldn’t tell them she’d disowned him. They’d never let that happen because family was everything in their eyes. They’d make her and Dave settle their problems, maybe even go to family counseling, which Chantay didn’t want. She didn’t want to be linked to him. Ever.

Her parents now wanted Dave to come over, which Chantay also didn’t want. What if someone saw him entering her house?

“Dave came over during winter break, remember?” Chantay had begged Dave to come over and pretend everything was fine between them. He agreed because he adored his aunt and uncle. For their happiness, he was willing to keep up appearances. Chantay wasn’t sure if he’d do it again.

Her father dabbed the corner of his mouth. “He did, but he should come over more often. We only see him on holidays. That shouldn’t be the case. Family is forever.”

There goes their favorite overused motto. “You know how Dave is. He’s always focused on his friends.”

“That’s not acceptable. You’re his cousin. You should be joined at the hip.” Her father dropped his napkin, his eyes blazing with mistrust. “Don’t tell me you’re fighting.”

“No!” Chantay said fast. They didn’t look convinced. “I’ll prove it by inviting him over. You’ll see that everything is fine and dandy.”

“Great!” Her mother smiled. “I can’t wait to see my talented nephew.” 

Chantay felt the opposite. 

  -

Chantay couldn’t be seen talking to Dave, so she had to rely on his girlfriend for help. She asked Sadie to tell him to meet her in a classroom, when in fact, he’d be meeting Chantay. Sadie agreed, but not before questioning her. Chantay assumed Dave hadn’t told her they were related, so she kept it that way. 

Chantay paced around the classroom, hoping he’d turn up. What if he saw through the ruse? Maybe not, since the door opened.

She saw Dave walk in. He noticed her as well, and his eyes darkened. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” His eyes scanned the room. “Where’s Sadie?”

“Sadie isn’t coming.”

“You tricked me?” Dave’s voice became even more solemn. “You’re so pathetic.”

He opened the door, but Chantay rushed to slam it shut. She begged him to listen, stating she wouldn’t be talking to him if it wasn’t important. 

“Yeah, because you only talk to me when you need something,” he replied. “I’m still upset that you made me go to your house and pretend everything was okay.”

“Well, my parents wanna see you.”

“No.”

She couldn’t accept that response. Her parents could never learn the truth. “Seriously, Dave? Don’t you wanna please them?”

“I’m sick of living a lie, Chantay. We’re not cool, and you need to tell them so.”

“I can’t!” she exclaimed. “Do you know what they’ll do? They’ll make us sort out our differences. Do you wanna go to therapy?”

“I’m not the one who needs to go to therapy. I’m not the one who disowned my cousin.”

“How can you blame me? I have an image to uphold. You’ll taint it.”

“That’s why I’m staying away from you. Your parents claim that family is forever, but you only care about yourself.”

She let out a deep sigh. “Look, I can live with you hating me, but I can’t live with my parents’ heartbreak. So can you put your anger aside and cooperate? We’ll both benefit from their obliviousness.”

Dave kept his arms crossed and remained silent. Chantay had no idea what he was thinking. She hoped his logic would trump his hatred.

The bell sounded, and Dave needed to decide since students were going to pour into the classroom. “Whatever,” he decided. “I guess I’ll come this weekend.”

“Thank you!” She tried to hug him, and Dave was so repulsed that he stepped away. Chantay also felt disgusted. What made her want to hug him? Thankfully she didn’t, or she’d have to get decontaminated. 

Dave left, and she was also going to leave when her phone vibrated. She examined the notification that read, Marisol Lewis has followed you. 

What the hell? 

 
It’d been four days since Bianca tried out for Marisol’s dance team, and she was still irritated that Marisol had shut her down. Marisol knew she was gifted; even her supporters looked impressed with Bianca’s show, which was why Marisol had been eager to reject her. She didn’t want Bianca to overshadow her. But, of course, the main reason was that she despised Degrassi. 

As much as Bianca wanted to dance, she’d never beg on her knees. Not for Marisol, Lakehurst, or anyone else. That left her with only one option: forming her own dance squad.

It sounded simple, but it would require effort. She’d have to hope Degrassians would be interested in trying out. If they were, she hoped they were talented enough to make the team. 

Then there was Ms. Hatzilakos. Bianca would need her permission, which might not happen because Ms. Hatzilakos may not want two rival dance teams. So, as much as Bianca wanted to dance, she wasn’t sure she could. 

She sighed, putting her head on Alex’s shoulder. Eli was also with them, his attention on his laptop.

“What’s wrong with you?” Alex asked. “Is it Marisol again?” 

Alex knew everything because Bianca had been complaining all weekend. She also told Drew, and he wasn’t happy. He offered to ask Katie to handle Marisol, but Bianca didn’t want him getting close to his old flame. 

“You know it is,” Bianca told Alex. “Why does she have to gatekeep? She knows I can dance.” 

“You should’ve listened to me. I warned you it’d be a waste of time.”

“I need to get my revenge. I just don’t know how.” 

“Create your own team.”

“I don’t wanna look like a copycat. Plus, do you think Ms. Hatzilakos will allow rival teams? It’s never gonna happen.”

They fell silent, neither knowing what to do or say. Bianca suspected Alex didn’t give a crap. She wasn’t a dancer, so she had no idea what dancing meant to Bianca.

Eli typed, and Bianca wanted his attention. “Can you be a supportive friend, Eli? Or do I have to remove you from my life like your repulsive cousin?”

“Elliot regrets what he did, Bianca,” Eli stated as he typed. 

“I’d still like to hear your thoughts on Marisol.”

Eli’s fingers froze as he turned his head towards her. “To be honest, I wasn’t paying attention. I have to write my play. You do want to see a play this year, right?”

“I couldn’t care less,” Bianca and Alex said.

“Who isn’t being supportive now?”

The girls playfully rolled their eyes, but their amusement was short-lived when Paige arrived. Eli didn’t pay attention to her, but Bianca and Alex did.

Paige spoke to Alex in a cheerful tone. “Hi, Alex.”

“Hi, Paige.” Alex’s tone was dry. Bianca didn’t know what happened between them, but Paige most likely deserved it. 

Bianca also had problems with Paige, because of the things Paige used to say about her. So why did she greet her? “And hello, Bianca.”

“We’re not friends, Michalchuk.”

“I know you hate me, and I feel the same. But I hate Marisol more.”

Bianca’s ears perked up. “You do?”

“Of course. She’s a Lakehurster, but she’s also trying to pull a fast one on me, and I won’t let her. She formed her dance squad to divert attention away from the Spirit Squad.”

“What do you want me to do about it?” 

Paige took a slow step forward. “I know you tried out for her dance team, and she rejected you.”

Did everyone know? Bianca hoped not, because that’d be humiliating. She didn’t want people to mock her or doubt her dancing skills. 

“News travels fast around here,” Paige stated, prompting Bianca to huff. “I could label you a traitor like Sadie, but I think we can help each other. What if you join the Spirit Squad?”

Bianca broke out laughing. She wasn’t the type to flail around with pom-poms. “I don’t wanna do cartwheels or flips. I wanna dance.”

Paige took a deep breath before continuing. “Anya is gonna hate me for this, but we’re gonna dance in cheerleading, Bianca. I’ll even let you create the dance routines.”

“Really?”

“Really. But it’ll only happen if you join.” Paige tried to persuade her even more. “Think about it. Marisol’s enemies joining forces? She’ll be shaking in her boots.”

That was true, so Bianca turned to her friends for feedback. Eli wasn’t paying attention, but Alex shrugged and told her it was her decision.

Bianca couldn’t believe she was considering working with the girl who used to refer to her as Boiler Room Bianca. But she wanted to dance and this was her chance. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity for retaliation, so she swallowed her pride.

“Okay. I’ll join.”

Chapter Text

Emma had friend-zoned Sean and hadn’t seen him since class. When they were in class, he didn’t look at her. It was as if he’d erased her existence from his mind, and Emma felt his pain now.

She’d told Milton about what had happened. He was pleased with her honesty, but he was worried Sean would lash out at him. He was also concerned that Sean might disrespect her. Emma had assured him that wouldn’t happen, but now she wasn’t sure. Sean might curse her out, and she’d allow him to, since it’d be better for him to get everything out than to keep it bottled up. That was the only way they could move on from the situation. 

But that was wishful thinking. She had to hope Sean wanted to be within a foot of her again. That didn’t seem to be the case, so she sighed and closed her locker. Manny ran up to her and asked her to open it again. She did.

“When are you going back to straight hair?” Emma asked.

“I think curls suit me better. Jimmy also prefers it this way.”

It took everything Emma had to keep her eye roll from emerging. It was always about Jimmy these days. “How did the modeling go?”

“Everything was fine...until it wasn’t.” Manny shut the locker and leaned against it. “Before Alisha showed up, we were bonding so well.” 

You shouldn’t be bonding. You shouldn’t be within five feet of Jimmy, Emma thought. 

“You should see the painting, Em. It’s something that belongs in an art gallery.” Manny let out a longing sigh. “Thank god I wore the right outfit.”

Manny told Emma that she had worn a tube top with booty shorts. Emma was confused about why she couldn’t wear her uniform. Manny explained that Jimmy needed to see her body for the painting to be accurate. 

“Or maybe you were trying to seduce him.”

What if Craig found out she was flaunting her body for his best friend? Manny needed to stay away from him, because Craig and Jimmy didn’t need drama. Everyone saw what had happened with Spinner. It was a catastrophe.  

Manny looked upset. “What are you saying?”

“First, you were with Craig. Then Spinner. Now you’re getting close to Jimmy?”

“Again, what are you trying to say? Because it sounds like you’re trying to call me a slut again.”

“No. I want you to make wiser choices.”

“There are no choices to be made. Jimmy and I are friends.” She corrected herself. “Or maybe not, since he said I mean nothing to him.” 

“He said that?”

Manny grimaced. “He told Alisha that, so congratulations, you win. We won’t talk anymore.”

He said that to Alisha? Maybe he was trying to save his ass, but she wasn’t going to tell Manny that. She needed to move on from Jimmy. “I’m sorry. I know you cared about him.”

“I thought he was a nice guy, but he fooled me. It hurt so much when he said I meant nothing to him, because he means everything to me.” Manny held back her emotions, turning her head. “Please tell me your life is going better than mine.”

“Nope. I told Sean the truth about Milton. When I asked if we could be friends, he said, ‘I’ll think about it.’ I’m pretty sure that means no.”

“You just broke his heart. He needs time to process things.”

“Do you think he’ll curse me out?”

“Never. He loves you too much.”

The bell rang. She and Manny had science next, but Manny told her to go without her since she needed to use the bathroom. Emma went to Ms. Hatzilakos’ replacement, Ms. Gnoza’s (Guh-Nose-Uh’s) room. 

Emma waited outside the classroom, drawing her books towards her chest. Students lined up behind Emma, including Alisha, who was conversing with Alli.

“I had a good time on the date, and I love the necklace Jimmy got me, but I’m still not as happy as I should be.”

“Go on more dates,” Alli advised. 

“I shouldn’t have to. His presence should be enough, but it isn’t.” Alisha sighed. “Jimmy did everything he could to show me that we could make this work, but it wasn’t enough.”

“Maybe you want someone new.”

“Or maybe it’s Manny.”

Emma cocked her head, straining to hear what Alisha had to say about Manny.

“She’s all over Jimmy. He painted her, and get this: she was dressed in booty shorts and a tube top.”

“During the winter?” Alli mentioned. “That’s a red flag.”

“That’s not even the worst part,” Alisha said. “I caught her sitting on his lap, and she looked like she was going to kiss him.”

Emma was as surprised as Alli. No wonder Jimmy said Manny meant nothing to him. They were being sneaky.

“Oh no, Alisha. You need to keep her away from him,” Alli warned. 

“I know. She’s a well-known boyfriend stealer.”

Alli couldn’t argue. “It’s sad. She dated Spinner, and before that, Craig. Why is she coming on to Jimmy? She wants each of them to have a turn with her? It’s gross.”

Emma wanted to tell Alli to mind her business, but Manny should put her in her place. Emma hurried to the bathroom to inform Manny of what she’d just heard. 

Manny was drying her hands with paper towels when Emma barged in. She wasted no time. “Alli called you a slut.”

Manny gave her a serious look. “Excuse me?” 

Emma explained. “She didn’t say the word slut, but she insinuated it.”

Manny insisted on specifics. “I need you to tell me the entire story because I’m confused.”

Emma told Manny that Alisha blamed her for her fading love for Jimmy. She also told Manny that Alli called her gross for wanting Craig and his friends to share her.

“So those bitches wanna gossip about me?” As she hurled the brown paper towels into the trash can, she let out a mirthless chuckle. “Okay. Thanks for telling me.”

“Do you want me to confront them with you?” Emma asked, following Manny out into the hall. Manny objected, stating she’d handle it herself. Then she was gone, leaving Emma shaking her head. Alisha and Alli were wrong for what they said. Especially Alli. Emma hoped Manny would put her in her place. 

“Emma,” she heard someone behind her say. It was Sean. 

She was shocked he was speaking to her. She assumed she’d never hear from him again, but she was happy she was. But what did he need to say? Was it something bad?

“Sean? What’s going on?”

His next four words brought warmth to her chest. “We can be friends.”  

 
One, two, three. That was the number of times Alli had raised her hand in response to Ms. Gnoza’s scientific question.

Ms. Gnoza posed another question to the class. The students avoided eye contact with her, so they wouldn’t be called upon. However, the questions got easier for Alli. Her hand shot up, waving it around to make sure she got chosen. She did, answering the question correctly for the fourth time in a row.

Alli’s constant participation irritated her classmates, with one Lakehurst girl calling her a show off. Alli could’ve argued with her, but she opted to stay civil. It wasn’t her fault she was the class’s brightest student.

She had high hopes of being accepted into MIT, so she needed to concentrate and keep a high GPA. So, she didn’t let her classmates’ irritation stop her from answering the questions. No one else would do it, anyway. 

 -

When the bell rang, Alli had never seen her peers leave the room so fast. She approached Ms. Gnoza’s desk and asked if she was passing. Ms. Gnoza told her yes.

Alli squealed. “Oh, that’s great news! I really wanna get into MIT!”

“I have faith you will. Keep up the good work.”

Alli nodded and bounded out of the room. She needed to share the good news with someone. She couldn’t tell Clare, since she didn’t know where they stood. 

Alli couldn’t brag to Johnny because they weren’t on good terms either. There were details she was unaware of from the night JT died. Johnny had done something wrong, and Alli wouldn’t talk to him until he confessed. 

Maybe she should brag to Sav? Alli looked around for him and Alisha, but someone pulled her into an empty classroom. It was Manny, which made Alli fold her arms with displeasure.

“What do you want, Santos? We need to get to class.” 

“You care about learning? Shocking.” 

“Duh. I’m trying to graduate.”

“Then why are you dissing me instead of concentrating on your schoolwork?” 

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t play dumb. You and Alisha were slandering me. She labeled me a boyfriend stealer, and you called me a slut.”

How did Manny know what she and Alisha discussed? She wasn’t present to overhear them. Second, Alli never said the word ‘slut,’ so whoever snitched on them was lying.

“That word never came out of my mouth.”

“But you insinuated it, and for what? Because Jimmy and I talked?” Manny got in Alli’s face threateningly. “Grow up.”

Alli tied up her hair. Manny was always ready to jump on someone. Alli had to be ready to fight.

Manny stood there watching. “Oh, you wanna fight?”

“I think you do, since you’re confronting me about a guy I’ve never spoken to.”

“I’m confronting you because you were gossiping about me with his girlfriend. Do you two wish you could attract boys as easily as I do? Is that it?”

“I’m focused on Johnny. I’m not changing boyfriends every couple of months, all of who are Craig’s best friends. It’s weird.”

“What’s weird is how you two are mad at me, but not Jimmy.”

“He’s oblivious to the fact that you’re pining after him in quiet desperation.” 

It was a while before Manny had a response. “You don’t know me, okay? Get off your high horse and start worrying about the bad things you do. You’re not perfect.”

“I never said I was. I’ve made mistakes, but at least I won’t be remembered as a hoe when I graduate.” Alli didn’t care how nasty that was. Manny no longer had her respect. 

“You can call me a slut or a hoe; it doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s not my fault taken guys are always interested in me. By the way, it takes two people to make a relationship work. Spinner chose to be disloyal to Paige, but no one ever talks about that, do they?” 

“They’re judging him for every other bad thing he’s done. You’re not that important anymore.”

“Yet, here you are gossiping about me with Alisha.”

“Because you’re making moves on her boyfriend!”

“We. Were. Friends.”

“Friends?” That made Alli laugh. “You were sitting on his lap.”

“He was giving me a massage.”

“With your lips a few inches apart?”

Manny opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She scowled, since Alli had silenced her once more. “You know what? If Alisha has an issue, tell her to talk to Jimmy about it. I don’t have time for haters.”

“Haters?” Alli snorted. “You need help, Manny. And if you believe you and Jimmy will be a power couple, think again. He loves Alisha.”

“I know that, so tell her to relax. Because, let’s be honest. If I wanted to steal Jimmy, I’d already have him,” Manny said as she brushed past Alli and exited the room.

The reason she didn’t have Jimmy yet was because of Alli’s earlier point: he wanted Alisha. Manny couldn’t steal him, even if she wanted to. Now she was trying to make it look like she didn’t like him, even though anyone could see through her act. She insisted on having a turn with each of Craig’s friends, which was embarrassing.

Alli continued searching for her brother and Alisha, but got pulled into another classroom. This time, by Johnny. She tried to flee, but Johnny slammed the door. His body was almost against hers.

She grumbled and averted her sight. “Great. Another person I don’t wanna talk to.”

“I’m your boyfriend,” Johnny said, towering over her. “You don’t have a choice but to talk to me.”

“I don’t have to do anything. I made it clear that I don’t wanna talk to you until you tell me the truth.”

“There’s nothing to tell you.”

“Tell me what Dave meant when he said you sent something to Lucas. And what happened last semester between you and Spinner?”

She received no response from him, which made her chuckle angrily. She was leaving this relationship because she felt like she was dating a robot. Plus, she didn’t trust him, and trust was essential in any relationship. “You know what? I’m breaking up with you.”

“What do you mean you’re breaking up with me?”

“Exactly what I said.” Alli pushed him away. Johnny yelled at her as she was about to open the door.  

“Wait, Alli! You’re not being fair!”

Instead of walking out, Alli yelled back at him. “Do you love me, Johnny?”

“Of course!” 

“Then tell me the truth!” she shouted before issuing an ultimatum. “If you can’t, then I can’t be with you.”

His distressed expression revealed the impact of those words. He paced, debating whether to come clean. Alli was shocked when he did. “I’m only telling you, so you don’t hear it from someone else. So, the truth is...I kinda made Lucas kill JT.”

Despite his mumbling, Alli heard him loud and clear. She stepped back, her back brushing the door.

“I sent Lucas a photo of JT and Mia talking at the party. Then Lucas killed him. That’s what Dave was talking about.”

Alli was in serious disbelief about Johnny being responsible for JT’s death. She’d been dating him without realizing he had another side to him? He had a dark side, and she didn’t want to date a monster.

When Johnny approached her, she pushed him away. Pain filled his gaze as she yelled at him. “Why would you do that?!”

“Lucas thought Mia was his, so I had his back. But now I know it was wrong. If I could go back in time—”

“You can’t, Johnny!” she exploded. “My classmate is dead because of you! How am I supposed to be with you now?”

“By doing it,” Johnny remarked, getting closer to take her hand. “We love each other. This shouldn’t affect that.”

It felt like a fist was closing around her heart because she loved Johnny, but she wasn’t sure she could stay with him after this bombshell. She was bothered not only by the heinous act, but also because she would’ve never known about it if Dave hadn’t spoken up. Johnny would’ve continued to smile in her face as if he hadn’t gotten her classmate killed.

Her voice was low and weak. “I can’t do this, Johnny. You crossed the line.”

“I didn’t know Lucas was gonna murder him.”

“There was a reason you sent that picture. You wanted him to retaliate. I’m not gonna be with someone like that."

Alli opened the door and left. She couldn’t stand being around him, but Johnny wouldn’t let her go.

“Wait, Alli! Will you please listen? I’m not the same monster I used to be.”

“You were still a monster, and I didn’t know!” Alli exclaimed over her shoulder. “Who knows what else you’re keeping hidden?!” 

Suddenly, Alli collided with someone. She turned around to face her third foe, Dave. She was sick of him, but she liked him better than Johnny.

Dave was also sick of her. “Watch where you’re going, Bhandari.”

“Stop talking to me, Turner.”

“Gladly.” He proceeded past her before stopping to add, “FYI, Sadie will destroy you if you put your hands on her again.”

“She put her hands on me first.”

Dave didn’t care who threw the first punch. “Like I said, she’ll destroy you.”

Johnny spoke out of nowhere. “Why don’t you shut up for once, Dave?”

“Make me.”

Johnny’s hands formed clenched fists, and Alli knew what was going to happen. Sure enough, Johnny socked Dave in the jaw. A frightened gasp left her when Dave hit the floor. Johnny continued to pound on him, while Dave struggled to land solid blows. 

Alli had enough of the violence. This was why she’d dumped Johnny. She couldn’t stand his reckless behavior anymore. “Johnny, will you stop it?!” she cried as she yanked him away from Dave. Johnny fought her off while defending himself from Dave. Alli refused to release his arm, prompting Johnny to say, “Move out of the way, Alli!” as he shoved her forcefully. 

Everyone in the hall gasped when Alli slammed into lockers. She rubbed her pain-ridden back, the same pain flashing in her eyes as she stared at her so-called man.

Johnny appeared to be in genuine shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d done. He insisted that he wasn’t a monster, but he’d put his hands on her without hesitation. He was evil, and she was done with him. 

Dave had the most tender look he’d given her in a long time. He soon mirrored her fury. Alli watched as he made fists, and before she knew it, he was striking Johnny. Dave was winning this time, his rage driving him, making him more powerful. Alli wasn’t sure if he was defending her honor. All she knew was that she was rooting for him. 

“Alli, what happened?!” Alisha inquired as she came running. 

“Johnny pushed me!” Alli tried to walk, taking in a sharp breath in response to the severe pain.

“What made him do that?”

“He’s a monster. I’m so over him.”

Alisha watched Johnny and Dave fight like wild animals before wrapping her arm around Alli’s back to support her. She needed to hurry to the nurse since her body was in excruciating pain, thanks to the guy she used to adore. She felt stupid for thinking so highly of Johnny, and believing he could do no wrong. He was the epitome of wrong, and he’d never change. And she couldn’t be with him if he wouldn’t change. 

So, they were officially over. 

 
Spinner had reservations about working things out with Craig. When he and Craig were in the same room, nothing ever went right. Not to mention that Craig didn’t enjoy breathing the same air as him, which was why Spinner was following Darcy’s suggestion and getting Craig a guitar. He couldn’t do it yet, though; he needed Joey to tell him what kind of guitar Craig might want.

So there he was, knocking on Joey’s door.

Joey’s eyes widened as he opened the door. “Spinner?” He looked towards the stairs. He was most likely keeping an eye out for Craig. “Are you here for Craig?”

“I’m here to speak with you.”

“Oh.” Joey swung the door open wider, motioning for Spinner to come in. Spinner stepped through the door.

“Craig is upstairs with Ellie, so let’s talk quietly. I don’t know what he’ll do if he sees you,” Joey advised. 

“He’ll fight me for the third time.”

Joey sighed at that obvious fact. “I apologize for that. Craig can’t keep his anger in check. He gets out of hand.”

“No, I was out of hand. That’s why I wanna get him an apology gift.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“A guitar.”

Joey’s mouth opened in astonishment. “Wow, Spinner. Craig will be blown away if you do that. He’s been wanting a new one.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Yes.” Joey retrieved his phone from his back pocket, and showed Spinner the guitar Craig wanted. It was Craig’s style. “I tried to get it for him for Christmas, but I couldn’t. He was devastated.”

“I’ll buy it,” Spinner stated. 

“Do you see the price? It costs thousands.”

“I have money saved up.”

Joey protested. “I can’t ask you to spend your money on Craig. You should put that money aside for college.”

Spinner hadn’t applied to any universities; he wouldn’t get in, anyway. No one would want him. “I’m not sure what I wanna do after I graduate. I should put the money to good use.”

“I’m sorry, Spinner. I can’t let you pay for this yourself.” Spinner opened his mouth to object, but his mouth snapped shut as Joey added, “I’m going to chip in.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ll pay for the majority of it, okay?”

“Alright!”

Spinner gave him a high five. Joey laughed at his excitement, but he stopped when they heard someone descending the stairs. They looked in that direction to see Craig coming downstairs. 

“Uh, what’s going on?” Craig demanded to know. Spinner swallowed because, shit. Craig wasn’t supposed to catch him. Now a fight would erupt. Or maybe not, since Craig wasn’t angry. He seemed composed. 

“Craig, you’re supposed to be keeping an eye on Ellie.”

“She’s thirsty,” Craig said before turning his attention to Spinner. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to talk to Joey.”

“About me?”

“Yes, it was about you. I wanna sort things out. I miss my brother.”

Spinner expected Craig to insult him, but he didn’t. Instead, Craig said two words Spinner hadn’t expected to hear. “Me too.”

“Y-you do?” Spinner stammered, overcome by disbelief. What made Craig decide to be civil? Was it because Joey was there?

“I realized I’ve been a hypocrite,” Craig admitted. “I want Ellie to let go of her grudges, but I haven’t? What kind of example am I setting? So, I forgive you. I’ll forget about Rick and Manny.”

“Thank god!” Spinner exclaimed, wrapping his arms around him. He never thought he’d get the chance to do it again. It felt even better when Craig returned the hug. 

Spinner remembered the guitar. “Hey. There’s another thing. I’d like to get you that guitar you’ve been eyeing.” 

“Spinner, it’s thousands of dollars. You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to, Craig. I want you to know I’m serious about squashing the beef. Besides, Joey is gonna pay for the majority of it.”

“Yes I am,” Joey replied. “Just make sure I don’t waste my money, Craig. I want to see Downtown Sasquatch having band rehearsals regularly.”

“We will. Me, Jimmy, Marco, and—” Craig stared at Spinner with his lips stretched into a smile. “—Spinner are gonna kill it.”

Spinner’s heart pounded like a drum. “I’m back in the band?”

“Of course. We need our best drummer.”

Joey expressed his concerns. “What about Ellie? You can’t exclude her, Craig. She’s going through a lot right now.”

“Relax. There’ll be two drummers. It’ll work out perfectly.”

Spinner wasn’t going to argue. He was relieved to be back in the band and in Craig’s good graces. “Alright, then! I’m looking forward to the weekend.” 

He also couldn’t wait to see how their friends reacted when he broke the news to them. They were going to be overjoyed.

Chapter Text

It was Wednesday, and Sav’s mental health was better than ever. He was ready to be the president again. He was ready to be with his friends again. So he gathered his belongings and exited his room, yelling, “Alli, let’s go!”

His mother joined him on the landing. “Why is your sister late, Savtaj? She doesn’t want to leave her room.”

That was true. The first thing Alli did when they got home yesterday was go to her room. She hadn’t eaten dinner with them, which was unusual. Something was bothering her, but Sav didn’t know what it was.

Sav told his mother he’d figure out what was causing the delay. He ascended the stairs and sauntered down the hall to his sister’s room. He pushed the door open to see Alli beneath the covers.

“Are you serious, Alli? You’re not dressed?”

“I’m not going to school today,” Alli murmured as she pulled the blanket over her head. 

He went closer to her, removing the blanket. “Mom and Dad will never allow that.” 

“I’m not kidding, Sav. I’m not going,” she stated. “I don’t wanna see Johnny.”

Those words frightened him because why wouldn’t she want to see the guy she loved? “What did he do?” 

“Nothing.”

Sav’s worry turned to impatience. “I’m serious, Alli. Tell me what he did.”

She sat up and faced him. Sav noticed her eyes were red and swollen, as if she’d been crying. Before he could question her, Alli informed him that Johnny had shoved her into lockers. 

Sav asked Alli to repeat her statement to be sure she wasn’t tricking him. Alli confirmed Johnny had shoved her, because he fought Dave and she’d tried to break it up. 

She sighed, her chin resting between her legs. “I never expected Johnny to put his hands on me. I thought he was in love with me.”

So did Sav. At least in some wicked way. Because that’s what Johnny was: wicked. Sav had always known he wasn’t good enough for his sister. It was clear from the company he kept.

“I’m not happy he pushed you, but at least you see his true colors now,” Sav said. “He’s not good for you.”

“I know,” she muttered, nodding. “I broke up with him a few minutes before he pushed me, because he told me something horrible.” 

Sav asked what, but she pursed her lips. “Alli, quit protecting him. He put his hands on you.”

“It’s best if I don’t say.”

How was that best? But Sav let it go because he was late for school. “Fine. All that matters is that you ended your relationship with him. I’m gonna handle this, though.”

Alli spoke frantically. “Please don’t get into a fight with him. He’ll destroy you.”

“He’s not worth a suspension. I’ll just talk to him because, unlike him, I’m mature. And let me know if he bothers you again.”

“I will,” she said. “Can we keep this to ourselves? I don’t need Mom and Dad going berserk.”

“Okay. Get ready so we can go.”

“Go without me. I’m gonna be late.”

“I’m not sure how you’ll explain that to Mom and Dad, but okay.”

As for Johnny, he had a lot to explain. 

-

Sav had one goal: to find Johnny DiMarco. It’d be difficult with their increased population, but he knew a couple of hangout spots where Johnny’s gang liked to be.

He made his way to the first location, but got distracted by loud banging. He saw three girls in yellow shirts pushing a girl in blue. The three girls were from Lakehurst, and the girl they were tormenting was Mia Jones.  

He didn’t know Mia very well. All he knew was that she was Holly J’s best friend, and the reason Darcy and Holly J hated each other again. 

He didn’t understand why those girls were picking on Mia, so he moved closer to hear what they were saying.

“What’s the matter, Mamma Mia? Aren’t you gonna fight back?" one of the girls, who he assumed was leading them, taunted.

“Can you leave me alone?” Mia said in a desperate and irritated tone. They must’ve been bugging her for quite some time. 

“Why should we? You’re the reason we don’t have our own school.” She shoved Mia into lockers. “You’re the reason we’re at war with Degrassi.” She pushed Mia again, channeling her frustration into the motion. “You’re the reason we’re miserable!” 

Sav could tell Mia’s body was aching from the way she rubbed her shoulder and hissed in pain.

“Oh, did that hurt?” the bully mocked as her two minions snickered at Mia’s suffering. “That’s nothing compared to what Lakehurst went through.”

“I didn’t tell those Degrassians to burn Lakehurst down.”

“But they did, because you couldn’t decide which school you belonged to.”

“I belonged at Lakehurst, but I had to leave because of the bullying. They teased me for being a teen mom.”

“Oh, yeah. We heard you got...you know. I’d say sorry, but I don’t like you.”

“I don’t like you either. Fuck off,” Mia spat. The two minions grabbed her arms and pinned her against the locker. “Get off me!”

“Not so fast, Jones. I’m not done with you yet.” The main bully smacked Mia in the face. Then she punched Mia in the gut, causing Mia to slump over, coughing. The bully then kicked Mia’s legs, which caused students to gasp while others cheered her on. 

The girl’s minions laughed maniacally, and Sav had enough of standing by. When the girl lifted her fist to punch Mia, Sav jumped in and stopped her. “Stop it!” he barked, attracting everyone’s attention. “Or do you wanna get suspended?!”

He expected the bully to lash out at him, but she didn’t. Instead, she played with his collar. “Is this your knight in shining armor, Mia? He’s adorable.”

She leaned in close enough for Sav to feel her breath on his face. Her voice was flirtatious, and Sav had never been so desperate for an escape. “I don’t usually fraternize with the enemy, but how about we go to the Ravine?”

Sav gave her a look that said she was the most delusional girl ever. “Leave.”

She expected him to take back his words, but he didn’t. “Whatever. It’s your loss.” She issued Mia one more warning. “This is far from over, Jones.”

When they were gone, Sav went straight to Mia. She was on the floor, gripping her stomach and moaning in pain. “Hey!” He examined her to make sure she had no severe injuries. “Who the hell were those jerks?”

“Lakehurst’s girl gang.”

Sav stopped touching her since he didn’t see any damage to her body. “Lakehurst had a girl gang?”

“Yes, and they’re vicious, as you can see.”

Not only was Mia’s stomach hurting, but so were her legs, which she massaged. Sav sighed, hating those bullies for abusing her in this way. He rose and offered his hand to her. “Come on. Let’s get you to the nurse.”

Mia grasped his hand, and he helped her to her feet. She said a brief thank you before brushing off her clothes. “No, I’m fine. It just hurts.”

“Well, tell me what their names are. I’ll get them suspended.”

“Sav, no. Snitching will fuel their wrath.” 

“Mia, we can’t let them get away with bullying you. You heard what she said. It’s not over yet.”

Mia shrugged. “I can’t run away from my problems. They think I’m to blame for Lakehurst’s demise, and that won’t change, even if we snitch. I’m not sure what I can do.”

Sav had a thought. “Let’s tell Holly J. You need as much protection as possible.”

“That sounds good.”

They walked alongside each other, looking for Holly J. Sav’s head turned in all directions, still searching for Johnny.

“They’re gone, Sav,” Mia pointed out, thinking he was hunting for her bullies. 

“I know. Have you seen Johnny?”

“I heard he got suspended for the day.”

“He’s lucky. I’m gonna argue with him.”

Mia was unaware of what Johnny had done to Alli, so Sav filled her in. “Why’d he do it?” Mia then inquired. 

“She was trying to break up his fight with Dave.”

“Those two are always fighting. I’m sure Johnny started it. I hate him and his friends, especially disgusting Elliot.” She put all the blame on him. “To be honest, Elliot’s the reason my life has fallen apart. If he hadn’t spiked my drink, I would’ve never gotten sexually assaulted, would’ve never had a baby, and would’ve never gotten bullied. JT would be alive, too.

“So, everyone blames me?” she continued. “No, Elliot is to blame for this.” Her feet stopped moving, leading Sav’s to do the same. “...not Liberty.”

“Liberty?”

“Yeah. I blamed her for JT’s death. I called her boring and claimed she wasn’t fulfilling him sexually, so he had a one-night stand with me, which resulted in his death.” Mia shook her head, as if she couldn’t believe she’d done something so awful. “I owe her an apology.”

Yes she did. That was wrong, and Mia knew it. She told him she was going to find Liberty. She thanked Sav again, and suggested they talk more. 

Sav said, “Definitely. I can see why Holly J is loyal to you. You’re not a bad person. You’re misunderstood.”

But Johnny, Elliot, and that girl gang? They were horrible. 

 
“If she hadn’t bored him to death, he wouldn’t have come to me for pleasure.”

“Let’s not forget he ran out of the house because of you. All you had to do was dance with him.”

Liberty clamped her palms over her ears to block out Mia’s insults. It didn’t work, but she wished it had, since she was tired of remembering those accusations. 

She hated letting Mia get the best of her, but there was truth in Mia’s words. JT had stormed out of the house because of her. Instead of getting upset and calling him a clown, Liberty should’ve danced with him. Then he’d be—

No. Liberty didn’t want to ruin her mood with negative thoughts. Unfortunately, her mind had its own agenda, refusing to stop replaying Mia’s comments. Liberty needed to distract herself, so she stood in front of a wooden liquor cabinet. 

Her eyes studied the amber-colored liquid contained within the bottles. It was her father’s whiskey, and what Liberty’s mind told her to do was wrong, but she didn’t care about her innocence right now.

She grabbed a glass from the holder. Then looked towards the stairs to make sure the coast was clear. Her father would come down any minute, so she had to hurry.

She grabbed the nearest bottle and examined it before unscrewing the cap. She poured a small amount of whiskey into her crystal glass, since she wasn’t sure if she could handle it.

Liberty was ready to enjoy her drink when she heard someone speaking. “What are you doing?”

Danny stood there, his eyes filled with concern and shock, while Liberty’s heart pounded at a thousand beats per minute. She set the glass and bottle on the cabinet, her palms resting on it as well. She took slow, steady breaths to relax.

“Jesus, Daniel. You scared me.”

Danny stepped forward, pointing at the whiskey. “Is that Dad’s whiskey?”

“Shh! Keep your voice down!” she hissed, her eyes darting towards the stairs, and her ears listening for footsteps. She didn’t hear any, so she figured her father hadn’t heard Danny. “And yes, it is. I’ve been dealing with stuff, and I need something to distract me.”

Danny said nothing as he watched Liberty gulp the whiskey. Her throat felt like it was on fire, causing her to hold it for dear life as she suppressed her coughs. Danny scolded her as he snatched the glass. “Liberty, you idiot! You’re not supposed to drink it like that! You have to take sips!”

“How do you know?” She struggled to speak through the discomfort. 

“That’s what Dad does!”

Liberty didn’t know that. Maybe this was her karma for not paying better attention to her father. 

She needed water to soothe her throat, so she went to the kitchen to fetch some. The water helped, but her throat felt rough and irritated. She groaned because nothing ever went right for her. She had terrible luck, which made her return to the living room, her shoulders hunched in dejection.

To her surprise, Danny was drinking his own glass of whiskey. She watched as Danny took a sip, holding it in his mouth to allow the taste to linger on his tongue. Then he swallowed, and Liberty was both envious and weirded out.

“See?” Danny teased with a cheeky grin. “Easy.”

Liberty crossed her arms. “I get the feeling this isn’t your first time drinking.”

“It was, and you know what? It wasn’t half bad. I might have another one.” He turned his attention to her. “How about you?”

She agreed with a shrug. “Practice makes perfect, right?”

Danny nodded, his eyes averting to the open bottle of whiskey. He told her their father would realize they opened the bottle. Liberty suggested they fill the bottle with water, but Danny feared it’d ruin the flavor.

“We have no choice, unless you want him to kill us.” Liberty snatched the glass out of his hands. She did the same with the bottle and her glass. She ran to the kitchen to fill the bottle with water to disguise the fact they’d drunk some. She then cleaned the glasses, but as she did that, she heard her father’s voice.

“Liberty! Daniel!”

Liberty heard his footsteps descending the stairs, making her body go cold with fear. She hurried back to the living room, hoping to sneak the bottle of whiskey back into the cabinet. She only had time to put the glasses back. She hid the bottle behind her back, and tried to appear calm.

“You two are still here?” her father said in surprise as he stood before them. “I thought you’d be at school by now.”

“We were just leaving,” Danny said. Liberty saw him glance at the bottle behind her back. She wished he’d stop before their father caught on. 

“Let me drive you.” Their father grabbed his keys and walked past them, causing Liberty to shuffle her feet and turn to face him. Her sudden movement made him suspicious. “Are you okay, Liberty?” His focus dropped to her arms, which were positioned behind her back. “What are you holding?”

“My phone.” 

“Behind your back?” His knitted eyebrows told Liberty that he didn’t believe her. He approached her to confirm if she was telling the truth. The closer he got, the more Liberty panicked, because this was it. She was going to lose her father’s trust and respect. Or maybe not, since Danny saved the day.

“Dad!” Danny shouted, grabbing his arm. Their father turned to hear him out, his back to Liberty. “I forgot to tell you about basketball tryouts!”

“Oh! Did you make the team?” 

“I did! Derek too—”

Liberty tuned him out, knowing Danny had given her the perfect window to put the bottle away. While he distracted their father, Liberty placed the bottle back in the cabinet. When she finished, she saw Danny look over at her as his mouth continued to move. Liberty gave him a thumbs up, showing that he could stop talking. 

That was what he did. “So, yeah. It was epic.”

Their father put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, son. I’ll come to your games.” He looked at Liberty, unconcerned about what had happened earlier. “Are you ready to go?” 

“Yup!” 

-

Liberty didn’t expect Mia to ambush her. The worst part was that Mia was wearing JT’s sweater.

“Liberty!” Mia greeted, and her friendly, high-pitched voice irritated Liberty. “I’ve been looking for you.” 

“Why? To blame me more?”

Mia shook her head at that assumption. “I don’t wanna argue anymore. I wanna apologize.”

“How about you apologize for taking JT’s sweater?”

Mia stared at the sweater, clutching it tighter to her body. “I wear it because it comforts me.” She sighed, and her voice dropped an octave. “You don’t know this, but I’m getting bullied.”

Liberty stared at her with the straightest face she could muster. Was she supposed to feel sorry for her? “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because it doesn’t feel good. Their nastiness made me realize I’ve been nasty to you, and I’m sorry.” Mia continued apologizing. “What I said last week was out of line. You’re not responsible for JT’s death. Lucas is.”

And you, Liberty thought. “Apology not accepted.”

“What?” She looked surprised, thinking that would be enough. “Liberty, you can’t be serious. We’re both grieving. We have to stick together.”

“Your apology isn’t sincere. You wanna be cool because people hate you. You need friends, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but—”

“But nothing!” Liberty snapped. “I’ll never forgive you. I hope your bullies give you hell.”

Mia’s mouth set into a frown. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yes I do,” Liberty asserted. “The pain JT felt? The pain I feel every day? You deserve to feel it too, and I guess you are now.”

Mia’s scowl replaced her frown. Liberty’s rejection had pissed her off, so she didn’t hesitate to criticize her. “Whatever, Liberty. You’re so petty. I can’t believe we share a middle name.”

“Your middle name is Elizabeth?”

“Yeah, and you just proved I’m the better Elizabeth. I always will be. Even JT thought so.”

Her shoulder bumped into Liberty’s as she stormed off. The impact was so hard that it caused Liberty to lose her balance, but for once, she wasn’t fazed. She won that argument, because Mia had proven how childish and entitled she was. She wasn’t genuine, and she never would be.   

 
The surrounding students couldn’t take their eyes off Alli as she moved through the hallway in a melancholy manner. Pity lingered in each of their gazes, causing Alli to focus on the floor. 

Most of the school knew Johnny had pushed her. Some had even witnessed it. Alli felt embarrassed because she hadn’t defended herself. Instead, she froze like a deer in headlights until Alisha rescued her. How could she be so stupid?

The students continued gossiping, some tapping her shoulder to get her attention. She got bombarded with multiple questions at once.

“Is Johnny suspended?”

“Is it true you broke up with him?”

The answer was yes, but Alli couldn’t speak since a lump formed in her throat as the flashback tormented her. Johnny had pushed her so hard; the mere thought made her wince as she visualized herself slamming into those lockers. She’d never forget how betrayed she felt in that moment. 

It wasn’t like she was unaware of Johnny’s aggressiveness. But she never imagined he’d act aggressive with her. Johnny used to make her feel safe, but now the thought of him made her sick.

Without answering their questions, Alli left. She felt the need to vent to Ms. Sauve. She needed Ms. Sauve to help her through her despair and heightened emotions, and to guide her through her post-Johnny life.

Alli walked to the counselor’s office, no longer lowering her head. She lifted it high so everyone would know that she was staying strong. She’d thrive without Johnny, especially with Ms. Sauve’s help. It’d be as if she’d never met him, and she couldn’t wait.

Alli reached the office. She turned the doorknob and the door swung open, revealing Clare. Alli wasn’t sure if she should greet her. Maybe not, since their last conversation hadn’t gone well.

Clare was upset about Degrassi wanting to go to war with Lakehurst, so Alli walked past her, but Clare hugged her. Alli questioned the girl she’d fallen out with. “So, you’re not mad at me?”

“No.” Clare pulled back, holding Alli’s arms. “The war will continue no matter what I say. Besides, Eli and I made up. If I can forgive him, I can forgive you.”

“You got your man back. Congratulations.”

“Yeah.” Clare’s arms fell to her sides as she continued. “He wants me to meet his parents. Can you believe that?”

Alli believed it, and she was jealous. She wanted to experience meeting a guy’s parents, and bringing him home to meet her own. She thought she could’ve done that with Johnny, but now she could kiss that dream goodbye. 

“Lucky you. Johnny never met my parents.”

“Who cares? Didn’t he push you?” Clare mentioned. “That’s what I heard, at least.”

“Me too,” someone else said. It was Drew, and seeing him brought happiness to Alli’s eyes. The last time they spoke was last week when Drew warned her about Johnny.

“Drew!” Alli embraced him, thankful Johnny wasn’t there to witness it. He’d probably go insane and try to fight Drew. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to check on you.” He worriedly asked, “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?” as he scanned her body for bruising. 

“Just my feelings,” Alli replied. “But I did what you asked. I dumped Johnny.”

Drew smiled. “I know it was hard, but I’m proud of you. You can do better than him.”

Clare chimed in. “I never liked Johnny. I knew he was bad from the moment he called you Bendhari.”

Alli grimaced as she remembered the first time she’d spoken to Johnny. He’d called her Bendhari and said he’d have her “bending over.” Alli had found it amusing then, but now it was a red flag.

“I should’ve listened to you. JT would still be here if it weren’t for him.”

“He finally told you,” Drew murmured. Clare was unaware of Johnny’s wrongdoings, so Drew had to fill her in. 

“Alli, you were dating a monster!” 

“Tell me something I don’t know, Clare. But it’s fine. I don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

She had someone else to think about, anyway. Dave. Alli hated him, but appreciated that he’d felt sorry for her. No matter how much Dave disliked her, he still realized it was wrong for Johnny to push her. That meant a lot to Alli.

She’d never forget the tender look Dave had given her. It was as if Dave truly cared about her, and Alli’s chest swelled just thinking about it. She needed to talk to him. 

“I should thank Dave,” she said to Clare and Drew. “I think he fought Johnny to defend my honor.”

Clare didn’t think so. “Dave hates you.”

“He says that, but if you ask me, it’s the heartbreak talking,” Drew asserted. “He really liked you, Alli, but you replaced him with Johnny. He’s hurt.”

“You don’t think he’s in love with Sadie?”

“He is, but he’ll always love you, too. Just don’t tell him I said that.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything,” she promised before thanking him. “And thank you for checking on me. It means a lot.”

Drew patted her shoulder and offered her a smile. “I want the best for you. How about we hang out after basketball practice?” 

“I’d love that.” Alli beamed, remembering why she’d fallen in love with Drew all those months ago. Johnny was mean, scheming, and violent, whereas Drew was sweet, gentle, and wholesome. She wished she’d ended up with Drew in order to avoid Johnny’s nonsense, but she dismissed that thought. Drew had Bianca, and he was happy with her, so Alli was happy too. 

Alli and Clare said goodbye to him, and went to class. Dave sat in his usual seat, rummaging through his backpack while talking to Milton. Alli inhaled and exhaled as she fixed her hair and uniform. Then she approached Dave.

“Dave.”

Dave lifted his head, and his demeanor was the complete opposite of yesterday. He no longer looked at her tenderly. Now he reeked of hostility. “What do you want, Alli? To scold me for fighting your wack ass boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend. I dumped him.”

Surprise overtook his face, but he stopped showing a strong reaction to that information. “That’s temporary.”

“It’s not. You saw him push me, Dave. I can’t be with someone like that. So, thanks.”

“For?”

“You fought Johnny to defend my honor.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” he said without looking her in the eyes. “I just don’t like him.”

He was lying. He fought Johnny for her. Why couldn’t he admit it? “Dave, come on. When he pushed me, it woke something in you. You got super angry and went ballistic.”

“Like I said—” he hissed. “—I didn’t do it for you.”

“I think you’re lying to me and yourself.” Even Drew thought so. “You’re hiding your true feelings.”

Dave was getting irritated. “What are you talking about?”

Alli shrugged. “Just say you love me. We all know you do.”

“Did you hit your head on those lockers?” he asked harshly, showing that he thought she was delusional. “I have Sadie.”

“So? You can love two people.”

“I’m not a cheater like you.”

“Who did I cheat on? It can’t be you because we weren’t together.”

“It doesn’t matter. You replaced me as if I meant nothing to you. I’m that disposable?” 

There was a hint of pain in Dave’s tone. Alli could see it in his eyes as well. “You are hurt about it. I knew it!”

He swallowed, knowing he’d let his emotions get the best of him. He tried to save face. “Stop talking about the past, Bhandari. You chose Johnny, and now you realize he’s garbage, so you’re trying to come back to me. It’s not happening. You have to live with your choice.”

“I’m not trying to be with you. I just wanted to say thanks.”

“You’re not welcome!” Dave shouted. His hostility made Alli’s frustration kick in. Why did he have to be an ass? He was no better than Johnny at the moment.

Milton, who was laughing, gestured between them. “You two act like an old married couple.”

Alli said, “in his dreams,” while Dave said, “in her dreams.” Milton laughed harder. “See? Old married couple.”

That could never happen. Dave was too stubborn to say how he really felt. That was the number one thing Alli hated about him. It was the reason their romance had ended.

Dave had been too stubborn to apologize to Adam for judging him. By the time he came to his senses, Alli had Johnny. So, if Dave wanted to blame someone, he needed to blame himself. He screwed up. Not her. But of course, he’d never admit that. 

She went to her seat, putting Dave out of her mind. But she’d be ready to talk whenever he was ready to be honest about his feelings.

Chapter Text

When Chantay saw that Marisol Lewis had followed her on social media, she wondered if it was because of her blog. Did she like Chantay’s content? Or was it to prevent Chantay from speaking negatively about Lakehurst?

It was most likely the latter, which made Chantay want to block Marisol because she didn’t want her watching her every move. No one was safe from her gossip. Not even her friends, and certainly not Lakehurst. 

“Chantay!”

That sudden shout caused Chantay to whirl around. It was Marisol. 

“Don’t look so scared,” Marisol said as she came closer. “I won’t hurt you.”

“The last time I checked, we’re at war. Sorry if I’m not feeling trusting right now.”

“I wanna talk about that. Did you see my follow?”

“I did, and I’m not sure why you followed me. We’re enemies.”

Marisol didn’t deny it. “We are, but I’ve seen what you’re capable of. You entertain me, Chantay. Besides Sadie, you’re the only Degrassian I respect.” 

So she did follow Chantay because of her blog.

Chantay said, “I’m not stupid. I know what you’re up to.” Marisol remained silent, wanting to hear what Chantay thought she was trying to do. “You’re trying to flatter me so that I won’t talk about Lakehurst.”

Marisol’s sudden cackle startled Chantay. “Oh, Chantay. There’s no flattery here. I know you won’t gossip about us. Instead, we’ll use your blog to spread rumors about your fellow Degrassians. Degrassi will turn on each other, making this an easy win for us.”

Marisol wanted her to fight beside Lakehurst in the war? She couldn’t be serious, could she? “You want me to betray my school?” 

Marisol shrugged, not seeing the problem. “Why not? You enjoy gossip, don’t you?”

“True gossip! Not fabrications! What do you think I am? A joke?”

“No.” Marisol had her hands on her hips as she complimented Chantay. “I think you’re a girl who doesn’t get as much recognition as she deserves. If you help Lakehurst, that’ll change. I’ll make sure you blow up.”

It’d be the end of Chantay if Degrassi found out she was working with the enemy. Marisol knew she wouldn’t budge, so she resorted to pleading. “Come on, Chantay. This is your chance to show everyone what you can do.”

Chantay didn’t fold. “Sorry, but I have to stick with my people.”

She left when she heard Marisol say, “That’s too bad. I was gonna pay you.”

Chantay’s feet stopped moving. Her ears pricked, and she turned around, the mention of money piquing her interest. “P-Pay me?”

“Yup.” Marisol pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and waved it around. “You would’ve gotten an easy $20. But I guess I’ll have to give it to someone else.”

“No!” Chantay blurted out without thinking. She regretted it when she saw Marisol smirk. She had Chantay right where she wanted her, and Chantay hated it, but what she didn’t hate was money. That twenty dollars was far more than what her parents gave her for allowance. She couldn’t refuse.

But was money more important than loyalty? Yes, it was. Chantay loved Degrassi, but loyalty couldn’t make her happy like money could. Besides, if she didn’t accept Marisol’s offer, someone else would. 

She snatched the bill from Marisol’s grasp, making Marisol smirk wider. Chantay huffed, knowing she’d joined the dark side. “I’ll do it, but this stays between us. Degrassi can’t know I work for you.”

“Don’t worry. My lips are sealed,” Marisol promised. “And if anyone confronts you about the rumors, tell them your source gave you the information.”

“I assume you’re the source in this scenario.”

“Absolutely.” Marisol rubbed her hands together, ready to get to business. “The first person we’ll lie about is Paige.”

Chantay had to betray her captain? If Paige found out, she’d get kicked off the squad. 

“Do you know anything juicy about Paige?” Marisol asked. 

One thing came to mind. “Ever since Paige got close to that Anya girl, I hardly see her with her best friend Hazel.”

Marisol rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. Anya was my best friend, but she chose Paige. I guess that’s why I want Paige to be taken down.”

“I see.” Chantay pondered the lies they could come up with. “Well, Hazel is the current co-captain. Maybe I can lie and say Paige is trying to make Anya co-captain.”

“That sounds perfect, but let’s throw Hazel into the mix.”

Chantay listened as Marisol laid everything out for her. Marisol wanted her to say that Paige was giving Hazel’s co-captain position to her new best friend, Anya. She also wanted Chantay to say that Hazel planned to get her revenge by removing Paige as captain. Marisol wanted to make it seem like Paige and Hazel were betraying each other.

“Damn, you’re good at this,” Chantay joked. 

Marisol laughed. “I wanna see my enemies crumble, and thanks to you, it’ll happen. When do you think you can post it?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Can you report to me after? I wanna know their reaction.”

Chantay nodded, and Marisol took that as her cue to end their conversation before someone caught them talking. As Marisol walked away, she spoke over her shoulder. “And, Chantay! If you do a good job, that $20 could turn into 50.”

She could get a raise by spreading fake rumors about her school? If making money was this easy, Chantay would’ve joined the dark side a long time ago! She felt sorry for Paige, Hazel, and whoever else she had to lie about, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.  

 
“Let me get this straight. Anastasia attends this school, and she hates my guts?” Elliot summarized as he and Bruce walked to class. He didn’t care if her name was now Jane. He’d still call her Anastasia because that was what he was used to. 

He knew why Anastasia despised him: because of his role in Mia’s sexual assault. He’d grown tired of people using that incident against him. It happened two years ago, and he learned his lesson. He’d never spike someone’s drink again. Shouldn’t he get the chance to prove it?

The situation personally affected Anastasia because it was her brother who had preyed on Mia. Not to mention her niece was born as a result. Her anger wasn’t misdirected, but Elliot believed he deserved a chance to redeem himself. He was nothing like her monster of a brother, and he was going to prove it. 

Bruce verified Elliot’s claim. “Pretty much. She sees Johnny and me as her brothers, but you?” Bruce shook his head to let Elliot know things weren’t looking good for him. 

“Johnny isn’t blameless. He got—” Elliot paused, knowing he shouldn’t complete his sentence aloud. Students surrounded them, so his tone fell to a whisper. ”—JT killed.”

“Jane doesn’t know that. She’d hate him if she did.”

“Shouldn’t she?” 

Bruce’s voice as concerned as his expression. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about snitching on him. That’s petty, Elliot.”

“Johnny and I rekindled our friendship. The last thing I wanna do is screw everything up, but it’s not fair how Anastasia thinks I’m a bad guy when Johnny’s just as awful.” Curiosity flashed across Elliot’s face as he scanned the area. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Suspended, thanks to Dave.”

“I don’t know why he keeps letting that little boy get to him.”

“The same reason you let Drew get to you: old romances.” 

That was true, but Elliot had a valid reason to dislike Drew. The guy had been praying on his downfall since the first day of school, doing everything he could to tear him and Bianca apart. Bianca had hated Drew for it. So it was strange that Drew was the first person she turned to when things got bad.

He followed Bruce’s eyes after he said, “Uh oh.” They stood there watching Anastasia converse with Ms. Hatzilakos. When they finished, Anastasia sighed, and Elliot approached. He needed to prove he wasn’t the monster she thought he was. 

Bruce ran after him, his hand in the air. “Jane!”

“Hey, Bruce.” Her gaze shifted to Elliot, and her expression hardened. If he were Johnny, Anastasia would’ve greeted him, but he wasn’t Johnny. He was Elliot, the guy whose wrongdoings were all revealed, unlike Johnny’s. He despised it. 

“What did Ms. H want?” Bruce asked her. 

“She told me I’ll be taking grade 12 English from now on.”

She sounded annoyed, and Elliot couldn’t figure out why. It was a good thing to take grade 12 English early. It meant she was intelligent. “Why do you sound upset? That’s great.”

“I have to be in the same room as you. So no, it’s not great.”

Elliot let out a loud breath. “Look, Anastasia—”

She corrected him. “It’s Jane.”

“You’re still Anastasia to me.”

She yelled at him for being stubborn. “Do you enjoy being an ass?”

Elliot tried to make a deal with her. “Maybe if you forgive me, I’ll be less of an ass. What’s with the hatred, anyway? I did nothing to you.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes? We were cool before.”

“Yeah. Then Lucas destroyed my life, like you. If you hadn’t spiked Mia’s drink, he wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of her.”

Elliot was sick of hearing about that incident every second. He wished Lucas’ idiotic ass never existed, but if that happened, he might not have become friends with Johnny and Bruce. 

“How do you know about that?” Elliot questioned. She wasn’t present that night, and he hadn’t spoken to her until now. 

“Do you honestly think Lucas didn’t come home that night and brag about ‘smashing’ Mia? All he did was brag like a fool, resulting in his arrest.”

“He is a fool, but I’m not,” Elliot said. “I would never do that again.”

“It doesn’t matter. It still happened, and we’re paying the price now.”

“Which is why you shouldn’t hate me. We’re both in shitty situations.”

“Because of you! What don’t you understand?!”

Elliot increased his tone too. “Oh, please. Do you think Lucas wouldn’t have gotten Johnny or Bruce to do it if I hadn’t?”

Bruce defended himself. “Dude, no. I wouldn’t have done that.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” Elliot argued. “We were terrified of Lucas. That’s why we followed his every command. You would’ve done it, believe me.”

Anastasia stepped forward. “I guess we won’t know since you folded so easily. You’re a criminal in the making, so stop talking to me.”

She took off, her shoulder barging against Elliot’s. Elliot didn’t freeze up. This time, he raged at her because she was a hypocrite. She despised him because of his mistakes, but adored Johnny? Johnny had made more mistakes than him!

“Johnny isn’t one?!”

Bruce hit Elliot as Anastasia’s feet stopped moving. “What are you doing? You said you wouldn’t tell!” 

“Tell me what?” she demanded. “What did Johnny do?”

Bruce rubbed his brow, annoyed she’d overheard him. Then he gave Elliot a look that indicated he didn’t want him to say anything. Elliot listened. It wasn’t his place to tell her.

“You should hear it from Johnny.” He left, since she didn’t like being around him. “Goodbye, Anastasia.”

“It’s Jane!”

“Whatever!” Elliot walked away, no longer caring about her forgiveness. He lacked the energy to persuade her, and didn’t want to trip over a girl. He wasn’t losing sleep tonight. 

Bruce left her behind to confront Elliot. “Dude! Johnny is gonna be pissed!”

When wasn’t Johnny pissed? 

Degrassi was chaotic, but the memorial garden provided a perfect place to relax. Manny visited it after school. She sat on the bench and watched the students leave for the day. There was no cheerleading practice today, so Manny should’ve also left, but she needed to collect her thoughts.

She thought of Jimmy and sighed. They hadn’t spoken since their figure painting, but Manny would see him in the halls from time to time. She’d avert her gaze, but Manny would feel his intense stare. She’d resist the urge to look at him because she didn’t want to put her heart through any more pain. Jimmy had made it clear he didn’t care about her, so why was he still acknowledging her? 

There was a part of her that clung to the idea that Jimmy had been dishonest that day. He could’ve said she meant nothing to him to calm Alisha down. It’d make sense, since the frown he’d given Manny made it seem like he was sorry. 

If that was the case, did it mean Jimmy had feelings for her? But if Jimmy liked her, why was he still with Alisha? He had to know Manny was the better option. There was never a dull moment between them. They had fun that day, and would have more fun if Jimmy let them be great together. But he was still choosing Alisha. 

With a groan, she rested her head against the glass, tired of her bad habit of falling for taken guys. It was a pain. The silence was also becoming a pain, so she grabbed her bag and got up, ready to go home. Just as her feet were about to move, a tap on the glass made her jump. She looked at the person, and her heartbeat sped up.

Jimmy. 

What was he doing there? Was he going to tell her he wanted her?

Jimmy entered the garden, forcing Manny to clear her head as they stared at each other. She greeted Jimmy with a hello. To her surprise, he said it simultaneously.

Jimmy laughed. “Well, that’s one way to start a conversation.”

“Yeah...” Manny said, unsure of how to feel. She never expected to talk to Jimmy again. She was glad she was, but it didn’t change the fact he’d hurt her feelings. 

Jimmy jerked his chin in her direction. “I’m glad you kept your curls. I really like them.”

Manny forced herself not to get excited. “Thanks.”

Manny wondered if she should confront him about what he said. Her mind would never rest until she got a straightforward answer on whether she meant something to him, so screw it. 

“Look, Jimmy, I don’t know how to feel about you,” she started. “You said I meant nothing to you, and that hurt.” Jimmy bowed his head, as if ashamed. “I thought about messaging you on social media to ask if you meant it, but I stopped myself.”

“Why?”

“In fear of you ignoring me, or you saying yes.” 

Jimmy moved closer, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have said yes. I would’ve told you no.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I care about you, Manny, and I had a lot of fun with you. I said the first thing that came to mind to not lose Alisha.”

Manny nodded too, relieved it was a cover-up. It still stung, but she was ready to put it behind them and focus on their future together. Whether their future would be platonic or romantic, she didn’t know.

“I forgive you, but please don’t do it again. It hurt like hell.”

“How about I make it up to you? Let’s get something to eat.”

Manny loved food, and she loved Jimmy’s company, but she made him sweat. “I don’t know, Jimmy. You have to be more convincing.”

He chuckled, his eyes rolling. “I’ll pay for your meal. Will you come for me now?”

“C-come for you?” Manny choked out the words. She was thinking sexually.

“Yeah?” Jimmy didn’t understand why she was acting strange. “To eat. Will you come for me?”

“Of course, I’ll come for you.” In both ways. “Are you gonna tell your parents you’re watching Dave play basketball again?”

Jimmy flashed her a devious grin. “You know me too well, Santos.”

Manny smiled and went up to him, throwing her arms around his midsection. She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes while he supported her with one arm. Manny had missed his touch, his voice, and smelling his expensive cologne. She missed him. 

“You’re such a good hugger.”

Manny let out a wistful sigh, prompting Jimmy to say, “You’re weird, Santos.”

“You’re everything, Jimmy Brooks.” Manny’s eyes shot open once she realized she said that aloud. It was supposed to stay in her mind. Fortunately, Jimmy thought little of it. He chuckled and let her go. 

“Come on. Let’s go.”

 -

They finished their meals in an hour. She groaned and threw her head back, rubbing her stomach. “Why did you let me overeat?”

“What can I say? I enjoy spoiling my friends. I was also intrigued. I didn’t know you could eat that much.”

Jimmy must think she was a pig. Their friendship was going to end as soon as it had begun. “Oh my god. I embarrassed myself!” she exclaimed, hiding her face in shame.

Jimmy forced her to show him her face. His tone was as soft as his touch, causing the butterflies in Manny’s stomach to come out in full force. 

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Manny. I eat a lot, too. Maybe we can go to a buffet next time.”

He was thinking about their next date? Even though he never called it a ‘date,’ but it clearly was. Jimmy’s feelings for her were obvious; she only needed him to say the words aloud. 

“A buffet sounds great, Jimmy.”

They both smiled as something drew Manny’s attention. She saw a couple snapping pictures, inspiring her to do the same with Jimmy. “Do you mind if we take a picture? I wanna remember this.”

“Sure.”

While Jimmy remained seated, she took out her phone. Then she bent down next to him with the camera centered on them. Manny took it a step further and pressed her lips to his cheek, leading Jimmy to give her a sideways glance. “Uh, what are you doing?”

“Just smile, Jimmy,” she ordered, her lips still pressed on his cheek. Jimmy complied, smiling as she snapped the photo. It came out beautifully. 

Manny admired the picture as Jimmy gave her a stern warning. “Don’t post that. Alisha has no idea I’m here, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Manny promised to keep it a secret. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep it between us.”

Jimmy nodded in appreciation. Since they finished their meals, there was nothing left to do but go home.

“We should go before your parents catch on,” Manny said.

“Let me use the bathroom first.” Jimmy grabbed his crutches and made his way to the restroom. Manny logged into social media and scrolled through her feed, liking and commenting on her friends’ posts. However, Milton’s post caused her to freeze. She saw Alisha in his comments, showing her brother love as a sister should. 

Manny went to her profile. The first thing she saw was a relationship quote Alisha had posted. It was probably about Jimmy, which made Manny snort because that girl was delusional. She thought Jimmy was in love with her? If that was the case, why was he spending money on Manny and planning future dates? 

Manny had promised Jimmy she’d keep this outing a secret, but Alisha needed a reality check. She sent Alisha the picture of herself kissing Jimmy on the cheek, but regarded it as an accident.

“Sorry. I meant to send that to someone else,” Manny wrote, but she wasn’t sorry. She smirked when she saw Alisha had read her message. She never replied, though. She was probably furious. 

“Is everything okay?” Jimmy asked, causing Manny to jump. She didn’t notice he was back. 

She locked her phone and acted normal. “Everything’s perfect.” 

Because his relationship was going to end.

Chapter Text

Maddy snapped her fingers in Alex’s face. Then she pointed in front of her. Alex noticed the angry customer standing above her, and she straightened up and apologized.

“Sorry! What can I get you?”

The man spoke to her, and Alex placed his order before going to the popcorn machine. She grabbed a bucket and scooped popcorn into it, embarrassed she’d zoned out at work.

Paige was to blame. Alex hadn’t been able to think straight ever since Paige showed up last weekend, professing her love for her. Paige was living rent-free in her head, and Alex hated it. She also hated that a part of her wanted to be with Paige.  

Alex hated feeling that way because Paige had ripped her heart out of her chest and stomped on it without a care in the world. Alex didn’t want to forgive her because it would mean Paige had gotten away with hurting her. Paige deserved to live with the consequences of ruining a good thing. And Alex deserved someone who would treat her like she was the only girl in the world. 

She wished Paige could be that person...

Alex huffed in annoyance, unsure of what to do. She’d never felt so torn.

Maddy approached her. “Alex, are you okay? You’ve been spacing out all afternoon.”

“There’s a lot going on,” Alex said, scooping more popcorn into the bucket.

“At school?”

“Yeah, but it’s mostly Paige. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what she said.”

“About her wanting you?” Alex nodded, and Maddy snorted. “Don’t tell me you bought that.”

Alex closed the popcorn machine and faced Maddy. “You didn’t?”

“I did at first. I thought she was good for you, but then I realized Paige was acting. You need to avoid her.”

“That’s hard since my best friend joined her cheer team. I’m gonna see her more,” Alex said before shrugging. “Maybe I should forgive her to avoid the awkward tension.”

“Absolutely not!” Maddy exclaimed. “Not everyone deserves forgiveness. Especially not Paige.” She mentioned what had happened three months before, as if Alex needed reminding. “She rejected you and told you to get your fantasies out of your head. That was disrespectful.”

“She was trying to please her parents.”

“Stop excusing what she did!” Maddy snapped, making Alex fearfully stare at her. She couldn’t understand why Maddy was so upset. She had nothing to do with it.

Maddy sighed, not wanting Alex to be afraid of her. “I’m sorry for yelling. But tell me, Alex, how did you feel after she rejected you?”

“I was on the verge of crying, but I stopped myself. Then I stayed away from her.”

“That was the right call.” Maddy reached for her free hand. “You’ve been doing great. Don’t backtrack now. Paige had her chance, and she blew it.” 

Alex supposed Maddy was right. Why should she be forgiving? If it was the other way around, Paige would never speak to her again. She should do the same. 

“There’s a reason I’m saying this, Alex. I don’t want you to suffer.” Maddy frowned and spoke with sadness. “Please don’t forgive Paige. She isn’t important.”

Alex nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t matter to her, so she doesn’t matter to me.”

“That’s the spirit!” Maddy wiped the invisible sweat from her forehead. “Whew. You scared me for a second. I thought I’d get replaced.”

“No one can replace you, Maddy. You’re one of a kind.” 

Maddy smiled, clutching Alex’s hand tighter and peering into her eyes. Alex didn’t know why Maddy was staring at her with so much devotion. They were best friends, but Bianca was also her best friend, and she never gazed into Alex’s eyes or held her hand with this much intensity. Alex wasn’t sure what to make of it. 

“Is my popcorn ready?!” shouted the man from before. Maddy let go of Alex’s hand so she could serve him. Alex apologized and handed him the bucket of popcorn. In return, he gave her his money before shaking his head and walking away. 

“Come again soon!” Alex yelled to save face, but she knew it wouldn’t succeed. She threw her head back. “I totally blew that.”

Maddy laughed as she twisted a lock of her red hair around her finger. “It’s fine. You’ll always be perfect to me, Alexandra.” 

Her gaze traveled up and down Alex’s body. It felt like Maddy was checking her out, but Maddy didn’t like girls. Actually, they’d never discussed Maddy’s sexuality. Alex knew Maddy had been in one relationship, but didn’t know the gender. All she knew was that the relationship had ended disastrously.

She considered asking Maddy if she liked girls, but decided against it because it was none of her business. But if Maddy did like girls, it would explain why she didn’t want Alex with Paige. Maybe Maddy had feelings for her? 

For her sanity, she was going to assume Maddy didn’t like her. She was looking out for her. That was all.

-

Alex threw her keys on the table and went to get water from the refrigerator. While turning around, she drank, noticing the television was on. She saw a guy on the couch, expecting it to be Chad, but it was someone far worse.

Alex spat out her water as Jay smirked at her. “Hey, Lexi. It’s been a while.”

Yeah, it had. She hadn’t seen him since Liberty’s party, and wished to keep it that way. “What are you doing here, Jay?”

“Is that how you talk to your guest?” Jay said those words with feigned sadness, then chuckled. Alex’s annoyance was growing by the second.

“Listen, I don’t have time for this. I had a long day.”

Jay patted the unoccupied space next to him. “Why don’t you sit and unwind with me?”

“How about you leave?”

“No can do. Emily invited me. She doesn’t know I’m here yet, though. Chad let me in before he left.”

“Why would my mother invite you?”

“Because she misses me, and she misses us being together,” Jay explained.

Alex knew he wasn’t lying. Her mother was a major Jay fan, but she couldn’t care less. She wasn’t going back to him. She didn’t even like guys anymore. “Well, her opinion doesn’t matter. You and I have moved on.”

Jay stood, shaking his head. He moved closer to her, and Alex wanted to back away but didn’t. “Maybe you have, but I haven’t. I still love you.”

Alex laughed. “Save your lies for someone who’s buying them.”

“I’m not lying, Alex. I never wanted us to break up. You chose to be petty.”

“You chose to be an asshole,” Alex retorted. “You lied about Jimmy.”

Jay’s tone became rougher. “Stop pretending to be innocent. You’re just as bad as Spinner and I. The only difference is that Ms. Hatzilakos let you off easy.”

“Whatever. You can love me all you want, but I’ll never love you back. I’ve turned over a new leaf, and I won’t let you corrupt me.”

She walked away to go to her room. Jay yelled after her. “Do you think I like being Degrassi’s most hated? I don’t!” 

Alex heard his footsteps approaching, and she turned around with crossed arms. Jay stood inches away, caressing her arm as he spoke. “I need you, Alex. I need your good ways to rub off on me.”

Alex pushed his hand away. “I like girls, Jay.”

“You’re still worried about Michalchuk?” he asked. “Didn’t she reject you?”

“She did, but now she wants me.”

Alex saw his pupils dilate as if that information horrified him. “D-do you want her?”

Alex could’ve lied and said yes to keep him stressed, but she wasn’t in the mood for games. “I’ve decided not to give her a chance.”

Jay’s uneasiness vanished. “Good. She can’t make you happy like I did. She also can’t...you know.”

“No, I don’t know.” 

“She can’t make love to you the same way I can.”

“Is that why you want me? For sex?” He didn’t need to answer; of course that was the reason. “Well, sorry. I don’t want gonorrhea.”

She smirked, knowing that would sting. Jay pointed at her, criticizing her for holding grudges. “See? You’re too focused on the past. It’s a new year. Let’s forget about that.”

“I’d rather forget about you altogether,” Alex said, done speaking to him. She took off for her room, but Jay was on her tail.

“Alex, wait!”

“Leave me alone, Jay!”

Her voice carried throughout the apartment, causing her mother to emerge from her bedroom to see what was up. 

“What’s going on?” Emily asked. Her eyes became drawn to Jay, and devotion shone in them. “Jason, you’re here!”

She dashed up to him and hugged him. Alex felt sick to her stomach. Why did her mother adore him so much?

“Hey, Emily,” Jay said as he broke the hug. He motioned to Alex, who was standing across from them. “I’m trying to convince Alex to give me another chance.”

Emily looked at Alex solemnly. “Why won’t you forgive him?”

“He’s a piece of shit.”

“He’s trying to change his ways, Alex. Doesn’t he deserve another chance?”

“It’s too late. I’ve moved on.”

“Well, you’re missing out,” Emily said, wrapping her arm around Jay’s back. “Jason’s such a gentleman around me. Any girl would be lucky to have him.”

“You can have him, since you like him so much.”

Jay and her mother gave her appalled expressions. “Don’t be disgusting, Alex.”

“You’re the disgusting ones. Bye.”

Alex went to her room. She slammed the door so violently that the neighbors most likely heard it, but she didn’t care. Her mother and Jay were the most irritating people she knew, so she locked the door to keep their annoying asses out. 

 
Alli had dumped Johnny, something he never thought she’d do. He’d lost his other half, and he felt off balance without her by his side. Getting her back was the only thing that could give him meaning again. The question was, how?

He was sure Alli blocked him, since his messages weren’t going through and her phone was going straight to voicemail. Johnny needed someone to be his messenger, but he didn’t think Elliot or Bruce were up to the task. Luckily, he had another friend. Jay. 

Jay answered the phone. He greeted Johnny, and Johnny was glad Jay hadn’t lost his number. “Johnny, boy! It’s been a while.” 

“Yeah, it has been a while,” he agreed. “How are you?”

“I’ve been playing a lot of pool. You and the gang should stop by The Break Room.”

“For sure.” Johnny brought the conversation back on track. “I called you because I need you to help me with something.”

“Something...immoral?” Jay asked, and Johnny pictured the mischievous expression on his face. 

“Not this time. I’m gonna give you Alli’s number, and I need you to text her. Tell me if it sends.”

“Why can’t you?”

“Because I accidentally shoved her,” Johnny said. Thinking about what he’d done was shameful enough; saying it out loud was worse. “I think she blocked me.”

“You can’t put your hands on girls, Johnny. Even I know that.”

“I didn’t mean to do it. She interfered with my fight with Dave, which made me angry.” Every time he tried to fight Dave, someone rescued him. First it was Jimmy, now Alli. It angered Johnny even more because Alli was his girl, not Dave’s. Why did she feel sorry for him? 

“Did you get it?” Johnny asked after sending Jay Alli’s number. 

“Yup.” Johnny assumed Jay had the phone on speaker, since he sounded far away. “Alright, the text has been sent. It went through.”

Alli really blocked him, which meant they were truly over.

“I’m sorry, man,” Jay apologized, but it didn’t make Johnny feel better. “What should I do if she responds?”

“Can you try to get her to forgive me?” Johnny begged. 

“You love her, huh?”

“A lot. I just do stupid shit.”

“Story of my life,” Jay grumbled before adding, “Anyway, I’ll get your girl back.”

“Thanks, bro.” Suddenly, the front door opened, and his parents entered the house. They told him to hang up so they could talk. “I gotta go, Jay. Keep me updated.” 

He hung up. He then sat back and addressed his parents. “You two are home early.”

“Someone needs to keep an eye on you,” his father replied.

“I’m not a little kid.”

“Your behavior says otherwise.”

“Here we go again,” Johnny grumbled. He got up and walked over to his parents. “There’s nothing wrong with me, okay? I just have a lot of enemies.”

His mother stepped in. “Do you have to fight them every day?”

“I guess so.”

“See? That’s what worries us.” She turned to his father. “Maybe Mr. Armstrong was right.”

Johnny’s ears perked up when she mentioned that horrid teacher. “Armstrong? What did he say to you?”

“Well...” She hesitated, looking at his father. Johnny motioned for her to spit it out, which she did. “He thinks you need to see a psychologist,” she began. “He thinks you may have a behavioral disorder.”

“He can kiss my ass,” Johnny said, because why was that asshole diagnosing him? Armstrong needed to stop stepping out of line. 

“Language!”

“No, I’m serious! His job is to teach, not to diagnose!” Johnny argued before returning to his normal tone. “Armstrong is targeting me. He wants me to leave Degrassi.” 

“Yes he does. He wants you to graduate with the rest of your class. Why are you giving him a hard time?”

“Because he doesn’t care about me. You should see how he treats me in class. He’s always picking on me.”

“What about that situation from yesterday?” his father asked. “Fighting Dave? Pushing your girlfriend?”

“Ex-girlfriend.”

“My point stands. Your behavior is erratic, Jonathan. Maybe you do need to see a—”

“I don’t need to see anyone but Alli,” Johnny muttered, slowly and viciously.

“But—”

“I said I don’t need to see anyone but Alli!” Johnny raged, reaching for the vase on the table and hurling it at his father. His father would’ve gotten knocked out if it hadn’t been for his quick reflexes. He ducked, and the vase smashed into the wall behind him.

His father exhaled shakily, his eyes filled with fear. Meanwhile, his mother had tears in her eyes as she covered her mouth. She probably thought Johnny was too far gone. It was then that Johnny realized what he’d done.

He gaped at the broken vase his mother had treasured, then at his father. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!”

His voice trembled because he really didn’t mean to do it. His hand acted on its own. Fortunately, his father didn’t seem resentful. He approached Johnny, and Johnny’s mother gave him a look that said it might not be wise, but his father did it anyway.

“It’s alright, son. I’m not upset. I know it won’t happen again.”

“It won’t,” Johnny stated. “Everything will be better once I get Alli back.”

His father wanted nothing more than for everything to return to normal. “Why don’t you buy her something nice? Girls love that.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.” He hoped Alli would accept it. 

His mother approached him as well. “Please tone down the violence, Jonathan. It frightens me.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to control myself.”

She smiled wistfully before excusing herself to get the broom. Johnny rubbed his face as his father headed upstairs, still reeling over what had happened. Hurting his father wasn’t his intention, but he couldn’t control his anger. He’d see red, and wanted to hurt the person bothering him. Johnny didn’t know how to stop it, but screw Armstrong’s assumption. He didn’t need help from a professional. 

Johnny’s phone rang. He picked it up, seeing that Bruce was calling. He answered the phone, and Bruce didn’t give him a chance to say hello. “Yo, Johnny. I saw Alli talking to Dave earlier.”

Johnny stiffened as his phone slipped from his fingers. That information brought back the wrath he’d been working hard to suppress because Dave was funny. He talked to Alli because he knew Johnny wouldn’t be there. He more than likely thought Alli was his girl now, but he was mistaken. Johnny would pull a Lucas before allowing that to happen. 

“Johnny!” Bruce shouted. “Jane is another problem.”

Johnny picked up his phone in confusion. “What?” he asked, holding the phone to his ear. 

“Elliot hinted about your involvement in JT’s death.”

“He told her what I did?”

“No, but she hates him for spiking Mia’s drink. Elliot told her she should be mad at you, because you’ve also done bad things. Now Jane’s gonna question you.”

Seriously? Why was Elliot being petty? Who cares if Jane didn’t like him? He needed to accept it and stop mentioning Johnny’s name.

Johnny ran his hand over his face as he let out the loudest sound of annoyance. He didn’t want to resort to violence anymore, but everyone was making it impossible.

Chapter Text

Jimmy told Alisha that Manny meant nothing to him, yet he secretly hung out with her. Not only that, he let Manny kiss his cheek on camera. If Alisha let one of his enemies kiss her cheek, he’d freak out. So why’d he do it to her? 

Alisha reread Manny’s mocking text from the day before. She wasn’t fooled when Manny claimed she meant to send the photo of her and Jimmy to someone else. They didn’t follow each other on social media, which meant Manny had to go out of her way to send her a message. Manny wanted to provoke her, and it had worked. 

Alisha locked her phone, not wanting to look at that ridiculous picture anymore. She knew Manny wanted a reaction from her, so she left her on read. Besides, yelling at Manny wouldn’t solve the main problem: Jimmy. 

Jimmy owed her loyalty, but he wasn’t loyal anymore. Alisha should’ve ended things last week, but she stayed to give him a chance to rekindle their relationship. But she was done giving Jimmy chances. She was done being his girlfriend altogether. It’d gotten too stressful, so it was time to say goodbye. 

Alisha ripped up Jimmy’s sketch of her. Then she reached for the necklace Jimmy had bought her. She wanted to give it back to him. He could exchange it for a new one with the initials M and J for all she cared.

There was a knock at the door. Milton appeared, dressed and ready to go. “Are you ready to go?”

“I guess,” Alisha said dryly. 

Milton sensed her exasperation. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said. Milton knew she wasn’t okay, so lying was pointless. 

“No, I’m not okay.” Alisha sighed, unlocking her phone to show him the photo. “What would you do if Emma kissed Sean on the cheek?”

“She’d get dumped,” Milton declared, still confused as to why his friend had kissed his sister’s boyfriend. “But, uh, what am I looking at?”

Alisha pointed to the screen. “Your friend kissed Jimmy’s cheek as he smiled for the camera.”

“He sent you that?”

“Manny did. She has no self-respect and doesn’t care.”

“Do you want me to tell her to back off?”

She declined because Jimmy was the one she was most upset with. He could’ve stayed loyal, but he snuck around with Manny. This was his fault. 

“Don’t bother. Jimmy allowed this to happen. He enjoys Manny’s company, so all I can do is leave.” 

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna—”

“Yes, Milton,” Alisha interjected. “I’m gonna break up with him.”

He tried to convince her otherwise. “Alisha, think about this. You’ve been dating for almost four months.”

“Yeah, and he’s throwing it away for Manny,” she countered. Milton expressed his disagreement with her decision. Alisha huffed. “Look, I was planning on breaking up with him last week. He’d been gone for so long, and my feelings faded, but I stayed to give him a chance to prove he can be the boyfriend I need. Now he ruined it.”

Her tone matched her resigned mood as she added, “I don’t trust him, Milton. I have to leave.” 

Milton nodded glumly. “I get it, but it sucks. I don’t want you to hate each other.”

“I don’t hate him. He just doesn’t exist anymore.”

“And what happens if he ends up with Manny?”

Then the bitch wins.  

-

Alisha arrived at Degrassi. Alli and Clare were on opposite sides of her, and Alisha was glad they resolved their issues because she needed them right now. Manny had destroyed her relationship, and she couldn’t deal with it alone. 

She’d finished telling them about the picture Manny sent her, and Alli was furious. “I can’t believe Jimmy’s been sneaking around with Manny. I thought he was a good guy. Then again, he is Dave’s brother.”

Clare gave Alli a dissatisfied glance before sympathizing with Alisha. “I’m sorry, Alisha. Manny was wrong to send you that picture. Jimmy’s just as wrong for enabling her behavior.”

Alli addressed Alisha. “I still can’t believe she confronted me. Do you think she’ll do it again?”

Clare didn’t know Alli and Manny had gotten into an argument two days ago, since she and Alli weren’t friends at the time. Alisha had also been absent, but Alli told her what happened afterwards.

Alisha recalled feeling aggravated because Manny’s beef was with her, not Alli. Manny could’ve confronted her and kept Alli out of it, but Alisha couldn’t expect too much from that girl. Manny loved doing things behind her back. 

Alli told Clare that Manny had gone off on her, accusing her and Alisha of being jealous haters. Clare said, “Well, when Manny has problems with someone, it always ends in a fight.”

“You think she’s gonna put her hands on me?”

Clare shrugged. “It’s possible. She did with Paige, Emma, and even my sister.”

“To be fair, your sister jumped her.”

“Good. Manny needs to get some sense knocked into her.” Alisha reassured Alli, saying, “And don’t worry, Alli. She won’t touch you unless she wants to get jumped again.”

“If we do that, she’ll play the victim and call us jealous,” Alli quipped, making them chuckle. 

After their laughter subsided, Alisha told them about her plans to end her relationship with Jimmy. Clare and Alli were as surprised as Milton. It had to be done, though. She’d be damned if Jimmy got the chance to do it first. 

Alisha recalled something Jimmy had said on their date. I’d go crazy without you, even for a day. Because I love you, Alisha. More than I’ve ever loved anyone, and that won’t change. Every word he spoke was a lie, but that was okay because Jimmy wouldn’t get another chance to lie to her.

Her phone vibrated. She saw Jimmy’s name on the screen. He’d texted her, wondering why she hadn’t texted him back. 

Like you care, Alisha thought. She wasn’t playing nice with him anymore. The only words she had to tell him were: “We’re over.” 

 
Johnny had to find out why Alli had been talking to his enemy behind his back. It didn’t matter if they broke up; her actions were disrespectful, and Johnny was certain she wouldn’t have gone within five feet of Dave if he’d been at school yesterday. Alli was being sneaky, and he didn’t like it. 

Then there was Elliot, who was at the top of Johnny’s shitlist. He had no right to tell Jane his business. Now she was aware of Johnny’s wrongdoings. She’d keep questioning him until he told her everything, and it was Elliot’s fault.

He checked the time, realizing he was almost an hour late for school. He grabbed his backpack and loaded it with his unfinished math homework. Armstrong deserved nothing from him, and if he tried to lecture Johnny about responsibility, Johnny would blame it on his “behavioral disorder.”

His phone vibrated, and he figured it was Bruce messaging him, but it was Jane. She asked if he was going to school because they needed to “talk.” Johnny told her yes before leaning against the dresser. He didn’t know how to tell Jane he’d influenced Lucas to kill JT. He was the reason she had to call the cops on him. Jane despised Lucas, so there was no way she’d give Johnny a slap on the wrist. 

He huffed and went downstairs. He overheard his parents talking about him. 

“He threw a vase at you, George,” his mother mentioned. “Something is wrong with—”

“Enough,” his father said. “We don’t need to upset him again.”

“We have to do something. He needs help. Maybe we should get Aaron?”

The mention of his older brother piqued Johnny’s interest. He only spoke to Aaron on holidays and birthdays, since he was having the time of his life in college. 

“Aaron is focused on his future. He doesn’t have time to babysit.”

“I want Jonathan to go to college, too. But I’m unsure if it’ll happen. He gets into fights with everyone, honey. Even his teacher. I’m afraid he’ll end up dead or in a cell.” 

“Don’t say that.”

“I’m serious! What if he follows in Lucas’ footsteps?”

Johnny grimaced, unwilling to believe his mother was comparing him to that maniac. He heard her repeat Lucas’ name, and his hands clenched so tightly that his skin turned red. 

He had enough of his mother’s treacherous comments. He made his presence known. His parents fell silent, noticing his sour expression. It was directed at his mother, who had the audacity to smile at him as if she hadn’t betrayed him. 

“Good morning, Jonathan. Are you ready to go?”

Why was she acting like she hadn’t said something foul about him? Whatever. Johnny played the clueless role. “Yeah. Are you gonna drive me?”

“Of course I’ll drive you!” she chirped, and her fake cheerfulness irritated Johnny. She slipped on her coat as his father spoke to him.

“No fighting today, please.”

Johnny didn’t promise anything because he might not keep it. He had many enemies, and his mother was now included. He dreaded having to sit next to her for the duration of the car ride. 

Not only was everyone at Degrassi judging him, but his own mother had doubts about him. What a shame. 

-

Students streamed into the hallways when first period ended. Elliot had just finished history class. Johnny went there right as Elliot left the room. Without hesitation, Johnny pushed Elliot so hard that his back smacked against the wall. Elliot hissed in pain, staring at Johnny with a ‘what the fuck?’ expression. 

“The fuck is your problem?” shouted Elliot as he got off the wall and rubbed his aching back. 

“Your fakeness.”

“How am I fake?”

“Why did you tell Ja—” Johnny stopped because of the lack of privacy. He put his hand on Elliot’s back and forced him to walk, but Elliot yanked his hand away since his back hurt.

They arrived at the stairwell, and Johnny wasted no time. “Why did you tell Jane about my involvement in JT’s death?”

“I didn’t. I just told her you’re not an innocent guy, either.”

“You think that’s okay? Now she wants to question me!”

Elliot apologized. “I’m sorry, okay? I wasn’t trying to be fake. If anything, I helped you out.” He elaborated. “You wanna be friends with her, right? Then there shouldn’t be secrets. If you want your friendship to be genuine, she needs to know the truth.”

“She’ll hate me,” Johnny warned. 

“Or maybe she’ll forgive you. And if she does, you’ll know the bond is real.” 

Elliot made sense, but Johnny didn’t want Jane to know. He didn’t want anyone else to lose faith in him. 

His inner turmoil was clear to Elliot. “Look, we’ve kept a lot of secrets and told a lot of lies. That has to change if we want people to respect us. We have to do better, man.”

Johnny couldn’t deny that those words had touched him. “When did you get so wise?”

Elliot chuckled. “That’s what happens when you lose everything. You begin to reflect and realize you’re the problem. The only thing left to do is repair the damage. You’ll have your chance since Anastasia’s coming.”

Johnny spun around, and there Jane was, walking up the stairs. He panicked, unprepared for what he had to tell her.

“Janeee!” he drawled, trying not to seem apprehensive. “Are you stalking me?”

Jane disregarded his joke and got down to business. “Elliot said a lot about you yesterday. Apparently, you’ve done horrible things I’m unaware of. Care to explain?”

He took deep breaths because this was serious. “You wanted to know who set JT up?” he questioned, and Jane nodded. “It was me.”

Disbelief, mistrust, and every other unpleasant emotion tainted the air. Johnny didn’t want to finish his confession, but he had to. “I sent Lucas a picture of JT talking to Mia, and you know what happened next.”

She stepped away from him. “Is this a joke?”

“It isn’t. I have blood on my hands, and I wake up every day with regret. It was dumb of me.”

“Yeah, it was!” she insisted, making him feel worse. “Lucas said someone told him JT had talked to Mia at the party. You were the rat?”

Johnny couldn’t look her in the eyes. The scrutiny overwhelmed him. Jane paced, her fingers buried in her hair. “Oh my god. I’m surrounded by Lucas’!”

Jane was causing a scene, and Elliot didn’t want anyone to overhear her. “Anastasia, calm down.”

“No!” she shouted. “I thought snitching on Lucas would end his reign of terror, but it didn’t because he lives through you two! I can’t escape him!”

She paced again, muttering “Oh my god” repeatedly. She was losing her mind, and Johnny had to fix this. “Jane!” He gripped her shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Do you really wanna hate us?”

“No, but you’re not giving me a choice!”

“You have a choice. Let Elliot and I prove we’re no longer under Lucas’ control.”

“We’re trying to right our wrongs, Anastasia,” Elliot said. “And believe me, we’ve committed a lot of wrongs, but we’re willing to do whatever it takes to change.” He also put a hand on her shoulder. “We’re on the same side. We don’t like Lucas either. We never will.”

Jane stared at him, saying nothing. She had to be considering forgiving them, right? Johnny hoped so, because they were being sincere. He and Elliot respected Jane a lot. They wanted to be there for her in ways Lucas couldn’t. It was up to her to let it happen. 

Johnny saw her expression soften. Jane asked Elliot if he’d spike another drink, and he said no. Then she asked Johnny if he’d set up another innocent boy, and he said never. His answer must’ve satisfied her because she said, “Fine. I’ll give you idiots a chance, but don’t make me regret it.”

Johnny and Elliot exchanged smiles. 

“We’re gonna get through this, Jane,” Johnny assured her. She nodded, and the three of them hugged. Johnny couldn’t stop smiling because he’d solved one of his problems. Now he needed to get his girl back.  

 
Lunch was Tristan’s favorite time of day. He lingered near the door, taking in his surroundings. Students strolled around with  trays, looking for their seats. Arguments were heard from multiple tables. That was unsurprising, considering they were in the middle of a war. 

Tristan’s attention got pulled to the table he sat at with Adam. To his surprise, Owen was present. 

“Who made the basketball team, Owen?” Adam asked before he bit into his apple. Tristan sat beside him as Adam and Owen greeted him. Adam continued the conversation. “I didn’t get a chance to ask Drew.” 

“Danny, Derek, and other Degrassians I don’t know.”

“Are they any good?”

“They’re good for grade 10s. We have a solid team.” Owen started talking again. “Enough about basketball,” he told Adam. “I heard you’re into pool now.”

“How is it, anyway?” Tristan inserted. He hadn’t been to The Break Room since Adam got involved in that gambling mess. It turned him off. “Did you keep the $100?”

“A hundred dollars?” Owen repeated, perplexed. Tristan nodded, forcing Owen’s incredulous gaze to shift to Adam. “You’re gambling?”

Tristan saw Adam’s face flush. “N-no. I mean, there is gambling, but I don’t do it. Tristan must’ve confused me with someone else. Right, Tristan?”

Adam gripped Tristan’s shoulder, his eyes imploring him to play along. He didn’t want Owen to know the truth because he’d tell Drew, who’d tell their mother. That didn’t sound bad, honestly. Adam shouldn’t be gambling, especially with Jay Hogart. He was the devil of Degrassi.

However, Tristan didn’t want Adam to hate him, so he played along. “Right.”

Adam smiled, grateful for his cooperation. He took his hand off Tristan’s shoulder and folded his arms on the table, staring at Owen. “Anyway. Pool is great. Ja—someone has been teaching me to play as well as he does.”

Was he going to say Jay? “Please don’t tell me it’s who I think it is.”

Owen was unaware of the person’s identity. “Who?”

Tristan was going to say Jay’s name, but Adam covered his mouth. “No one! Just a good Samaritan!”

Tristan yanked Adam’s hand away from his mouth. “Good Samaritan, my ass.” There was nothing good about Jay Hogart. 

Owen’s eyes darted between them. “You two are obviously keeping secrets, but whatever. All that matters is that you’re having fun, Adam.” He focused on his brother. “How about you, baby brother? Got any hobbies?”

“My only hobby is loving Marco.” Tristan saw Owen’s eye roll. It irritated him. “See? This is why Marco refuses to come to our house. You hate him.”

“I don’t mind Marco, but Spinner and Craig? I don’t like them.”

Tristan was the one rolling his eyes now. It was obvious why Owen disliked them—Manny. Last semester, Owen was obsessed with her, but she humiliated him in front of the entire school.

“Ugh, Owen. Forget about Manny. She didn’t like you. So be it.”

Adam spoke. “I don’t understand the fascination with her.”

Tristan couldn’t either. “Me neither.”

“Because you’re gay,” Owen said, making Tristan deadpan. “And, Adam, isn’t Manny smoking hot to you?”

“She’s not my type. She’s too...out there. I’d rather date someone lowkey, like Holly J or Liberty. If Sadie weren’t with Dave, she’d be another good choice.” Adam thought for a moment before shrugging. “Maybe even Clare.”

The Milligans’ looked at each other, then at Adam. He’d said four names, but the last one stunned them the most. “Clare Edwards? Do you like her?”

“I don’t like any of them. I was speaking hypothetically.”

Tristan wasn’t buying it. Adam had those names prepared, as if he had his sights set on those four girls. Was it time for Tristan to play matchmaker? Because he knew Adam wouldn’t make the first move. He lacked the confidence to approach a girl, so Tristan was going to help him out. 

Adam was right; he and Sadie would look great together, but she was dating their best friend. Clare was the next best option because Tristan couldn’t picture Adam dating Liberty or Holly J. Liberty had lost her lover, and Holly J was out of his league.

But as much as Tristan wanted to hook Adam up, he had to focus on his man first. 

He wanted to do something sweet for Marco since he hadn’t been feeling well because of his sore throat. Tristan decided to brighten Marco’s day by writing a song about him. Marco was a music fanatic. It’d be perfect. 

When he told Adam and Owen about his plan, Owen laughed. “Come on, Tris. The Milligans aren’t singers.”

“That can change,” Tristan insisted. “Writing lyrics is simple, especially when they come from the heart. All I need is a guitar to cover up my awful singing voice. That’ll eventually improve.”

Adam looked happy. “I have a guitar. You’re welcome to borrow it.”

“Really?” Tristan wrapped his arms around Adam after he nodded. “Oh, you’re a lifesaver!” He drew back, peering into Adam’s eyes. “Can you teach me how to play?”

“I haven’t played in years, Tristan. I’m rusty. Plus, I’m busy with pool.”

“That asshole is more important?” he snarled, referring to Jay. “I can’t believe you’re buddy-buddy with him after he vandalized your locker.”

Owen looked intrigued. “Okay, I really need to know who you’re talking about.”

“No one,” Adam muttered as he grabbed Tristan’s arm. “We need to talk, Tristan.”

He yanked Tristan away. Owen was still keeping a close eye on them, so Adam lowered his voice. “You need to stop dropping hints about Jay!”

“You need to stop hanging out with him!” Tristan retorted. “He’s bad news!”

Adam heaved an irritated sigh. “I don’t forgive him, okay? But I promised if he taught me to play as well as him, he’d be redeemed in my eyes.”

“He’ll never be redeemed in mine. I’m sure Drew feels the same way.”

“Don’t tell him.”

Tristan despised seeing Adam’s begging gaze. It was impossible to turn him down. “Whatever. Just tell me you’re not gambling. It freaked me out.”

“I’m not in it for the money. I’m only trying to improve. Jay’s a great mentor.”

“Mhm. Make sure he doesn’t replace me.” Tristan meant what he said. He was Adam’s first best friend, and he’d be furious if Jay Hogart took his place. 

“No one can replace you. You and Dave are my day ones, and that’ll never change.” Tristan’s insecurities vanished. “Now, let’s talk about the guitar. I’ll give it to you after school, and since I can’t teach you, why don’t you ask your boyfriend’s best friends? They love playing guitar.”

Tristan adored Downtown Sasquatch. Plus, they were nice guys. Especially Jimmy, since Tristan and Marco had gone on a double date with him and Alisha after the shooting. He didn’t think Jimmy would say no to him, but Tristan didn’t feel comfortable asking for his help. Jimmy already had a lot on his plate. 

Craig, on the other hand, spent more time with Marco. He could help Tristan create the best song. “Adam, you’re a genius,” Tristan praised before noticing Craig entering the cafeteria. He rushed towards him. “Craig!” 

Craig said, “Hey, Tristan,” before pointing his thumb behind him. “Marco’s on his way down.”

“No, I need to speak to you. You’re a singer/guitarist, right?”

“I am.”

“Can you give me lessons?” Tristan asked before going into further detail. “I wanna write a song for Marco and perform it for him.”

“That’s a big deal.”

“That’s why I need your help. I need this to be perfect, but I can’t sing or play the guitar.”

“I’m not sure if I can help with your singing, but why don’t you come over to my house after school? I’ll teach you how to play guitar.”

“Really?” When Craig nodded, Tristan embraced him. “Thank you!” 

“It’s no problem. Marco will appreciate what you’re doing for him.”

Tristan certainly hoped so. 

Chapter Text

Bianca was changing into her cheer uniform for her first Spirit Squad practice. She wanted Drew’s input on how she looked. Drew consented since he’d always wanted to see her in that uniform. 

Bianca exited the bathroom, her yellow, blue, and white uniform fitting her like a glove. His eyes lingered on her slim legs, and he said, ‘damn.’ He let his hands do the rest of the talking.

“Is it too short for you?”

“It’s too long,” he flirted, his hand traveling up her leg. Bianca swatted it away before he could slip it underneath her uniform. Drew laughed, taking a step back to take in her glory. “This is crazy, B. I’ve always wanted you to be a cheerleader.”

“I never wanted to be one, but since I can dance, why not? Paige is letting me create the routines.”

“That’s awesome. I’m still upset you didn’t make the dance team, though. I’m gonna talk to Marisol.”

No, Drew. I don’t want you near that girl.”

“I’m supposed to let her mistreat you?”

“Yes, because I’m winning, regardless. I’m gonna help the Spirit Squad thrive, and Marisol will regret rejecting me.”

Bianca needed to get going. She kissed him  before racing away, and Drew thought her excitement was adorable. 

Drew headed out of the school, his attention on his phone. He slammed into Katie. He was happy to see her because Marisol needed to be put in her place. 

“Katie! Can you please tell Marisol to stop making Bianca’s life a living hell?” Katie’s expression indicated she was unaware of what was going on, so Drew filled her in. “Bianca tried out for her dance team, and you can guess how that went.”

“With Marisol saying no?” 

“Exactly. It isn’t right. Bianca’s an amazing dancer, but Marisol’s hate is clouding her judgment.”

Katie wanted to help but couldn’t. “Drew, I can’t even keep my sister under control. What makes you think I can control Marisol?”

Drew let out a sad groan. “All I want is for my girl to get the recognition she deserves.”

“Well—” Katie got interrupted by someone Drew didn’t want to see. Marisol. She eyed him up and down, and Drew gave her a dirty look.

Marisol turned to her best friend. “What’s going on here?”

Drew caught sight of Katie’s uneasy expression. He knew Katie didn’t want Marisol to know they were on good terms. 

She looked at Drew, her eyes imploring him to save the day. Drew kept it real with Marisol. “I was talking to Katie about you.”

“Why is a Degrassian talking about me?” 

“I’m upset you didn’t let Bianca join the dance team.”

“She wasn’t good enough.”

“We both know that’s nonsense. You hate Degrassi, and that’s all there is to it.”

“You’re right. I do hate Degrassi.” She used his statement to make her point. “So why would I let one on my team?”

“Because Bianca’s incredible. She could’ve brought a lot to the table.”

“That’s what you don’t understand, Drew. I don’t want her at my table. The same goes for you, so I’m gonna ignore you now.”

Drew grimaced as Marisol faced Katie. “Katiekins! Tomorrow’s the big day! I can’t wait to see what you publish.”

“Publish?” Drew repeated.

“Yup! She’s the newspaper’s editor, and she’s planning to publish nasty things about Degrassi.”

Katie claimed to be excited about the newspaper. Why did she sound unenthusiastic then?

Marisol excused herself to go to dance practice, saying, “Where Bianca won’t be,” before sticking out her tongue and walking away. 

That slick comment didn’t bother Drew. He was preoccupied with Katie’s plan. He warned her that if she criticized Degrassi in the newspaper, she’d get in trouble. He became confused when Katie told him she wouldn’t be doing any bashing.

Katie explained herself. “My friends didn’t like me being the editor, so I had to find a reason not to quit. I told them it’d be a good thing for me to be in charge. That way, I’d have control over what gets published. They assumed I wanted to publish terrible things about Degrassi, and yeah...”

Drew was glad she wasn’t being shady, but there was no way her friends wouldn’t figure out she was stringing them along. She should come clean because she was giving them false hope. “Lying only works for so long, Katie. You should tell them the truth.”

“And lose their trust?”

“Screw them. You’ve got me.”

“Bianca does.”

“I meant as a friend,” he said. “I’m here for you, Katie. Unlike the rest of your school, you’re nice, and you think for yourself. That’s what I liked about you.”

“Thanks,” she replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Your way with words is what I liked about you, too.”

Drew spoke arrogantly. “What can I say? I’m a natural.” Katie scoffed amusingly, which made him laugh. “Anyway, I should get going.”

Katie nodded. “Yeah. I should put the finishing touches on the newspaper. I guess I’ll see you the next time we bump into each other.”

Drew told her he’d be waiting for it before walking past her.

“Hey, Drew!” Katie yelled after him, causing him to turn around. “Bianca’s lucky to have you.”

Yes she was.  

 
Spinner was ready to reconcile with Paige. He hated keeping his distance from his friends whenever Paige was around. 

If she didn’t want to be his friend, that was fine. But Spinner wanted them to be around each other without feeling uncomfortable. If Craig could bring himself to be the bigger person, so could Paige.

Spinner went to the gym, knowing Paige was at cheer practice. Girls could be seen through the open doors; Manny was one of them. Spinner watched her stretch before he drew his attention to Paige, who was talking to a cheerleader. 

The girl talking to Paige heard Spinner’s knock. She jerked her chin towards Spinner, causing Paige to look at him. She charged up to him. “This is cheerleading practice, Spin. You don’t belong here.”

“I wanna talk to you.”

“I don’t have time for you.”

She turned her back on him, but Spinner grabbed her wrist and begged her to hear him out. Paige smacked his hand away, but didn’t walk off. 

“I’m sorry for dating Manny, okay? It was a bad call.”

He heard the dissatisfaction in her tone. “Is that all you wanna talk about? Manny?”

“I wanna talk about everything that happened between us,” he said. “I know I messed up, but I wanna make this work.”

“What are you saying? You wanna date?”

He was reserving that spot for Darcy. “I wanna be friendly. Craig and I worked out our differences. Now it’s our turn.”

Paige still had a grudge. “I told Craig he didn’t have to hate you, but I always will.”

“Because you still like me?” He couldn’t understand why she couldn’t let go of the past. She was hiding something, and he guessed it was her lingering feelings for him. 

Paige burst out laughing. “Spin, don’t be ridiculous. I like someone else.”

“Who?”

“None of your business,” she snarled, confirming his theory. She still had feelings for him, and she was trying to cover it up with an imaginary crush. Paige’s anger also proved that she cared about him. She wouldn’t be tripping for this long if she didn’t. 

“Are we done talking?” Paige asked. “You’re wasting my time.”

“So you’re not forgiving me?”

“Never. Goodbye.” Paige waved him off as she strutted away. Spinner shook his head, disappointed. He wanted to ease their tension, but couldn’t until Paige came to terms with her feelings.

His feet started moving, but his gaze remained inside the gym. His eyes locked with Manny’s. Spinner beckoned her over, and to his surprise, Manny came.

He noticed Paige speaking to the cheerleader from before, but her eyes alternated between him and Manny. She looked enraged, but Spinner wasn’t worried about her. She had her chance. 

Manny stood a few inches away from him. Spinner hadn’t expected to talk to her again. However, Manny was the last person he needed to make amends with. They weren’t meant to be, and he was fine with that. He disliked their bad ending, though. 

“Hi,” Spinner said, waving. He cracked a joke, since Manny was staring at him with a straight face. “Don’t you wanna smile?”

“Looking at you doesn’t make me feel like smiling. You broke my heart.”

She broke his! She promised she wouldn’t leave him, but she lied. When Spinner told her that, she said, “You got Jimmy shot. Why would I stay with you after that?”

“It was Jay’s idea, but you’re cool with him? I don’t get it.”

“You wanna know why Jay and I became friends?” Manny inquired, and Spinner nodded. “We did it to annoy you.”

“Well, it worked. But I don’t wanna be angry anymore, Manny. I’m trying to right my wrongs.”

“Starting with me?”

“It started with Craig, and it was a success.” Spinner motioned towards Paige. “I tried talking to Paige, but she hates me, so you’re next.” He apologized as sincerely as he had with Paige. “I’m sorry about Rick. I learned my lesson, and it’ll never happen again.”

“I can’t forgive you.”

“Manny—”

“It’s not about Rick,” she cut in. “It’s Darcy. She jumped me, and I hate her for it.”

“Emma jumped you too.”

“Emma’s my best friend. Darcy isn’t, so it’s harder to forgive her,” Manny explained. “And you’re close to her, so it’s hard to forgive you, too. But, if you cut her off...”

Spinner deadpanned. “Then you’ll forgive me.”

Manny nodded, forcing Spinner to run his hand over his face. He wanted to settle things with Manny without losing someone else. And Darcy wasn’t just anyone. He adored her, so how could he cut her off? 

“You’re not giving me a choice, are you?”

“The choice is yours. I just hope you make the right one.” 

Manny walked away, leaving Spinner feeling agitated. Darcy or Manny? He had to keep one and lose the other, with no way of getting her back. The question was, who was worth losing? 

“Spinner?” said a familiar girl. It was Darcy, who was beaming at him. Spinner wanted to return the smile, but he wasn’t in the mood. “Are you trying to watch me practice?”

Spinner went along with it. “Yeah, but Paige kicked me out.”

“Typical.”

“Yeah. She’s angry, so you should go inside. I’ll talk to you later.”

Or maybe never, since his mind was telling him to cut her off to please Manny. He had feelings for Darcy, but choosing Manny made sense. For starters, he’d known Manny longer. Secondly, he and Manny shared more friends than he and Darcy. In fact, he didn’t care about any of Darcy’s friends, which was terrible. 

Spinner felt like everything would fall into place if he chose Manny. However, he feared that if he reconnected with Manny, Paige would think he’d lied about regretting his relationship with her. Craig would also believe he was trying to re-date Manny, and Spinner’s efforts to work things out with him would’ve been for nothing.

Befriending Manny would undo his progress, so maybe they were better off as enemies. 

Spinner’s eyes darted between Darcy and Manny. He figured Paige had enough of his snooping because she shut the door in his face. Spinner scowled because Paige’s sour attitude was irking him. 

No wonder she wasn’t one of his options, and she never would be. 

 
Hazel’s eyes jumped up when she heard the door slam. Paige had slammed it, but Hazel wasn’t sure who was on the other side. She hoped it was Anya, but she knew that was unlikely. Paige would never keep Anya out. Anya was “all she needed.”

Anya’s absence was strange. Was she missing practice today? Maybe Hazel could get Paige’s attention for a change. She should’ve had it all along, honestly. Anya shouldn’t have taken her place.

Hazel needed to talk to Paige about it. She  wanted Paige to understand that her sudden friendship with Anya was bothering her. Hazel didn’t expect Paige to cut Anya off. She just wanted to be included. 

Paige was heading her way with a smile. Hazel rose and smiled as well. The door opened, and her eyes darted to it. Anya walked in, making Hazel’s smile fade, but not Paige’s. Her face was as bright as the sun as she ran to Anya, inviting her in for an embrace.

They rocked back and forth, and just like that, Hazel no longer existed. She had to turn away because the longer she stared at them, the more her stomach tightened. 

The rest of the team arrived, including Bianca. What was she doing there?

Paige ordered everyone to gather around. Hazel descended the bleachers while keeping her eyes on Anya. Anya caught her watching and averted her gaze. 

Paige had her arm around Bianca’s shoulders. “Ladies, please welcome our newest member, Bianca.”

Alli looked puzzled. “When did she start cheerleading?”

“Don’t worry, Bhandari,” Bianca said. “I’ll let you guys do the cartwheels and stunts. I’m just here to dance.”

“D-dance?” Anya stammered. “I’m terrible at that!”

“Don’t worry, hun. You’ll do great,” Paige reassured her before speaking to the entire squad. “Bianca’s gonna create the dance routines. She’ll make sure our performances blow everyone away.”

Hazel couldn’t help but think Bianca would become Paige’s second favorite person. Hazel didn’t want to drop to third place. 

“Well...welcome, I guess,” Alli responded. Her phone buzzed, and she viewed the notification. “Chantay just updated her blog.”

Paige looked around when she heard Chantay’s name. “Where is Chantay?” 

“Here!” Chantay declared as she ran inside the gym. “I had to put the final touches on my blog. Paige? Hazel? I think you’ll find what I posted to be...interesting.”

Hazel arched her brow because she didn’t care about that blog. It caused unnecessary drama.

Alli showed her the blog post. Hazel couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Why was Chantay claiming that she was trying to dethrone Paige? Hazel never considered removing Paige as captain, despite being mad about getting replaced. Who would take Paige’s place, anyway? No one could compare to her, so Chantay needed to explain herself. 

Hazel exposed Chantay for what she was: a liar. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger!” Chantay exclaimed with her hands raised. “Someone passed that information on to me.”

“Who?”

Chantay lowered her hands. “I don’t reveal my sources.”

Screw her and her untrustworthy sources. Paige didn’t believe her lies, right? Or maybe she did; she stared at Hazel as if she were a traitor. “Don’t tell me you believe her.”

“Don’t worry,” Darcy said, glancing at her phone. “Paige isn’t innocent, either. According to the blog, she’s giving your co-captain position to Anya.”

Paige pointed at Darcy’s phone, but her attention was on Hazel. “That is not true.”

Hazel wasn’t buying her deceptions. “Really? You’ve been obsessed with Anya. You don’t even think about me anymore.”

“Of course I do! You’re my bestie!”

“Your bestie, who you haven’t spoken to all week!” Hazel retorted. Paige was speechless because she knew it was true. “It makes sense, though. Anya is all you need, remember?” 

“You heard that?”

“You said it in front of my face.”

Paige sighed. “I made a mistake, but don’t act like you’re a perfect friend. Me befriending Anya is your karma.”

Paige said Hazel was just as horrible, since she picked Holly J over her last semester. Holly J had taken over as captain, and Hazel refused to leave the squad with Paige. Paige had hated her for it.

“Darcy was the only one who fought for me,” Paige continued. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her.”

“Thanks for noticing,” Darcy said with a sarcastic tone. “I don’t regret removing Holly J as captain, but I regret bringing you back. You showed your true colors.”

“You showed your true colors when you started talking to my ex,” Paige fired back. 

Darcy rolled her eyes before dissing her. “Whatever, Paige. It’s not my fault he doesn’t care about you.”

“That’s funny. Just five minutes ago, he wanted to work things out with me.”

Manny spoke. “Me too.”

Darcy’s gaze flitted between her enemies, whose solemn looks made her realize they were serious. Spinner wanted them in his life, which made her face heat with rage. 

Hazel said, “I didn’t stay on the team for Holly J. I stayed because I enjoy cheerleading.”

“You still stayed, which makes you an equally bad friend,” Paige pointed out. “So, I believe Chantay. You’re trying to remove me.”

“And you’re giving Anya my position. So, you know what? Maybe I will dethrone you, because you’re a lousy leader and an even lousier friend.”

Hazel’s words were harsh, but she meant them. Paige was a selfish snake, and Hazel wished she hadn’t been her friend. 

Paige gave Hazel a murderous stare, which Hazel returned. Chantay stepped in between them. “Ladies, relax. I didn’t mean to ruin your friendship.”

Hazel’s gaze never left Paige. “You didn’t ruin it. She did.”

“Well, thankfully, I have a new best friend.” Paige threw her arm around Anya, who looked uncomfortable. “And she’s way better than you.”

Hazel rolled her eyes as Paige told everyone to stretch. She retreated to the back, not wanting to be near Paige. Anya wanted to talk to her, but Hazel warned Anya to leave her alone because she felt herself about to go off on her. Anya frowned and went to the front. 

Hazel didn’t feel bad. None of this would’ve happened if Anya had stayed with Lakehurst. But if Paige wanted to be her best friend, that was fine. Hazel was done worrying about them. They no longer existed. 

Someone stared at Hazel as she stretched. She looked to her right and spotted Chantay standing beside her with a faint smirk. It weirded Hazel out. 

Everyone was weird. 

Chapter Text

Ellie’s mother had been hospitalized for four days. She wasn’t having trouble sleeping anymore, which meant Craig wasn’t either. Best of all, she and Craig hadn’t argued in three days. Ellie wasn’t sure what had changed, but she appreciated the peace. 

She was sitting on Joey’s garage floor next to Angie, who was playing with her dolls. Craig and Tristan were also there. Ellie wasn’t used to seeing Tristan at Joey’s house, but Craig was teaching him how to play guitar so he could sing a song for Marco.

Tristan was clutching a guitar. Craig gave him directions, and a god awful sound echoed in the air as Tristan plucked the strings. It made her and Angie shrink and cover their ears.

Tristan jumped, humiliated. “Sorry! I’m so bad at this!”

Craig gripped his shoulder. “It’s alright. All you need is practice.”

“Yeah, lots of it,” Tristan said. “This song has to be perfect.”

“Are you writing a song for your girlfrienddd?” Angie asked. Ellie, Craig, and Tristan exchanged an awkward glance because Tristan had a boyfriend. But how were they supposed to say that? She was only nine years old. It might confuse her. 

Ellie saw Angie’s puzzlement when Tristan told her he had a boyfriend. Angie didn’t understand how he could have a boyfriend when he was a boy himself, and Craig chastised her because he didn’t want her to offend Tristan.

Tristan extended his arm to Craig. “It’s fine, Craig. She’s confused.” His gaze moved between Craig and Ellie. “Should I tell her?”

He was alluding to his sexuality. Ellie wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to tell Angie he was gay. “I don’t know if Joey wants her to know about that stuff.”

Tristan leaned forward, peering at Angie. “You won’t tell your dad, will you?” Angie zipped her lips, and threw away the imaginary key. “Okay. Well...as you get older, you’ll realize that boys sometimes fall in love with boys, and girls sometimes fall in love with girls. When they do, we call it a ‘gay’ relationship.”

“Gay...” She lingered on that word, as if she were getting used to feeling it roll off her tongue. She then shrugged. “Sounds cool.”

Ellie was glad Angie didn’t make a big deal out of it. Then Angie revealed she had a crush on someone. Craig gave her an ‘excuse me?’ look, but Angie continued talking to Tristan. “His name is Marco! Do you know him?”

Tristan and Craig shared a look of disbelief. Ellie died of laughter. She didn’t know when Angie developed feelings for Marco, or if she was telling the truth, but she didn’t care. Their horror was priceless. 

Tristan cut his eyes to her. “This is so not funny, Ellie.”

“Oh, it is. She has a crush on your man. Who would’ve guessed?” Ellie laughed more before pulling out her phone. Just as she was about to contact Marco, she got a call. It was her mother, which made her nervous. 

Craig could tell there was something wrong. “Who’s that?”

“My mom. I have to take this.” She returned to the house, careful not to step on the scattered toys.

“Eleanor!” her mother exclaimed as soon as she picked up the phone. “I just got out of the hospital.”

“How come you didn’t tell me sooner? I could’ve been there.”

“I considered it, but saying goodbye would’ve been too painful.” 

“Goodbye?” 

“Do you remember the promise I made to you? About rehab? I’m checking myself in right now.”

“Wow,” she murmured, not knowing what else to say. Ellie wanted her mother to go to rehab, but she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. She was the only one without parents, and it was lonely. 

“Eleanor, are you okay?” her mother asked, concerned. Ellie wanted to speak, but she was afraid she’d choke out a sob if she opened her mouth. Caroline called her name frantically, leaving Ellie with no choice but to hold back her violent sob.

“Yeah, I’m just...” Ellie sniffled, wiping away her tears. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you too, sweetheart. But I’ll be out in no time. When I am, I’ll be the mother I should’ve been all along. I just need you to focus on graduation, okay?”

“I will,” Ellie promised, sighing.

Her mother told her to make sure Craig and Joey looked after her. They said their last goodbyes, and Ellie gazed at her phone after the call disconnected, a stray tear falling on the screen. More tears followed. She tried to keep quiet because Joey was upstairs, but it wasn’t easy. 

Her skin was soaked. She turned around to wash her face in the sink. Instead of concentrating on the faucet, she became drawn to the knife holder. Several knives stared back at her, tempting her to pick them up and use them for relief. Ellie lunged for one, then jerked her hand back. She promised she wouldn’t do that again. But the agony...

She let out a tortured groan as she tried to block out the voices that were encouraging her to harm herself. The voices were getting louder, making her wish she were deaf. 

She had an idea: what if she pressed the knife against her skin without cutting herself? Ellie assured herself it wasn’t self-harm, so she reached for the biggest knife, allowing the blade to graze her arm. Feeling the blade against her skin was soothing. But everything went downhill when Craig yelled her name.

Ellie’s body jolted so fiercely that the knife pierced her skin. It wasn’t a deep cut, but seeing the blood coming out of the wound was unsettling.

She tried not to scream in pain as Craig rushed over to her. His gaze darted from her wound, to the blood flowing into the sink, to the knife she’d used. He looked enraged, but he said nothing. Instead, he hurried to retrieve the first aid kit.

Craig assisted her in cleaning the cut and stopping the bleeding, and thankfully, a bandaid was all she needed. Joey had come downstairs, and Ellie was afraid Craig would tell him she’d self-harmed. Fortunately, he didn’t. He told Joey she’d fallen and hurt herself, and Joey believed him. 

Craig discarded the knife. He could’ve rinsed or sterilized it, but he claimed it was contaminated. Ellie knew he simply didn’t want to see it anymore. And, of course, Craig hid the knife holder.

Ellie watched Craig pace with his hands on his hips. She wished he’d yell at her already. “Craig, can you talk to me?”

“Talk to you?” Craig faced her. “After you cut yourself?”

“I wouldn’t have done it if you hadn’t scared me.”

“You shouldn’t have had the knife pressed against your skin!” he argued, and Ellie huffed. “Why are you going back to your self-harming ways?!”

“Oh, I don’t know. Because my mother’s going to rehab? Not to mention, my father is in Afghanistan. I don’t have any parents!”

“You’re not the only one who doesn’t have their biological parents around. Plenty of people are in your position, and I’m pretty sure they’re not cutting themselves.” He pointed at himself. “Like me!”

Ellie returned his harshness. “Please don’t compare me to you. You have the perfect life, the perfect family!”

“Perfect?!” Craig laughed off his disbelief. “My mother passed away, Ellie. And don’t get me started on my poor excuse of a father. He was an abusive asshole,” he started, but he didn’t have to tell her that. Ellie had vivid memories of his cruel father. “You know what he did the last time I saw him? He backhanded me! Then he got in his car and drove away, and guess what happened? He died too!

“I never got to say goodbye. We never solved our problems. Nothing. So don’t tell me I have a perfect life because, if you ask me, I’ve been through worse than you!” 

Craig’s breathing became heavy when he finished speaking. He was almost hyperventilating, and Ellie regretted saying anything. She’d forced him to relive his trauma, which was wrong.

“Craig...”

He continued to yell, though, because she’d triggered him. “And don’t forget that I have to take medication every day, so I don’t bang my head against a locker again. But my life is so perfect, right?”

Ellie looked at him with sad eyes. “I forgot about that.” 

“Yeah, because you only think about yourself. If that doesn’t change, this won’t work.”

He went upstairs. She asked him what wouldn’t work, but he didn’t respond. Her voice became more urgent as he stomped up each step. “Craig!”

He still didn’t answer, but Ellie knew what he meant. Their relationship. And it was all her fault.  

 
Mia dreaded going to Degrassi today. Being the most hated student was a nightmare. 

Her first problem was with Liberty. When did she become so mean-spirited? Mia knew she’d lost her boyfriend, but Liberty wasn’t the only one who missed JT. Toby was his best friend, and he wasn’t as rude as her, so what gives?

Mia knew she’d done the right thing by trying to make amends. It was what JT would’ve wanted. But of course Liberty turned her down and praised her bully’s actions, which brought Mia back to her main issue: the bullying. 

Not only was Lakehurst’s girl gang—Camila, Sarah, and Taylor—giving her hell, but more Lakehurst kids were joining in. They pushed Mia into lockers, and put nasty notes in her locker. The most common note she received was, “Bring Lakehurst back.”

Mia wasn’t safe after school, either. Those students knew her social media accounts and would send her death threats. She’d block them, but they’d have other accounts on standby. It’d gotten so bad that Mia had to make her pages private. That would cause her to become bombarded with friend requests, but she wasn’t stupid enough to accept.

She also cleaned up her following list, keeping her Spirit Squad members, except Darcy and Chantay. And, of course, she kept her new friend Sav. 

Mia sighed as she stared at the ceiling, thinking about him and Holly J. She wanted their company because they made her feel better, but she didn’t want to go to school. Who knew what those bullies would do? They were threatening to kill her, and she was terrified. 

A loud cry interrupted her thoughts. Mia rolled her eyes at the baby crib. Her daughter had been crying since the alarm went off. 

Her mother rushed into the room, bothered by the crying. “Mia, do you not hear her crying?!” She dashed over to Bella, bouncing and cooing at her. Mia still didn’t move. “Mia Elizabeth Jones. I’m talking to you.”

Mia had more important things to worry about, like her safety. She fake coughed into her fist. “Can I stay home today? I think I’m getting sick.”

Her mother inclined her head. “I can tell when you’re faking. The question is, why are you faking?”

Mia sighed and sat up. “I don’t wanna go to school.”

“Mia, it’s Friday. You can handle one more day.”

“I don’t think I can. It’s really bad, mom.” 

Her mother gave Bella an Eskimo kiss, which made Bella giggle. She then looked at Mia. “What’s going on, Mia?”

“Lakehurst blames me for their misery.”

“That’s nonsense. You didn’t burn down the school.”

“I was the motive. Now I’m the most hated student, so I don’t wanna go.” 

“What about Holly J and that Sav guy you told me about?” she mentioned. “Are they going to school today?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’m sure you’ll be okay. They won’t let anyone bother you.”

Mia shook her head because her mother didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. Yes, she had Holly J and Sav, but it was three of them versus an entire school. “Mom—”

Her mother knew she was going to beg and plead to stay home, and she wouldn’t let it happen. “Mia, if you hide, those students will win. You have to stand up for yourself.”

Mia frowned. She didn’t want her bullies to know she was shaking in her boots, but those death threats sounded serious. Plus, Lakehurst students weren’t bluffers. They always kept their promises. But her mother was right: she had Holly J and Sav by her side. The three of them couldn’t defeat all her bullies, but they needed to try their best.

Her mother stepped out to feed Bella. Mia got prepared for the day, and after she finished putting on her uniform, she clutched JT’s sweater.

She held it to her chest. She felt safer knowing he was watching over her, so she was never getting rid of his sweater. She was going to keep it in her bag at all times, so she’d always feel protected. 

-

“I can’t believe you’re getting bullied,” Holly J exclaimed. She was livid after Mia told her what had happened with Lakehurst’s girl gang. She was also angry with herself for not being there to protect Mia. 

Mia shrugged, defeated. “That’s what happens when you’re Degrassi’s most hated.”

Sav spoke. “I’m serious, Mia. Tell me their names and I’ll have Ms. Hatzilakos suspend them.”

Their names were Camila, Sarah, and Taylor, but she wasn’t telling him that. Snitching would make everything worse, but Sav believed it couldn’t get any worse.

He’d spoken too soon because Camila, Sarah, and Taylor stood before them. Their menacing smirks made it clear they were up to no good. Plus, their hands were inside their coats, as if they were hiding something. 

Camila, their leader, took a step forward. “Hello, Mamma Mia. How are you this morning?”

“Like you care.”

“You’re right. I don’t. But I think you’ll care about this.”

Camila and her minions pulled their hands out of their coats to reveal their milk-filled balloons. Sav and Holly J’s eyes widened before they looked at Mia in panic. 

Mia took a quick step back. “W-What is that?”

Camila’s smirk became more sinister as she threw up a balloon and caught it. “You know what this is, and you know what we’re gonna do. Do you want a head start?”

Yes she did, since she knew they were ready to toss the balloons at her. Unfortunately, Lakehurst students blocked her path with crossed arms. They were working for Camila. 

Mia was a sitting duck, so Camila and her minions threw the balloons at her. They exploded on impact, splattering Mia with milk and staining her shiny black coat. The balloons kept coming, and screams kept escaping Mia’s mouth as she turned in all directions with her hands in front of her, trying to deflect.

Holly J and Sav stood on the sidelines, horrified, as the bullying continued. Sav became enraged and ran in front of Mia to protect her. Camila and her minions stopped themselves from dousing him with milk.

“Move out of the way, pretty boy.”

He wasn’t moving, and Holly J also joined in. She stood in front of Sav to provide Mia with two layers of protection. 

“You need to leave our friend alone,” Holly J insisted. “She did nothing to you.”

Camila disagreed. “She took our school away from us.”

The disgruntled Lakehursters agreed with Camila. Holly J glared at them before returning her attention to Camila. “Mia didn’t tell those Degrassians to burn Lakehurst down.”

“Her actions influenced their actions.” Camila got in Holly J’s face. She and Holly J had a staring contest. Camila realized Holly J wouldn’t back down, so she agreed to stop. “Fine. We’ll stop for now. But you’ll see us again, Jones.” 

Camila snapped her fingers, and her minions trailed behind her. The rest of Lakehurst dispersed while Mia looked at her soaked coat with a frown. Students laughed as they walked by, and Mia’s eyes filled with hot tears. She wanted to hide from the world, so she went to the bathroom.

With a tremendous amount of aggression, she pushed open the door and stormed over to the sink. She took off her coat and cleaned it as Holly J barged in.

Holly J took slow steps towards her as she pointed at Mia’s undamaged uniform. “At least your uniform isn’t ruined.”

She forced a chuckle, and Mia caught an attitude with her. “If you’re looking for an upside to this situation, there isn’t one.”

Holly J’s face fell in an instant. “I know. I also know you don’t wanna snitch, but we need to tell Ms. Hatzilakos. They have to be stopped.”

Mia exhaled an irritable sigh as she clutched the sink. She didn’t want to snitch, but her life was in danger. Next time, they might ambush her with weapons.

Mia told Holly J she was ready to talk to their principal. Holly J was pleased to hear that. They rushed to Ms. Hatzilakos’ office and barged in.

Ms. Hatzilakos stopped her work to listen to them. Mia told her about the balloon incident, as well as the death threats and nasty notes she’d been receiving. Ms. Hatzilakos reached for the loudspeaker right away.

“Camila Hill, Sarah Jacobs, and Taylor Riley, please come to the principal’s office!” Ms. Hatzilakos returned to her chair after she finished her announcement. “Thank you for telling me, Mia. You did the right thing.”

“Will they get in trouble?” Holly J inquired, hoping for a positive response. Mia did, too. Otherwise, this would’ve been for nothing, and she’d have a bigger target on her back.

“Oh, they’re in big trouble, along with their Lakehurst helpers. You won’t see them for a while.”

Well, Mia’s job was done. She and Holly J left the office, feeling the happiest they’d felt in a long time. That ended when they ran into Camila and her minions on their way out. They squinted at Mia, quietly questioning, “Did you snitch?” 

Yes she did. Mia just hoped it wouldn’t backfire.

 
“My followers have skyrocketed!” Chantay exclaimed. She and Marisol were in the bathroom, since they couldn’t talk in public. 

Chantay shoved her phone in Marisol’s face, squealing and jumping up and down. Marisol smiled at the fact that Chantay’s following had doubled, since it was her doing. She told Lakehurst to follow Chantay since she was helping them take down Degrassi, and they complied. Chantay was now getting the recognition she deserved.

“I told you I’d help you blow up, didn’t I?”

Chantay nodded and smiled. “Do you think it’ll look suspicious, though? What if my school notices Lakehurst students are following me?”

“Just say they’re fans,” Marisol suggested, but she had to make sure she hadn’t helped Chantay for nothing. She asked Chantay if she’d taken care of Paige and Hazel, and Chantay said she had. Paige and Hazel became enemies after she posted the fake rumor. 

“Maya was right. Degrassi friendships are fragile.” This was too easy. “Anyway, since you did your part, here.” She pulled out twenty dollars. She handed it to Chantay, who regarded it with suspicion. 

“Where do you get all this money?”

“It’s my weekly allowance, but I’m giving it to you.”

“Oh...” Chantay accepted the payment. “Were you being honest about giving me a raise?”

“Yeah, if you keep doing what you’re doing. Are you ready for your next assignment?”

“Always.”

Marisol told her Drew and his friends would be their next target. Drew and Owen had wronged her and Katie by ghosting them three months ago. Marisol also didn’t like the way Drew had confronted her about not letting Bianca be on her team. She deserved revenge—tearing his squad apart.

Marisol told Chantay what she wanted her to post, but Chantay wanted to handle it herself. “I have the perfect rumor. I have to go!”

Marisol wondered what Chantay had planned. Her excitement suggested it would damage Drew and his friends’ reputations. That was what Marisol wanted.

Marisol had also heard that Bianca joined the Spirit Squad. It made sense; Marisol had rejected Bianca, so Bianca ran to Paige. And of course Paige let her. Why wouldn’t her enemies unite against her?

Chantay assured Marisol that Paige and Bianca teaming up didn’t matter because Lakehurst would take them down. Marisol smirked as Chantay walked out because that girl was good. 

Marisol fixed her hair in the mirror as she thought about her after-school activities. It was Friday, so she could stay out later than usual. Maybe she could go to...wait. It was Friday, so the newspaper should be published!

She rushed through the hallways to Katie’s locker. Katie was there, holding the newspaper. Jake was nowhere to be seen, but Maya, Sadie, and Nic were.

Nic held Maya from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. Their PDA bothered Katie, who asked Nic if he had to hold Maya every second. 

“Yes, he has to hold me,” Maya replied, her hand resting on Nic’s cheek. “We’re in love.”

“Oh, stop it. You just started dating.”

“Whatever. We’re not here to discuss my relationship. We’re here to see what you published in the newspaper.” Maya stuck out her hand, waiting for Katie to hand over the newspaper. Katie looked uneasy, and Sadie placed her hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m sure it’s great.”

“Okay...I hope you like it.” 

Katie handed it to Maya. Marisol saw Maya’s eyes scanning the pages. It was as if she was looking for something in particular, but couldn’t find it.

She reached the last page and grimaced. “Where’s the negativity? All I see is promotion for the sports teams, and other unnecessary stuff.” 

Marisol took the paper from Maya. Sure enough, there were no negative comments about Degrassi. She wouldn’t be surprised if Katie was playing both sides. She had caught Katie talking to Drew...

Marisol confronted her. “Katie, what happened?”

Katie shrugged as if she didn’t know. “Let me see that.”

Marisol watched as Katie flipped through the pages. Her eyebrows knitted closer together with each flip. “This makes no sense. Jake and I wrote a piece criticizing Degrassi.”

“Then where is it?”

Katie shrugged once again. “I’m guessing there was an error.”

Nic looked irritated. “Damn it, Katie. We needed that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll figure out what happened.”

Marisol was the only one who didn’t nod. She just stared at Katie suspiciously. Her friends might think Katie made a mistake, but Marisol knew Katie too well. She wasn’t the type to make mistakes. And Katie had been revising the paper every day. How did the missing article go unnoticed?

Marisol suspected the article never existed. She shared her concern with her friends. Sadie asked why Katie would lie.

“Why not?” Marisol replied. “Many people have been switching sides.”

Nic believed in Katie. “Katie would never do that. She loved Lakehurst.”

“She loves being the editor of the newspaper, too,” Marisol said. “She wouldn’t jeopardize that for anything. Not even our war.”

“What are you saying, Marisol?” Maya insisted. 

“I think we should watch Katie. That’s all.”

The bell rang. Maya, Nic, and Sadie went to class together since they were juniors. Marisol had Media Immersion, so she went to the computer lab. She was almost there when she got distracted by a brown-skinned girl. It was Hazel, who was Paige’s best friend. Or she used to be, before Chantay tore them apart.

Hazel stood in front of her locker with a carefree attitude until Paige arrived. Paige bumped into Hazel, and Hazel didn’t hesitate to argue with her.  

Her fierceness impressed Marisol. She reminded Marisol of herself, so Marisol knew they’d get along. She just needed to get Hazel away from that idiot.

She’d have a chance to talk to Hazel now that Paige had stormed off. Hazel was too focused on Paige to notice Marisol approaching her.

Since Paige had stolen Anya, and had joined forces with her enemy Bianca, Marisol planned to convince Hazel to be her friend. She wanted more than payback, though. A part of herself genuinely wanted to be Hazel’s friend. She seemed worth it, and Hazel deserved to experience being around real people.

“Hazel!”

Hazel flinched and whirled around. “Yes?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Everyone knows who you are. You’re one of Lakehurst’s leaders.”

“And your best friend is Degrassi’s leader.”

Hazel looked like she’d gag at the mention of Paige. “Paige isn’t my best friend anymore. She’s the fakest person I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, yeah. I came across Chantay’s blog. Paige replacing you with Anya is so messed up.” She tried to woo Hazel by saying, “I’d never replace you if you were my co-captain. I’m loyal to my friends.” Marisol paused, scoffed, and said, “But they never seem to be loyal to me.”

“Right?” Hazel agreed, shaking her head. “Paige is constantly mistreating me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it.”

Marisol stroked her shoulder, and Hazel looked at her hand but said nothing. “Don’t start doubting yourself because of Paige. Let her replace you. You can do so much better.”

Hazel nodded, taking in those encouraging words. “I know. She doesn’t deserve me, but it hurts that Anya has become more important to her in a week than I’ve been to her in years.”

“What if you get a new best friend? Like...me?”

“You’re the enemy.”

“I don’t have to be your enemy.”

“You kinda do. You said you’re loyal to your friends, and I’m the same way. They’ll be upset if I befriend a Lakehurster.”

“You can’t let them control you, Hazel. You need your own mind.”

“I have one,” Hazel said. “Things would be different if the war was over, but it isn’t. I can’t be seen around you. Sorry.”

Hazel walked away with an apologetic expression. Her sympathy proved she wasn’t entirely against spending time with Marisol. She was just afraid of being labeled a traitor, so Marisol didn’t trip. Hazel would change her mind eventually. She was sure of it. 

Chapter Text

Sean had been mulling over the words “we can be friends” ever since he said them to Emma three days ago. He kept waiting for Emma to give him a reason to regret his decision, but she never did.

Sean knew it was silly of him to want Emma to mistreat him. His mindset was backwards because he didn’t trust her. Not one hundred percent, anyway. She’d broken his heart, so what was stopping her from doing it again?

It didn’t make sense to be friends with someone he didn’t fully trust, but he craved peace, and he didn’t want to seem miserable when he wasn’t. He’d never allow himself to fight over Emma again. There were plenty of single girls around. Sean wasn’t looking for a girlfriend, though. He planned to focus on himself until the right girl came to him. 

He also needed to focus on Milton. Sean was tired of going to war with him. He planned to talk to Milton to bury the hatchet. He had class with Milton next, so maybe they could talk there. But when he spotted Liberty, he got sidetracked.

She sat in the hallway, sipping from her water bottle. Sean noticed the liquid was amber colored. He approached her, his curiosity piqued. “Hey, Liberty.” He gestured towards the bottle. “Is that soda?”

“Whiskey,” she stated matter-of-factly, raising the bottle to her lips. He asked if she was joking, and Liberty said she was serious. She also admitted to getting her brother hooked on whiskey, which made Sean shake his head. 

“Liberty, no. You’re not doing this to yourself.” He reached for the bottle, but Liberty drew her hand back and gave him a look that warned him not to try her. 

“What’s your deal, Sean? Don’t pretend like you’ve never had a drink.” 

“I have, because it’s a Sean Cameron move. Not a Liberty Van Zandt move.”

“Well, I need to cope, okay?” Liberty’s voice held a touch of bitterness as she twisted the cap on. “With JT. Mia. Everything.” 

Sean understood she was struggling to come to terms with JT’s death, but didn’t know Mia’s connection to it. Liberty noticed his confusion. “Remember when I told you JT’s death was my fault?”

Sean remembered. She said that to him when he returned to Degrassi. He placed his backpack on the floor and sat beside her. “Yeah.”

“It’s because of Mia,” she confessed. “She told me I was to blame for JT’s death because I bored him, which led him to have sex with her, making Lucas hate him.”

“Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know shit.”

Liberty frowned as she stared at her whiskey-filled bottle. “I try not to listen to her, but she knows how to push my buttons.” She turned her head. “Do you know she’s walking around with JT’s sweater? She acts as if she was his girlfriend, and I can’t stand it.”

“Take it from her.”

“You don’t think I want to? But I’ll look like the aggressor.”

“Well, shit. I’ll do it.”

“Sean—”

“No, Liberty. She deserves nothing of his; you do. So we’re getting his sweater back.”

Liberty shifted her attention to her water bottle, drumming her fingertips on it. “She’s been getting bullied, you know. Lakehurst hates her, and guess what I said? I told her they should do worse.”

Sean gasped in fake shock. “Van Zandt.”

Liberty burst into laughter, leaning her head against the wall. “I’m losing it, aren’t I?”

“I don’t blame you. You’ve been through a lot, and it’s not like Mia doesn’t deserve your hate.”

There was silence, but it wasn’t awkward. Sean was pleased that they could sit quietly and still feel as if they were connecting. But he remembered something. “Do you want this?” He pulled out a small black box. He held it out to Liberty, who looked at it with interest. 

“They’re earrings,” Sean explained. “I got them for Emma, but she has a boyfriend.”

“She told you about Milton?”

“Yup, and I stayed her friend. Am I crazy for that?”

“Mature, if you ask me,” Liberty answered, smiling. She opened the box to find gorgeous emerald earrings. “Wow. Emerald.”

Liberty then frowned, and Sean became worried. Did she not like them? “These would’ve looked amazing on Emma, but I’m not sure if green’s my color.”

Sean gave her the same sweet smile she’d given him seconds before. “I think you can rock anything, unlike me.”

“Speaking of you, I just realized we never threw you a welcome-back party.”

“I don’t need a party. I’m not that special.”

“You are special, Sean. You’re Degrassi’s hero, remember?” Liberty added, “But I don’t see you as a hero. I see you as the friend I need in my life.” She shifted her attention to the earrings. “So, yes. I’ll wear these earrings.”

Sean grinned as she put on the earrings. When she finished, she asked for his opinion, and Sean found it difficult to find the right words. “You look...”

“Weird?” she finished his sentence.

“Perfect.”

Liberty looked genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected him to say that, but she appreciated the compliment. “Thank you.”

They gazed at each other, and the silence grew somewhat awkward. It got broken when Liberty took out her notebook and pen, turning to a fresh page. “Okay… The first thing we need to consider is the guest list.”

“You don’t have to throw me a party, Liberty.”

“I want to.”

She offered him a smile, which he returned. Then she jotted down the names of their friends, but Sean’s attention was stuck on the earrings gracing her ears. The earrings were beautiful on their own, but Liberty enhanced their beauty.

And to think she believed green wasn’t her color. Oh, please.  

Jimmy could only focus on locating Milton. He’d locate Alisha, but he hadn’t heard from her. At one point, Alisha turned on her read receipts to let Jimmy know she wouldn’t reply. 

It wasn’t a coincidence this was happening after he went out to eat with Manny. But Jimmy doubted someone had seen them and snitched to Alisha. At least he hoped not.

He’d never know what was going on unless he spoke to Milton. He was Alisha’s brother; he had to know what was wrong with her. 

Jimmy tracked him down. “Milton!” 

Milton glanced at him, then turned away. “Hello, Jimmy.”

Milton sounded dry, and Jimmy felt worried. He clearly did something wrong that he was unaware of. “Hey. Alisha’s been acting strange.”

“You can thank Manny for that.”

“Manny?” Manny and Alisha shouldn’t be talking. 

“Yeah,” Milton confirmed. “Manny sent her the picture.”

“What picture?” Jimmy dreaded the answer, fearing it was the one he suspected: the photo of Manny kissing his cheek. 

When Milton revealed it was the cheek kiss, Jimmy’s anger flared because Craig’s reaction could be worse than Alisha’s. Craig had lost it when Spinner got involved with Manny. He’d probably do worse to Jimmy if he saw the picture. 

“What were you thinking, man?” Milton questioned, and Jimmy hated the disappointed look in his eyes. He needed to redeem himself. 

“It was an innocent cheek kiss.”

“Nothing about that was innocent,” Milton retorted. “Alisha is pissed, and I’m sorry, but you’re gonna lose her.”

No he wasn’t. He and Manny weren’t fooling around; all he did was paint her and take her to lunch as an apology. Allowing Manny to kiss him on the cheek was idiotic, but it wasn’t a mistake he’d make again. From this point on, his focus was on Alisha.

His tunnel vision was now on Alisha. He needed to resolve this, but Spinner interrupted him. “Jimmy!”

“Not now, Spin. I need to find Alisha.”

“That can wait.” Spinner blocked his path. “I have an important question for you: Darcy or Manny?”

“What?”

“Who would you choose?” Spinner elaborated. 

Truthfully, he didn’t know Darcy that well. Despite being upset with her, Manny was his answer because he knew more about her. But he still couldn’t grasp Spinner’s point. 

“Manny gave me an ultimatum. She promised to be my friend if I cut Darcy off.”

Jimmy scoffed, not surprised. That was classic Manny behavior. She loved manipulating every situation. “You’re considering it?”

“Should I not?”

“Manny is your past, Spin. You have to move forward.” Manny wasn’t even worth the trouble. Jimmy learned that the hard way. 

Fortunately, Spinner didn’t argue. “You’re right. Manny had her chance. But I’m not sure, man. I don’t want her to hate me.”

“Do you want Darcy to hate you? Because that’s what will happen if you choose Manny,” Jimmy warned. “Don’t you like Darcy?”

“I do.”

“Then the answer is obvious to me.”

“Yeah. I have to choose Darcy. Can you break the news to Manny for me?”

Jimmy had no intention of talking to Manny. “I don’t have to. When she sees you with Darcy, she’ll get the hint.”

“I guess so.”

Jimmy walked away, and Spinner followed. “So, why the rush to talk to Alisha?”

“I’ve been hanging out with Manny, and nobody knew about it until she spilled the beans to Alisha.”

Spinner was unsurprised by Manny’s actions. “Yeah, that’s a Manny move. But why was it a secret?”

“I didn’t want Alisha to think something was going on between us, but she does now, thanks to Manny sending her the picture of her kissing my cheek.”

“You let her kiss your cheek on camera?” Spinner looked at him with the same disappointment Milton had earlier. “Dude. Bad move.”

“I know. I’m done making bad moves. I’m done with Manny altogether.”

“So you two have nothing going on?”

“No, Spin. Never.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Alisha charging towards him with a fury that would make anyone retreat. Even Spinner left, but Jimmy stood his ground. 

“Alisha! I know you’re upset, but let me explain.”

“Explain this.” She turned her screen towards him so he could see Manny's social media post. It read, I see the way she looks at you, so I’ll do what I have to do 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anger coursed through Jimmy’s veins. Manny was sabotaging his relationship without a care in the world. “I didn’t know she posted that.”

“Well, she did.” Alisha pocketed her phone. “She’s disrespecting me because you gave her the confidence to do so. She’s too comfortable, Jimmy.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Don’t bother,” Alisha replied. “You have too many secrets. You told me Manny meant nothing to you, but you let her kiss your cheek.”

“It was playful.”

Alisha let out a harsh laugh. “Okay. Let me tell your enemy to kiss my cheek, and let’s see how you like it.”

Jimmy couldn’t argue. He knew he was wrong. “I get it. I messed up. I won’t hang out with her anymore.”

“Do whatever you want. I’m quitting this competition.”

“It’s not a competition.”

“It is,” she insisted. “I’m fighting for my boyfriend’s attention, which makes no sense.” 

Jimmy hung his head because she was right. Manny wasn’t his girlfriend; Alisha was. And she’d been doing her part. He’d been slacking off, and felt frustrated because there was no way to fix things.

Alisha confirmed it. “I’m with you, but I feel alone. I don’t wanna feel that way, Jimmy.”

Jimmy fought back tears. Alisha looked unconcerned about his desolation. “Don’t even think about crying. You weren’t crying when Manny kissed you.”

“Forget about Manny! She means nothing to me!” He reached out for her hand, and, surprisingly, she allowed it. “I don’t want you to leave me because of her.”

“If you think this is only about Manny, you’re mistaken. I haven’t felt the same about you in a long time. We didn’t talk for months, and my feelings faded.”

“I can fix that. Just tell me what you want. A designer bag? Shoes?” Jimmy offered. “I can take you shopping, and—”

Alisha wrenched her hand free and stepped back. “Are you trying to bribe me?”

“I just want you to stay!” 

“By using money?” Alisha shot back. “You’re trying to buy my love, which irks me because I’m not with you for the money. I’m with you because I love you. I thought you were worth the trouble, and you were, but nowadays I’m not sure. I don’t trust you anymore, so I can’t stay. It wouldn’t be right.”

A single tear escaped from Jimmy’s eye because this felt like a nightmare. He pleaded with Alisha, asking if there was anything he could do to change her mind. However, the damage had been done.

Alisha handed him a small black box, and Jimmy knew what was inside: the necklace he’d purchased for her, making their breakup more real. 

Alisha’s expression mirrored his pain. “It was fun while it lasted, but you should go to Manny. She really likes you, Jimmy.”

But he didn’t like her! Not anymore. It stung because he used to enjoy Manny’s company, but now he felt contempt. He should’ve kept his distance from Manny Santos. She was nothing but trouble.

Alisha had left. Jimmy sensed a presence behind him, and when they uttered his name, he knew it was Manny. Jimmy chuckled angrily, knowing Manny had been watching the entire time, probably celebrating.

Manny asked if he was okay, as if she couldn’t see the frustration on his face. As if she hadn’t seen Alisha break up with him. He took a deep breath through his nose, trying to keep his temper in check. “I thought I told you not to show that picture to anyone? Now Alisha left my ass.”

“Jimmy, it was an accident.”

Her social media post told a different story. She sabotaged his relationship.

His skeptical gaze prompted her to admit the truth. “Okay, fine. I wanted to provoke her.”

“Why?”

“Are you gonna make me say it?” Manny asked. Jimmy shot her an impatient look, prompting her confession. “I like you, Jimmy, and I’m tired of pretending I don’t. You’re amazing, and if Alisha can’t see that, it’s her loss.”

“No, it’s my loss. She was good to me, and you ruined everything I worked so hard to keep!”

“So you hate me?”

“I’m disappointed. I don’t wanna talk to you anymore.”

Jimmy tried to walk past her, but Manny blocked his path, her palm pressed against his chest. “Jimmy, wait! I don’t wanna lose you because of this. I won’t be able to handle it.”

“Then you should’ve kept our secret.”

“I’m sorry, okay? I just...” Manny gnawed on her lower lip, as if deciding how much to tell him. “I really like you, and I think we’d be great together. I can make you as happy as Alisha. Happier even.”

Jimmy scoffed, causing Manny to defend her statement. “Come on. Tell me you didn’t feel a connection between us? We’re super compatible. The question is, do you like me too?”

He couldn’t entertain that question. A flurry of unpleasant emotions had muddled his thoughts, and he had to consider his friendships with Craig and Spinner. “Even if I liked you, we can’t be together. Craig and Spinner—”

She stopped him. “They don’t matter. Only we do. And I think you do like me, but you won’t admit it out of respect for Alisha.”

Well, Alisha had given him her blessing to be with Manny. Still, Jimmy drowned in uncertainty. He only knew that he’d lost a good girl. “Look, Manny, I don’t know. I just know I need space. You hurt me.”

“I understand,” Manny replied as she fiddled with her fingers. “I’m sorry for playing dirty. I’ll give you space, but I’ll be waiting for you to come back, because you’re the one for me, Jimmy.”

She smiled sadly, her hand sliding down his arm. She walked away, and Jimmy still felt the warmth of her hand lingering on his skin.

He looked over his shoulder to watch Manny as she left. She stopped and looked back at him. Jimmy turned with a shake of his head. He never expected to get into a love triangle with Manny Santos. And not knowing what his next move would be was the scariest part.
 

 
“Really, Jane? What are you thinking?” Imogen reprimanded. She’d been doing so ever since Jane mentioned her friendships with Elliot, Johnny, and Bruce.

Imogen was well aware of them; their notoriety made it impossible not to be. However, Imogen had a more personal connection with them. She’d spoken to Lucas before he turned into a maniac, which meant she’d conversed with Elliot, Johnny, and Bruce. Imogen despised them. 

Imogen waved her hands in Jane’s face. “Hello? Are you listening?”

Jane didn’t want to discuss her friendships. Mia getting bullied was more important. Earlier, Jane had witnessed Camila, Sarah, and Taylor throwing milk-filled balloons at Mia. She wanted to protect Mia, but she knew it wouldn’t be wise. She’d never spoken to Mia before, except in class, so defending her might raise eyebrows.

Plus, Camila and her minions knew her real name: Anastasia Valieri. If Mia heard that, she might connect the dots.

On the other hand, Jane wanted Mia to know she was Lucas’ sister. Keeping the truth hidden was killing her. It also didn’t help that Ms. Kwan assigned them as English partners. Jane hated having to smile in Mia’s face as if she wasn’t related to the guy who destroyed her life. She felt like a fraud, and she hated that her secret was preventing her niece from getting to know her. 

“Okay, you’re not listening,” Imogen concluded. 

Jane sighed. “Look, I need people who’ll support me.”

“Those people are your brother’s gang members?”

“They’re not like Lucas, Imogen.” That wasn’t entirely true. Johnny was like Lucas, since he’d gotten an innocent boy killed, but Imogen didn’t need to know that. 

“Not like Lucas?” Imogen snorted. “Didn’t Elliot help him take advantage of Mia?”

Jane was quick to defend Elliot. She hated him a day ago, but she believed him when he said he’d never do something so heinous again. “He’s trying to right his wrongs. I’m giving him a chance to redeem himself.”

“People like him don’t deserve redemption. He—”

Jane drowned her out since something caught her attention. She saw Mia holding her shiny black coat. Jane couldn’t see any milk stains, so she knew Mia had cleaned it. 

Jane felt guilt seep into her veins thanks to her connection to Lucas. If he hadn’t preyed on Mia, she wouldn’t have become a mother and wouldn’t have gotten bullied for it.

Imogen’s rambling ended when she noticed Jane’s inattention. “Why aren’t you paying attention to what I’m saying?!”

Jane ignored that question. Instead, she jerked her chin in Mia’s direction. “Look, there’s Mia. She’s walking into the class I have.”

Imogen sounded sympathetic. “I heard she’s getting bullied.”

“I saw it happen.” As Jane faced Imogen, she frowned. “I wanna tell her the truth.”

“What good will it do? She’s already having a bad day. Don’t make it worse.”

Jane didn’t want to complicate Mia’s life, but the guilt consumed her. “I can’t keep this bottled up anymore. I hate pretending like I don’t know who she is. I’m family.”

Imogen brought up an excellent point. “Do you think Mia will be happy that you’re cool with the guy who spiked her drink?” 

Jane hadn’t considered that. If Mia decided to be her friend, how would it work? Elliot was the last person Mia wanted to be around. 

“I’ll worry about that when the time comes.”

The bell rang, signaling that Jane needed to go to English. Imogen tried to persuade her not to say anything, but she knew it was up to Jane.

She made her way to Ms. Kwan’s class. She stood in the doorway, surveying the room. Mia sat in the seat next to hers, pulling out her notebook. 

Jane suppressed her nervousness and took a seat. Mia smiled and asked how she was doing. “I should ask you that,” Jane remarked. “I saw what those bullies did to you.”

Mia’s mood dampened. “I told Ms. Hatzilakos, so I’m safe for now.”

“Are you sure that was a good idea?”

Mia shrugged. “Probably not, but it’s done now. Hopefully the death threats will also stop.”

Jane became even more concerned. “You received death threats?”

“Yup.” Mia let out a sour laugh. “My life is shitty, huh?”

Yeah, because of Jane’s brother. The guilt washed over Jane again, and she couldn’t hide the truth any longer. Mia deserved honesty, and if she avoided her, Jane would understand. She just prayed Mia wouldn’t tell the rest of the school. 

“Mia, I need to tell you something...” she began, capturing Mia’s full attention. “I know you.”

“I know you too.”

“No. I know you on a personal level.”

Mia looked perplexed, and Jane’s heart hammered like a drum. She had to do this, so she let the truth slip out.

“There’s something I need to tell you about Lucas.”

Chapter Text

“Tristan’s learning how to play guitar?” Jay asked Adam as they practiced their pool shots. He’d been teaching Adam how to play pool for almost a week now, and he enjoyed it. Especially since Adam always told him a story.

According to Adam, Lakehurst had merged with Degrassi, sparking a war. Jay was disappointed he was missing the fun. He would’ve given those Lakehurst students hell.

Adam also kept him updated on what was going on with people close to him, like Tristan. He wanted to write a love song for Marco, which surprised Jay because he never expected Tristan and Marco to become an item. 

Adam nodded in response to Jay’s question about Tristan. “Wow,” Jay said. “He really likes Del Rossi, doesn’t he?”

“He loves him,” Adam replied as he aimed at a hole. He hit a ball, and it went in.

Jay questioned him. “How about you? Do you like anyone?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Jay teased him. “Do you need my help with romance, too?”

Adam rolled his eyes amusingly. “I’m not focused on girls right now. Only pool.”

Just then, a tall man with a nice goatee handed Jay a glass. He was one of Jay’s pool buddies. “Thanks, Brad,” Jay said as he took the alcoholic beverage. 

Brad nodded and moved away as Jay extended his glass towards Adam. “Do you want a drink, Adam?”

“I’m underage.”

“It doesn’t matter. The guys can get you a drink like they do for me.”

Adam looked around. Some men chatted at the bar while others wandered around the pool hall. “These men look up to you. Isn’t it weird?”

Jay shook his head. “If anything, it boosts my self-esteem.”

He watched Adam sink the balls in succession. He grinned, proud of teaching Adam how to play the game well. Jay kept his grin as he gazed around. “I belong here, unlike at Degrassi.”

“You would’ve fit in at Degrassi if you weren’t an ass,” Adam joked. 

Jay laughed. “Well, I don’t have to worry about that here. I can be myself and still earn respect.” Adam had now sunk every ball on the table. “You’ve improved a lot, Adam. You don’t miss anymore, and you aim quickly.”

“Do you think I’m on your level yet?”

“We need a rematch to find out.”

Nervousness tainted Adam’s features, prompting Jay to ask if everything was okay. Adam admitted he was worried about the rematch. Everyone would watch them play, which would make him nervous and possibly make him lose. Especially since the other men would root for Jay. 

Adam didn’t want to lose, and Jay didn’t want that either. He hadn’t spent all this time training Adam for nothing. “That’s why you can’t afford to be unconfident. All these people in here-” he gestured to the men surrounding them. “-they want you to crumble, Adam. You can’t let them win.”

Adam still wasn’t convinced. Jay tried to get him to believe in himself by saying, “You’ll never be the best if you don’t believe it yourself. It begins within.”

Adam’s uncertainty vanished. “Wow. I never expected Jay Hogart to encourage me to beat him.” 

“I want you to leave me in the dust. That’s how I’ll know I did my job right.”

“Okay, then. I’m gonna kick your ass.”

Jay couldn’t wait. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He expected it to be Johnny talking about Alli, but it was Alex’s mother. She begged him to come over because something had happened with Chad. 

“Hey, I have to go,” Jay said, pocketing his phone. “It’s an emergency.”

Adam looked dissatisfied, but he didn’t protest. “Okay. I’m gonna practice some more.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

-

Jay hammered on Emily’s apartment door. He was afraid Chad had done something terrible. Not only to Emily, but also to Alex.

Jay hammered some more. Emily swung the door open, her face smeared with tears. She ran into Jay’s arms and sobbed. Jay stroked her hair to calm her. “What happened, Emily? Where’s Chad?”

Emily’s sobbing turned to weeping. She stepped away from him while wiping her face. “He isn’t here. Neither is Alex, which is good, because Chad would be dead.”

Depending on what she said next, he might be a dead man, anyway.

Jay demanded to know what Chad had done, and Emily sighed and motioned for him to enter the apartment. Jay crossed the threshold and turned to face her. She said that she and Chad always argued, but she never expected him to hit her.

Jay had to do a double take. “He hit you?”

A resentful grimace accompanied her nod. “He backhanded me as if I didn’t matter to him. I guess I don’t, since he’s more worried about money.” 

Jay hated to see her on the verge of sobbing again. She was usually happy and energetic, but Chad had drained the joy out of her.

“I’m so sad, Jason. I’m sick of dealing with him.”

“Then don’t.” Jay lifted her chin and wiped a stray tear. “I’m always telling you he doesn’t deserve a good woman like you.”

“So who does?” 

“I don’t know. You need someone who understands and respects you.”

“Like you?” When Emily placed her palm on his chest and poured her heart out, it was clear what she was implying. “You understand me better than anyone, Jason. I feel special when I’m with you.”

“I guess I have that effect.” Jay chuckled nervously. He wished she’d take her hand off his chest. 

“You do.” Her hand stayed on his chest while the other wrapped around his shoulder. “When I told Alex any girl would be lucky to have you, I meant it. You’re amazing.”

“Any man would be lucky to have you too, Emily.”

Emily beamed, and Jay knew he’d said the wrong thing when she smashed her lips on his. Jay was so shocked that every part of his body, including his lips, stiffened. His eyes were wide open, but Emily’s were closed. She was enjoying the moment they were having. If he could even call it that. 

Why was she kissing him? She probably thought Jay was hinting at wanting to be with her, but he wasn’t. She was Alex’s mother! 

Despite acknowledging that the kiss was inappropriate, Jay didn’t back away for fear of making her more depressed. Emily needed comfort right now, and if kissing him distracted her from Chad and his drama, then okay. Friends were supposed to help each other.

Jay forced himself to kiss Emily with equal passion. As he did so, he heard the door open. An angry man burst in. “What the hell?”

Jay and Emily jumped away from each other. Chad gazed between them, his face redder than anything Jay had ever seen. He addressed Emily, pointing between her and Jay. “Really? You and Jason?” He scoffed. “Have fun explaining this to Alex.”

He collected the item he’d forgotten and stormed back out, slamming the door. Jay was freaking out because Alex was going to find out. 

Emily noticed that his mind was in agony. “Jason, it’s okay.”

“No it’s not!” he exclaimed. She gave him a hurt look because she hadn’t expected him to raise his voice. He’d reminded her of Chad. That was the last thing Jay wanted because he cared about Emily, and that was the problem. “I have to go.”

“No, stay!” she pleaded as she ran after him, slamming the door when he opened it. Jay sighed and turned to her. “What Alex doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right?”

She wanted to keep messing around with him? “Emily, we can’t—”

But she cut him off by kneeling and unbuckling his belt. She pulled down his zipper while looking up at him with sultry eyes. “You’ve been so good to me, Jason. It’s my turn to be good to you.”

Jay wasn’t sure whether he should feel scared or turned on. He chose to be scared because he didn’t understand her. She wanted to be good to him by unzipping his pants? He hoped she wasn’t trying to give him a blowjob, but she was, since she pulled down his pants, just enough to slip her hand in his boxers.

Jay opened his mouth to stop her, knowing if they did this, they couldn’t take it back. She was Alex’s mother, for fuck’s sake. This was wrong, but he couldn’t say anything since Emily’s lips had wrapped around him. Jay moaned and closed his eyes, not wanting to look at her because it was disgusting.

But it felt great.  

 
Sadie was glad it was Saturday, since she could get away from Degrassi for two days. There was a war going on, and she felt forced to stay neutral since she was friends with Lakehursters while dating a Degrassian.

Sadie wanted everyone to win, but her ties to Marisol, Katie, and Maya led Degrassi students like Paige and Alli to assume she was playing both sides. Sadie didn’t understand that assumption. She wasn’t trying to pit the two schools against each other. 

It didn’t matter if she thought she was loyal, though. Degrassi didn’t, and after talking to Katie, Marisol, and Maya about the school paper yesterday, Sadie went to the bathroom and had a run-in with a bully. 

“Are you originally from Degrassi?” the girl had asked. Sadie answered by looking down at her blue shirt. The girl then asked why she was talking to Lakehursters. She’d seen her talking to Maya, Katie, and Marisol.

Sadie told the girl those Lakehursters were her friends. The girl called her a traitor, and  Sadie defended herself, insisting she wasn’t. She simply didn’t want to be involved in the war, but the bully wasn’t pleased with her neutrality.

“The only way you won’t participate is if you don’t go to school here,” she threatened. “But you do, and unless I’m mistaken, your shirt is blue. Do you know what that means?”

“That I’m on Degrassi’s side.”

“Right. Don’t forget it.”

The girl left with a smug look. Sadie debated whether to end her friendships with Maya, Katie, and Marisol. However, that was what that girl wanted, and Sadie wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing she’d destroyed her friendships. She wanted to hang out with her girls. If that made her a traitor, so be it.

Sadie didn’t tell Dave about the incident. She didn’t need him to get worked up. If things get out of hand, she’d turn to her brothers for help.

Sadie had four brothers, one of whom was her twin, Silas. Her brother Levi, a senior, came next. He was the family’s best basketball player. She also had a ten-year-old brother and a twenty-year-old brother.

Her twin brother entered her room. He looked shocked to see her sitting on her bed, since today was a special day for her. 

Sadie’s eyes wandered to the picture of her and Dave on the nightstand. It got taken on their anniversary last month. Dave had organized their trip to an arcade, and they became drawn to the basketball games. They’d spent most of their time shooting hoops, not stopping until Dave was happy with his score. 

Dave was good to her, so she wanted to return the favor since it was their anniversary again. She’d purchased tickets to a basketball game, so that they could watch their favorite player in action. But it was all for nothing because Dave was still grounded. 

Silas was waiting for her to explain why she hadn’t gone out to celebrate with Dave. He frowned after Sadie told him Dave was grounded. “Dang. You wasted your money?”

“I guess.”

Sadie leaned over, her face buried in her hands. Silas tried to cheer her up. “Sadie, it’s okay. There’s always next month, and every month after that. I don’t see you and Dave breaking up.”

“I never wanna see that.” She didn’t know what she’d do without Dave. 

Levi popped his head in the door to tell her she had company. She hurried downstairs with her brothers, the question “Who is it?” running through her mind. 

When she got downstairs, Levi opened the front door. Sadie noticed the bouquet of pink roses the person was holding. Her gaze moved from petal to petal before focusing on the guy’s face.

“Hi,” Dave said.

Sadie couldn’t speak because she was stunned. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him. She expected today to be a dud, but there he was. But how? Wasn’t he grounded? 

“What are you doing here?” she questioned as she drew back. “Aren’t you grounded?”

“Jimmy’s dad was feeling generous, which is a good thing. I would’ve been pissed if I missed our anniversary.”

“So you remember.”

“You thought I forgot?”

“Kinda? You didn’t call or text me.”

“I wanted this to be a surprise.” Dave extended the bouquet to her. “Happy anniversary, baby.”

Sadie smiled as she accepted the flowers. The pleasant scent filled her nostrils, relaxing her.  

“Do you like it?” Dave asked. 

“I love it.”

“Good, because that’s just the beginning.” 

He took out a gold necklace with two large letters on it—D and S. Sadie knew it was their initials. 

“I got the idea from Jimmy,” Dave explained as she grasped the necklace. She ran her thumb over the gold letters. Dave asked if she wanted to put it on, and Sadie said yes.

Dave stood behind her and put the necklace on. When it was on, Sadie smiled as she touched it. Dave walked in front of her and examined the jewelry that adorned her. “Wow, that’s beautiful. You’re stunning, baby.”

The blood raced to Sadie’s face, reddening her cheeks. She loved how Dave never shied away from complimenting her. “Thank you,” she replied. “But now I feel bad because my gift is nothing compared to yours.” 

His perplexed expression prompted her to dash upstairs to get the tickets. Dave’s jaw fell as he held the tickets. “Is this real?”

Sadie laughed. “Yes. With those tickets, we’ll be able to see our favorite basketball player in action. We have good seats.”

“I see that.” His face showed his disbelief, but Sadie could tell he was ecstatic on the inside. “I can’t believe you thought this wouldn’t be a good gift. I always wanted to see him play. Now I can with my girl.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Thank you.”

Sadie grabbed his hand that was dangling over her shoulder. “It’s no problem. I just wanna make you happy.”

“Oh, you did. A thousand times over. We better get going before we miss the game.”

Sadie nodded, asking her brothers to look after the roses. They complied, telling them to have fun, to which Sadie replied, “Of course we will.”

She and Dave always had fun together.

Misery. That was the only emotion Alli felt, because of Johnny. He was the reason they broke up, and Alli was okay with it because he was a monster. But then she woke up and realized it would’ve been their three-month anniversary, and she’d been miserable ever since. 

She wanted to do something fun today, despite not having a boyfriend to celebrate with. She considered texting Drew, since he’d been by her side since she’d dumped Johnny. They’d been hanging out after school, and texting when they got home. Alli wanted to see if he wanted to hang out again.

She grabbed her phone, which was vibrating. She assumed it was Drew, but it was an annoying stranger. 

For the past three days, she’d been receiving texts from an unidentified person. Alli never responded, since she disliked answering unknown calls and texts. Strangers scared her, especially this one, because they told her to meet them at the park.

The person texted her, saying, “It’s important.” Alli begged them to stop contacting her because she didn’t know who they were. The person responded with, “You do,” causing her brows to furrow. Who was it? 

They told her to come to the park and find out. Alli had to. Otherwise, the guessing games would haunt her. She forced herself to go to the park, hoping she wasn’t meeting up with a lunatic. 

-

Alli stood motionless, taking in her surroundings. She didn’t see the unknown texter. Were they not there yet, or were they watching her?

It felt like a horror movie, so it was time to go. Unfortunately, she received another text.

Stranger: Look to your right. 

There was only a picnic table with a basket on top. Alli noticed it contained baked goods. She wanted to go over there, but she wasn’t sure if it was for her. 

The stranger said that it was for her, so she walked over to the basket. The aroma of the cinnamon swirl cake, snickerdoodle, and chocolate chip cookies entered her nostrils. Alli wanted to eat one, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust that stranger. They might’ve contaminated it with something. 

She was going to retreat when she noticed the card that came with the goodies. She picked it up, reading the words. This individual was apologizing for mistreating her. She didn’t need a name because she knew this was Johnny’s doing, especially when he mentioned the push.

Alli slammed the card down, furious she’d fallen for Johnny’s trick. That was his specialty: tricking her. He tricked her into coming to the park, and had tricked her into believing he ever loved her. 

Alli wanted to leave before she saw his face. Unfortunately, she couldn’t move since she sensed a presence behind her. 

“Hi,” the guy said. It was Johnny, which made her turn around to confront him. 

“You texted me from another number?”

“It was Jay speaking for me,” Johnny revealed, and Alli’s face turned pale. Jay Hogart? The devil?! 

“You gave that devil my number? Are you nuts?!”

“You blocked me. What was I supposed to do?”

“Leave me alone?”

“I can’t leave the girl I love alone.”

They didn’t have love; she didn’t know what it was. All she knew was that their relationship was destined to fail because he didn’t know how to behave. “We must have different definitions of love. You pushed me.”

“I apologize for that. I can’t control myself when I’m angry. I see red, and I wanna...”

“Hurt people?” she asked. Johnny nodded, ashamed to admit it. He should be. That was nothing to be proud of. “Do you hear yourself, Johnny? There’s something wrong with you.”

“What’s wrong is that we’re not together.”

“I’m disgusted with you.”

Her words must’ve hit him hard because he dropped his head and put his hand on his face. “I know,” he murmured, his voice unsteady and full of anguish. Alli knew he regretted his actions, and she also suspected that tears were gathering in his eyes. 

Alli forced him to look at her. His tear-filled eyes surprised her because it was a rare sight. She’d never seen Johnny close to crying before. He was letting his guard down, showing Alli that he was afraid of losing her forever.

She said something, but Johnny wanted to speak first. “I’ve done so much damage, and I’ll admit that I have demons. But I’m trying to change, and I think your love can help.”

Johnny reached for her hands, but stopped since he wanted permission first. He gave her a “Can I?” look, and Alli nodded with a tiny smile, admiring his respect. 

Johnny took her hands and met her eyes. “I can’t go on without you. You’re my everything, Allia.”

She enjoyed hearing her full name come out of his mouth. “You mean that?”

“I do. So, will you take me back? I swear I won’t push you again.”

Surprisingly, she was leaning towards saying yes. The spark was still there, and how could she say no after he went out of his way to buy her baked goods? Plus, Johnny had been vulnerable for the first time. He was revealing a better side of himself, and she liked it. 

She forgave him, but insisted on no more secrets. Johnny agreed to her terms. “No more secrets.”

He kissed her forehead, but it wasn’t enough for Alli. She needed all of him, so she smashed her lips on his, and Johnny kissed her back with equal intensity. Alli could tell he missed feeling her lips, since the kiss was rough and full of desire. She’d missed his lips as well. She never wanted to be without him again. She wouldn’t be able to handle it. 

Johnny broke the kiss. “Come to my house?”

That question stirred something in Alli. He wanted to pick up where they left off in the privacy of his home? Maybe not, because he went on to say, “I have more gifts for you. After all, it’s our anniversary.”

“You remember?”

“I’ll never forget.”

Alli smiled because he was off to a good start. Maybe this time would really be different. 

Chapter Text

“Do I look okay?” Clare asked her mother, who stood behind her. She was meeting Eli’s parents today. Her parents usually wouldn’t allow her to go to a guy’s house, but Eli’s parents had requested it.

Clare wanted the Goldsworthy’s to approve of her, beginning with her appearance. She’d spent hours perfecting her hairstyle, and she was also wearing makeup, which she disliked, but it was a special occasion. Clare liked how she looked, but her dress was basic. 

Her mother assured her otherwise. “You look beautiful, honey.”

“You don’t think I should wear something fancier?”

“I thought Eli’s parents didn’t do fancy?” her mother mentioned as she moved to the closet.

“They don’t, but I still wanna look my best.”

Her mother’s hand froze on a coat. “You look stunning, Clare. Eli and his parents are going to love it. They’re going to love you.”

Clare hoped she was right. This meet-and-greet had to be perfect, or she’d have to avoid Eli forever. 

Her mother chose the coat that would go with her outfit. Clare adjusted it once it was on, and her mother zipped it. She spoke while doing so. “Enjoy yourself, okay? Don’t lie to impress the Goldsworthy’s. Be your true self.”

Clare had no intention of making herself look more special than she was. The truth always revealed itself.

Her mother patted her coat, signaling that she was free to leave. Clare exited her room with a wave. She went into her parent’s room to tell her father she was leaving. She didn’t bother saying goodbye to Darcy, since their relationship wasn’t the strongest right now. Spinner was all Darcy cared about. 

Clare exited the house. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the unfamiliar situation she was putting herself in. Once she felt ready, she went to Eli’s. 

-

Clare knocked on Eli’s door. She fidgeted while waiting for him to let her in. Not only had she never met his parents, she’d never been to his house. 

Eli opened the door. He stared at her makeup, which was a sight he wasn’t used to seeing. “Are you wearing makeup?”

“Yeah. Do you like it?” she asked timidly.

“I’m speechless, Clare.” 

That confirmed it. She’d overdone her makeup and looked like a clown. Clare didn’t want to imagine what Eli’s parents would think. She should go home, remove her makeup, and then come back. 

She began walking away, but Eli made her stop and look at him. He knew she was feeling self-conscious about her makeup. He told her he was speechless in the greatest way possible, erasing her concerns with those six simple words.

Clare gripped his hand as he brought her inside the house. She observed the environment, soaking in every detail. The house was nothing like she’d envisioned. 

“Mom! Dad! Clare is here!” Eli shouted. Clare heard hurried footsteps descending the stairs. Soon after, a brown-haired man and a blonde-haired woman appeared. They focused on Clare with joy.

The man she assumed to be Eli’s father approached her. “Clarabelle!” 

Clare’s eyes widened at Eli. Clarabelle? 

“Bullfrog,” Eli scolded. Clare understood he didn’t want his father to scare her off.

It was fine if Bullfrog wanted to call her Clarabelle. It was his house. “It’s fine, Eli. Clarabelle is a...” She searched for the right word. “...unique name.”

Bullfrog grinned as Eli’s mother stepped forward. Clare shook her hand. “Hello, Clare,” she said. “It’s great to meet you. Eli talks about you all the time.”

“That’s Eli for you. He’s a talker.” Clare chuckled uneasily, afraid it wouldn’t go over well with them, but it did. They laughed, and Eli threw his arm around her shoulders. 

“What can I say? I like bragging about my girl.” He and Clare exchanged smiles as she clutched his hand. They weren’t dating, but Eli referring to her as his girl warmed her heart.

His mother gushed before rushing to the kitchen to prepare the dining table. As Bullfrog spoke, a cough interrupted him. Clare’s stomach turned when she recognized Elliot.

Trying to calm herself, she held Eli’s hand tighter. “He’s here?”

“I told you he’s family.” Eli took his arm off her to confront his cousin. “What are you doing down here, cousin?”

“The food is done, right?”

Bullfrog responded. “Yes. Cece is setting the table.” 

“Cool.” Elliot’s gaze fell on Clare, but he didn’t welcome her because she despised him. Clare also felt dissatisfied with the clothes he wore. He was dressed in sweatpants and a shirt that needed to be washed. Couldn’t he match everyone else’s effort?

Smoke entered their nostrils. Bullfrog questioned him while covering his nose. “Were you smoking, boy?”

“Yup.”

“Are you serious? We have a visitor!”

“And secondhand smoke is bad, if you didn’t know,” Clare added, shooting daggers at Elliot. Elliot rolled his eyes and sat at the table, scrolling on his phone while waiting for the food.

Clare shook her head and murmured to Eli once more. “I don’t understand how you're related to him. You’re total opposites.”

Eli tried to lighten the mood. “Every family has a rotten apple, right?”

Yup. Like Darcy. 

Bullfrog apologized on Elliot’s behalf. “I’m sorry about him. He’s the troubled Goldsworthy.”

“I’m not a Goldsworthy,” Elliot said from his chair. 

“Quiet, Elliot!” Bullfrog demanded. Elliot locked his gaze on him, but didn’t dare to open his mouth. “What’s going on with you today?”

“Don’t you mean every day?” Clare muttered. She thought her voice was low, but Bullfrog and Eli overheard her. 

Bullfrog jabbed his finger at her. “I like you, Clare. Let’s have a seat.”

“Yes! Let’s!” Cece exclaimed as she dashed out of the kitchen. Clare gaped at the wide variety of food. The smell made her mouth water, and she knew it had to taste even better than it smelled. 

Eli sat next to her as his parents sat at the head and foot of the table. Unfortunately, Elliot was seated across from Clare. Eli soothed her by holding her hand underneath the table.

Once everyone helped themselves to the food, Cece questioned her as she dug into her meal. “How did you and Elijah meet, Clare?”

“I’ve always known about Eli. His plays are phenomenal. He asked if I could help him this year, and I accepted.” She squeezed Eli’s hand under the table. “We became close, and the rest is history.”

“That is so cute!” Cece gushed. “Reminds me of our high school years, Bullfrog.”

Clare’s eyes shifted between them. “You two are high school sweethearts?”

“Oh, absolutely. Bullfrog wasn’t a theatrical kid like Elijah. He was more of a bad boy, and I guess the danger drew me in.” 

Cece started reminiscing about her younger days with Bullfrog. Clare was engrossed in the story, but Elliot pulled out a cigarette and lighter. He lit the cigarette and took a drag, blowing a cloud of smoke in Clare’s direction. Everyone coughed, notably Clare, who swiped her hand around to clear the smoke from the air around her. 

Bullfrog was furious with Elliot’s behavior. “Elliot, have you lost your mind?! Take that outside!”

“Fine.” Elliot rose, never losing eye contact with Clare. He kept a self-satisfied expression on his face as he left the house to finish his cigarette.

Clare drank her water as if it’d clear the smoke from her lungs, as Eli dashed off to get an air freshener. Bullfrog rubbed his forehead, and Cece tried to calm him. “It’s okay, honey.”

“No it’s not!” Bullfrog insisted. “That boy gives me a headache! He needs to act maturely, or he won’t be allowed into this house!”

Eli sprayed the air with an air freshener. It masked the smoky odor, but Clare knew it was only a temporary fix. 

“Where were we, Clare?” Cece inquired. Clare told her she was in the middle of recalling her high school years. Cece dodged the spotlight, preferring to hear about Clare instead. Clare told them about herself, including her interests. Cece and Bullfrog enjoyed what they heard.

Elliot had returned by the time she finished speaking, and Clare was now rubbing her forehead. 

“Elliot, we said take it outside,” Cece growled. 

“I’m done smoking,” Elliot declared, hands in the air. “Can I eat now?”

“After you change out of those smokey clothes.”

Elliot went upstairs to change, then returned to his seat across from Clare. His presence made her lose her appetite, so she played with her food. He’d tainted it with his cigarette smoke, anyway. 

Clare huffed because she adored Eli and his parents, but it’d be hard for her to date Eli when his menace of a cousin was always around. Elliot was despicable, and she knew he’d never change. 

-

The meet and greet concluded thirty minutes later. Eli’s parents were doing the dishes and made Elliot help them. Clare and Eli were outside the house. Clare was getting ready to go home, so Eli said his goodbyes.

“So, how was that?”

“It was perfect. Your parents are incredible, Eli.” Her smile faded as she remembered a certain blonde-haired boy. “Elliot, however...”

“I’ll talk to him.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked around. “So, um. Do you think I’ll be able to meet your parents?”

Clare’s face showed her surprise. “You want to?”

“Yeah. They know about me, but they don’t know me. That should change.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to them.”

Eli smiled as he leaned in. Clare jerked back, her eyes wide. Was he trying to kiss her? She hadn’t expected it because they’d never kissed. In fact, she’d kissed no one before. 

Eli’s eyebrows furrowed. “Too soon?”

No. They’d liked each other for months; their first kiss was overdue. She looked into Eli’s beautiful green eyes, and Eli returned her stare until his sight moved to her lips. Clare’s heart skipped a beat when she felt his palm brush against her cheek.

“Clare...”

Clare realized he was asking for permission to kiss her. She gave him the consent he craved, and their lips connected in a lingering, sweet kiss. Was this how it felt to kiss someone? Like...heaven?

She loved heaven, and she also loved the sensation she got from Eli’s lips. She wished she could stay in that position forever, but their private moment got cut short when the door opened. She and Eli sprang apart, terrified it was his parents, but it was him. 

“Ooo, what’s going on here?” Elliot teased as he leaned in the doorway. He wore his familiar smug smirk that Clare despised. She despised seeing him altogether.

“Are you gonna answer me, lovebirds?” 

Clare did nothing but sigh. 
 

“Mom, have you eaten?” Alex asked. Her mother stayed silent, her face buried in her hands. Something was wrong with her, but how could Alex fix it if she wouldn’t talk to her?

Alex took it upon herself to prepare a meal for her. She walked over to the fridge and opened it to discover that it was empty.  “Where’s Chad? Tell him to get groceries.”

“Chad isn’t coming back, Alex,” her mother stated.

“Why?” Alex wasn’t complaining, but she was curious nonetheless. 

Her mother uncovered her face, staring at the television. “I did something stupid.”

“Something illegal?”

“Something immoral.” She rose and fiddled with her fingers as she approached Alex. “Alexandra... I need you to stay calm, okay?”

If her mother was saying that, she was about to set her off. Alex wasn’t sure what she’d done or how horrible it was. With her mother, anything was possible. 

“Okay?” her mother asked again, as if she needed her to promise. Alex said nothing because she wasn’t making any guarantees.

Her mother knew she wouldn’t respond, so she proceeded. “It’s about Jason.” She continued, frowning at her hands. “Chad and I got into another argument about money, and he slapped me.”

“What?” Alex hissed, rage coursing through her veins. She now understood why he wasn’t there anymore; he got out of dodge before she could hurt him. “I’ll kill him!” 

Alex dashed to the front door. She planned to find that scumbag. She didn’t get to go anywhere, though, since her mother slammed the door shut as soon as she opened it. Alex didn't understand why she was protecting that asshole, but it all became clear when her mother said, “Alex, that’s not the bad part.”

“What’s worse than domestic violence?”

“Jason and I fooling around.”

Fooling around? As in, they played games together? Because her mother couldn’t be talking about...that.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

“We had sex, Alex.”

Alex refused to believe her words. This had to be an April Fool’s joke, but it wasn’t April, which meant she’d most likely misheard her mother. There was no way she slept with her ex. She wasn’t that foul.

Or maybe she was, since she kept repeating that she had sex with Jay, which made Alex glare at her because she was disgusting. 

“Please say something, Alex,” her mother begged.

“You had sex with my ex? Who, by the way, is a teenager.” 

“He’s eighteen,” her mother made clear. 

It didn’t matter if he was of legal age; he was still a teenager, and she was forty! Why did she think it was okay to sleep with someone twenty-two years younger? 

Her mother explained that she felt sad about Chad, and Jay had consoled her. Alex didn’t care; that wasn’t a good reason for her to sleep with him. She felt sick and betrayed because they’d slept with the same guy. Her breakup with Jay wasn’t long ago, either. But her mother still made a move on him.

Alex told her mother she could have Jay since she adored him so much, but Alex didn’t think she’d take her seriously. She should’ve seen the warning signs, though. Her mother was always gushing over Jay, and being touchy with him. She’d liked him for a while, and it was gross. 

“You know,” Alex said, shaking her head. “I used to think Chad was the problem, but you’re the problem. I’m glad he left your sorry ass.”

“Don’t speak to me that way!”

“I’ll speak to you however I please,” Alex snarled. “You aren’t a mother. You’re a disappointment, and Jay’s repulsive. You were made for each other.”

Alex fled to her room and packed her belongings, planning to follow in Chad’s footsteps and leave. 

“Where are you going?” her mother asked from the doorway. 

“I’m not living with a stranger,” Alex replied as she crammed her clothes into her bags.

“Alex, come on. I thought you’d be mature about this,” she grumbled as she grabbed Alex’s arm to stop her from packing. 

Alex jerked her arm away. “You expect me to be mature about you sleeping with my ex?! You’re insane, but you and Jay can do whatever you want now. I’m done.”

She pushed her mother out of the way as she stormed towards the door. Her mother begged her to talk to her, but Alex had enough of that traitor. She walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. 

She needed a place to stay. She considered calling Maddy, but then she’d have to tell her about her family problems, which she didn’t want to do. That was why she ended up calling Paige. Paige was aware of her family’s issues, and she previously came to Alex’s rescue. Hopefully, she’d do it again.

Paige answered, sounding thrilled to talk to her. “Alex, hi! It’s great to hear from you.”

“Paige...I need your help again.”

-

Paige opened the door before Alex could ring the doorbell. Her presence put Alex at ease, prompting her to lower her defenses. All the pain she’d been holding in got released in an uncontrollable stream of tears.

Alex embraced Paige as she buried her head in her shoulder. She cried out in pain as Paige stroked her hair. Alex felt embarrassed because she disliked crying, but how could she not cry? Her mother and Jay had sex behind her back, which confused her because Jay said he loved her, but he fucked her mother? Alex knew he was a lying lowlife, but she never expected him to stoop this low.

“Alex...did someone hurt you?”

“Not physically.” Alex lifted her head to wipe her tears, but Paige did it for her. She was still curious about who’d mistreated Alex, so Alex resumed her story. “I just found out Jay slept with my mother.”

“Slept? As in...?”

“They had sex, Paige.”

“What the hell?” Paige exclaimed in disgust. “Do you know why they did it?”

“My mother was having issues with Chad, and slept with Jay to make herself feel better. Now I don’t have a family.”

“Hey, that’s not true,” Paige whispered, cupping Alex’s cheek. “You’ve got me. I’ll always be here for you, Alex.”

Alex nodded as she touched Paige’s hand. “I know. When I’m in trouble, you’re the first person I turn to, and I never regret it.”

“That has to mean something, right?”

Alex sighed, unsure of what to say. She promised Maddy she wouldn’t give in, but Paige was always there for her when she needed it. It proved how much she cared for her, so Alex couldn’t help but feel attracted to her. Paige had also matured. Maybe she deserved another chance. 

Paige’s response to her silence shocked Alex. “Look, I don’t expect you to say it back, but I want you to know that I love you.”

Alex never expected Paige to say, “I love you” first. They weren’t even together.

“And everything I said at the movie theater was true,” Paige added. “I wanna be with you, Alex.”

Alex noticed Paige looking at her lips. Alex wanted to kiss her, but it went wrong the last time. So she turned her head away, but Paige forced her to look her in the eyes. “Don’t turn away.”

“Why?”

“Because this time will be different.”

Paige made the first move, pressing her body against Alex’s, as well as her lips. Alex kissed her back as if someone had pressed a ‘go’ button for her, only now realizing how much she missed feeling Paige’s soft lips against hers.

Alex felt herself being pushed into the wall. Paige kissed her forcefully, almost bruising her lips, but Alex didn’t mind. She tilted her head and matched Paige’s energy as she slipped her hand beneath her top. 

Paige bit Alex’s lower lip, causing her to moan. Paige smirked into the kiss, which told Alex she enjoyed being in control. And Paige hadn’t freaked out or jumped away yet, suggesting she was ready to commit. Alex was ready to commit, too. 

They’d talk about making it official later, though. Right now, Alex wanted to savor the moment.

 
“I’ll have a vanilla milkshake,” Hazel told a server as she sat at the counter at The Dot. She handed him her money, and he nodded before making her milkshake.

While she waited, she took out her phone to check social media. It was Saturday, and Hazel usually slept in, but she’d been having trouble sleeping because of the stress overwhelming her body. Stress that Paige had given her. 

She and Paige used to be attached to the hip; wherever Paige went, everyone knew Hazel would be beside her. She prioritized Paige over everything, except cheerleading, believing Paige would reciprocate. But Paige couldn’t be loyal to anyone but herself. It made Hazel question why Paige had ever befriended her. Did she want someone to follow her around?

Paige would have to find someone else for the job. And she had; Anya. Paige had even posted a selfie of herself and Anya. Hazel laughed at the “BFF 👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻” caption, since she expected it.

Paige wanted a reaction, but Hazel wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing she was making her angry. She also didn’t want to see Paige flaunt her friendship with Anya, so she planned to unfollow her.

She saw that Paige was still following her. That was strange, since Paige was quick to unfollow her enemies on social media. Spinner was the perfect example, so why was she holding on to Hazel? Did Paige still care about her? 

Hazel stopped thinking positively. It’d be stupid to get her hopes up when Paige made it clear she meant nothing to her. On that note, Hazel pressed the unfollow button. 

To make sure the stress and jealousy never returned, she also blocked Paige. Once she was blocked, her milkshake arrived. She slurped it, going through her pictures and removing the ones with Paige. Hazel heard the door open, but didn’t glance to see who entered. She was preoccupied. 

The person approached the counter, requesting the server’s attention. Hazel’s ears perked up when she heard their familiar voice. It was the girl who tried to befriend her the day before: Marisol.

“I’ll have what she’s having,” Marisol said, jerking her head towards Hazel. The server made her a vanilla milkshake. Meanwhile, Marisol stared at Hazel. “Hello, Hazel. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

Hazel's eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Are you stalking me?”

Marisol laughed at that absurd question. “I don’t stalk.”

“Really? You ordered the same thing as me.”

“It’s just a milkshake, hun.”

Hazel cringed at the word “hun.” Marisol knew it reminded her of Paige. “My bad. That word probably gives you PTSD. Because, you know...Paige.”

Hazel slurped her milkshake loudly to drown out Marisol’s voice, but it was ineffective. Marisol chuckled. “You don’t have to be so cold. I don’t have a problem with you.”

“Which is odd, since you have a problem with every other Degrassian. What tricks do you have up your sleeves?”

“There are no tricks. All I want is a friend. Is that so wrong?”

“You have plenty of friends.”

“I’d like to add you to that list. I think you’re worth it because, believe it or not, you and I have a lot in common.”

Hazel lifted an eyebrow. “Is that so?” 

“Yeah.” She sat next to Hazel. “You remind me of myself. You’re a badass who doesn’t take crap from anyone, and I respect that.”

“Thanks?” Hazel said with a strange expression. She wanted Marisol to stop flattering her because it wasn’t working. 

“There’s no need to thank me. I may respect you, but I want you to respect yourself. Stressing over Paige is beneath you.” She paused, speaking earnestly. “You deserve a true friend, Hazel. Someone who won’t abandon you when someone new comes along.”

“Like you?” 

“I’m the furthest thing from fake. My friends can vouch for me,” she said as her milkshake arrived. She thanked the server and paid him before returning her attention to Hazel. “My friends and I have been close since the day we met. We’re solid as hell, and if you give me a chance, you can be a part of it. I mean...Paige moved on, so why can’t you?”

Hazel sipped her milkshake in unison with Marisol, understanding that she was on to something. Paige had a new best friend and was openly sharing it with everyone. Hazel deserved to find a new best friend as well, because Marisol was right. She was worth it. 

She wasn’t sure if Marisol was more loyal than Paige, but Lakehurst rarely clashed with each other, whereas everyone at Degrassi loved fighting and betraying each other. Lakehurst was putting them to shame in terms of loyalty, implying they were trustworthy people. Hazel was open to giving Marisol a chance. 

Her friends would never approve of her parading around with a Lakehurster. But, oh well. Hazel was tired of following other people’s orders. She needed to be her own person and follow her instincts, which were telling her to befriend Marisol.

“Okay,” Hazel said. “We can be friends.”

“Really?” Marisol chirped. When Hazel nodded, Marisol wrapped her arms around her. “Oh, thank you! You won’t regret it. I swear.” 

Hazel hoped not. 

“I’ll introduce you to my friends,” Marisol added. “You’ll love them.”

Hazel wasn’t sure about that. That Maya girl had a mouth on her. Regardless, she drank her milkshake while Marisol drank hers, speaking in between sips to get to know each other better.

Hazel loved the time they were spending together. She didn’t plan on stopping until it was time to go to Joey’s garage for Downtown Sasquatch’s band rehearsal later. She wished she could bring Marisol with her, but it’d be unwise.

It was fine. Being away from Marisol for a few hours wasn’t a big deal, since she planned to have a long-term friendship with her. Hopefully, that wish would come true. 

Chapter Text

Jimmy didn’t want to be at band rehearsal. Manny had caused him to lose his girlfriend, and he was still mad at her for that.

Despite feeling betrayed, he couldn’t shake Manny from his mind. The things she said, especially about being great together, kept replaying in his mind. Manny also claimed she could make him as happy as Alisha, and a part of Jimmy believed her.

He couldn’t deny the joy he felt whenever he spent time with Manny. He enjoyed her company, which was why it pained him that they weren’t on good terms anymore. He wanted to paint her and take her out to eat, but he couldn’t trust her. How could he be with someone he didn’t trust?

Jimmy picked up his guitar while Craig held the brand new one Spinner had presented to him. Spinner had bought Craig that guitar as a token of their friendship. Jimmy thought it was a kind gesture, and he was proud of them for working out their issues. 

Marco congratulated Craig. So did Hazel. Ellie was also present, but she was sitting out, not bothering to congratulate her boyfriend. She wouldn’t even look at him.

Jimmy hadn’t spoken to her since before they found out about her mother’s near-death experience. Ellie might be upset with him, so he went over to talk to her, but his phone vibrated. Jimmy knew who texted him. 

Manny: I miss you. 

Jimmy: I don’t miss you. 

Manny: That’s not true, and we both know it. 

Maybe it wasn’t true, since he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He considered blocking her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, and he had no idea why. All he knew was that he felt bad for not giving Alisha the same energy. He hadn’t even thought of ways to get her back.

Maybe he was over Alisha and hadn’t realized it. Or maybe he was unwilling to admit it, like Manny had said.

Manny. Manny. Manny. Jimmy was sick of thinking about her! Maybe the only solution was to give her what she desired: him. Alisha had given him permission, but did she mean it? 

It didn’t matter. Craig would never allow him to be with Manny. Jimmy wasn’t sure how Spinner would react, either. He liked Darcy, but not too long ago, he was considering cutting her off for Manny. That suggested he still cared about her.

“Earth to Jimmy?” Craig showed off his brand-new guitar with a goofy smile. “Do you like it?”

Jimmy smiled, but his tone was flat. “It looks cool, Craig.”

“It’s gonna sound cooler.” Craig faced Spinner and spoke sincerely. “I can’t thank you enough, Spin.”

Spinner waved off his praise. “There’s no need. Just put it to good use.”

“Alright, let’s get into position.” 

Jimmy sat next to Craig. Marco stood behind him, as Spinner sat at the drum set. Craig talked to Ellie in the roughest tone. “Ellie, are you joining us or not?” She said nothing and Craig scoffed. “Whatever.”

He motioned for Spinner to play the drums. Spinner complied, starting the song for them. Jimmy and Marco soon joined in, and Craig began singing the lyrics while playing his guitar. Jimmy bobbed his head as he plucked the strings, enjoying the melodic sound that echoed in the air. However, he stared at Craig long and hard, since his lyrics made Jimmy think about Manny. 

When he heard Craig say, “Everybody needs somebody,” Jimmy chuckled because Craig would never let Manny be his somebody. Jimmy continued to express his dissatisfaction through bitter chuckles and head shakes as his bandmates looked at him strangely. 

Craig motioned for Spinner and Marco to be quiet. “Alright, cut.” Spinner and Marco stopped playing their instruments. “Jimmy, what’s up, man? You don’t like the lyrics?”

He didn’t, but couldn’t admit it. “The lyrics are fine, Craig. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“So do I, thanks to someone,” Craig muttered, staring at a certain redhead. Ellie  returned his glare. The tension between them was clear, and Jimmy couldn’t figure out why they were so angry. 

“Are you two gonna explain what’s going on?”

“She tried to kill herself,” Craig revealed, causing everyone to look at him wide-eyed. 

“That is not what happened!” Ellie shouted, pointing at Craig. Everyone gave her a “so what happened?” look. “I accidentally cut myself with a knife.”

“A knife that shouldn’t have been pressed against your skin!” Craig argued. 

Marco’s eyes widened more. “El...you were trying to hurt yourself?”

Craig spoke for Ellie yet again. “Of course she was. When things get bad, her first instinct is to cut herself instead of talking to her boyfriend about her problems.”

Ellie stood up to leave. “You know what? I can’t do this.”

“Ellie, stay,” Hazel begged. 

“No! My boyfriend’s picking on me instead of being supportive!”

“Stop playing victim,” Craig responded. Ellie called herself the victim and Craig the villain. Craig didn’t take that accusation lightly. They argued as the rest of the group listened in awkward silence. Ellie told Craig to go to hell, which made Jimmy shake his head. They’d never been so brutal with each other before. 

Ellie sped out of the garage. Craig noticed the distaste in everyone’s eyes as they turned to him. He was unable to believe they were looking at him as if he was really the villain. “She tried to kill herself, but I’m the bad guy?”

Craig waited for one of them to side with him, but no one did, which irritated him. “Cool.”

He dropped his brand new guitar, causing Spinner to leap up from his seat. “Hey! I just bought that!”

Craig didn’t care. He only cared about getting out of the garage. 

“Craig, stay!” Marco insisted. 

“No!” Craig objected as he turned around. “I’m a big fat bully, right?!”

Hazel charged at him. She grabbed his arm and scolded him. “Can you stop acting like this? Ellie is patient with you, so be patient with her.”

“You expect me to be patient when she’s trying to kill herself?”

“You’re exaggerating. Did you really think she’d slit her wrists and bleed to death?”

“She wouldn’t,” Marco clarified. “She just wanted relief.”

Craig gave him a dirty look. “Don’t excuse her behavior.”

Hazel told him they wouldn’t excuse his behavior either. She thought he was being too mean. Craig justified yelling at Ellie, feeling more like a therapist than her boyfriend. He disliked it, but Hazel pointed out that they were equally damaged. He needed to stop acting superior to her. 

“We can’t imagine what she’s going through,” she said. “She temporarily lost her house and almost lost her mother. She’s going through a lot.”

“She’s not the only one going through stuff,” Craig shot back. 

“She’s still struggling, so be gentle,” Hazel answered before making a suggestion. “If you’re concerned about her, find her a support group or something. You have options, but abandoning her isn’t one of them.”

Jimmy was listening to what Hazel was saying when his phone rang. He rolled his eyes when he saw Manny calling. He wanted to ignore the call, but Manny wouldn’t leave him alone until he answered. He had no choice but to go outside to answer the phone.

“Why are you calling me, Manny?” Jimmy demanded to know outside the garage.

“You left me on read.”

“That means I don’t want to talk. Stop calling me.”

“I can’t. I need you to keep thinking about me.”

“I have been, and I wanna stop.”

“Don’t fight the feeling. You know we’re supposed to be together, and it’s killing you on the inside, isn’t it?”

Jimmy refused to answer that question. “Bye, Manny,” he said as he removed the phone from his ear. He heard Manny say, “Jimmy, wait!” but he hung up.

He stared at the screen, hating that a part of himself wanted her to call back. She didn’t, which left him a little disappointed. Now she was giving up?

“Manny?” said a girl from behind him. Jimmy flinched and saw Hazel eyeing his phone. “Why were you talking to Manny?”

Jimmy pursed his lips, not wanting to be found out. If he told Hazel that Alisha dumped him because he’d gotten close to Manny, she’d criticize him. It’d be worse if he admitted to letting Manny kiss him on the cheek. Hazel wouldn’t hold back from telling him what an idiot he was.

He could tell from Hazel’s solemn expression that she wasn’t accepting his silence. With a sigh, he recounted his wrongdoings, and as expected, Hazel called him an idiot.

“I know I am.” Manny reappeared in his thoughts, and he shook his head. “I’m mad at Manny, but I can’t stop thinking about her. She said we’d be good together, and I believe her. She’d treat me well, but I can’t be with her because—”

“Craig,” Hazel completed for him. 

Jimmy nodded. “He’ll hate me, but Manny truly wants me.”

“What do you want?” Hazel questioned. “Do you wanna ruin your friendship? Divide the squad? Because that’s what’ll happen.”

“So you don’t approve?”

“I never will,” Hazel declared. “You can date anyone you want, but Manny Santos is off-limits.” She waited for his agreement, but he remained silent. “Did you hear me?”

“Yeah, I heard you.” But Jimmy wasn’t sure if he was listening. “Enough about me. What’s going on with you and Paige? I noticed you unfollowed her.”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “She replaced me with Anya from Lakehurst, so I guess you’re not the only one going through it.”

“Well, I’ll never replace you. You know that, right?” 

“I know. Because you’re a true friend.”

“I won’t say Paige is fake, but if she won’t hang out with you, that’s fine. You can hang out with me,” he stated.

“Oh, I will. Someone needs to make sure you stay away from Manny.”

But was that possible? 

 
Maya announced her departure on Sunday. She put on her coat before unlocking the door. She was going to open it when her mother appeared, informing her that they needed to talk. 

She told her mother they could talk later. Just as she was about to step out, her mother blocked her path by placing one of her crutches in front of her. Maya sighed. Her mother wouldn’t let her go until they finished talking. 

“I know what you’ve been up to at school, missy. Trashing the hallways? Starting a war?”

How did she find out? “Ms. Hatzilakos told you?”

“No. Your sister did.”

Why was Katie snitching? Now their mother might prevent her from participating in the war. 

Maya’s mother demanded an explanation. “What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?”

Maya pointed up the stairs. “Katie isn’t innocent! She’s involved in the war!”

“But she isn’t causing chaos. Unlike you, she’s being productive.”

“If you want me to be productive, maybe I need to transfer schools,” Maya reasoned. If she stayed at Degrassi, she’d never be able to focus on anything other than avenging Lakehurst. The only downside would be being away from Nic, unless he transferred too.

“I want you and Katie to be together.”

“She can come too.”

“Katie isn’t leaving that school, Maya. She’s the newspaper’s editor.”

“She can be the editor somewhere else!”

“She might not be able to, so you need to stop misbehaving. Or do I need to send you to a program for troubled teens?”

“You’d ship me off like a package?” she questioned with sadness. How could her mother be so cold?

Her mother didn’t care, though. She’d send her off if necessary, which caused Maya to form a new opinion of her. “Wow. Thanks for proving how much you love me,” she said sarcastically before rushing up the stairs. 

“I thought you were leaving?” 

“I need to talk to Katie!” Because it didn’t make sense why she was making Maya look like the bad guy. Katie knew they had every right to give Degrassi hell. In fact, she was the one who gave them the green light. Why was she acting different?

Katie’s behavior had been suspicious for a while. All she cared about was that stupid newspaper. She spent all her time on it, so how did her article about Degrassi disappear? Was Marisol right? Was that not an accident?

Maya stood in the doorway, watching Katie clean her room. “Whose side are you on?” she said, causing Katie to jump and turn. “Ours or Degrassi’s?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why did you tell on me?” Maya elaborated as she entered the room.

“You mean, why did I tell our mother about what’s going on in our lives?”

Maya scoffed. “You betrayed me. If I continue to misbehave, Mom will send me to a program for troubled teens.”

Katie shrugged. “Maybe it’s for the best, Maya. I think the war should end, anyway.”

“Why is that? Is it because you’ve been playing both sides?” Maya crossed her arms and continued to expose her. “I don’t think your article was ever missing. You didn’t want to bash Degrassi, did you?”

“No, I didn’t!”

Maya’s jaw dropped, not expecting Katie to be so honest. “Why? Because you still have feelings for Drew?”

“This has nothing to do with Drew. Lakehurst is gone, and it sucks, but fighting Degrassi won’t bring it back. We’re making ourselves hated for no reason.”

“We’re fighting for our school because we’re not traitors like you,” Maya spat as she backed up to the door. “But go ahead; join Degrassi’s side. I’ll make sure Lakehurst knows you’re not one of us anymore.”

“Seriously? I’m your sister.”

“Marisol will fill in for you. She’s actually reliable.”

Maya gave her one more angry look before fleeing. Katie kept pleading for her to return, but Maya didn’t want to talk to anyone who was unsupportive of Lakehurst’s justice. 

Maya exited the house. She took out her phone, planning to call Nic and tell him what Katie had admitted. Their entire friend group needed to know, and they would in due time. Maya couldn’t care less about what happened to Katie after that. 

Nic answered the phone. Maya didn’t give him a chance to say hello before blurting out what she needed to say. “Nic, you won’t believe what Katie did.”

-

Maya never visited Nic’s house before. It made sense, since she only started caring about him two weeks ago. Before that, she avoided Nic as much as possible. Now Maya couldn’t bear being apart. 

She walked up to Nic’s front door, and it was as if he sensed her, because he opened it. She entered the house and took in her surroundings. The walls were adorned with Nic’s photos at different ages. Maya concentrated on the stairs, expecting Nic’s parents to descend them.

Maya didn’t realize she looked tense until Nic said, “Will you relax? My parents aren’t here.”

“Good. It’s too soon for me to meet them.”

“Too soon?”

Maya cocked her head. “Nic, we haven’t been dating for a week.”

“So? We’ll be together forever. They should meet you.”

“They will. Just not today.”

The conversation ended there. Nic took her hand and led her to the living room. He sat on the couch, bringing her onto his lap. One of his arms curled around her to prevent her from falling off, while his free hand rested on her thigh.

“So, what’s this about Katie?”

Maya smoothed a wisp of hair from his eyes. “Her article was never missing. She chose not to criticize Degrassi.”

Nic’s all-too-familiar sneer reappeared. “So Marisol was right. She’s shady.”

“Yeah.” Maya groaned and put her head on his. “Our friends keep choosing Degrassi, and I’m sick of it.”

“Let them. They’ll realize they made the wrong choice.” 

Maya nodded without lifting her head from his. She and Nic sat in silence, both thinking about Katie. Although Katie betrayed them, it wasn’t catastrophic. But if Nic betrayed her, she’d be heartbroken. She needed to make sure he had no plans to abandon her. 

“Nic, you’d never betray me, right?” Maya asked. Nic gave her a “Are you really asking me that?” look, and Maya nodded, wanting to be reassured. 

“You know I’m crazy about you, Maya,” he said as his hand moved from her thigh to  her hand. “Nothing can tear us apart.”

“We’re so solid,” she remarked before pecking his lips. They couldn’t make out; important matters awaited.

Maya FaceTimed Marisol. Marisol answered the phone. “Maya! I’m glad you called because I have news for you!”

“So do I. Katie said she didn’t criticize Degrassi on purpose.”

Marisol wore the same dissatisfied expression as Nic. “Wow. My traitor detector is always right.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Are we done with her?”

“Yup. She likes Degrassi, so she can stay with them.”

Marisol  was no longer dissatisfied; instead, her tone was upbeat, and a smile emerged on her face. “It’s fine. Hazel will take her place.”

They only knew one Hazel, and she was a Degrassian. “As in Paige’s bestie?”

“Not anymore. Chantay tore them apart with her fabricated rumor,” Marisol said before revealing how she became interested in Hazel. “Hazel and I aren’t so different. We’re both badasses who lost our best friends, so we’re giving our friendship a chance. I’d like to introduce her to you guys.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The last time I talked to Hazel, it didn’t end well.”

“Having Hazel on our side will benefit us, so you have to be nice to her.” She looked at Nic, wanting him to support her. “Right, Nic?”

He swallowed as he shifted his gaze between Maya and the phone screen. Ultimately, he agreed with Marisol because she had a valid point: Hazel was on their side, which benefited them.

“I guess having more people on our side isn’t a bad thing,” he said, making Maya sigh. She couldn’t be angry with him for wanting to win the war. She wanted the same. 

“Great!” Marisol clapped with delight. “So it’s settled. Hazel has joined the squad.” 

“Whatever,” Maya murmured, refusing to get her hopes up. Hazel and Paige were the two Degrassians she despised the most, so she wasn’t sure how this would turn out. “I hope she doesn’t start trouble.” 

Because Maya was dealing with enough nonsense.

 
Alex was no longer a blubbering mess, but she was barely keeping it together. Whenever she closed her eyes, she imagined what had happened between Jay and her mother. She fought the urge to vomit each time. 

Jay was good at destroying her life. She regretted dating him, but she knew everything had happened for a reason. Maybe she had to endure Jay’s nonsense to find her true partner: Paige.

Words couldn’t express how grateful she was for Paige. Without her, Alex would be sleeping on the streets or, worse, dead. Therefore, she had to thank Paige’s parents for everything. 

Paige told her parents Alex would be living with them, prompting Jeff to ask Alex whether everything was okay at home. Alex didn’t tell them her mother had slept with Jay. Admitting it was embarrassing, so she responded vaguely.

“My home isn’t a nice environment to live in. I need to get away,” she had explained. 

“You’re more than welcome to stay here. Any friend of Paige is a friend of ours,” Jeff had declared. So Alex guessed she was a Michalchuk. 

“I’d appreciate some help.” Paige motioned to the half-made bed. 

Alex leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. “I’d rather talk about what happened yesterday, or are you gonna act like you have amnesia again?”

Paige fluffed the pillows with a serious expression. “I’m not ashamed of you anymore, Alex. When I said I loved you, I meant it.”

“I love you too,” Alex replied. Paige shook her head, thinking she was just being nice. “Come on, Paige. I liked you before you liked me.”

“Okay.” Paige stood in front of her, their bodies so close that Alex could feel her minty breath. “If we love each other, we should be together, right?” Alex nodded, causing Paige’s hand to travel to her hand. “So, Alexandra, will you be my sweetheart?”

“Do you even have to ask?” she joked, cementing their relationship. She and Paige met in the center, lips touching in an achingly sweet kiss. It was short-lived since they heard Paige’s mother in the doorway. 

“Paige-” A gasp accompanied that call, causing Alex and Paige to stop kissing. Rose’s face had lost its color, as if she’d seen a ghost. “Oh. Uh. I apologize for intruding. But...what did I just see? Were you two kissing?”

Paige didn’t fabricate a cover-up story. She’d had enough of hiding. “Alex is my girlfriend, mom.”

“G-girlfriend?” Rose stammered in surprise. “As in a female friend, right?”

“No. We’re in a relationship,” Paige blurted out. Alex felt her heart hammering. She was afraid she’d get kicked out now. 

“Oh my,” Rose said, clutching her hand over her mouth. She had to look away, overwhelmed. “Since when do you like girls, Paige?”

“Not girls. Just Alex,” Paige clarified. “And I’ve liked her ever since she spent the night months ago. I was in denial about it.”

“I wasn’t expecting this news. You know your father and I want grandkids. But if you and Dylan are in same-sex relationships—”

“Adoption is an option.”

“I know that, but we want biological grandchildren.”

“We all want things we can’t have,” Paige shot back before wrapping her arm around Alex’s back and smiling. Alex smiled too, admiring Paige’s dedication to her and their relationship. “I love Alex, and she loves me. That isn’t changing.” 

They kissed again, and Rose sighed. “This isn’t ideal, but it’d be wrong for me to stop you when I didn’t stop Dylan. I’ll accept this relationship, and I’ll make sure your father does as well.”

“Oh, thank you!” Paige exclaimed as she hurried to give Rose a hug. Rose told Paige to make sure she and Alex stayed together forever. She adored Alex and considered her to be family.

Rose then went to speak with Jeff. Paige shut the door and locked it. “Well, that was unexpected. I wanted to tell her properly, but whatever.”

Alex looked on the bright side. “At least she approves. My mother would judge me if I told her I was a lesbian.”

“She can’t judge anyone. Not after what she did.”

Paige understood her completely. She was the perfect match for Alex. “Will you tell your friends about us?” Alex asked.

“Of course. I wanna show you off to the world.”

“Me too. I have to tell Bianca, Eli, and my coworker Maddy.”

“The redhead?”

“Yeah. She told me not to forgive you, so I’m not sure if she’ll approve of this.”

When Alex’s phone vibrated, she became bothered as well. Jay had the audacity to ask her to meet him, so they could talk about what had happened with her mother.

Paige ordered Alex to block him, but Alex refused. Now was her chance to get everything off her chest, and she wouldn’t waste it. 

-

Alex clenched her fists to prevent them from punching Jay. But when he said her name, Alex lost her cool. Her fists relaxed, but she didn’t punch him. Instead, she slapped him, and Jay hissed while massaging his stinging cheek.

“Okay...I deserved that.”

“You deserve worse than that!” Alex yelled. “You slept with my mother behind my back?!”

“She started it!” Jay deflected. “She got on her knees and—”

Alex didn’t want to hear that filth. “You didn’t stop her, so you’re just as guilty!”

Jay sighed and looked at a curious bystander. He was watching their encounter, and Jay didn’t want him to hear about his nefarious activities, so he lowered his voice. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think about how this would affect you, which was a mistake.”

“Oh, I’m sure you thought about me. You knew it would hurt me, but you didn’t care. Why? Because I turned you down?”

“Well, if you had taken me back, none of this would’ve happened.”

Alex raised her fist to punch him in the face. Jay seized her wrist and drew her close. Alex pushed and pounded his chest to get free. It didn’t work, but she didn’t stop striking him. This was her chance to let go of the anguish and misery he and her mother had caused her, and she was taking it. 

She couldn’t believe Jay had done something so heinous. She expected him to betray others, not her. Then he had the nerve to blame her for what happened. It was aggravating how he could never own up to his wrongdoings. His bad behavior was always someone else’s fault. Alex was tired of it. 

She was still thrashing him and had no intention of stopping. She must’ve been doing some damage, since he tried to calm her down. “Alex, stop! Just relax!”

“Get off of me, Jay!” Alex screamed. She could see the curious man staring at them uncomfortably, unsure whether he should call the cops. “You’re a lowlife, you’ll always be a lowlife, and everything we had is history! I don’t know you anymore!”

She freed herself from his grip. She raced off in the opposite direction, refusing to breathe the same air as him. Jay followed her. “Alex, come on! I love you!”

“You love me?” Alex repeated as she swiveled around. “You had sex with my mother.”

“She was sad! I didn’t wanna make it worse!”

“You’re both sad.” 

Jay sighed and rested his hands on his hips. “Do you want me to stop talking to her? Because I’ll do it.”

“I don’t care what you do,” Alex replied. “I’m with Paige now: someone who actually cares about me. You and that woman don’t, and never have, so I’m done. Lose my number.”

Alex gave him one last murderous stare before departing. She blocked his and her mother’s phone numbers. They didn’t exist anymore. 

“Alex, it doesn’t have to be this way!” Jay yelled after her. 

“Goodbye, Hoegart!”

Alex waved her middle finger in the air as she strolled away because he really was a hoe. 

Chapter Text

Liberty promised Sean a welcome-back party, and she intended to keep that promise. She was the party planner, and the party was taking place the following weekend, so she needed to prepare. 

Liberty curled up on the couch, jotting down party ideas. Derek came over, as he did every weekend, and he and Danny were playing PlayStation. They hooted and hollered every time they lost, and Liberty looked at them with disapproving eyes. They were interfering with her concentration.

They continued to be loud, causing Liberty to huff and do her best to drown them out. She tapped her pen on the pad, thinking about the key elements of the party: the cake, the decorations, and the guest list. She’d have to ask Sean what cake he wanted. Hopefully he’d keep it simple, so it’d be easy to bake.

The decorations required more thought. Liberty needed a welcome-back banner, balloons, and confetti for the tables and floors. What color did Sean like best? Blue?

The only way to know was to ask him. Liberty took her phone off the end table and navigated to Sean’s contact name. She was going to press the call button, but Sean called her within seconds. 

She accepted the call, pressing the phone to her ear and skipping the greetings. “Sean! What kind of cake do you like?” 

“Chocolate.”

She wrote his response before asking him another question. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Is this a quiz?”

“Answer, Sean!” 

“I don’t know. I like blue, gray, and black.”

Liberty decided for him. “Blue, it is.” 

“Wait, is this about the party?”

“You know it is,” Liberty said, her gaze fixed on her notes. 

Sean made an irritated sound. “Liberty, seriously. You don’t have to do this.”

Yes she did. Sean might not want to have a party, but he deserved one. He saved not only Emma, but all of them. It was only fitting that they showed him how grateful they were.

“You’re not changing my mind, Sean. I’m already brainstorming.”

“Can you take a break? I was wondering if you wanted to see a movie.”

“You want me to go to the movies with you?” Liberty couldn’t grasp why Sean wanted to see a movie with her specifically. He had better options. “Where’s Toby?”

“I called him, but he didn’t answer.”

“Don’t tell me you’re fighting.”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Well, where’s Emma?”

“Emma and I are cool, but I don’t wanna be alone with her,” he admitted. “Besides, she’s probably with Milton.”

“And what about Manny?”

Sean became agitated once he realized she was looking for a way out. “Just say you don’t wanna come.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to; she didn’t have the time. She needed to concentrate on making his party the best party ever. “We don’t have time for movies, Sean. We have to plan your party.”

“We have five days to do it. Please come?” Sean begged. Liberty was even more surprised because she’d never heard him beg. He must genuinely want her company. “I’ll handle the tickets and snacks, okay?” 

It was a tempting offer. “Well, I love free food...”

“Yeah?” Sean expected a yes, and he got it. Liberty told him they could go, but she’d come straight home afterwards to continue planning for his party. Sean agreed, and Liberty went upstairs to get ready.

-

Sean kept his word and took care of the tickets, which were for a new action movie he’d been itching to watch. The film didn’t appeal to Liberty. She was more interested in the snacks. 

Moviegoers rushed in and out of their screenings. The massive line at the concession stand caught Liberty’s attention. The person operating the register was a familiar face from school.

Sean jerked his chin in the girl’s direction. “There’s Alex!” 

“So?”

“Well...I didn’t bring money for snacks.”

Liberty chastised him while smacking his arm. “Sean, you said you’d handle it!”

“I am. Alex will hook us up.”

After a few minutes, it was their turn to order. Sean leaned against the counter and greeted Alex enthusiastically. “Alex! How are you?”

“Hey, Sean. Welcome back.”

“Thank you.” Sean noticed she was in a bad mood. “Are you okay? You seem irritated.”

Alex shook her head, her eyes fixed on the register. “I’m not having the best day. Your friend Jay is a piece of shit.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Sean jokingly said. “But I’m not a piece of shit.”

“I know. You’re a ‘hero,’” Alex said, using air quotes. 

“Right. So...will you help this hero?”

She knew Sean was up to no good. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“All we need is free snacks,” Sean explained. Alex looked bewildered, and asked if he was trying to get her fired. Sean sighed and begged her to reconsider. “Alex, come on. Just this once? We won’t tell your boss.”

“Fine. Only because you deserve it.”

Sean smiled and told her what candy they wanted. Alex made sure the coast was clear before handing it over. She then made a large bucket of popcorn. Sean accepted the bucket, thanking her and telling her he owed her. He walked away and Liberty followed, but Alex called her back.

“Hey, Liberty!” Alex jerked her head at Sean, who had entered their screening. “He’s a keeper.”

Why would Liberty need to know that? She hoped Alex didn’t think they were together. She and Sean were just friends going to a movie. But, thanks to Alex, a part of Liberty wanted to go home since she felt uncomfortable now. 

-

Liberty felt uneasy as Alex’s words repeated in her mind. She hadn't eaten popcorn because of it. She feared accidentally touching Sean's hand, which would make her feel even more uncomfortable.

Her leg bounced as she nibbled on her fingernail. It must’ve distracted Sean, since he took his focus away from the screen to question her. “You okay?”

Liberty lied through her teeth. “Yeah. I’m great.”

“Really? You haven’t eaten any popcorn.”

“Not hungry.”

“You know I can tell when you’re lying, right?”

She disregarded what he said. She concentrated on the screen, but Sean stared at her so intently that it was hard to ignore him. She had to tell the truth.

“Fine,” Liberty said, meeting his gaze. “Alex said something weird.”

“What?”

“I’d rather not say. I don’t wanna make things awkward.” 

His brows furrowed, wondering what Alex could’ve said to make things awkward between them. “Well, do you wanna leave?” 

“No. You wanna see this movie, so let’s see it. I’ll be fine.” She proved it by smiling as she threw popcorn into her mouth. Sean smiled too. 

“Okay, but don’t take Alex seriously. She was just messing around.”

Right. 

-

Two hours later, Liberty stood outside her house with Sean. She was still bothered by Alex’s comments, but she had mostly calmed down. Maybe she needed to get away from the mall. 

“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” Sean said, his hands in his jean pockets. 

Liberty nodded as she turned her body to face him. “Yeah, but I had a great time. That wasn’t a bad movie.”

“Do you wanna watch the sequel with me when it comes out?” Sean asked hesitantly, as if he was worried she’d say no. She said she’d like that, which made his face light up. “Cool.”

Nothing else was said. They stared at each other in quiet, and it felt weird again, so Sean dismissed himself. “Well, bye.” 

He spun around and left. It prompted Liberty to exclaim, “Wait! No hug?”

Sean halted and turned around. “I didn’t know you wanted one, with you feeling awkward and all.”

Liberty stepped up to him, playfully rolling her eyes. She threw her arms around him, and Sean returned the gesture. The front door opened as they hugged, and Danny’s voice echoed through the air.

“Oooh, what’s this?”

Liberty drew away from Sean and noticed Danny and Derek standing in the doorway. Their glances between her and Sean reignited her uneasiness. Did Danny and Derek also think they were together?

“Danny, stop it.”

Danny smirked, his arms out to the sides. “What? I’m curious, because you two seem to be very close.”

Danny and Derek laughed, but Liberty felt embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed because she was fed up with everyone assuming she and Sean were together. They were friends! 

“Bye, Sean!” Liberty waved, not bothering to look at him. She wanted to hide from the world, so she ran into her house. She hurried upstairs to her bedroom, deciding to avoid everyone for the day. 

 
Toby had to decline Sean's call since he just received terrible news from his father and Kate. “What do you mean Ashley’s coming back soon?!”

Toby searched for signs of it being a joke, but their pursed lips confirmed his nightmare was real. Ashley was returning to Degrassi; she was returning home. That was something neither he nor anyone else wanted. 

Once Ashley showed her face, he’d have to do a lot of hiding since she was the reason he became disliked last semester. When everyone found out she abused Jimmy, everyone thought Toby was also abusive since he was her stepbrother. He became guilty by association, and everyone feared him.

It’d been four months since Ashley left. A lot had happened since then, but everyone would remember her atrocities the moment they saw her face. Toby didn’t want to deal with criticism simply for being her stepbrother. It wasn’t right. 

Kate informed him that Ashley had to come back someday, and Toby argued that she could come back after he graduated. His father shook his head and sat beside him. “Come on, kiddo. People hate your sister because of what she did. She needs you.”

“You think I don’t hate her too?” Toby retorted. “Everyone at Degrassi thought I was abusive as well. I don’t want that to happen again.”

Kate approached him. “I understand your concerns, but things will be better from now on. Your sister has matured.”

Their conversation was making the air thick with dread. Toby felt like he was suffocating, so he stood and left. “I need some fresh air.”

Because he was beginning to lose his mind. 

-

Toby knew he had to avoid Ashley; the question was how? Should he move in with Sean? They wouldn’t need anyone’s permission since Sean lived alone, but Toby knew Sean preferred his solitude. Plus, his parents wouldn’t allow him to move out until he graduated. 

He sucked his teeth and sat on a bench while pulling out his phone. He went to his messages and accessed his old conversation with JT, which he’d never deleted. Toby sent him daily voice messages to share updates about his life. JT wouldn’t hear them, but it gave Toby an odd sense of comfort. 

He hit the audio button and recorded his despairing voice. “Today’s a bad day, JT, but that’s nothing new.” Toby scowled and shook his head. “My parents said Ashley will be back soon. Do you remember what she did to Jimmy? Of course you do; everyone does. That’s why she needs to stay away. I don’t want people to avoid me again.”  

He let the people around him pass before speaking further. Once they were out of earshot, he mentioned, "I'm sure you wouldn't avoid me if you were here, but those other students? They’ll assume I'm abusive because of my connection to her, so I need to distance myself from Ashley.”

“I was considering moving in with Sean.” Toby added, “Yes, the same Sean I hated. We made up, so I don’t mind living with him, but I know my parents will object. I don’t know what to do.”

He sighed, the voice recording picking up only the sound of the wind. It also captured a girl’s upbeat voice as she called for him. “Toby?”

Toby looked up and saw a familiar girl with strawberry-blonde hair. It was Holly J, which made his lips part in shock. Why was she talking to him? They’d never acknowledged each other before. 

“Holly J?”

“Hey!” She clutched her books closer to her chest. “Why are you sitting on a bench?” 

“I was thinking about something.” Toby noticed the recording was still on. He ended it and sent it to JT. The cold air penetrated through his jeans, causing him to tremble and massage his thighs. “But maybe I should get up. This bench is cold.”

“Well, I’m gonna sit,” Holly J said as she sat beside him on the bench, unfazed by its temperature. “I have to do my homework.” 

Toby raised an eyebrow as she placed her books on her lap and opened them. “You come outside to do your homework?”

“It’s less distracting here,” she admitted. “Heather comes home on the weekends, and she loves to talk.”

“Of course. She’s a Sinclair,” Toby joked, making her jaw drop. 

“I’m so not offended?” she said, making Toby laugh. Holly J laughed as well, smacking the side of his leg gently. Toby didn’t mind the action. Despite it being their first chat, it felt as if he and Holly J had been friends for years.

Toby pointed to the books on her lap. “What homework are you doing?”

“Math, which stinks because I’m good at everything else.”

“We’re opposites. Math is my strongest subject. Maybe I can help you.”

“Yes, please! These problems are confusing.” She showed him the equations she was stuck on. Toby knew the answer right away without having to think about it. Holly J’s eyebrows drew together, unsure if he was correct. 

“How do you know? You haven’t learned this yet.”

Toby spoke in a casual tone. “Armstrong says I’m a genius.”

Her expression slid into a slight frown. “I wish I was a genius.”

“You are, Holly J. You’re one of the smartest girls at school.”

“Not with math!”

“It’s fine. You’ve got me,” Toby said with a smile. It must’ve been infectious since Holly J’s frown turned upside down. She nodded, willing to let him help her. 

“Alright, Isaacs. Let’s do this.” 

They spent the rest of their time doing her homework. It didn’t take long, thanks to Toby’s wisdom. Holly J closed her books and thanked him. Toby said it wasn’t an issue. He also told her to let him know if she needed his help again. Holly J nodded and began trembling.

“You’re right. It is cold. I think we should go home before we get sick,” she urged. Toby agreed, and they rose off the chilly bench.

Holly J held her books to her chest, her body facing him. “But, hey. Would you like to hang out sometime?”

Toby didn’t want to show his nervousness, but Holly J had undoubtedly seen his eyes widen. It was also evident from the way he stammered as he pointed at himself. “Y-you wanna hang out with me?”

“Yeah. You’re cool and intelligent. I like guys like you.” 

Toby gawked at her. Did she truly want to be around someone of his stature? Wouldn’t that make her look lame? But Holly J might not care about others' opinions. Maybe she didn’t let outsiders influence her decisions, which Toby respected.

His silence prompted Holly J to add, “It’s okay if you don’t want to, Toby.”

“I do! Because...” He swallowed, trying to find the courage to say his next words. “...I also like girls like you.”

“Okay, then. I’ll let you know when.” 

She waved goodbye. Toby returned her wave, watching her figure shrink as she moved further away from him. As soon as she was out of sight, he began recording another message for JT. 

“JT, you won’t believe what just happened! Holly J freaking Sinclair wants to hang out with me! Can you believe that?!” 

Toby sighed contentedly. His past worries got expelled from his body thanks to a special strawberry blonde-haired girl. He always thought Holly J was great, and she proved him right.

 
Dave couldn’t picture himself being a deadbeat cousin. Chantay, on the other hand, represented it. She’d disowned him for selfish reasons, but had lied to her parents about it. She made them believe she and Dave had a close relationship when they didn’t. They didn’t even like breathing the same air. So Dave was upset to find himself knocking on her door. 

Chantay’s parents wanted to see him again, and he agreed to keep up appearances. He suppressed his anger and reminded himself that he was there to see his aunt and uncle. Not that other chick. 

Chantay opened the door, and Dave rolled his eyes. Chantay caught an attitude. “Lose the attitude. We have to keep up appearances, remember?” Something inside the house caught her attention. “Oh, they’re coming!”

She adjusted her clothes and posture, putting on a performance for her parents. “Dave, you’ve arrived! Yay!” 

She fake-clapped and wrapped her arms around him. Her tight embrace nearly crushed his lungs. Dave knew she was doing it on purpose.

He had no choice but to hug Chantay as her parents reached the door, their eyes gleaming as they watched their embrace. 

“Aw! I love how close you two are!” exclaimed his aunt. 

Close? Chantay was so embarrassed by Dave that she pretended they were strangers at school. Jimmy, Drew, Dallas, Owen, and Bianca were the only ones who knew the truth, because Dave didn’t claim her, either. She was a disappointment. 

He wanted to tell his aunt and uncle the truth, but it’d break their hearts. As a result, Dave formed a thin line with his mouth to avoid exposing Chantay. 

His uncle patted his shoulder. “We missed you, David. We hate that we only see you during the holidays. You should come over more often.”

If he visited more often, he’d have to see Chantay. That was a hard pass. 

His aunt hugged him. While doing so, she made Dave an offer. “Since your father has relocated, I want you to know that you’re welcome to move in with us anytime.”

Dave and Chantay were displeased with those words. “What?” 

Chantay’s mother gave them an odd look. “I don’t see the problem. We’re a family.”

“I live with the Brooks,” Dave mentioned. 

“I understand, but you should be with your real family.”

“Real family?” Dave scoffed. His aunt and uncle exchanged puzzled expressions. 

“Is there something wrong?”

“Yeah,” Dave declared, unable to take the secrets any longer. The Turner-Black family was in shambles because of Chantay. She only cared about herself, so they couldn’t be a real family because Chantay wasn’t real. 

Dave decided to be honest. When he opened his mouth, Chantay knew what he had in mind. She hissed at him to keep quiet, but he refused. “No, Chantay. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?” his aunt questioned, moving her attention between them. 

“Lie.” He ignored the glowering look Chantay gave him, and lifted the weight off his shoulders. “I’m never around because I hate Chantay, and she hates me. We don’t get along.”

His aunt and uncle gasped in horror. Chantay smacked Dave’s arm and urged him to stop talking, but her father didn’t want to hear her voice. 

“Let the boy speak, Chantay.” His grave expression told Chantay it wasn’t up for debate. She folded her arms, giving Dave a wicked side-eye, as her father returned his attention to him. “What do you mean you don’t get along?”

“Chantay disowned me because she’s ashamed of me. No one at school knows I’m her cousin except for my close friends.” 

Chantay’s parents looked enraged. Chantay shared their fury, but it was directed at Dave. She switched her attention to her parents, since their piercing eyes were hard to ignore. They were giving her a look that said she needed to explain herself.

“Look, I have a reputation to uphold. Dave will tarnish it.”

That enraged her mother even more. “Your reputation isn’t more important than your cousin! He wants a relationship with you, Chantay!”

Dave corrected her. “I did, but I couldn’t care less about her now.”

“Oooh no,” his aunt said, shaking her head. “That isn’t acceptable. This issue will get resolved.” She took out her phone and waved it around. “I’ll get you two a therapist.”

Chantay groaned. “Mom, come on. Who cares if we hate each other?”

“I care! Family is forever!”

“Not this one!”

“Yes it is!” her mother insisted. “The therapist will fix your relationship. Don’t worry.”

She left, pressing the buttons on her phone. Chantay begged her to stop, but she refused. Chantay sighed as her father chastised her. 

“We’re going to have a chat about your lies, young lady.” He turned to Dave. “Dave, regardless of what’s going on, I hope you’ll visit more.”

“Maybe,” Dave replied, sounding uncertain.  

“Alright. Let’s go, Chantay.”

He disappeared into the house, but Chantay remained still. She was far too dissatisfied with Dave. “You ruined everything,” she hissed before slamming the door in his face.

Her anger didn’t bother Dave. The truth was finally out, leading them to therapy, but Dave doubted it’d help. He and Chantay could never be cool because she couldn’t care less about anyone who wasn’t named Chantay. It was sad, but true.

Dave could only hope that one day he’d have a less self-centered cousin.

Chapter Text

Ellie felt well rested since she'd gone to bed earlier than usual. That was because her relationship comprised of ninety-nine percent bickering, and one percent of everything else. The only escape from the drama was through sleep.

The memory of that toxic band rehearsal flashed across her mind. She felt humiliated, since she and Craig had never argued in front of their friends. Also, the insults they screamed at one another, such as ‘go to hell?’ Ellie didn’t mean that. Craig irritated her, but she loved him and couldn’t imagine her life without him. That’s why she wished he’d forget about the accidental cutting incident. If he didn't, they wouldn't be great again.

Ellie felt movement beside her. She smiled, knowing that despite their differences, Craig came to bed with her. It proved he still loved her. 

She rolled over and placed her head on Craig’s chest, her arm draped across his torso. It was a new day, and she wanted a fresh start with him. But he ignored her while holding his phone in his face. 

“Hi?” she asked, raising her head to look at him. 

Craig maintained his attitude from the previous day. “Didn’t you tell me to go to hell?”

“Craig, I was mad.”

“Well, now I’m mad.” He sat up and took her arm off his body. As he got out of bed, Ellie said, ‘Really?’ “Yes, really. Do you think I’m happy after that scene you made yesterday?”

“You told them I tried to kill myself!”

“You did!”

Ellie flopped onto her back. “I’m so tired of arguing about this!”

“So am I, so don’t worry. I’m fixing this.”

“How?”

Craig proceeded down the hall to the bathroom, leaving Ellie with a puzzled expression. The unsettling part was that knowing Craig, “fixing it” could mean anything.

As she was about to confront Craig, she heard his phone chime. She spotted it on the bed, and the screen lit up as another text arrived. Ellie grabbed it and noticed Spinner texting in their “boys only” group chat. She couldn’t read what he sent because Craig turned off message previews. 

She unlocked the phone by entering Craig’s passcode, which he'd told her in confidence. She wasn’t sent to the home screen. Instead, Craig’s browser was open. On the Google homepage, Ellie did a double-take when she saw the words he’d typed in the search bar.

Self-harm support groups near me.

Was this what he meant when he said he was ‘fixing’ it? How would telling strangers about her problems help? She’d be bringing unwelcome people into her life! 

Ellie was ready to give Craig a piece of her mind. Fortunately, he entered the room, and Ellie wasted no time yelling at him. “You want me to go to a support group?!” 

Craig blinked in disbelief as she raised his phone in the air. “Why are you snooping through my phone?” He snatched his phone from her grasp.

“Don’t change the subject. When were you gonna tell me about your support group idea?”

Craig focused on his phone. Ellie knew he was changing his passcode. It made her laugh. “You need to change more than just your passcode. How about you begin with your mindset?”

He gave her a scorching glare that would burn her if possible. “My mindset? I’m not the one who tried to kill myself!”

“It was an accident!”

“Really?” Craig questioned as he drew closer. “Look me in the eye, and swear you never thought about cutting yourself with that knife.”

She admitted to having brief thoughts of self-harm. Craig stepped back, pointing at her. “I knew it. You were gaslighting me, and making me look insane!”

“Because you keep exaggerating!” Ellie exclaimed. “I was only planning to give myself a minor cut.” 

Craig looked baffled that she was talking about it so casually. “Hazel’s right. You need help.”

“Hazel thinks I’m insane?”

“She thinks you’re going through a lot and need guidance,” Craig explained as he waved his phone in the air. “So, I’m calling this place.”

Ellie raced at him as soon as the phone started ringing, trying to grab it but failing because of Craig’s height and firm hold. She had to use threats. “If you tell them anything, we’re done!” 

Ellie’s threat made Craig hesitant to reveal her business. He hung up, staring angrily at Ellie. “Why are you making me the bad guy for trying to help you?”

“You’re the bad guy for not respecting my wishes. I don’t wanna go.”

“I’m sure your mother didn’t want to go to rehab either,” he replied, “but she did because it was the right thing to do.”

“It’s not your decision!” 

Joey entered unannounced. “What is going on in here? Angie and I can hear you from downstairs!”

Ellie didn’t want to see Craig’s face anymore. “I'm going for a walk,” she said, passing Craig on her way to the door. She overheard Joey say, “Craig? Can you please tell me what happened?”

Craig’s tone reflected his pain and stress. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Joey.”

Ellie couldn’t either. 

-

Ellie was tired of Craig's daily arguments. She wasn’t sure if she’d go back to Joey’s place. She didn’t want to give Craig the opportunity to dump her. Unfortunately, she lived with him, which meant she’d have to relocate. 

She planned to text Paige about living together, but noticed a familiar guy on a nearby bench. Eli Goldsworthy. 

Ellie knew Eli was one of Craig’s other friends, so she drew closer to him, intending to strike up a conversation. “Eli?” 

Eli smiled as he removed his headphones. “Ellie! Hey.”

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

“Nature inspires my creativity. What about you?”

“I needed fresh air.” Eli gave her a look that said she needed to elaborate, so she huffed and sat next to him. “Relationship problems.”

“With Craig?”

“Yeah. He thinks I need help, like my alcoholic mother.”

Eli’s eyes flashed with concern. “You’re an alcoholic?”

“No. I—” Ellie paused. It was easier to show him the damage than to explain it. She rolled up the sleeve of her coat, then the sleeve of her shirt, and showed Eli the bandaid that was covering her cut. 

“A cut?” Eli commented, not realizing it was deeper than that. 

“I became depressed after my mother checked herself into rehab. I reached for a knife and considered cutting myself, but I didn’t.” Ellie retracted her statement. “Well, I did. Accidentally. I put the knife on my skin, and Craig came in, startling me. He thinks I’m suicidal because I cut myself by mistake.”

Eli shut down his laptop and concentrated on her. “Is this your first time cutting yourself?” Ellie shook her head no. “Can you blame Craig for being worried, then?” 

“I guess not, but I don’t like how he treats me. Instead of being patient and supportive, he comes across as judgmental. It makes me feel worse.”

“Tell him that.”

Ellie scoffed at his suggestion. “As if he’d care. He’ll call me a gaslighting drama queen.”

Eli gave her a ‘yikes’ expression. “Your communication sounds awful.”

Ellie couldn’t deny it. Craig was the king of bad communication; clearly, since he had no intention of telling her about his support group idea.

“It is. Craig is trying to force me into attending a support group instead of letting me make my own choice.”

“Would a support group be so bad?”

“Uh, yes? I don’t wanna discuss my problems with strangers. It’s none of their business, and it’s none of Craig’s either. He acts as if he’s the one in pain when he’s not.”

“Your pain is his pain,” Eli reasoned, leading Ellie to exhale in annoyance. Eli also exhaled. “To be honest, Ellie, we’re all messed up. How can we not be when tragedy surrounds us? So there’s nothing wrong with admitting you need help. You’d be brave to speak up.”

“So you think I should go to the support group?”

“I think you should do whatever it takes to prevent yourself from thinking about self-harm. So, by all means, go to the support group.”

Ellie sighed. Maybe she should seek help to save their relationship. Because Craig would never stop thinking she was damaged, and they’d never stop arguing. Besides, if Craig was so adamant about her getting help, it must mean he cared. He wouldn’t go to great lengths to help her if he didn’t.

Ellie moved away from Eli. She pulled out her phone and called Craig, expecting him to reject the call, but he didn’t.

“Craig, I’ll go to the support group.”  

 
It was now Monday, and Liberty’s thoughts were on her and Sean’s movie outing. It wasn’t a date, but Alex mistook it for one. She believed Liberty and Sean were romantically involved, and if she thought that, who else did? Alex might tell everyone, which Liberty dreaded. She didn’t need Emma to hate her.

Liberty wanted to avoid Sean because it was the smart thing to do. But she’d feel terrible if she ghosted him. He was a good distraction, so she needed to keep him around. 

She also couldn’t ghost him because she was planning his party. Sean had texted her when he got home yesterday, saying he wanted the party to be an open invitation. Except for Lakehurst, anyone from school was welcome. Liberty had to handle the invitations and decorations with her friends' assistance.

She had a lot of work to do, but she was determined to do it. She’d make sure Sean enjoyed the party. It was the least she could do.

Sean followed through on his promise to take JT’s sweater from Mia. He told Liberty to meet him outside of Degrassi so they could look for Mia. When they found her, they wouldn't let her go unless she handed over the sweater. Liberty was confident she would, because Sean didn’t play around when it came to his friends.

Liberty went downstairs to find her father holding a bottle of whiskey and a crystal glass. She slowed her pace, carefully examining the bottle in his hands. She’d been drinking that whiskey and filling the bottle with water to cover her tracks. She hoped he wouldn’t taste the difference. 

“Drinking this early, Dad?” Liberty teased, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

“It’s one of those days,” her father replied with a wry smile. Liberty swallowed hard as she watched him raise the glass to his lips. When she saw the disgusted look on his face, she suppressed her panic. Did he notice the difference?

He took a slower sip, but his expression remained the same. He set the glass down, his hands on his hips as he stared at it. He looked towards the stairs. “Daniel, come here!”

Why was he involving Danny? Did he know they drank some of the whiskey? 

Liberty listened to Danny’s footsteps going down the stairs. When he focused on the opened bottle of whiskey, he froze. “Uh, what’s going on?”

“My whiskey doesn’t taste the same. That’s what’s going on,” their father said. “You two haven’t messed with this, have you?”

“Nope!” Liberty and Danny responded a little too quickly. Their father’s eyes narrowed, and Liberty knew they made themselves look suspicious.

She let out a laugh that was devoid of the fear she was experiencing inside herself, letting her father know his assumption was absurd. “Come on, Dad. We know we can’t drink,” she said, looking to Danny for support. He gave her a firm nod. Their father also nodded, his eyes returning to the whiskey. 

“That’s true. You kids are smarter than that. Maybe I drank too early.” He shrugged and put the bottle away. “Do you two need a ride again?”

“Yes, please! I need to get to school right now.” Sean had been waiting for far too long. 

“Let’s get going.” Her father grabbed his coat, keys, and left. Liberty started to follow, but Danny grabbed her arm. 

“How much whiskey have you been drinking?”

“I pour some into my water bottle every day.” She took her water bottle out of her bag, and showed him the amber colored liquid sloshing around inside.

“Oh god.” Danny massaged his brow, dissatisfied. 

Liberty let out a sigh. “It helps me relax, Danny.”

“I understand, but you need to slow down before Dad catches on.”

“Okay, I’ll slow down,” she said. Danny looked unconvinced. “I promise.”

Maybe. 

-

“Are you sure this will work?” Liberty asked as she followed Sean through the hallways, weaving their way through the crowd. “If Mia sees me, she might hide.”

“Then we’ll hunt her down,” Sean vowed as he continued walking forward. “We’re gonna get JT’s sweater back. I swear.”

Liberty nodded, believing him. He wasn't one to break promises. She couldn’t wait to get JT’s sweater back. 

Sean said, “There!” while pointing ahead, so she figured he spotted Mia. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, and Liberty couldn’t take her eyes off of their joined skin. Holding her wrist was risky, but she had no time to dwell on it. They had to confront Mia.

When they approached her, they noticed she was with Holly J. Sean called out to her, and Mia turned around, confusion etching her features. “Uh, hello?” Mia said to him with an attitude. Then she focused on Liberty. She didn’t say a word, and Liberty didn’t want her to. She just wanted the sweater she was wearing. 

Sean pointed at it. “Hand over the sweater.”

Mia peered down at the sweater. “Why would I do that?”

“Because it doesn’t belong to you.”

“It doesn’t belong to you either.”

“You’re right. It belongs to Liberty.”

“Oh, I see. She ran to you, crying.” Mia scoffed and shook her head. “You could’ve confronted me yourself, Liberty.”

“Just give me the sweater, Mia.” 

“I don’t think so. And I have a lot on my plate, so I don’t have time for this childishness.”

There she goes, making everything about herself. It irritated Liberty because everyone was going through a hard time. Not only Mia. 

Mia was ready to walk away when Liberty blocked her path. Mia gave her a sour look, her eyes demanding Liberty to move. Liberty had no intention of doing so, so Holly J stepped in. “You’re being extra, Liberty. It’s just a sweater.”

“If it’s just a sweater, tell her to hand it over.”

“For what?!” Mia yelled. “You act as if having it will bring JT back!”

“If it has no value, give it to her!” Sean yelled back.

Holly J defended her best friend once more, and Liberty wished she’d stay out of it. “I understand you’re the school hero, but you need to relax, Sean.”

“She needs to hand over the sweater.”

“You know what?” Mia pulled down the zipper with such force that she almost broke it. “You want the sweater? Fine!” 

Mia yanked the sweater from her body. She clutched it in her hand before accusing Liberty of being a coward for letting Sean speak for her. She threw the sweater at Liberty, who caught it, unconcerned about her tantrum. She also didn’t care when Holly J rolled her eyes at her. All she cared about was the sweater.

Sean laughed as he watched Mia walk further away from them with chaotic energy surrounding her. “Damn. She’s pissed.”

Liberty chuckled as she watched Mia as well. “Yeah. She forgot that I have friends too.” She then smiled at Sean. She owed him big time. “Thanks, Sean. We make a good team.”

“A fantastic team.”

Liberty nodded and pulled her whiskey-filled water bottle out of her bag. “Do you think I need this?”

The only reason she started drinking was because she wanted something to help her deal with her problems. But now that she had JT’s sweater, she won. She’d always have a piece of him, and she’d defeated Mia, leaving little to cope with.

“Do you think you do?”

Liberty looked at the amber liquid swirling around in the bottle. “I mean, I’ve got JT’s sweater and I’m feeling blissful, so I guess not.”

“Then you know what to do.”

Yes she did. She walked over to a nearby trashcan and threw the bottle away because she no longer needed to drink. She was at peace now that she had JT’s sweater. And Sean. 

 
When Jane told Mia the truth about being Lucas’ sister, Mia’s eyes became haunted, and her blood drained from her face. Jane begged Mia to speak, but she moved away, never looking back. She was terrified of Jane, and Jane now regretted saying anything. Imogen was right; it wasn’t worth it. 

Jane assumed Mia revealed her secret to the entire school, so she didn’t check her phone for the entire weekend. She was afraid Degrassi students were sending her death threats on social media. However, when she checked this morning, she realized they hadn’t.

She assumed Mia was keeping her mouth shut, because she’d been at school for hours without anyone bringing up Lucas or giving her disapproving stares. Was Mia protecting her? Maybe she secretly wanted a relationship with Jane? They were family. 

Jane arrived at English and noticed Mia sitting in her usual seat. Jane tried to sit next to her, but Mia grabbed her books and changed seats again. Jane huffed as she watched Mia venture to the back of the classroom and plop down next to a random student.

Jane made eye contact with the rest of the class, who looked at her and Mia in confusion. They didn’t understand what was going on between them. Hopefully they’d never find out.

Ms. Kwan urged Mia to return to her seat, but she refused. Ms. Kwan sighed and assigned Elliot to work with Jane instead. He grabbed his belongings and made his way towards Jane, and Mia was even more upset. 

“What’s going on with you and Jones?” Elliot wondered as he sat beside her. Jane told him she’d told Mia the truth. Elliot jerked his head towards her, praying his intuition was wrong. “When you say ‘the truth,’ I hope you don’t mean...” 

“Yes, that.”

“Why would you think that’s a good idea?”

“Because I was tired of lying to her. I felt like a fraud, but now I regret it because she hates me.”

“That’s stupid. You did nothing to her.”

“My brother did.”

“So?” Elliot replied. “You’re not him. If you ask me, Mia’s projecting the anger she has towards Lucas onto you because he’s not here.”

That made perfect sense. With Lucas back in his cell, Jane was the next best person for everyone to take their anger out on. It was awful, but it was her reality.

“But hey,” Elliot added, bringing her out of her thoughts. “I like you, even if Mia doesn't. I’m here for you, Anastasia.”

He nudged Jane, and she playfully rolled her eyes. She despised the name Anastasia, but she was warming up to Elliot calling her that. It was fine, as long as he never mentioned her real last name, Valieri. 

She and Elliot spent the rest of the time finishing their work, chatting and laughing in between. Jane was glad she and Elliot made up. He wasn’t that bad. He would’ve been a popular guy if he hadn’t met Lucas. But if he hadn’t met Lucas, Jane wouldn’t have met him either. 

Before they knew it, the bell rang and the students filed out. Jane and Elliot packed their stuff, but when Jane stood up, she bumped into Mia. 

“Watch it, Vaughn!” Mia snapped, her voice cold and uncaring. “Or should I say Valieri?”

In shame, Jane pressed her lips together and looked at her combat boots. She didn’t want to fight with Mia, but it was inevitable since Mia didn’t respect her. She was even calling her ‘Valieri’ now. Thankfully, the class had left, or Jane would’ve gotten exposed. 

“Relax, Mia,” Elliot said as he stepped forward to defend Jane. “It was an accident.”

“I’m not talking to you, you disgusting freak,” Mia yelled, his face provoking her even more. Jane’s eyes drifted over to Elliot, and she saw his eyes burn into Mia’s. He chose to walk away.

“Anastasia, I’ll be outside before I say something I’ll regret.” He gave Mia one final piercing stare before hurrying out of the room. Mia was also going to leave, but Jane had a question. 

“You hate me, but haven’t exposed me. Why?”

“I never said I hated you,” was Mia’s response. That made no sense. Mia clearly hated her, since she avoided her like the plague.

Mia said, “Being around you reminds me of...” She didn’t even want to say Lucas’ name. “him, which makes me uncomfortable.”

“I’m not my brother. I would never harm anyone,” Jane stated. “I actually turned Lucas in. When he came home with JT’s blood on him, I called the cops.”

“What?” Mia exclaimed, her tone matching her stunned expression. “What if he gets revenge?”

Jane shrugged, aware that it was a possibility. “He probably will. Luckily, he’s not getting out anytime soon.” She smiled as she pointed to the door Elliot was standing outside of. “And I have Elliot. He won’t let anything happen to me.” 

“Elliot ruined my life too, you know,” Mia reminded her, even though she didn’t need to. Jane knew Elliot had started the whole thing by spiking Mia’s drink. But Elliot was trying to be better. Jane was willing to give him a chance.

Mia didn’t owe him forgiveness, so if she accepted Jane into her life, Jane would never mention Elliot. She told Mia that, who asked if only Elliot knew she was Lucas’ sister. Jane told her that Johnny and Bruce also knew, causing Mia’s statements to be met with dissatisfaction.

“Don’t you think I deserved to know? We both went to Lakehurst and you didn’t tell me anything.”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, I’m your rapist’s sister?’ That’s not very pleasant, is it?”

Mia’s cringe proved it wasn’t. She sighed, forcing herself to say her next words. “Under normal circumstances, I’d keep avoiding you, but these aren’t normal circumstances. I have a daughter with Lucas, which means you’re Isabella’s aunt. We can’t ignore that.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I’ll give you a chance for Bella’s sake. I won’t deny her the opportunity of meeting her aunt, so you can meet her this weekend.”

“Th-this weekend?” Jane stammered. “Isn’t that too soon?”

“Why would we wait?”

As she answered, Jane’s attention fell to her trembling hands. “I don’t know. I’m a little nervous.”

Truth was, she wasn’t used to being around toddlers. And Bella wasn’t just any toddler; she was a toddler her brother had forcibly created. They’d have to tell Bella the truth about Lucas one day, but how were they supposed to tell her that her father was a lunatic who forced himself onto her mother, and then murdered someone out of jealousy? 

Bella deserved so much better. 

Mia tried to calm her. “You have no reason to be nervous. Bella can’t even talk yet.”

“Then maybe we should wait a few years,” Jane said, trying to create an excuse not to meet Bella. Mia realized what she was doing and scowled. She was annoyed with Jane, but Jane was scared! However, she didn’t want Bella to grow up resenting her. She didn’t need to lose her father and her aunt.

“Fine. I’ll meet her.” 

Mia’s scowl got replaced with a grin. “Okay. I’ll see you this weekend.” 

Jane returned her grin. She was relieved she and Mia made peace because she would’ve hated feuding with a family member. As for Bella, Jane could only pray the meet and greet went off without a hitch. 

Jane exited the classroom. Elliot saw Jane out of the corner of his eye, focused on her, and straightened himself out. “Hey. How did it go?”

Perfectly. 

Chapter Text

Alli saw Sadie wearing a gold necklace with the letters D and S. Did that stand for Dave and Sadie? It had to, and Alli snorted, remembering that Jimmy had bought Alisha a similar necklace. 

Dave was so unoriginal. Why was he buying Sadie a necklace, anyway? The two of them acted like they were married, which irked Alli.

Just then, she overheard Sadie mention that their anniversary was two days ago, and everything clicked. Alli had almost forgotten she and Johnny shared the same anniversary as Dave and Sadie. It was a coincidence she didn’t enjoy, but she couldn’t do anything about it unless she broke up with Johnny again. 

That wasn’t in her plans. She loved Johnny, and he loved her too, since he'd bought her a basket full of sweets. They'd also gone to his house, where he showered her with more apology gifts. Johnny was as sweet as Dave, if not sweeter. So Sadie should quit bragging.  

“Alli?” Clare called out from behind her. When she turned around, she saw Clare’s solemn expression. She was also holding her phone tightly.

“Clare, hey!”

Clare moved back as Alli went to hug her. Alli looked perplexed, her attention turning to the phone when Clare pointed to it. She was on social media, stalking Alli’s following list. Seeing Johnny's username at the top made Alli sigh.

Clare sought an explanation. “Please explain why you’re following Johnny.”

Because they were back together, but Alli was hesitant to admit it. Clare had a strong dislike for Johnny, and for a good reason. He'd pushed her and gotten JT killed, but things were different now. He’d changed.

Clare would see her with Johnny eventually, so she revealed the truth. “We’re back together.” 

Clare’s disapproval came as expected. “Alli, you can’t be serious. He pushed you.”

“He won’t do it again.”

“That’s what every abuser says.”

“He isn’t an abuser. It was one push.”

“Don’t you see the problem? You don’t see Eli pushing me.”

Alli wouldn’t have gotten pushed if she hadn’t tried to break up Johnny’s fight with Dave. That incident served as a wake-up call. She needed to quit interfering in other people’s business, or horrible things would happen.

Clare refused to let her take the blame for Johnny’s behavior. “Don’t blame yourself for his actions. Johnny’s the problem, not you.”

“He’s not a problem anymore. He’s changed. On our anniversary, he proved how much he loves me.” Her voice became high-pitched. “You should’ve seen what he got me!”

“So he spends money on you, and all is forgiven?”

“What can I say? Money is the key to my heart.” 

“Don’t give in so easily, Alli! He—”

“Clare, it was his first and last time putting his hands on me. I promise.” 

It was the worst time to say those words because Johnny arrived. “You’re talking about me?”

Clare’s eyes were flaming with rage. She wanted to hurt him, so Alli clutched her arm. “Um, yeah. I was telling Clare we’re back together.”

“Unfortunately,” Clare muttered. 

Johnny scowled, causing Alli to de-escalate the situation by changing the subject. “What brings you here, Johnny?”

“I wanna be a gentleman and walk my girl to class.”

Clare laughed. “Gentleman?”

“Be nice, Clare.” Alli didn’t want Johnny to lose his cool. Sadly, Clare refused to cooperate.  

“No, I won’t be nice. He wasn’t acting like a gentleman when he pushed you.”

“It was an accident,” Johnny said, gritting his teeth. Alli could tell he was losing his patience.

“Was getting JT killed an accident too?”

Her question hit him like a ton of bricks. He checked to make sure no one overheard Clare. They hadn’t, and when he stared at Alli, his alarm gave way to stoicism. 

“You told her?” he said. Alli bit her lip and nodded. “Alli.”

“I’m sorry! She’s my bestie!”

Clare inserted herself. “Yes I am, and I want the best for you.” She pointed at Johnny. “He’s not the best for you!”

Johnny dismissed her words. “Whatever, Edwards. Stop worrying about me, and worry about Goldsworthy.”

“I will. He’s not a monster like you and his cousin.”

Alli opened her mouth to tell her to calm down, but Johnny grabbed her arm and dragged her away. He didn’t want her near Clare anymore.

Alli sighed, confused as to why Clare couldn’t be happy for her. She didn't want her man and best friend to clash. 

Johnny asked her a serious question as they walked. “Is Edwards gonna be a problem?”

Yes she was. 
 

Hazel needed to meet up with Marisol so that she could meet her new friends. She felt nervous, since she only knew Maya.

Her last encounter with Maya didn't go well. Paige was to blame. She despised Maya, so Hazel had despised her as well. But now that Paige was the one who Hazel despised, maybe she and Maya could bond over their mutual enemy. 

When Hazel arrived at the planned location, she only saw Marisol. Marisol looked up from her phone, beaming. “Hazel!” 

She hugged Hazel, and Marisol’s hugs were far more passionate than any of her hugs with Paige had been.

“Hey,” Hazel replied, drawing back. “Where’s your friends?”

“They told me they’re coming.” Marisol put her phone in her pocket. “Are you nervous?”

“A little bit. Are you sure they’ll accept me?”

“Don’t worry. I told them to be nice. Especially Maya,” Marisol said, knowing Hazel and Maya couldn’t stand each other. 

On cue, Maya approached them. A guy with shaggy hair strolled beside her, and three other guys followed behind them. When they were in front of Hazel, neither party said anything. Hazel was unsure if she should introduce herself first. Thankfully, Marisol took care of it for her. 

She introduced Hazel to her squad, pointing to each member as she said their name. She began with the three guys at the back. One of them had his hair brushed to the side, and according to Marisol, his name was Luke. Fitz was the tall guy standing next to him, and his stepbrother Jake was the tall, skinny guy with light brown hair and green eyes.

Marisol directed her finger towards Maya and the guy with shaggy hair. “This is Maya, and her boyfriend Nic.”

Luke put his finger in the air. “My sister isn’t here right now. Her name is Becky.”

Hazel nodded, trying to remember the names being thrown at her. “Well, it’s nice to meet you all. Hopefully we can put the past behind us.”

Fitz told her their differences were water under the bridge. To prove it, he offered her a handshake. “Welcome to the winning side.”

“Thanks,” she murmured as she shook his hand. Fitz returned her smile while the other boys also said nice things to her. Then her gaze went to Maya, who was staring at her with an unreadable expression. Hazel hoped she wouldn't start a fight.

Maya took a step forward. “You’re really done with Paige?”

“For the foreseeable future,” Hazel declared. “I hope you and I can get along now.”

Maya hummed, assessing Hazel's worthiness. Hazel began to lose hope, knowing Maya despised her too much to allow her into her circle. Her hope got revived when Maya said, “If Marisol thinks you’re cool, then you’re okay in my book.” She extended her hand. “Welcome to the squad.”

Hazel had never been happier to hear those four words. Paige was in the past, which was the best news imaginable. 

She got to know her new friends. She learned about their hobbies and favorite hangout spots. They invited Hazel to join them, and she said she’d hang out with them after cheer practice. Then they left for class, leaving Hazel and Marisol alone. 

Marisol turned to face Hazel. “Well, that went well.”

“Thankfully. I thought Maya and I were gonna argue.” 

“I think she wants to argue,” Marisol said. Hazel turned to find Paige giving them a death stare. Hazel reciprocated because what did she want? Wasn’t she worried about Anya now?

“You know,” Marisol started. “You can always quit cheerleading and join my dance team. You hate Paige anyway.”

“But I don’t hate cheerleading,” Hazel responded, glancing at Paige. She was still keeping a close eye on them. “I’ll just disregard her presence.”

“That’s what I try to do, but she makes it hard.” Marisol gave Paige another mean look. Then the late bell rang, and Marisol vanished after they exchanged a goodbye hug. Hazel checked to see if Paige was still watching her, and she was. She confronted her.

“May I help you, Michalchuk?”

Paige mirrored her demeanor. “You’re friends with Marisol?”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“She’s a Lakehurster.”

“So is Anya, but you love her.”

“Anya is a good Lakehurster. Marisol isn’t. She’s trying to destroy our school.”

“Our school destroyed theirs.”

Paige shook her head, disappointed. “Wow. Marisol brainwashed you.”

“No, Paige. You brainwashed me, but I’m no longer under your control. So go worry about your new best friend. Isn’t she better than me?”

“She is. You’re proving it every day.”

“Whatever. Stay away from me, or I just might quit your team and join Marisol’s.” 

“You wouldn’t dare!” Paige said, challenging her. 

Hazel looked over her shoulder with a wicked smirk. “Try me.”

Chapter Text

Tristan had something big planned for Marco, and Dave needed front-row seats to support his friend. But as he entered the stairwell, he saw Johnny and Alli kissing. It was nauseating.

Why were they kissing, anyway? Alli told Dave she couldn’t be with someone who pushed her, so what gives?

Alli and Johnny sensed his presence, shooting him annoyed looks. Well, Alli did. Johnny wore a smug smirk. That same smugness dripped off his tongue as he said, “Do you mind?”

Dave wanted to retaliate, but why bother? Johnny won, thanks to Alli’s indecisiveness. She’d tried to convince Dave that she was done with Johnny for good, but he knew their time apart was temporary. This is why he never paid attention to Alli; she was always lying to him.

He was done thinking about that girl. He went down the steps without giving them the reaction they craved. He was focused on the people who mattered to him—his friends.

Dave arrived at the cafeteria. Tristan was straight ahead with a guitar in his hands, and Dave jogged up to him. Now that he was closer, he could see that Tristan’s forehead was clammy with nervous sweat. His palms must’ve been sweaty too, since he wiped them on his khakis.

“Yo, Tristan. Are you ready to perform?”

Tristan pointed at himself from head to toe. “Look at me, Dave. Do I look ready?” No. He looked a mess. “Not only am I performing in front of Marco, but the entire school. What if they make fun of me?”

“I’ll kick their ass.”

His eyes implored Dave not to resort to violence. “Please don’t. You’ve been in enough fights.”

True. Dave couldn’t afford to get suspended. But just because he couldn’t fight, didn’t mean that Owen couldn’t. “Well, Owen’s gonna be watching. You know he won’t let anyone make fun of you.”

Tristan nodded, and Dave sent him more encouraging words. Suddenly, he heard a guy call for him from behind. Dave turned around to see a tall, familiar guy wearing a yellow shirt. Dave remembered seeing him around Maya, Katie, and Marisol. Sadie probably knew his name. 

Now he did, since the guy said, “I’m Fitz. Lakehurster.”

Why was a Lakehurster introducing himself to him? They were enemies. Dave grew even more confused when Fitz held his hand out for a handshake. 

“Sorry, man. I don’t talk to the opposition.” Dave turned his back on Fitz, but faced him again when Fitz asked if he hated Johnny. What did he know about that loser? “Yeah? So?”

“I do too. I’m certain Johnny had something to do with JT’s death. How could he not, when his original gang leader stabbed the guy?”

Fitz should be a detective; he was spot on.

“And you mentioned that Johnny sent something to Lucas the night JT died. What did he send?”

Dave didn’t want to protect Johnny, but Fitz was also the enemy. Why should he help him?

“Come on. Tell me what he did, and I can make sure he disappears.”

Alarm flared in Dave’s eyes. “I don’t want anyone to die.”

“He won’t die, but I’ll make sure he shares a cell with Lucas,” Fitz clarified, but Dave's mind raced with doubts. How could Fitz make sure of anything? He didn’t have any power. 

Dave asked him that, and Fitz’s response was that he had connections. Dave demanded specifics, which made Fitz spill. “Look, my estranged father is a detective. I can talk to him.”

Dave and Tristan exchanged a surprised look. They could now see where Fitz got his deduction skills from. 

“So tell me what Johnny sent,” Fitz added. “You know he deserves to be in a cell.”

That was undebatable. JT would still be alive if it weren’t for Johnny reporting to Lucas. He also pushed Alli without consequences. He didn’t deserve to be free, and right now, Dave had the chance to give everyone their justice. He was going to take it.

Dave spilled everything to Fitz. He told him how they attended Liberty’s birthday party, and Johnny sent Lucas a photo of JT talking to Mia Jones. It made Lucas want JT dead since he was weirdly obsessed with Mia. Now Fitz knew he was correct; Johnny was to blame for JT’s death.

Fitz asked Dave if Elliot and Bruce were involved, but Dave didn't know. Fitz was grateful nonetheless. He thanked Dave and told him Sadie made a good choice choosing him.

Dave watched him go, unsure of how to feel about their encounter. Fitz had complimented him, but Dave wasn’t fully happy because he was still a Lakehurster. But maybe that Lakehurster was his friend?

“I can’t believe Johnny did that.” Tristan looked at him. “Are you sure telling Fitz was the right move? What if it backfires?”

It couldn’t backfire. If Johnny didn’t get in trouble, life would continue as normal, and he’d have to live with being responsible for an innocent boy getting killed. But if he did get arrested, then good riddance.

 
Tristan was still reeling over the information Dave had spilled. He always suspected something was wrong with Johnny, but never imagined he'd get an innocent boy killed. Worst of all, he'd gotten away with it for three months.

Tristan couldn’t focus on that because his performance was minutes away. He watched as students streamed into the cafeteria, racing to the lunch line. He looked around for Marco but saw Craig.

“Tristan, hey! It’s the moment we’ve been preparing for.”

Tristan stroked Adam’s guitar. “Yeah, I’m nervous. I’m still not the best guitarist, and plucking the strings hurts my fingers.” He showed Craig the hardened areas of skin on his fingertips. The calluses were painful, but Tristan wouldn't let that stop him from brightening his boyfriend’s mood. “But I don’t wanna wait any longer. I need to get this done.”

“I wish you the best.” Craig turned around due to the commotion from nearby kids. He spotted Marco behind the crowd. “Oh, there goes Marco.”

Craig waved his arms to gain his attention. It worked, and as Marco moved closer, Tristan’s heart raced like a wild stallion. It was because he loved the guy, but also because Marco’s presence meant he had no choice but to perform.

Marco and Craig greeted each other before Marco smiled at Tristan. His smile faded as he lowered his sight to the guitar. “A guitar? Since when do you play?”

“Since four days ago. Craig’s been teaching me.” Marco was puzzled as to why he was interested in playing guitar. Tristan’s secret had to be revealed. “I wrote a song for you. I wanna perform it right now.”

“Tristan, you don’t have to do that.”

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” Tristan told him. He was trying to convince himself more than anything.

He moved to the center of the cafeteria as students carried their trays to and from their tables. He cleared his throat, his voice timid as he asked for their attention. “May I have everyone’s attention?!”

No one paid attention to him, and his self-esteem dwindled. Fortunately, Craig helped him. “Hey! He said he wants our attention!” 

Everyone looked at him with a cautious expression. Tristan thanked Craig before making his announcement. “I wanna sing a song that I wrote for my amazing boyfriend.”

He motioned to Marco, who gave an awkward wave. Tristan saw students rolling their eyes, as if they were uninterested in his performance. He even heard a girl say, “God, what is this? Next Teen Star?”

He clenched his jaw and tuned her out because she didn’t matter. Marco did. He started strumming the strings, playing the chords Craig had taught him. He winced because his fingers were hurting, but he persisted.

Tristan was confident enough to look up and smile at his man. Someone else caught his attention: Owen. Tristan’s nerves returned, knowing Owen would tease him later. As a result, he played the incorrect note, leaving everyone cringing at the terrible sound that echoed in the air.

Tristan took a deep breath and tried his hardest to block out everyone except Marco. He resumed playing, and sang the lyrics he’d written. He thought he was doing well, but the snickers hinted otherwise. 

Tristan scanned the students, unsure if their judgment stemmed from his lyrics or voice. He continued to sing, his voice quivering. As his off-key notes filled the air, laughter erupted around the lunchroom. The students found his performance hilarious, and the atmosphere turned into one of mockery. The only people who weren’t laughing were Tristan’s loyal friends, who exchanged concerned glances.

His heart plummeted when a Lakehurst guy yelled, “Boo! Sit down!”

Owen’s protective instincts kicked in. “What was that?”

“I told him to sit down,” the guy shot back.

“I thought that’s what you said.” Owen punched the guy in the gut. The guy doubled over and coughed. Owen leaned in close, threatening him. “If you disrespect my brother again, I’ll do worse next time.”

His actions infuriated the guy’s friends, who challenged Owen. Drew, Dallas, and Dave jumped in to defend Owen. More students joined the argument, and now everyone was involved in a heated dispute.

Owen fought the guys, trading punches and shoves. Other students began fighting for reasons unrelated to Tristan’s performance. It was as if the cafeteria had been transformed into a battlefield.

Food flew through the air. Tristan watched as the food fight and brawls raged on, all triggered by his unsuccessful attempt at singing. He huffed and stormed through the chaos, feeling foolish. He should’ve practiced more, or maybe it was a bad idea altogether. He wasn’t half as talented as Marco. Marco was better off without him.

Marco didn’t think so, since he chased after him. “Tristan, wait!”

“Why?!” Tristan yelled as he swiveled around. “I’m an idiot for thinking that would go well. So if you wanna break up with me, I get it.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I’m not talented like you.”

“Who cares if you’re not a great singer? Neither am I. But I appreciate the song you made for me.”

“So you didn’t hate it?”

Marco chuckled with a shake of his head. “I could never hate it. This was a sweet way to celebrate my sore throat going away.”

“You had it for two weeks, you know. That’s alarming.”

“Yeah. Maybe I should’ve gone to the doctor.” Marco shrugged. “Whatever. It’s gone now.”

“This guitar will be gone, too,” Tristan murmured sadly. “I should give it back to Adam.”

“Maybe you don’t have to. I can pick up where Craig left off and show you how to play.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“I’d do anything for you. That’s what boyfriends are for.”

Tristan gave him the biggest smile. To express his appreciation, he moved in to kiss Marco, but food got flung at their feet. He and Marco exchanged disgusted looks, and decided to leave before kissing.

Owen scrubbed his shirt to remove the stains from the food fight. Ms. Hatzilakos had singled him out as the aggressor, and had given him detention. Owen couldn’t care less. A detention wouldn't make him apologize for his actions. Those Lakehurst jerks deserved to get beaten up for disrespecting Tristan. 

He appreciated Dallas, Drew, and Dave for jumping in to help him. It proved how unbreakable their bond was. Owen dreaded graduating since they’d be separated, but they’d forever be his bros.

Tristan was also his brother for life, and he'd just humiliated himself. Owen had warned him not to perform because the Milligans weren’t musicians, but Tristan didn’t listen. He chose to sing for Marco, and while his performance wasn’t great, Owen admired his bravery. He wanted to tell Tristan how proud he was, and encourage him to continue singing and playing the guitar. He’d get better with practice. 

Owen wanted to talk to Tristan right now, since he suspected he was in distress. However, as soon as he stepped out the bathroom, he became the next victim.

Two Lakehurst girls passed by, snickering and gossiping about him. One nudged the other, nodding in Owen’s direction. “There goes gay Owen.”

The other girl gasped. “He’s gay?”

“Haven’t you heard? He likes guys, like his embarrassing brother. That’s why he fought so hard for him.”

Owen had to look around to see who they were talking about, because they certainly weren’t talking about him. He defended Tristan because it was his duty as his older brother to protect him. Unfortunately, those girls weren’t the only ones who assumed he was gay. Other Lakehurst kids joined in, calling him disparaging names.

Were they doing this because they were mad at him for the fight? Those guys probably started this rumor. They couldn’t beat him in a fight, so they resorted to gossip. How pathetic.

“Yo, Owen!” another Lakehurst boy shouted. He looked familiar, someone Owen had seen around Maya. Nic was his name. “How long have you been in the closet, man?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

“You didn’t see Chantay’s blog?” Nic questioned. Owen’s blank expression indicated his ignorance. Nic chuckled slyly, as if he was sharing an inside joke with himself. “She exposed you, man. The entire school knows you and Dallas like each other.”

He and Dallas weren’t gay, so why did Chantay put that on her blog? Was she that desperate for attention? Owen now understood why Dave hated her; she was worse than Lakehurst sometimes.

Speaking of Chantay, she was heading in his direction. Owen left Nic to confront her. Chantay was preoccupied with her phone, most likely reading the comments on her blog.

“Why did you do that?!” he snapped.

Chantay took her eyes off her blog to look at him with bewilderment. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t play dumb. You told the school I’m gay.”

“It’s just an observation, Owen.”

“It’s a lie,” Owen argued. “I’m straight, and Dallas is too.”

“You and Dallas are the only ones in your squad without girlfriends. You must be hooking up.”

“I’m not gay! I tried to date Manny last semester!”

“I have reason to believe that was a cover-up.”

“What reason?!”

She laughed because he was getting fired up. “Calm down, Milligan. It’s okay to come out of the closet.”

“I was never in the closet. Tristan is the gay Milligan, not me. Stop tarnishing my reputation.”

Not only was she tarnishing his reputation, but she was also destroying Dallas’. That’s why he charged up to them, radiating anger. “Chantay, you better stop spreading lies about me!”

Chantay rolled her eyes. “It’s not a lie. It’s an astute observation.”

“It’s fake news!” Dallas yelled. “Do I need to talk to Ms. Hatzilakos?”

Chantay’s laughter rang out in the air. Owen struggled to understand what was so funny. This wasn’t a joke; their reputations were on the line.

“Wow,” she laughed one last time. “You two would do anything to protect your secret, huh?”

Owen spoke. “There is no secret. We’re friends, not boyfriends. And you haven’t been in a relationship either. Does that make you a lesbian?”

Chantay laughed again. “Seriously, you don’t have to be so upset. It’s okay to be gay.”

Owen. Was. Not. Gay. How many times did he need to say it? “I’m not Tristan. I don’t like guys, especially not Dallas. He’s like a brother to me!”

“He’s your boyfriend, and the entire school knows it. You should thank me for helping you embrace the truth.”

Owen wanted to lash out, but that would make him look like the villain when he wasn’t. Chantay and her lies were. She had to be doing this on purpose, maybe as retaliation for Dave’s hatred. Or maybe she was just a traitor, since she was spreading lies about her own people rather than Lakehurst. 

Dallas raised his hands, no longer willing to argue with Chantay. She was delusional. “You know what? I’ll let Dave handle you. And I see why he hates you now.”

“I hate him too, and I don’t like you much either, so goodbye. Enjoy your relationship.”

Dallas stood there, eyes locked on Chantay’s retreating figure. “I don’t like disrespecting girls, but Chantay is a piece of work.”

Owen nodded, scanning the crowd of onlookers. They were watching him and Dallas, as if they were waiting for them to kiss. “I know. But what are we gonna do, Dallas? If we keep hanging around each other, we’ll be confirming the rumors.”

“What are you saying? We should stay away from each other?”

“Don’t you think that’d be wise until things die down?”

Dallas couldn’t disguise the pain in his eyes. “Wow. Not only am I losing respect, but I’m losing my brother too.”

“I don’t wanna do it, but—”

Dallas’s voice grew loud, making the nearby students think they were caught in a lovers’ quarrel. “But you’re doing it, Owen!”

“I’m trying to save our image.”

“We can find another way to do it. Hell, we can even go to Ms. Hatzilakos, but your first thought is to abandon our friendship? Not cool, man. But whatever, I’ll give you what you want.”

With that, Dallas stormed away. Owen called after him, but Dallas continued to walk away, leaving Owen overwhelmed by doubt. Had he been wrong to consider ending their friendship?

Owen wanted to protect their image and the popularity they’d worked so hard to attain. They couldn’t let a rumor jeopardize everything they’d achieved. He thought Dallas would understand that sacrifices needed to be made sometimes. Unfortunately, the sacrifice was their friendship.

It wasn’t that he didn’t cherish Dallas. He already missed their friendship, but he was willing to put it on the line for the sake of appearances. But maybe he was selfish for prioritizing his reputation over a loyal friend.

“Looks like there’s trouble in paradise,” Owen overheard a random girl whisper to her friend.

“Do you think they broke up?” the friend asked.

Owen sucked his teeth and stormed off in the other direction. Screw them, and screw Chantay. 

Chapter Text

“Dallas is pissed, man.”

Drew shared Dallas’ frustrations. Why did Chantay falsely post about Dallas and Owen dating? They’d never talked to her or looked her way. Why were they on her mind?

Dave scowled. “I’m thinking she’s doing this to spite me. I told her parents she disowned me; now they’ve got us going to therapy. Chantay’s not thrilled about it. Ruining Dallas and Owen’s lives is her payback.”

It was one thing to feud with Dave, but dragging his friends into it? Not cool. Now Owen and Dallas weren’t on speaking terms, and it made everything awkward when Mr. Simpson paired them up last period. 

Drew had to play messenger since Owen and Dallas refused to interact. Owen was scared of being seen talking to Dallas because it’d confirm the rumors, which upset Dallas. Chantay had so much fixing to do.

Dave leaned against the wall. “Basketball practice will never be the same.”

Bianca, who’d been silently listening, spoke. “Forget basketball practice. This squad will never be the same. How are we supposed to split our time between Owen and Dallas?”

Drew contemplated their predicament. “I feel like I have to choose Dallas since he lives with me. Dave, you can hang out with Owen. Bianca, you’re welcome to join me and Dallas.”

“Are you serious? We’re dividing ourselves?” She objected. “No, forget that. We have to fix this.”

“We can’t fix it, B. Only Chantay can, by admitting she lied.”

Dave scoffed. “She’ll never discredit herself.”

“Well, force her! She’s your cousin!” Bianca insisted. 

“No way. I hate her, and this is why. She’s a snake.”

Bianca stared at them, unhappy. “So that’s it? We’re gonna let Dallas and Owen avoid each other?”

“I think that’s best for now.” Drew offered consolation to Bianca. “Don’t worry. Chantay will get her karma.”

“When?”

Drew didn’t know the answer. Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have been able to respond, since Katie called his name from behind. Bianca’s eyes darted between them, puzzled as to why she was speaking to him. Drew felt confused as well. They weren’t supposed to be seen together.

With a hesitant step forward, Drew said, “Um, Katie, hey.”

Katie’s voice carried an air of urgency. “Can I talk to you?”

Drew looked at Bianca for permission. She gave him a subtle nod while motioning forward. Drew and Katie moved away. “Katie, now’s not a good time. There’s a lot going on.”

“With Owen and Dallas, right? I saw Chantay’s blog.”

“Yeah. She told the school they’re in a relationship, and they’re no longer friends. Being around each other makes them look suspicious.”

Katie frowned. “I’m sorry about that. I’m kinda in the same boat as them.”

“What do you mean?”

“My school exiled me, Drew. I told my sister I never planned to criticize Degrassi in the newspaper, and that made me look like a traitor.”

Why couldn’t Lakehurst let people stay neutral without labeling them traitors? The war shouldn’t be happening anyway; the Degrassi arsonists were long gone. Lakehurst was mad at the wrong people.

Drew had hoped Katie would come clean, and he was pleased she had. “You did the right thing.”

Katie nodded. “I’m glad I don’t have to hide anymore, but I don’t know what I’m gonna do now. I don’t wanna be alone.”

Drew bit his lower lip as he returned his gaze to Dave and Bianca, who were deep in conversation. He also didn’t want Katie to be alone; she didn’t deserve it. “How about you hang out with us?”

“As in you and your girlfriend?”

“And my bros!” Drew clarified to make it less awkward. He saw Katie’s hesitation. “Come on, Katie. You don’t exactly have better options.”

“I don’t mind, but I think your girlfriend will.”

“Let’s find out.”

He went to Dave and Bianca, and Katie followed. “B, Dave, this is Katie, as you know. Since our squad is in shambles, we need a new member.”

Drew gestured towards Katie, prompting Bianca to voice her doubt. “She’s a Lakehurster.”

“They exiled her,” Drew clarified, beaming at Katie. “Katie is officially a Degrassian.”

Dave was as baffled as Bianca. “And you want her to hang with us?”

Drew vouched for Katie. “She has no one, guys. And she’s proven she’s not a snake. She warned us about the war, and she could’ve criticized Degrassi in the newspaper, but she didn’t. She can be trusted.”

Dave and Bianca exchanged a long stare, as if mentally deliberating with one another. Drew assumed they reached a decision since Dave spoke. “I like trustworthy people, so fine. Welcome to the squad, Katie.”

He extended his hand, and Katie shook it. Drew turned to Bianca. “Thank you, Dave. Bianca?”

“I don’t know how I feel about your old lover being around us, but you trust her, and I trust you. So, okay.”

“Oh thank you, Bianca!” Katie surprised Bianca with a hug. Bianca leaned away, her arms barely making contact. Katie drew back, her hands on Bianca’s shoulders. “You’re so pretty and understanding. If Drew’s not with me, I’m glad he’s with you.”

“Um...thanks?”

Drew laughed at Katie’s antics. “I think you two will get along just fine.”  

Everyone knew Fitz and Jake were stepbrothers, but not how it happened. Fitz never told anyone the reason for his parents’ divorce because it wasn’t a pleasant story. 

Remembering his mother’s nefarious activities triggered uncontrollable anger in him. He despised it because the incident happened years ago, and he’d moved on from it. But although he forgave, he couldn't forget.

It all started freshman year, when it was just Fitz, his mother, and his father. His father would socialize on the weekends, but his mother wasn’t the type to go out and have fun. So when she began wearing less and going out more, it was a red flag for his father. 

She’d say she was going out with her lady friends, which was strange because she wouldn’t return until the next morning. Fitz’s father would sit in the living room, awaiting her return. When she did, Fitz always expected them to argue, but his father never said anything. 

Fitz remembered struggling between wanting to confront his mother, and wanting to respect his father’s silence. Luckily for him, his mother grew tired of hiding. One day, she told his father she wanted to leave him. She’d found someone else, and that someone was Jake’s father. 

Fitz remembered being so angry that he refused to look at her. She’d lost his respect, so when she announced her engagement to Jake’s father, Fitz was far from happy. He had no intention of attending the wedding, but his mother intended to force him to, even suggesting they move in with the Martin’s. 

Fitz had flat-out refused. He wanted to live with his father, but his mother fought long and hard for full custody of him. It was obvious she didn’t want his father to turn Fitz even more against her. 

Fitz had no option but to move in with the Martin’s, but that didn’t mean he liked them. For weeks, he didn’t speak to his new family. Instead, he’d call his father in secret, but his mother would catch him and confiscate his phone. 

He snuck to his father’s house a few times, but his mother would always find out and he’d get in trouble. That didn’t stop Fitz. He longed to see his father, and his mother knew it, so she agreed to let him visit his father once a year, on his birthday. 

Eventually, Fitz cooperated with his mother since she’d cooperated with him. He learned to accept his new family over time, but his father would never like the Martin’s. That much he was aware of. 

Fitz was on his way to his father’s house. He wasn’t supposed to be there, but he needed to speak to him about Johnny. He was a detective; he could look into JT’s case and find incriminating evidence to get Johnny arrested. 

There was one issue: he hadn’t seen his father in months. Fitz was satisfied with their arrangement, but his father would never be. He hated that he'd lost custody since, in his opinion, he was the superior parent. He still resented his ex-wife's behavior after all these years. Fitz wasn’t sure how this talk would go. 

He knocked on the door. It swung open, revealing surprise and wariness in his father’s eyes. 

“Mark? What are you doing here?” His father’s suspicious eyes roved around. “Did your mother send you?”

“You know Mom won’t let me come here unless it’s my birthday.”

His father scoffed. “No kidding.” He opened the door wider and motioned for Fitz to enter.

Fitz crossed the threshold, the familiar scent wrapping around him like a bittersweet embrace. Subtle changes caught his eye, such as the rearranged furniture and the new pictures on the walls. There were old pictures as well; frozen snapshots of a happier past. 

His father spoke from behind him. How’s Jake and Glen? They’re treating you well?” 

“They’re great, Dad.”

“And school?”

“School is why I’m here. I’m sure you heard about Lakehurst burning down. Now we attend Degrassi.” His father nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m sure you also heard about the JT Yorke case.”

“That boy didn’t deserve what happened to him. Who did it again? Lucas Valieri?”

“Yeah. He stabbed him, and left him to die.”

“I’ve heard people call him the menace of Toronto,” his father commented, reflecting on Lucas’ notoriety.

“He’s not the only menace.” Fitz’s tone became more solemn. “I know something about the case. Lucas’ friend, Johnny DiMarco, sent him a picture of JT talking to Mia the night it happened, according to Dave.”

“Who is Mia?” 

“Lucas’ baby mama,” Fitz said. “He was obsessed with her, so he got jealous about JT talking to her. That’s why he murdered him.”

“And why are you telling me this?” 

“Can’t you see? Johnny is his accomplice; he persuaded Lucas to murder JT. He needs to be in a cell.”

His father was doubtful. “Did Dave show you the picture Johnny sent?”

“No, but—”

“Then that’s hearsay, Mark.”

“It’s facts!” Fitz shot back, his burst of frustration leading his father to stare at him, annoyed. “Can you please look into it? Johnny is dangerous, Dad. He has to go.”

His father was hesitant to revisit an old case. But he gave in. “Fine. I’ll look into it, but it could take a few days.”

That suited Fitz just fine. He simply needed Johnny to be on the cops’ radar.

His father placed a hand on his shoulder. “And listen, son. I know your mother and I can’t stand each other, but I’ll always love you.”

“I love you too, Dad. I’m sorry I can’t come over more often.”

“Yeah. You should go before your mother throws a fit.”

“She already is,” Fitz remarked, checking his phone after it’d been vibrating nonstop. His mother’s demanding texts awaited him, but he dismissed the notifications and put his phone away. “But she can wait.”

Because today, he was going to spend time with his dad. 

“How could Chantay ruin Dallas and Owen’s reputations with no remorse? I swear, when I see her—”

Dave vented his frustration about Chantay’s shady actions. Her blog post claimed that Owen and Dallas were in a secret relationship, and everyone believed it. Dallas and Owen were unhappy about being suspected as gay.

Jimmy’s thoughts were consumed with his own problems, particularly the Manny situation. She’d become a constant presence in his mind, like a song stuck on replay, and he couldn’t get her out. 

Jimmy considered giving in and dating Manny. It seemed like the easiest way to silence the endless debate in his mind. However, Hazel warned that dating Manny would be selfish. Spinner and Craig would be furious if he dated her. 

Jimmy should say no to dating Manny to avoid issues, but he couldn't stick to that decision. There was something about her that made him want to act out of character. It frustrated him.

Dave sounded exasperated. “...and you’re not listening.”

Jimmy shifted his gaze away from the ceiling. “I have more important things to worry about than your family drama.”

“You’re family, so this is your drama too.”

“Well, I’m not playing peacemaker. I don’t have time.”

“Too busy thinking about Manny, huh?”

Jimmy averted his focus, not needing to say a word. Dave knew about their history, and believed Jimmy was unwise to let Manny interfere with his relationship with Alisha. However, Dave was determined to support him. 

“If you miss her, that means you need to talk to her,” Dave suggested. “You should invite her over.”

His words resonated with Jimmy, confirming what he’d been thinking. It was pointless to avoid Manny; he was hurting himself more than her. She’d made him feel alive, and he yearned for those feelings to return. He’d had enough of feeling empty. 

Dave mentioned his own plans. “While you do that, I’ll be at Sadie’s.”

As he headed out, Jimmy called Manny. She answered fast, as if she’d been waiting for his call. “Jimmy!” 

Jimmy got straight to the point. “Manny, can you come over to my house? Don’t worry, my parents are gone for the night.”

“Um, sure. Just tell me the address.”

Jimmy provided her with the details, and before he knew it, Manny arrived. He led her upstairs, setting his crutches against his bed as he sat. Manny placed her bag beside his dresser, and Jimmy noticed a shirt peeking out. 

“Why do you have clothes?” he asked.

Manny shrugged. “Your parents won’t be back tonight, so I thought I could stay.”

Jimmy hadn’t intended to have a sleepover; he just wanted to talk. But he couldn’t tell her no, since she lied to her parents about sleeping over at Liberty’s. 

Manny plopped down on the bed. “So, what do you wanna talk about?”

Jimmy was ready to lay his feelings bare. “Look, I’m gonna be honest. I’m still upset about what you did, but I can’t stop thinking about you.” 

Manny smirked at his confession. Jimmy rolled his eyes playfully, expecting her smugness. “Yeah, go ahead. Say ‘I told you so.’”

“I mean...I did.” She put her hands between her thighs. “Come on, Jimmy. Just admit you want me as much as I want you.”

“I think I do feel something for you,” Jimmy admitted. “You make me feel whole, Manny. And I think we’d be good together. But—”

“Here goes the but.”

“Yes. A lot of people will be against this.”

“I don’t care about those people. I care about you. Do you care about me?”

“More than I should.”

He thought she’d be offended, but she smiled and placed her hand on his thigh. Manny adopted an alluring tone as she moved closer to him. “Then what are we waiting for? Am I not cute enough?”

“Manny, you’re beautiful. You know that. But don’t you feel weird?”

“Why would I feel weird?”

“Because Spinner and Craig already had you.”

“And?”

Jimmy didn’t want to insinuate that she was being passed around the squad like a hot potato, but he couldn’t help but notice the pattern. He changed the topic though, not wanting to start a fight. 

“Anyway,” he began. “Then there’s Alisha. We broke up three days ago; I should be mindful of her feelings.”

“Jimmy, she left you. Her opinion doesn’t matter.”

He remained skeptical. He didn’t want to move on too quickly for fear of seeming like he never loved Alisha. He’d loved her with all his heart, and believed she was the one for him. 

Manny stood. “Look, I get it. You’re used to messing with basic girls. Ashley? Basic. Alisha? Unbelievably basic. But me?” Manny straddled him without warning, her arms encircling his neck. “I’m far from basic. I can show you a good time.”

“A-A good time?” he stammered, unsure of how to respond to her boldness.

“Yup.” She clarified what she meant by pulling her t-shirt over her head and tossing it aside, revealing her bra. Jimmy took in the sight with wide eyes. He couldn’t believe Manny was allowing him to look at her in this way. 

He wasn’t sure if he should touch her, so he kept his hands on the bed. Manny directed his hands over her skin, and her being on top of him with her shirt off was working him up. He had to put a stop to this before they did something irreversible.

He reached for his crutches. In a swift move, she knocked the crutches out of his reach, causing them to fall. She pretended it was an accident. “Oops! Silly me.”

Jimmy’s expression revealed his displeasure. Manny let out a sigh. “Look, if you really want me to get up—”

Jimmy blurted out, “You can stay.” What had caused him to say that? Was it because he wanted to hide his erection? But there was no way she couldn’t feel it...

“Good. Your turn.” She motioned to his shirt, wanting him to strip as well. It was only fair since she removed hers. And, to be honest, he liked how she was in control. It gave him a strange thrill.

Manny’s eyes moved over his naked torso. “Wow. I always knew you had a nice body hidden beneath those hoodies.” 

Jimmy felt his chest warm up as her hands touched every inch of his torso. Her eyes fixed on him, as if she was staring deep into his soul. Her words hit him in ways he’d never felt before. “You know, Jimmy. You might not be a star athlete anymore, but you’re still a star to me.”

“Really?” 

Her voice was sensuous as she drew in closer, her face millimeters away from his. “Mhm. And you’re never gonna burn out.”

Her lips brushed against his, but Jimmy didn’t immediately respond to the kiss. His inner voice warned him this was another mistake, so he backed away slightly. “Manny, maybe we should st-”

“Don’t tell me to stop unless you really want me to.” Manny lowered her head to meet his eyes. “Do you?”

Jimmy had to think about that. Kissing would lead to sex, especially with someone like Manny, who was no stranger to intercourse. And, while he wanted to know why Craig and Spinner had been sprung on her, having sex with her would destroy everything. Specifically, his friendships. Even his sanity was on the line.

But Jimmy was unable to say no. Not when she was looking at him with pleading eyes, as if her heart would shatter if he forced her to stop. “I don’t.”

This time, Jimmy initiated the kiss. His hand found its way to her waist while the other caressed her neck. Their mouths danced together, and Jimmy was out of breath from the intensity of their kiss, but he had no intention of coming up for air.

Manny’s kisses were powerful yet passionate. She exuded confidence and always knew what she wanted, which was Jimmy. Jimmy wanted her as well. How could he not when she was on top of him, pushing him over the edge?

Her hand crept into his sweatpants. Jimmy groaned as her fingers found their way inside his underwear and gripped him. He knew they’d be in trouble if Manny completely took him out, but trouble was her middle name. True to form, she pulled him out. The rest was history.

-

Everything’s fun and games until reality sets in. Jimmy’s reality was that he betrayed his best friends by sleeping with Manny, and he wasn’t sure how he’d face Craig and Spinner. 

The sex was great. Manny was an expert at pleasing, and any guy would be lucky to have her. She most likely had every boy in her class crushing on her, but she wanted Jimmy. Jimmy had also wanted her. He was ready to risk it all for her, but then reality hit, leaving him feeling miserable.

Jimmy didn’t know what it was about Manny that caused guys to lose their brain cells, especially his since he didn’t use protection. They never brought it up; they just showered, and then Manny cuddled with him before falling asleep. 

Jimmy didn’t sleep. Knowing Spinner and Craig had slept with Manny made him feel weird and disgusting. He was having their leftovers.

His thoughts returned to that morning, when Manny had caressed him from behind as he bent over to tie his sneakers. She’d leaned in to kiss his neck, but Jimmy moved aside. Manny had asked, “You’re not gonna kiss me?”

“Are you ready to go?” he’d asked, avoiding her question.

“Yeah,” she’d said as she swung her legs off the bed and stood. 

“Then you should head to school.”

Manny’s gloom had been evident. “You’re not coming with me?”

“I don’t think it’s wise,” Jimmy had cautioned. “No one can see us together.”

Her gentle frown had turned into a fierce scowl. “First you won’t kiss me, now you don’t wanna be seen with me. Are you ashamed of me?”

“No. I just can’t risk anyone finding out about this.”

“When you say anyone, you mean Craig, right?” 

Jimmy had concentrated on his shoelaces. Manny had grown even more irritated by his silence. She’d shaken her head and decided to leave, since it was what he wanted. “Whatever. I’ll see you at school.”

Jimmy needed advice, so he went to Degrassi as well, looking for Marco. Marco had always been an understanding guy, so he should understand Jimmy’s interest in Manny. Maybe he’d accept it. But Jimmy was prepared for the possibility that he wouldn’t. If that happened, he might have to let Manny go.

When Jimmy saw Marco emerge from the stairwell, he yelled out to him. “Marco!”

“Morning, Jimmy,” Marco said. “How’s everything?”

Jimmy confessed right away. “I had sex last night.”

“With Alisha?”

“No. With Manny.”

That caused Marco to stop in his tracks. “Manny...as in Manny Santos?”

Jimmy nodded, biting his lip. Marco smacked Jimmy’s chest, wanting to make sure his disapproval was felt. “What's wrong with you?! Did you forget she dated our best friends?”

“No.”

“So I repeat, what's wrong with you?”

“Look, man. When you have Manny hinting she wants to have sex, you don’t say no to that.”

“I would, because she dated our best friends!”

Jimmy was sick of hearing that argument. “I heard you the first time.”

“Yeah, you knew and you didn’t care, did you?” Marco’s frustration was visible in his movements. “God. What is it about Manny that makes my friends go feral?”

“She’s smoking hot, and that girl is a real pleaser, Marco.”

Marco recoiled in disgust. “Ew! And I don’t care how attractive she is. There are other girls at Degrassi.”

Jimmy brushed off his complaints. “You wouldn’t understand, man.”

“Why? Because I’m gay?”

“Yes.”

That drove Marco to speak some harsh facts. “Well, you’re right. I don’t understand why you’d do something so idiotic. It’s normal for Spinner to pull a move like this, but I thought you were better than this.”

Jimmy felt offended. “Okay, you didn’t attack Spinner this much.”

“I didn’t have to; Craig took care of it for me. And Spinner lacks the intelligence to be sneaky, unlike you.”

Jimmy expressed regret. “I don’t wanna be sneaky, okay? I feel like shit. I don’t know how I’m gonna face Craig and Spinner.”

“Well, you have to. Avoiding them will make you look suspicious. Tell them it was a mistake, and that it’ll never happen again.”

Jimmy wasn’t sure if he could be honest with Craig and Spinner, especially knowing how deeply Craig cared for Manny. Manny had been his first love, and they almost started a family together. The truth would kill him. Plus, the squad was finally in a good place. Jimmy didn’t want to jeopardize the peace. 

“I’m serious, Jimmy. Don’t speak to her again,” Marco insisted. 

“So I’m supposed to ghost her after we had sex? Don’t you think that’ll hurt?”

“You’re right; someone will be hurt by the end of this. It’s up to you whether that’s Manny or Craig. But if I were you, I know who I’d pick. When you were bleeding out, only one of them found you. You wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for him.”

Remorse washed over Jimmy. He owed Craig his life; he couldn’t betray him like this. So he’d have to let Manny go after all. It sucked that he had to call it quits after they had sex; he didn’t want to be known as someone who liked to hit it and quit it. It was just bad timing.

“Okay. I’ll end things with her.”

“Good.” Marco rested his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “I know it sucks, but you’re doing the right thing.”

Jimmy sighed as Marco walked away, knowing he was making this decision for the sake of his friendships.

He began walking away, but stopped when he saw Manny down the hall. She waved, but Jimmy turned in the opposite direction, leaving Manny standing alone. 

Chapter Text

Manny hated the space Jimmy was creating between them today. Did he not enjoy their night together?

Maybe this was about Craig. Manny was annoyed that Jimmy was scared of endangering their friendship. His loyalty was admirable, but he had to stand up for what he wanted. Her. If not, Manny would gladly do it for him. 

Manny wondered where Marco fit into this, since he and Jimmy had a heated discussion. It was most likely about her, since Jimmy was hurrying away right now. Manny ran in front of him, and Jimmy glanced around, as if he was afraid of being seen with her.

“Hello? Did you not see me waving?”

Jimmy’s eyes darted around again. “Manny, we can’t be seen—”

“Forget that! What did Marco say to you?”

“He gave me advice.” Manny urged him to continue, and Jimmy sighed. “Listen, Manny, I like you. Maybe if you hadn’t dated Craig, we could’ve made something happen, but Marco’s right. Craig doesn’t deserve this.”

“So Marco’s the reason you’re acting like this,” Manny stated. “Good to know.”

She stormed away, and Jimmy called after her in a panicked tone. “Where are you going?!”

“I’m gonna give Marco a piece of my mind!” Because he had no right to change Jimmy’s mind about her. Everything would’ve been perfect if he hadn’t added his two cents. 

Jimmy grabbed her arm to prevent her from acting rashly. “Stop. What Marco said was true. Craig will be furious.”

“He doesn’t get to be furious! He has Ellie!”

“So if Emma or Liberty dated him, you wouldn’t be angry?”

Liberty would never give Craig a chance. As for Emma, she knew better.

Jimmy clung to the scenario. “You may be exes, but don’t you feel like he still belongs to you?”

“No.” Jimmy’s skepticism remained, and Manny sighed. “I’ll admit that I used to be crazy over Craig, but he’s just so yesterday. You’re my today, tomorrow, and every day after that.”

Jimmy drew away when her fingertips skimmed his hand. It hurt because he was the one she was crazy over now, and he felt the same way. Craig was complicating their chances of being a power couple. 

Jimmy noticed the pain in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Manny, but Craig cares about you. He’s protective over you.”

“More like possessive,” Manny retorted. “I’m supposed to stay stuck on him while he makes love to Ellie?”

“You can move on, but you’ve been moving on to his best friends. Don’t you see the issue?”

“No. Do you?” she said flirtatiously while caressing his shirt. Jimmy removed her hand. 

“Yes. It wouldn't matter if we weren't in high school, but I have to see him daily. I can’t betray him.”

“Let’s ask for his permission then.” Manny walked towards Craig’s locker, but Jimmy extended his crutch in front of her. She saw the warning in his eyes: if she told Craig, he’d lose interest in her forever.

Manny threw up her hands. “So that’s it? You’re tossing me aside? Why wait until after we’ve had sex?”

“I didn’t expect to feel guilty.”

She kept arguing with Jimmy, hoping to persuade him to abandon his loyalty to Craig. Her emotions got the best of her, and her voice became louder. Jimmy looked at the passing students, warning Manny that if she didn’t be quiet, he’d have to kiss her.

Her lips curved into an arrogant smile. “You wanna kiss me?”

“Yeah, to shut you up.”

Manny knew there was more to it. He loved her lips on his; last night proved it. If not for the students around, he’d probably be kissing her at this moment. 

“Fine. I’ll shut up,” Manny said. “I’ll leave you alone too, but you’ll be back. You know why? Because once I leave, all you'll have is memories of our time together last night.” Her voice grew low and seductive as she spoke into his ear. “No girl has made you feel this way before. They don’t understand you like I do.”

Manny drew back, watching him shudder. She smirked as she strutted away, loving that she could get that type of reaction from him. No other girl had that effect on him. Not Ashley. Not Alisha. Only her. 

He’d be back for more. 

 
Dallas regretted leaving his hometown and family. He could return to them, but shouldn’t he wait until after graduation? Besides, he might have problems with Chantay and Owen, but he treasured the Torres family. He didn’t want to abandon them. So he’d hang in there, which meant putting up with Chantay for five months.

They had Mr. Simpson’s class. As he entered, he became the center of attention. Chantay sat in the back, wearing a mocking smirk. Owen sat in the seat closest to the door, in front of Dallas. The gossip escalated thanks to the way he looked up at Dallas. Dallas focused elsewhere, so the class wouldn’t think they were making love faces. 

The only available seat was next to Chantay. He asked Mr. Simpson to change his seat. Simpson suggested he work with Owen, which was out of the question. 

Chantay made a snarky remark. “Aw. You don’t wanna work with your boyfriend?”

Mr. Simpson raised an eyebrow. Meanwhile, Dallas had enough of Chantay’s taunts. “You’ve been on my case nonstop, Chantay. Just admit you want me.”

She smirked, playing along. “And then what?”

“I’ll tell you to move on because I don’t like you.”

“Duh. You like Owen,” Chantay teased. The class erupted in laughter, but Dallas found nothing amusing about this situation. Chantay’s attempt to ruin their lives was succeeding, and it infuriated him. 

Owen intervened. “Chantay, please shut the fuck up.”

Mr. Simpson addressed his language. “Owen, that language isn’t allowed.”

“But she’s allowed to tell me what my sexuality is?”

Dallas joined in. “Right? I’m not gay!”

A girl said, “Says every scared gay guy ever.”

Dallas glared at her while Mr. Simpson remained bewildered. “Okay, I’m not sure what’s going on—”

Dallas cut in. “Chantay’s spreading lies. That’s what’s going on.” He cast a pointed look at her. “I see why no guy has ever shown interest in you. You’re too toxic.”

“And you’re in love with Owen.”

Dallas removed himself from this toxic environment. “Okay, I can’t do this.”

He left the classroom. Mr. Simpson chased after him. “Dallas, wait!”

“I can’t be in that room, Mr. Simpson. I’m gonna go off on her.”

“Why don’t you get some water, and come back when you’ve cooled down?”

Dallas nodded and walked to the nearby fountain. He was grateful he had Mr. Simpson this period, because any other teacher would’ve demanded he sit and deal with the situation.

The cold water provided relief from his intense emotions. However, his rage got reignited when he heard a mocking voice behind him. “Yo, Dallas. How’s life with Owen?”

Dallas stopped drinking and took deep breaths, fully aware that this guy was on the verge of pushing him over the edge. He knew who it was too: Fitz, one of Lakehurst’s biggest troublemakers.

Dallas turned around and spoke gruffly. “What’d you say?”

“He’s your boyfriend, right? How’s the sex? Let me guess, you’re the bottom?”

Dallas grabbed a fistful of Fitz’s shirt, getting in his face. “Listen, I’m not Johnny. I’ll lay your ass out.”

“Aw. Is the homo getting triggered?”

Dallas was far from homosexual, but Fitz had certainly triggered him. Everyone was testing his patience, and he couldn’t hold back his anger any longer. 

He punched Fitz in the face. He continued to strike him until he was on the floor, blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Dallas didn’t care, because he couldn’t. He blacked out, his brain urging him to beat Fitz senseless.

In actuality, Fitz wasn’t the true target of his anger. Dallas just needed to release his pent-up frustration on someone. Fitz asked for it anyway.

Ms. Hatzilakos rushed down the hall, horrified. Dallas stopped assaulting Fitz once he heard her urgent screams. He sat on the floor, staring at the damage he’d inflicted, slowly regaining his senses. 

Fitz’s face was a mess, and he laid on his side in pain. Ms. Hatzilakos assessed his injuries and noticed he couldn’t stand on his own. “Let’s get you to the nurse.” 

She helped Fitz up and turned her stern gaze to Dallas. “Dallas, wait in my office.”

-

Dallas looked at his bruised and bloodied knuckles. Ms. Hatzilakos was disturbed by his behavior; he was the last person she expected to be involved in such a violent episode. “Do you want to tell me what that fight was about?”

“It’s Chantay’s fault. She’s spreading rumors on her blog.”

“I didn’t know she had one.”

“It’s a gossip blog. She posts everyone’s business on it. She even lies sometimes.” Dallas explained further. “She told the school Owen and I are dating; now everyone thinks we’re gay. Fitz made fun of me, so I fought him.”

Ms. Hatzilakos sighed, realizing Fitz had been the actual aggressor. “Well, I don’t want you fighting anymore. You nearly killed him.”

“I didn’t mean to. I had to get my anger out.”

“I get it, but it can’t happen again or I’ll have to suspend you.”

Chantay should be the one facing suspension, not him. 

“Now, I’ll talk to Chantay about this blog of hers.”

“Talking won’t change anything. The blog needs to be deleted.”

“I’ll handle it, Dallas,” Ms. Hatzilakos promised, determined to solve the situation. “You have my word.”

He hoped so, because he’d had enough of Chantay.

 
Mr. Perino paced around, his gaze shifting from student to student. “Any takers?” 

Students raised their hands to answer his question, including Clare. Alli slumped in her chair, trying to appear less noticeable. It was a habit she developed to escape Mr. Perino’s tendency to call on her. 

He ignored the eager hands and called her out. “Bhandari!”

All eyes were on her, including Dave’s. He was waiting for her to say something stupid so he could tease her. Unfortunately, she gave the incorrect answer, and Dave burst out laughing. Adam hit Dave to hush him, as Dave struggled to hold back his laughs.

Mr. Perino, speaking sarcastically, said, “Thank you for that outburst, Turner.”

Dave bowed in his chair. “You're very welcome.”

Alli rolled her eyes when she heard Sadie giggling. She and Dave were vexing. They were made for each other.

Mr. Perino addressed Alli once more. “Bhandari, pay attention.” He redirected the class’ focus. “Let’s turn to the next page. Would you like to read for us, Adam?”

While Adam read, Alli whispered to Clare. “Why do I suck at this class?” 

“Maybe because you’re too focused on Johnny?”

“He’s a better guy now, Clare.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Now, focus.”

She gestured to Alli’s textbook, and Alli knew she was right. Her performance wouldn’t improve if she didn’t pay attention, so she followed along with Adam’s reading. She found it hard to concentrate when Sadie spoke to Maya from behind her. 

Sadie asked, “Hey, Maya. You date Nic, right?”

“Yeah, for a week now.”

“Have you ever thought about...doing it with him?”

Doing it? Sadie was talking about sex, but why was she doing so in class?

Maya replied with, “No, it’s way too soon for that. We just make out.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. I’m asking because Dave spent the night at my house.”

Alli’s attention drew across the room to Dave. He did what?

“Last night, things got heated between us. We almost went all the way, but stopped. I’d like to finish what we started.”

Dave and Sadie almost went all the way? Now she was planning on having sex with him for real? Alli couldn’t let that happen; the last thing she needed was Dave bragging about getting it on first. She needed to beat him for once, so maybe it was time for her and Johnny to have sex as well. They’d been together long enough, and they were in love. 

“I also don’t want Dave to get bored with me,” Sadie added. 

Maya reassured her. “Dave isn’t bored with you. He loves you.”

“I know, which is why I wanna do it. He deserves it.”

Dave didn’t deserve anything, but Johnny did. Alli didn’t want Johnny to grow bored of her either, so it was time to have a serious talk about taking their relationship to the next level.

-

Alli rushed through the crowded hallways. Instead of finding Johnny, she ran into Drew. His expression showed his displeasure, and Alli knew why—she hadn’t spoken to him since she reconciled with Johnny.

“Hey, Drew. I’m sorry for not talking to you. I’ve been busy with...” She hesitated to mention Johnny’s name, knowing Drew would be upset. “...Johnny.”

“Are you back with him?” His expression darkened as Alli nodded. “Alli, you promised you’d leave him.”

“I did, but he bought me apology gifts, and—”

“He won you over with money?” 

“And food.”

Drew chastised her. “Alli, you can’t dismiss what he did for food. A boy is dead because of him, and he put his hands on you!”

“It won’t happen again.”

“How do you know?”

Alli was about to answer when Johnny shouted her name from down the hall. He stood with his eyes narrowed, focusing on Drew with suspicion and dislike.

Johnny shouted her name again. He wanted her away from Drew right now, and Alli knew how frightening Johnny could be when he got upset, so she apologized to Drew and excused herself.

She made her way towards Johnny and tried to kiss him, but he backed away. He gave her a firm order. “I don’t want you talking to him.”

“He’s my friend, Johnny.” Her throat was dry, so she bent down to drink from the water fountain. Johnny grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

“I said don’t talk to him,” he growled. She tried to pull his hand away, but his grip tightened.

“Johnny, you’re hurting me,” Alli whimpered as she kept trying to free her wrist. Fortunately, Johnny let her go. She looked at her red wrist, caressing it.

Johnny stared at her wrist, as if considering an apology, but no sorries came out of his mouth. Instead, he gave another command. “Let’s go.”

He walked off, but Alli stood there, her attention returning to where she left Drew. He was no longer there, which meant no one saw what had just transpired.

Johnny barked at her. “Let’s go, Alli!” 

Alli hurriedly followed him. The memory of the way he grabbed her wrist lingered, leaving her with worry, confusion, and disappointment. She stroked her wrist, the red mark a physical reminder of their disagreement. 

But it was okay. Everything would be better once they had sex. 

Chapter Text

Craig passed by his friends who were sitting at their lunch table. He planned to join them, but first he wanted to find Eli.

Eli had convinced Ellie to join the self-harm support group. Craig owed him thanks because Ellie’s attendance had made a huge difference in their relationship. The unnecessary arguments from last week were behind them, and the drama had ended. 

Ellie enjoyed going to the support group. When he went with her yesterday, he found it to be a safe and non-judgmental environment. The participants were also teenagers, which was comforting. So comforting that Ellie told Craig she wanted to go alone from now on, and he remembered giving her the proudest smile.

None of this would’ve been possible without Eli. He found him talking with another boy. “Eli!”

Eli excused himself from the other conversation. “Hey, Craig. I spoke to Ellie the other day.”

“She told me you’re the one who convinced her to go to the support group. Thanks for that.”

“It’s not a problem. She told me you were worried about her, and honestly, I was too. She needs guidance.”

“Well, she’s getting it. She’s always happy after she comes back from the group. Our relationship is back on track.”

“I’m glad I could help. I really like you two together.”

“Me too.” Craig turned the conversation to Eli’s own romance. “What about you and Clare? Is everything going okay?”

“Yeah. She met my parents, but Elliot was there, and he loves upsetting her.”

Elliot was great at upsetting everyone. Craig couldn’t believe he and Eli were related. They were total opposites. “Tell Clare to ignore him. He’ll get bored eventually.”

“Yeah. Speaking of Clare, I gotta find her, but I’ll catch you later?”

“Sure. Thanks again.”

Eli patted his shoulder and moved on to find Clare. Craig watched him go with gratitude before joining his friends.

Ellie, Hazel, Alisha, Spinner, and Marco were gathered around their lunch table. Marco was telling a funny Del Rossi story, and everyone was engaged.

Craig wrapped his arm around Ellie as Marco finished his story, which had everyone laughing. Everyone focused on their lunch, but Craig noticed two people were missing: Paige and Jimmy. Paige’s absence wasn’t unusual, given her busy schedule and her recent falling out with Hazel over Anya MacPherson. 

Jimmy’s absence was unusual, especially since Craig hadn’t spoken to him all day. They had classes together, but Jimmy rushed out when the bell rang, as if he was avoiding someone. Was it Craig?

No, that couldn’t be. Everything was fine between them. Maybe Jimmy was dealing with family issues. 

Paige and Alex entered the scene. Them holding hands raised eyebrows because it wasn’t something they were used to seeing. 

Alisha pointed out the obvious. “Holding hands?”

“Yes.” Paige and Alex exchanged a smile. “I came to tell you guys that Alex and I are together.”

The group exchanged stunned looks since Paige had never been interested in girls. Hazel expressed her doubts. “You aren’t a lesbian.”

“I never said I was. There’s a thing called bisexuality.”

“Or maybe this is for attention.”

Paige stood up for herself. “Hazel, please be quiet. You know how much I wanted Alex to forgive me. Because I like her.”

Spinner shook his head, drawing everyone’s attention to himself. He sensed their stares and stopped drinking his milk. “Why are you staring at me?”

“We know you want to say something, so spit it out,” Paige ordered.

Spinner complied. “Well, when you said you liked someone, I thought you were lying. Now I see you meant Alex.”

“And?”

“And I never expected you to become a lesbian.”

“She’s bisexual,” Alex stated. “But if she swore off men, it'd be because you're a cheater.”

Marco intervened to prevent any arguments. “Okay, let’s not argue! We need to celebrate, since I’m no longer the only LGBTQ+ member in this squad!”

Paige agreed. “Yup! Now all of us are taken, except Spinner and Hazel, which isn’t surprising.” 

Spinner and Hazel rolled their eyes. 

Alisha said, “I’m not taken either.”

Craig questioned her. “Wait, you and Jimmy broke up?”

“Yeah, on Friday.”

That was strange because Jimmy hadn’t mentioned it on Saturday. “Why did you break up?”

“He and Manny have been real close lately.”

Marco and Hazel scoffed. They seemed to know something. Craig didn’t have time to question them, though. He needed answers from Alisha.

“Close?” he repeated, withdrawing his arm from around Ellie. Ellie gave him a displeased look, but he couldn’t concentrate on her. His mind was racing with thoughts of Jimmy and Manny. “How close?”

“Hanging out behind my back close.”

So they’d also been hanging out behind Craig’s back. Why?

Jimmy had disgusted Alisha. “Jimmy tried to buy my love, saying he could buy me things to make me stay.”

“He loves you, hun,” Paige said. 

“He wouldn’t be around Manny if he did.”

Craig agreed. Jimmy had no business spending time with Manny, his ex. He prayed they weren’t having a Spinner repeat. He trusted Jimmy and considered him his closest friend. If Jimmy betrayed him, it’d hurt like hell. Craig wasn’t sure if he’d ever recover from that.

Ellie massaged his back. “Craig, are you okay?”

“Yeah...” Craig rose. “I’m going to the bathroom, okay?”

Ellie said she’d wait for him, but Craig wasn’t sure when he’d be back because he needed to find Jimmy. He needed to explain himself. 

Craig texted Jimmy, asking, “Where are you?” Jimmy told him he was in the art room, and Craig made his way to confront him. He felt anxious yet determined to get answers. He needed to understand the situation better, and protect his friendship with Jimmy. 

He dashed inside the art room and spotted Jimmy painting in front of an easel. “You’re painting?” 

Jimmy glanced at him. “Yeah. I didn’t wanna go to the cafeteria.”

“Because of Alisha, right?”

“Yeah. We broke up.”

“She told us.” Craig’s voice was measured as he inched closer, arms crossed. “So, what’s going on between you and Manny?”

Jimmy’s body stiffened. “What?” 

“You and Manny have been hanging out?”

Jimmy decided to be honest. “We have. It started when she saw my sketchbook. I drew Alisha, and Manny wanted me to do the same for her. She asked me to paint her, so I did it for the experience. We became friends and went out to eat.”

“And that’s it? Nothing else happened?”

“Nothing.”

His solemn expression made it hard not to take him at face value. As a result, Craig believed him. He knew Jimmy would never lie to him. 

“Would it be bad if I was her friend?” Jimmy continued.

“Kinda.” Craig uncrossed his arms. “She has a tendency of dating people who are close to me, so I’d prefer it if you avoided her.”

“Alright. I won’t talk to her again.”

Craig put his hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate it.”

Jimmy placed his hand on top of Craig’s. “You’re my brother for life, man. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

Craig nodded as he remembered that horrific school shooting. “I’d do anything for you, Jimmy. You know that.”

“Until the world explodes.”

Craig agreed with a chuckle, happy he’d found answers, and that his relationship with Jimmy was stronger than ever. 

 
After three months of being single, Spinner was eager for a new relationship. Darcy was the perfect choice for him.

Spinner was glad he hadn’t replaced Darcy with Manny. It would've been the dumbest decision, given how close Jimmy and Manny had become. Jimmy could have her. Darcy was better.

Spinner made his way to Darcy’s table, ready to tell her how he felt. Looking back, he’d developed feelings for her the moment they became friends. Paige and Manny promised to never leave him, but they'd broken their word. But Darcy stood by him when others shunned him. He admired her loyalty, but he wondered if she felt the same.

He reached Darcy’s table. She was sitting across from Linus, who was talking about Jesus. Christianity was his entire personality, and Spinner hated that Darcy spent so much time with him. He was scared she’d become just as boring. 

He cleared his throat, trying to get Darcy’s attention. Linus huffed. “Your no-good friend is here, Darcy.”

Darcy glanced at Spinner. He smiled, but her face remained expressionless. She turned away, leaving Spinner with a sense of tension in the air. “Uh, Darcy,” he began, “can we talk?”

Darcy responded with an attitude. “Now you wanna talk to me?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

She stood and let him have it. “You did me wrong. You can’t get over your exes and it bugs me.” 

“Paige and Manny have nothing to do with this.” 

“They do. They said you wanted to work things out.”

What the hell? Spinner was glad he didn’t reconcile with them. They loved starting drama. Especially Paige. He'd wasted years on her, but wouldn’t waste another second.

“I tried reconciling with them, but I don’t like them, Darcy. I just didn’t want enemies.” Continuing, he added, “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Paige rejected me, and Manny gave me an ultimatum. She told me to choose you or her, and I almost chose her, but she had her chance.”

He grabbed Darcy’s hand, and although Linus looked mad, Spinner couldn’t care less. He was determined to confess his feelings. “I really like you, Darcy.”

“You do?”

Spinner’s tone softened to match hers. “Yeah. I have for a while now. I wanna be with you, but I don’t know how you feel.”

“Spinner, I’ve always liked you. I gave you so many signs that you missed.”

“You held my hand in front of Paige because you like me?”

“Yes.” She gazed into his eyes, her bright smile lighting up the cafeteria. “I wanna be with you, too. But please, no more working things out with Paige and Manny.”

Spinner’s voice was firm. “They don’t exist to me. Only you do.”

“Okay. I guess I’m officially your girlfriend.”

“Darcy, don’t!” Linus demanded.

“Quiet, Linus!”

A wry smile played on Spinner’s lips. He was glad she was putting her foot down and telling Linus to shut up. He was also relieved that he was no longer single. He’d finally found a sweet, innocent girl. 

Darcy beamed before planting a quick peck on his lips. Then she spoke with zeal. “I need to tell Chantay the news!”

She hurried off, leaving Spinner alone with his nemesis. Linus stood, his face contemptuous. “If you think you and Darcy are going to last, you’re mistaken.”

“Who’s gonna break us up?”

“The truth will. Did you forget you lied to her about being a virgin? A good boyfriend doesn't do that.”

Spinner was puzzled by how Linus knew, but he wasn't confessing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh? Maybe I need to talk to Paige and Manny.”

Panic welled up in Spinner. Paige and Manny would gladly spill the beans just to see him suffer. “Don’t bring them into this.”

“Why? Someone needs to put an end to your lies.”

Spinner snarled at him. “I’m a virgin, Linus. Get over it.”

“Let’s hope Paige and Manny say the same. For your sake.”

Linus patted Spinner on the chest before walking away, whistling. Spinner watched him leave with narrowed eyes, his dislike growing even stronger.

Linus was hell-bent on exposing him, and if Darcy discovered the truth, he’d lose her as quickly as he’d gotten her. Spinner needed to get on Linus’ good side to prevent that from happening. 

 
Becky adored Lakehurst, but they were hypocrites.  

Her texts with Anya exposed her friends’ double standards. They labeled Anya a traitor for joining the Spirit Squad, which Becky found ridiculous. Anya wasn’t choosing Degrassi; she was choosing cheerleading and Becky supported her. After all, cheerleading was her passion. Why should she give it up over a war that shouldn’t be happening?

Shouldn’t Becky also be labeled a traitor for not participating in their revenge schemes? But no one minded her neutrality, while Anya was facing constant criticism. Becky hated that Anya had to watch her back over something so trivial. She also hated that a war was tearing their school apart, so she came up with an idea.

Her solution was to resurrect the Friendship Club she’d led at Lakehurst. It wasn’t only about friendship; it served as a safe haven for Christians. It thrived at Lakehurst, so she felt confident it’d be a hit at Degrassi.

Getting Ms. Hatzilakos’ approval was the first step, which drove her to seek help from her brother. He’d been a member of the Friendship Club at Lakehurst, so surely he’d join again. Or maybe not, since he believed they should focus on the ongoing war.

“Becky, we have to focus on the war.”

“I’m not at war with anyone, and you shouldn’t be either. God wouldn’t approve.”

Luke stopped brushing his hair. “Please stop talking about God. There are more important things going on.”

Becky gasped in horror. He was putting the war before his faith? “You’re no longer a Christian? This war is destroying you, Luke!”

He held her by both shoulders, trying to calm her. “I’m still a Christian, Becky. I’m just focusing on other things. Have you heard about Katie?”

“Katie?” 

Luke told her about Katie’s true intentions. She became the newspaper’s editor to pursue her own goals, not to sabotage Degrassi. She even alerted her mother about Maya’s misbehavior, putting Maya on the verge of being sent to a troubled teen program if she misbehaved again.

“Katie’s a traitor, sis,” Luke concluded.

Becky rolled her eyes at the selective outrage. “She’s not a traitor. She’s neutral like me, so why am I not considered a traitor?”

“You’ve always been neutral, but Katie acted like she was against Degrassi. Who knows what she’s been telling them behind our backs?”

“Does it matter? Lakehurst is gaining the upper hand, thanks to these stupid rumors.”

“It does matter,” Luke insisted. “Every week we lose someone—first Jane and Imogen, then Anya, and now Katie.”

“Doesn’t that tell you something? No one wants to be a part of this meaningless war. Maya can’t even lead anymore. We should end it.”

Luke shook his head. “No way. We’re not giving up; not when we’re so close to victory.”

Becky sighed, her determination unshakable. “Well, I’m restarting the Friendship Club. Do you want to join?”

“I will,” Luke responded, giving her a glimmer of hope. But his tone changed as he added, “When the war is over.”

Becky’s hopes got crushed, so he said, “I’m sorry, but Nic’s now in charge with Marisol. I have to help him.”

Becky’s annoyance was clear in her curt response. “Whatever. I’m gonna talk to Ms. Hatzilakos.”

“Good luck.”

Becky exited the room, determined to make a difference on her own. She hoped Ms. Hatzilakos would support her vision for the Friendship Club. She honestly believed the club could bring solace amid the chaos.

She entered Ms. Hatzilakos’ office. She was absorbed in a pile of papers when Becky’s soft voice broke her concentration. She looked up from her work, perplexed.

“Oh, you’re Rebecca Baker, right?” Becky nodded, confirming her identity. “How can I help you?”

Becky’s eyes shone with conviction. “I have an idea for an after-school club. One I believe will benefit the school.”

Ms. Hatzilakos returned her focus to her task. “I’m not sure, Rebecca. Our finances are tight right now.”

“It won’t cost a thing.”

Ms. Hatzilakos’ eyes shot up. She motioned for Becky to continue, and Becky introduced the idea of Friendship Club, explaining that it originated at Lakehurst and was a Christian group. However, she emphasized that anyone with an open mind would be welcome.

She shared her success stories from Lakehurst, and Ms. Hatzilakos seemed interested. “That doesn’t sound bad. A lot of these kids have been lost since the tragedies that happened last semester. You can help them rediscover themselves.” She leaned forward. “Room 208 is available. You can meet there.”

“Thank you so much! You won’t regret it!” She squealed with delight as she ran out the office. She needed to tell Anya the good news, and start working on posters to attract members.

She’d singlehandedly fix Degrassi. 

Chapter Text

It was time for Hazel’s least favorite activity: cheerleading. She got along with most of the team, except for Manny, who was getting closer to Jimmy. And Anya, for obvious reasons. She hated seeing her and Paige together, and she didn’t want to feel that way anymore. So she strolled past the gym without looking inside. 

Hazel had a different destination in mind: the auditorium, where Marisol’s dance practice was taking place. Marisol had grown on her since she treated her as an equal, unlike Paige. Marisol valued friendship, so Hazel gladly supported her in return.

Hazel opened the door, capturing the dancers’ attention. Marisol saw everyone’s eyes shift to the door. Her face lit up as she bounced down the stage. “Hazel!”

She gave Hazel a tight hug, swaying back and forth. Hazel laughed, appreciating how much Marisol adored her. “Don’t you have cheer practice?”

“I’m not in a rush to get to Paige.”

“You’re skipping?”

Hazel shook her head. “No, I’ll go later. Paige can’t do anything about it.”

“If she tries to, I’ve got your back.”

“And I have yours.” Hazel motioned around. “Are you guys about to practice?”

“Yeah. We’ve been working on a routine. Wanna tell me what you think?”

Hazel agreed, and Marisol told the team to get into position. She inserted a CD into the stereo, and a hip-hop beat filled the auditorium.

The dance routine began. Their movements were synchronized, and Hazel felt the energy flowing from each dancer’s fingertips and toes. Everyone was doing well, but Marisol was the star of the show. Her leadership was the reason the dance team was prospering. 

Hazel wanted the Spirit Squad to achieve the same level of unity, but she doubted it would happen with Paige in charge. The Spirit Squad’s atmosphere was hostile, making it impossible for them to work together. 

Marisol snapped her fingers, bringing Hazel back to the present. She’d been so preoccupied that she hadn’t noticed the dance ended.

“So? What do you think?”

Hazel was impressed. “Wow, that was great. Did you come up with that?”

“I did. Wanna learn it?”

“I’d hate to steal your shine,” Hazel joked. 

Marisol’s jaw dropped in amusement. “So you’re a good dancer?”

Hazel stayed modest. “I know a thing or two.”

“Show me.” Marisol held out her hand, and Hazel accepted the invitation. Marisol restarted the hip-hop song and beckoned the other dancers to watch as she taught Hazel the routine. 

Hazel was nervous. Not about dancing, but about outshining Marisol. She didn’t want Marisol to be envious. But she had a feeling Marisol was the type to hype up her friends, not hate on them. Maybe she was overthinking it.

Hazel focused on Marisol’s every move. She replicated her arm and leg movements, and even though Hazel was a good dancer, performing with Marisol improved her abilities. Maybe the moves were to thank. 

The song ended and Hazel frowned. Dancing had washed away her concerns and stress. She was itching to do it again.

Marisol said, “Wow, you’re a natural. Are you sure you don’t wanna quit cheerleading?” 

“When I’ve had enough of Paige, I’ll let you know.”

Hazel felt someone staring at her. She turned her attention to the door and locked eyes with Paige, who was peering through the glass with a deep grimace. Hazel shot Paige a grimace of her own because she made it clear she wanted to be left alone. Didn’t Paige have Anya, and a girlfriend to worry about?

It was funny how she was showering Hazel with attention after she’d found a new best friend. Paige was jealous, which was why she was spying. And since she was spying, Hazel put on a show for her. 

She turned to Marisol with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Hey, mind if we run it from the top?”

Marisol squinted and spotted Paige. A wicked grin crept onto her face. “As you wish.”

She and Hazel performed the routine from the beginning. Hazel danced with a smirk aimed at Paige. The sight infuriated Paige, who shook her head and vanished from the doorway.

Hazel chuckled. She could stay mad. 

 
Jay had hoped to reconcile with Alex after Emily revealed they'd slept together, but that didn’t happen. Alex had smacked him, which Jay could still feel, but he deserved it. It must’ve been horrifying to learn her mother had slept with him.

Jay had no intention of sleeping with Emily. It was supposed to be a blowjob, but he decided to go all the way as things advanced. It was wrong, but it was hard to resist when Emily made him feel like a king.

Would Emily become his queen? Alex would throw a fit if that happened, but it was her fault. None of this would’ve happened if she’d given him a second chance.

Emily had done what Alex hadn’t—made a move on him. She was still making moves, because she just texted him. She was waiting for his answer to her question. 

She had asked him out. It happened after he told her Alex wanted nothing to do with them. Those words had motivated Emily to ask Jay to be her boyfriend. She assumed that since Alex was gone, they wouldn’t have to worry about her feelings. Jay also knew Emily wanted revenge; she didn’t like being disowned.

He hadn’t accepted her offer because it felt weird. She was twenty-two years older than him. He’d rather continue sleeping with her with no strings attached, but Emily wanted his heart. She probably also wanted him to get down on one knee, since she was spamming him.

“Is that Emily again?” Adam asked while striking a ball. Jay had told him everything since he now considered Adam to be a close friend. 

“Yeah.”

Adam straightened up after making his shot. “Do you like her?”

“I don’t know, Adam. The whole thing feels weird.”

“Then why sleep with her?”

Jay shrugged. “Making bad decisions is what I do.”

“I thought you were trying to change?”

“I am. Just not in the love department.”

Adam sounded taken aback. “Love? You’re gonna date that woman?”

Jay remained unsure. “Never mind that. It’s time to see if you’re on my level.” He and Adam needed to play one more pool game to see if their mentor sessions had been worthwhile. Jay wanted Adam to beat him; he wanted to be crowned the greatest pool teacher by the end of this. 

“You nervous?” Jay asked.

“Nope,” Adam said. “You were right; I can’t afford to be insecure.”

Jay smiled proudly. Adam was learning. “Alright, let’s get started.” He attracted the men’s attention by telling them to gather for their game. Everyone had been looking forward to it, hoping to see Jay keep his crown.

The pool balls got repositioned. Jay let Adam take the first shot. When he did, a striped ball fell in. He potted another stripe ball, meaning Jay was solids, but it didn’t matter because Adam never missed a shot. His accuracy and skills were on full display as he aimed his balls into the pockets, never allowing Jay to shoot.

Adam was officially on his level, and even he was taken aback by his performance. “Oh my god! Did I win by a landslide?”

“You did. Come here, man.” Jay congratulated him and hugged him.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Adam exclaimed. “You’re the best teacher ever.”

Bill, the man who challenged Adam to a $100 game, approached them. “Yes he is.” He concentrated on Adam. “Congratulations, Adam. You’re now one of our top players. Just in time for our annual tournament.”

Adam was confused. Jay explained that there was a competition with cash prizes for the top three teams every year. Adam was excited. “How much cash are we talking?”

“First place gets $3000.”

“3000?! Sign me up!”

Bill chuckled at his enthusiasm. “Alright, you and Jay will be a team. There’ll be fifteen other teams competing, including mine. May the best man win.” He shook their hands, then signed up the other men.

Adam turned to Jay, bouncing with excitement. “Jay, we have to win. And when we do, we’ll split the prize?”

“Of course.”

His phone rang. It was Emily, and Jay considered letting it ring, but she wouldn’t stop calling until he answered.

“Emily, hey.”

She sounded upset. “Jason, have you not been receiving my texts?”

“I’ve been busy. There’s a big pool tournament coming up, and—”

She cut him off. “Never mind that. Have you made a decision?”

He sighed, feeling conflicted. “Emily, I’m not sure if we should take it that far. No one will approve.”

“Please, Jason. Didn’t you enjoy our time together?”

Jay loved how Emily always called him “Jason.” It gave him a sense of respect he hadn’t felt before. “I did. You make me feel like a king.”

“You make me feel like a queen! You treat me better than Chad, or any man ever could.” Her tender tone tugged at his heartstrings. “I know you’re the one for me, Jason. Let me be the one for you.”

Turning her down seemed heartless. Besides, he had a history of making poor choices. Why break the pattern now? So, hesitantly, he agreed. “Fine. I’ll be your boyfriend.”

Emily’s excited scream almost burst his eardrum. Loving words poured out of her mouth, but Jay didn’t reciprocate. It was too soon to say the things she was saying.

She continued to gush until he told her he had to focus on pool. She offered to come see him play sometimes, and he accepted. They said their goodbyes, and Jay pocketed his phone before returning to Adam.

“Well, Adam. I’m officially a taken man.”

Adam looked concerned. “Please don’t tell me you caved in.”

He had. 

 
Jay dating a 40-year-old woman when he was barely legal raised serious concerns. What was Emily’s ulterior motive? Maybe there wasn’t one. Maybe she was a cougar, struggling to find someone her own age. 

The age gap wasn’t the worst part. What truly bothered Adam was the fact that she was dating her daughter’s ex-boyfriend. What parent would do that?

Emily was repulsive, so he hoped Jay wouldn’t bring her to The Break Room. Adam didn’t want to meet her; he had no respect for her.

Jay broke the silence. “You’re not mad, are you?”

“Do I approve? No,” Adam said. “But nobody can tell Jay Hogart what to do. Just be careful; she might have an ulterior motive.”

Jay nodded, and Adam’s phone vibrated. It was Tristan, urging Adam to meet him at The Dot. He wanted to introduce him to a girl, which made Adam furrow his brows. Was he playing matchmaker? 

Adam didn’t like being the only single person, so he agreed to find out who the girl was. Hopefully he’d like her. 

Putting his phone away, he said, “Can we call it a day? I have to go.”

Jay protested. “Adam, our tournament is coming up.”

“We’re the two best players, remember?” Adam reminded him. “If anything, everyone else needs to practice.”

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Adam nodded and left to meet Tristan.

-

“Adam!” Tristan leapt from his chair and hurried over to him.

“Tristan.” Adam glanced around before fixing his gaze on the empty seat opposite Tristan’s. “Where is she?”

Tristan motioned to the door. Adam spun around to see a girl with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a blue Degrassi shirt and khakis. “Clare Edwards?”

Clare focused on him and smiled. “Hey, Adam.”

“What are you doing here?” 

“Tristan wanted to introduce me to someone.” She focused on Tristan and asked, “Where is he?” Tristan pointed at Adam, and Clare looked between them with puzzled eyes. “Adam? I already know him.”

“Not on a deep level.”

Adam was confused. “Tristan, what are you saying?”

Tristan revealed his master plan. “Okay...this is a blind date.”

“What?!”

Tristan spouted lies about Adam, telling Clare he liked her. Adam hit him. “Dude, stop lying!”

“I’m not lying,” Tristan said. “Don’t you remember what you said last week? You said you’d date someone like Clare.”

He also said he’d date Holly J, Liberty, and Sadie. Why was Tristan singling out Clare? 

“I was speaking hypothetically!”

“So you don’t like her?”

“No!” He shook his head since Tristan had humiliated him. Clare would probably avoid him for the rest of her life. 

Clare chimed in. “Even if he did like me, I have Eli.”

Adam’s voice matched his terrified expression. “Please don’t tell him about this.”

“Why? Eli won’t hurt you. I think he’ll laugh it off.”

“I don’t wanna risk it. And I don’t want this mix-up to make things awkward between us.”

Clare promised him it wouldn’t. “Tristan made a mistake; I understand. But if you’re looking for a girlfriend, I’m sure you’ll find one soon. You’re a great guy.”

Despite the awkwardness, he appreciated her kind words. “Thanks. See you at school?”

“Definitely,” Clare said before hugging him. They'd never hugged before, but there was a first time for everything, so he held her. But not for long because he didn’t want Tristan’s imagination to run wild. 

Clare waved goodbye as she walked away. Adam waved back, pleased the situation had been salvaged.

Tristan’s voice rekindled his annoyance. “She’s definitely into you.”

Adam hit him again. “Tristan, enough!”

“I’m sorry, but you’d be cute together!”

“Did you hear what she said? She has Eli, and the guy scares me. I don't want him to think I’m after his girl.”

“Well, this didn’t go as planned, but I helped you start a friendship with Clare. Can I get a thank you?”

Adam was too furious and embarrassed. “Whatever. Stop playing matchmaker. You suck at it.”

Then he left The Dot, leaving Tristan with a dropped jaw.

-

The next morning, Adam needed to tell Drew and Dallas about his pool tournament. With the first game scheduled for Saturday, he and Jay had three days to perfect their strategy.

Adam headed downstairs, eager to tell his bros about his improved pool skills and the $3,000 cash prize that was up for grabs. As he entered the living room, he saw Dallas with an unmistakable expression of anger, while Drew listened.

“Drew, Dallas, I have exciting news—”

Drew interrupted him. “Wait a minute, Adam.” He turned back to Dallas. “What were you saying, Dallas?”

Dallas sighed before speaking. “Audra was upset about the fight, but she understands I had to defend myself.”

Adam realized Dallas was talking about his recent fight with Fitz, which had been sparked by Chantay rumors. It was a reminder of why Adam kept his circle small; the more popular you were at Degrassi, the more drama you faced. 

Dallas’ phone chimed, and he checked his notifications. “People are already replying to my post about Chantay.”

“You made a post about her?” Adam asked. 

“Yeah. I told everyone it was fake news. But of course they don’t believe me.”

“Dude, look,” Drew said, peering at Dallas’ phone. “Chantay commented too.”

Adam leaned in to see what Chantay had said. 

Chantay: You want me to keep your name out of my mouth, but you can’t stop saying mine? That’s backwards, don’t you think?

Dallas’ thumbs moved rapidly as he responded to Chantay. Adam and Drew watched as they engaged in a heated social media exchange. 

Why are you still bothering me? Dallas typed. Do you want me or something?

Chantay: How can I want you when you’re dating Owen? Be for real.

Dallas: You be for real and admit you’re a liar! But you won’t because your fifteen minutes of fame would be over. 

Chantay: Why are you so mad? It’s not my fault you don’t know how to be discreet.

Dallas, growing increasingly annoyed, wrote, You can argue with yourself. You’re blocked.

He made good on his threat and blocked Chantay. He threw his phone on the table and buried his face in his hands, trying to calm himself. Chantay was lucky that argument hadn’t taken place face-to-face.

Drew understood Dallas’ fury. “She’s so annoying. What is she getting out of this?”

“Attention.” Dallas reached for his phone. “I need to call Dave. He needs to put his cousin in check.”

Adam’s ears perked up. “They’re related?”

“Yeah. Only a few know, like Jimmy, Owen, and Bianca. Dave wants to keep it that way.”

Adam could see why. Chantay was something else. Dallas hadn’t done anything to her, so why was she hellbent on ruining his life?

As Dallas was about to call Dave, Adam shouted, “Wait! I have something to tell you!”

“Not now, Adam! This is serious!” 

Adam frowned at his harshness, but understood Dallas’ anger was directed at Chantay, not him. It still stung, though.

Dallas called Dave, who answered right away. “Dave, Chantay is getting on my nerves!”

He went to the other room for privacy. At least Drew was still there. “Drew—”

Drew was too distracted with the ongoing situation. “Sorry, Adam, I need to hear this. Tell me later.” 

He followed Dallas into the other room without giving Adam a chance to respond. Adam sighed because the most important event in his life was being overshadowed by Dallas’ drama. 

Once again, he felt like the unimportant Torres. 

-

When Adam arrived at Degrassi, his first instinct was to find Tristan. With his brothers preoccupied, maybe he could invite Tristan to the tournament. 

A familiar guy yelling his name interrupted him. It was Eli, the person Adam didn't want to see after Tristan's attempt to set him up with Clare. Had Clare told him? 

Eli asked, “Adam, can I talk to you?”

Adam inhaled deeply to brace himself. “Look, if you wanna yell at me—”

“Why would I yell at you?”

“Tristan tried to set me up with Clare. He assumed I liked her, but he was wrong.”

“Hey, if you like her, I can’t blame you. She’s gorgeous.”

Adam remained serious. “Eli, she’s yours. I don’t like her.”

“So who do you like?”

“No one,” Adam said, tired of that question. It made him feel like a loser, so he bragged about his pool skills. That was all he had going for him. “But I’m sure the girls will come flocking this weekend.”

Eli raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Do tell.”

Adam filled him in. “There’s a tournament happening at The Break Room this Saturday.”

“A pool tournament, I assume.”

“Yeah. I’m participating in it.” His voice reflected his enthusiasm. “The grand prize is three thousand dollars! Jay and I are so gonna win!”

“Jay Hogart?” Eli asked. “The guy who got expelled three months ago?”

Adam sighed, aware of Jay’s rough past. “I know he did stupid things last semester. He even vandalized my locker, but when you get to know him, he’s pretty cool.” To emphasize his point, Adam said, “He’s the one who taught me how to play pool. I owe him.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Why do you care? We’re not friends.”

“We are now. Any friend of Clare’s is a friend of mine.” Eli put his arm around Adam’s shoulders to show off their newfound friendship. “Besides, you seem excited about your tournament. I’ll come by and watch.”

Adam’s guarded demeanor gave way to warmth. “You’d do that for me?”

“Yeah. I’ll bring Clare along.”

A girl approached them from behind. “Can I come too?”

Eli took his arm off Adam’s shoulder, and they turned to see a girl with her black hair pulled into a ponytail. Adam recognized her as Katie Matlin from Lakehurst, the one who warned Drew about the war. 

Adam spoke first. “You’re Katie Matlin.”

“And you’re Drew’s brother, Adam.” Katie apologized for her intrusion. “I’m sorry for interrupting. I wanted to introduce myself since I’m in the squad now.”

“The squad?” He didn’t understand why someone from another school had joined their group.

“My school isn’t happy with my neutral behavior, so I’m a Degrassian now,” she said. “Drew offered to let me hang out with him and his friends.”

“If Drew thinks you’re okay, then it’s nice to meet you.” He offered his hand for a handshake, which Katie returned with a smile.

“So, when is this pool tournament?” Katie inquired. 

“Saturday afternoon at The Break Room.”

“I’ll be there.”

Adam’s surprise was evident in the way his jaw dropped. “Katie, you don’t have to do that.”

“It’s what friends are for, right? Plus, you need moral support.”

Adam scoffed. “More than you know. My brothers were too busy to hear me out.”

“That’s okay. You have me, Clare, and now Katie,” Eli reassured him. “We’ll cheer you on, Adam.”

Adam was grateful for that. At least someone cared. 

Chapter Text

Mia wanted to introduce Sav to a girl named Jane Vaughn. She was Lucas' sister, the same Lucas who had assaulted her and killed JT. Why would Mia be around Jane after what her "brother" did?

Mia's motive was clear: she didn't want Bella to miss out on knowing her family. She wanted Bella to have a relationship with Jane, but Sav wasn’t sure if they could trust her. 

Mia surprised him by revealing that Jane called the cops on Lucas. She betrayed her own flesh and blood? Maybe she wasn’t as evil as Lucas. So Sav agreed to meet her. 

He gathered his things and made his way down the stairs. Alli followed him. “Sav! I need to talk to you!”

“We can talk on the way to school.” He kept walking, not bothering to look back at her. He thought her problem was minor, but her next words shattered that belief.

“Should I have sex?!”

He released the doorknob, turning with visible surprise. “What did you say?”

“Should I have sex?”

“If you have to ask, then no.”

“But I want to.”

“Alli, you’re sixteen. You don’t need to have sex.”

“I don’t need to. I want to.”

“With who? You don’t have a boyfriend.”

She said a name that sent shivers down his spine. “I do. Johnny.”

The guy who used to be best friends with Lucas? The guy who shoved her, and left her crying in her room last week? He’d be damned if he let someone as unworthy as Johnny take his sister’s innocence.

“Alli, he put his hands on you.”

“He made a mistake. People deserve second chances.”

“Not him! He was best friends with the person who murdered your classmate! I wouldn’t be surprised if he was involved.”

Alli tensed up. Were his suspicions correct?

Before he could ask, she confronted him with a harsh statement. “He didn’t, okay? And I know you despise him, but I love Johnny. You have to accept that.”

Their parents arrived. “Johnny? Your boyfriend?”

“Yes. We had a brief break-up, but we’re fine now,” Alli said. 

“Well, when are we going to meet Johnny?”

Sav spoke. “He should never enter this house.”

Their mother was intrigued by his firm stance. “How come, Savtaj?”

Sav was going to air out his issues with Johnny, from his mistreatment of Alli to his association with the person responsible for her classmate’s death. However, Alli intervened. “Nothing! He’s jealous because I’m in a relationship and he isn’t.”

“Savtaj is concentrating on his studies, as he should be. You should too.”

“I am. Johnny isn’t distracting me. And since you’d like to meet him, I’ll bring him over. You’ll see that he’s good for me.”

Yeah, whatever.

-

Sav’s curiosity got the best of him, and he questioned Mia. “Where’s Jane?”

His mind was still haunted by Alli’s decision to give Johnny another chance. Sav needed to meet Jane to distract himself. 

Mia scanned the hallway. “She should be on her way.”

“I still can’t believe she’s related to Lucas.”

“Neither can I, but she doesn’t want the school to find out. Can we keep it quiet?”

“What do you think they’ll do if they find out?”

Mia’s eyes revealed her unease. “Bully her the same way they bullied me. Probably worse, and I really don’t want that. Whether I like it or not, she’s family.”

“I won’t tell anyone. If you think Jane’s deserving of a chance, I do too.” 

Mia’s eyes reflected her admiration and appreciation for him. “You know, I wanna thank you for always supporting me.”

Sav chuckled and lowered his gaze to his sneakers. “There’s no need to thank me. I’m simply doing what a friend should. Everyone at school dislikes you, but I never will.”

His attention was still on his sneakers, so he was caught off guard when Mia hugged him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, inhaling her scent. She smelt nice, and he didn’t want to let go.

Their moment was cut short when a guy caused trouble. He taunted Mia, calling her a snitch. Was he referring to her reporting Camila, Sarah, and Taylor for bullying her? Sav guessed he was one of their boyfriend’s. His money was on Camila.

Sav’s voice was sharp. “What did you call her?”

The guy responded arrogantly. “A snitch.”

Sav’s jaw clenched as he swung around to confront the guy. Johnny was still in his thoughts, and this guy was pushing him even more over the edge. “Do you wanna get suspended?”

“You’re a snitch too?”

“I guess I am. So tell me your name, and I’ll go to Ms. Hatzilakos right now.”

“How about I keep your mouth shut by punching you in it?!” The guy charged towards Sav, and even though Sav had never thrown down before, he wasn’t about to stand there like a punk. He also charged at the guy, but Mia leapt into action.

“Sav, no! He isn’t worth it!”

The guy mocked Sav, emphasizing his name. “Sav, huh? I’ll remember that name.”

“Please do!” Sav exclaimed, feeling bold. 

As the guy walked away, Sav scowled at him. He’d had enough of Lakehurst harassing Mia. She didn’t tell those rogue Degrassians to burn down their school; they needed to move on. 

Mia expressed her displeasure as the guy left. “Great. Now you’re in Lakehurst’s sights too.”

“I honestly don’t care. I’ll get that entire school suspended if I have to.”

Just then, a voice asked if everything was alright. Though her features were unfamiliar to him, her yellow shirt was a dead giveaway. She was Jane.

He complained to her. “Your school is full of jerks.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Jane changed the subject. “You’re Sav, I’m guessing?”

“I am,” Sav affirmed, extending his hand for a handshake. When Jane shook it, he asked the question that had been on his mind. “So, it’s true? You’re really...you know.” He was referring to her connection to Lucas.

Jane didn’t sound pleased. “I am, and I hate it. Why do you think I changed my name from Anastasia Valieri to Jane Vaughn?”

Mia felt sympathy for her. “I can’t imagine having to change my identity because of a psycho relative.”

“Yeah, it sucks. Especially since Lucas and I used to be close. But something switched, and he turned evil. He gave me no choice but to put an end to his reign of terror.”

Jane continued. “I called the cops on him, and I really thought he was gonna kill me that night. The way he pounded on my door...” She shuddered at the thought. “But he’s gone now, and hopefully by the time he gets released, I’ll be far away from here.”

Sav pressed her for more information. “You think he’s gonna retaliate?”

“Why not? He’s not my brother. I made that clear when I called the cops on him. I’m now an enemy.” 

“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you. We’ll protect you.”

Jane tilted her head. “What can you do? You saw what he did to JT.”

Sav spoke seriously, resting his hand on her shoulder and looking her in the eyes. “We’ll protect you.”

Jane offered him a faint, appreciative smile. “Well, thanks. That’s really kind.”

Mia grinned as she gripped his arm. “That’s what he’s best at—protecting his friends.”

He was kinda Mia’s Prince Charming, wasn’t he? However, he was prepared to defend not only Mia, but also Holly J, and now Jane. She was the opposite of Lucas. While he was cruel and violent, Jane was nice and peaceful—two traits Sav valued in a friend. Mia made the right decision giving her a chance. 

So if the school ever tried to bully Jane, Sav was going to prove how much of a “snitch” he really was. 

Milton was disappointed in Manny and Jimmy. He didn’t know why they’d done what they had, but he knew that Manny kissed Jimmy on the cheek and sent the photo to Alisha to provoke her. It caused Alisha to break up with Jimmy, something Milton wanted to avoid, knowing it would change everything.

He’d been avoiding Manny and Jimmy ever since, because the conversation would be unpleasant. He’d say things about them that no one else would dare say, which might get him suspended. 

Milton found himself checking in on Alisha often, even now. He texted her while in Simpson’s class, asking if she was okay. Alisha assured him that she was fine, and her nonchalant behavior seemed to support that claim.

Milton expected her to cry hysterically, but that never happened. She seemed to be over Jimmy, as if they’d never met. Milton wondered how she’d managed to carry on as if nothing had happened. He’d be in shambles if he lost Emma. 

His phone buzzed. Alisha had texted him, begging him not to bring up Jimmy anymore because she wanted to put the situation behind her. She promised she was fine, and Milton sighed as he put the phone down. He seemed more upset than Alisha. Maybe it was because he believed in Jimmy. He thought he was a good guy, but Jimmy had them fooled. 

“Is Alisha good?” Dave inquired. Milton was upset with Jimmy, but not with Dave. He knew better than to let Dave’s brother’s actions affect their friendship.

Milton said, “Yeah. She’s over Jimmy.”

“That’s a good thing, right? She deserves better.” 

Milton was taken aback by his insinuation that Jimmy wasn’t good enough for Alisha. “Are you mad at him?”

“No, but I’m not afraid to admit when he acts stupid.”

Jimmy and Manny had both been stupid. “Are Jimmy and Manny together?”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Dave nodded towards the door. Milton grimaced at the sight of Manny. He didn’t know if she was with Jimmy, but if they wanted to be together, they could’ve waited for his and Alisha’s relationship to end naturally. Milton would’ve approved of their relationship if his sister hadn’t been played.

“I’ll pass. I never wanna speak to her again.”

“Understandable.” Dave shifted the conversation to a more personal matter. “Can I ask you something?” Milton nodded, listening intently. “So...I stayed at Sadie’s house the other night, and we almost...did it.”

“You mean sex?”

“Yeah!” Dave exclaimed. “It all happened so fast. One minute we were making out, and the next minute she was trying to take my clothes off. Luckily, I was able to stop it.”

“Why?”

Dave seemed uncomfortable. “To be honest, I was freaking out because I’m a virgin. And I had no protection.”

Milton cracked a joke. “Look at you being responsible.” 

Milton was proud because Dave seemed to be the only guy who thought about using protection. Even when Milton and Emma had sex, they never thought about it. 

“Yeah, I don’t wanna deal with a pregnancy right now. Jimmy’s parents will be on my case, and I don’t wanna know what my own father would think.” He turned to Milton and asked, “When you and Emma...” He paused, as if the word sex was forbidden. “...did it for the first time, were you scared?” 

“The word is sex. Not ‘did it.’ And I was more afraid of Sean finding out. But it’s Sadie’s first time too, right? So she can’t judge you. Maybe you’ll be terrible-” he joked, and Dave looked a little offended. “-but you’ll get better with experience.”

“I hope so.” The reality hit Dave like a ton of bricks. “Damn. I guess I’m gonna have sex with my girlfriend.”

Milton congratulated him, but his joy was short-lived when Sean approached them. “Milton.”

Milton hadn’t even realized he’d walked into the room. Last time he checked, they were enemies, so what did he want?

“Can we talk?” Sean asked. 

Milton hoped it wasn’t about Emma. Dave seemed to think so, since he excused himself, saying, “That’s my cue to go.” He hopped off the chair and found another seat.

Milton turned away from Sean and said nothing. What was there to say? They weren’t friends, so he had no idea why Sean was bothering him. 

“Are you coming to my party?” Sean asked, breaking the silence.

Milton had no intention of attending. Why would he party with his enemy? Emma was going though, and he wasn’t going to stop her. She should have a good time.

He answered Sean, saying he doubted Sean wanted him there. Sean promised him otherwise. “I’m not mad at you, Milton. Emma chose you, which is fine.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. I mean, of course it hurt. But fighting you won’t make her want me. It’ll just drive her away.” Milton remained silent, absorbing his words. “I made up with Toby and Emma; now it’s our turn. Because honestly, I’m glad Emma’s with you and not some other jerk. I know you care about her as much as I do. You’ll treat her right.”

Milton was at a loss for words. Was Sean giving him his blessing? He never thought he’d see the day, but maybe Sean was finally ready to put the past behind them. Especially since he said, “So, can we put this beef to rest? I need my brother back.” 

Truthfully, he missed Sean and despised the fact that they were fighting over a girl. However, he cared about said girl, and he was determined to maintain Sean’s trust. So, he was going to do right by Emma. It was the least he could do after the damage he’d caused. 

He shook Sean’s hand, and they both laughed at the fact that they were shaking hands like strangers. They went a step further and hugged, something Milton had never expected, but was grateful for.

Dave came back and slapped their shoulders happily. “I guess it all worked out.”

They nodded as Mr. Simpson walked in. “Please take a seat, Dave. You too, Cameron.”

“I think I’ll sit right here,” Sean said with a smile. He sat next to Milton, who smiled back. He might not want to be near Manny or Jimmy, but he didn’t mind Sean’s company at all. 

 
Clare and Eli sat in the library, their eyes on his laptop screen, piecing together their play. The ticking clock served as a reminder of how little time they had left to present their script to Ms. Hatzilakos. Therefore, they were dealing with creative differences at the worst possible time.

Eli pushed for more action. According to him, the action scenes were crucial to the plot. Clare, on the other hand, insisted on leaving them out, causing him to remind her that it was his play, not hers. He even said she was lucky he wanted her to be involved at all. 

Clare felt like walking away and leaving him to deal with everything on his own, but she didn’t since she cared about him. And she genuinely wanted to have a successful play this year. Plus, she’d already invested so much time into this. It’d be stupid to give up now. 

Alli’s presence wasn’t helping. She paced in front of them, and Clare called her out. “Alli, this is the library, not the gym. You have to sit.”

“Should I have sex?” Alli suddenly blurted out. 

Clare was convinced her ears were tricking her because Alli knew better than to utter that dirty word. She also knew better than to partake in such an activity. She wasn’t married.

“E-Excuse me?” 

Alli asked her question again. “Should I have sex with Johnny?”

Eli supported her. “Go ahead. He’s your boyfriend.”

Clare jerked her head in his direction. “Eli! No! He’s terrible!”

“He’s my friend.”

“He’s not your friend. He’s just close to your cousin,” Clare clarified. She returned her focus to Alli. “Alli, why do you want to have sex?”

“I don’t want Johnny to grow bored of me. Plus, I overheard Sadie talking about having sex with Dave, and—”

Eli spoke. “So you wanna do it because Dave is?”

“No!” Eli gave her a “you’re not fooling me” look, and Alli sighed and confessed. “Okay, yes. It’s not fair how everyone’s getting it on but me!”

Clare pointed between herself and Eli. “Eli and I aren’t.” Her tone turned gentle, almost imploring. “Please don’t do anything with that controlling narcissist. Wait until you marry your dream man.”

Alli turned to Eli with a serious question. “Eli, would you have sex if you were in my shoes?”

“I have.”

Clare wasn’t sure if Eli was telling the truth, or if he was trying to make Alli feel better. It had to be the latter; Eli would’ve had the decency to warn her that he wasn’t pure before she committed to him. Right?

Oh gosh. Her doubts were running rampant. “Are you serious?”

Eli gave her a quick glance. “Yeah, with my ex-girlfriend, Julia.”

“Who is Julia?”

Eli groaned, knowing she was about to make a big deal out of it. “It was years ago, Clare.”

Clare persisted. “Does she go to this school?”

“She’s dead.”

Clare and Alli exchanged an uneasy look, unsure of how to approach this sensitive subject. Clare was curious about what had happened, but it wasn’t her place to pry. She also didn’t want to put Eli through the agony of reliving that trauma. 

Alli murmured, “Well, that took a turn.”

“Yeah, it did.” Clare’s tone grew harsh. “I’m sorry about Julia, but I don’t understand why you couldn’t wait until marriage. Do you think God is pleased with what you did?”

“God?” Eli burst out laughing. “God isn’t real.”

Was he serious, or simply trying to rile her up? “God isn’t real? Are you an atheist?”

“I am.”

Clare stood up to distance herself from him, overwhelmed by the bombshells being thrown at her. When had he become this way? Or had she been blind the entire time? 

Eli confronted her. “Why are you moving?”

Because she didn’t know him as well as she thought she did. He had sex before marriage and didn’t believe in God? He was committing so many sins and didn’t seem to care.

“Because you’re an atheist. Why didn’t you tell me this before we made up? Before I met your parents? Before I kissed you?!” 

Her breathing became heavy, bordering on hyperventilation. She paced, trying to regain her composure. Finding out that Eli wasn’t who she thought he was made her feel betrayed, and his lack of remorse only made her angrier.

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is! I’m a Christian, Eli! I can’t be with an atheist! That’s a conflict of interest!”

Eli’s grim expression matched his mood. “What are you saying? You don’t like me anymore?”

“I’m saying I need to leave before I lose my mind.”

She stormed out, and Alli chased after her. “Clare, wait!” she cried, but Clare kept walking with purpose. Alli ran in front of her to stop her. “Okay, if I knew this was how it would end, I wouldn’t have mentioned sex.”

“You can’t have sex, Alli. You can’t sin like Eli.”

“So that’s it? You’re done with him?”

“I don’t know. I was supposed to introduce him to my parents, but how can I do that now? They won’t approve of him.”

“They don’t have to know he’s an atheist.”

“I don’t wanna keep anything from them.”

Alli urged her to reconsider. “Clare, come on. Eli adores you. Don’t cut him off because of religion. Johnny isn’t Muslim, and that’s not a dealbreaker for me.”

“It is for your parents.”

“I don’t care about their opinion,” Alli declared. “I’ll introduce them to Johnny regardless, and you should do the same. You may not be able to force Eli to believe in God, but he’s the right man for you.”

As Alli spoke, Clare’s attention was pulled to a nearby poster. It advertised a new club created by one of her classmates, Becky Baker. It was called Friendship Club: a club for Christian students to get together and embrace their faith, which inspired Clare to come up with a brilliant idea.

“What if I can force him?” Clare mused. “What if I can turn him into a Christian?”

“How are you gonna do that?” Alli wondered.

Clare simply smirked as she looked at the poster. 

Chapter Text

Dave couldn’t believe he was related to Chantay because he was the opposite of her. He wasn’t selfish or untrustworthy, but Chantay? Dave had never met anyone as self-centered as her, and he’d met a lot of people.

He no longer wanted to go to therapy because there was nothing the therapist could say or do to make him forgive Chantay. Maybe forgiveness could’ve been possible if she apologized for disowning him, but she’d gone too far with her rumors about Dallas and Owen.

Dallas had called him this morning, begging him to put an end to Chantay, and Dave was determined to do so. Her lies had an impact on the entire squad, not just Dallas and Owen. He, Drew, and Bianca were now stuck in the middle.

Dave had to sit with Owen at lunch while Drew and Bianca sat with Dallas. However, Owen and Dallas couldn’t avoid each other at basketball practice. Coach Armstrong forced them to work as a team, and their forced communication strengthened Chantay’s lies.

Dave thought about talking to her parents, since his aunt and uncle despised liars. But maybe he didn’t need to snitch, since Dallas had informed Ms. Hatzilakos about Chantay’s blog. She told him that she would handle it, and Dave hoped that meant the blog would be shut down. He refused to let Chantay lie about him and his girlfriend next. 

Speaking of his girlfriend, he was on his way to the auditorium to cheer her on during her dance practice. Marisol had chosen Sadie as her co-captain, and while he disliked Marisol, he respected her for recognizing Sadie’s worth.

As he reached the auditorium, he ran into Chantay. Dave was looking forward to the confrontation, since he’d been holding onto his pent-up feelings for two days now. He needed to let them out. 

“Uh, Dave. Shouldn’t you be getting ready? We have therapy later.”

“I’m not working things out with you.”

“But my parents said—”

“I don’t care what they said, and I don’t care about you,” Dave stated firmly. “I hate you, Chantay. And I know you hate me, but leave my friends out of it.”

“This isn’t about revenge. I’m just letting everyone know about Degrassi’s newest couple.”

“They aren’t a couple, so stop! Your lies are ruining their lives!”

“It shouldn’t. They need to live their truth.”

Dave shook his head at her delusion. She was convinced Owen and Dallas were in love, which made no sense. What also didn’t make sense was how this whole thing had started. Who told her Owen and Dallas were together? Someone had to have, because Chantay always got her gossip from her “sources.”

Dave demanded to know who those liars were, but Chantay remained tight-lipped. If she didn’t want to tell him, that was okay. Dave was determined to find out no matter what. Those liars had to be exposed.

“Whatever. You’re betraying your people. Do you not give a damn?”

“You and your friends have never been my people.”

“At least I have friends,” Dave dissed. 

“I do too. I have Darcy and Linus.”

“Wow, only two? That’s sad, like you,” Dave dissed again. Chantay wore a deeply offended look. “And they should run for the hills because you aren’t loyal. You don’t care who you hurt, as long as you come out on top.”

Chantay spoke with an air of superiority. “I am on top, thanks to Dallas and Owen.”

“You shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t even exist. Unc should’ve used a condom.”

Those were the harshest words Dave had ever said to her or anybody else. Chantay’s dramatic gasp proved it.

“Are you seriously disrespecting me?” she asked defensively. “This is why I don’t claim you!”

“I’m glad you don’t because I don’t like reptiles,” Dave fired back. “You’re a snake, Chantay.”

“And you’re a snitch.”

“If telling the truth makes me a snitch, that’s fine with me. You wouldn’t understand because all you do is lie. But go ahead and make up more rumors. Your fifteen minutes of fame will eventually come to an end, and everyone will see you for what you really are. Then you’ll crash and burn. In hell.”

He walked into the auditorium and slammed the door in Chantay’s face. Fortunately, Sadie called his name, providing him with a much-needed distraction. 

“There goes my favorite co captain,” Dave flirted as they shared a loving embrace. He noticed the other dancers staring at him strangely. “These girls don’t judge you, right?”

“Why would they?”

“Because you’re a Degrassian.”

“Well, no. They don’t judge me.” She smiled as she took in her surroundings. “Dance practice is the one place I feel welcome.”

“You know, I’m a pretty good dancer too,” Dave said.

“Oh really?”

“For sure.” Dave was going to prove it. He tossed his backpack into a seat and flaunted his skills. He had all of the girls’ attention, but he wasn’t afraid. He knew he was a good dancer, as proven by their ‘wows.’ Even Sadie was blown away. 

When the show ended, Sadie squealed and applauded for him. “That was incredible! Maybe you should join us.”

“Sorry, baby. Basketball comes first,” Dave said as he picked up his bag. “Besides, I don’t think Marisol would allow that.”

“I won’t,” Marisol said as she walked up to them. “I tolerate you because you’re Sadie’s boyfriend, but do you really have to show up here?”

“I’m being supportive.”

“Well, don’t linger too long. We need to practice.”

Marisol walked out of the auditorium. Sadie saw the rest of the team make their way onto the stage. “I should get on stage, but I need to talk to you about something. Do you remember that moment we had at my house?”

“You mean, when we made out and almost had sex?”

“Yeah...” Her nervousness was evident when she looked at her fingers. Dave lifted her chin, telling her she didn’t have to be afraid with him. Sadie exhaled deeply. “I want to do it again, but this time, I don’t wanna stop.” 

Dave was taken aback and stammered. “You...you’re ready?”

Sadie stopped fiddling with her fingers and spoke more boldly. “I am. I want you to be my first and last.”

Dave was still nervous due to his lack of experience, but it didn’t matter. Only Sadie mattered, and if she was ready to take their relationship to the next level, he was going to oblige. “We can do it, but I’ll need to get protection.”

“Aw, you’re so responsible!” Sadie gushed as she leapt into his arms. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, baby.”

He loved her enough to lose his virginity to her. Dave had no idea what to expect, but Milton was right; Sadie was new to this, so she couldn’t judge him. She wouldn’t judge him. She loved him too much to do that, so he was ready to give himself to her. 

He was ready to become a man.   

 
Darcy was overjoyed to learn there was now a Christian group at Degrassi. The leader was a Lakehurst girl named Becky Baker. Darcy despised that school, but her devotion to her religion trumped her dislike for Lakehurst. 

The Friendship Club was meeting in room 208. Darcy peered through the glass to see students already inside. A tall girl with strawberry blonde hair shook hands with the newcomers. She must be Becky. 

Darcy noticed that everyone was smiling. Additionally, students wearing blue shirts were present—Degrassians. That meant the club wasn’t limited to Lakehurst students. 

Darcy didn’t see Linus. He must be unaware of the club’s existence because he would’ve been the first person there. She’d have to tell him later. For the time being, her palm wrapped around the doorknob, but she heard someone say, “Darcy?”

Darcy whirled around to see her sister, who she hadn’t been getting along with lately. “Clare? You’re joining Friendship Club?”

“Yeah...” Clare sounded flat and depressing. “I desperately need God’s guidance right now. I feel like I’m going insane.”

“Why?” 

“It’s Eli,” Clare said. “He’s atheist.” 

“Yikes.”

“Yeah, talk about a conflict of interest.” Clare’s voice took on an exasperated tone. “There’s other things I found about him that made me realize I don’t know Eli as well as I thought I did. We jumped into this without fully getting to know each other.”

“So you’re done with him?”

“I don’t wanna be. I like him more than I’ve ever liked anyone.”

Darcy gave her some sound advice. “Don’t let his beliefs change that. I think things will be fine as long as he’s not making you feel bad about being Christian, or trying to convert you to atheism.”

“I’ll never be a non believer, but what if I can turn him into a believer?” She elaborated since Darcy didn’t understand what she was saying. “I’m gonna bring him to Friendship Club to get him comfortable with Christianity.”

“If that’s what you wanna do, go for it.” 

Clare expected Darcy to tell her to get away from Eli, but Darcy couldn’t do that because she was in the same situation. Spinner wasn’t an atheist, but he wasn’t exactly religious either. He didn’t care about that stuff, which was a bummer. 

“The Edwards sisters sure know how to pick them,” Clare said once Darcy finished telling her that. 

Darcy burst out laughing. “As long as Spinner doesn’t sin, I’ll love him forever. By the way, we made things official yesterday.”

“I’m happy for you. And I’m glad we’re back on good terms. I missed my sister.”

“Me too, sis.”

She and Clare shared a long-overdue, heartfelt hug. After they were done, they entered room 208. Becky knew Clare right away since they were in the same classes. “Clare! Are you here to join the club?”

“Yes. My sister is too.”

“Awesome!” Becky extended a clipboard towards them. Darcy grabbed it, which had a list of names on it. Becky smiled as Darcy signed her name on the sign-up sheet. “I’m pleased with how successful Friendship Club has been. I created it since there’s been a lot of darkness at Degrassi. We need some positivity.”

“You made the right decision,” Darcy stated as she handed Clare the clipboard. “I think this club will help a lot of people.”

“Thank you!”

Clare completed her signature and handed the clipboard to Becky. She placed it against her chest while watching the door. “Well, I don’t think anyone else is coming, so you can have a seat.”

“Actually, I can’t.” Darcy spoke delicately, as if she didn’t want to hurt Becky’s feelings. “I have cheer practice, which means I can’t be here everyday.”

She expected Becky to accuse her of not taking their religion seriously, but that didn’t happen. Becky seemed unconcerned about her cheerleading, telling her to come whenever she could because the doors would always be open.

Darcy smiled because Becky was so nice and wholesome. It was honestly hard to believe she was from Lakehurst. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Have fun, Clare!” 

Darcy waved and walked out as Clare sat. She headed to the gym while taking out her phone to text Linus about Friendship Club. She waited for his response as she heard voices ahead of her. It sounded like her best friend Chantay was speaking to someone. 

Darcy peered around the corner and saw her conversing with Marisol. She told Marisol she couldn’t lie any longer, and Marisol assured her that it was fine and that she’d done well. Then Darcy saw Marisol hand money to Chantay.

Chantay sighed, her gaze on the bill in her hand. “I’m gonna miss getting paid like this.”

“This may be the end, but we’re still friends, Chantay. You’re cool, and I admire your loyalty.” 

Friends? Loyalty? What was going on? Had Chantay been playing both sides? 

“You’re cool too,” Chantay replied before they hugged, as if they were best friends. Chantay then informed Marisol that she needed to get to cheer practice, and Marisol excused herself as well.  

Marisol walked away, and Darcy was now standing directly behind Chantay. Chantay turned, ready to leave, but stopped when she saw Darcy. “Oh! Darcy! Hey!” She chuckled nervously and made sure Marisol was out of sight. However, it was too late. Darcy had seen everything. 

“What was that about?”

“What?” Chantay asked. Darcy looked at the money in her hand, which revealed everything to Chantay. “Oh, Marisol? That was nothing.”

“Really? She paid you and referred to you as a loyal friend. That’s odd, considering we’re at war with them.” Darcy moved in closer, grilling her. “Or maybe you were never at war. You’ve been playing both sides, haven’t you?”

Chantay didn’t bother lying because Darcy always knew when she was. “Darcy...I can explain.”

Darcy took a step back, her lips curled in a disgusted sneer. “Oh my god. You’re a traitor.”

“Darcy, I had no choice. You don’t exactly say no when someone offers you free money.”

“Who gives a crap about money? What about your school?” Darcy questioned Chantay quietly but firmly. “What did you do for her?” 

Chantay couldn’t look Darcy in the eyes as she admitted her wrongdoings. “I purposely ruined Degrassi friendships to help Lakehurst get the advantage.”

Darcy closed her eyes, as if trying to block out the bad news. She couldn’t believe her best friend would do something so shady. She thought Chantay was better than that, but she’d been fooled. “You’re a sellout, Chantay. I have to tell the team.”

“Darcy, don’t!”

However, it was too late. Darcy had already taken off for the gym, leaving Chantay to try to silence her. 

“Paige!” Darcy yelled as she dashed into the gym.  

Paige was sitting on the bleachers with Bianca by her side. “Hun, I don’t like you.”

“You should like me more than Chantay.” Darcy fiercely pointed at Chantay, who had just entered the gym. “She’s shady!”

“I already knew that,” Bianca said. “She lied about Dallas and Owen.”

“Marisol paid me to lie!” Chantay exclaimed. 

“Paid you?” Bianca gave Chantay her full attention because she needed to hear the rest of this. 

Darcy knew Chantay didn’t want to admit to being a traitor, but she had no choice. “Look, Marisol promised to pay me every time I spread false information about Degrassians. Owen and Dallas were my most recent victims, and Paige and Hazel were my first.”

Hazel stood there, arms folded. “So you did lie.”

“Marisol wanted Paige to go down, so...” 

Paige and Hazel scoffed in disbelief. Their gazes locked, and there was a twinge of regret in their eyes because they exchanged all of those harsh words for nothing. 

“I can’t believe this,” Paige said angrily. “You made us turn on each other!”

“I’m sorry, but Dallas told Ms. Hatzilakos about my blog. She shut it down, so I can’t spread rumors. I’m not playing both sides anymore.”

“You should’ve never played both sides.” Paige yelled. “You did so much damage, Chantay. I can’t even look at you the same, so you’re off the team.”

“No,” Darcy said.

Paige gave her a you-must-be-crazy kind of look. “What do you mean no? She clearly likes Lakehurst more.”

Darcy elaborated on her thought process. “We can use her to our advantage.” She spoke to Chantay. “You’re close to Marisol, right?”

“She trusts me. Yeah.”

“So you can tell us what she’s planning.”

“You want me to be a mole?”

“I do. Lakehurst can’t spread rumors anymore, so they’ll most likely get physical again. You’ll tell us everything they’re planning so we can prepare. Unless you wanna be dropped from the team?”

Bianca added to that. “You’ll also tell the school that you lied about Dallas and Owen. I want my friends back.”

Chantay nodded, desperate to keep her position as a cheerleader. It was the only thing she had going for her now that she didn’t have a blog. “Fine. I’ll tell the truth, apologize to Dallas and Owen, and spy on Lakehurst. I’m gonna right my wrongs.” 

Paige stood. “You better, or we’ll make your life a living hell.” 

That threat sent shivers down Chantay’s spine. Paige wasn’t wasting any more time on her. She directed the team to begin stretching. 

Everyone stared angrily at Chantay as they got into position, especially Darcy. Chantay approached her, and Darcy wished she’d leave her alone. She used to be her best friend, but Darcy wasn’t feeling her anymore. She’d chosen money over them, and Darcy knew if Marisol told Chantay to spread a rumor about her, Chantay would’ve done it. She had no loyalty.

“Hey, um. Are we still best friends?” Chantay asked hesitantly. 

Darcy’s response was straightforward. “I suppose we’ll find out at the end of the war. If Degrassi wins, you’ll be forgiven. If not, you’re going down.”

She sat down to stretch. Everyone was stretching in pairs, but Chantay was standing alone, as she should. She couldn’t be trusted. 

“So...I have a girlfriend,” Alex revealed to Bianca and Eli outside of Degrassi, two hours later. Paige had kept her promise and told her friends about their relationship, prompting Alex to do the same.

Eli’s surprise was evident. “I didn’t know you liked girls.”

“I didn’t either until I became friends with a beautiful blonde last semester.” 

“So you’re bi,” Eli guessed.

“Fully lesbian,” Alex corrected.

Bianca was taken aback. “Who’s the girl?”

“Paige,” Alex revealed.

“Paige, as in my captain? I had no idea she liked girls,” Bianca said.

Alex stated, “She liked me ever since we kissed three months ago.”

“You kissed?” Bianca exclaimed, her surprise growing stronger.

Alex laughed. “Paige and I kept a lot of things to ourselves, but we’re ready to be open with everyone about how we feel for each other. I really like her, guys. Love, even, and she loves me back.”

Eli offered his support. “If you love each other, that’s all that matters, right? By the way, I approve. I’m happy if you’re happy.”

“Same here,” Bianca added. “I despised Michalchuk, but we worked things out. I hope you last a long time.”

Alex was relieved to have their approval. They hugged, but she became startled when she heard Maddy call her name. Alex had told her she went to Degrassi, but she hadn’t expected Maddy to show up. 

Maddy skipped up and linked arms with her, her eyes sizing up Eli and Bianca, who looked at her suspiciously. Alex told them Maddy was her coworker, which prompted Maddy to point out that she was also her best friend, as if she wanted to rub it in Eli and Bianca’s faces.

Bianca responded by claiming to also be Alex’s best friend, making Maddy say, “Two best friends? Wow, Alex, you’re loved.” She smiled, but her tone suggested a more serious emotion.

“Is that a problem?” 

“There’s no problem, but I’m number one, right?” 

Technically, no. Alex had known Bianca first, so it was only fair if she was number one. But she wasn’t going to tell Maddy that. The last thing she needed was for Maddy to argue with Bianca. 

Alex redirected the discussion. “Anyway, Maddy, I’m glad you’re here because I need to talk to you.”

“Is it something bad?”

It was good. She was finally dating the love of her life and had even moved in with her, but that could be bad news for Maddy, since she didn’t trust Paige with her heart. Paige had broken Alex when she brutally rejected her, and Maddy believed it was disrespectful. She didn’t think Paige deserved forgiveness. 

“I need to tell you about Paige,” Alex said as she walked away with Maddy. “I know I said I wasn’t going to, but...I’m dating her.”

“Are you joking?” Maddy asked as she stared at her, blinking. She leaned against a car as Alex shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Paige is good to me. She always welcomes me with open arms whenever I need to run away from home,” Alex explained.

“Run away from home?”

“Yeah. My mother’s a traitor, so I left. I live with Paige.”

Maddy expressed her displeasure. “You could’ve called me instead. Am I not important?”

“Of course you are—”

“No, I don’t think I am!” Maddy erupted.

Alex was confused by her ferocious reaction. She shouldn’t even be explaining herself; this had absolutely nothing to do with Maddy.

“You’re replacing me!”

“I’m not. I still have time for you, like right now,” Alex insisted, trying to defuse the situation. 

“I had to come to you, Alex. You didn’t come to me.”

“I was planning to. I had to tell my friends about Paige first.”

“Yeah, everyone seems to be finding out before me. I’m supposed to be your best friend, but it seems like I’m the only one who keeps my promises.”

“What promises?”

“You promised you wouldn’t forgive Paige,” Maddy claimed.

“I didn’t promise anything, and I understand you don’t trust her, but everyone else does. Doesn’t that say something?”

“Yeah. That they’re stupid,” Maddy shot back.

“No, that Paige is worth it. And you’re right; you’re my best friend, and I don’t want you to dislike my girlfriend. So, how about you meet Paige? I think that’ll help,” Alex suggested.

“Alex—”

“Come on. Do it for me?” Alex pleaded.

Maddy clutched her hand and gazed into Alex’s eyes. “I’ll do anything for you.”

“Okay...” Alex replied, slipping her hand away without raising suspicion. She didn’t want anyone to think she was cheating. “Paige had cheer practice, so she should be coming out any second.”

“Alexxx!” 

Alex’s face brightened as she saw her beautiful girlfriend descending the steps. She rushed over to her. “Hi, gorgeous.”

“Hi!”

They shared a sweet kiss until Maddy cleared her throat. They drew back, and Alex noticed Maddy’s hostile expression.

“Oh, I remember you. Maddy, right?” Paige acknowledged, but Maddy didn’t reciprocate her warmth. 

“You’re Paige, the heartbreaker.” 

Alex scolded her calmly. “Maddy.”

“I’m just being honest, Alex. She broke your heart, but I get it, you love her.” She uncrossed her arms and stood beside Alex. “So, Paige, all I have to say is that if you break my Alexandra’s heart again, we’re gonna have problems.” 

Maddy put on a happy face, but her tone was thick with seriousness. Alex couldn’t figure out why she was behaving so strangely. Maddy was also standing way too close to her.

Paige echoed her words. “Your Alexandra?”

“Is there a problem with what I said?”

“She’s not yours.”

“She shouldn’t be yours either,” Maddy muttered under her breath. 

“Please don’t start beefing,” Alex said, trying to relieve the tension. “I want my girlfriend and best friend to get along.”

Maddy concurred. “I can be civilized.”

“I can too.” Paige extended her hand. Maddy’s grip was extra firm, almost as if she was channeling her rage into the action. Paige yanked her hand away, and Maddy smiled lopsidedly.

Alex decided it was time to leave before things got out of hand. “Well, I wanted you two to get acquainted, and you did. So we should go home, Paige.”

“Yes, let’s.” She took Alex’s hand and they walked away. However, Alex couldn’t shake the feeling of Maddy’s gaze drilling into the back of her head. Paige felt it as well, looking back. “She’s glaring at me, Alex.”

“I believe you.” Alex came to a halt. “She’s not used to sharing me. She needs to get used to you.”

“What if she never does? I don’t want her to get in the way of our relationship.” 

“I doubt she’ll go that far, but if she does, I’ll put a stop to it. Nothing or no one will come between us.”

Paige grinned. “I love you.”

“I love you.” 

Their lips met once more, but Alex could feel Maddy’s intensified stare. Breaking the kiss, she saw Maddy getting closer, glaring at Paige with intense hatred. Alex grabbed Paige’s arm and hurried in the opposite direction, not daring or needing to look back. The feeling of Maddy’s gaze was enough confirmation that she was still watching. 

Chapter Text

Sean’s welcome back party was three days away, and Liberty was barking orders at Manny and Toby. She chastised them when they made a mistake, took too long, or simply didn’t understand her instructions. Emma had never witnessed such passion from Liberty, especially on this scale. She was clearly determined to make Sean’s party the best one ever, which was strange because Emma didn’t recall them being close. 

Jay’s presence made things awkward. Liberty and Toby were irritated by his involvement, especially Toby because of the Rick incident. However, they knew Jay was Sean’s best friend. They couldn’t stop him from helping. 

“When is this party happening, Van Zandt?” Jay asked.

“Saturday.”

“Duh. I meant what time.”

Liberty met his stare with gritted teeth. “In the evening.”

Jay revealed his plans. “Good. I’ll be at The Break Room that morning for my pool tournament. Adam and I wanna win the $3000 cash prize.”

Emma was taken aback by the amount. “Wow, that’s amazing.”

“Yeah, but we have to split it, obviously.”

Manny teased Jay while holding onto his arm. “And then you’ll spend it on me.”

“Sorry, dimples, I can’t. But I do need you there.” Then he turned to Emma. “You too, Goldilocks.”

Emma had never been to The Break Room or seen a pool game. She had nothing planned that morning, so she said, “We’ll be there.”

“Good, good.” He sipped his beer before bothering Liberty again. “Van Zandt, is Alex on the guest list?”

“It’s an open invitation, Jay.”

“Damn it,” he grumbled. “She hates me. It doesn’t help that I’m dating her mother.” 

Toby was puzzled. “What the hell? Isn’t she like, forty?”

“Yeah.”

“Jay, you’re eighteen,” Emma pointed out, concerned.

It’s legal.”

“Barely! Have you kissed her? Have you...gone all the way?”

“Yeah.” 

Everyone gagged. Manny was disturbed by that news. “Yeah, I’m gonna need a beer too.” 

She drank from the can Jay tossed her. Emma scolded her. “Manny, you can’t drink.”

“I need to. I’m very disturbed right now.” She gave Jay a look before revealing her own shocking revelation. “But Jay isn’t the only one who did something crazy. I slept with Jimmy.”

The room was filled with more shocked reactions, particularly from Emma. She couldn’t believe Manny had slept with Jimmy despite her warnings about Craig. “You what?”

“Calm down. He regrets it.”

That was exactly why Emma wanted Manny to avoid him; he’d used her! Manny, on the other hand, claimed he didn’t use her. According to her, his friends were the issue. 

“They don’t approve of me because of my history with Craig,” Manny explained. 

Toby warned her. “You should be worried about Craig. You saw what he did to Spinner.”

Manny was getting tired of hearing about Craig. “Craig doesn’t matter! He left my ass!”

“Because you broke his heart by getting an abortion,” Emma pointed out. “His heart is gonna break again if you keep messing with Jimmy.”

“I don’t understand that. He has Ellie!”

Liberty spoke. “But who was his first love? Who’s the girl he almost killed himself over after she refused to take him back? You.”

Manny sighed and looked at Jay for help. “Jay, please talk some sense into them.”

Jay wanted to side with her, but the facts forced him to say, “They’re kinda right, dimples. There’s no Craig Manning without Manny Santos, and vice versa.” 

Manny threw her hands up, feeling unsupported. Emma, recognizing the truth in Jay’s words, co-signed him. “It started with you two, Manny. If you don’t believe it’ll end that way, you’re mistaken.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Em. Craig and I have moved on.”

“For how long?”

“Forever! I like Jimmy, okay? And I know he likes me too. He just needs to stop worrying about everyone’s opinions, including yours.”

She brushed past them angrily. Emma wasn’t going to follow her because her behavior was wrong. She was deliberately creating a divide between Jimmy and Craig. 

“Great, now she’s mad.” Jay took a sip of his beer. “You really did it now, Goldilocks.”

Manny could stay mad. Emma just needed her to leave Jimmy alone. Forever. Because whatever was going on between them wouldn't end well. 
 

Ellie never expected to enjoy attending a support group. It was all she could think about anymore. The fact that they were all teenagers fueled her enthusiasm. She felt comfortable talking to them, and she spoke a lot because she had the most to say. Those teenagers would make her feel heard and important, which she hadn’t felt before. Not even with her boyfriend.

Ellie wasn’t mad at Craig anymore. Their relationship had improved since she began attending the support group. Their unnecessary fights were a thing of the past, never to return, because her self-harm was never going to return. 

The support group had taught her that there were healthier ways to deal with her stress and sadness, such as exercise, yoga, or even something as simple as being outside. Ellie needed to get her body moving and distract herself from her problems, so she’d go for a walk the next time she felt down.

That wouldn’t happen anytime soon, though; she was the happiest she’d ever been. She wished her mother could see how she was putting her days of self-harm behind her. She’d be proud of her, and Ellie was proud of her mother for seeking help as well. 

Ellie needed to get to the support group now that school was out. She went to the store first, because talking for hours made her hungry. As she walked, she wondered if someone else would be doing the talking today. She was also curious to see if there’d be any new faces. 

The same teens came to each session, but occasionally new people would show up. One person in particular stood out to Ellie: Ethan Alexander. He was quieter than most, but when it was his turn, he spoke up. 

Ellie always talked after him, and when she did, he’d give her a hard stare. She had no idea what to make of it. All she knew was that Ethan might have a thing for her. Fortunately, he never tried to make a move. She didn’t need Craig to find out about him.

Ellie entered the store and picked out her favorite chips and drink. She stood in line to pay, but bumped into someone. She quickly apologized, as did he, and surprise crossed her face when she registered his face.

Sean looked just as surprised. “Ellie?”

Ellie said, “Sean!” and hugged him. “What are you doing here?”

“Getting some snacks,” Sean replied, showing her his snacks. “I’m on my way to meet Liberty and the others. They’re planning a welcome back party for me. You’re coming, right?”

“Well, if you want me there...” she teased. 

“I do. Bring Craig too.”

Ellie nodded, and the cashier said, “Next.” She looked at Sean, unsure whether he wanted to go first. Sean motioned for her to proceed.

“Such a gentleman,” Ellie joked as she placed her snacks on the counter and paid the cashier. She grabbed her stuff and waited for Sean to finish his purchase. 

Facing Sean once more, she said, “Well, I guess I should head to my support group.”

“You go to a support group? Why?”

She told him about her mother passing out drunk, nearly burning down their home, and ending up in rehab. Feeling alone and sad without her parents, Ellie had accidentally cut herself. Craig became concerned and suggested the support group, which led her to her current situation. 

Sean frowned deeply. “God, Ellie. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“How could you? We don’t talk. But I wouldn’t mind changing that.”

“Yeah, we should definitely hang out more.”

“How about right now?” Ellie said, seizing the opportunity. “Why don’t you come with me?”

Sean paused, expressing his apprehension. “Oh, I don’t know. Talking to strangers isn’t really my thing.”

“It wasn’t my thing either, but it helps, Sean,” Ellie said, encouraging him. “You should try it out.”

“I don’t cut myself.”

“But you have another trauma.” She was referring to his decision to take a bullet for Emma. Ellie remembered his nightmares and the guilt he felt for failing to save the other students. He was no longer in physical pain, but his mental wounds remained.

“I’m over the shooting,” Sean admitted, “but it’s still hard not to think about it sometimes. It was scary having a bullet inside of me. My friends could’ve died; I could’ve died. People did die, and I didn’t save them. But I’m such a hero.” 

“It sounds like you’ve been bottling up your feelings,” Ellie said as she held his shoulder. “You need to get everything out of your system. Come with me. It’ll be worthwhile. I promise.”

Sean was about to mention Liberty and the party when Ellie abruptly cut him off. “The party can wait. Your mental health can’t.”

Sean opened his mouth to protest, but she didn’t want to hear it. She dragged him out of the store and to the support group. 

-

When Ellie and Sean entered the room, they found everyone gathered in a circle. Ethan’s gaze was fixed on Ellie’s hand, which was holding Sean’s wrist. He was possibly thinking Sean was her boyfriend, even though that chapter had closed.

Ellie made Sean sit next to her, refusing to let go of his wrist. Her touch was intended to soothe him.

The group’s leader addressed them. “Ellie, I see you’ve brought a friend.”

“Yeah. This is Sean.”

The group welcomed Sean with a collective, “Hi, Sean,” and Sean waved. 

“Sean, do you have self-harm thoughts?” asked the leader.

“No, but I’ve been through some bad things. I heard this is the place to discuss them.”

“Of course. We’re listening.”

Sean looked at Ellie. Feeling encouraged by her nod, he began to tell his story. “I feel like I attract death.” 

Everyone exchanged looks of horror as he continued. “I was involved in a school shooting a few months ago. When the shooter opened fire on my friend, I jumped in front of the bullet to save her. You’d think that’d make me a hero, right? No, because nine other people were killed that day. Nine people I couldn’t save. I’m still angry about that.”

The leader reassured him. “You couldn’t be everywhere at once, Sean. And you’re not invincible. You might not be here right now if you had jumped in front of another bullet.”

Sean’s voice was heavy with anguish. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. But the guilt was killing me, so I went to Wasaga Beach to see my parents. When I got back, the girl I took the bullet for told me she no longer loved me, and that she was dating my best friend. I felt dead inside. Still, I was able to forgive her. Was that stupid of me?” 

Ellie thought it was very stupid. He never should’ve given Emma another chance. She didn’t deserve a guy like Sean. All she ever did was take advantage of his love and it was annoying. Her love for Milton was even more annoying. She’d broken Ellie and Sean up for no reason. 

The group leader leaned forward. “No, Sean. You’ll never be stupid for choosing to forgive. You must protect your peace, and forgiveness is the key to doing so.”

Sean nodded, acknowledging her wisdom. “I’m trying to forgive more, but there’s one person I’ll never forgive: Lucas. He murdered my friend three months ago, and I’m tired of being surrounded by darkness. It makes me wonder if it’d be better if I died too. So I can get away from this nonsense, you know?”

The leader leaned back. “Sean, if you’re contemplating suicide, I’ll have to tell someone.”

Sean’s response was quick. “I’m not suicidal. I’m just sad.”

Ellie took his hand, drawing soothing circles on his skin. “We’ve all been in your shoes, Sean. That’s why we’re here: to help each other regain our happiness. And it’s working. All you have to do is continue to show up.” 

Sean returned her gaze, remaining silent. Ellie kissed his cheek and quietly said that she was proud of him. It took courage for him to open up. He didn’t like talking to strangers, but he’d pushed through for her.

-

Ellie and Sean returned to Joey’s place after the support group session. “Thanks for letting me go with you,” Sean said as they stood in front of the door. “It felt good to get things off my chest.”

“Are you going back?”

“I don’t know.”

Ellie encouraged him. “Come on. They’d like to hear from you again.”

“I don’t really have anything else to say.”

Ellie respected his decision. “Well, if you change your mind, you’re always welcome to come with me.”

Sean nodded. His arms were outstretched, inviting Ellie into an embrace. Stepping into his arms brought back memories of when it was just the two of them against the world. 

Despite their turbulent past, Ellie felt at ease in his arms. She relished the moment, but it was cut short when Craig opened the door and caught them. They drew back as he regarded them with suspicion.

“Oh, Sean. I had no idea you were here.”

“I went with her to the support group.”

Craig, still suspicious, commented, “That’s interesting. She told me she wanted to go alone.”

Ellie defended Sean. “Sean had things to get off his chest. You don’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

Ellie huffed. “Bye, Sean. See you at school,” she said as she walked past Craig into the house. Craig said his goodbyes to Sean before closing the door.

“Bye, Sean? See you at school?” Craig repeated.

Ellie turned around, hand on the railing. “That’s what I said.”

“Why did you sound so excited?”

“It’s a problem for me to be excited to see my friend?”

“He’s not just your friend. He’s your ex-boyfriend.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Please don’t try to tell me who I can and can’t talk to. I tell you not to talk to Manny and Emma, but you always do.”

Craig exhaled, wanting to ease the tension. “Look, I have nothing against Sean. He’s a great guy. I just wanna make sure you and I are still good.”

Ellie walked up to him. She placed her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. “You and I have never been better,” she said, slowly wrapping her arms around him as their lips met, making it clear that she was only in love with one guy. His name wasn’t Ethan or Sean; it was the one and only Craig Manning. 

Maya, Nic, Luke, Jake, and Fitz had gotten a table at The Dot. Three people were missing: Katie, Marisol, and Hazel.

Katie wasn’t invited for obvious reasons, Marisol had declined because she was exhausted from dance practice, and Hazel was now part of their squad, but she decided to go home as well. Maya assumed she felt uncomfortable hanging with them without Marisol being there.

Maya wasn’t sure how she felt about Hazel. She was willing to be civil for the sake of their war, but she had to remember that Hazel was a Degrassian. What if she was also trying to help her school gain the advantage, which was why she was so eager to be around them? That probably wasn’t the case, but Maya couldn’t trust anyone right now. Not after her sister had betrayed her. 

A server approached them. Jake ordered a milkshake. Fitz suggested he get hot chocolate instead, but Jake refused, so Fitz ordered it for himself. Luke was busy taking selfies as Maya ordered fries to share with Nic. 

The server returned shortly after with their food. Maya ate her fries, but Nic seemed to be eating them all. He took several at a time while she only took one. He reached for another, and Maya placed her hand over his. She only allowed him to eat one after she’d eaten one, so they’d have an equal amount.

Across the table, her friends sipped their drinks. Maya turned the conversation to Hazel. “So, Hazel. How do we feel about her?”

“Don’t tell me we’re gonna gossip about our new friend behind her back,” Fitz joked.

Maya had some reservations. “She seems okay, but we can’t forget that she’s a Degrassian. She could have some tricks up her sleeve.”

Luke was less concerned. “Until she shows us those tricks, she’s okay with me. Now, Fitz, what’s up with Johnny? I thought we were supposed to be getting him arrested, man.”

Maya knew Johnny like everyone else, but the possibility of him being arrested piqued her interest. What had he done to deserve such a harsh punishment? 

Fitz said, “He’s bad news, Maya. That JT guy that got killed? Johnny was involved. And don’t worry, Luke. I tipped off the cops. They’re investigating him.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Your father? I thought your mother didn’t want you around him?”

“She doesn’t need to know.”

Luke chimed in. “Well, that’s good. We’re slowly but surely eliminating the competition.”

Maya brought up a different concern. “Yeah, but we’re making new enemies all the time, like Katie. She’s been hanging out with Drew’s friends. She has no shame.”

“How is it living with her?” Nic asked. “Do you avoid her?”

Maya replied with scorn. “Like the plague. I can’t believe I share the same blood as a traitor. It makes me sick.”

Jake, who was uncharacteristically quiet, stirred his milkshake.

“Jake, why are you so quiet?” Nic wondered. 

“I don’t know. I just...” Jake sighed, struggling to express himself. “I don’t know.”

Nic made an educated guess. “Let me guess. You miss Katie?” Jake’s silence said a lot. Nic sat back, puzzled. “I don’t understand. We let you off the hook for not criticizing Degrassi in the paper, and you’re upset?”

Jake voiced his disapproval. “It doesn’t feel right. I should be getting flak too.”

“Well, you’re not. Be grateful,” Fitz said, holding his shoulder supportively.

“I’m not grateful,” Jake argued, brushing off his hand. “I don’t want anyone to dislike anyone else. This war is pointless.”

Maya sensed a change. “Don’t tell me you’re switching sides, too.”

“I’m not on any side. I’m staying neutral.”

“Like I said before, you’re missing out on the fun,” Nic joked. 

Jake’s sarcasm oozed from his words. “Losing our friends is sooo fun.” He stood  and grabbed his milkshake. 

“Uh, where are you going?”

“This conversation isn’t fun either,” Jake said. “Fitz, I’ll see you at home.”

Despite Fitz’s efforts to persuade him to stay, Jake walked out.

“Damn,” Nic remarked. “He’s a wreck without Katie.”

“Yup,” Maya agreed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he follows in her footsteps.”

Because everyone seemed to like switching sides. Maya had enough of it. 

-

Maya slid her key into the lock and opened the door slowly, trying not to make a sound. She gently closed the door before climbing the stairs with ninja-like precision. Her mission was foiled when the jingle of her keys revealed her presence.

“Maya, can you come here, please?” 

Maya stiffened as she heard her mother’s voice. She muttered a curse as her mother called her again, forcing Maya to drag herself to her room. Katie stood inside with her arms crossed.

“What’s going on?”

“You tell me. Your sister claims you haven’t spoken in days,” her mother responded.

Maya hissed at Katie. “You never stop snitching, do you?”

“Don’t go there, missy. I thought I told you I’d send you to a troubled teen program if you misbehaved?”

“I’m not misbehaving,” Maya shot back.

“You’re disowning your sister. That’s not going to fly in this house.”

“So you’re gonna force me to be nice to her?”

“Yes, I am. You need to be nicer to people in general, so apologize,” her mother demanded.

Maya rolled her eyes at Katie and mumbled a reluctant apology.

“I can’t hear you,” Katie commented.

“Sorry,” Maya said, her tone a mixture of frustration and compliance. “Are you two happy now?”

“Very. I don’t want to hear about this again, Maya,” her mother said sternly.

“Whatever.” Maya stormed out, tired of being the black sheep of the family. It was ridiculous how her mother defended Katie so strongly when she was the one who had done the wrong thing. She betrayed an entire school, so their hatred was justified. But if her mother wanted to pick sides, so be it. Maya only needed her friends.

Katie called her name, and Maya quickly turned around. “Listen up, Katlynn. I don’t wanna be sent away, so I’ll talk to you at home, but you’re a stranger to me at school. Understand?”

“This is unnecessary. Why can’t we-” Katie started, but Maya shut the door in her face. 

Chapter Text

Sean was glued to the computer screen in front of him, trying to finish his Media Immersion homework. He usually did his homework at home, but he was distracted yesterday. 

Ellie had texted him to make sure he got home safely. Sean told her he had, and he expected the conversation to end there, but Ellie continued to text him. He wanted to tell her that he was busy, but it would’ve been rude, so he talked for a while. 

They discussed the support group meeting. Ellie encouraged him to go back, and Sean had to admit that it felt good to get things off his chest. He also liked how they hadn’t interrupted him with questions. But he had nothing more to add, so there was no point in going back. Besides, everyone in that group self-harmed. He didn’t belong there. 

Liberty had been another distraction. After he finished talking to Ellie, he texted Liberty to apologize for missing the party planning. He didn’t tell her where he’d gone because he didn’t want her to worry. He just said that something came up, and that he wouldn’t be skipping out again. Liberty wasn’t happy with him, but she forgave him.

Sean should’ve focused on his homework after that, but he didn’t since Liberty had called him. That was when he realized how entertaining she was. To be honest, he was starting to realize a lot about Liberty. He even considered her to be his best friend now, which was crazy.

Sean pushed her out of his mind so that he could concentrate on his homework. Mr. Simpson was about to walk in, and the last thing he needed was an incomplete. He promised his parents that when he returned to Degrassi, he wouldn’t focus on jumping in front of bullets. Instead, he’d focus on his studies because they wanted to see him graduate next year. Sean wanted that too, because he’d been through so much pain and suffering. If he graduated, it would’ve all been worth it.

Nothing but mouse clicks and keyboard presses could be heard. He jumped when the door opened, afraid it was Simpson, but it was only Liberty, Emma, Toby, and Milton. 

Liberty was reading something on her phone, which drew Sean’s attention to the emerald earrings in her ears. He smiled, happy that she was still wearing them. 

He listened intently as Liberty spoke. “The healing of some traumas could be triggered today. Perhaps through contact with someone who knew you then. Don’t be surprised if you cry a little; it’s a natural release.”

She gave Emma a solemn look. “Trauma? Tell me this isn’t about You-Know-Who.”

“JT,” Emma deduced. “God, this horoscope stuff is insanely accurate.”

Sean asked, “Horoscope?”

Liberty looked at him. “Yeah. Do you want me to read yours? All I have to do is enter your sign.”

“Sign?”

“You don’t know what a zodiac sign is?” Emma made fun of him. “Such an amateur.”

“That stuff is for girls.”

“Really? Toby knows his.” 

Toby, who was deep in a conversation with Milton, turned his head towards Emma. “Hey, leave me out of it!”

Emma chuckled, and Liberty playfully rolled her eyes as she entered Sean’s sign, already aware of his birthday. She read his daily horoscope, or whatever it was. 

“A phone call may occur between you and a romantic partner. You could talk about current events, the weather, or anything else that comes to mind. The one thing you probably won’t discuss is the status of your relationship, which may be frustrating for you.”

Sean’s eyes widened. Relationship?

“Nonetheless, you’ll learn a lot about your feelings, which will allow you to understand each other better.” She stopped and added, “Aw. That was short and sweet.”

Sean brushed it off. “More like incorrect. I don’t have a partner.”

“A crush?”

“No.”

“That’s not what the horoscope says,” Emma replied, drawing an annoyed look from him.

“Well, think of it as a future prediction,” Liberty said optimistically. 

“You think I’ll get a girlfriend soon?”

“Why not? You’re awesome.”

Emma ruffled his hair. “Super awesome.”

Mr. Simpson’s arrival interrupted their conversation. “Alright, class. Please take your seats.”

Shit. Sean hadn’t finished his homework. Liberty had once again distracted him, but whatever. It was 95% done. Maybe he wouldn’t get in too much trouble. 

Emma sat next to Milton. Manny was also present, but she was sitting far away from them. She only did that when she was angry, but what was she angry about? Sean would have to ask her later. He needed to concentrate on the lesson.

Simpson directed them to a specific website, and Sean followed his instructions. Simpson began to explain, and Sean half listened because the horoscope was still in his mind. It was a lie; he didn’t have a romantic partner and probably wouldn’t until after high school. It was strange how it knew Liberty had trauma, though. Then again, many people suffer from trauma. It was an easy guess.

Sean couldn’t deny that his curiosity was getting the best of him. He wanted to see what else it said about his life, so that he could show Liberty and Emma how wrong it was.

He didn’t know what website Liberty had visited, so he opened a new tab and typed in ‘Daily Horoscopes’. He went to the first site, keeping an eye on Simpson to make sure he didn’t get caught. He knew his zodiac sign thanks to Liberty, so he entered it and read the words on the screen.

Someone’s withholding affection. You know it. You see it. And, of course, you feel it because being together creates contentment. Today, you need to communicate. Allow yourself to clear the air and get the answers to your questions. Don’t worry about rejection; your romantic interest may be feeling the same way.

Sean was sick of seeing ‘partner’ and ‘romantic interest.’ He was single and planned to stay that way, so he didn’t understand why the horoscope kept forcing romance on him. It was so fake. 

But suppose it was true. Who was his secret crush? It said he’d have a phone call with his romantic partner, but the only person he talked to on the phone was Liberty. Was the horoscope predicting he liked Liberty, and that they’d date? That would never happen, proving how inaccurate it was. It was meant to get people’s hopes up. 

Liberty could continue to be brainwashed, but Sean would never read another horoscope again. He closed the tab, focusing on Simpson and not on astrological signs. He officially hated that crap.  

Hazel and Paige should’ve been paying attention to the reading material, but their eyes were drawn to each other instead. Paige’s face was blank, so Hazel had no idea what she was thinking. Hazel, on the other hand, had a lot on her mind. 

Ever since it was revealed that Chantay had lied about Paige wanting to replace her as co-captain, she’d wanted to make things right with Paige. Their beef had been fabricated; neither of them intended to betray the other, so there was no reason to be angry. 

Paige’s pride would never allow her to apologize first, so Hazel had to initiate the conversation. After Ms. Kwan dismissed them, she intended to wait outside for Paige and apologize for the horrible things she had, such as her being a bad leader and friend. 

Paige wasn’t a bad leader; without her, the Spirit Squad wouldn’t have been as successful. It wouldn’t exist. She wasn’t a bad friend either, but she had a habit of picking favorites.

Anya was her favorite right now, and that bothered Hazel, so that was something else they needed to discuss. She wasn’t going to force Paige to choose between her and Anya; she just wanted to be included. 

But all of that was wishful thinking. Paige had a 50% chance of forgiving her, and a 50% chance of not forgiving her, because she was the type to hold a grudge. Obviously, if she still hated Spinner after all these months. Hazel didn’t want Paige to hate her for the rest of her life over of a misunderstanding, so when the bell rang, she stood outside and hoped for the best.

“Paige, can we talk?” Hazel asked as Paige walked out of the room.

Paige crossed her arms. “Sure, hun.” 

Hazel took a deep breath, apologized profusely for the incident at practice, and stated that she had no idea Chantay was lying.

“Looks like your best friend isn’t as awesome as you thought, huh?” Paige said.

She was talking about Marisol. Hazel’s skin burned because she’d put all of her trust in Marisol. Hazel had put her above everyone, and now she regretted it because Marisol never cared about her. She just wanted to get ahead in the war, which is why she let Chantay ruin her friendship with Paige. After all, the easiest way to win a war was by eliminating the leader. 

“She fooled me, but it’s my fault. I should’ve known Marisol’s interest in me was too sudden,” Hazel confessed.

“It’s not your fault,” Paige sympathized. “You needed someone to fill the void I left, so you jumped at the chance to befriend her.”

“Yeah, and it was a dumb decision.” Hazel sighed. “I have to cut her off. As for Chantay, I always knew she was a liar, but I didn’t think she’d go so far as to end her captain’s friendship.”

Paige was enraged yet again. “She’s so lucky she can’t leave the team.”

“Do you think she’ll spy on Lakehurst?”

“She better, or she’s out of here!” Paige exclaimed. “But anyway, I’m sorry too. For saying you’re a bad friend. For choosing Anya over you. For all of it.”

“You know, I don’t mind you making friends. I just don’t wanna be forgotten.”

“You won’t be.”

“I’m serious, Paige. I need your respect if we’re gonna be friends again. I’m sick of feeling disposable and inferior to you. We’re equals.”

Paige took her hand and nodded. “Equals. How about I sit with you at lunch today?”

“I’d like that. By the way, I have no problem with you being bi. I’m happy for you and Alex.”

Paige’s face flushed. “It’s insane. I never expected to fall for a girl, but I really love her, Hazel.”

Hazel was stunned. “Love?”

Paige laughed. “Yeah, it’s that serious.”

Hazel asked, “Are you gonna tell me how it started?”

Paige told the story. She’d despised Alex after learning of her involvement in the Rick situation. Then Alex had begged Paige to let her stay at her house after her mother’s boyfriend had pushed her. Paige had taken care of her that night before they kissed in her bed, and Paige had enjoyed it, despite her long period of denial. She’d been so in denial that she had brutally rejected Alex, which was why Alex had hated her so much.

Paige decided to live her truth and declared her love for Alex. Luckily for her, Alex was willing to give their love a chance. They were as happy as ever, and so was Hazel.

“Wow. You guys went from enemies to friends, to enemies again, and now lovers. That’s one hell of a story to tell your kids.” 

Paige laughed. “Alex and I have been through a lot, but we always find our way back to each other. That’s how I know we’re meant to be. But her coworker Maddy dislikes me. I have a feeling she’s gonna try to tear us apart.”

“Alex won’t let that happen. She loves you.”

“I know, but there’s something off about Maddy. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Well, say the word. I’ll kick her ass.”

“I’d totally kick ass for you, too,” Paige matched, linking arms with her. “You’re my best friend, Hazel. I never wanna fight again.” 

“We won’t. We just need to communicate better.” That’s what they should’ve done from the start. Instead of dissing each other, they should’ve discussed Chantay’s claims. 

They were foolish to believe her, since she was well-known for spreading lies and destroying people’s reputations. Hazel had never trusted Chantay, and she had no plans to start now. There was more to life than chasing clout, but Chantay would never understand that, and she might lose friends because of it. Hazel, on the other hand, had gotten her best friend back, and that was all that mattered.

 
Marisol had persuaded Chantay to end Hazel’s friendship with Paige by spreading rumors that they were betraying each other. Marisol then took advantage of the opportunity to gain an edge in the war by befriending Hazel. She’d approached Hazel when she was at her most vulnerable, and offered to be her new best friend. She recalled Hazel’s initial rejection, but Hazel eventually chose to pursue a friendship with her, and they became an inseparable duo. 

They danced, laughed, and leaned on each other. Their bond seemed unbreakable, but Marisol couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, because Hazel hadn’t responded to her texts or spoken to her since yesterday.

Mr. Armstrong’s words faded into background noise as she typed yet another message to Hazel. The silence was deafening, and Marisol couldn’t figure out why her once-close friend had abruptly cut her off.

She stared at the screen, waiting for the typing bubbles to appear. She was aware that Hazel was also in class, but that had never stopped them from texting before. Hazel had undoubtedly seen her message, but had chosen to ignore it.

Marisol began to type more messages, but Mr. Armstrong caught her. “Miss Lewis. The board is this way.”

Marisol apologized for her inattention, and Armstrong told her not to do it again. Then he began writing on the board, and Marisol paid attention for a few seconds, but her gaze drifted back to her phone screen where she was met with silence. 

Her thoughts raced with theories on why Hazel was ghosting her. She feared Hazel had discovered her deepest secret, the one that weighed heavily on her conscience—that she’d orchestrated the divide between her and Paige.

Marisol couldn’t blame Hazel for being upset if she had discovered the truth, but she didn’t want it to ruin their friendship. She wasn’t taking advantage of Hazel anymore; she genuinely adored her and valued her loyalty. Hazel had been more loyal to her in a week than people she’d known for years, like Anya and Katie. Marisol was grateful for that, but if Hazel knew the truth, her gratitude would be meaningless. 

She could only hope there was another explanation for Hazel’s sudden withdrawal. She hoped Hazel’s silence revealed a different, less devastating truth.

-

Marisol knew what class Hazel had last period, and planned to meet her there. Unfortunately, when she arrived, the classroom was empty.

Her eyes searched the area, but Marisol knew she had to accept that Hazel wanted nothing to do with her. She’d never speak to her again, which was disappointing, but what could she do? 

Just as she was about to give up, Hazel walked past with an air of indifference, as if they’d never spoken. Marisol’s heart sank because her suspicions were confirmed: something was very wrong. She pushed through the crowd, chasing after Hazel.

“Hazel, wait!” she pleaded.

Once Hazel turned, a storm of emotions clouded her once bright and warm eyes. “What, Marisol?”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Marisol’s voice was filled with impatience. “You know what I’m talking about. You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts.”

“That’s because I don’t wanna be friends anymore.”

“But we’ve been inseparable for days. What changed?”

“People change.”

Marisol shook her head. “Not you. You’re not phony, and you’re not the type of person who changes for no reason. There’s something going on that you’re not telling me about.”

“Why can’t you accept that I’ve had enough of this?” She gestured between them to indicate their friendship. “I’m tired of pretending that we can be best friends.”

“Hazel, we’re not pretending. We have something real.”

“Marisol, have you forgotten how much our schools despise each other? Lakehursters and Degrassians can’t be friends. It won’t work.”

“It worked with Paige and Anya.”

“We’re not them!” Hazel snapped, and Marisol was overcome with anger and hurt because she couldn’t believe Hazel had given up on her. For what reason? Because she was afraid their friendship would be short-lived? It didn’t make any sense. 

Marisol pleaded with Hazel as she walked away from her. “Wait, Hazel! Tell me how I can earn your trust again. I can’t lose you as a friend.”

Hazel’s face was filled with sadness, and she hesitated before responding. “You already have.” 

Her words cut through Marisol like a knife. It was an unexpected blow, and Marisol couldn’t understand why she was acting this way. It was starting to irritate her. 

She stood there watching as Hazel approached Paige, who had been watching the entire exchange from afar. Marisol couldn’t hear what they were saying, but as Paige spoke, she saw Hazel’s face soften.

Marisol felt a pang of jealousy. How had Paige gotten Hazel back? Did Paige tell lies about her? 

She sighed deeply, knowing she might never get the answers she wanted, but one thing was certain: this was a bitter end to what had once been a beautiful friendship. 

Chapter Text

The memory of Ellie hugging Sean had become ingrained in Craig’s mind. It made him wonder why Sean was allowed to attend her support group meeting, but not him. 

Ellie’s need for independence was understandable, but it was his responsibility as her boyfriend to be there for her. Yet she insisted on going alone, but she also wanted Sean’s company? It was confusing. 

Craig had no problem with Sean. In fact, he considered Sean to be a close friend. But he couldn’t deny that Sean’s history with Ellie made him feel threatened. He wouldn't pull an Ellie and tell her she couldn’t talk to Sean. He just wanted Ellie to show him that their bond was still strong.

Craig hated struggling with his insecurities, but he couldn’t stop himself. If Sean had stayed with Ellie, she wouldn’t be thinking about him right now. That was the truth. 

He was brought back to reality by a familiar voice. It was Sean, who picked up on his dissatisfaction right away. “Craig. Can we talk?”

Craig hesitated before responding. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“Things got awkward yesterday, so I wanted to make sure everything’s okay between us.”

“We’ve never been better,” Craig forced himself to say.

Sean wasn’t persuaded. “Are you sure? Because you seemed upset about me going to Ellie’s support group.” 

“I wasn’t upset that you went,” Craig admitted. “I was upset she wouldn’t let me go. I wanna be there for her, but she wants to handle things on her own. So it’s confusing how she let you tag along.”

Sean reassured him, knowing how complicated the situation was. “I understand, but there’s nothing going on between Ellie and me. We’re just friends, I promise.”

Craig wanted to believe Sean. He was an honest and loyal friend, but doubt lingered in his mind. The only way to control it was by changing the subject. “How was the support group? What did you talk about?” 

“The shooting, my trauma, JT’s death, and Emma friend-zoning me.”

Craig frowned. Sean had to put up with a lot of nonsense he didn’t deserve. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to put up with that.”

“If not me, then who? Let’s face it, I’m the only one who can handle it. Or at least I’m trying to.” 

“Well, you’re doing a hell of a job,” Craig said, acknowledging Sean’s strength. “You’re handling it a lot better than I would.” 

That was yet another example of Sean’s superiority...

“Yeah.” Sean changed the subject. “Anyway, I’m having a welcome back party this Saturday. It was Liberty’s idea. It’d mean a lot to me if you could make it.”

Craig wanted to go, but Ellie came to mind again. A part of him wished she’d stay home, but Ellie wouldn’t miss a party if all of her friends were going. And the fact that the party was for Sean made her presence all the more certain. 

His complex emotions churned within him as he accepted Sean’s invitation. “You know I love parties. I’ll be there.”

“Cool. I promise you’ll have a good time.”

Craig forced himself to return Sean’s warm smile, even though he was cold inside. As soon as Sean was out of sight, he covered his face as his back made contact with a random locker. He took deep breaths to calm himself, but realized he should’ve taken refuge in the bathroom after hearing Ellie speak. 

“What was that about?” she asked. 

He knew exactly what she meant: his conversation with Sean. She’d been watching from a distance, and something about it had piqued her interest, making her curious and a little concerned.

“Sean was telling me about his party.”

Ellie’s eyes narrowed. “Is that all you talked about? You didn’t interrogate him, did you?”

“He came to me, Ellie. Not the other way around.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Craig let out a heavy sigh. “What do you want me to say? That letting Sean go to your support group doesn’t bother me still? Of course it does. You’d be bothered if I chose Manny over you too.”

“I didn’t choose him over you,” she assured him. Craig shook his head in disagreement, and her face hardened. “Why is it so hard for you to believe you’re my number one?”

“Because I feel second!”

Ellie placed her hand on his arm. “You’re not. I love you. Not Sean.”

“Yeah, well, I have to make sure he doesn’t love you either.”

“Craig, he’s not Spinner. He’s not gonna take me away from you. You have nothing to worry about.”

Craig honestly didn’t know what to say. He was overwhelmed by the emotions he was experiencing, so Ellie forced him to look into her eyes. “You don’t.”

His tension eased as he took in her words. “You’re right. I have to trust you.”

“You should,” she teased before planting her lips on his. It was a quick kiss, and as soon as Ellie pulled away, Craig pulled her back in and continued it. He deepened the kiss, as if it were the last time he’d kiss her. Ellie matched his energy.

Craig didn’t want the kiss to come to an end. It only happened because they needed air. They backed up, panting but smirking. Sean would never be able to kiss her like that. 

The late bell rang. Everyone had already gone to class, meaning they were extremely late. 

“I think we should go to class. Unless you wanna kiss some more, which I’m perfectly fine with,” Craig suggested with a playful grin. 

Ellie laughed and hit him. “We can kiss at home. I promised my mom I’d graduate, and I’m not gonna break it.” 

Craig grabbed her hand when she held it out. He walked to class with her, leaving behind the doubts and insecurities that had obscured his path. Sean and Ellie had assured him nothing was going on between them. Their romance was over, so Ellie was right: he had nothing to worry about.  

For the first time in a long time, Anya felt alone. Before Degrassi, she was always surrounded by seven people: Becky, Marisol, Katie, Maya, Nic, Fitz, and Luke. They were a tight-knit group that did everything together. However, once they arrived at Degrassi, the good quickly turned to the bad. 

Everything would’ve been fine if Anya hadn’t accepted Paige’s offer to join the cheerleading team. Her squad was no longer solid because of her.

Anya hated the traitor label Lakehurst had placed on her. She disliked going from being respected to being despised. Fortunately, she’d found her place in the Spirit Squad. 

Paige had quickly become Anya’s favorite person, and vice versa. Paige had spent more time with her than with her original best friend, Hazel, which caused the issues. Anya assumed they made up, since Paige was sitting with Hazel across the cafeteria. 

Anya wasn’t upset they’d worked things out. In fact, she was relieved because she hated tension. But if Paige’s reconciliation with Hazel meant that she was no longer important, she wasn’t happy about that. Paige should’ve invited her to hang out with them instead of icing her out. 

Anya could ask to sit with them, but that might cause more problems. The last thing she needed was for Paige to call her clingy. Paige would’ve invited her if she wanted her to be there. 

She sighed, her fork twirling aimlessly in her noodles. She assumed she’d be stuck sitting alone until a girl with strawberry blonde hair approached her.

“Hey, Anya,” Holly J said brightly. “Why are you sitting alone?”

Anya’s gaze was drawn to Paige and Hazel, who were laughing and throwing fries at each other. “That’s why.”

When Holly J saw Paige and Hazel’s closeness, she asked, “Oh. They made up?”

“Right?” Anya said, sounding confused. “I don’t know when that happened.”

“You don’t seem happy. You’re used to being Paige’s one and only, aren’t you?”

“Maybe, but I don’t want people to think I want Paige to myself. I don’t mind her hanging out with other people. I just don’t wanna be forgotten.”

Holly J took a seat. “Anya, Paige will never forget you. It was clear from the first day you joined the team that you were her favorite.”

Anya’s answer was a bit wistful. “I was. Hazel is now.”

“I’m sure she’ll come back to you. She and Hazel just made up; she probably wants to focus on her today.” Holly J reached for Anya’s hand. “But hey. If she wants to spend most of her time with Hazel, you have me and Mia.”

“I don’t talk to you two outside of practice.”

“That’s gonna change. You’re cool and drama-free. We could use someone like you in our circle. But only if you want to.”

Anya felt a sharp pang of jealousy as she watched Paige and Hazel enjoying each other’s company. She realized that if Paige could make friends, so could she. They hadn’t signed a contact saying they could only hang out with each other, so Anya made a silent agreement to expand her current relationships. Mia and Holly J seemed nice enough, and she appreciated how Holly J had went out of her way to check on her.

“I’d love to,” Anya said. Her words were full of hope, and her smile reflected her faith that the future held the possibility of a beautiful friendship with Holly J. 

Katie sat across from Bianca, a tray of disgusting school lunch in front of her. Truthfully, it felt strange to hang out with the girl Drew would be in love with right now if she hadn’t dumped Elliot. Katie had accepted the fact that Drew moved on, but Bianca couldn’t help but be suspicious whenever they spoke.

Drew couldn’t blame her. He’d do the same if Elliot came back into the picture. He’d probably go insane, because he despised Elliot more than anyone, especially after their fight two weeks ago. But Drew had nothing to worry about. Bianca had no intention of working things out with that rapist in the making. Drew, on the other hand, had worked things out with Katie, so Bianca had to accept it. 

She returned her gaze to Katie, noticing she’d just finished eating. Katie accidentally bumped into her old Lakehurst squad—Marisol, Maya, Nic, Fitz, Jake, and Luke—as she disposed of her tray. With the exception of Jake, the entire group mean-mugged her.

Nic sneered, wrapping his arm around Maya. “Look who it is. The fake Matlin.”

Katie stood up for herself. “I’m not fake.”

“Really?” He looked down at Maya. “What did you tell me, baby?”

“She’s a traitor,” Maya declared coldly. “She never wanted Lakehurst to win the war, and she never planned to publish negative things in the newspaper.”

Katie defended herself. “Why would I jeopardize my position as the editor by criticizing Degrassi? That would be stupid.”

“No, Katie, you’re stupid,” Nic argued. “We don’t like stupid people, so go ahead and live the traitor life with DeSousa and Torres. We don’t need you.”

Katie’s expression was pained as Maya urged the group to leave. Jake gave her a sad look before joining the departing group. Katie threw her tray into the garbage and sat, enraged.

Bianca tried to console her by saying, “Hey, don’t pay attention to them. If they don’t wanna be your friend, that’s their loss.”

Katie nodded sadly. “I’m glad I have you and Drew. I know it’s weird, since we both liked him.”

“It is weird. I’d feel better about it if you had a boyfriend.” A name popped into her head. “What about that Jake guy? He seems to miss you.”

Katie dismissed the idea. “Jake’s more like a brother to me than anything. Did you know he was also on the newspaper team? But I don’t see them criticizing him. I guess he gets a pass because Fitz is his stepbrother.”

“You were in charge; he wasn’t. Of course they’re mad at you,” Bianca said. 

Katie sighed. “I messed up.”

“No, you did the right thing by staying neutral.”  

Just then, Drew and Dallas sat at the table with their trays. Drew wasted no time in questioning the girls. “B. Katie. What were you two talking about?”

Katie shrugged it off. “Nothing important.”

Bianca smiled, relieved she had moved on from her fake friends.

“Anyway, are you excited about Adam’s pool tournament on Saturday?” Katie asked, changing the subject.

Drew seemed clueless. “He didn’t tell us anything about that.” 

Dallas said, “I think that’s what he was trying to tell us yesterday, but we were too focused on Chantay.”

“I know you two have a lot going on, but you need to be there for your brother,” Katie said solemnly. “This is a big deal for Adam. He needs moral support.”

“Of course we’ll be there,” Bianca assured her before turning her attention to Dallas. “And since you mentioned Chantay, I should tell you that she admitted to lying.”

“About me and Owen?” 

Bianca nodded and told them Darcy had overheard Chantay talking to Marisol, and had informed the Spirit Squad. Chantay told them Marisol had paid her to spread rumors about Degrassians in order to give Lakehurst an advantage in their war. It worked for a while; Paige and Hazel’s friendship, as well as Dallas and Owen’s, fell apart. Thank god Darcy put an end to her because who knows who Chantay would’ve lied about next?

Bianca finished by telling them that in exchange for keeping Chantay on the team, she’d promised to keep them informed of everything Marisol and Lakehurst were up to.

Dallas was relieved to have Owen back, but he was also irritated. “So Marisol’s the problem?” 

Suspicion flashed across his face as he looked at Katie, who quickly defended herself. “I didn’t know. I swear.”

Drew suggested, “Can we all agree that we need to put an end to Marisol? If we take her down, this will all be over.”

“But how?” Bianca asked. 

Katie jumped in with an idea. “Marisol’s been single for as long as I can remember. Drew, when we met at the park, she talked to Owen, remember? So what if you convince Owen to pretend to be interested in her? She’ll fall in love with him, and he’ll be able to convince her to give up.”

“That’s actually...clever,” Bianca admitted. 

“Except Owen won’t go near that girl, and Marisol will see right through him,” Dallas said. “But maybe I can pull it off.”

“You wanna lead her on?” Drew asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I have to.” Dallas explained his plan. “Since she doesn’t really know me, she’ll think I’m being sincere. I’ll make her fall in love with me, and then I’m gonna tell her that if she wants to stay with me, she has to stop the war.”

Katie supported the plan. “She will. I’m sure of it.”

Bianca expressed concern. “What happens after all is said and done? You just stop talking to her?”

“Exactly,” Dallas declared with determination. “My goal is to mess with her mind, and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.” He got up with his tray, said, “Gotta get ready,” and walked away.

Bianca twisted her mouth to the side. She was relieved they’d come up with a plan to end Marisol’s reign, but she had reservations. What if Dallas was walking into a trap? What if Marisol didn’t let him stop talking to her at the end? She might fall so hard for him that she’d start harassing him once he cut her off. Or what if he falls for her and loses sight of his goal? 

A lot could go wrong with this plan, but a lot could also go right. 

Katie, sensing her concern, reassured her. “Hey, everything’s gonna work out fine.”

Bianca hoped so, because this war had gone on far too long.

Chapter Text

Dallas never imagined pursuing a Lakehurst girl, but that was the job he was given. He wasn’t afraid to take one for the team and flirt with Marisol if it meant the lies and animosity would end. 

Dallas was at basketball practice. Armstrong was working them hard because they had a big game coming up against Bardell. Dallas would be damned if they lost to Bardell or any other school, so he planned to switch into focus mode after speaking to Marisol. 

He knew the dance team was in the auditorium, so he requested a bathroom break. Armstrong hated wasting time, but Dallas put on the show of his life, bouncing up and down as if he were about to burst. Armstrong dismissed him with a sigh and a wave. 

Dallas bolted from the gym. He dashed from one corner to the next, past the boys’ bathroom where he was supposed to be. He arrived at the auditorium. He saw his target, Marisol, through the glass. She appeared to be teaching her girls dance moves. 

Dallas quietly pushed the door open and closed it even more quietly. He leaned in the doorway, his eyes fixed on Marisol’s every move. The girl was a natural dancer. Each of her steps exuded confidence and power, and it was hard for Dallas to focus on anyone else. She was the star of the show, and she was about to become the queen of his world. 

Marisol and her girls finished their moves, and received an unexpected round of applause from Dallas. His broad smile clashed with their downcast expressions, except for Sadie, who seemed pleased to see him.

“What’s a Degrassian doing here? And why is he clapping?” one of the girls asked.

“I don’t know. Run it back while I deal with this,” Marisol instructed. After restarting the music, she stomped off the stage towards Dallas. “You’re Mike Dallas, right?”

“The one and only.”

“Well, listen, I know you Degrassians never know when to mind your business—”

Dallas snorted in his head; wasn’t she the one who told Chantay to spread rumors about him?

“But you can’t interrupt our practice.”

“I’m not trying to interrupt. I’m trying to watch,” Dallas said, looking at the girls on stage. “You looked good up there. Are you getting ready for a competition or something?”

Marisol also looked at her girls. “The dance team is new, so we can’t compete in any competitions this year, but we can still perform at the basketball games.”

“That’s great because I’m a basketball player.”

“Of course you are. My question is, what do you want?”

“I can’t watch a pretty girl dance?”

“Coming from the guy who said he didn’t want me to be his sweetheart,” Marisol retorted.

Dallas knew she was referring to two weeks ago when Lakehurst had stopped them from entering the cafeteria. Marisol had accused them of burning down their school, and Dallas had mockingly called her sweetheart.

“I didn’t know you two weeks ago.”

“And you never will,” Marisol declared as she walked away.

He shouted after her. “I think I can change that!” 

That made her turn around. “Aren’t you gay?” 

No, and she knew that. She and Chantay started that rumor, and Dallas would call out her lies, but that would derail his plan. Marisol couldn’t know they’d found out about her, and she couldn’t know Chantay had gotten exposed for working for her. His interest in her had to seem genuine.

“Not at all. Chantay admitted to making up the rumor,” Dallas responded.

Marisol crossed her arms over her chest. “Wow. Your fellow Degrassian lied on you. Your school doesn’t seem very loyal.”

Because of her. “Whatever. Everyone knows I don’t want Owen, but you, on the other hand...” Dallas examined her, as if she were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. “You’re a serious catch.”

Her face had lit up for a millisecond, but she hid it. “Thank you, but I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“I think you do. I have a feeling you don’t get many compliments.”

“Is that a diss?”

“No. If anything, I think you’re under-appreciated.” Dallas came closer. He was so close that their bodies almost touched as he stared down at her. “I can change that.”

“What the hell are you saying?” Marisol asked.

“I’m saying you’re gorgeous; I’m handsome. Why don’t we get together?”

Marisol simply laughed, as if that were absurd. “You’re insane.”

“I’m not. I’m just attracted to you.”

Marisol couldn’t comprehend that. “I don’t even talk to you.”

“Like I said, you’re a serious catch.”

“And you’re the enemy!” Marisol shot back.

Sadie, who was on stage, interrupted them. “Marisol, are you coming?”

Marisol was deafeningly silent. Dallas took the initiative and said, “I’ll let you get back to work, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

He noticed how she swallowed, her eyes focused on anything other than him. She was trying hard not to react strongly, which made him smirk as he walked away. He felt her eyes on him, which meant he’d managed to get inside of her head at least a little bit.

She’d be thinking about him for a while. 

Dave would’ve yelled at Chantay for working with Marisol behind their back, but today only one girl mattered: Sadie. 

When he and Sadie had that heated make-out session at her house, they were almost certain to lose their virginities, but Dave backed down when she started tugging on his belt and running her hand up his torso.

What she wanted was obvious: sex, which made him jump away and make an excuse for why they couldn’t do it. He’d told her he didn’t have protection, which was a reasonable explanation. He didn’t want to be a teen dad, and Sadie didn’t trip because she didn’t want to be a teen mom.

That night was so embarrassing. He was supposed to be the man, but he was more nervous than Sadie? Thankfully, she was patient and not the type to judge. However, she seemed to want to experience her first time with him, and Dave knew it was his responsibility to keep his girl happy. If she was ready for sex, he had to face his fears and grant her wish. 

That brought him to his current situation. He was at the store, and his goal was to buy condoms. He brought Jimmy with him, because he was familiar with condom shopping. Dave also needed someone to help him relax, so Adam and Tristan were also there. 

Dave led them from aisle to aisle, having no idea where the condoms were. Jimmy thought he was stalling on purpose, but he was truly lost. Jimmy led them to the right aisle, and Dave’s eyes wandered around the shelf at the condoms. There were different sizes, textures, and...flavors? 

He immediately grabbed the box of strawberry flavored condoms. Jimmy snatched the box and put it back on the shelf, pointing at the regular condoms. Dave huffed and looked at the boxes again, spotting his size. He was about to grab it when he saw a group of girls watching him intently. 

Trying to impress them, he grabbed the extra large condoms instead.

“Wow, he’s huge,” one of them exclaimed. “His girl is blessed.”

Dave chuckled to himself, but Jimmy, Adam, and Tristan were unimpressed. “What?”

“That’s not your size,” Tristan said.

“How do you know?”

“Because look at you. You’re tiny. You can’t possibly have an anaconda.”

“Dude, ew.” Adam groaned, covering his ears. Then he turned to Dave and said, “He’s right, though. You wanted to get that box.” He pointed to Dave’s correct size.

“They didn’t need to know that.” He put the extra large back and got his size. “So that’s it?”

Jimmy nodded. “Yeah. Pay for it, and you’ll be ready to have sex with your girlfriend.”

Dave’s nervousness returned when he heard those words. This was really happening. Tonight.

Jimmy’s parents wouldn’t be home, so Sadie knew to come over to his house. Jimmy was supposed to order pizza for dinner, but the pizza would be for Dave and Sadie, since Jimmy wanted them to have the house to themselves. He was spending the night at Spinner’s. 

“You seem reluctant,” Adam commented.

“I’m just nervous,” Dave admitted. He turned to Jimmy. “So, um. Can you tell me how it goes? You know...sex.”

“I’m not giving you a rundown.”

“Please. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Neither did I. You’ll have to figure it out for yourself. Everyone’s first time is different.”

Dave lowered his eyes to the box. Adam spoke up. “Listen, Dave. If you have any doubts, tell her.”

“I can’t. I already have these condoms in my hands.”

“So? They’re not going anywhere.”

Dave sighed and looked him in the eyes. “I can’t back out, Adam. Not again. Sadie really wants to do this.”

“Dave, I’m serious. Don’t force it. It won’t be enjoyable for either of you.”

Dave understood what he was saying, but he didn’t want to disappoint Sadie again. He didn’t want her to think he wasn’t a man of his word, and he didn’t want to make her wait forever. 

“If it makes you feel any better, I was afraid to have sex with Ashley,” Jimmy admitted. “We kept putting it off until it felt right.”

Dave was surprised. “And she didn’t judge you?”

“If Sadie loves you, she won’t.”

“She does love me. I trust her a lot.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” 

Jimmy patted his shoulder. Tristan, who was watching, commented, “I’d say some enlightening words, but I don’t know anything about sex.”

Neither did Dave, but that would change in a few hours. Adam told him to wait until he got over his nerves, but Dave knew that’d never happen. Because of his lack of experience, he’d always be afraid to have sex.

What if he made a mistake or finished too fast? Not to mention that he’d never gotten naked in front of a girl before. It’d probably be awkward, which was why he’d chosen Sadie as his first. He felt comfortable enough to embarrass himself in front of her, and she was a virgin too, which was great. It’d be a learning experience for the both of them. 

He went to the cashier to buy the condoms, and as they left the store, he kept looking at the box because after tonight, he wouldn’t be a confused little boy anymore. Tonight he’d officially become a man. 

 
The next morning, Mia was thinking about her daughter and Jane. She was looking forward to Jane meeting Bella in two days. Bella deserved the opportunity to meet her aunt, and after a few days of talking to Jane, Mia was sure she was a trustworthy relative.

There was one obstacle in the way: Mia’s mother. She had no idea Jane was going to meet Bella. In fact, she had no idea who Jane was at all. Mia hadn’t told her she was friends with Lucas’ sister because...she was friends with Lucas’ sister. Her mother despised Lucas, which meant she despised the rest of his family as well.

Mia kept quiet about her newfound friendship for fear that her mother would go crazy and force her away from Jane. However, nothing would ever be perfect if her mother was kept in the dark, so Mia had to face her fears and tell her mother about Jane. She just hoped the yelling wouldn’t cause the neighbors to call the police. 

Mia finished getting ready for school and then yawned as she checked on her daughter. She saw Isabella sleeping soundly in her crib, and was relieved that one of them was able to sleep. Mia had barely slept last night because Bella had been crying up a storm. 

Her mother was also startled by the crying, and it was she who put Bella to sleep. Mia was grateful for her help in dealing with parenthood, but it shouldn’t be her job. Mia should have a decent baby daddy, but Lucas was anything but decent. He was rotting in a cell, never having to deal with the struggles of being a teen dad.

Mia’s mother entered the room. “She’s still asleep?”

Mia nodded, her eyes fixed on the crib. “Yeah. Whatever you did worked like a charm.”

“I didn’t do anything. My touch calmed her.”

“Not mine,” Mia replied, a little resentfully. “If anything, it made her cry more.”

“Maybe because you don’t spend as much time with her as you used to? You’re always busy.”

“Sorry for being a teenager?”

Her mother sighed. “I understand that, but at the end of the day, Bella has to be your top priority. She’s already lost her father. Don’t let her lose her mother too.”

“She’s not gonna lose me. Bella will always come first.”

Her mother nodded, gently stroking Bella’s hair. “Are those kids still bothering you at school?”

“They seem to be bothering Sav now.” Mia hoped he didn’t run into that Lakehurst idiot again. He promised to remember Sav’s name, which didn’t sound good. He sounded like he had some tricks up his sleeve.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” her mother said worriedly. “Make sure you support him. He’s a good friend to you.”

“Yeah,” Mia agreed, changing the subject. “Speaking of friends, did you know Lucas has a sister?”

Her mother gave her a disapproving look. “Why would I want to know anything about that monster? He stole your innocence, Mia.”

“I know, but his sister is pretty cool.”

“Excuse me?” her mother asked incredulously. “Are you in contact with his family?”

“I don’t have a choice. She goes to Degrassi.”

“You do have a choice! Stay away from her!”

Mia defended Jane, saying, “Jane is nothing like Lucas, Mom. She despises him as much as we do. She even changed her name because of him.”

Her mother wasn’t having it. “I don’t care, Mia. Those Valieri’s are not to be trusted.”

“She’s not a Valieri,” Mia pointed out. “She’s a Vaughn, and I trust her. I’m gonna introduce her to Bella.”

“She’s not going anywhere near my grandchild!”

“Bella deserves to know who her aunt is,” Mia argued.

“Bella also deserves a father, but he’s not here, is he?” her mother retorted. “Because he’s crazy, and Jane is just like him.”

“You don’t even know her.”

“I don’t want to,” her mother declared. “And neither will Bella. Keep Jane away from her, or you and I are going to have the argument of our lives.”

Mia wasn’t keeping Bella away from her aunt. She was sure that Jane wasn’t like Lucas. Even if she wasn’t sure, Jane had the right to prove that she was a good person. They shouldn’t crucify her because she was related to Lucas. She didn’t ask to be the sister of a psycho, so she was meeting Bella. Period.

Chapter Text

Manny was upset with Emma, Toby, and Liberty for not approving of her and Jimmy. Sean had noticed her distant behavior and had asked what was wrong. Emma, Toby, and Liberty were wrong, but Sean had no idea Manny was messing around with Jimmy, so she had to fill him in. She also told him that Emma and the others didn’t approve, so she was staying away from them. 

Sean tried to mend her friendships by telling Manny that they were only looking out for her. Manny didn’t listen to anything he said. She wouldn’t forgive them because they weren’t the only ones who didn’t approve of her and Jimmy. Marco didn’t either, and Manny was tired of everyone trying to tear her and Jimmy apart. 

That was why Jimmy hadn’t talked to her in three days. Everyone was getting inside of his head, and making him feel bad about liking her. Manny couldn’t stand it.

She had science next. So did her unsupportive friends, but that was okay. She could sit with Sean or Milton, if Emma and Liberty didn’t get to them first. If they did, Manny would sit far away from them, like she had been. 

She walked through the halls, her eyes searching for Jimmy. He was nowhere to be found, which was a shame because she desperately wanted to talk to him. She was beginning to feel like she had no purpose without him.  

She didn’t see Jimmy, but she saw Darcy and Spinner leaning against lockers. Spinner whispered in her ear, which made Darcy laugh and hit him playfully. Manny walked by and scowled at Spinner. She couldn’t believe she thought he actually wanted her in his life. 

Manny had given him an ultimatum to choose between her and Darcy. Spinner seemed to have chosen Darcy, so he was another person she couldn’t stand. He had no idea what he wanted, but whatever. He was Manny’s past, and he was staying there because she was focused on someone much better. His best friend. 

Manny arrived at class to find that most of the seats were taken. She planned to sit next to Sean, but he was already with Liberty. She quickly walked over to the seat next to Milton. “Hey, Milton. Do you wanna work together today?”

“I think you should sit somewhere else,” he suggested, putting his bag on the chair to keep her from sitting.

Manny scowled. “Seriously? Did Emma make you do this?”

“What are you talking about?”

“She and I aren’t on the best of terms right now, and now she’s got you hating me too?”

“This has nothing to do with Emma. This is about you destroying my sister’s relationship.”

“Alisha?” she asked, momentarily forgetting their connection. She hadn’t been thinking about that girl, and it was no surprise that she ran crying to Milton. “Look, I know that hater is your sister—”

“Woah.” Milton warned her not to disrespect Alisha. “Don’t disrespect her, because then I’ll have to choose sides.”

“If you choose her, that proves you’re a jealous hater too,” Manny retorted.

Milton closed his eyes, holding back his frustration. “I don’t know if you’ve heard this before, but no one’s jealous of you.”

“No one’s jealous of you either,” Manny fired back. “Why would they be? You’re uninteresting. Sean, though? He’s very interesting.” She continued, “You think he can’t take Emma away from you? Of course he can. They’re soulmates.”

“Soulmates?” Milton deadpanned. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Manny insisted. “You’re the temporary guy, and if Sean hadn’t gone to Wasaga Beach, you wouldn’t have had a chance with Emma. You should thank him.”

“And you should be thanking Alisha,” Milton countered. “She practically handed Jimmy over to you. He wouldn’t be worrying about you if she was willing to give him another chance.” He continued to lash out at her. “And you should be the last person to call anyone uninteresting. All you do is chase after taken guys.”

Manny laughed. “Are you getting triggered?”

Milton had enough of her. “Whatever, Manny. You’re dead to me.”

“You’re dead to me too! You all are!”

Milton shook his head and took his new seat. Emma entered the room after witnessing their altercation, and turned to Milton for answers. He was too angry to respond, so she turned to Manny. “What did you say, Manny?”

“I told your man the truth about himself. Tell him to stop being so insecure.” 

Emma glared at her before sprinting over to Milton and begging him to talk to her. There was trouble in paradise between them. That was exactly what Manny wanted. If Emma wouldn’t let her be happy with Jimmy, then she wouldn’t be able to be happy either. 

Emma chased after Milton.  “Milton, wait!”

His pace quickened, and she struggled to catch up. Manny had said something to upset him. Emma needed to know the details in order to fix the situation.

“Milton!” Emma pulled on his arm to turn him around. “Can you please tell me what Manny said? Clearly, she upset you.”

“You wanna know what she said, Emma? Fine. She made it clear that she prefers you with Sean.”

Why was Manny bringing up Sean? Was she trying to ruin Sean and Milton’s friendship? That seemed to be Manny’s pattern lately: ruining everything.

“What did she say, exactly?” Emma asked.

“She said you and Sean are soulmates. She also said Sean can steal you away if he wanted to.”

“And you believe that?”

“Is it not true? Do you not have love for him?”

Hurt, Emma replied, “I can’t believe you’re asking that.”

Milton pressed for a definite answer. “Tell me, Emma. Tell me you don’t love him.”

“I don’t!” Emma shouted. “I thought I made that clear when I friend-zoned him.”

Milton looked away, not fully believing her. Emma tried to convince him. “If I wanted him, I would’ve gotten with him like my mom suggested, after I told her I felt bad about breaking his heart.”

Milton looked at her slowly. “Your mom doesn’t like me?”

She shouldn’t have said that. Worried that Milton might also dislike her mother, Emma clarified, “That’s not what I meant.”

“That is what you meant,” Milton argued. “Manny doesn’t like us together. Your mother doesn’t like us together. So why the hell are we together, Emma?”

“Because we love each other, or is there something you need to tell me?”

Milton bridged the gap between them, speaking slowly. “I do love you, but you have options. I don’t wanna be an option. I wanna be your only.”

“I don’t have options! You’re the only guy I like!”

He shook his head in disbelief, so she grabbed his hand, pleading. “Sean is the past. You’re my present and future. How can I prove that I’m all in?”

“I don’t know, Emma,” Milton replied, unsure. “I’m also not sure if this is worth it anymore.”

A drumbeat of fear echoed in her chest. “Are you breaking up with me?”

“I...” His words stumbled over each other, as if unsure of their own direction. “I just need space, okay?” He backed up and walked away.

Emma balled up her fists, blaming her so-called best friend for ruining her relationship. Manny was trying to sabotage her happiness because Jimmy stopped talking to her. It was selfish and petty.

Emma went to their shared locker to confront her. “What. Is. Your. Issue?”

Manny looked at her with disdain. “Excuse me?”

Emma challenged her. “You heard me. You’re burning so many bridges, and you don’t care.”

Manny spoke casually as she placed her books in the locker. “I guess Milton told you what I said.”

“Yes he did, and he might break up with me, so thanks.”

Manny shrugged dismissively. “You can do better. Milton’s boring.”

“What’s so interesting about Jimmy?”

Manny had a dreamy look in her eyes as she reminisced. “Jimmy’s perfect in every way. We’re soulmates.”

“More like friends with benefits.”

Manny deadpanned in offense. “You’re just jealous.”

“I’m not jealous!” Emma denied. “Can’t you see that you’re ruining Jimmy’s friendships and your own? It has to end. If I can’t get through to you, then I’ll talk to Jimmy. You two are going back to being acquaintances.”

Emma stormed away, determined to track Jimmy down and make sure he never spoke to Manny again. If Manny wanted to ruin her happiness, Emma was ready to reciprocate. She had no idea why Manny wanted to date him in the first place. That romance was bringing out the worst in them. Manny was turning toxic, and Jimmy was turning shady. 

Manny slammed the locker and chased after Emma. “Will you stop it, Emma?! I’m not leaving Jimmy alone! Liking him is the best decision I’ve ever made!”

“If things don’t work out with him, who’s next?” Emma whirled around. “Marco?”

“He’s gay.”

“If he wasn’t? Tell me he wouldn’t be next on your list?”

Manny sighed, dissatisfied. “Do you have to be so judgmental all the time? Aren’t you sick of it?”

“I’m sick of my best friend letting guys change her,” Emma said firmly. “First it was Jay, and now it’s Jimmy. You need help, Manny, and I don’t mean that in a mean way. I’m genuinely concerned.”

“There’s nothing to be concerned about. I’m getting Jimmy back, and we’re gonna be great, okay? Whether you wanna support me or not is up to you. But if you can’t, maybe we should’ve stayed enemies.”

Manny was willing to abandon their friendship because she disapproved of her and Jimmy’s romance? Emma knew she wasn’t perfect, but she’d never put a boy before Manny. 

Emma now knew she was the better friend, and she didn’t want any fake friends in her life, so Manny was free to have a forbidden romance with Jimmy. Emma didn’t give a damn anymore. 

“Screw you, Manny. I hope your romance blows up in your face,” Emma said before leaving. She didn’t have any more time to waste. She had to keep Milton from dumping her, which would be difficult since Manny made him doubt her devotion to him. 

Manny was making the wrong decision by pursuing Jimmy, but Emma had made the wrong decision being Manny’s friend in the first place. 

Marco wasn’t the type to get caught up in drama. Manny was the definition of it, though. She’d broken Craig’s heart, taken Spinner from Paige, and now Jimmy from Alisha. Manny was the cause of his friends’ pain, and he couldn’t respect someone like that. So she better have a good reason for storming up to him right now. 

“Marco,” Manny said dryly.

Marco responded in a similarly dry tone. “Manny.”

“I’ve already confronted a couple of people today. You’re next, because I have a bone to pick with you, Del Rossi. Jimmy hasn’t called or texted me in three days.”

“That’s not my problem,” Marco said before he tried to walk away. She stepped in front of him.

“It is your problem! He’s avoiding me because of you. You made him feel bad for betraying Craig,” Manny accused.

“He should. I know you like him, but he owes Craig loyalty. He would’ve bled out on these floors if Craig hadn’t found him.”

“Someone else would’ve found him.”

“Not in time. But look, it’s not the end of the world. You can look for someone else,” Marco suggested.

“I don’t want anyone else. I want him,” Manny declared.

“Why?” Marco asked bluntly. “Serious question. Why do you always want Craig’s best friends?”

“When I catch feelings for someone, Craig is the last person on my mind,” Manny retorted, offended. “Spinner and Jimmy caught my attention because they’re cute and cool. I can’t say the same for you. You’re nothing but a hater.”

So instead of speaking civilly, she chose to be disrespectful? And this is who Jimmy wanted to be with? Ridiculous.

“Manny, you’d be the last person I’d ever hate on. You’re a mess, and I honestly think you should make better decisions.”

“And I think you’re jealous,” Manny replied.

“Jealous of what?”

“Jealous because Jimmy wants me and not you.”

She thought he wanted Jimmy? Was she unaware that he was a taken man? “I’m not sure what happened in Jimmy’s bed, but you two are clearly going insane. I don’t like Jimmy; I’m looking out for him.”

“I don’t care. Stay out of my relationship,” Manny insisted, irritating him. Her delusion was out of control. 

“You don’t have a relationship, and you’ll never have one. Jimmy is done with you,” Marco stated.

“Jimmy will never be done with me. You, Craig, Emma, and everyone else aren’t going to change the fact that we’re soulmates,” Manny declared.

Emma didn’t like it either? It sounded like they weren’t friends anymore, which could be a good thing. Manny was toxic and disrespectful, and Emma shouldn’t have to deal with her.

As for Marco, he didn’t have a problem with Jimmy because he promised to stay away from Manny, but if he breaks that promise, Marco may have to stop caring about him as well. 

As for Manny, Marco hated her, so he walked away. He couldn’t figure out why guys were so infatuated with her. She wasn’t nice, and she attracted drama. Marco had no intention of getting entangled with that drama magnet. 

She can take that nonsense elsewhere. 

Chapter Text

It'd been three days since Jimmy talked to Manny, and it felt good to know that he wasn’t betraying Craig anymore. He no longer had to worry about Hazel and Marco scolding him for his behavior. He was back to being the trustworthy Jimmy everyone loved, and he was proud of himself for putting aside his selfish desires.

There was a downside to cutting Manny off: he felt alone. He’d been with Ashley for years, and when they broke up, he quickly moved on to Alisha. Then he messed around with Manny right after Alisha left him. Jimmy wasn’t used to not having a girl by his side. 

Maybe he should work things out with Alisha? He still had feelings for her, and he knew Alisha was mad at him, but she couldn’t have moved on yet. He might have a chance. 

He took out his phone, intending to send her a message. He was going to be all in this time. He wouldn’t let a girl distract him, because Alisha had been so good to him. She’d helped him escape Ashley’s abuse and regain his ability to walk. Why the hell did he forget that for Manny? 

Jimmy’s thumb pressed the letters H and I. His thumb hovered over the send button. What if she ignored him? What if she cursed him out, angry he’d waited a week to win her back? Or worse, what if she blocked him?

He’d never know the truth unless he went for it, so he sent the text, which surprisingly went through. He wasn’t blocked, which had to mean something. She was still holding on. 

He stared at the screen, waiting for the three dots that never appeared. He didn’t even see Alisha’s read receipts. He figured she’d take a while to respond since they were at school, so he put his phone away as Spinner approached. 

“You won’t believe what I just did, Spin. I texted Alisha.”

Spinner couldn’t believe it. “Why?”

“I want her back.”

Spinner’s face was etched with surprise. “Wow, I’m surprised. I thought you were all about Manny now.”

How did he know about her? He’d only told Marco and Hazel about the treacherous things he’d done behind Craig’s back. “What are you talking about?”

Spinner got right to the point. “You had sex with her?”

What the hell? Who told him? Marco? No, it was most likely Manny, and Jimmy would be upset if she was running her mouth out of spite. If Craig found out, she was officially dead to him. 

Spinner kept going. “Did you?”

“Yes, Spin,” Jimmy said with an unwilling sigh. “Four days ago.”

Spinner chastised him. “What the hell, man? You said there was nothing going on between you two.”

“There wasn’t...at the time. But I couldn’t stop thinking about her, so I invited her over to my house to get things off my chest, and we ended up having sex.”

“You like her?”

“I do,” Jimmy admitted, “but I cut her off after Marco talked some sense into me.”

Spinner dropped a bombshell. “Well, it was Marco who told me.”

Jimmy’s worry increased. Did that mean Craig was also aware? “Did he tell Craig?”

“Believe me, if Craig knew, you’d be in the hospital.”

Jimmy sighed, his words heavy. “You probably think I’m fake, don’t you?”

Spinner shrugged off the criticism. “I don’t care what you do with Manny. I’m with Darcy. If anything, I’m mad at Manny for disrespecting Marco. She just confronted him.”

“She what?”

Spinner laid everything out for him. Manny had confronted Marco, accusing him of being a jealous hater because he convinced Jimmy to cut her off. Marco had called Manny a messy girl who makes bad decisions, and they’d exchanged heated words. Manny accused Marco of having feelings for Jimmy, which Jimmy found absurd. Marco had Tristan, and he knew Jimmy wasn’t gay, so why waste time crushing?

Jimmy was taken aback by Manny’s next claim. She stated that she and Jimmy were soulmates, and that Marco, Craig, Emma, and everyone else couldn’t change that. Jimmy had no idea what Emma had to do with it. Did she not approve, either?

He wasn’t happy about Manny beefing with his best friend, but it felt good to know that she was still fighting for him, even though they hadn’t spoken in three days. 

Jimmy regretted texting Alisha because Manny was the opposite of her. When he was gone for three months, Alisha didn’t bother contacting him, but Manny was proving her love for him. She was letting everyone know she belonged to him, and she didn’t care who didn’t like it. He liked that energy. 

“She’s doing all of that for me?” Jimmy asked.

“Don’t tell me you want her back,” Spinner said, catching his thoughtful expression.

“I wanted Alisha, but I’m not sure now,” Jimmy reflected. “Manny’s going to war for me, and it feels great. No girl has ever fought this hard for me. Ash was abusive, and Alisha gave up on me. Manny’s the most loyal of all. And I do still like her.”

“You really wanna risk it all?” Spinner cautioned, drawing on his own experiences. “Jimmy, come on. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

“What if Craig doesn’t get upset? He cares about me a lot. He said he’d do anything for me.”

“Craig won’t be the only one upset. Marco will be too.”

“And Hazel. But I can’t let them dictate my relationships, Spin. I think...I think I should give Manny a chance.”

“If that’s what you wanna do, I won’t stop you,” Spinner accepted. “I just hope things don’t get out of hand.”

Jimmy agreed, hoping he wouldn’t face physical consequences again. He didn’t want his legs to get injured. He was getting back into the habit of walking. 

“Anyway, Sean’s having a party tomorrow,” he said, changing the subject. “Are we going?”

Jimmy wasn’t exactly close to Sean, but an open invitation to a party was too good to pass up. Plus, Manny would be there, giving him a chance to be close to her.

“Yeah. I was gonna bring Darcy, but she can’t make it.”

“It’s okay. We’ll go stag.”

“What about Manny?”

Jimmy said, “Even if we make it official, I can’t go public with her. We have to keep things lowkey.”

Spinner snorted. “Lowkey and Manny don’t go together.”

He motioned down the hall. Jimmy turned around and noticed Manny staring at him. The intensity of her gaze indicated that something was going on between them. 

Keeping things quiet with her would be difficult, but he needed her to agree to a secret relationship. He didn’t need Craig, Hazel, and Marco to get on his case. The last thing he wanted was to split up his squad. 

He decided not to approach Manny right now, instead saving their conversation for later tonight. They needed to have one final talk.  

Imogen had her sights set on Friendship Club. She knew her classmate Becky Baker was in charge, because she was in charge at Lakehurst. It was a popular club there, so Imogen was confident it’d be popular at Degrassi as well. 

Lakehurst students might’ve already signed up, but what about Degrassi? Were they allowed to join? Maybe, because Becky was neutral like herself. 

Imogen didn’t mind if there were Degrassians present. She was only interested in making new friends, since Jane had. Imogen had expected her and Jane to stick together after they transferred to Degrassi, but that didn’t happen. 

It all started when Jane befriended her brother’s gang members. Her desire to be involved with Johnny, Bruce, and Elliot would never make sense to Imogen. Elliot was the reason her brother was able to take advantage of Mia, and Imogen didn’t know much about Johnny and Bruce, but they couldn’t be blameless. Imogen was afraid that if Jane stayed with them, she’d change drastically. 

Jane’s friends weren’t limited to the bad boys. Imogen was aware that Jane revealed the truth about her relationship with Lucas to Mia. Mia was terrified at first, but she decided to give Jane a chance for her daughter’s sake. Apparently, Jane was going to meet her this weekend, which Imogen thought was cool. 

Mia had introduced Jane to her friends Sav and Holly J. Jane now spent her time with them when she wasn’t with the bad boys. Where did Imogen fit into all of this? Nowhere. Jane no longer had time for her, which made Imogen wonder if she should approach Mia, Sav, and Holly J, but she didn’t feel welcome. She’d rather make her own friends. 

Friendship Club was in room 208, so she went there. She passed a Lakehurst guy sitting in the hallway. He tripped her as she walked by, causing her to fall face-first to the floor. Her groans of pain soon turned to fear when she realized her glasses were gone. Looking ahead, she saw them on the floor. Her heart pounded as the guy stood over her, afraid he’d step on them. 

He didn’t do it. He simply said, “Loser.” 

Imogen’s vision was blurry, but his smirk was as clear as day. She knew why he tripped her; she was considered a loser because she was a loner. Unlike everyone else who had cliques and large friend groups, she kept to herself and minded her business. She was also neutral in the war, and Lakehursters didn’t respect neutrals. 

Imogen remained motionless, her face aching. Someone approached her and asked if she was okay. She looked up to see a pretty girl with strawberry-blonde hair—Becky Baker.

Imogen quickly grabbed her glasses to see if they were broken. Thank god they weren’t, because her father had gotten them for her. She cherished everything he gave her because she didn’t have a mother.

Becky helped her up, and Imogen cleaned her glasses before putting them on. Becky apologized. “I’m sorry about that. Lakehurst is full of jerks.”

“Tell me about it.” Imogen took advantage of the situation. “You’re the person I wanted to see, though. I was hoping to join Friendship Club.”

“Anyone is welcome, but I had no idea you were Christian.”

“I’m not sure what I am, but I keep an open mind. I honestly just wanna meet new people.”

“You’ve come to the right place. Friendship Club is packed. I’m surprised so many Degrassians signed up.”

“Your friends are cool with you allowing Degrassians?” Imogen asked.

“My friends don’t control me. They know I’ve been neutral since the beginning, and that won’t change.”