This takes place one year after Holiday. Craig and Ashley are friends again.
If there was one thing that you would comment on in the small city of Degrassi, it would be the mall. Degrassi boasted a huge 3-story mall with a small section for rides with a train riding around the whole thing, numerous shops and stores and stalls, and a movie theater. A mall so big even Paige Michelchuck could go to again and again each weekend and still find herself occupied.
Then again, perhaps it was just retail therapy. Her recent (2 weeks ago) breakup with Spinner had kind of shattered her, so at first Hazel and Ashley were at her beck and call, bringing her ice cream and throwing darts at a picture of "that boy". Now, however, the seemed quite over it and the only reason for her to fret was the thought that that bitch would ask him out. The devil, in the form of Heather Sinclair. So far, though, Heather had done no such thing and Paige and Spinner remained friends.
It was a cold winter day when Ashley found herself yet again escorting Paige to the mall. Searching through the racks at uncountable stores for some dress to wear to some Christmas party that they were going to.
On-again-and-off-again Jimmy and Hazel, certainly on-again now, cuddled in the dark of the Movie Theater, watching the rerun of Elf. She had her head on his shoulder as they laughed along with the rest of the audience.
It was four in the afternoon and at least 5 other Degrassi students were in the mall, doing different things. Craig and Spinner were working at the rides. Ellie provided caffeine fixes for tired Christmas-shopping parents. Marco and Dylan were shopping for presents.
Smiling, this was a pleasant day. Dylan and Marco had planned to go tobogganing after their mall excursion.
All of a sudden, a loud voice came blaring over the sound system.
"Shoppers- Sorry for the inconvenience, there is a large snowstorm outside. It is not safe to leave the building. I'm sorry, all shoppers must stay inside the premises until further notice. I repeat, there is a large snowstorm…."
"Oh, my god!" Marco squealed. "We're trapped!" His boyfriend slowly nodded, reaching down to hug the young boy.
"We'll be OK, I'm sure we'll be out soon."
Spinner looked out the window. Yup, the snow was falling pretty hard and fast. He stared, watching the glistening snowflakes fall lightly…
"Hey kid! Stop the ride already, will you?" Spinner looked down at the control buttons. Oops. He had already had the Ferris wheel running for double time.
Craig had left the merry-go-round on for double time, too.
Ellie let the hot chocolate she was making pour all over the floor, staring at the wall in shock.
"That's OK," said Paige, "We'll just get lots of shopping done."
"Paige, we're STUCK here. Maybe you don't understand. Stuck."
"yeah, well, lots of shopping anyway."
Stuck. The word went over and over though Ellie's ears as she walked through the mall quickly, only to bump into somebody.
"Hey, Ellie! Why are you here?"
"Oh… Craig, hi. I, um, work at Starbucks now. Um… how are you doing?"
"OK, um, so how do you think this snowed-in thing is going to work?"
"I really couldn't say."
Suddenly all the lights went off. Somebody shrieked.