Chapter Two: Childless Dreams

"This is Degrassi." Marco mumbled, walking away from his brother. He couldn't even believe that they were letting him go to Degrassi High. He had a record, a criminal record. Taking Gianni's silence as a cue to leave, Marco walked off, heading towards his usual crowd, which included Craig and Spinner.

"Marco!" Gianni yelled, picking up something that he had dropped behind, but his brother had no intention of turning around. "Hey you dropped this." Gianni handed Marco his watch, as he took it without saying anything.

"I don't even get a thanks?"

"I would've found it."

"Just like you found your way to that little …" his voice trailed off as Gianni, Craig, and Spinner alike paused, watching Manny Santos walk by in one of those really cute summer dresses that one would only dream about wearing.

"Who is she?" He muttered.

"Leave her alone Gianni. She's already been broken enough." Marco looked over at Craig.

"Yeah, she's used goods now." Spinner chimed in, conveniently neglecting to mention that he had spent the night before making out with Manny at one of Sully's parties.

"Don't talk about her like that. Manny isn't just some object." Marco protested as she, Liberty, and Emma walked up to them.

"Oh behalf of Degrassi High School, we'd like to welcome you." Liberty said, reciting the lines that she was forced to say to every student.

"As a member of Degrassi's Pep Club, we would like to invite you to our monthly Bash…" Emma continued as Gianni's attention drifted back and forth between Manny and Liberty. Liberty would be a chase, Manny would be an easy catch, but fun … who to chose.

"So, hope to see you at the dance?" Manny offered.

"I'd like to take you there if you don't already have a date." Gianni directed his attention to Manny, but Liberty chimed in.

"Well, … all right. I don't really know you that well, but your brother's awesome." She flashed him a smile as Manny shrugged, knowing that he was asking her out. Craig and Spinner held back their snickers until the girls were out of sight.

"Liberty? You're going with Liberty?" Spinner asked between choked laughter.

"Yeah, good luck getting anything out of her." Marco added.

"A challenge is always good." Gianni answered confidently. He was starting to feel that void again and he needed someone … soon.

"Did you see him?" Manny whispered, hoping that they were out of earshot. "He was totally hott and I thought that Paige had just be exaggerating."

"Paige? Since when do you associate with her?" Emma wondered, growing defensive.

"We're on the spirit squad together Emma. Take a chill pill." Manny responded, rolling her eyes. "Don't you think it was totally worth it, having to go over there and talk to him because he was new? What luck."

"We would've seen him around anyway." Liberty joined, not admitting that she had felt like a completely idiot, reciting that speech to the boys.

"You don't sound too thrilled." Emma noticed.

"Yeah, you actually got asked out by someone before I did." Manny added as both girls stopped and looked at her. "I didn't mean it like that. I was jus trying to say that …"

"What were you trying to say?" JT jumped into the conversation, wrapping his arm around Manny's neck.

"Just because we're on speaking terms doesn't mean that I give you the right to touch me." She tried to shrug off his arm, secretly a little ashamed that she was surrounded by Liberty, Emma, and JT, grade 10 dorks that were only holding her back.

"Be nice." JT continued, with Manny barely listening. "I came by to talk about the dance." He added.

"Not now."

"But, I was thinking that we could--"

"Don't make me change my mind." She threatened as JT removed his arm from around her shoulder. "This is my stop." Manny took a shortcut to her next class, happy to get away from them.

(A/N: A little dry, I know, so give me some suggestions. I really want to finish this story for you guys within the next couple of months. So, R/R and tell others about it so I can get more feedback. Much love, -NL)