Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi nor do I own any of the characters besides Data, Percy, and Kris…and the parents. If I did, I would be rich, lol…I also do not own Eli…because if I did, I'd probably die of happiness…R&R please, I would like to know if I should continue…I think it's a unique turn…
Summary: Dattania Price never got along much with people. She was different by appearance and her style. Now she's heading to Degrassi after her adoptive father's job transfer. Data is about to turn the world upside down for the kids from Degrassi, and catch the eye of a certain hearse driving, opinionated boy who's asking aloud everyone else's question… "Who is that girl?"
Ice blue hair, amber eyes, porcelain skin, cherry red lips, and a soft rose colored cheeks. When most people think of these features, they think of a doll, more specifically, a fragile glass doll, they would never think of these features to fit a human being. Such a thing would be impossible, wouldn't it? It is rare to find someone with amber eyes, especially when the amber color could possibly be mistaken for rich, thin caramel. And to find a child with natural ice blue hair…it was preposterous…and yet there was me…I was born an orphan, my mother died giving birth to me, already wounded by the car accident…the one that killed my father instantly, and took my mother's health away…so that she would not survive after her own daughter's birth. I never had time to wonder about my parents…I was an anomaly to doctors.
When my hair grew in, the workers in the orphanage freaked. It was only natural they would think something was wrong with me. I was in and out of the hospital for my first five years of life. They were intrigued by my appearance, and my lack of dreaming…incidentally they linked it to my appearance of course, and put a name to it when they realized after five miserable years, that I wasn't contagious nor mentally challenged…just different. Unfortunately, my difference from others would grow with my age.
When I was seven I was adopted along with two others from the orphanage. The family was only going to take two at the time, but the wife spotted me. I could tell with a glance that she was rich, and only had to guess what kind of 'rich' person she was. She saw my intriguing appearance and begged to take me as well…I was just a new toy to them. That's all they wanted, toys to show off to their colleagues. I knew we would not get along, and by the glance of the other two children in their stead, we all made a silent agreement…we had a common enemy, and that enemy came with a mink fur coat and a freshly pressed silk Armani suit.
At the age of nine, I was sent to a home for disturbed children…I guess their lack of parental control was blamed on my behavioral problems, and my dry sarcasm…I stayed for two years. I was roomed with a young girl named Layla. She was originally from England. She always talked about her mother and father, and when she grew comfortable around me, she knew me only as 'Old Grandmother'. During my stay, the west wing of the home caught fire when the gas pipe broke and leaked into the corridor. I remember the fear, the flames, the panic…and yet I felt none of it. I went in when I overheard one of the nurses saying that Layla was still caught in one of the rooms. I ran back in without a thought, and found her through the ashes and smoke.
As I tugged her along, the flames tickled and danced in my throat while I felt the inside of my nostrils burn from inhaling the smoke. I heard a resounding crack, and pushed Layla the rest of the way out and felt the weight of cement and wood knock me down. Then, what seemed like for hours, I saw nothing but darkness. I fought my way passed the darkness, to hear a paramedic's voice, saying someone died…saying that I died. Realization hit me and a grabbed out with my hand. I felt my fingers wrap around hot metal piping, but the burn made me know that I wasn't dead. I grunted and pulled, and felt the rubble roll from my back. I don't remember much…well, besides the faces of bewilderment, and my last words before I was taken to the hospital…
"I…refuse…to die!" They were the first words I had said that made me feel like I had accomplished something…that I was more than a play toy for rich, pompous, morons…and yet, after I was taken out of the disturbed ward and put back into 'normal society'…I felt that maybe the disturbed children were less insane...
I endured it without complain none the less. I went to school like a normal child, but was never in fact normal. I went to the same school as my 'siblings'…I only got along with Percy, who was my older brother…but Kris…well, Kris was everything I wasn't. She had blond hair, wore skirts and heels, and was very popular because of her status as being rich. She wasn't a slut or a tramp, but she enjoyed the better things in life…boys included. She had a new one every few weeks, and the new ones would get hotter, richer, and sportier...
She always took and never gave…her boy toys were lucky if she kissed them before dumping them…but hey, she was a spoiled rich girl, and took for granted the things she had been given. For an orphan, she made it look like she had been rich all her life. That was why I got along with Percy. He was level headed, smart…and never took advantage of the riches…okay, that's a lie…he never took…that much advantage? I myself refused to change my style, rich or not. I was given dresses, but I would never be seen in anything fancier than jeans, a v neck tee shirt, old sneakers, and a sweat shirt…I was a tom boy at heart…and never heard the end of it from Kris.
Even now, I'm at 16, a junior in high school, and still the black sheep of the family. But on the bright side, my adoptive father got a transfer to Canada, and I could start fresh in a new school, away from Kris, and hopefully pass off my natural hair, as dyed hair…my excuse? A way to rebel against my parents…easy lie to fulfill, and no one questions you.
As we bordered the plane, Kris popped her gum in my ear. She brushed past me and I almost choked on her excess perfume. Percy pulled my arm to sit next to him and ruffled my hair. I smirked at him and readjusted my hat to cover my neon colored head. I leaned back and smiled, a new start sounded nice. Percy poked me and handed me some papers. It was a registration form for our new school. I sighed at the name…
"Degrassi? It sounds boring…" I muttered silently. Percy grinned and started filling out his own form.
"It sounds boring? It sounds like a good start to me," Percy shrugged scratching his chin. I smiled at him and looked down at my form…too many papers. I grumbled silently to myself and jumped when Kris' head popped up over her seat to watch us.
"I've heard of Degrassi, it has the best gifted program in Canada…it's for freaks of nature who are too smart to consort with those of sophisticated upbringing…oh Data, you should fit right in!" Kris said, giggling to herself.
"It's nice to see you've grown into a modest, caring person, Kris…don't break your hand patting yourself on the back," Percy commented without glancing up. Kris pouted and turned away. I sighed a silent thank you. Percy grinned and nudged me.
"So, what do you think Degrassi has for 'normal' people, while you gifted students take over NASA?" Percy joked. I pretended to think for a moment.
"Well, Percy…I think it all depends…" I said pausing dramatically. Percy started to grin.
"Depend on what?" He asks finally. I give him a smirk and yank off my hat to let my blue hair tumble down in waves. I feel the plane lift and give Percy my best innocent look.
"It depends on…how do you define 'normal'?" I say with a mischievous glance…