Chapter Four: History Repeats Itself.
Leaving the steps of Degrassi, Sydney zipped up her jacket and tried her best to brave the snow. She couldn't help but notice Jayson Hogart sitting in the driver's seat of his car.
He must be waiting for his sister. She thought to herself and accidentally made eye contact with him.
"Hey, Cindy, right?" He said when he'd rolled his window down completely.
"Sydney." She corrected as she made the mistake of stopping in front of his car.
"Right. Did you see Tori in there?"
"Yeah, she was at her locker, I think." She said in a hushed tone.
"Good. She can be so slow, man." He tapped the side of his car.
"I guess." She forced a smile and then walked on. As she passed his window, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Hey, some of us are going to be down in the ravine tonight, going to be a bit of a party." He winked.
She just stood completely silent while waiting for him to release her.
"I'm inviting you, Cindy."
"Thanks." She fished her hand out of his grip. His smirk was hungry and directed right at her frightened self. "I got to go to work." She excused herself. He watched her through his mirror as she walked away, a little set off.
"What the hell are you doing talking to Sydney Mason?" He hadn't even noticed Tori sliding into the passenger seat.
"What took you so long?"
"I thought your engine was busted or something."
For a brother and a sister, they didn't communicate well at all.
"I tinkered with it a little. I've had a lot of time on my hands."
"People who've been suspended usually do." She shot, as he began to drive off.
A plastic blue basket around her arm, Penny strolled aisle four of the market. She had ten minutes before she had to be at work and she was determined to buy some groceries for her family. She wasn't sure how much money was in her wallet but she was positive it wouldn't be very much. A total of four items lay in her basket: a small carton of 1 milk, two cans of alphagetti and a bag of apple slices. The market wasn't packed seeing as people were still at work at 3:15 pm, so there was no line at all at the check out. She put her four items down and pulled her wallet out of her backpack.
"Your total comes to twenty dollars and thirty six cents." The elderly lady spoke in a chipper tone that Penny figured could brightened up a spooky alleyway.
"Oh, uh," Her heart dropped a little. "I only have twelve bucks." She searched her wallet for extra change - even a nickel.
"I'm sorry, suga'." The woman frowned but still spoke just as bright.
"I guess, I'll just get the milk and one alphagetti can." She handed the lady ten of her twelve bucks and then walked to work with her two grocery items. The plastic bag was as light as a feather where the heart she carried was as heavy as a paper weight.
Sitting at the front counter of Cameron's Auto Body shop, Penny tried to distract herself from her disappointment of not being able to provide for her family with work. She wrote out expenses both in-coming and out-going in her dad's leather ledger when the door rang open. She was concentrating so deeply, she didn't even look up.
"Excuse me." A young female voice cleared it's throat.
Finishing out an expense, Penny took a second to look up.
"Oh, hey Tori." She looked around her to make sure her Dad didn't see that one of Alex and Jay's kids was in or that Cody didn't see, either. Luckily, both of the guys were occupied beneath the hood of a truck.
"Hi Penny, I was wondering if I could get some spark plugs." Tori frowned her brows down. She was unsure if she had that right at all.
Penny, who was smarter when it came to cars, smiled a little.
"We don't really sell spark plugs, you'd have to bring your vehicle in."
Before, their dads had their big falling out Tori and Penny used to play all the time together but nowadays they both felt like they were betraying their family's by simply conversing.
"I don't think I can do that."
Penny couldn't figure out why but then it all became obvious when she got Tori's eyes checking up on Cody.
"It's your brother's car?" She asked.
"Yeah, and both he and my dad would kill me if they knew I was here."
"Then, don't tell them." Penny advised with a know-it-all sound in her voice. "If you want, I could get one of the other mechanics to look at it off-duty." She suggested.
"You'd do that, really?"
Penny saw a large similarity between her and Tori. They were both fifteen year old girls trying to look after their dads and older brothers. It made her feel not so alone for a brief second.
"It's the least I can do." She sighed. "After all, my brother gave your brother a black eye."
"True." Tori lightly laughed.
"I'll let you know what I've set up tomorrow, okay? In Biology class?"
"Sounds good." Tori smiled. "See you, Penny." She waved.
"Wait." Penny rose from behind the counter and wandered over to Tori, so nobody else could hear her. "I know things have been weird lately, you know, between our families, but, they don't have to be weird between us anymore, okay?" Her loneliness must of completely taken over her. However, Tori took it better than Penny had expected she would.
"That'd be awesome. I kind of miss hanging out with you, Penelope Cameron."
"Good." She nodded in agreement. "I kind of miss hanging out with you Tori Hogart."
"Well, I better head out." Tori pressed her hand against the exit door.
"Yeah, I should get back to work."
With smiles on their faces, the two girls parted ways. They were both excited about the resurrection of their friendship. It was the first thing they'd done for themselves in eons it seemed.
"Hey Dad." Penny walked over with the ledger in closed against her chest.
"What's up, Penny?" He slammed the hood of a truck down.
"I finished the expenses." She handed him the book.
"Good job." He took the book from her. She had completely spun around when a new impulse came over her. For better or for worse, she went with her gut. "Uh, Dad?" She turned back around to face him.
Sean had slid behind the wheel of the truck and was fiddling with the ignition.
"Yes, Penny?" He said with all his concentration invested in the truck. Penny liked that.
"Uh, I just wanted to let you know that Zac's staying with Mom. Just so you know." She shrugged. Sean noticeably stop fidgeting for a moment and then went back to it.
"I don't who to wish good luck to," He huffed. "Your mom or Zac."
Instead of making things any more hostile, Penny excused herself back to the front.
The Mason's restaurant was finally slowing down after their intense supper rush. Sydney stood at the front in her formal hostess uniform, a white blouse, blue stain tie and black pants, counting her cash out. It was the most frustrating part of her job next to dealing with customers. Most people always came to her with their negative comments and such because they knew she was the owner and chef's daughter. However, it always went in one ear and out the other. With an exhausted sigh, her dad, with his chef hat on and white jacket, came up to her with a to-go box.
"Here, I made you some dinner." He placed it next to her and watched as she counted through the receipts.
"Thanks." She mumbled without even looking at it.
"When you're done with your cash out, you can leave, if you'd like."
"Thanks." She repeated herself, stapling two receipts together.
"I thought you could go over to Giselle's house, you two haven't hung out lately. You could get ready for your big spa day tomorrow." He tried to make Sydney smile but, it was seemingly impossible.
"No, thanks." She ignored the suggestion.
"Come on, Syd, you've got to stop being so anti-social. Go out with your friends and have fun."
"I'm done." She put the last receipt into a folder and took her card from the till. "Dad, I'm going to go, I'll meet you at home." She picked up the to-go box and walked out from behind the desk. "See you, girls." She said goodbye to the waitresses and hostess around her while throwing her jacket on.
"Bye, Honey." Gavin waved his daughter away and held the door open for her. She walked halfway home and then considered what her Dad had advised her to do. Suddenly, Jayson's offer sounded pretty welcoming and as the night took over the community, she wandered her way to the ravine for a good time.
People who Sydney had seen before but never really co-existed with were walking or stumbling all around her.
Maybe, this was a bad time. She swallowed her thoughts and with her eyes racing around, she searched for Jayson. She never thought she'd be relieved at the sight of a Hogart but, when she spotted him with some friends, sitting on a park table, she felt a little more at ease. She checked over the outfit she had changed into, her winter coat undone over her shirt and wandered over. His eyes grazed over her and looked her up and down then, a smile crept over his face. She approached the table with a lot of pre-caution and watched her breath wither through the air with a quick exhale.
"You came." Jayson noted.
"You did invite me." She nodded and spoke very softly.
"What's in the box?" He nodded towards the to-go box in her hand.
"Oh, uh," She glanced down and slipped some stray hairs behind her ear. "I brought you a burger and some fries."
"How sweet, a present." He moved over for her and patted the empty space for her on the table.
She took a seat and then handed him the box. She knew people would be drinking or mixing drugs at this party among other things but for some reason, it still was unsettling to see Jayson take a large swig from his beer can.
"So, what's this thing?"
"What thing?" Jayson didn't understand.
"This party or whatever." She shrugged her shoulders and tried to do a head count of the crowd but, it became a lost cause very rapidly.
"I don't know what you'd call it. Just some people all chilling out and having a good time." Sydney nodded and accepted that explanation. "It's no posh Colleen Bicknell soiree."
"Quiet." With a laugh, she playfully jabbed her elbow into his ribs. "She's nice, really." She didn't know why she was standing up for Colleen, lately; she had found both Bicknell girls incredibly irritating. It felt like a natural instinct to stand up for Colleen, though.
"Yeah, and I'm a virgin and going on a peace mission with Angelina and Zahara."
"I'm impressed that you know her daughter's name."
"I knew it was something ridiculous."
"I think it's cute." She shrugged and watched him finish his beer and then crush the can in his fist.
"Can I get you a drink?" He asked, sliding off the park table.
"No, I'm good, thanks."
Her innocence was obviously pleasing to Jayson because a Chesire Cat grin spread across his lips.
"I'll be right back." He wandered away to find himself another drink.
Sydney's eyes darted around the ravine, a girl was puking in the snow to her left, a group of people were sharing a blunt in front of her. She noticed Zac Cameron was one of them and couldn't help but wonder. The Hogarts and Cameron's always had such a heavy hatred for one of them. Even though they were both somewhat under the influence, it was a weird sight to see them in the same place outside of Degrassi. She turned away and noticed a few vans parked in the field instead of the lot a few spaces away. Before she figured out what they were for, Jayson had returned with a beer already open in his hand.
"Miss me?"
"It was unbearable." She grumbled, sarcastically He just snickered and took the first sip of his drink. "Hey, what are those vans for?" She questioned, curious like a child.
"You want to see?"
"Sure, I guess." She wasn't certain if that was the smartest answer or not but without thinking, she was following his tracks over to a van. He knocked on the door of one and when nothing knocked or answered back, he slid the door open. It reminded Sydney of the 1970's, the van was pimped out with an ugly shade of orange shag rug, candles lit, some nauseating make-out music on, cardboard over the windows and a small neon green loveseat in the back.
"A shag van, really?" She looked at him with an 'As if' expression.
"It's not just a shag van, come on." He helped her into the van and then slid the door closed. She swallowed her insecurity and tried to think positively. She took a seat on the love seat and he sat right next to her. "You know what a blow job is, right?" He eyed her with an arm behind her neck. She creeped her eyes up his arm and into his eyes. He was completely serious.
"This is what these vans are for?"
"And other things. " He smirked.
Sydney wasn't sure what to do. She did want to have fun instead of sulking in her room which she'd taken keen interest in these days. She tried to think of the smartest thing to say but, nothing was coming to her. She noticed Jayson still drinking and it hit her, then.
"I'll settle for a beer, thanks."
"I thought you'd never ask." Jayson patted his knee with his other hand and they both left the van in search of a drink. He picked her out a bottle of MGD but, as he was handing it to her he got one of his so-called brilliant ideas. "Come with me." He led her through the snow to the same group of people she'd seen earlier. "Hey, who's got the bong?" He asked to nobody in particular.
"You going to do it?" A guy nodded at Jayson.
"Nah, Sydney's a bong virgin." He patted her on the back and ran his hands through her Barbie-blonde hair. "And of other things." He winked down at her. Without so much as being asked, Sydney had the tunnel of the bong in her lips and Jayson holding her head back as one of the other guys poured the beer through the funnel. People were hooting and hollering and she got swept up in it all and tried to indulge herself in the attention instead of the feeling that she was going to puke and choke at the same time. Finally, it was over and the tube was taken from her lips.
"Good job, babe." Jayson, who was buzzed by now, patted her on the back. "I'm proud of you. I thought you were a prude."
"Nah. I'd do it again." She smiled with a know-it- all grin, looking fearless if nothing else.
"You're late." Sean's soon to be ex-wife hissed as she stood up from her chair outside the law firm's office.
"I had to work." He just walked right by her.
"We had an appointment with Mrs. Bicknell for almost half an hour ago."
"Let's just get this over with."
Swallowing all his pride, Sean followed his rebound that he had made the mistake of marrying at twenty when he and Emma Nelson had broken up for silly reasons he couldn't wrap his stubborn mind around. He was going to end it all now and try fresh again, if he could manage to.
Throwing his basketball up at his wall while laying down on his bed, Spencer Del Rossi lay exhausted and upset in his room. Not talking to anybody for a whole day took a lot more energy then one would think. He took a long mental walk through memory lane from the first time he knew what gay was to the first time he was teased for his parents preference to now, the locker incident. Things were easier for Spencer before school, even before daycare. As long as he wasn't with other people and having to be social. The worst part of this to him was that he didn't chose this. He wasn't gay, as far as he was aware of. His dads were but, that didn't make him any different. He wanted someone to understand and oddly, he thought maybe Tori Hogart would. Ever since she kissed him, he couldn't remove her from his mind. He always thought she was a bully and she could be but, what she did for him meant that she had feelings, that she cared. Plus, it was known school gossip that she didn't have the easiest home life either. Maybe, she'd get it and be able to look past everything.
Before he could give the last few days any more thought, a knock came over his room and his door creaked open a little.
"Can I come in, Spence?" His dad, Marco, asked with the most honest eyes.
Spencer took a moment to stare at one of his two dads and then turned away. Marco took that as a yes. Closing the door a little behind him, he took a look around his sons room. He tried to give him space and some privacy but he knew that Spencer was going through a hard time and he couldn't just sit around and not do anything about it.
"Are you sure you don't want me to talk to the school counsellor?" He asked, taking a seat on the edge of Spencer's bed. "I go way back with Miss Nelson, she'd go above and beyond with you."
"Really? She can change 300 kids minds?"
"I know this sucks for you, I know what it's like."
"No, you don't, Dad!" Spencer yelled followed by a deep sigh. He shot up like a rocket and tried not to look his dad in the eyes. "When you were getting beat up at school it's because you are gay. I'm not! I didn't chose this! But, it doesn't matter because as long as you and Dad are my dads my life is going to be hell!" He shouted all in one breath. Marco didn't want to believe that those words had really slapped him in the face, ecspecially from his son. When he was little Marco used to cry over the way kis treated Spencer because of he and Dylan but, Spencer used to always pat him on the back and say that he loved them both anyways.
I'd kill for those days again. Marco thought to himself.
Marco wandered over to the doorway and let himself out, completely pulverized.
"See ya, Mason!!!" One of the guys she was chugging with at the ravine slapped Sydney on the back as they stood in front of her street. Stumbling to walk without falling, she found her house and took each step one at a time. Lucky for her, her dad was still at the resturant, even at one am, closing up. She slipped her key in the lock and pushed the door open. Leaving her key in door knob, she slammed the door behind her and crawled up the stairs laughing and rambling like she was still with Jayson Jr.
Next chapters coming up will probably concentrate more on the Degrassi characters then just the kids.
Let me know what you guys think.
Any suggestions or ideas or requests are apperciated, too.