Title: Tag! You're it!
Author: KC-Chick
Summary: "I hate graduation. I hate that Craig chose Manny. I hate that I'm letting it bother me. But what could I do? I mean, have you seen his smile? Ellie's POV. Post Season Finale. Crellie"
Disclaimer: Not mine.
O.o
I hated graduation. I fucking hated it. Actually, I still hate it. I bet you could guess why...
Well for one, the whole thing was kind of depressing if you asked me. Leaving Degrassi? Not seeing these people everyday?
Wait, what am I saying? Not seeing Paige everyday might do me some good. But that's beside the point.
Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Graduation.
So, as I was saying, the whole ordeal was somewhat depressing. Except for my best friend finally coming back from her London adventure. That was great. But then having to smoosh poor Jimmy's heart just because Ash happened to get the wrong impression of who I was currently in love with, well, that was depressing. I mean, I couldn't help that she didn't realize that I was talking about Craig.
Craig...of course that's why I hate graduation. But it wasn't as much him, but more so it was his damn girlfriend. His damn girlfriend that he ditched out on every other afternoon because of our study sessions. Which mind you, we did nothing but study. And maybe get into tickle fights and flirt like crazy. But Manny doesn't need to know that.
And then what does he do? Well of course he catches my eye, cocks his head a bit, and smiles. He smiles the smile that made my heart melt every time I was with him.
But no...no one knew that, right? Well no one but Marco. But the important thing was that Ash didn't know. And that Manny didn't...and most importantly, that Craig didn't. But maybe now it didn't matter. Maybe now that school was over, it didn't matter who knew. It didn't matter if the whole fucking school knew. It didn't matter if the whole city of Toronto knew. Maybe this was my chance to tell him.
Ha, this is me, Ellie Nash we're talking about, remember? Do you honestly think I would do that? I wasn't Manny Santos. I wasn't about to bare my entire soul to the boy I was in love with.
And now I sound like an emo song. Great.
So anyways, like I was saying, I hate graduation. I hate that Craig chose Manny. I hate that I'm letting it bother me. But what could I do? I mean, have you seen his smile?
Anyway, back to the story.
The smile he gave me disappeared as quickly as it had come, though. He made eye contact with Ashley, smiled again, and turned his attention back to his girlfriend. And I was left standing in my blue cap and gown with Ashley, wondering if it was completely obvious that I had been waiting for Craig to notice me the whole time.
After that, there was a graduation party at Marco's. I wasn't really in the best mood to celebrate. So, I hung around a bit and then I got bored of hearing Paige rant about Banting and I got bored of Toby trying to hit on me. But I guess the thing that really made me go home was that I couldn't keep staring at Craig. And I'm sure it was obvious. There he was talking about the whole music thing in Vancouver, one arm around Manny, the other moving frantically as he told this story and all I could do was stare. And then Manny noticed, interrupted Craig with this loud voice that brought me out of my daze, and shot me a look that said 'stop staring at my boyfriend or I'm going to go all marco-slut on you.' So I shot her a look back, and then turned around pretending to go to the snack table. Instead though, I walked past it and casually slipped out the door.
Night had fallen when I reached the outside. I decided to walk slowly. Why rush anything? I was out of there and walking slowly would definitely give me a chance to clear my head from all this Craig drama. I took a deep breath and started walking down the sidewalk.
So this was my situation: Craig was with Manny. And me? Well I pretty much wanted him. He was in Vancouver and I had no clue when he was coming back. But once he did, what then? That didn't change my first fact. Craig was with Manny. And if and when that was resolved? Then that left the little detail that Craig wasn't into me like that. I was just his best friend. Another one of the guys.
And who knows? What if I meet this great journalist intern over the summer and we fall madly in love and I forget all about fucking Craig Manning?
Ha, fat chance of that happening.
And so, here I am, in great contemplation of my situation when I get very rudely interrupted by...
"Nash! Hey, Ellie!"
I stop dead in my tracks. And recognize the voice immediately. It was him.
I turn around and see that by now, he's caught up with me.
"You didn't think I was going to let you get away that easy, did you?"
Shit. He knows.
"Manning, what are you talking about?" I nervously shoot back at him.
"You. Leaving like that. You didn't think I was going to let you leave without catching up with my favorite group buddy, did you?"
Group buddy. That's all I was to him?
"No, I guess not," I answer.
"So," Craig began, smiling. "How's life been? Is group going okay?"
"Life's been okay I guess. Just...different, you know?"
Duh Ellie, of course he didn't know. That's why he asked. God, I'm so stupid sometimes.
"So, you're okay?" he asks, not seeming to notice that my brain has left my head for the moment.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Wow, I'm great at this small talk thing. "How are you?"
"I'm doing pretty good. Vancouver sure knows how to treat a guy well."
"That's...great," I manage to stammer out. Even though it wasn't great. Even though Vancouver treating him well meant that he was going to stay. Meaning that he'd never come back to Toronto, that Manny would eventually move there and that --
"Yeah. I've missed home, though," he comments, interrupting my crazy thoughts.
"Home has missed you." I smile at him and he smiles back.
Then, he etches closer to me, still smiling. I let out a quick breath, nervous of what is about to happen next. It was really dark, so I couldn't really see our body positions but I knew we were getting closer because I could feel his breath on my face. I guess he decided against kissing me, though, because the next second his chin rested on my head and his arms were wrapped around my back, pulling me into a hug. Not just any hug, though. An amazing hug. A hug that I never wanted to end.
But it did, to my disappointment. He pulled back after what seemed like a while and smiled at me again.
"Mostly though, I've missed you, El."
I look up at him. "Really?" I ask, not really believing him. Because if I believed him, I'd have to allow all these feelings to resurface once again. All the feelings that I've tried to push all these months that he's been gone. All the months of seeing Manny sulk without him. And me secretly sulking even worse.
He meets my eyes. "Yeah. Really." He flicks my nose playfully and pulls me towards him again.
"Anyway, it's late," he says as he's holding me. "And I think I'll walk you home just to make sure no mass rapists suddenly jump you."
I laugh, and it feels like old times again. Before Vancouver. Before Manny.
"Well, I'm sure this whole black outfit would scare him right off."
Craig looks me up and down a little. "No, it would probably just make him want to more."
I stare at him, shocked.
"Craig Manning, are you talking dirty to me?" I ask, teasing.
"I might," he replies, shrugging. Then, before I have a chance to reply, let alone blink, he taps me on the shoulder, runs, and yells "Tag! You're it!"
I decide to take him up on this juvinilie challenge.
"No way, Manning!" I scream back at him and jolt into the darkness after him.
Maybe graduation wasn't so bad afterall.
o.O
A/N: One Shot? More? You choose. Review, please. And the characters? Have a done them justice? Be truthful...but please don't be harsh.