Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of it's Characters.

Chapter 4 The Talk

When Emma got home there was a note from her parents saying that they had gone to Ottawa for three weeks at the last minute to visit Snakes parents. They said didn't want to disrupt Emma's school year so early, so they thought it would be better if she stayed home.

"At least they trust me enough to be at home on my own now." Emma said to herself as she headed downstairs to change. I gotta call Paige. Emma thought as she changed into blue pajama pants, a white tank top, removed her makeup and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail.

"Hello?" Paige said in a sing song voice.

"Hey Paige, it's Em."

"Hi hun. How did your date go?"

"Oh, fine. But I really need to talk to you. Do you think you can come over?"

"Sure will your parents mind so close to dinner?"

"No, they took Jack to Ottawa for a visit with the grandparents, so it's just me."

"All right, I'll be right over. Bye hun."

"Bye Paige." Emma said before hanging up.

When Paige got there Emma spilled about everything that had happened. They talked about the date, Manny, the tension between Jay and Chester, the kiss and especially Emma's feeling of guilt.

"Paige, what's wrong with me?" Emma cried pacing around her living room.

"Nothing. You're just nervous about starting a new relationship, that's all." Paige said from the couch trying to calm her friend down.

"How can you say that? I ask Chester to be my boyfriend, he says yes, kisses me, and I feel guilty about it? I mean, what the hell is that? Why the hell would I feel guilty about it?" Emma said out of breath.

"Okay, Em come here," Paige said pulling her over to the couch, "First of all, BREATHE! Okay now. When Chester kissed you who did you think you were cheating on?"

"I don't want to tell you. You won't understand." Emma refused.

"Come on Em. I'm your best friend you know that you can tell me anything." Paige said.

"Okay, but don't judge."

"Promise." Paige said putting her hand over her heart.

"I was thinking about Jay."

"Jay? Jay? As in Jay Hogart? Why him Em? He was the last person I would have ever thought. I was expecting you to say Sean."

"I don't know. I don't feel anything for Jay, good or bad. I guess because I've forgiven him for everything that happened last year." Emma tried to explain.

"Well this comes down to one simple question. Do you want to be with Chester or Jay?"

Emma thought for awhile. "Chester. I want to be with Chester." Emma decided.

"So there you go. Well hun I gotta run. Matt is picking me up at 7 for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow at school. Bye."

"Bye Paige, have fun." Emma said as she closed the door.

Emma was so happy for Paige. She had finally found a guy who liked her for who she is. Even though Mr. Oleander, or Matt as he wanted everyone to call him, had lost his job at Degrassi he and Paige had stayed together. They were so happy and didn't care what anyone thought of them as a couple. Emma walked into the kitchen and searched through the pile of mail on the table. She pulled out an envelope from Degrassi with her name on it. This must be my schedule. Emma thought to herself. Emma carefully opened the envelope and removed the information and looked over her schedule.

Homeroom: Ms. Kwan

1st Period: Media Immersion

2nd Period: Math

3rd Period: Science

4th Period: English

5th Period: Spare

6th Period: Study Hall

"Great," Emma said out loud, "Spare then study hall everyday? Afternoons are gonna suck." Emma put the schedule down on the table and searched through the cupboards for something to eat. Just as she was about to open a can of soup the door bell rang.

"Paige what did you forget this time?" Emma said walking to the door. "You're gonna be late to meet Matt--"

"Who is Matt? And why am I gonna be late to meet him?" Jay asked with a grin on his face.

"Oh, hey, Jay. I thought you were Paige."

"Nope, last I checked I was all male. You should know that Nelson." Jay joked.

"Jay, that's not funny." Emma said trying to hide her smile.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"I'm not." she said before laughing at his joke. "What are you doing here anyway, Jay?" Emma asked after she had composed herself.

"Well, I thought you might want to grab some dinner and talk?"

"Talk? Talk about what?"

"Come on, Em. You know what about. All the stuff we never actually talked about."

"You mean about the ravine." Emma said staring at her feet.

"Yes, and everything else that happened."

"Well, I'm not really in the mood for going out but you can come in and we could order pizza?"

"Sure, you want a veggie pizza, right?" Jay asked as he came in and took out his cell phone.

"Yeah, thanks." Emma said as she went into the kitchen to tidy up a bit.

"Okay, should be about 30 minutes." Jay said coming into the kitchen.

"Good." Emma said nervously looking around the kitchen trying to find something to do.

"Em, relax. All we're gonna do is talk."

"I know, but I've gone over this like a million times in my head and never once did I get nervous and not know what to say."

"Okay then, I'll start." Jay said grabbing her hand and pulling her into the living room and sat on the couch. "Emma I never meant to hurt you. I liked you, you were the only person who knew what it was like when Sean left. When I told you about Bennett Park and the ravine, I never thought that you would come, let alone get in the van with me. I gave you that bracelet because I wanted the other guys in the ravine to know you were my girl and that you were off limits. Your second and third bracelets were kind of a bonus for me, no offense."

"None taken, wait third bracelet? What do you mean third bracelet? I only had two Jay."

"Emma, think back, that second night I gave you two bracelets."

Emma sat and thought for a minute and then realized he was right. "Oh my God! You're right. I gotta find that other bracelet."

"Emma what's the rush? I don't need it back."

"I told Chester that I gave them all back to you and I have no idea where the third one is!"

"Why is this a problem?"

"It's a problem because, Chester hates you, now he and I are dating. Which means he is going to be coming over here and if he finds the bracelet he's going to think I was lying to him about giving them back!"

"Em, calm down. I'm sure it's in your room some where, you can find it tomorrow after school."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Is there anything you wanted to say to me about what happened?"

"Yes. Jay you know that I went to the ravine because it was a way for me to deal with, with, well everything. What you don't know, is that I had real feelings for you. But when I got that STD, all I could think about was how much I wanted to hate you."

"I get it, I'll go." Jay said getting up from the couch.

"No, you don't get it Jay." Emma said pulling him back onto the couch. "As much as I wanted to hate you, I couldn't. But I couldn't keep going to the ravine. So I ended it thinking it was the best thing to do. I forgave you a long time ago Jay. I just never had the guts to tell you."

"Wow, Em I had no idea."

"Jay you were so much more than a bracelet to me." Emma looked up and locked eyes with Jay, just as she had earlier, but this time they both started to lean in.

"Jay...", "Emma..." they said at the same time.

Just as their lips were about to touch the door bell rang.

"That must be the pizza." Emma said jumping off the couch and walking to the door.

"Shit! So close." Jay whispered punching the sofa cushion. "So you and Chester? Is it serious?" he asked when she came back with the pizzas and sodas.

"Not yet, but it could be."

"Um, look Em about what almost happened--"

"Jay, I think that you and I should just be friends, it's what's best for both of us."

"Sure."

"I mean I just got together with Chester and I don't want to screw it up."

"Yeah, that's cool."

After a long silence, Emma suggested that they watch a movie. "You can pick we have a huge selection."

"Yeah, let's see," Jay said looking at the shelf, "How about? 'The Mummy' what do you think?"

"Okay, pop it in."

Jay and Emma sat on the couch and watched the movie and ate pizza and laughed at each others stupid jokes. When the movie was over Jay cleared out the boxes and garbage and headed for the door.

"Well I think I am gonna head out. I had fun Em, I'm glad we talked."

"Yeah me too. See you at school?"

"Yeah I thought I would try not to screw it up this year."

"Cool. Who do you have for homeroom?" Emma asked.

"I've got Kwan for homeroom and then Media Immersion 1st period." Jay replied with a smile.

Oh my God! Emma thought to herself.

"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow, night Em."

"Night, Jay. See you tomorrow." Emma closed the front door, locked it, turned out all the lights, and went downstairs to go to bed. "This is gonna be one interesting year. I gotta find that bracelet!" Emma said to herself before turning out her light and going to sleep.