Chapter One
A Plan Put into Motion

Jay twisted the oil cap back on and slammed the hood shut. He'd just finished changing the oil in his Honda Civic. He was bored out of his mind and had been for weeks. He'd been expelled from school, Alex had broken up with him, and his father was constantly on his case about what a loser he was. Jay needed a change of scenery; he needed to get out of Toronto, even if it were only for a few days. Sean had called inviting Jay to Wasaga Beach for a visit. Jay was hesitant at first. He hadn't told Sean about his little fling with Emma and couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't told him either. After a massive fight with his dad and the threat of military school, Jay had his answer. A trip to Wasaga Beach was just what the doctor ordered.

Jay climbed in behind the steering wheel wishing he were leaving that very moment but the second Emma had found out about the trip she'd begged and pleaded to go with him. School didn't let out for a few more days and Emma wasn't about to miss them. She'd fallen behind after the shooting and was walking a thin line between passing and failing. He couldn't help but think how awkward the two-hour drive was going to be, him and Emma alone in a car for two hours, not exactly his idea of a good time. Jay put the key into the ignition and started the car. He pulled out of the drive way and headed across town. Only one thing could make the car ride even more awkward and he couldn't believe he was going to attempt it.

"The perfect ending to a perfectly crappy day," Alex mumbled as she walked out of the mall and spotted Jay leaning against the brick wall. "What do you want?"

"Thought you might be interested in a little road trip," Jay replied as she walked right past him and headed down the sidewalk. Jay pushed his self off the wall he was leaning on and rushed to catch up to her.

"What part of 'we're over' didn't you understand?" Alex asked stopping dead in her tracks and turning around to stare at her ex boyfriend. Did he seriously think she'd go anywhere with him?

"The part where you think you can actually live without me," Jay teased, a sly smile spreading across his lips.

"Hard to believe, I know, but I try," she replied sarcastically as she started walking again. The truth was she was dying to get out of town, out of her house, out of her life. Things at home weren't all that great especially with her mother's new boyfriend. He was an even bigger jerk then the rest if that were at all possible.

"Leaving on Friday if you change your mind," Jay called after her before turning around and walking back to his car.

He was half way home when he decided that was the last place he wanted to go. Jay did a quick U turn and headed for the Ravine, his home away from home.

Alex shoved her hands deep into her pockets as she turned onto her street. She could see her house looming in the distance. The doorstep was darkened due to the blown bulb in the porch light but she knew her mother was home. She could hear the yelling three houses away and seriously thought about turning around but she couldn't think of anywhere else to go. Ellie had already moved back in with her mother, Marco had taken exams early and already left on his trip to Africa, Paige wasn't much fun with a broken leg, and Amy wasn't exactly an option anymore.

Alex walked up to the dilapidated old house with its chipping paint and broken shutters. She'd long ago accepted the fact that her family was trash. She'd grown up on the wrong side of the tracks and figured she'd die there too. Alex eased the door open hoping to make it to her room without drawing attention to herself. The last thing she needed was another bruise she'd have to explain.

Alex quickly and quietly made her way up the stairs and into her room locking the door behind her. She collapsed on her bed starring up at the crisscrossed cracks in the ceiling. She had two exams to study for and an English paper to write but she was too exhausted to move. She felt the sudden urge to rummage through the medicine cabinet for her mother's bottle of painkillers, or anti depressants, or sleeping pills, anything to take her mind off the mounting stress and depression that had been slowly building all year. However, the medicine cabinet was across the hall in the bathroom and she was far safer locked quietly away inside her bedroom.

Alex sighed as she stood up and changed into her camouflage pajamas. She turned out the light and climbed in to bed under the covers. The sudden warmth from the covers caused goosebumps to appear on her bare arms. Alex closed her eyes wishing she were a few blocks away, in a different bed, with Jay's arms wrapped around her. She hated that she needed him, hated that she still wanted him, hated that she missed him. He'd been her rock for so long. The place she went when she couldn't go home. How quickly things had changed. Alex drifted to sleep dreaming about being on the open road, far away from Toronto.

"Mom," Emma asked walking into the kitchen where her mother was washing up the dirty dinner dishes, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, honey, what is it?" Spike Nelson asked turning around to face her daughter as she dried her hands on a dishtowel.

"I want to go see Sean," Emma replied hoping her mother wouldn't overreact.

"Well, Em, things are kind of busy at the salon right now but maybe I can get some time off in a few weeks," Spike replied.

Emma had been through a rough time with the school shooting, Sean's leaving, and the STD she'd gotten from some boy at school. Spike still wasn't sure how things had gotten so complicated, how her daughter had gotten so lost. She hated telling Emma no but there was just no way she could take time off right now.

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of this weekend. I've already made arrangements to get there and back. I really need to get away for a little while you know clear my head. Please, Mom, can I go?" Emma asked knowing she was going either way but preferred to go with her mother's permission.

"By yourself?" Spike asked, shocked that Emma had already made the plans and concerned about her daughter traveling alone.

"Technically, no, Sean's friend Jay's going," Emma answered hoping Snake hadn't told her mother about Jay.

"Oh, Em, I don't know..." Spike started, knowing good and well that Sean's friend Jay was the one who'd been expelled from school for bullying, the same boy that had taken advantage of her daughter's vulnerability and ended up giving her gonorrhea.

"Please, Mom! I really need to see Sean!" Emma begged, trying to keep the tears from breaking loose. Didn't her mother know how much she needed to see Sean? Didn't her mother see how hard things were for her, how much better Emma would be with a little distance from Toronto?

"Let me sleep on it," Spike replied hesitantly, "I'll let you know tomorrow."

Emma shook her head in agreement. She knew if she pushed her mother to hard the answer would be a definite no.

Emma left her mother in the kitchen as she retreated to her basement bedroom. She sat down on the edge of the bed as she scanned the room. Her eyes landed on a picture of her and Sean. It was a picture taken at her mother's wedding, a picture that brought back a rush of memories and a flood of tears. Emma closed her eyes as she lay back on the bed and said a silent prayer that her mother would say yes. Then she fell asleep dreaming of sitting on the beach with Sean.

"I thought you'd taken the week off?" Tyler asked as Sean walked into the shack where they worked.

"I am. I just came to pick up my paycheck," Sean replied, waving a white envelope in front of Tyler. They'd somehow managed to become friends when Sean had moved back to Wasaga.

"Are you coming to the pier tonight?" Tyler asked, leaning on the counter his eyes on two bikini-clad girls walking by.

"Can't, I've got to get ready for this weekend," Sean replied, folding the envelope and sticking it in his back pocket.

His parents had gone to Alberta to visit Tracker leaving Sean the house to him. Emma and Jay were supposed to be coming up on Friday and Sean still had a lot to do to get ready.

"Right, the blonde's up for a visit." Tyler teased. "I thought the redhead was the girlfriend."

"She is…was…is…whatever. Emma's just a good friend." Sean replied, the words sounding false even to him. She was more than just a friend, she always had been. "Look man, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

Sean walked out on to the beach and headed for the store. He was running down the shopping list in his head. He couldn't help but wish that it were already Friday and hope that Ellie wouldn't be too upset that she hadn't been invited. He'd tried calling her a few times to see how she was doing since she'd moved back in with her mother but she'd never returned his calls. Jay had said that as far as he knew she was doing okay, Sean just hoped it was true.