Thank you werewolf666vampire and Jocelyn Torrent for proofing, and andtototoo for the feedback and related help.

Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi or any of its characters.

Chapter 10

After two and a half hours, they had both become comfortable enough that they were exchanging school stories with each other as they lay contentedly in their sleeping bags.

"You should've seen Emma's face when I tore down that cheque Rick had given to her," Alex said, laughing.

"Emma Nelson can be so annoying at times," Paige agreed.

"Oh, you don't have to tell me. I know all about it. She was gonna take the guilt money from Rick; that's what pissed me off," Alex replied angrily.

Paige was surprised at how little she actually knew Alex. Not only did Alex have self-respect, she had values. Paige almost felt proud that Alex was like this even though she couldn't take any credit for it.

She nudged Alex's shoulder as her silent way of showing how she felt. "Alex, I can't believe I never knew about your mom. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's not that bad."

Paige got a sense that Alex had begun to get uncomfortable. "Anyway, back to Heather Sinclair…." Paige said, trying for a subject change, and they both laughed.

"Just make sure you don't mention Emma's name in front of Jay, Paige," Alex warned.

"Oh, so the rumours are true?" Paige asked in sheer shock as she half sat up from her sleeping bag.

"Well, they're not rumours if they are true, Paige. Just don't bring her up, okay?" Alex asked.

"Cross my heart," Paige swore and Alex giggled. "What did I say?"

"I thought you were gonna do a pinky swear."

"Hey, that's not funny," Paige pouted.

"It is to me," Alex teased.

"I can't believe I'm letting you make fun of me like this," Paige spoke her thoughts out loud.

The light from the bonfire had dimmed a little and it had created a candlelight effect inside the tent.

Paige was now quietly looking at Alex, who was staring at the roof of the tent.

The smile from the recent joke could still be seen plastered on Alex's face but it was hard to read what she was thinking….

'Till last night, even I couldn't believe I was sharing a tent with the most popular girl at Degrassi. Now, we're talking like we're old buddies?'

Suddenly a thought came to Paige's head and she asked it without thinking, "Umm, Alex, you and Jay… are you two dating?"

"What?" A shocked Alex turned and stared at her. "Paige! That is the most disgusting thing I've heard you say, ever." Alex was even a little relieved that the question meant Paige did not know that she was gay.

"No, I was just wondering, that's all. You didn't mind me asking, did you?" Paige apologized, realizing how personal the question was.

"Jay is like a brother to me! Thanks, now I can go and barf," Alex smiled. "Even if we were dating, he's a gazillion times better than the furby you're dating."

"We broke up yesterday," Paige said in a low voice.

Alex was the first person she had told. Of all the people, she had only felt comforted enough to tell her ex-worse enemy that she had broken up with her perfect boyfriend. She prepared herself for Alex's laughter but it never came.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. Are you okay?" Alex had said after a long silence.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for asking, Alex," Paige answered as she unconsciously grazed Alex's shoulder.

'She is so sweet. And I thought she was going to make fun of me. Shit. That thing is happening to me again when I start to feel all warm inside and my stomach starts to do the flips. Why is being near Alex making me feel this way?' Paige asked herself.

Alex yawned. "Uh, I think we should sleep now," she said, turning her back to Paige.

Paige's eyes opened after her body refused to bear the cold she was feeling. She wasn't sure of the hour of the night but knew that it was late enough. The light from the bonfire that had been penetrating through the polyester of the tent earlier was no longer visible.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she contemplated the dark insides of the tent. Jay had put out the bonfire – their source of heat and light before he himself headed off to sleep, Paige speculated, and it was the loss of heat from the fire that had caused her to wake up. In the state of partially awake and partially dozing, she searched around to find something she could use to warm herself with. Her hands found Alex, lying a few inches from her. She moved, what felt like, Alex's shoulder in order to wake her up.

"Mmmm," Alex moaned in what seemed like a very peaceful sleep to Paige.

"Alex, I'm cold," Paige expressed the reason of waking up Alex.

"Paige? What, where?" Alex asked in her semi-drowsy state, and then as if remembered where they were, "Oh." Alex sat up.

"Alex, I'm cold. Do you have a sweater that I can borrow?" Paige asked.

"No, I'm wearing all I brought with me. I couldn't sleep. Damn, it's so cold," Alex replied, lying back down again.

About half an hour ago, the cold had also woken Alex up and she had worn all that she could get her hands on. She was now fully bundled up.

"Well do you have anything I can borrow?" Paige asked Alex, who was ready to fall back asleep.

"I'm sorry, no. Didn't you bring some warm clothing with you?" Alex suggested before closing her eyes.

"I didn't bring anything," Paige replied as she figured out one way that she could feel warm again. She got herself out of her own sleeping bag and opened up Alex's sleeping bag.

"Paige, what are you doing?" a confused Alex asked as the cold hit her warm body.

Paige slipped in beside Alex without hesitation and zipped back Alex's sleeping bag.

"What does it look like, Alex? I don't want to freeze to death. I'm sleeping in here tonight," Paige replied calmly as she savoured Alex's body heat.

"You can't do that!" Alex said, panicking.

"Watch me," was Paige's reply as she maneuvered herself to fit comfortably against Alex. The heat and the cosiness was enough to make Paige fall asleep instantly.

The sunlight was pouring inside of the red tent. Paige opened her eyes and took a deep breath in. She had a restful sleep last night. A sweet peachy smell was tingling her nose. It was coming from something that was on her shoulder. She titled her face to look on her shoulder and then her attention went to the human figure that slept next to her.

It was Alex.

Sometime during their sleeping bag sharing, her shoulder had turned into Alex's pillow and Alex's raven hair now sprawled around Paige's neck and shoulder. She reached across Alex's face and moved away the strand of hair from her face that was obstructing Paige's view. She rarely ever had a chance to look at Alex this up-close.

'She's so beautiful' was the thought that had come to Paige's mind.

One of Alex's arms was hugging her close and was wrapped across her waist. She felt Alex's legs half-intertwined with hers and Alex's body moved against hers with the shallow breaths that each of them were taking. Paige suddenly felt the audacious sensations fill her insides. Panicking, she quickly tried to get up.

"Ouch!" Alex howled as her head fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry," Paige said quickly before she opened the sleeping bag and the tent, and rushed outside.


TBC
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