Thursday night was a big night for most of the kids of Degrassi. Sammy was folding up her night clothes in her overnight bag and started stuffing a duffle bag for Gabriel. Craig was sitting on the bed.

"Chill, Sammy, everything's going to be cool," Craig said.

"I know, I haven't been away from Gabriel for more than a school day," she said, folding his things up and putting them away.

Craig threw his legs onto the floor and grabbed her around the waist and sat her down next to him. "Everything's going to be fine," Craig said. "He's going to be with me. And Joey. And Caitlin. And Angie. And Jimmy and Spinner."

"Spinner? Ok, now I'm worried," Sammy replied.

Craig laughed. "We're keeping him away from the spray cheese."

"Huh?"

"Tell you later."

"Ok."

Craig smiled. He, Marco, and Sean never let Spinner live that down. Not that Spinner cared anyway. "You finished packing?" he asked.

"Now I am," she said. She turned and he kissed her long and hard.

*****

Dylan fell back on his bed as his younger sister rummaged through his closet and tossed things at him. "I don't think this has seen daylight," she said, pulling out a sweater.

"Where did I get that anyway?" he asked.

She looked at him. "I got it for you for Christmas."

Dylan smiled. "I know. I was just picking on you."

She smiled back at him. "Then wear it," she said. She pulled out a pair of jeans and tossed them at him. "Perfect!"

"You know, Marco just thinks that we're just hanging out," he said.

"Dylan, you didn't tell him that you liked him?" Paige asked.

"It's hard, Paige." He pulled himself up and leaned against the headboard and folded his arms. "Not to mention, it's kind of weird that I'm dating my kid sister's boyfriend's friend. And also not to mention that my kid sister's boyfriend is homophobic."

Paige sat down next to her brother. "Well, if he's going to keep going out with me, he's got to get use to it, right?" she said.

"Right," he replied.

She looked at her watch. "Gotta go pack for Terri's."

"Thanks, Paige," he said.

"No biggie," she replied. She jumped up and bounded to her bedroom. Dylan heard the door shut and he laid back down on his pillow and thought about the perfect first date with Marco. They had worked out the details, he was going to pick him up and they were going to the mall for dinner and a movie. Who knows how the rest of the night would go?

*****

Meanwhile, Marco was going through his own closet. "No, no, no," he said, with each outfit. He groaned.

"Big date?" his brother, Carlos asked at the door.

Marco turned and looked at him. "Maybe," he said.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Carlos asked. He leaned up against Marco's wall.

"It's not actually a date."

"Then what is it."

"Dinner and a movie."

"Sounds like a date."

"It's not a date. I'm just hanging out with Paige's brother."

"The fairy?"

Marco closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "His name's Dylan Michalchuk."

"Yeah, I know his name. He's a fag!"

This proves it, Marco thought. My brother's homophobic. "Carlos," he said, through gritted teeth.

"What? You going to take up for him?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Why?"

Marco lowered his voice. "Because I'm gay."

"What?" Carlos asked.

Marco spun. "I'm gay! I'm a fag! A fairy! A fruitcake! A queer! Whatever the hell you want to call me! I like Dylan! Ok!" he yelled.

Carlos sunk back. "You're…" he said.

"Gay!" Marco finished his sentence for him.

Carlos blinked and then slipped out of the room.

Marco took a deep breath and fell back onto his bed.

"Marco, what's all the screaming about?" Mrs. del Rossi asked, walking in.

Marco looked at her and sat up as his father walked in. "I'm just getting ready for a date tomorrow," he said.

"With a faggot!" Carlos said, following them.

Mr. and Mrs. del Rossi looked at Marco. "What's going on here?" Mrs. del Rossi asked.

"I've got a date with Dylan Michalchuk. Mom, Dad," he swallowed. "I'm gay."

They looked at one another and then back at Marco.

"Well?" he asked.

"I'm going to go…do something," Mrs. del Rossi said, turning and leaving the room.

"Mom, I'm sorry," he apologized.

Mr. del Rossi went after his wife. "Honey," he said.

Marco sat down on his bed. Carlos stared at him. He looked up at him. "Go away," Marco said.

Carlos turned and walked away.

Marco got up and closed the door and sat down next to the door and listened to his parents and brother's conversation.

"Mom, what are people going to say?" Carlos asked.

"Drop it Carlos," Mr. del Rossi said.

"Well?"

"They aren't going to say anything," Mrs. del Rossi replied.

"How do you know?"

"I'll scratch their eyes out!"

Marco smiled. He really hadn't disappointed his mother, she just wanted to avoid this conversation.

"And if you don't drop this subject," his mother continued. "You're going to be grounded for two months."

"Why? Because my brother's a fag?"

"Drop it, Carlos!"

Marco jumped at the tone in his mother's voice. He smiled. "Thanks, Mom," he whispered.

There was a knock at the door. He stood up and opened it and Mrs. del Rossi walked in. "So what are your plans?" she asked.

"He's going to pick me up, we'll go to the mall, dinner, movie, and then he'll bring me home," Marco said.

She nodded. "Only under one condition," she said. "I have to meet him first."

"Deal."

"I love you, baby."

"Love you, too, Mom," he said.

Mrs. del Rossi kissed him on the forehead and then turned and left the room. He didn't know about his father but he knew his mother was on his side.

*****

The phone rang at the Nash's. Ellie answered it while picking up the empty vodka bottles off of the floor around her mother. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hey," Marco said. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I came out to my family."

"Without me? Bravo! Didn't think you had it in you."

"Thank you. Neither did I. But Carlos isn't too happy about it. He's afraid people will talk."

"And your parents?" She dropped the bottles into the glass recycling container and then went to her room and finished packing for Terri's.

"Mom's cool with it. She nearly chewed Carlos' head off and she said she'd scratch their eyes out."

Ellie laughed. "I can't actually see your mom doing that."

"Neither can I."

"But I won't miss the show."

Marco laughed. "Man, I'm nervous," he said.

Ellie tucked some of her hair back behind her ears trying not to snag onto one of her loop earrings. "Everything's going to go great."

"Hope you're right," he replied.

"I always am."

"Not really, El."

"I'm so close to hanging up on you."

He laughed. "I'm joking!"

"No, you were right."

"Well, I have to hunt for something to wear!"

"Ok. Bye."

"Bye."

Ellie hung up and finished packing and then fell into her desk chair and propped her head up on her elbow and picked up her father's letter.

Dear Ellie,

Hi, sweetheart! I miss you. Not much is going on here. How's "Fort Nash"? You keeping it up for me? I think of you everyday. I love you, Ellie.

Well, I got to run. (I always stunk at righting writing letters).

With love,

Dad

Ellie smiled. "I miss you, too, Dad," she said. She leaned back in her chair. She had already written him back and had mailed it that afternoon as soon as she opened it. She put it back in the envelope and put it in her memory box and smiled, blinking back tears. "I love you." She couldn't hold in the tears anymore and she started crying.