Craig and Michelle walked quietly to Michelle's house. It was cold outside, and there was snow everywhere. They had a very narrow sidewalk path, and on each side of them was a bank of snow at least three feet tall. Craig decided to break the silence first. "Thanks….I mean…I was really surprised you came after me. And I know I didn't show it back there, but I was also really impressed that you did. I'm not the greatest guy in the world, and for the past few months, I have been kind of isolated to myself, with all the girls of Degrassi hating me and everything. It takes a toll on me." "Don't get all mushy on me, Craig Manning." Michelle teased as she playfully bumped him with her shoulder. "Hey!" He said as he laughed. He pushed her back, only Michelle lost her balance and started teetering backwards. She instinctively grabbed Craig's arm to keep her steady, only to make him fall into the snow with her. "OH MY GOD!! THIS IS SOOO COLD!" Michelle yelled. She jumped up out of the snow, threw some on Craig, and ran. "You are so going to get it." "Not if you can't catch me, Manning!" Unfortunately, Michelle didn't have the best shoes on for running on ice. As soon as she started gliding, she stopped moving her legs, which was smart. She slipped and plopped down right on her butt, and then felt something crash into her back. That something was Craig, who also doesn't know how to run on ice. When he hit the ground they both burst out laughing. Craig was laughing so hard his face was turning red. Michelle got up and ran the rest of the way to her house, with Craig right on her tracks. When they burst through her front door, they were shivering. They took off their coats and shoes, and went right up into Michelle's room. "Ohhh…" Michelle said as she pulled green sweatpants and a Ramones t-shirt out of her dresser. "I'm sooo soaked. I'm going to change." Craig just stood there. "Umm…do you mind turning around or something?" "Oh! Right! Sorry." As Craig turned around he heard Michelle laughing. And then realized he saw her laughing too. He was facing the mirror, which in turn made it possible for him to see Michelle. "What's so funny?" Craig asked. "Your accent. The way you say 'sorry' and 'about' and some other words. It's so cute. And funny." She continued laughing as she peeled her soaking shirt off. Craig gulped as he watched in the mirror. He looked at his feet. Goood boy, Craig. Don't be so indecent to such a good person to watch her undress. He looked into the mirror. Michelle had just pulled her pants off. Although she is very attractive. She acts as if she's horrid. If she only knew…CRAIG! Stop looking you perv! God, you are such a horrible person. Craig looked down at his feet. "Okay, you can turn around now." Craig turned around and smiled. "Alright. Now that I'm all dry….oh my gosh! I forgot! You're soaked still!" "It's okay….I…I can just run home and change, okay? I'll be back in ten minutes." "Umm…okay." Michelle walked Craig to the door and watched him go. She then went into the kitchen and made some snacks for them, drinks too. She put them in the living room, and sat on the leather couch with a blanket as she awaited Craig's return. (5 minutes later) Craig burst through the doors. "Ah!" "Oh...sorry. I should've knocked." "It's okay. Wow. That was fast. You must've ran." "I did." He said as he laughed. He joined her on the couch, grabbing a blanket. They silently watched t.v. "Craig…can I ask you something?" "Anything." "Why….at school….why did you say that stuff about your Dad?" "oh…that. Um….my Dad used to hit me. And I moved out of his house and into Joey's when people found out. And then my Dad wanted to be part of my life again. But he died." "I'm sorry, Craig. I know that doesn't mean anything, but I really shouldn't have asked." "It's alright. Really." "Are you sure? I mean, I feel so insensitive to ask such a --" "It's okay! Trust me." "I do." Michelle smiled. "You know Craig, you sometimes seem to come off as having a really self-loathing attitude towards yourself." "If you were me, wouldn't you?" "I wish you saw what I saw. You are such a better person than you think." "Look at me! I'm a fool! I'm an idiot!!" "I'm looking at you, but I still don't know what you're talking about." "you just don't get it, Michelle. I hate myself. I'm a horrible person. You couldn't understand." "I couldn't understand?! I think I can understand more than anyone else, Craig. I was hospitalized for self-destructive behavior. I went to a psychologist every week for a year. Don't try to tell me I don't understand." Michelle stood up and walked out of the room. She walked into the kitchen and put her hands on the counter to stabalize her. She heard Craig walking into the kitchen and soon felt his hand on her shoulder. "I didn't…I didn't know." "No, really?" She said in a sarcastic voice. "I'm sorry, okay?" She turned around. "Don't bother. It's all behind me, and I'm fine now. But you aren't. Craig…you're understanding, funny, smart, artistic, have great friends, and just made a couple of mistakes. It's okay. You need to accept that." Craig forced a smile of agreement. What does she know. She hasn't felt what I've felt. Might as well make her feel useful though. He thought to himself. "Hey, I have an idea." Craig said. "What?" "Let's go to my house and hang out there." "That is a really good idea. I'm getting sick of this place." Michelle quickly scribbled down a note telling her mom that after school she went over to a friends house and would be home for dinner. Just so her mom wouldn't know she left early. "Alright, let's go!" When they got to Craig's house, they had to go through the garage. Michelle looked around as Craig unlocked the door. She saw his guitar. "Wait! Play me something!" She said jumping up and down. Craig blushed a little, and said, "If you insist." Michelle sat on the arm of the itchy couch as Craig went over to his guitar, picked it up, and plugged it in. He mouthed the words 'one, two, one, two, three, four'. Then began strumming away an intense rhythm. Michelle found it incredible. But what she found even more incredible, was his singing voice. She listened intently. "Trying, to hear me, everyone knows that you love me. If we argue, we're going back to the same place we started. TryEN to hear me, everyone knows that you love me, if we, argue, we're going back to the same place we started, and then come back again." Craig then played a quiter rhythm that had so much feeling in it, that Michelle couldn't stand it. Then, what he sang, made shivers go through her spine. She never heard more sincerity, or a more angel like voice. "Every time I cry….I try to change myself….every time I cry….I CRYYYYYY" Craig finished off the song with the chorus and some sceaming, and looked up at Michelle, who had her jaw dropped. He felt really dumb. "What. Was it bad?" "…Wow…that…was hot." They both laughed. "No, really Craig. That was like….amazing. Mind blowing. I've never heard anything so…true. You want to know why is was so amazing?" "Why?" "Because I saw you. I really saw you. This song was written by you, completely about you, wasn't it?" She didn't give him time to answer, because she already knew the answer. "You let your walls down, and showed yourself. And I really liked it. You'll have to play for me again sometime." "Sure…um…do you play anything?" "No. I'm musically illiterate." "Maybe I'll teach you sometime." "Awesome." "Alright, let's go inside." They went inside and did the same thing they did at Michelle's house. Came in, sat on the couch, and flipped on the television. Only this time, they fell asleep until Joey and Angie came home. "Daddy!" Angie whispered. "Craig and Michelle are sleeping on the couch." Joey laughed to himself. "Angie, go get the camera…" The next morning when Michelle woke up, she knew she was in some deep shit when it came time to go to school. She got in a fight with Paige. Her friends were goinhg to abandon her. Not that Craig wasn't a great friend, but a girl can't get along with only one friend. So as Michelle step through the doors of Degrassi on the cold morning, she tried to prepare herself for the worst. But she was going to be the bigger person and go apoligize. She found Ashley, Ellie, and Paige all talking by Hazel's locker, probably waiting for her. Before Paige could even get out a word, Michelle started talking. "Listen, Paige. I definitely stepped over the boundry yesterday. You have no idea how sorry I am either. But you have to try and understand--" "Understand what? That you hit me for a loser?" "PAIGE! You just don't get it. Craig was one of the first people to be-friend me when I came here. I trust him, and I owe him. Big time. He is a good friend of mine, and I thought you were too. And if you were, you would have respected the fact that I was friends with Craig and you wouldn't have insulted him." "But--" "Not yet. As I said, I'm sorry. I over reacted and I cam here this morning hoping you would forgive me, but I will totally understand if you won't." Michelle looked at her feet. "Listen hun, if you ever pull something like that again, I will personally make sure you never have any friends again." Michelle looked up and smiled. Then gave Paige a hug. "Thanks, Paige." Craig watched from a distance. I can't keep her from having other friends. That would be unfair. She is, though, one of the best people I've ever known. Sort of. I mean, at least she makes an effort. But she doesn't really help, only temporarily. He thought. Someone grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. "Yo, dude! What was with the wigging out yesterday?" Spinner said, tactless. "Just having a bad day." The bell rang, cutting their conversation short. Craig was thankful. He couldn't explain things to Spin, or Jimmy, or Marco. And he didn't even want to try. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The song sung by Craig in this chapter is actually part of a song Jake Epstein's band, Mind the Gap, play. The song is entitled "Cocky" and you can listen to it at http:zed.cbc.ca/go.ZeD?POS=3&CONTENTID=46376&FILTERKEY=372177&page=content BTW, thanks for all of the R &R!