Ryan walked up to Nicole's locker at school the next day. He stood next to her but she just looked the other way. He sighed and held out the flower he had behind his back.

"A rose for the girl I love"

"What's your problem?" Nicole snapped.

"What I did was rotten and I'm sorry, but-"Ryan started to say but was interrupted.

"There's no excuse so don't even try it"

"It was nothing; I mean you were gone for the summer and-well-she was there. She was the one that seduced me though. I swear!"

�E

It's later that day now. It's around 4:30 and Kirsti (Jason's girlfriend) is getting ready for the dance with her friends, Bianca and Jenny.

"So Kirsti, how are things going with you and Jason?" Jenny asked putting her earrings on.

"Okay. He's been acting….different. I don't know; I'm worried about him" Kirsti said helping Bianca wit3D

It's later that day now. It's around 4:30 and Kirsti (Jason's girlfriend) is getting ready for the dance with her friends, Bianca and Jenny.

"So Kirsti, how are things going with you and Jason?" Jenny asked putting her earrings on.

"Okay. He's been acting….different. I don't know; I'm worried about him" Kirsti said helping Bianca with her make-up.

"What do you mean?" Bianca asked.

"Don't be mad at him, but when he was at my house a few days ago he wanted to further than making out. Of course I said no and he totally overreacted"

"What's that bruise on your arm from?" Jenny asked giving Bianca a glance.

"Oh nothing…" Kirsti said covering it up quickly.

"If he hurt you, you'd tell us right?"

"Jenny! How can you even ask that?" Kirsti exclaimed.

"It happened to my sister and a lot of other girls"

"That doesn't mean it could happen to me"

"Let's just go to the dance" Bianca said.

Stacey, Melissa, and Nicole walked into the dance. The dance committee had done a good job of transforming their gym into what looked like a ballroom. Melissa was wearing a strapless blue dress and a necklace her boyfriend, Ben had gotten for her. Stacey was wearing a spaghetti strap basic black dress and Nicole had a bright pink spaghetti strap dress on.

"Oh, there's Ben" Melissa announced excitedly walking over to her boyfriend.

"I don't even know why I came tonight" Nicole groaned.

"Because we made you?" Stacey joked trying to cheer her friend up. Nicole just sighed and looked around. A girl from Stacey's lesbian support group asked Stacey to dance so Nicole went and sat down so she wouldn't be standing alone.

About fifteen or twenty minutes later Ryan walked up to her.

"Hi" he said shyly.

"Hello"

"I noticed you sitting alone and I was sitting alone so I thought maybe we could be alone together" Ryan suggested. Nicole sighed.

"I guess it's better than not sitting with anyone." Nicole shrugged.

"So, um, are you having a good time?" Ryan asked after a few tense moments of silence.

"Do I look like it?" She asked rudely.

"Well, why don't you get out there and dance?"

"Nobody's asked me. Are you trying to rub it in?"

"No, I'm trying to ask you to dance"

"Fine, but just as friends" Nicole said sighing, coming to the conclusion that dancing with her ex was better than being alone.

"No problemo"

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Kirsti and Jason were dancing. Jason all of a sudden put his hands on her butt.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked.

"What? Don't you like it?" Jason asked looking annoyed.

"No, I don't. Please take your hand off of my butt now"

"You're causing a scene Kirsti"

"I don't care. Listen to me. You're acting weird" She said starting to get scared. He slapped her hard across the face. Everyone looked over at them.

"Don't say that to me again!" He yelled. Principal Simpson walked over to them looking angry.

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"Mr. Manning, come into my office"

"I just called your parents, Jason. They should be here in a few minutes"

"I'm really sorry Mr. Simpson"

"You slapped your girlfriend. I won't allow it in my school and you're lucky that I'm a good friend of your family's"

"I know"

Ashley Manning hung up the phone with a confused and upset look on her face.

"Craig!" She called.

"Yeah Ash"

"That was Mr. Simpson. Jason slapped his girlfriend at the dance"

"You're kidding me?" Craig said with a shocked look on his face.

"No I'm not. We have to go to the school now"

Ashley and Craig walked into Mr. Simpson's office. Jason was sitting across from Mr. Simpson with a distracted look on his face.

"What happened?" Crag asked as soon as he walked into the room. Jason didn't move.

"We're not mad at you. We think something might be wrong with you" Ashley said, immediately regretting it afterwards. Jason looked up at her with anger in his eyes. He stood up and faced his mother.

"What did you say to me?" He asked with a menacing look on his face.

"What your mother meant to say was-"Craig started to explain but Jason interrupted him by pushing Craig against the wall.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" He shouted kicking and slapping Craig repeatedly

"Stop it Jason!" Ashley shouted. He turned to her and pushed her hard against the wall.

"We're getting you to the hospital now!" Craig ordered helping Ashley up.

"Mom, dad I'm sorry. Oh my god, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened" Jason whispered as his parents went with him to tell Mr. Simpson they were leaving.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

"What's wrong with me?" Jason asked his parents a while later at the Degrassi Community Hospital.

"You have bipolar disorder, like me" Craig answered.

"What if Kirsti never talks to me again?"

"Your father and I will talk to her for you" Ashley replied.