Title: All These Things That I've Done
Chapter: 1?
Author: LaMaitresse
Fandom: Degrassi: The Next Generation
Pairings: Alex/Paige, with hints at Marco/Dylan
Rating: T
Spoilers: Season 5
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the Degrassi franchise. Nor do I own the song whose title I filched for this story.
Author's Note: This is the first fanfic I have written in years and is the first I have ever written for D: TNG. Comments, suggestions, feedback, and constructive criticism are all GREATLY appreciated. :) And now, on with the story….
I was chatting on MSN at the time, when It arrived. It being "The Email From Paige." At first I think my heart stopped beating. Then it started pounding so hard I could feel it in my chest, my throat, and my ears. I hadn't seen or heard from Paige Michalchuk in what had to have been a year, and I still wasn't sure how I felt about her or the rift that time and distance had placed between us.
I've done a hell of a lot of stupid things in my life; more than I care to think of. Dumping Paige in the middle of the mall is probably Number One on that ever-increasing list.
I don't think I was ever supposed to know that Paige rebounded with her ex-boyfriend mere hours after I had broken up with her, and it was a few weeks after the fact when I eventually, and accidentally, found out.
Paige and I were trying to retain our friendship; we kind of didn't have a choice, because we still worked together at the movie theatre and needed to be civil enough to each other to get the job done. Things seemed to be going really well though, and secretly I wanted to get back with her. That is, until that fateful night at the end of July, when Marco, Dylan, Paige, and I were having coffee together at The Dot.
Dylan had gone to pay the bill and Paige was taking a quick trip to the bathroom before the four of us continued on to our next destination: The Other Team. Marco threw his trademarked mischievous grin my way.
"So," he smiled, "things seem to be going well with you and Paige. Thinking of hooking back up with her?"
I blushed. Which is something I rarely do, but the mention of the name 'Paige' seems to always have that effect on me.
"I knew it!" Marco exclaimed. Then he leant forward and lowered his voice a little. "So you're okay with what happened then?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, just a little bit confused. "I'm the one who broke up with Paige in the middle of the mall, Marco, not the other way around—"
"No, no," Marco interrupted me, "I mean with what happened between Paige and Spin."
"Paige and Spin? They broke up ages ago. Why is anything that happened between them even an issue?"
"Oh…" Marco trailed off and started to turn pale.
"Marco, is there something you're not telling me?" I asked with a hint of suspicion in my voice. He was taking too long to answer me. "Is there something going on between Spinner and Paige?"
Marco just stared at me. If I didn't know any better I'd think he was feeling sorry for me.
"Answer me, Marco! ANSWER ME!" I demanded, my voice rising and cracking with emotion.
"Okay, okay, Alex. Just relax." Marco replied in his calming voice. "After you left her, Paige came here to The Dot and ran into Spinner. He'd just left Darcy, so his emotions were running kinda high—"
"Just get out with it, Marco. What are you trying to say?" I interrupted. I was on the verge of tears. I already knew what he was saying; I just needed to hear it.
"Alex, they slept together," he said softly, without looking me in the eyes.
My stomach leapt up into my throat. I wasn't sure whether to scream, cry, vomit, or run. I started to get out of my chair right at the moment Paige returned from the washroom.
"Ready to go, Lexi?" she smiled brightly at me and held her arm out for me to take.
I stared at her incredulously. Marco looked to me, then Paige, then back to me again.
"What's going on—" Paige began, but I cut her off.
"Actually, Paige, I'm feeling kind of sick. I'm going to go home."
And with that, I turned on my heel and ran non-stop all the way home.