Chapter 1:
Dirty Little Secret
Two weeks passed in a blur. The days melted into one another as the sun and moon danced in a hypnotic cycle, casting a spell all over the free students of Degrassi. As the last coating of holiday decorations were removed from the city streets, the cheery haze that had settled over the city lifted with the daybreak of vacation's end. Students, grasping at their last chance of freedom, milled about the city streets and when the cold bit at their cheeks and reddened their skin, they suck refuge at The Dot.
To say it was hectic is an understatement.
"Matt! Get off your damn phone and help me! You promised!" Mack Montgomery hissed to her brother, whizzing by with a tray full of food balanced atop of one palm. She lifted her arm higher above her head to avoid a run in with a man who stood abruptly and made her way to the designated table. She put their plates down with a charming smile, telling them to let her know if they needed anything. As soon as she stood and turned her back, her smile dropped from her face and a look of murder settled in her eyes. "Seriously, bro?" she stressed.
Her twin looked up from his phone and she nearly recoiled at the nightmare that embodied him for the past couple of days. It was one thing seeing him in the dark of their home but it was another seeing him beneath the florescent lights. His eyes, dull and void of its usual spark, blinked up at her. The dim green popped against the dark circles beneath his eyes, which were sunken into his sallow face. On top of it all lay his limp, unkempt hair that lacked all of its usual shine.
"Urgh," she mumbled, staring at him. "Jesus, it's not fun being the hot twin by default," she said, poking him in the arm.
He grunted and looked back down at his phone. Over his shoulder, she could see him checking his messages again and again and again. "Fiona said she'd text me. She didn't text me. It's been three days. She promised," Matt muttered. She couldn't tell if he was talking to her or to himself.
She peered at the side of his face, studying the intense stare he was giving his phone and sighed. Her stomach twisted hard. She'd seen that look many times before; it was never a good sight. She pushed a hand through her hair and gazed around the full café. She could feel Peter's eyes burning a hole into the side of her face but she ignored it as she returned her focus to her brother.
All she wanted to do was get him out of the house so he could stop obsessing over Fiona Coyne. They hadn't even been dating that long and yet he was acting as if she took his heart with her when she and Declan went to New York for the rest of their winter vacation. He moped and sulked around the condo no matter what she and their little sister, Max, did or said to try and cheer him up. And that was when he wasn't planted on the couch with his computer and phone within reach just in case she Skyped or sent him a message. He barely ate, he barely slept, and when she did contact him he obsessed over it and picked everything apart to the point Mack had all of their conversations memorized. And not by choice.
"She'll be back soon," Mack said, rubbing his shoulder. "Break's over, we go back to school tomorrow. She'll be there with the rest of us counting down the days until we can get out of that hell hole."
"And be separated," Matt muttered, his eyes wide and vacant. "Because she'll be all the way in America or…or some foreign country. Away from me. Just like her judgy mcjudgy mother wants." He made a face and set his phone down. He rubbed his palms against his face and let out a long breath.
Mack bit her lip, watching her brother. A nagging sense of dread rolled in her stomach but she didn't have time to act on it. She looked up and caught Peter's eye, sending him a sheepish look before going back to taking and sending out orders. The lunch rush was either hit or miss, either she enjoyed it or she dreaded it. Today, with her brother's drama stacked on top of everyone and their mother coming out, she dreaded it. She wished she were back at the apartment with Max, sitting on the couch and enjoying her last day of freedom.
But, then again, being out and about took a load of stress off her shoulders. After all, while she was working she didn't have to worry about tiptoeing around and making sure that her siblings stayed out of her room. She still didn't have a clear idea as to how to broach the topic of the surprise hidden in her closet so the Dot was a bittersweet distraction.
By the time the lunch rush ended Mack's feet hurt and she was ready to punch the douche that changed his order four times all because his sesame seed bun had too many and then too little seeds. Thankfully he left a decent tip but even then it wasn't enough to curb her rubbed nerves. She collected the dirty dishes off an empty table, delivered them to the kitchen, and then went back out to the front to take her much needed break. "I hope you're not going to be this much of a drag when school starts again," Mack commented, dropping down in the empty seat next to her brother.
"As long as Fiona's back—"
"Please don't become a repeat of last year, okay bro?" Mack said. She reached out and gave his arm a squeeze. "It was hard getting my big bro back."
"Say that five times fast," he said with a tiny chuckle. The laugh was brief and all mirth left his face a second later, returning it to neutral expression. "Don't worry, Kenzie, that Matt's gone. I'm taking my meds; talking to a therapist again…I don't want to start over again as much as you don't."
"Good." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Fiona Coyne didn't just grow on you, y'know."
"Awww, is my sister getting soft?" Matt asked, lightly elbowing her. She rolled her eyes. "Who do I attribute this change of heart to? Drew, by chance?" She managed a grimace-like smile. If she had a nickel every time someone brought up Drew around her she'd be rich. Her brother didn't miss the expression on her face. "Dude, he's your boyfriend right? Shouldn't you be, I dunno, a little happy about it?"
"Not all of us float around like we have wings on our shoes," Mack grunted.
"Uh, that's kinda the point in liking someone, dummy," he said. She rolled her eyes and his eyebrows furrowed. He twisted his mouth to the side and ran a hand through his hair, preparing to say something but the swinging door of the Dot grabbed his attention. A stony expression settled on his face and he sat up straighter in his seat "What are you doing here?" he all but boomed, causing a few people nearby to jump. "I thought I told you to stay in the loft."
"Re-lax, Mattie," their little sister, Max commented as she strolled in through the door. Her pigtails bounced with each step and a manila envelope swung from her hand. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."
"How did you even get here? Matt brought the car," Mack pointed out.
Max smiled. "Who said I came alone?" She turned back to the door, stuck two fingers in her mouth, and whistled. The twins exchanged a look; Matt's expression one of confusion and Mack's one of apprehension. It was wiped from her face a second later when Declan and Fiona Coyne strolled their way in through the door; thick coats swallowed up their frames, thick scarves were wrapped around their necks, and their cheeks were painted a rosy red.
"Fiona!" Matt jumped up from his seat, jostling the table in the process. Mack grasped at the tilting glassware as her brother scooped Fiona up into his arms. She squealed in delight as he spun her around. Looking past her brother, she lifted her eyebrows at Declan who shrugged his shoulders in response. "I missed you so much. I called and texted—"
"You know Fi, can't get her away from a shopping spree," Declan commented, taking Matt's now empty chair. "I'm surprised there's anything left in the stores. She charged plastic so much I swear I saw it smoking at one point."
"You're one to talk, Declan," Fiona admonished once her feet were on the ground, "I've never seen more knickknacks in my life. Save for Adele's house, of course."
"Still on a crusade to win Red back?" Matt asked, holding Fiona into his side.
"She'll come around eventually," Declan replied, lacing his fingers together. "She's a stubborn one. Can't help but admire that about her. She knows what she wants."
"And?" Mack prompted, propping her chin up onto her palm.
"I know what I want too," he replied, throwing a wink her way. She shook her head and stuck out her tongue. "Anyway, we stopped by the apartment and Mini here said she had some important news to share. Said it was urgent and we had to get down here as soon as possible." He leaned back in his seat. "Is there a proposal we should know about?"
"Don't make me sick," Mack said, pulling a face. "It has nothing to do with me."
"It's about Degrassi," Max replied, an impish smile appearing on her face. She held the envelope out to Fiona and started bouncing on her toes. "Came officially from Principal Simpson."
Declan's eyebrows furrowed as he removed his coat and scarf. "Yeah? Wonder what that's all about."
"No other way to find out," Max replied, wiggling the envelope. If possible, her smile got bigger as Fiona eagerly took the envelope.
Matt pulled an empty chair from another table and sat down, pulling Fiona down on his lap along the way. She briefly paused to smile and kiss his cheek. His fingers played with the hem of her long scarf while she yanked out the letter that had been sent home. The large smile on her face faded the faster her eyes skimmed across the page and by the time she reached the end the paper crinkled and creaked under her fingers.
"Oh my god!" she gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth. Her fresh French manicure sparkled beneath the fluorescents. "We're…we're getting…" She snapped her arm outwards, nearly hitting Declan in the face with the paper. "Oh, I can't even say it!"
Declan took it from her, turned it the other way around, and carefully read the words. His eyebrows jumped up once he got to the end. "Uniforms," he uttered. The word was almost drowned out by the sound of Fiona's sob. "Uniforms at Degrassi. That's interesting."
"We just left a school with uniforms for this!" Fiona cried out, her blue eyes widened in horror. "How am I going to express myself when I look like everyone else?"
"They don't say anything about accessories, Fi," Declan pointed out. "You could add anything you want to it. Make the uniform your own."
"Within reason," Matt spoke up. "Simpson's gone on a mega-crackdown. Any sense of conflict and you'll be expelled. Bring a pocket knife? Expelled. God forbid you have allergies; if you get hit by a random locker inspection and they're found on you but haven't been cleared by a nurse you'll be expelled. Prescription drugs have to be taken in front of the student guidance counselor too." He shifted in his seat, avoiding the gaze that Fiona sent his way at that statement. "School IDs must be worn at all times, no one's allowed unsupervised in classrooms, clubs are a no-go without a staff supervisor, yadda yadda yadda, basically no fun for the rest of our year."
"Disappointment," Fiona pouted, "what am I going to do with my clothes? My shoes? My bags? They're made to be seen! Not to just…hang up in my closet and get all gross and mildew-y. Those fabrics need to breathe."
"Looks like you'll only be able to model those outfits for me," Matt said, giving her a little squeeze. "I hope there's a few costumes involved." Fiona giggled, her cheeks burning a darker red than the cold wind had attributed beforehand.
"Mmm. Rushed all the way back from New York for this," Declan muttered, pulling a face.
Mack mimicked his face. "You haven't experienced the other side of it," she muttered. Lowering her voice, she leaned over and added, "Speaking of which: what was with the radio silence? Matt was driving everyone absolutely crazy with all of his moping and whining over the break. Wasn't Fiona pining all the way in the Big Apple?"
Declan clicked his tongue. "It's not that simple…with everything going on. Rehab and stuff…"
"Ahh, but since when is anything simple with you Coynes?" Mack pointed out. Declan shrugged. The teasing smile left her face and she said softly, "All I'm saying: Matt isn't perfect so it's not as if he's expecting Fiona to be either." She peeked over at her brother out of the corner of her eye. He had a bright smile on his face, one that could rival the sun. The sight of it made her stomach twist into a painful knot; it was nice to see that smile again, she only hoped it would last.
x X x
"I just gotta change and then I'll be over there in a few," Mack said as soon as she walked past the threshold of her apartment.
"Alright, but don't take long," Matt said, sticking his head in.
She rolled her eyes. "It's just next door," she reminded him. "I can't get lost in the five feet between our apartments. I'll be fine, geese." She closed the door in his face before he could say anything else and she let out a long sigh. It sounded loud in the empty apartment; the quietness usually bothered her but the still home was something she looked forward to and appreciated that night.
She made a beeline for her bedroom, kicking off her work shoes and taking off her apron along the way. Her fingers flipped through the money she had received for the day, her lips moving silently as she counted the amount. Her lips pulled down into a frown and she shoved the money back into her pocket as she entered her room. She closed the door behind her with her foot, locked it, double check that the lock held, and then went to her closet.
"Hey Fitz, I brought you back a sandwich if…" Her words trailed off at the sight of her closet, namely her empty on. Her clothes were still there, her pile of shoes was still tucked in the corner, and her stuffed animals were still popping out of the box they had been shoved into in the move months ago. But it was the distinct lack of a person in her closet that gave her cause for concern. "Fitz?" she called out, a little louder.
She pushed her clothes aside, double checking that he somehow didn't blend into the back, and then whipped around, scanning the room. She bit her bottom lip and then rushed over to her bed. She dropped onto her stomach and looked underneath it, which too turned up empty, save for finding the shirt she had been looking for. Popping back onto her feet, she pushed a hand through her hair. Her chest heaved and sweat flooded her palms. If he wasn't in her room, where was he? Did he leave? Did he go home? Or worse, did Max find him?
"Yikes!" she screamed due to the knock on her window. Heart thudding in her chest, she grabbed the field hockey stick that lay by her bed. At the sound of her window sliding open, he drew back her arm, ready to strike the intruder. An arm threw a backpack into the room, which landed on the floor with a heavy thud. It was quickly followed by a leg clad in dirt smudged, ripped denim and when the rest of the body followed she sighed and dropped her arm. "Where were you?"
"Sorry, I had to get out," Fitz replied, closing the window. He stood straight and turned around. "Why? Were you worried?" A half smile tugged at his lips, which made her make a face.
"You were gone. I thought Max had found you or something, that's all," she said firmly. "Where'd you go?"
"I had to get something done, no big deal," he replied. He sat down on the window seat and pulled his backpack closer to him. He unzipped it in one stroke, stuck his arm in, and pulled out a stack of money. He flipped a few bills over, stuffed it into his pocket, and held the rest out to her. "It's all there," he said to her wary expression. "Besides my cut, of course." She reached out to take the money but he pulled his arm back, holding it out of her reach. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder what I'm getting out of all this."
Mack crossed her arms. "I'm letting you stay here without my siblings knowing. I feed you too. What more do you want?" His smile stretched a little wider. Her nose wrinkled in response. Of course. "I'm not doing that, so you may as well forget it."
"You'll cave one day," he said with a simple shrug.
"I'll cave? Really?" Her eyebrows lifted. "I don't think I can sink any further." She glanced towards the door and then lowered her voice. "I'm letting you live in my closet. I've been taking my brother's pills and replacing them with sugar. I've been letting you sell them for me. I've been lying to my siblings. I'm lying to my best friend." She shook her head, letting out a soft breath. She hung her head. "I'm…scum."
Fitz stood. "That's why a simple kiss won't make it any worse," he said.
She scoffed and gave her head a shake. "I have a boyfriend," she reminded him.
"According to your diary, you don't like Torres all that much so what does it matter?"
Her eyebrows furrowed and she lifted her head. "Seriously? You read my diary? Does privacy mean nothing to you?"
"Didn't peg you for one, I gotta say." He shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a half-hearted shrug. "Better that than your drawers. Let me tell you, it was really tempting."
She slapped him on the arm. "Shut up." She crossed her arms and placed her thumbnail between her teeth, biting down. She gnawed on the nail and began to pace. She could feel Fitz's eyes on her as she walked to and fro. Her mind raced, pinging from one thought to another thinking of a way out. An escape. But nothing came to mind, nothing that stuck.
She could stop giving Fitz the pills but then the dealers could find him and rough him up, or worse, and it'd be her fault. But then if she didn't her brother would suffer and that'd be her fault too. And then they wouldn't have the money they needed to stay afloat. The inheritance only went so far and it was almost gone, at least until they got the rest when they were thirty. If they could make it that far. She could kick Fitz out but then where would he go? Back to his home where he could be attacked and beaten there too? Going to the police wasn't going to do any good, not just for her but for him as well; he wouldn't talk. She's wasted her breath trying to convince him.
She dropped her arms and went to her dresser. Ignoring a problem until it went away worked for some people; maybe it could work for her too. She pulled a clean shirt and some jeans out and then closed the dresser. "Your sandwich is in the fridge. Don't touch anything, don't get into anything. You can watch TV but keep the volume down since we'll be next door."
"Yeah, yeah, I know the rules," he muttered. He picked up his backpack and went to the closet. He paused by the door, his fingers brushing against the handle, and he turned around. "Thanks," he uttered, the word sounding thick in his throat. It made Mack stop by her bedroom door and look back at him. "For doing this for me. For not saying anything. …For saving me. Like I knew you would."
Her upper lip twitched. She unlocked the door, stepped out, and closed it behind her. She leaned against the door and rubbed a hand across her face.
Two weeks. How could she stoop so low in two weeks? How did her life get so fucked up in two weeks?
A/N: Here it finally is, the long awaited sequel to Flip of a Coyne. After finding out that Degrassi was on youtube, I've done nothing but watch all of the eps, season after season, for the past couple of weeks. Rewatching season 10 got me back into the groove so here we are to finish it out!
If you haven't read Flip of a Coyne yet, you're going to want to read that first or else some events in this story won't make sense. Also, like Flip of a Coyne, this story does follow some show plots but for the most part it's my own original ideas so some character plots in this story won't be the same as in season 10. Thus, this story and it's predecessor can be considered AUs.
I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review and thanks for being patient with me!
~C.M.