Chapter 10: The Collapsing Stage (Season Finale Event)
Katie writes down the homework for the first back from break, she had a hard time focusing in class so she wanted to get out as soon as possible. The bell rings and she picks up her books and quickly walks out of the classroom, she's in such a hurry she almost bumps head first into Marisol who happened to be coming out of the class next to her.
"Hey, where were you all break Katie?" She said seeing it odd she had not seen her friend all break without even a call or text.
"Sorry about that, it was a long and busy vacation; I had a lot going on." Katie says as they walk together down the hall, "How was your break?" Katie asks Marisol so that she doesn't she doesn't care how she is doing.
"It was pretty uneventful; I spent most of it alone."
Katie looks over at Marisol, "Wish I would have known, even if I had little time I would have tried to find some time to hang out."
"It's alright; just knowing that you would have makes me feel better." Marisol says, she steps toward her next class, "hey Katie."
"What's up?" Katie asks.
"Let's catch up at lunch?" She asks.
"Sure, I'll be outside around the entrance," Katie says and Marisol waves on her way into her next class room. Katie walks over to Bianca's locker where she is preparing for her next period. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," Bianca says closing her locker door, "I… really do appreciate what you did-"
"Shh," Katie puts her finger on her lips, "You don't have to say anything, I'm just glad you're doing alright."
"Thanks," Bianca says with a small smiles and Katie gives her one back.
"Hey, if you're not busy I was wondering if we wanted to go out somewhere, just to hang out."
Bianca could remember both being used for drugs by her and what happened when she went over her house, she wasn't sure she wanted to try a 3rd time. "I'll have to think about it," she says. Katie understands and nods her head.
"I'll see you later," Katie says walking the other way toward her next class. Bianca turns to go toward her next class to suddenly see that Anya had just gotten there and they were almost face to face.
"Bianca…"
"Anya."
"How are you feeling?"
"Just fine," Bianca says making her way around Anya.
"Wait," Anya follows for a moment to make her stop, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there, I had gotten the message late and I…"
"Save it," Bianca says, "We were never friends to begin with so why bother pretending we are or ever were now? Just drop it alright?" Bianca says as she begins to walk away.
"Bianca wait," Anya says one last time as Bianca whips around.
"I said drop it!" Bianca yells, many people left in the hall look at them as she walks away not making eye contact with anyone else. Anya goes the other direction walking as fast as she can so not look up at anyone with that look on her face. She doesn't want to go to class so she goes out of the door and makes her way down stairs of Degrassi. On her way down nearly runs right into someone so she looks up to see Holly J.
"Anya? Where are you going?" She asks then she's Anya face as she struggles to bursts into tears. "What's wrong Anya?" Holly J asks but Anya unable to speak simple bear leans into Holly J as she holds her in her arms letting know it's alright. Holly J's embrace was soft and sweet, she could feel her warm and it made her feel so much better.
"I'm sorry," Anya lifts her head wiping her tears, "I should probably head back inside."
"I don't think so," Holly J takes her finger and wipes Anya's eyes, "Instead let's take a day to ourselves, you look like you've had enough of a typical day at Degrassi."
"Really?" Anya asks as her face begins to brighten up a bit more with the very idea of not having to go back in.
"Yeah," Holly J clicks her car's unlock button, "I'll just tell Mr. Simpson that you need a mental health day and we'll go." Anya smiles and Holly J steps on her tip toes a bit and kisses Anya on cheek. Anya heads over to the car as Holly J goes inside.
Literature was the class right before lunch for a lot of people; Marisol and Bianca were in the same class beforehand. Bianca stairs at her paper, not sure what to write because of the assignment to talk about her winter break. Marisol looks over, "Got some writer's block?"
Bianca shrugs her arms, "Nothing really happened worth writing about."
"I imagine you go out and party a lot," Marisol says, Bianca looks over at her. "Get wasted off your pretty little ass then wave it in other people's faces."
Bianca was almost shocked from what she was hearing from someone she never talked to, "Did I miss something? Do we have some kind of problem?"
"Not yet, but we will if you don't leave Katie alone." Marisol says but before Bianca can reply she says, "Don't think I don't know about you. You know the drug hotspots and the big party scene. Katie just got clean not even half a year ago, and she got connections to get drugs because of you. I don't want her being led down the wrong path again, if you want to even pretend you care about her, leave her alone."
Just as Bianca was going to retaliate to her comments the bell rings, they get into one last eye contact and Marisol stands up and walks out. Bianca gets her things as she looks out the window to see Holly J getting in her car, she can just barely make out Anya in the passenger seat. She didn't think much of it until she saw Holly J lean over the middle and exchange a kiss with her. Bianca sat motionless for a moment but quickly pulls herself up and walks out; she looks around the lunch room and out the window.
Katie and Marisol are talking outside on the stairs, "I seriously can't wait for that movie to come out." Marisol says with a big grin.
"It's certainly different," Katie says laughing about it.
"If you got to see it for free would you?" Marisol asks.
"Maybe," Katie answers.
Marisol pulls out two tickets from her pocket, "From and with a friend?" She asks.
"I sure would," Katie says trying not to laugh at her goofiness. Katie takes one of the tickets and looks at it, "Looks like I'm going to have plans next Friday night."
Marisol turns over to Katie, "I actually wanted to tell you something," Marisol says.
"Really, what is it?"
"I have wanted to tell you for some time now that-"
At that moment she was cut off when Katie looks to the side as Bianca arrives, "Bianca? What are you doing out here?"
Bianca pulls Katie up by her hands and kisses her on lips suddenly and right in front of Marisol, Katie was surprised but kissed her back before stopping. "That was sudden," Katie laughs.
"Yeah I guess it was, but not as sudden as you." Bianca says and Katie can only shrug in acceptance.
"I'll see you around," Katie says to Marisol as she walks away holding Bianca's hand.
Marisol was ready to push Bianca into moving traffic, she had already seen Katie go down this road once and she wasn't about to let it happen again.
Later at Fiona's apartment they talk more about old times, they couldn't help but find it kind of funny how they both were with Sav and are now together. The biggest moments Holly J could remember were both running against Sav when Anya was with him and when they were caught at casino when Holly J was giving him a lap dance.
"We had a lot of ups and downs, not sure if our most painful moment was our break up, it didn't even lead into it." Anya says.
"What was that, if you don't mind me asking?"
"After we slept together," Anya says, "I wasn't sure about if I might have gotten pregnant from it. I took a pill and just like that it was over."
"But you're not entirely sure you wanted to just get rid of it? If you were pregnant I mean." Holly J asks.
"Yeah, I honestly thought it wouldn't be so bad. I was in love with Sav and having a baby by him would have made me happy at the time even though I would have been scared. "
"Why didn't you tell him that?" She asked.
"He was more concerned with what his parents thought, his career and his personal life. Not about the life of child being hard but mostly about him and not even us." Anya shakes it off, "You had a bit more exciting memorial able stories to tell, sorry mine seem pretty depressing."
"It's alright, I'd even like to have kids someday, even one. And even if it wasn't, if you and Sav had had a child I would have loved them because I fell for their mother." Holly J says and Anya blushes, "I'll be right back." She says and Anya can't help but wonder what she means until she comes back. Holly J arrives back wearing the same dress she wore to Vegas Night at Degrassi, she takes Anya's hand. "Come on," Anya gets up with her and she places Anya in a chair.
Anya can only laugh, in disbelief this is actually happening. "What am I supposed to do?" Anya asks.
"Just sit back and relax, I'll do all the work." Holly J says as she slips on to her lap and kisses her lips softly.
The next day at Degrassi Holly J comes without Anya because she dropped her off at home later that evening, she walks into the door where she is met by a face she would never expect. "Hi there Holly J," Marisol says.
"Can I help you?" Holly J asks not even remembering her name or if they had ever met.
"I heard you left with Anya yesterday, after all she left crying."
"Is there a reason you're telling me this?"
"Yes, everyone knows, shouldn't you?"
"It's her private business, I'll be there whenever she needs me. That's it; I don't need to stick my nose in all of her business." Holly J begins to walk by here.
"Maybe she's finding something, crying over someone else?" Marisol asks.
Holly J's interest is peeked and she can't help but want to know but she refuses to betray Anya by invading her. "Either tell me or don't because you're not going to trick me."
"Just ask her about Bianca," Marisol says and without another word walks away leaving Holly J dumbfounded by how arrogantly sway she was. Walking away without looking back clearly looking like she got exactly the reaction she desired. Holly J tries to ignore it as the day goes on but it continuously poked her on the shoulder, it stood out and wasn't easy to hide. Holly J wanted to ask but she knew that if it was that big of a deal she'd told her, right?
Anya meets Holly J around lunch time and can't help that she is much quieter than she normally is; she looks over to Holly J and asks. "What's on your mind?"
"It's nothing really," Holly J says sounding very unsure.
Anya takes a breath also not wanting to intrude, "You can tell me anything."
"I know I can, but can you?" Holly J asks and looks over at her, "I'm sorry for how that sounded." Holly J sighs and took a swallow, "Did something happen between you and Bianca?"
Anya took a breath and looked forward, "It was, complicated really." Anya says, "If it really is bothering you that much I can tell you, just had to ask."
"I'm sorry for not just coming out and asking," Holly J answers.
"It's okay…" Anya begins, "I was having a hard time at school so I went to a party, when I started to get a bit drunk I decided to go into an empty room. Before I knew it Bianca had come in and she was drunk, being unaware of actions she started to kiss me."
"You didn't stop her?"
"Well I tried, but I then realized my body was shutting down, I was roofied by someone. Later I figured that if it wasn't for her anything could have happened to me even though technically something did." Anya continues, "I wanted to make it up to her… for some reason and I went to a club where she was being harassed and I helped her out." Anya remembers exactly how cool it was that night, when she walked home alone to find Bianca. She could feel the kiss on her cheek there still; she began to zone out thinking about it.
"Anya? What happened after that?" Holly J asked.
"Well I asked her to come to Basketball game you came to a bit before I had even known you came back to Degrassi, she came as a favor to me. So during break she collapsed and was taken to the hospital. I hadn't actually gotten to check the text until you had asked me that question and I felt so bad I wasn't there earlier that I needed to get there. When I did…" She remembered Bianca and Katie holding each other's hand in the room, how alone she felt and how she wished she were there sooner to be in Katie's place.
"When you got there what happened?"
"She told me to go, I tried to tell her what happened yesterday and she told me to leave her alone… I just felt so bad." Anya said, she had bended the truth but Holly J believed every word.
Bianca and Katie were seen together a lot more but it almost seemed like nothing happened, time slowly went on as about a week had past. Holly J was assisting one of the teachers for writing class, she notices Bianca is in the class and unable to write a thing. "Penny for your thoughts?" Holly J asks.
"I was never much of a writer, if I'm already a good speller why do I need to take writing class all the way through High School?"
"A refresher never hurt anyone, its worse in college."
"I never said I planned to go, not sure there's much that college can offer me that wouldn't just be a waste of time in the end." Bianca looks up at Holly J with a bit of a blank look on her face; she wanted to ask if Anya had anything to say about her relationship with Katie. Was she jealous? Did she act differently? At that same moment Bianca's attitude completely shifted when she asked herself a question she hadn't entirely considered. "Do I really like Katie? Or am I just trying to get Anya's attention?"
Bianca sat quietly through the rest of the class; she felt dirty and knew she couldn't keep it up. Lying to herself wasn't good for anyone. After class Bianca in a hurry went out of the classroom where she found Katie waiting on her.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you couldn't wait to see me," Katie said with a laugh.
"It's too bad you don't," Bianca accidently said bluntly.
"What?" Katie said almost sounding hurt from her comment.
"I'm sorry, listen I need to tell you something Katie."
"What is it?" Katie asks.
"It's wrong of me to have done this, I can't take back that I did but… I have to come clean. I didn't agree to any of this for the right reason, I'd be lying if over this amount of time that I didn't like you… but I didn't like you for the right reason."
"For the right reason? What are you saying?"
"I did it to make Anya jealous, for her to see me with you and make her want me." Bianca takes a deep breath, "I used you and I'm sorry…"
Katie taking deep breathes from her noise closes her eyes; she makes fists trying to keep herself together. Katie suddenly pulls back and slaps Bianca so hard she falls right on her rear, Bianca holds her cheek in shock. The other students looked not sure what had just happened, Marisol coming around had just seen it happen as well with her hand on her chest. "How dare you use me! I tried and I tried for you and that's what I get?"
"Katie," Bianca says sitting up but not standing still holding her check, "I'm so sorry."
"Sorry huh?" Bianca can clearly see tears coming down Katie's face, "Sorry doesn't change a damn thing! You know why? I loved you Bianca! That's why I went through what I did for you, why I swallowed my pride so that you might love me back and all you did was use me!"
Bianca was speechless when she heard that, she wished she had never told the truth, she had never felt more rotten in her life. And judging from what Bianca has done in her life at Degrassi alone the feeling that she had done something this wrong was unbelievable. Simpson comes through the crowd of kids seeing Bianca on the floor; he takes a deep breath, "Let's go Katie." He extends his arm toward his office, she looks back at Bianca with her tears streaming.
There was only one thing left Bianca could think to do and that was to talk to the only person she hadn't, she went outside where she found Anya alone. "Anya."
"Bianca?" Anya turns around, not sure what to say she says nothing else.
"You don't need to talk just listen," Bianca walks up to her, "I know I can shut people out easily and I have a hard time talking about how I feel. But I did fall for you, I was hurt you didn't come but I just didn't want to face that fact that I really did fall for you."
"Bianca I…"
"Shh, please just don't speak." She says, she places her hand on Anya's cheek, "I don't want to be in your way with her, you deserve so much better than me. So sweet, so smart and so beautiful and I'm not worth what you would find in an average trashcan." Bianca kisses Anya's cheek, "Don't be afraid to just move on without me." Bianca says as she walks away from her, and behind Anya around the corner Holly J listened…
Holly J walks out and says "Bianca wait," both Anya and Bianca turn around.
"Holly J? How long were you standing there?" Anya asked.
"Anya," Holly J walks up to her, "Tell me, do you have feelings for Bianca?"
"Holly J I'm with you and-"
"Please just be honest with me, do you have feelings for Bianca?"
Anya takes a breath and looks at Bianca's face awaiting the answer, "Yes Holly J, yes I do."
"If you would have had the chance before I came, would you have wanted to be with Bianca?"
"Holly J…"
"Answer it," Holly J closes her eyes, "Just please answer it."
"Yes…" Anya hesitatingly answers.
Holly J takes Anya's hand, "I want you to be happy, whether it be with me or her and it's obvious to me that you've been through a lot. You care about each other, much more than either of you want to admit and that's fine. I want you to go…"
"Are you… sure Holly J?"
"Yes, I could never be able to be her for you when you have wanted her for as long as you have." Holly J says, "Go and be with her."
"I'm sorry Holly J…"
"Don't be, you should never be sorry for falling in love." Holly J says as she walks by them and Anya and Bianca walk up to each other.
"I guess, there is no reason to me to hide how I feel anymore is there?" Bianca asks and Anya nods with a faint smile still feeling bad. Anya embraces Bianca and she hugs her back as they lean back and kiss each other's lips passionately. Holly J looked for a moment and walks inside, she ignores the feeling of her heart falling apart. She had been through this many times before and she knew she was strong enough to handle it but she needed time now.
"Are you sure about this?" Simpson asks, and Holly J nods. Holly J was leaving her program at Degrassi.
"I guess I'm not ready to return to this place, Degrassi hasn't change and I guess I haven't either."
"I hope I see you again someday," Simpson says.
"I'm sure you will," She says as she walks out, she looks at the chair outside of the office with a piercing glare coming at her from Katie. There was nothing more to be said or done, even though many were left in heartache the story must continue, no one would have a fair tell ending. For some the ending is much more harsh…
Holly finds herself in a market, she sees a little girl lost, and it reminds her of her conversation with Anya about kids. Something seemed so familiar about that little girl, so looked so alone and afraid so Holly J went over to lend a hand finding her parents.
That Friday Marisol waits at the ticket booth waiting for Katie, and Katie is searching through her purse. "Going to need some ID if you want in," The bouncer says. Katie takes out an ID and something else slips out, she picks up the movie ticket. "Are you in or out?"
Katie gives her ID to him then makes her way in slowly, but she does not look back. Marisol waits outside of the theater where Katie would never arrive… Endings can be harsh and sometimes they may be just the beginning of another chapter in life… And for some…
"Mommy!" The girl runs over and hugs her mom.
"Thank God, I thought you had run off somewhere!"
"This nice lady helped me find you," the girl says and her mother looks up.
"Holly J? Is that you?"
"Mia?" Holly J then recognized the girl and her mother.
"It's been so long, how have you been?" Mia asked.
"Ups and downs such is life, but always moving of course."
"Sounds like a Holly J answer, I can't thank you enough for helping me out."
"It was my pleasure, your daughter is a sweetheart."
"Thank you, I'm going to be back here for a while. So if you weren't busy as a thank you maybe I could take you out soon and catch up." Mia smiled.
Holly J smiled back, "I'd love to."
Endings can be harsh and sometimes they may be just the beginning of another chapter in life… And for some… that chapter could be the beginning of something better.