Chapter two. It's not really anything special; just sort of furthers the story along. Holly J and Declan interact more. Anya will come in next chapter with an interesting proposition for Kiran. Let me know what you think. Reviews are a lovely motivation.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.



"Oh, God, it's her," Peter muttered as he looked up from the register at the Dot that afternoon.

Sav looked over his shoulder. "You have a thing for Kiran Buckley?"

"I don't know," Peter replied. "She doesn't come in too often but she's cute though. And last week, when she was here, she was reading a biography about Led Zeppelin. Most girls don't even know who Led Zeppelin is."

"She's cool," Sav shrugged. "People think she's a little standoffish but she's always nice to me."

"Who?" Holly J asked as she emerged from the kitchen in her Dot t-shirt.

"Kiran Buckley," Sav reported. "Peter has a thing for her."

Holly J, who'd quit the rodeo restaurant to return to the popular hangout, frowned. "Don't. She's nosy and rude."

"See, I told you people don't like her," Sav smirked. "I just didn't realize my girlfriend was one of them."

Kiran approached the counter then. "Could I possibly get a grilled cheese, please? It's going to be a long afternoon for me here so I might as well eat now." She smiled at her peers. "Hi, Sav. Sinclair, are you still angry with me?"

"I'll deal with it," Holly J grumbled.

"Kiran, this is Peter," Sav introduced.

Kiran nodded. "You were in my gym class last year."

"Oh, yeah!" Peter remembered. "You got us out of playing badminton."

"I did," Kiran laughed. "It's a mostly dead sport."

Holly J rolled her eyes. "Good for you. If you want to go back to your table, I'll bring your grilled cheese when it's ready. Did you want fries, too?"

"Sure," Kiran agreed. She turned and walked back to her table near the window.

"What's your deal with her?" Sav asked Holly J.

"She's my analysis partner in English and we argued today," Holly J explained vaguely.

Before Sav could respond, the door opened again and Declan walked inside and immediately joined Kiran at her table.

"Declan's back?" Peter realized. "How do you two feel about that?"

Sav sighed. "It doesn't really bother me. I think she's a little annoyed though."

"I'm not," Holly J snapped. "He's here for Fiona and that's it."

"Okay," Peter breathed. "I'll make her food to keep you away from them."

Kiran studied Declan as he watched Sav and Holly J. "We can leave if you want."

"Its fine," he murmured, turning her attention back to her. "I'll have to get used to it, right?"

"Only if you're crazy," Kiran answered. "That relationship is wrong on so many levels."

Declan raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"They're uncomfortable with each other," Kiran observed. "They played a major part in the new Degrassi prison rules so I think they're staying together out of guilt. She's not Anya and he isn't you."

"It's not that easy for Holly J and me," Declan said.

Kiran smirked. "I know, I know, you tried to offer her money and her extra large ego was bruised. She told me all of this. I tried to explain that you were raised to think that's how things are done."

"Yes, I suppose you might know that," Declan mused. "If I remember correctly, you live in the condo across the hall."

"I do," she confirmed. "My parents bought it for me when they moved to Paris last year but it's cool cause I like living alone and especially without Noelle and Reid."

"Here's your food," Peter interrupted, setting a plate in front of Kiran. "Declan, do you want anything?"

Declan browsed the menu. "Can I just get the cheeseburger and fries? Thanks."

"Sure," Peter said, walking away. "You thinks he likes him?" he asked Sav.

"Doubtful," Sav replied. "He doesn't seem to be her type." He paused. "But I don't think she's ever dated anyone from school so I don't really know what her type is."

Peter frowned. "She's pretty rich, right? Declan's probably more her speed."

"Look at her," Sav advised. "She's wearing flannel and motorcycle boots. Declan wears boat shoes and ties. I'm not too into fashion but I'm pretty sure they don't go together." He saw Holly J make her way towards them. "Let's ask. Hol, do girls in flannel date boys in boat shoes?"

"Uh, not usually," she answered. "Why?"

"Well, Peter likes Kiran but he thinks she'd like Declan first," Sav explained.

Holly J visibly tensed up. "Kiran and Declan aren't going to date."

"How can you possibly know that?" Peter demanded.

"Cause she thinks I should be with Declan!" Holly J yelled.

Sav's jaw dropped. "She what?"

"It's nothing," Holly J shook her head, realizing everyone was staring. "I don't care." She disappeared into the kitchen.

"Um, I care," Sav replied.

Peter patted Sav's back. "That's rough, man."

"Any nice feelings Sav had for you might've just disappeared," Declan stated as Kiran looked down at her plate.

"I don't know what's come over me," Kiran whispered. "I've gone through almost four years at Degrassi without involving myself in any drama and today I decide to throw myself into the middle of one of Degrassi's greatest love triangles? I'm an idiot. I should've kept my mouth shut."

"Don't you ever get lonely?" Declan wondered. "You're always by yourself."

"I'm a loner," she shrugged.

Declan smirked. "You're totally fine having essentially no friends?"

"I mean, it's not my favorite part of life but I deal with it," she murmured, flipping through her history book. "Without Holly J, your only friend is your sister."

"Maybe we should be friends," he chuckled. "We're both outcasts now."

"Will that mean we're going to have sleepovers to paint each other's nails and watch Glee?" she joked.

"Well, I prefer Vampire Diaries cause the girl is hot," he shot back.

Kiran glanced back at the counter. "Should I talk to Sav? I didn't mean to upset him."

"I don't know," Declan said. "I guess you could if you don't want another enemy."

She stood up and walked over to sit on the stool next to the student council president. "Do you hate me now?"

"I'm not sure," he grumbled. "Why would you tell her that?"

"Sav, I promise it's not personal," she assured him. "I like you—which is impressive because I don't like many people at school—but you and Holly J just aren't right together."

He looked at her. "Why not?"

"You're two very different people," she explained. "You tend to go with the flow while she's all about the iron fist. You're nice and funny; Sinclair is stern and driven. You want to study music and she's going to be in politics. That doesn't exactly make for a solid pairing."

"But it's fun," he muttered. "Things with Anya were always so complicated."

"Okay," Kiran interrupted, "but can you honestly see yourself feeling for HJ the way you felt about Pom-Pom?"

Sav chuckled once. "Interesting nickname. And I don't know. I've only been dating Holly J for a month."

"I didn't mean to upset you with all of this," Kiran apologized. "It was only my opinion."

"I've known you since I came to Degrassi from Lakehurst and you rarely offer an opinion on this stuff," he pointed out. "Why now?"

Kiran shrugged. "I wish I hadn't. I was talking to Holly J in English and it just came out and set this whole thing into motion. I am sorry."

"It's all right," he sighed. "I'm less worried about that and more concerned with your history partner being back."

"Declan?" she mused. "He's here for his sister."

"Yeah, and I'm at the Dot to flirt with Peter," Sav joked. "Come on, Kiran. The guy is jealous that Holly J isn't pining for him like I'm sure he's being doing for her."

"Yeah, that's what I said," she agreed. "But I'm not pressing my luck because Declan has potential as someone I could be semi-friends with around here. The Coyne's live across the hall from me."

"Oh, your family lives in their building?" Sav asked.

"No, just me," she corrected. "My parents moved to Paris last year."

Holly J came from the kitchen. "Yeah, about that. Why didn't you go? I imagine Paris is much better than Toronto."

"It might be," Kiran began, "but why spend two years at a new school with people I probably won't like? I'm already used to that at Degrassi. And there was the language barrier, too."

"I think you're crazy," Holly J mumbled as she poured someone a cup of coffee. "Regardless of language, it's Europe. I would kill to go to Europe."

Yeah, and that boy over by the window could take you there, Kiran thought. "Well, I've been before. I didn't want to live there permanently so I fly over for major holidays at my mother's request."

Holly J said nothing more as she took the older lady her coffee. As she passed by Declan and Kiran's table, she noticed the empty plates so she picked them up.

"Thanks," Declan told her. "Fiona mentioned you quit that cowboy place."

"It wasn't really my kind of restaurant," she mumbled. "Peter needed afternoon help so I reapplied and got lucky."

Declan looked up at her. "I know you're upset that I'm back but-,"

"I'm not," she interrupted quickly.

"Holly J, you are," he confirmed. "I can tell. But it really was to be here for Fiona."

"Was?" she repeated. "As in, isn't anymore?"

"Oh, I have every intention of getting you back now," he declared. "Now that I know your thing with Sav isn't too serious."

Holly J looked over her shoulder and glared at the back of Kiran's head. "Don't let her give you any ideas, Declan. Kiran Buckley doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Well, I don't know about that," Declan smirked. "She makes good points."

"Declan," Holly J warned, staring him down, "do not do anything stupid. I'm perfectly happy and content with Declan."

"That's nice and all but it doesn't really get you all hot and bothered, does it?" he grinned. "How would Sav feel about just contenting you?"

"Don't twist my words," she snapped. "You being back doesn't mean I'm going to forget what happened."

Declan frowned. "You know how awful I feel about that."

"Why do you even want to start over with me?" she wondered.

"I'm still completely in love with you," he shrugged.

Holly J glanced back at Sav. "It's really not that simple."

"Yes," Declan began, "it really is."