Author's Note: Alright. This story takes place during Season 4. Not any particular episode in season 4. Just that school year. My twist on it is that Ash and Craig never went to the record store, and they never became friends or lovers. In this story she still hates him. Passionately. As does Manny.

Quinn walked up the steps of Degrassi. It's nice, she thought to herself. She got to the top of the cement steps as someone with choppy dark hair and too much eye liner on, dropped what looked to be like a guitar case and a bundle of flyers.

She put her blonde hair behind her ears and decided to do a good deed and ask if she needed help.

"Do you need some help?"

"Um, yeah, uh, sure. Thanks."

Quinn picked up her guitar case. It was leather and it was old. Really old. Smelled like her grandmother's house.

"No problem"

"So...you new here, I haven't seen you around, ever, by the way, I'm Ashley Kerwin. What grade are you in"

"Hi. I'm Quinn. I transferred schools. I used to go to Haig, but now I'm back to regular school I'm in grade 11..." she trailed off. She didn't want to say why she had transferred. She didn't want anyone to pity her on her first day.

"Wow. That's a school for the arts right?"

"Yeah..."

"Since you're new, and everything, I can show you around, if you'd like. You can sit with me and my friends at lunch too"

"Um. Okay"

Quinn stepped in the building with Ashley by her side. Someone walked by. Quinn couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Hello, Quinn...that's your name right?"

"Oh yeah"

They walked to the registration lines

Quinn got her schedule and locker number. 187. As the counselor handed her the number he walked by again. This time, she got a better look. Dark brown curly hair. It was out of control. Just the way her life had been. He had gorgeous hazel eyes, and he was tall. Oh she loved tall guys. He must have been at least 6'0". Seeing how she was about 5'5".

Ashley took her aside.

"Don't even mind him. That's Craig Manning. No feelings, no heart, no nothing. He is a monster who is out to destroy lives...and souls..." Ashley had this sad, defeated look on her face

Quinn figured they must have had a history together.

"Oh yeah. I was just memorizing my, um, locker number"

Ashley held up the flyers

"Alright. Hey. I have to go and give these to Emma Nelson. So, if you need help, just ask her". Ashley pointed to a short girl with wavy blonde hair who was screaming at her friend. That's Ashley's friend?

"HAZEL! Why do my years always start like this...?"

Quinn didn't want to bother. She found her locker and tried to open it. It didn't work

"We didn't have lockers like this at our old school..." she said to herself

"Oh really?" someone had spoken in a soothing deep voice. Quinn turned around. It was that Craig guy. Her cheeks instantly turned red.

"Um. Yeah. Actually." She tried to smile a flirty smile. Didn't work. Why do I always screw up she thought? She must have looked like she was trailer trash with that smile.

"I'm guessing you need some help" She was stunned. Why did Ashley describe him this way...?

"Yes. Thank you sooo much" she tried to smile again. It worked. Finally she thought.

He grabbed the paper from the palm of her hand. It was a crumpled up sweaty post it. Oh why did it look like that she thought? His hands were warm and soft. He must have used lotion.

"12...23...1. There ya go" He opened it. She put her dark purple backpack in. She didn't want him to leave. She tried to strike up a casual conversation.

"So. Uh. Where's your locker at?"

"Right next to yours. see. 188" He pointed towards the locker next to hers. He didn't sound cocky. Maybe this guy was genuinely nice...She thought to herself...

Am I being too stand off-ish? What does he think of me? Oh god. What if he asks me out? I'm too fat! Not enough make up! Do my clothes look alright? Oh geese..."

He finished. " So...I'm guessing you're new here. And you look like you're in grade eleven..."

She cut him off. "I am..."

"Really. I'm sure we'll have some of the same classes together then. Looks as if we're in the same grade... if you aren't lying to me…"

A guy with medium length dark curly hair came running up "Craig! Craig! Does this look alright or is it too flashy?" He pointed to his outfit. A black polo shirt and washed out jeans. Looks fine she thought to herself

"Looks fine Marco"

"Hey, well, class is almost starting. Can't wait to see ya around" He touched her arm

Oh my god. He was flirting with me.

"Same. Thanks for the help"

"Anytime"

What Quinn didn't realize is that Ashley had seen the whole thing. She knew Craig's old tricks. Every single one of them. She must protect the new girl from him...

Quinn walked to home room. There were hundreds of kids navigating through out the hallways. Her schedule had read "Simpson...room 102" for home room. So she went there.

The teacher was wearing a light blue dress shirt, was sort of bald, with blonde hair around the edges and was wearing tan slacks.

Quinn took her seat. The teacher moved to the front of the class room.

Wow. A lot of computers in here Quinn thought to herself once again.

"Welcome back. Doesn't everyone love the fresh smell of media immersion?" the teacher had said.

"Sorry to break it to you Mr. Simpson, but this is home room" Ha. That was the blonde girl who was screaming at her friend this morning. Quinn thought this place called Degrassi, must be interesting.

"Thanks for the reminder Paige". Paige rolled her eyes as Hazel and she started chatting about their summer.

"So. Everyone, it's not summer anymore! Welcome back. Please take out your class schedules as I hand out a school copy to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be" Just as Mr. Simpson was passing out the schedules, Craig walked in with Marco by his side.

Marco started "Sorry Mr. S, bathroom emergency. One of my shoes broke. And then"

"I understand, I guess, but Craig had to go and assist you?"

"Not really, I just wanted to be late..." Craig boomed.

The class burst out in laughter. Quinn didn't. She eyed him nervously.

Craig had wondered why she wasn't laughing. He was funny, witty and attractive. She'll warm up to me eventually he had thought.

"Mr. Manning, please take a seat next to um, what is your name" Mr. Simpson looked directly at Quinn.

"My name is Quinn Jacobson sir" she answered nervously.

"Welcome to Degrassi Quinn, I'm not going to bring you up here and introduce you, but everyone please say hello to Quinn"

The class boomed as if they were extremely bored "Hi Quinn"

She was instantly embarrassed.

"As I was saying, please go and take a seat next to Quinn"

Nooo. Well, it does have an upside to this; she will get to know him better...

"Hey again" Craig said to her.

"Hey"

"Mr. Del Rossi, please take a seat next to Ms.Michealchuk...never mind. Please take a seat next to Mr. Mason"

She looked at "Mr. Mason". He had a bad dye job, dark honey blonde...with brown roots, with outrageous curly hair. He was sort of on the chubby side. About the same height as Craig.

Paige had smiled at him. "I love you Honeybee" She said. Must be "Degrassi's cutest couple" Quinn thought.

Mr. Simpson went on and on about his toddler son had just learned how to walk, his step Daughter, and his summer. She was doodling but Craig kept gazing at her.

He decided that he didn't care what Ashley thought. He didn't even think Manny knew about this, but if it was up to Ashley, she would. Quinn was like no other girl he had met before. Her beautiful blonde hair. Which rested at her shoulders. He gorgeous blue eyes. And her smile. Her cute little smile...He was going to get this girl. No matter what would happen.

Quinn's first classes flew by. She didn't have any with Ashley. It was finally lunch.

Her mom had packed her a sack lunch. It was her ritual since the 1st grade. For her and Quinn's sister, Marie. She loved her mom's food. But, her mom wasn't home very much. Nor her dad. They were both Doctors at one of Toronto's many hospitals. Her dad, a neurosurgeon. Her mom, a pediatrician. Her dad was up by 5, gone by 7, home at 11. Her mom got up by 6, left at 8, and came home at 5:30 for a break. Quinn often cooked dinner for her mom and sister. Left again, then home by 11, just like her father. Quinn was closest to her mother, since she had weekends off. They had one of the nicest houses in Toronto. It was huge. Her parents often tried to spoil Quinn and Marie. Everything they wanted...but not the one thing Quinn was yearning for. Their attention

Quinn sat next to Ashley. They ate in silence. A girl who looked like she was very much into punk rock sat down. Decked out in a plaid mini skirt, fish net stockings, too much eye liner she though, although, she did the most beautiful red hair she had ever seen.

She said "So...who are you?"

"I'm Quinn um. Jacobson. You are?"

"Ellie. Ellie Nash. Nice to meet you"

"Nice to meet you too"

Marco came and sat next to Ellie. They must have been friends.

"So. Quinn, which is your name right? I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off mean, I'm just nervous about the first day back!" He was checking out a guy.

He must be gay she had thought to himself.

"Yeah, Craig's been talking about you all day. He says you're pretty cool..."

Just then Craig walked by. He was going up to the lunch line. He looked surprised. So did Ashley. Craig glared at Marco.

"Oops. Well, I've gotta be going then, ciao everyone" Marco left as Craig dragged him out of the lunch room

"Craig, I didn't mean to..." he trailed off.

Just then Ashley got up. "Yeah, I got to be going then" She dumped her tray in the trash can, set it up by the lunch line and headed over to a table where a girl, with trashy clothes that were way too small for her, and had long beautiful black hair was sitting with a girl who was blonde, and had an awesome bohemian style

"That was weird" Ellie had said.

"She seems pissed"

"No kidding. So, does Ashley have it all out for Craig or something?"

"Something like that. Actually, it's a really long story. You'll find out eventually. Someone is bound to tell you…"

Ellie went on, while Quinn fiddled with her juice box straw

Maybe she would find out. Maybe Craig and she had something in common, that no one would have ever guessed...