Hey guys! Thank you so much for the positive reviews of my one – shot! Unfortunately it is only a one – shot so I will not be continuing it, but I do have a Zaya multi – chap story for anyone interested. That will be coming up soon! In the meantime, yesterday was my birthday (yay!) so because I don't have to go to morning swim practice tomorrow I was like, "Hey, I should write something!" I do apologize for not writing too often – I just realized it's been a month since I really wrote something! I have no time with school and swimming, so I promise that I will try to make time for it as due. So here is a one – shot type thing based off of the new Degrassi promos! Do enjoy :)

Based off of the song, Realize, by Colbie Callait.

I do not own Degrassi or the song Realize by Colbie Callait. The lyrics are hers and not mine!

Realize

If you just realized, what I just realized

Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another

Just realized what I just realized

We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now…

"Is this really who you want to be? A boyfriend stealer?"

The words of Katie Matlin echoed in Maya Matlin's ears that night as she lay awake in her bedroom. When she had gotten home she hadn't even bothered to take off the make – up, so she was sure that it was all over her face and she probably looked like the female version of the Joker. Without the scars and the crazy lipstick. She had at least wiped that off.

But she had also spent the last hour crying her eyes out, and her pillow was now damp with her tears.

It was hard being the younger Matlin. Despite Katie's faults, she was the prettier one, the perfect angel. Everyone admired her – she was the perfect student, girlfriend – and she had everything. Most importantly, she was noticed. People knew her name, said hi to her in the hallways.

Just as Katie was the popular one, Maya was the opposite. Katie's hair was darker now that she had dyed it, and she had a certain way about her that attracted attention – a certain sex appeal. Maya's blonde hair with blue eyes framed with black – rimmed glasses was hardly up to par with Katie's new look. Maya was also quieter, while Katie was willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted.

All Maya really wanted was to be noticed.

That's why she entered the pageant. She wanted the world to see her for who she was, not just as "the quiet, shy sister of Katie Matlin".

And no matter how many times she tried to deny it, she was jealous of Tori and Zig.

They seemed to have something special, something unique, something that brought them together.

With Cam at hockey practice most of the time, she felt like they never got to see each other. And being in Whisperhug took away time from their dating schedule too. She started to feel lonely.

Even a bit unwanted.

So unwittingly, she hung out with Zig more.

She could remember all too well the crush she had on him in the beginning of the year, something she thought had receded. But the more time she spent with him, the more she enjoyed the slightly sarcastic statements he slipped into their conversations, the way she felt comfortable around him. She even asked him about the pageant.

"Should I enter?" she had asked him one sunny afternoon, out at lunch.

"Why not?" he replied. "You're pretty, and you have a soul. That's more to be said that other girls out there."

Maya smiled to herself in the dark, remembering how after that conversation she had confidently marched over to the sign – up sheet and had signed her name in bold, even strokes.

Now, as she lay awake in bed, she wasn't sure about any of it anymore.

And the kiss – she didn't even want to think about the kiss! How Zig's lips felt on hers, and how she pulled him in towards her in an effort to make the moment last a little longer. She couldn't deny that she loved the kiss – loved the way it made her feel. Not just tingly and warm. But wanted.

Noticed.

And the intoxicating scent of Zig himself was just enough to send her mind into a whirlwind.

Did she like him? As more than just a friend?

She wasn't sure.

And after it had ended, the crushing guilt that came with cheating.

Instantly Cam's face came to her mind, even as she gasped, "What did we just do?"

It was the wrong thing to do, at the wrong place, at the wrong time… and just her luck that her famous older sister had to catch her in the act.

And just her luck – her sister always knew what to say, just what to say to make her think.

Maya sighed and rolled onto her other side.

This was going to be a long night.