As always, I own nothing, I receive nothing, except the immense pleasure of
bending characters to my will. Buahahahaha!
Thank you, "Every Degrassi Episode Ever" Marathon, for providing me with divine inspiration and random factoids.
"This is it, Manny." Emma Nelson spoke, looking up at the beckoning doors of Degrassi Community School.
"Yep. Our first day as grade eights'." Manny replied, glancing over at her confident best friend. Emma smiled broadly at the anxious look on the face of her friend. It reminded her of the previous year; when they had arrived at their first day of grade seven. She remembered it like it was just last week, everything from the butterflies in her stomach to her memorable introduction to the social hierarchy, compliments of Spinner and Jimmy.
"You aren't nervous, are you Manny?" Emma asked, grin widening. Manny looked offended, then nodded sheepishly. "There's nothing to be nervous about. We're grade eights' now, we're practically in charge."
Just as the words passed Emma's lips, Paige and her entourage jostled her from behind. Her books were sent flying in every direction, and Spinner turned to smile back patronizingly.
"You should be more careful." He called out, and Paige and Hazel laughed. Emma shook her head as she dropped to her knees to collect her fallen books.
"I thought we'd finally be rid of them." Manny spoke, picking up a notebook from a nearby puddle and holding it up. She too shook her head woefully as the muddy water dripped back to the ground.
"I know." Emma conceded, standing back up and starting up the stairs. A familiar voice called her back,
"Hey wait, you forgot this." Emma turned quickly, wondering who was calling after her.
"Oh hey, thanks . . . " she began, stopping short as she noticed whom she was speaking to. He was absolutely gorgeous, with shiny brown hair and wide brown eyes. He smiled up at her, and she found herself wondering desperately where she had seen him before. Manny merely stood nearby, dumbfounded and at a loss for words.
"You're welcome. Emma, right? Emma Nelson?" He asked, walking up several steps so they all stood on the same level. "I'm Craig Manning, you obviously don't remember me. Our mothers' made us dance. At the wedding, years ago."
"Oh yeah, Craig Manning. I remember. You're going to Degrassi now?" Emma took the book from his hand, and their fingers brushed. She colored swiftly.
"Yeah, my dad and I just moved into our new house." He replied, and Manny was still confused. "We lived outside Toronto last year."
"Oh." Manny squeaked, and then smiled brightly. There was a brief silence before Craig continued up the stairs.
"Well, I'll see you guys later. I've got to get to class." He spoke, passing through the doors and leaving the two girls alone on the steps. They paused before slowly turning to face each other. Together they grasped hands and shrieked loudly. A nearby seventh grader looked terrified, and Manny and Emma laughed. With another, more subdued shriek they followed the crowd into the school.
On their way to homeroom they again passed Paige, who was just now entering her own homeroom with Spinner and Hazel. Tossing back her hair with a manicured hand she surveyed the scene and made a shocking discovery. Someone was sitting in her seat.
Paige had never seen the girl before. She wasn't particularly tall, but was extremely slender. Paige thought she looked rather fragile, silky blonde hair falling over her face, which was buried in a thick book.
'This will be fun.' Paige thought, smiling an evil inward smile. 'What better way to start the ninth grade?'
Walking swiftly across the room, she watched as Spinner slipped into the seat next to the new girl. Paige stood near the girl's black boot clad foot and waited for recognition. When none came, she cleared her throat. The girl finally looked up from her book, revealing a pretty face and dark green, inquisitive eyes.
"Can I help you?" The girl asked, voice tinted with a slight French accent.
"And you are?" Paige hissed venomously, pearly white teeth looking sharp as daggers. The new girl smiled broadly.
"Chloe Davidson." She replied, offering Paige her hand. Paige looked at it in disgust.
"Well, Chloe, I'm Paige Michalchuk and I'm in charge around here. This is my school, and you're in my seat." Paige explained, placing a talon tipped finger to Chloe's chest. "I was unaware the seats were assigned." Chloe replied, raising an eyebrow and causing the tiny ring that was attached there to glint in the florescent lights. Paige's nose wrinkled.
"They aren't." "I guess this isn't your seat then, is it?" Chloe asked, and Paige looked furious. "Look hon, you're new here so I'll let you off the hook this once. Here's a hint, though. Don't cross me. I am the Queen Bee, and you'll regret it." Chloe merely smiled serenely.
"Well Queenie, you may want to do yourself a favor and run along to the washroom. Apparently it's en vogue around here to wear your clothes a few sizes too small, but I'm pretty sure it's not in fashion to go around with your fly unzipped."
Paige looked shocked and appalled as her hand flew to her mouth. The eyes of everyone in the room traveled swiftly to the area in question. Sure enough, her zipper lay unused at the base of its track. Coloring quickly, Paige made a hasty retreat to the washroom as Chloe settled more comfortably into the seat. The laughter was so uproarious that Mr. Simpson had to ask for quiet several times and threaten three separate students with lengthy detentions before he could begin the class. Paige slunk back in halfway through, shooting daggers at the girl occupying her seat next to Spinner.
"The girl is deranged." Paige spoke later, as she sat on the courtyard wall with Spinner and Jimmy. Across the courtyard Chloe sat with Ashley. The two were laughing together loudly, and Ashley looked a lot happier than anyone had seen in a while. Spinner shook his head.
"The girl is hot." He replied, and Paige spun to face him.
"Hot? Did you just say she's HOT?! She's a freak. She's a Goth weirdo." She argued, hitting Spinner on the arm.
"Actually, Paige, I wouldn't exactly call her a Goth. Just because she's dressed in all black, I mean, she's not even wearing makeup." Jimmy added.
"Yes, she is! I can see her black eyeliner from here!" Paige attested, gesturing wildly.
"He doesn't mean that kind of makeup. He means the white stuff. And the black lipstick." Spinner explained. Paige shrugged.
"What makes her so hot?" Paige asked, and the two boys squinted in thought.
"I don't know, she just is. She's got pretty hair." Spinner started, scratching his chin. Paige was livid.
"Pretty hair? It's blonde. It's long. So what. I have long blonde hair, too. It's nothing special."
"Yeah, but hers looks natural. Plus it's really shiny." Jimmy replied, and immediately received a smack on the arm.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, looking from boy to boy.
"Well, you have those dark roots." Spinner explained carefully. A look of rage started to blossom on her face and Spinner quickly reversed his track. "It's still really nice hair, though, even if it's not naturally blonde."
"Yeah, Paige. You do have really, really nice hair." Jimmy added. Suddenly he thought of something else. "Have you seen her eyes?"
"Yeah!! They're a crazy green color . . . " Spinner replied, getting into the conversation again.
" . . . And they're really, really big!"
"And she has those long dark eyelashes . . . "
"Enough!!" Paige screamed, picking up her nearby bag and walking briskly into the school. Spinner and Jimmy looked at each other and laughed, then stood to follow after her. Across the courtyard, Ashley and Chloe were talking more quietly.
"And now none of them will speak to you?" Chloe asked. Ashley shook her head, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"I tried to apologize, but Paige just laughed at me." Ashley explained, voice starting to crack. Chloe placed a consolatory hand on her shoulder and smiled comfortingly.
"Don't worry, Ash. They'll get over it, and if they don't they're not worth having for friends anyway. Paige's reign of terror can't last forever." Chloe explained, and Ashley laughed again.
"I hope you're right."
Both girls went back to eating their respective lunches when Chloe caught sight of a dark head across the crowd. Her mouth fell open in shock and she dropped her lunch bag on the floor. Surprising Ashley, she jumped up off the ground and raced across the courtyard to where Craig Manning stood talking to Sean. Without a word she slipped her hands over his eyes.
Caught off guard, Craig jumped and spun around. There he found the last person in the world he would have expected to see. His heart leapt up into his throat and pounded like a hammer. A look of shock skidded across his face, which was quickly replaced by one of joy as he gathered her up into his arms.
"Chloe Davidson, what on earth are you doing here?" He asked, setting her down. She smiled up at him broadly.
"Same as you, I imagine. Going to school. I can't believe it's you! I haven't seen you in over a year!" she cried, kissing his cheeks and quickly squeezing him again. "I missed you."
"Chloe was my best friend growing up. We were neighbors." Craig explained to the quietly dumbfounded Sean, who still stood nearby. "When you went away to school, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I missed you so much. Why'd you stop writing me?"
"I wrote you all the time. In fact, I wrote you last week to tell you I was coming back to the states." She replied, a look of suspicion spreading across her face. "I just assumed you hadn't written back because of your mother."
"I stopped getting letters right after my mother died. Where did you send them?" He asked, an equally suspicious look appearing on his face.
"To Joey Jeremiah's house. I assumed that's where you still lived." She replied. "You're not living with your father again, are you?"
"Joey said he'd forward anything." Craig spoke, avoiding the subject and fiddling with his shirtsleeve. He absently tugged it over his wrist bone, where Chloe was sure she saw bruising.
"Craig." She said, warning in her voice. Craig ignored it and smiled brightly.
"Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it?" I'm so glad you're home!" He cried, pulling her into another hug. Sean raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
"Craig, we've got to go to class now." Sean spoke, pulling on his shirt and gesturing toward the school. Craig nodded and kissed Chloe's forehead one last time.
"Meet me out front after school. We can catch up some more." He told her, walking back up the stairs. Chloe nodded and started back to Ashley, who had watched the whole scene from her spot on the ground. Once she had arrived back Chloe smiled apologetically.
"Sorry about that, Ash." She spoke, helping Ashley gather up the trash.
"Old friend?" Ashley asked with a grin, and Chloe smiled as the two headed back into the school.
Thank you, "Every Degrassi Episode Ever" Marathon, for providing me with divine inspiration and random factoids.
"This is it, Manny." Emma Nelson spoke, looking up at the beckoning doors of Degrassi Community School.
"Yep. Our first day as grade eights'." Manny replied, glancing over at her confident best friend. Emma smiled broadly at the anxious look on the face of her friend. It reminded her of the previous year; when they had arrived at their first day of grade seven. She remembered it like it was just last week, everything from the butterflies in her stomach to her memorable introduction to the social hierarchy, compliments of Spinner and Jimmy.
"You aren't nervous, are you Manny?" Emma asked, grin widening. Manny looked offended, then nodded sheepishly. "There's nothing to be nervous about. We're grade eights' now, we're practically in charge."
Just as the words passed Emma's lips, Paige and her entourage jostled her from behind. Her books were sent flying in every direction, and Spinner turned to smile back patronizingly.
"You should be more careful." He called out, and Paige and Hazel laughed. Emma shook her head as she dropped to her knees to collect her fallen books.
"I thought we'd finally be rid of them." Manny spoke, picking up a notebook from a nearby puddle and holding it up. She too shook her head woefully as the muddy water dripped back to the ground.
"I know." Emma conceded, standing back up and starting up the stairs. A familiar voice called her back,
"Hey wait, you forgot this." Emma turned quickly, wondering who was calling after her.
"Oh hey, thanks . . . " she began, stopping short as she noticed whom she was speaking to. He was absolutely gorgeous, with shiny brown hair and wide brown eyes. He smiled up at her, and she found herself wondering desperately where she had seen him before. Manny merely stood nearby, dumbfounded and at a loss for words.
"You're welcome. Emma, right? Emma Nelson?" He asked, walking up several steps so they all stood on the same level. "I'm Craig Manning, you obviously don't remember me. Our mothers' made us dance. At the wedding, years ago."
"Oh yeah, Craig Manning. I remember. You're going to Degrassi now?" Emma took the book from his hand, and their fingers brushed. She colored swiftly.
"Yeah, my dad and I just moved into our new house." He replied, and Manny was still confused. "We lived outside Toronto last year."
"Oh." Manny squeaked, and then smiled brightly. There was a brief silence before Craig continued up the stairs.
"Well, I'll see you guys later. I've got to get to class." He spoke, passing through the doors and leaving the two girls alone on the steps. They paused before slowly turning to face each other. Together they grasped hands and shrieked loudly. A nearby seventh grader looked terrified, and Manny and Emma laughed. With another, more subdued shriek they followed the crowd into the school.
On their way to homeroom they again passed Paige, who was just now entering her own homeroom with Spinner and Hazel. Tossing back her hair with a manicured hand she surveyed the scene and made a shocking discovery. Someone was sitting in her seat.
Paige had never seen the girl before. She wasn't particularly tall, but was extremely slender. Paige thought she looked rather fragile, silky blonde hair falling over her face, which was buried in a thick book.
'This will be fun.' Paige thought, smiling an evil inward smile. 'What better way to start the ninth grade?'
Walking swiftly across the room, she watched as Spinner slipped into the seat next to the new girl. Paige stood near the girl's black boot clad foot and waited for recognition. When none came, she cleared her throat. The girl finally looked up from her book, revealing a pretty face and dark green, inquisitive eyes.
"Can I help you?" The girl asked, voice tinted with a slight French accent.
"And you are?" Paige hissed venomously, pearly white teeth looking sharp as daggers. The new girl smiled broadly.
"Chloe Davidson." She replied, offering Paige her hand. Paige looked at it in disgust.
"Well, Chloe, I'm Paige Michalchuk and I'm in charge around here. This is my school, and you're in my seat." Paige explained, placing a talon tipped finger to Chloe's chest. "I was unaware the seats were assigned." Chloe replied, raising an eyebrow and causing the tiny ring that was attached there to glint in the florescent lights. Paige's nose wrinkled.
"They aren't." "I guess this isn't your seat then, is it?" Chloe asked, and Paige looked furious. "Look hon, you're new here so I'll let you off the hook this once. Here's a hint, though. Don't cross me. I am the Queen Bee, and you'll regret it." Chloe merely smiled serenely.
"Well Queenie, you may want to do yourself a favor and run along to the washroom. Apparently it's en vogue around here to wear your clothes a few sizes too small, but I'm pretty sure it's not in fashion to go around with your fly unzipped."
Paige looked shocked and appalled as her hand flew to her mouth. The eyes of everyone in the room traveled swiftly to the area in question. Sure enough, her zipper lay unused at the base of its track. Coloring quickly, Paige made a hasty retreat to the washroom as Chloe settled more comfortably into the seat. The laughter was so uproarious that Mr. Simpson had to ask for quiet several times and threaten three separate students with lengthy detentions before he could begin the class. Paige slunk back in halfway through, shooting daggers at the girl occupying her seat next to Spinner.
"The girl is deranged." Paige spoke later, as she sat on the courtyard wall with Spinner and Jimmy. Across the courtyard Chloe sat with Ashley. The two were laughing together loudly, and Ashley looked a lot happier than anyone had seen in a while. Spinner shook his head.
"The girl is hot." He replied, and Paige spun to face him.
"Hot? Did you just say she's HOT?! She's a freak. She's a Goth weirdo." She argued, hitting Spinner on the arm.
"Actually, Paige, I wouldn't exactly call her a Goth. Just because she's dressed in all black, I mean, she's not even wearing makeup." Jimmy added.
"Yes, she is! I can see her black eyeliner from here!" Paige attested, gesturing wildly.
"He doesn't mean that kind of makeup. He means the white stuff. And the black lipstick." Spinner explained. Paige shrugged.
"What makes her so hot?" Paige asked, and the two boys squinted in thought.
"I don't know, she just is. She's got pretty hair." Spinner started, scratching his chin. Paige was livid.
"Pretty hair? It's blonde. It's long. So what. I have long blonde hair, too. It's nothing special."
"Yeah, but hers looks natural. Plus it's really shiny." Jimmy replied, and immediately received a smack on the arm.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, looking from boy to boy.
"Well, you have those dark roots." Spinner explained carefully. A look of rage started to blossom on her face and Spinner quickly reversed his track. "It's still really nice hair, though, even if it's not naturally blonde."
"Yeah, Paige. You do have really, really nice hair." Jimmy added. Suddenly he thought of something else. "Have you seen her eyes?"
"Yeah!! They're a crazy green color . . . " Spinner replied, getting into the conversation again.
" . . . And they're really, really big!"
"And she has those long dark eyelashes . . . "
"Enough!!" Paige screamed, picking up her nearby bag and walking briskly into the school. Spinner and Jimmy looked at each other and laughed, then stood to follow after her. Across the courtyard, Ashley and Chloe were talking more quietly.
"And now none of them will speak to you?" Chloe asked. Ashley shook her head, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"I tried to apologize, but Paige just laughed at me." Ashley explained, voice starting to crack. Chloe placed a consolatory hand on her shoulder and smiled comfortingly.
"Don't worry, Ash. They'll get over it, and if they don't they're not worth having for friends anyway. Paige's reign of terror can't last forever." Chloe explained, and Ashley laughed again.
"I hope you're right."
Both girls went back to eating their respective lunches when Chloe caught sight of a dark head across the crowd. Her mouth fell open in shock and she dropped her lunch bag on the floor. Surprising Ashley, she jumped up off the ground and raced across the courtyard to where Craig Manning stood talking to Sean. Without a word she slipped her hands over his eyes.
Caught off guard, Craig jumped and spun around. There he found the last person in the world he would have expected to see. His heart leapt up into his throat and pounded like a hammer. A look of shock skidded across his face, which was quickly replaced by one of joy as he gathered her up into his arms.
"Chloe Davidson, what on earth are you doing here?" He asked, setting her down. She smiled up at him broadly.
"Same as you, I imagine. Going to school. I can't believe it's you! I haven't seen you in over a year!" she cried, kissing his cheeks and quickly squeezing him again. "I missed you."
"Chloe was my best friend growing up. We were neighbors." Craig explained to the quietly dumbfounded Sean, who still stood nearby. "When you went away to school, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I missed you so much. Why'd you stop writing me?"
"I wrote you all the time. In fact, I wrote you last week to tell you I was coming back to the states." She replied, a look of suspicion spreading across her face. "I just assumed you hadn't written back because of your mother."
"I stopped getting letters right after my mother died. Where did you send them?" He asked, an equally suspicious look appearing on his face.
"To Joey Jeremiah's house. I assumed that's where you still lived." She replied. "You're not living with your father again, are you?"
"Joey said he'd forward anything." Craig spoke, avoiding the subject and fiddling with his shirtsleeve. He absently tugged it over his wrist bone, where Chloe was sure she saw bruising.
"Craig." She said, warning in her voice. Craig ignored it and smiled brightly.
"Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it?" I'm so glad you're home!" He cried, pulling her into another hug. Sean raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
"Craig, we've got to go to class now." Sean spoke, pulling on his shirt and gesturing toward the school. Craig nodded and kissed Chloe's forehead one last time.
"Meet me out front after school. We can catch up some more." He told her, walking back up the stairs. Chloe nodded and started back to Ashley, who had watched the whole scene from her spot on the ground. Once she had arrived back Chloe smiled apologetically.
"Sorry about that, Ash." She spoke, helping Ashley gather up the trash.
"Old friend?" Ashley asked with a grin, and Chloe smiled as the two headed back into the school.
