Author's Note: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I love getting feedback! And, for season five of Degrassi:TNG, I hope to see a Paige/Jay pairing, even if it's just for one episode! That would be so awesome! And, to oxBoulevard of Broken Dreamsxo, thanks! I'm glad another Green Day fan is reading my stuff- you rock too! Everyone rocks! Hehehe . . . Ok, so where did we leave off? Oh, Paige and Jay in the diner . . .

"Now this," Jay pointed his fork at his plate and said to me through a mouthful of food, "is really good. These cooks should work in our lunchroom."

"Yeah, you might actually stay at school until lunch," I smirked. How could he eat that stuff? I wondered. It looked like someone's lunch from Sheila, just, well, recycled, if you know what I mean. I took another bite of the battered fish on my plate. I had to admit, Jay had a point. This cook really knows what they're doing.

I didn't get a response from Jay. I think his food was keeping him busy. Ha. Me Jay, me like food, yum yum food. I had to keep from laughing aloud.

The waitress came around with their checks. "How is everything?"

Jay nodded and swallowed another heaping forkful of food. "Great!"

At least he doesn't have food in his mouth this time, Paige thought.

They finished their meals, and Paige pulled out her wallet. "I have a 20. Do you have change?"

"I got this."

"Huh?" Jay was offering to buy her dinner? What was happening here? she thought.

"I said," he repeated slowly, "I got this." He shrugged. "I almost ran you over, I can at least pay for your dinner." He got up and walked to the register, with Paige hobbling behind him. She leaned against the counter as Jay pulled out some money and handed it to the cashier. "Make sure the waitress gets that tip," he said, almost menacingly.

"Yes, sir," the cashier nodded.

Jay looked at Paige. "I have to use the pisser."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks for sharing."

He shook his head. "I'll be right back." He headed to the men's room.

Jay finished his business, then went to wash his hands. He just got them wet when he felt a stinging sensation on his right palm. A bloodless cut. Probably from Alex's lamp, when he hurled it at the ground earlier. He sighed as he rubbed soap on his hands, his right one still stinging. That bitch, he thought. That heartless bitch. How could she? Didn't matter, she didn't matter anymore.

You do care. Paige's voice echoed in his head. He rested his head forward, against the mirror. She was right. I do care. I mean, we have our fights, but, I do care about Alex. But, lately we've been fighting over everything. Tonight was our last stand, he decided. I can't deal with this anymore. It's not right. As much as I care about Alex, our relationship isn't healthy, it's not doing any of us any good. Jay let out another heavy sigh, this time feeling better, a little relieved. Alex and I are over. No more make-ups. This is it. And it's better this way.

He hadn't even realized the water was still running over his hands until he went to scratch his nose. He shook the water off of his face, turned off the faucet, and dried his hands. The cut on his palm didn't sting anymore, he realized as he threw away the paper towel. I guess washing it out was what needed to happen, he thought, not entirely talking about the cut.

As Jay walked out, he saw the cashier, leaned up against the counter, talking to a clearly uninterested Paige. Now, should I be nice, or should I enjoy this moment? Jay thought to himself. The nice side won out.

He stood next to Paige and put his arm around her waist, her flinching a bit. "You ready to go?"

The cashier gave him a dirty look.

Jay gave him a nastier one. "Back off my girlfriend, or I'll rip you a new asshole," he said, putting his face closer to the cashier's. He read his nametag, "Paul." With that, he picked Paige up and carried her out of the restaurant, putting her down when he got to the passenger side of his car. His hand was still on her waist. "He didn't mess with you, did he?"

She shook her head, then gave a coy smile. "Is Jay getting, what's the word, jealous? A little alpha-male syndrome?"

"Pfft." He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Jealous that someone is talking to Paige Michalchuk? Please."

And they were just standing there, face to face, with Jay's hand on her waist . . . when the rain started to pour.

Jay quickly unlocked Paige's door, then hurried around to unlock his own. After a few minutes, Jay was out on the road again. "Do you know where we are?" Paige asked him, a little worried.

"Yep, I know exactly where we are," Jay told her. That's a lie, he told himself.

"So, you've been to that diner before?" She asked?

"Yeah. Once or twice." Lying again.

"Oh." She sat back in her seat.

"And I wasn't jealous," Jay added. Another one of my lies. He turned up the music and drove down the road, not knowing what to expect.