Grace always knew there was something wrong with her. All of the girls in her kindergarten class would be planning their future wedding, and all Grace wanted to do was plan her funeral.
She just thought that meant she was weird, so she had purposely made herself an outcast. She never spoke to any one in elementary school, and when she graduated, she won no awards. Her teachers had tried to make her branch out, but it didn't take.d
When Grace got into High School, she finally learned everything there was to know. How some people were interested in the same sex, how they were interested in the opposite sex, how some people could be into both. There were also peope who didn't like anyone.
She refused to believe that she was anything different than everyone else. When she had met Tristan, it confused the hell out of her.
How could somebody fall for someone who is the same gender as them self? She didn't want to do that.
So she kissed her best friend Tiny. They had been an off and on thing throughout all of semester one, until the night of the big storm. She dumped him and found an interest in Miles Hollingsworth.
He had been the ultimate lady killer, that is until he came out as Tristan's boyfriend. That lead her to Tristan and Miles.
"How did you know that you liked Tristan?" She had asked.
"I didn't. I just took a chance." Miles had answered.
That night, she had went onto the internet to check out every sexuality movie/blog post/article there was.
The next day was the day that Zoe had come up to her, asking if she could help her with a new thing called Degrassi Nudes.
She agreed to help but she had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was being forced to look at every single nude the girls had sent.
It sent her into a spiral. She couldn't contain herself.
So naturally, she tried to quit. Zoe didn't let her. She had cussed her out and forced her to keep helping.
"You're not quitting, you hear me?" Zoe asked, putting her hands on her hips. "You aren't allowed."
Grace rolled her eyes. "You don't scare me, Rivas. I can do whatever I want. I could also tell Simpson."
"If you tell Simpson, me and the girls are all prepared to tell Simpson just how involved you were." She scowled at Grace, but then calmed down and stepped closer. "You don't want that to happen, do you?"
"Course not, but whats he gonna do to me that he wont do to you?" Grace raised her eyebrow.
Zoe smirked. "Oh, honey, you really don't understand. Im prepared to get all the girls to fake it. They could say that they sent you those pictures in private, and that you shared them with everyone."
"You wouldn't."
"And I won't. Just keep helping us out, and we won't be forced to tell Simpson how you distributed our pictures to people." Zoe stepped closer and smiled. "You're so pretty, maybe you should do this project."
"You're sick." Grace spat.
"And you're gay." Zoe cocked her head to the side. "Is that why you agreed to do this? Just so you could stare at tits all day? You get off on them don't you?"
Grace tried to fight back whatever she felt, but it was proving to be difficult. "Who do you look at most? Mine? Lola? I hear Jack's are nice." She kept walking toward Grace more, leading her to lean against the wall.
Zoe put her arm up beside Grace's head. "You're afraid that if anyone finds out that you're gay, they'll all make fun of you."
"I hate you, Rivas."
"Oh yeah?" She leaned forward so that she was an inch away from Grace's face. "Prove it." Her hot breath was enough to lead Grace to her next step.
She pressed forward and kissed Zoe. Surprisingly, the brunette kissed her back. It was rough and passionate, and it also lead to them kissing after school every day.
Grace was still in denial though. Sometimes people hook up, that was okay. Miles and Tristan had been broken up for a little while, enough time for Miles to hook up with Maya again before finally nailing Tristan.
That didn't make them start dating again, though. Just like it didnt mean that Grace and Zoe were dating either.
"God, Grace." Zoe slammed the door shut behind her. "That practice was hell, but I am so happy that I get to relax with you." She began to take off her sweater.
"I don't know, Zoe. You ignored me all through math class." Grace teased, crossing her arms.
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up and kiss me." She stripped off her sweater and walked toward her. She grabbed both sides of Grace's face and kissed her softly. She pushed her up against the locker, and passionately kissed her.
The small brunette was now in charge. Her kisses were charged with heat and she didn't even care what anyone thought.
If anyone were to walk in right now, she'd tell them to screw off. "This has been fun." Zoe told her, finally stepping off after a few minutes of non stop, heavy making out. "But I really think we should make this public."
"Excuse me?" Grace furrowed her brows. "Public? No, I can't. I'm not even gay."
"Neither was Hollingsworth but he still fucked Tristan. I've known that I'm pansexual for years now. If you come out as a lesbian-"
Grace put her hand over Zoe's mouth. "I'm not a lesbian. I like guys."
"Thats funny, you haven't seemed to like guys these past few weeks." Zoe crossed her arms. "I understand if you're scared, but come on. I like you."
"No, you actually don't, Zoe. You just want to get some."
"No I don't. I care about you a lot, Grace. I was a bitch to you, but I do like you. Call me when you realize what you want." Zoe turned around, grabbing her sweater, and left.
The weeks went by and Grace didn't speak to Zoe. Degrassi Nudes was leaked, and everyone found out that the Power Cheer team was behind him, but nobody knew that Grace had helped.
One day at lunch, however, she was called into Simpsons office. Inside was Zoe and Simpson. Outside, however, was her own mother and a random lady.
"Whats going on here?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.
Zoe looked up at her with guilt in her eyes. "Ms Cardinal, please sit down." Mr Simpson said, pointing to the chair beside Zoe.
"Why?" Grace sat down.
"We have recently been informed that you had something to do with.. Degrassi Nudes. Lola Pacini and Shay Powers have both stepped forward to let me know that you had helped." Simpson leaned forward in his seat.
Grace sighed. "Okay, yeah, I was involved. It isnt like I had sent them to anyone. I just made them anonymous."
"Yes we know but.." He looked at Zoe and then back at her. "We want you to know that this school is a safe place. Zoe explained everything to me, and said that you may need some help."
"Excuse me?" Grace furrowed her brows. "Help? I don't need help. If anyone needs help, its her."
Zoe frowned. "I just want you to be honest, Grace." Zoe looked up at Simpson. "She keeps denying who she is."
"Oh my God, is that what this is about?" Grace asked, angrily. "You told Simpson that I was gay?" She said that last word as if it were a swear word.
"You are!"
"No I'm not!" Grace turned to Zoe. "You had no right to do that. Did you tell my mother too?"
Simpson shook his head. "Actually your mother is here to pick you up, and that lady is here to take your computer away."
Grace went pale. "No. I'm not getting suspended."
"I'm very sorry, Grace, but you were involved." Simpson told her, calmly.
"This is bullshit!" Grace yelled, standing up from her chair. "You're such a bitch, Zoe." With that, she ran out of the principals office.
Ignoring her mother, she kept walking.
That hurt. How dare Zoe tell anyone that Grace was gay? She had trusted Zoe with everything, and obviously that a mistake. She hated Zoe. She hated her.
Of all people to eventually betray her, it had to be the one she actually liked? She had assumed that Tiny and Zig would give up her location because of the gang, and she knew that Matlin was too much of a goody goody to give two shits about what happened.
No, but Zoe was the one who gave her up.
And it hurt like Hell.
If Zoe was going to be a bitch to her, she'd be a bitch right back.
"Grace!"
Speak of the devil herself. She just ignored the girl and kept storming down the hallways. She didn't need to acknowledge that Zoe was there, just like Zoe hadn't the past year.
"Grace, please!"
Grace groaned and kept walking. "Leave me alone, Rivas." She said, her voice threatening to betray her too.
"I'm sorry."
That was it. She spun around to face to brunette. "You're sorry?! You are not allowed to say that, you bitch!" She screamed.
"I just like you so much that I-"
"That you what?! That you were going to tell my biggest secret ever? The whole school already thinks of me as a freak and with this bait, they're going to leech me. You're nasty and you're rude, Rivas. Why don't you just go back to your stupid tv show." She shook her head and turned back around to go to her locker.
Zoe chased after her and grabbed her arm. "I can't go back to my show. They all hate me."
"I don't blame them." Grace stared her down. "Did you make out with them and threaten to tell everyone about it?"
"Are you kidding me? I was the one who practically begged you to kiss me. I've liked you for so long. Don't act like you're the salt of the earth, because you aren't." Zoe snapped.
"You're a bitch." Grace spat.
"At least I've accepted that. You on the other hand, you deny everything about yourself. I'll see you in a week. You know, after your suspension is done." She pushed past Grace, angrily.
And that was it. No texts, so calls, no anything from Zoe. Not even Zig or Matlin would tell her how Zoe was.
Even after the week had ended and she returned to school, she didn't hear from her. Miles and Tristan had gotten back together in that week, Maya and Zig had hooked up, and Tiny managed to get a month of detention because he flashed a teacher.
But no news about Zoe.
Walking down the hallways, Grace tried to keep her badass face on. As soon as she saw the brunette talking to Frankie, her facade crumbled.
Zoe turned her head and they shared a look, but the looks ended as soon as it began. She looked back at Frankie and continued their talk.
In the hallway, all Grace could see were the couples. Tristan and Miles, Maya and Zig, and even Imogen and that girl Jack.
It proved to be too much for Grace, because once she saw all of them, she ran straight into the empty classroom beside her.
She hadn't told anyone, but inside of that classroom, she cried.
It was the only time she had ever cried. (Besides when she was younger. Obviously.) It felt weird to get so upset over something, that you just broke down.
Later that day, all she could think about was how much Zoe didn't care that she had returned. In her first period class, she got completely ignored by her.
In second period, she found Zig and pushed him up against the locker. "You. Tell me now. What did Zoe do last week?"
"Why do you care?" Zig asked, trying to get free.
"I don't. But it seems like she hates me for some reason." Grace dropped him and crossed her arms.
"Its not like she hates you, she just kind of hates the world right now. Apparently the guy she likes doesn't like her back." Zig answered.
Grace furrowed her brows. "Who does she like?"
Zig shrugged. "No clue. She won't tell me."
"Thanks, Novak. Do you know what class she has right now?" Grace crossed her arms and watched Zig wrap an arm around his girlfriend.
"Pretty sure she has math."
"Great. See you later." Grace patted him on the back and went on her way.
Like Zig had said, Zoe did have math. Grace looked through the window and Zoe raising her hand. A few seconds later, she had gotten the teachers attention and was able to excuse herself.
Zoe left the classroom and continued down the hallway toward the bathroom.
What Grace did next was one of the creepiest things she had ever done. She followed her. A few seconds after Zoe entered to bathroom, Grace did too.
Zoe leaned against the sink, tears going down her cheeks. Grace only got a glance of that before Zoe looked up and wiped the tears away. "What do you want, Cardinal?" Zoe asked, threateningly.
Seeing what Zoe was, it pained her. She slowly walked over to Zoe, cupped her face and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her lips.
The brunette softened. Her hands went around Grace's neck and she kissed her back. "I'm so happy you're back." She cried, pressing her head into Grace's shoulder.
"I'm happy too." Grace replied.
Two years. Thats how long Zoe and Grace have been together. They had recently graduated from Degrassi, and were well on their way to college.
It took a lot, but Grace finally accepted that she is in fact different, but not in the way she once thought.
Everyone is different, but if you add up all the differences, it makes us more similar than anything. Those differences make us the same.
If you look past the bad things, you can get to the greatness. Zoe and Grace were finally able to realize that.
And boy, was it amazing.
Thank you guys for reading. Please review and let me know what you thought. :)