Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi

In seven days I'm graduating Valedictorian. Liberty was furious when she found out I had beaten her. Manny threw me a small surprise party. JT, Toby, Mom, Snake, Alex, and obviously Manny were there. Alex and I had become friends over the year. She was still friends with him. I knew that. He knew she was friends with me. We didn't care as long as we didn't have to see each other we could share friends. Tomorrow night was prom night. I was going alone. Manny bought me a ticket then through a fit about spending the money for no reason. So I'm going even though I know mom gave her the money and told her to throw a fit just so I'd go. Now I'm lying awake in my bed staring at the ceiling wishing he was here.

My phone rang and quickly grabbed it with a shred of hope that it was actually him.

"Hello?"

"Hey you excited about prom" James's voice rang through my ears.

"Uh yea standing by the wall staring at all my friends having fun sounds thrilling."

"No date."

"No date even Toby has a date."

"Well I'm sure one of your friends could squeeze you in for a dance or two."

"Yea I guess."

"Did you get the package I sent you yet?"

"Yes I got it and I haven't opened it."

"Good so I thought I'd give you a heads up that you're stuck with my lovely grandson for another four years."

"Joy."

"Have you decided what your major is going to be?"

"James most kids don't even decide until their 3rd year."

"Yes well you're not most kids now are you?"

"I'd like to be."

"Too bad you're not."

"Well no I haven't decided yet give me some time."

"Fine I'll ask you again in a week."

"Gee thanks for the time."

"Anytime kid."

"Clever."

"I thought so."

"How's Emily doing?"

"Fantastic."

"That was sarcastic what's going on?"

"She left."

"She left!" I was shocked. I actually felt like my own grandparents were splitting up.

"Yep she just left and went to see her sister just because she has Alzheimer's."

"Don't scare me like that" I yelled.

"You know I have very old ears it's best if you don't yell in them they might get confused and think they don't work."

"Right because everyone knows that ears have fully functional separate slightly illogical brains."

"Yes of course."

"May I ask why you decided to call at almost midnight?"

"Well late night TV sucks and I knew you'd be awake because I knew you haven't slept more than two hours since the break up."

"You know everyone thinks it's weird that I still talk to you is it?"

"No it's a little weird that you still talk to his mother and go over and bake with her when he's not there."

"My mom comes too."

"Yea now that's weird."

"You're just a mean grumpy old man that needs to be sleeping."

"Are you sending me to bed?"

"Why yes I think I am."

"Fine I'll let you get your beauty rest good night cocoa puff."

"Night raisin bran"

I hung up and went back to staring at the ceiling. At some point I fell asleep. I woke up to the phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"Emma where are you we're supposed to be shopping I left a note on the nightstand I was going to let you sleep."

"Then why did you wake me up?"

"You're just now waking up Emma it's almost two o'clock."

"What!" I shot up "I'll be right there."

"Hurry Emma"

I hung up quickly and threw on some clothes then ran to the door and out the door. I got to the mall about twenty minutes later. I looked around for Manny. I couldn't find her. I went into a department store and saw Ellie with him. I gulped and continued walking right past him.

"Oh Emma hey" Ellie stopped me.

"Hey Ellie" I smiled as sweetly as I could.

"Are you going to the prom?"

"Yea" I nodded.

"Uh huh well I better go bye" I walked away quickly and didn't look back. I ran into Manny and she dropped all the dresses in her hand.

"What's wrong you look like you've just seen a ghost?"

"No ghost Ellie and him."

"Come on Em let's find you a dress then go get mani pedis."

"Ok" I nodded and followed her.

She picked out this pinstripe dress with a square neckline, empire waist with tie across back, and a barcode logo tag on side. She then picked up this kind of Victorian looking shirt to go under it. She shoved it at me and pointed out the dressing rooms even though I knew where they were. I went and tried it on. Surprisingly it looked pretty good on me. Manny knocked on the door to the dressing room telling me to come out so she can see. I did as I was told for fear she might break down the door.

"Oh Emma you have to get it."

"Don't you think it's a little informal for prom?"

"No it's fine now get and let's go before the nails place closes."

"Manny it closes in two hours."

"Yes I know but you are taking a long time and we have to leave soon so we can get ready now go."

"Yes ma'am" I saluted and went into the dressing room to change. I threw Manny the clothes and my card and she went to go pay as I finished putting back on my clothes. When I got out she was standing in front of the door with two bags in her hand. She handed me one then put her hand on my back and led me out and to the nails place right next to the store. We apparently had appointments (that explains the rushing) so they took us right away.

Manny insisted I get hot pink nails to add color to my prom outfit. I glanced in the bag and that's when I noticed she had gotten me shoes.

"Manny!"

"Don't worry they're just black ballet slipper flats."

"Ok" I nodded.

When we were done we called home for a ride. They came quickly and we went home to get ready for prom.

I walked in with all of my friends who were coupled off. They went to dance and I was left standing next to the punch. He walked in. He was surprisingly alone. He stood by the door. I looked at him briefly then looked back to the dance floor when he looked at me. When I looked away from the dance floor he was next to me.

"Congratulations on making valedictorian."

"Thank you" I smiled.

"I heard you're going to University of Toronto."

"Yeah and so are you."

"Yeah"

"James?"

"Yeah"

"So who are you here with?"

"Just me"

"Then why don't you dance with me just as two people who've known each other a long time and are probably going to see each other at some point in the near future."

"Ok" I nodded and let him lead me on to the dance floor. As soon as we got there the fast song that was playing ended and a slow song started.

"Uh…"

"You want to wait?"

"Let's just get it over with" I smiled. He slid his arms around my waist and I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck.

"I've missed you" neither one of us were quite sure who said. We both had heard our voice and we were both thinking it.

"I don't think I can stand running into you for four more years it hurts every time I see you with someone else."

"We're just friends."

"Who" I asked innocently

"You know exactly who."

"It doesn't even matter they still get to spend time with you when I don't I was even jealous of Sean for awhile because he was living in the room next to yours."

"Well I'm sure my mother would rather you had been in there too."

"Jay" I said warningly. Wow that was the first time I had said, heard, or thought his name in months. I saw Manny kiss Sean and I wanted that again. Not Sean but him. Jay. Wow his name sounded so good.

"Emma we didn't work we don't work we won't work even the thought of us is borderline criminal insanity."

"You know I wouldn't have been valedictorian if I was still with you."

"All the more reason why we shouldn't be together."

"No because I was miserable. I'd stay home every night. I'd play with Jack until he went to bed then I'd study all night long. I haven't slept more than two hours since we broke up. Now you may have been perfectly fine but I wasn't and the look on your face tells me you weren't either. We may not work. We may be like a drug for each other eating away at both of us until there's nothing left but I don't care I'm a addicted and the withdraw is a lot worse then the slow deterioration of ourselves that we cause."

"We'll destroy each other."

"We'll be destructive together."

"It'll blow up in our faces."

"We'll get plastic surgery together" I laughed. I actually laughed I hadn't laughed in so long.

"You really want to try this."

I nodded and buried my head in his neck. He put his hand on the side of my face and guided it back to face his then he kissed me. I heard a couple cheers far away but they weren't nearly as loud as the fireworks going off in my head. My knees were suddenly so weak Jay was actually holding me up.

"Parents, teachers, and fellow students congratulations you made it through. Some of us have been here since we were young. 7th grade many of us started school here. We've all had interesting experiences and hardships but we still made it through and we're still standing here today. Aristotle once said that "Education is the best provision for the journey to old age." Well we've all gotten our education and now we are prepared to continue on. Congratulations to the class of 2007 we made it to the end" I smiled and walked off stage.

"Thank you Ms. Nelson" Ms. H said "we'll now begin calling everyone up."

She called each one of the people in the graduating class to walk across the stage and get their diploma. When she was done we were all standing on risers and we threw our hats in the air. I hugged Jay and Manny started making out with Sean right there in front of everyone. We looked at them and laughed. We ran off the stage together. JT, Toby, Liberty, (who just got over her not getting valedictorian when she learned I only beat her by a point and a half) Sean, Jay, Manny, and I went back to Jay's house for a party. Even my parents came. We didn't go to any other of the big graduation parties.

As our friends were dancing and laughing and talking and just being crazy we went up to his room to talk for a little while. As I was going up Manny raised her eyebrow suggestively but much to her disappointment I shook my head. We went into his room. I sat on his unmade bed and he sat next to me.

"Hi."

"Hi."

He kissed me once on the cheek. Then I kissed him. Next thing I know we're laying down and my leg is around his waist. I disentangled myself from him and sat up.

"What happened to talking" I asked breathlessly.

"Talking bad kissing good" he breathed heavily and erratically.

"Jay you dragged me up here because you wanted to talk now you better start talking."

"I just wanted to give you this" He leaned back and grabbed something from the top drawer of his nightstand. It was a long black velvet box.

"Jay you…"

"Open it."

I nodded and opened it. Inside was a gold chain and a graduation hat with a heart with little diamonds in it around it charm.

"Jay it's beautiful" I was almost in tears. He took it out of the box and put it on me.

"Just like you."

I threw my arms around him as the hot tears began to fall.

"Hey what's wrong" he pushed me back gently and looked at me.

"Nothing it's perfect everything is perfect but I didn't get you anything."

He laughed whole-heartedly. "Don't worry about it you already gave be the best gift of all."

"What's that?"

"You."

The End!