Degrassi: No Air
Details: Mimmy (pairing)
Jimmy has been going through a lot lately. He recently got himself a job and is now trying to finish off his senior year at Degrassi High.
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Chapter One: Uncertainty
The notes for today were excruciatingly dull. As Mrs. Deveou ranted and scribbled on, the focus and concentration of her class slowly deteriorated. Today was simply not the day for the intensity of advanced physics, seeing as how the finals were in process. Many people had already crammed their minds full to bursting with everything else that the complexity of vectors, integral theorems, and magnetism was a bit above the daily quota. Less than half of the cramped over-heated classroom actually bothered to pretend to be copying her notes today. In fact, it seemed that more eyes were concentrated on the backs of their lids than the whiteboard.
Jimmy sighed loudly as his eyes returned downward from the board to his paper. The blue ink decorated his page in a series of numbers, letters, and symbols that at the moment made absolutely no sense to him whatsoever. Jimmy couldn't recall the last time that he took notes on his own. Not complete notes anyway. This second Friday in May was one of those spontaneously rare occasions that he felt a spark of the old intelligence. Besides, he knew he'd have nothing better to do so studying couldn't possibly despoil what already promised to be a dismal weekend.
Jimmy flipped his sheet of college-rule notebook paper over to the other side and continued on with his notes. Holding the paper in place with his left hand, he set to work without so much as a pause for breath. He could hear the people to his left and rear asleep on their desks which wasn't making it any easier for him to center his mind on what the strange symbols actually meant that he was so hastily writing down. Other students in the room were discussing in whispered voices like it helped. In this classroom, everything carried. Jimmy was trying his best to drown out the talks of the newest gossip of Degrassi High. But one bit of news made him almost instinctively inquisitive.
Jimmy had just checked his watch as moved on to his 5th sheet of paper. The miniscule gold plated hands pointed out: 2:40pm. Only five minutes until the end of the school day. Mrs. Deveou had long since stopped giving notes and had rifled off their homework to them before returning to her desk. Jimmy had been in the process of packing his things away when he heard a clear female voice ring out over the usual 'end of the day' buzz in the class.
"Are you serious? You mean Marco Del Rossi? As in…short, extra cute, extra light, extra quiet Marco?" the voice said. Jimmy paused for a beat as the name processed in his mind.
"Yeah! That's the one. You know he's supposed to be talking to Paige's brother now. Dylan is his name I think," another female voice answered.
"Oh my god no way! Since when?"
"Since like…last week I think? Marco told me himself. You know we go way back. I was so shocked when I found out. He was extremely ecstatic to tell you the truth; I've never see him so happy! He was telling me all about their first date and everything and how they met. It was so cute. They had met on the beach or whatever and-- Aah! Jimmy?!"
Jimmy had been so rapt with attention he had not noticed his grip slacken on the Calculus book in his hand. It slipped through his hands and hit the ground with a thunderous 'smack'. He started at the sound and looked wildly around for the source of the disturbance. It was only when he saw that the back half of the class was glaring at him in question did he notice his own book laying some inches in front of his right foot. He quickly bent to scoop up the book, stuffed it hurriedly in his bag and stood as the bell rang. He made sure he was one of the first to leave the class, glad to be getting rid of that disturbing bit of gossip.
Jimmy wove his way to his locker through the throng of students making their way towards their weekends, the whole while mulling over what he had just heard. Marco and Dylan? That can't be right. Well…then again at the beach…they were kinda close…and then there was the day at the basketball courts…I suppose…if it makes Marco happy then it makes-- Jimmy found he couldn't truthfully complete that last thought. He shuddered as he swung his locker open and went to sorting out its contents as if hoping they would distract him from his present thoughts.
Jimmy had taken most of the items within his locker out and sorted them into two piles beside him. On the right he had old and useless things that he would toss like an old cracked locker mirror, dried out dry erase markers, penciled notes that were blurred, and other old assignments. On his left he had the keeps, books, pens, new mirror, notebooks, etc. He was just about to finalize everything when he heard footsteps approaching from his right. Leaning back Jimmy peered around his locker and saw Marco approaching him in animated conversation with, of all people, Dylan Micalchuk.
Almost instantly the feeling of excitement he had for his friend vanished. He went back to organizing his locker. He slammed his books messily back into his locker and simply stacked everything else back on top. He furrowed his brows as he continued to pile things in his locker. How could Marco waltz so complacently through the halls with Dylan? That was almost too much for Jimmy. It ate him up inside to know that Marco had made this cataclysmic decision to be with that other male.
"Jimmy?! Hey!" called an animated voice. Despite the turmoil raging within him, Jimmy had to suppress a smile. That soft sensuous voice could only be that of only one person. It made Jimmy smile every time he heard it. It made Jimmy at ease every time he heard it…and yet it also made Jimmy so confused, every time he heard it.
"Marco, hey! How are you?" Jimmy said taking a half step back to look around his locker again. He looked directly at Marco, taking ignorance to another level with Dylan.
"I'm good actually. What's all this? A little bit of weekend cleaning?" Marco said nudging the pile of rubbish with his foot.
"Ha-ha. Yeah, it's something like that. So…where you headed?" Jimmy asked moving the trash can over to his locker.
"Oh, we're headed to that senior cookout that their supposed to have at the park and then afterwards me and Dylan were gonna go catch a movie," Marco responded helping Jimmy with his locker. "Some cleaning you did," he added straightening out the still messy locker.
Jimmy ignored the snippet about Dylan, "You know you could have cleaned it for me since you're so whiney! But we're seriously having a senior cookout?"
"Uhm…yeah! It's only been on the announcements for the past two weeks now. Jimmy, where've you been?" Marco asked giving Jimmy the 'did-you-really-just-ask-that-question' look. When Jimmy still looked lost Marco sighed and rolled his eyes. Dylan cleared his throat.
"Well if you don't have to work today, why don't you come with us? I'm sure Marco and I would love the extra company, right Marco?" Dylan said pulling Marco into a one arm hug.
"Uh…work?" Jimmy asked.
"Yeah, Marco told me you work. So…if you're free-" Jimmy wasn't paying attention. He was looking at Marco with a blank expression.
"Right..work..uh…I don't have to work today but, I don't want to intrude on what you two have planned," Jimmy said throwing the last of his trash away.
"No…we want you to come with us! Come on Jimmy! It won't be the same without you there!" Marco exclaimed still wrapped up tightly by Dylan (of which Jimmy took painful notice).
"Well, if it's not an intrusion then sure, I'll tag along," he said grabbing two books from his locker.
"Great! Well you can finish this up and we'll meet you at the park then!" Dylan said as Marco and he started out the door. Jimmy smiled and waved as they walked out and turned back to close his locker.
"Oh…and by the way Jimmy…that was a stupid thing to think, really. You…an intrusion? Never," came Marco's voice from the door. Jimmy froze but didn't look up as his heart skipped a beat. A torrent of emotions cascaded down within him. What was it that he had just felt? Why did he always loose his mind when that slim figure drifted into his path? Why did he always feel angry at himself for feeling the way he did?
Jimmy looked over at his reflection in the square locker mirror. He blinked once…twice. He looked deep in his own eyes trying desperately to convince himself that he could not possibly be…it was just the feeling of friendship. Marco was one of his best friends. It should be natural to feel connected to him somehow.
Best friend…is that really all he is?
Jimmy gently closed his locker. He walked slowly out the door with those same words ringing over and over in his head. 'You…an intrusion? Never'