First Part : Section 2
Degrassi Community School
October 4th
Emma Nelson was having a bad day. Actually she was having one of those "no good, horrible, very bad" days, but it took too much energy to say all of that, let alone think it. Hence why she sufficed with just "bad". And perhaps the worst part was that there wasn't just one thing to direct all of her anger at. She had to use up more precious energy being pissed at multiple targets.
Thus, by the time she got to 6th period (Geometry with Armstrong), she was exhausted and scowling. By the time she left, the scowl had darkened and, if it was possible, she felt even more tired.
"Could this day get ANY worse?" she muttered under her breath as she exited the classroom. Her answer came in the form of a running senior who crashed into her, sending books, folders, loose papers, and whatever else that had been in Emma's backpack sprawling across the floor.
A string of curses that would've put Sean Cameron to shame escaped the sophomore's mouth. She was kneeling on the floor, gathering up various things, when a pair of scuffed and worn black shoes entered her line of vision. The cursing abruptly stopped as the shoes' owner kneeled down with Emma and handed back stuff that had made its way to the other end of the hallway.
When the two girls were finished, Emma stood up and brushed herself off.
"Thanks," she said to the girl, her face reflecting the pure gratitude she felt.
"It's nothing, really. I know that when people knock my stuff to the floor I always wish I had someone to help and..." The girl trailed off and looked away.
"Um, I'm Emma, Emma Nelson."
The girl smiled. "I'm Cassidy O'Branigan."
"So, what class do you have now, Cassidy?" Emma asked politely as they started walking down the hall.
"English with Miss Kwan."
"Really? I have that too!"
"I know," Cassidy remarked quietly. Emma's face bloomed into a bright red and Cassidy giggled. She had a nice laugh and Emma immediately decided that she liked Cassidy O'Branigan.
"Don't worry about it," the other girl added. "If they gave grades based on ability to infiltrate the student body unnoticed, I'd be an triple A-plus."
Emma laughed too.
Her no good, horrible, very bad day suddenly seemed a little more bareable.
After School
Cassidy nearly stepped on the girl who had been sitting on the school steps. For one thing, Cassidy was positive that she was the only one who stayed at school this late, and secondly, the girl had just kept snapping her rubber band, which made Cassidy slightly nervous.
"Are you okay?" Cassidy asked, sitting down beside the redhead.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," the girl dressed in black answered absently. "Just waiting for my mom."
Cassidy recognized the tone of voice in the last part; it represented known futility.
"Is she having car trouble?" ventured Cassidy carefully.
"No. I don't think so."
"Oh." There was an uncomfortable pause before Cassidy spoke again.
"Well, um, I live a few blocks away. You could call your mom, and if she's having trouble, then I'm sure my mom could give you a ride."
The girl turned to look at Cassidy for the first time and a smile slowly dawned on her face.
"Sure."
As they walked, the girl introduced herself as Ellie Nash. Cassidy knew that an "Ellie Nash" was going out with Sean Cameron, and blushed as confessed she'd always had a crush on Sean. From that point on, the topic of conversation drifted from Sean to just boys in general.
The girls were just starting to recover from another fit of giggles when Cassidy stopped and pointed to a house.
"That's mine," she told Ellie.
Ellie looked at the house for a moment, trying to remember every little detail: she liked to try and find the "person" inside each building. Cassidy's house looked like it could use a fresh coat of paint and a good weekend of fixing up, but Ellie had a feeling that it was run-down in the same sense as a favorite teddy bear or cherished stuffed animal. When using the Branigan house as a backdrop, it was Ellie who stood out instead of Cassidy.
Cassidy opened the door and stepped inside, setting her backpack down on a shelf just inside the doorway.
"Mom! I'm home! I've got a friend who needs to use the phone!" she yelled. Ellie stood quietly in the front hall, looking around curiously like every person does in a new house.
A bush of curly brown hair appeared from the kitchen doorway, and Justine O'Branigan embraced her daughter lovingly. A pang of homesickness struck Ellie suddenly, and she found herself wishing that her mother would hug her like that.
"Hey, Cassie," Justine said as she squeezed Cassidy.
"Hi, Mom," Cassidy replied. She pulled away from her mother and indicated the patiently-waiting Ellie.
"This is Ellie Nash. Ellie, this is my mom, Justine."
"It's nice to meet you, Ellie," Justine smiled, offering a slightly-damp hand. Ellie shook it and returned the smile.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. O'Branigan," she answered politely. Justine waved a hand carelessly.
"Call me Justine, please."
Ellie nodded and followed them into the kitchen. A sinkful of soapy water and dishes revealed why Justine's hand had been a little wet, and a plate of Oreos waited on the nearby table.
"The phone's in the living room, honey," Justine told Ellie, pointing into the bright room across from the kitchen.
Ellie nodded again and headed out in search of the phone.
Like everything else in the house, the furniture seemed well-used and the phone had various stickers plastered all over it. Ellie knew that her mom wouldn't be awake or sober enough to answer the phone, but she still made the call, if only for show.
She dreaded going back into the cheery kitchen with the daughter and mother so at ease with each other. But it had to be done. So she trudged back across the hall and put on a cheerful smile.
"My mom's having some car trouble," she lied, "Could you possibly give me a ride?"
"Sure, kiddo," Justine grinned. She rinsed her hands off and dried them using a paper towel. "I'll be back in a bit, 'kay, Cassie?"
Cassidy nodded around a mouthful of cookies and waved good-bye to Ellie as the teen left.
The ride was painfully quiet despite Ellie's overwhelming desire to say anything to Justine. Using one- or two-word answers, she directed Cassidy's mom to the small house they held near the military base.
"So you're a military brat?" Justine asked as she parked the car alongside the crub. "I was one too. I moved all over the world from the time I was born to the time I left for college. But I'm guessing that moving isn't your problem."
Ellie looked over at the older woman, her heart pounding in her chest. Justine returned the gaze, her eyes sadder than they'd seemed back at the house.
"Life can be rough enough without having a parent in the military. I've had my fair share of rough times, Ellie, and I know how much something tiney-tiny can do." She sighed and focused on the world outside the windshield. When she looked back at Ellie, the sadness was gone from her eyes and a weary smile was on her face.
"We'd love to have you for dinner some time, Ellie. And Sean can come too, if he wants."
A question formed itself on Ellie's lips, and Justine cut her off.
"Cassidy and I keep up with what's going on in each other's lives, for the most part. Don't think she hasn't told me about her crush on Sean and how a girl named Ellie Nash had started going out with him," she explained, the smile broadening.
"See you later," Ellie finally choked out. Justine agreed with a nod of her head, then drove off after Ellie started up the front walk.
Right then and there, Ellie decided that she would definitely take Mrs. O'Branigan up on that offer.
Degrassi Community School
October 4th
Emma Nelson was having a bad day. Actually she was having one of those "no good, horrible, very bad" days, but it took too much energy to say all of that, let alone think it. Hence why she sufficed with just "bad". And perhaps the worst part was that there wasn't just one thing to direct all of her anger at. She had to use up more precious energy being pissed at multiple targets.
Thus, by the time she got to 6th period (Geometry with Armstrong), she was exhausted and scowling. By the time she left, the scowl had darkened and, if it was possible, she felt even more tired.
"Could this day get ANY worse?" she muttered under her breath as she exited the classroom. Her answer came in the form of a running senior who crashed into her, sending books, folders, loose papers, and whatever else that had been in Emma's backpack sprawling across the floor.
A string of curses that would've put Sean Cameron to shame escaped the sophomore's mouth. She was kneeling on the floor, gathering up various things, when a pair of scuffed and worn black shoes entered her line of vision. The cursing abruptly stopped as the shoes' owner kneeled down with Emma and handed back stuff that had made its way to the other end of the hallway.
When the two girls were finished, Emma stood up and brushed herself off.
"Thanks," she said to the girl, her face reflecting the pure gratitude she felt.
"It's nothing, really. I know that when people knock my stuff to the floor I always wish I had someone to help and..." The girl trailed off and looked away.
"Um, I'm Emma, Emma Nelson."
The girl smiled. "I'm Cassidy O'Branigan."
"So, what class do you have now, Cassidy?" Emma asked politely as they started walking down the hall.
"English with Miss Kwan."
"Really? I have that too!"
"I know," Cassidy remarked quietly. Emma's face bloomed into a bright red and Cassidy giggled. She had a nice laugh and Emma immediately decided that she liked Cassidy O'Branigan.
"Don't worry about it," the other girl added. "If they gave grades based on ability to infiltrate the student body unnoticed, I'd be an triple A-plus."
Emma laughed too.
Her no good, horrible, very bad day suddenly seemed a little more bareable.
After School
Cassidy nearly stepped on the girl who had been sitting on the school steps. For one thing, Cassidy was positive that she was the only one who stayed at school this late, and secondly, the girl had just kept snapping her rubber band, which made Cassidy slightly nervous.
"Are you okay?" Cassidy asked, sitting down beside the redhead.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," the girl dressed in black answered absently. "Just waiting for my mom."
Cassidy recognized the tone of voice in the last part; it represented known futility.
"Is she having car trouble?" ventured Cassidy carefully.
"No. I don't think so."
"Oh." There was an uncomfortable pause before Cassidy spoke again.
"Well, um, I live a few blocks away. You could call your mom, and if she's having trouble, then I'm sure my mom could give you a ride."
The girl turned to look at Cassidy for the first time and a smile slowly dawned on her face.
"Sure."
As they walked, the girl introduced herself as Ellie Nash. Cassidy knew that an "Ellie Nash" was going out with Sean Cameron, and blushed as confessed she'd always had a crush on Sean. From that point on, the topic of conversation drifted from Sean to just boys in general.
The girls were just starting to recover from another fit of giggles when Cassidy stopped and pointed to a house.
"That's mine," she told Ellie.
Ellie looked at the house for a moment, trying to remember every little detail: she liked to try and find the "person" inside each building. Cassidy's house looked like it could use a fresh coat of paint and a good weekend of fixing up, but Ellie had a feeling that it was run-down in the same sense as a favorite teddy bear or cherished stuffed animal. When using the Branigan house as a backdrop, it was Ellie who stood out instead of Cassidy.
Cassidy opened the door and stepped inside, setting her backpack down on a shelf just inside the doorway.
"Mom! I'm home! I've got a friend who needs to use the phone!" she yelled. Ellie stood quietly in the front hall, looking around curiously like every person does in a new house.
A bush of curly brown hair appeared from the kitchen doorway, and Justine O'Branigan embraced her daughter lovingly. A pang of homesickness struck Ellie suddenly, and she found herself wishing that her mother would hug her like that.
"Hey, Cassie," Justine said as she squeezed Cassidy.
"Hi, Mom," Cassidy replied. She pulled away from her mother and indicated the patiently-waiting Ellie.
"This is Ellie Nash. Ellie, this is my mom, Justine."
"It's nice to meet you, Ellie," Justine smiled, offering a slightly-damp hand. Ellie shook it and returned the smile.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. O'Branigan," she answered politely. Justine waved a hand carelessly.
"Call me Justine, please."
Ellie nodded and followed them into the kitchen. A sinkful of soapy water and dishes revealed why Justine's hand had been a little wet, and a plate of Oreos waited on the nearby table.
"The phone's in the living room, honey," Justine told Ellie, pointing into the bright room across from the kitchen.
Ellie nodded again and headed out in search of the phone.
Like everything else in the house, the furniture seemed well-used and the phone had various stickers plastered all over it. Ellie knew that her mom wouldn't be awake or sober enough to answer the phone, but she still made the call, if only for show.
She dreaded going back into the cheery kitchen with the daughter and mother so at ease with each other. But it had to be done. So she trudged back across the hall and put on a cheerful smile.
"My mom's having some car trouble," she lied, "Could you possibly give me a ride?"
"Sure, kiddo," Justine grinned. She rinsed her hands off and dried them using a paper towel. "I'll be back in a bit, 'kay, Cassie?"
Cassidy nodded around a mouthful of cookies and waved good-bye to Ellie as the teen left.
The ride was painfully quiet despite Ellie's overwhelming desire to say anything to Justine. Using one- or two-word answers, she directed Cassidy's mom to the small house they held near the military base.
"So you're a military brat?" Justine asked as she parked the car alongside the crub. "I was one too. I moved all over the world from the time I was born to the time I left for college. But I'm guessing that moving isn't your problem."
Ellie looked over at the older woman, her heart pounding in her chest. Justine returned the gaze, her eyes sadder than they'd seemed back at the house.
"Life can be rough enough without having a parent in the military. I've had my fair share of rough times, Ellie, and I know how much something tiney-tiny can do." She sighed and focused on the world outside the windshield. When she looked back at Ellie, the sadness was gone from her eyes and a weary smile was on her face.
"We'd love to have you for dinner some time, Ellie. And Sean can come too, if he wants."
A question formed itself on Ellie's lips, and Justine cut her off.
"Cassidy and I keep up with what's going on in each other's lives, for the most part. Don't think she hasn't told me about her crush on Sean and how a girl named Ellie Nash had started going out with him," she explained, the smile broadening.
"See you later," Ellie finally choked out. Justine agreed with a nod of her head, then drove off after Ellie started up the front walk.
Right then and there, Ellie decided that she would definitely take Mrs. O'Branigan up on that offer.