Looks Are Deceiving
By Jiberty Fan
Author's Notes: I don't own "Degrassi"; if I did J.T. Yorke wouldn't have been killed off. Reviews are always a good way for me to know that people are reading my work and they will help motivate me to finish "Listen To Your Heart." Personal Messages (P.M.'s) are welcome as well. This one shot has nothing to do with my fic "Listen To Your Heart." This fic has been slightly revised which is why I deleted it, because, I wasn't happy with the flow of some parts of this fic. As a writer, I am more concerned with the quality of my writing or someone else's than I am with the length or quantity of what's being written and so my hope is that this idea will be taken into consideration when this story is being read. I own nothing. This is a one shot set during Season 6 of "Degrassi" sometime after J.T. and Mia start dating. The character's thoughts are in Italics. Thank you and best of luck to you, Ryan Cooley. You are missed. I have started a C2 for J.T. and Liberty fanfics on please feel free to check it out. A special thank you to those who reviewed this story earlier and to those who have read and reviewed my other J.T. and Liberty stories. Please read and review.
J.T. Yorke sighed. It was Friday afternoon and the end of another week at Degrassi. He was supposed to meet his girlfriend Mia Jones at the Dot soon but, he was in no rush. It was his senior year which he had heard was supposed to be the happiest time of his life, but, J.T. was anything but happy. While he could make others laugh, it was hard for him laugh much less have a good time. J.T. wondered secretly what Mia, the girl he was trying to date saw in him, but there just seemed to be something missing. He felt that Mia would never really love the real J.T. Yorke, the guy with flaws, the guy who hid his feelings behind a mask but, he did his best to try and forget the one person who loved him the most.
You gave her up and you've regretted it ever since. Liberty won't take me back and I don't blame her. I'm not good enough for her, she deserves better than me. You don't know if she'll take you back or not. I know that I wouldn't take me back if I was her.
Liberty Van Zandt wasn't faring any better than J.T. Yorke only instead of sitting around she made sure that she was as busy as possible. It makes the time go faster and if I'm busy then I don't think about the pain and sadness. You can't run away from your feelings forever. Oh, yes I can, I can do whatever I put my mind to. Today Liberty was supposed to be meeting Manny and Emma at the Dot, but, she felt that it wasn't urgent.
Have you done anything fun all year? Everyone can't be like J.T. Yorke and act happy when everything falls apart and the one person that you love more than anything in the world dumps you and then goes out with a pretty cheerleader. Well, I was being difficult; maybe I deserved all of this. J.T. won't take me back and I don't blame him. I'm not good enough for him. You don't know if he'll take you back or not. I know that I wouldn't take me back if I was him. Mia is a lucky girl.
J.T. and Liberty leave Degrassi and unexpectedly run into each other. As soon as Liberty saw J.T. her first thought was to run and run fast.
"Libby…Liberty."
He hasn't called me Libby in who knows how long.
Oh, God. That came out wrong.
Liberty stops walking; even though she feels in her heart that this is a terrible idea that she will soon regret.
"Hi J.T." Just act normally, he will, if you do.
"Where are you going Liberty? Can I give you a ride?"
"Do you really think that would be a good idea?"
"Why not?"
"You have a girlfriend, brown hair, brown eyes, a cheerleader, and answers to the name Mia, remember her?" Liberty looks absolutely beautiful. J.T. gets momentarily lost in his train of thought.
"I can't offer a ride to you as a friend, Liberty?"
"Your girlfriend may not see it that way, J.T."
"Where are you going?"
"Just the Dot."
"Me, too. Now can I give you a ride? Please?" J.T. gives Liberty a pleading look and his full attention, something he never had or wanted to do with Mia or any other girl for that matter.
"Alright, you win, J.T." Liberty had never felt such confusing and conflicting emotions before. She wanted to be there with J.T. and at the same time she wanted to jump out of J.T.'s car at the first available opportunity.
What's wrong with you? Isn't this what you've wanted to happen for months? Not like this I didn't. Not with J.T. with a girlfriend. This is wrong. You haven't done anything wrong. Not yet we haven't.
J.T. drove to the Dot, but, he couldn't help but keep sneaking peeks at Liberty.
What if Liberty sees you looking at her? I don't care. I'll deal with it, if it happens. You're going to care if there's an explosion at the Dot and you're the cause of it. It was bound to happen. I don't think everyone will see it that way.
Was J.T. looking at me? It's probably just my eyes playing a trick on me. You read too much into everything. You're not the center of his whole world anymore.
The ride to the Dot from Degrassi was normally a short, quick ride, but, the drive today was taking much longer than either J.T. or Liberty expected. Finally J.T. and Liberty get to the Dot after a ride where no words were spoken and the air was filled with an awkward silence.
"We're here and I should go J.T. Emma and Manny are probably wondering where I am. Thanks for the ride, J.T."
"You're welcome, Liberty."
"J.T., the door is locked."
J.T. tries to no avail to open the door.
"The lock must be jammed. Here, let me help you." As he moves over to passenger seat, J.T. finds himself very close to Liberty and very tempted. The temptation in front of him quickly became too much for J.T. as he gives Liberty a kiss. He expects Liberty to leave him and scold him for doing such a stupid, foolish thing. When Liberty surprises J.T. and doesn't stop the kiss instantly, he deepens the kiss and suddenly feels the love and passion that have been missing from his life and in his relationship with Mia.
"Oh, wow." J.T. looked happy, happier than he had been in months.
"Oh, my God, we really shouldn't have done that, J.T."
"Well, I already kissed you, it was bound to happen." J.T. moves the car and luckily finds a parking spot and stops his car.
"Did you have to kiss me right now?"
"I've felt that way for months."
"Why now?"
"I got tired of hiding my feelings."
"That sounds like a personal issue that has nothing to do with me."
"It has everything to do with you. Don't you see that? You were always going to come between Mia and me. It isn't your fault. You did nothing wrong. It was my fault."
"What do you plan on telling your girlfriend?"
"I'm looking at my girlfriend right now. I'm going to leave you out of it. Thinking on my feet is something that I have perfected. Don't look so worried."
"We can't go into the Dot right now."
"Oh yes, we can and we will."
"Not together we're not."
"Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"For the time being just try and act natural and calm and pray that no one saw us making out. Stay in here for a few minutes that way people will be less suspicious."
"I love how you think."
Liberty smiles and heads towards the Dot.
Emma sees Liberty enter the Dot and sees a noticeable change in the girl that she has seen this year but, she decides to ignore it and to just be happy that Liberty doesn't look as gloomy as she has normally been this year.
"Wow, I never thought that I would see the day when Liberty Van Zandt was late for anything."
"Yeah, where have you been?" Manny had been wondering the same thing Emma had
"Nowhere special. I just took longer at Degrassi than I expected, that's all, really. Can I get some water?"
"Oh, you can take mine, Liberty." Emma gives Liberty her untouched water.
"Are you sure everything is alright, Liberty? You look like you're too warm." Both Manny and Emma are a little concerned for their friend because, they've never seen Liberty this anxious or jumpy like she currently is.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just fine."
Toby and Mia have been sitting down separately for awhile waiting for J.T. Mia is starting to get anxious.
Where could J.T. be? It doesn't take this long to get here from Degrassi. Mia begins to get out her phone to send a text message to J.T.
Toby then sees Liberty, also known as Oatmeal enter the Dot and he goes over to sit with Mia in an attempt to distract her.
"Waiting for J.T., huh, Mia?"
"Yeah, have you seen him, Toby? We were supposed to meet here right after school."
"No, Mia, I haven't. I'm sure that he's got a good reason for being late." Oh, boy. Why do I feel that J.T. is late because of Liberty?
"Are you sure you haven't seen him, Toby?"
At just that moment J.T. walks into the Dot and sees Toby and gives him a pleading look.
Oh, boy. I was right. It is because of Liberty.
"I'm sorry I was late, Mia."
To keep a straight face and to keep from laughing, Toby downs the soda in front of him.
"Tobes, are you alright?"
"Oh, I'm great. Where were you?"
"Getting out of school took longer than I expected."
"Are you sure you're alright, Toby? I've never seen you drink a soda that quickly."
"I'm going to go to the ladies room. I'll be right back, okay, J.T.?"
As soon as Mia is out of earshot of J.T. and Toby, Toby wastes no time in questioning J.T.
"Alright, what's really up J.T.?"
"I have a situation."
"I don't get it, you have everything that you wanted, a beautiful girlfriend who loves you and is attentive to you."
"It's not enough, looks are deceiving."
"What do you mean it's not enough, J.T.?"
"What if I got tired of that meat ball sub even though I know it should be enough for me, for any guy?"
"Okay, what do you want instead?"
"A big bowl of oatmeal. I can't stop thinking about her, Tobes, you were right."
"You can't change how you feel."
"Okay, guys, who or what is Oatmeal?"
"Mia! How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know that you will never love me in the way that I want you to, J.T. Maybe I subconsciously knew that you always loved Liberty. I just chose to ignore it. You should be with her, Liberty's a lucky girl."
"You're not mad Mia?"
"No. I know that you did the best that you could, but, that I just wasn't enough for you. Goodbye, J.T."
"Wow, you're a lucky guy, J.T."
"Yeah, I know. It only took me a really long time to realize it and I almost blew it."
"No, I mean Mia left without making a big scene."
"Oh, you meant that."
"And you meant Liberty. Why don't you go and be with her? I don't think Emma and Manny will mind. I don't mind."
"Thanks, Tobes."
For the first time J.T. happily sighed and felt like the weight of the world was no longer dragging him down.
"Hi Emma and Manny."
"Hi J.T., Manny and I were just leaving." Manny shot Emma a quick, mad look. I really want to watch J.T. and Liberty get back together. Please, Emma? Emma wanted to give J.T. and Liberty a little privacy even though she knew that Manny, the romantic would strongly disagree with her. Not today, you're not, Manny.
"Let's go, Manny." Emma takes Manny's hand and gently drags her along.
"Liberty, I'm sorry that I took so long. I'm sorry about everything…"
Liberty has heard enough and silences him with a passionate kiss.
"Are you happy now?"
"Yes, Liberty."
"Are you mine now?"
"Yes and I never stopped being yours."
"Now I need you to calm down. I want us to enjoy the rest of our senior year."
"Okay, I can do that. I need you to calm down too."
"My heart is racing. It has been for a few hours now."
"Since that kiss?"
"Your heart is racing too, J.T.?"
J.T. wanted to nod, but, instead he answered Liberty with a passionate kiss.
The End.