Degrassi was in a frenzy. Perhaps it was because of Spinner's stink bomb
during first period, but the students agreed that it was most likely
because of the morning announcements during homeroom that caused Paige and
Hazel to erupt into a fit of giggles.
It was January 14. Which, according to the calendar, meant that Valentine's Day was exactly one month away. Not that this was normally anything to chatter about, but the announcements had made it hard for everyone to sit still that day. For the first time in Degrassi history, there would be a Valentine's Dance, not run by the principal and teachers, but put on by the students. But (and this is what made Paige and Hazel disrupt class), there would also be a talent show before the actual dance started.
When Ashley heard the news, she sunk into her seat. She enjoyed Valentine's Day, but it would be her first without dating her ex-boyfriend Jimmy, and the last talent show, also known as the Cabaret Show, was a disaster. Her 'best friend' had gone behind her back and sung the song Ashley written without her. With a faster tempo. In bad clothes. Very bad clothes. As if Paige could read her mind, she turned around and gave Ashley a smug look. Paige was still using the 'bad haircut' card. Ashley had decided that since she was starting over with her personal life, she might as well change her physical appearance also. She had cut her chin length hair short, and although the other girls made fun of her for it, she supposed they secretly resented it, because the next day all of the boys had complimented her. Not that she needed any of the girls to like her- she had Ellie, a wonderful, spunky, new girl that had befriended Ashley on the first day and had almost convinced her to get her belly button pierced.
Ashley rolled her eyes at Paige and continued writing down the notes on the board. Craig looked at Ashley, and then at Paige, rolling his eyes too.
Craig was new to Degrassi, after leaving his abusive father to live with his stepfather, Joey. After hearing the announcement, Craig had immediately thought of asking Paige to do the talent show with him (she was cruel, and superficial, but she shined when performing), and Ashley to the dance. Ashley was sweet, and mysterious, and completely unlike the other girls at Degrassi. He had liked her since the first day, and had been waiting for the chance to ask her out. He looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw her looking at him. His ears turned pink as he looked down on his paper. He would have to talk to her, soon.
Craig couldn't know it, but three classrooms down, a girl named Manny was thinking of him. Her and Craig had gone out on a date before, which had been misinterpreted two different ways- she had liked him, but he hadn't liked her. She had been crushed. But she still had feelings for him, regardless of his towards her. She had made the first move before, and maybe she would make it again.
Next to Manny, Emma was brooding. She could tell by the look on her best friends face that Manny was thinking of Craig again. Emma had liked Craig first, and had been heartbroken when she found out Craig actually liked Manny. Craig was a year older, and probably would not want much to do with an eighth year, but they did have a lot in common, and Emma saw him a lot by baby-sitting his little sister, Angela. Craig had said yes when Manny had asked him out, so maybe Emma would take that chance too.
The only person who was completely oblivious to the excitement, was ninth year Anastasie Blondelle, who had arrived five minutes after the announcements. She was a new to Degrassi, and was checking in at the office before going to her first class. The secretaries noticed straight away that she was shy. Her straight red hair kept trying to hide her face, and her blue eyes blinked often, as if she heard invisible doors slamming around her. She hugged her books to her chest with one hand while outstretching the other to grab hold of her student ID. She studied the picture for a moment, and then with a slight scowl, threw it into her bag.
"You're missing English."
Anastasie looked up. "Excuse me?"
The secretary pointed to the clock. "Class started ten minutes ago. You might want to get a move on."
Anastasie nodded and turned away, taking a deep breath. She stepped through the doors and into the hallway, her shoes clapping loudly on the deserted floor. She turned a corner and walked down another hallway before finding the classroom door. She took a deep breath again, and knocked lightly on it.
The chatter from inside the room stopped, and Anastasie heard chairs moving to make way for the teacher, Ms. Kwan. The door opened and a friendly Asian face smiled at her.
"You must be Anastasie. Come on in, you can introduce yourself and then I'll find you a seat."
She let out an audible squeak. She shuffled behind the teacher and stepped into a room full of curious eyes.
Ms. Kwan stood in front of the class. "Everyone, we have a new student to Degrassi. This is Anastasie Blondelle. Why don't you tell us about yourself, Anastasie?"
She looked over the sea of faces, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. In her eyes their faces looked cold, calculating, and amused. She cleared her throat and clutched her books tighter.
"I'm Anastasie. Um... some people, some of my friends call me Anya."
"So it's just Anastasie, then." Paige said quietly from the back of the room. A few people snickered and Ms. Kwan gave them stern looks.
"Why don't you tell us about your hobbies?"
"Hobbies?"
"Yes. What music you like, what books you enjoy?"
"Oh. I like to read a lot. A lot of different books, and I like music, too. I don't have any favorites."
Ms. Kwan eyed Anya suspiciously, but nodded. "All right, I think that's enough. You can have a seat back there next to Ashley."
Anya looked around and saw a girl waving to her. Anya let out the breath she hadn't known she had been holding, and sat down.
"I'm Ashley." She said, smiling.
"Nice to meet you." Anya laid her books on the table and took out a pencil. Ashley looked at her for a moment, disappointed at how short Anya had been, and then went back to writing down whatever Ms. Kwan was saying.
"Death Be Not Proud, by John Donne. How many of you read it last night?"
Most of the class raised their hands.
"Anya, have you read it before? If not, I'll go over it again."
Anya looked up, startled. "Yes, I've read it."
"Okay." Ms. Kwan smiled, and opened her book. "Spinner. What is Donne saying in this poem?"
"That... uh... death be not proud?" Anya looked at the blonde boy slouching in his chair across the room. He was flanked with two boys who looked his age.
"Elaborate, please."
"That death is powerful?"
"All right. Ashley, yes?"
A few faces turned to see Ashley, and Anya slouched a little lower in her seat, studying her pencil.
"He is saying that death is powerful, that it might be inevitable, but it isn't invincible. That once people die, they live again."
"Good answer. All right, let's learn a little bit about John Donne."
The class went by slowly, and Anya was grateful for the bell. Ashley waited for her to pack up her things, and then started talking to her.
"How do you like Degrassi so far?"
"This is just my first class."
"Yeah. It's a good school, though. What period do you have lunch?"
"Fifth."
"Me too. Do you want to sit together?"
"I um... I think I am going to go to the library instead."
Ashley shrugged and nodded her head. "All right."
Paige walked up behind them, with Hazel.
"What Anastasie, too good to sit with Kerwin?" Paige asked.
"Not that anyone isn't," Hazel added.
"Leave her alone guys," Ashley said awkwardly.
Paige rolled her eyes and walked out of the classroom, followed by Hazel. Ashley sighed.
"You'll get used to them. So hey did you hear the announcement this morning?"
"No, I got here late."
"Oh. Well, there is going to be a Valentine's Dance, and a talent show. Think you'd be interested?"
"Oh... um, sorry, Ashley, but I don't really want to go to the Valentine's Dance with you..."
Ashley laughed loudly. "No no no, that came out wrong. I'm sorry. I want to go with this one guy anyway. I was just wondering if you would have something to do for the talent show?"
"I don't really have any talents."
"Everyone has talents! I'm going to sing a song. My friends Jimmy and Spinner are putting on a skit."
"I don't think I'd be interested."
"Okay... just think about it, all right? School won't get better until you start making an effort."
Anya nodded and walked out of the classroom, suddenly feeling that home schooling might have been a better way to go.
It was January 14. Which, according to the calendar, meant that Valentine's Day was exactly one month away. Not that this was normally anything to chatter about, but the announcements had made it hard for everyone to sit still that day. For the first time in Degrassi history, there would be a Valentine's Dance, not run by the principal and teachers, but put on by the students. But (and this is what made Paige and Hazel disrupt class), there would also be a talent show before the actual dance started.
When Ashley heard the news, she sunk into her seat. She enjoyed Valentine's Day, but it would be her first without dating her ex-boyfriend Jimmy, and the last talent show, also known as the Cabaret Show, was a disaster. Her 'best friend' had gone behind her back and sung the song Ashley written without her. With a faster tempo. In bad clothes. Very bad clothes. As if Paige could read her mind, she turned around and gave Ashley a smug look. Paige was still using the 'bad haircut' card. Ashley had decided that since she was starting over with her personal life, she might as well change her physical appearance also. She had cut her chin length hair short, and although the other girls made fun of her for it, she supposed they secretly resented it, because the next day all of the boys had complimented her. Not that she needed any of the girls to like her- she had Ellie, a wonderful, spunky, new girl that had befriended Ashley on the first day and had almost convinced her to get her belly button pierced.
Ashley rolled her eyes at Paige and continued writing down the notes on the board. Craig looked at Ashley, and then at Paige, rolling his eyes too.
Craig was new to Degrassi, after leaving his abusive father to live with his stepfather, Joey. After hearing the announcement, Craig had immediately thought of asking Paige to do the talent show with him (she was cruel, and superficial, but she shined when performing), and Ashley to the dance. Ashley was sweet, and mysterious, and completely unlike the other girls at Degrassi. He had liked her since the first day, and had been waiting for the chance to ask her out. He looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw her looking at him. His ears turned pink as he looked down on his paper. He would have to talk to her, soon.
Craig couldn't know it, but three classrooms down, a girl named Manny was thinking of him. Her and Craig had gone out on a date before, which had been misinterpreted two different ways- she had liked him, but he hadn't liked her. She had been crushed. But she still had feelings for him, regardless of his towards her. She had made the first move before, and maybe she would make it again.
Next to Manny, Emma was brooding. She could tell by the look on her best friends face that Manny was thinking of Craig again. Emma had liked Craig first, and had been heartbroken when she found out Craig actually liked Manny. Craig was a year older, and probably would not want much to do with an eighth year, but they did have a lot in common, and Emma saw him a lot by baby-sitting his little sister, Angela. Craig had said yes when Manny had asked him out, so maybe Emma would take that chance too.
The only person who was completely oblivious to the excitement, was ninth year Anastasie Blondelle, who had arrived five minutes after the announcements. She was a new to Degrassi, and was checking in at the office before going to her first class. The secretaries noticed straight away that she was shy. Her straight red hair kept trying to hide her face, and her blue eyes blinked often, as if she heard invisible doors slamming around her. She hugged her books to her chest with one hand while outstretching the other to grab hold of her student ID. She studied the picture for a moment, and then with a slight scowl, threw it into her bag.
"You're missing English."
Anastasie looked up. "Excuse me?"
The secretary pointed to the clock. "Class started ten minutes ago. You might want to get a move on."
Anastasie nodded and turned away, taking a deep breath. She stepped through the doors and into the hallway, her shoes clapping loudly on the deserted floor. She turned a corner and walked down another hallway before finding the classroom door. She took a deep breath again, and knocked lightly on it.
The chatter from inside the room stopped, and Anastasie heard chairs moving to make way for the teacher, Ms. Kwan. The door opened and a friendly Asian face smiled at her.
"You must be Anastasie. Come on in, you can introduce yourself and then I'll find you a seat."
She let out an audible squeak. She shuffled behind the teacher and stepped into a room full of curious eyes.
Ms. Kwan stood in front of the class. "Everyone, we have a new student to Degrassi. This is Anastasie Blondelle. Why don't you tell us about yourself, Anastasie?"
She looked over the sea of faces, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. In her eyes their faces looked cold, calculating, and amused. She cleared her throat and clutched her books tighter.
"I'm Anastasie. Um... some people, some of my friends call me Anya."
"So it's just Anastasie, then." Paige said quietly from the back of the room. A few people snickered and Ms. Kwan gave them stern looks.
"Why don't you tell us about your hobbies?"
"Hobbies?"
"Yes. What music you like, what books you enjoy?"
"Oh. I like to read a lot. A lot of different books, and I like music, too. I don't have any favorites."
Ms. Kwan eyed Anya suspiciously, but nodded. "All right, I think that's enough. You can have a seat back there next to Ashley."
Anya looked around and saw a girl waving to her. Anya let out the breath she hadn't known she had been holding, and sat down.
"I'm Ashley." She said, smiling.
"Nice to meet you." Anya laid her books on the table and took out a pencil. Ashley looked at her for a moment, disappointed at how short Anya had been, and then went back to writing down whatever Ms. Kwan was saying.
"Death Be Not Proud, by John Donne. How many of you read it last night?"
Most of the class raised their hands.
"Anya, have you read it before? If not, I'll go over it again."
Anya looked up, startled. "Yes, I've read it."
"Okay." Ms. Kwan smiled, and opened her book. "Spinner. What is Donne saying in this poem?"
"That... uh... death be not proud?" Anya looked at the blonde boy slouching in his chair across the room. He was flanked with two boys who looked his age.
"Elaborate, please."
"That death is powerful?"
"All right. Ashley, yes?"
A few faces turned to see Ashley, and Anya slouched a little lower in her seat, studying her pencil.
"He is saying that death is powerful, that it might be inevitable, but it isn't invincible. That once people die, they live again."
"Good answer. All right, let's learn a little bit about John Donne."
The class went by slowly, and Anya was grateful for the bell. Ashley waited for her to pack up her things, and then started talking to her.
"How do you like Degrassi so far?"
"This is just my first class."
"Yeah. It's a good school, though. What period do you have lunch?"
"Fifth."
"Me too. Do you want to sit together?"
"I um... I think I am going to go to the library instead."
Ashley shrugged and nodded her head. "All right."
Paige walked up behind them, with Hazel.
"What Anastasie, too good to sit with Kerwin?" Paige asked.
"Not that anyone isn't," Hazel added.
"Leave her alone guys," Ashley said awkwardly.
Paige rolled her eyes and walked out of the classroom, followed by Hazel. Ashley sighed.
"You'll get used to them. So hey did you hear the announcement this morning?"
"No, I got here late."
"Oh. Well, there is going to be a Valentine's Dance, and a talent show. Think you'd be interested?"
"Oh... um, sorry, Ashley, but I don't really want to go to the Valentine's Dance with you..."
Ashley laughed loudly. "No no no, that came out wrong. I'm sorry. I want to go with this one guy anyway. I was just wondering if you would have something to do for the talent show?"
"I don't really have any talents."
"Everyone has talents! I'm going to sing a song. My friends Jimmy and Spinner are putting on a skit."
"I don't think I'd be interested."
"Okay... just think about it, all right? School won't get better until you start making an effort."
Anya nodded and walked out of the classroom, suddenly feeling that home schooling might have been a better way to go.