Chapter Two

Manny shifted her weight from foot to foot, staring at the top of the elevator, as she watched the numbers light up.

5...4...3...2...G. Ding!

She stepped out and turned to corner to head into the Coffee House.

"Manny?" a familiar voice called out.

She turned around.

"I came as soon as I could..." the childhood friend said.

"Oh, Toby..." she responded as she burst into tears.

Toby awkwardly patted her back as she cried softly. Even at 19, he still wasn't that smooth (not that he would consider Manny, that was JT's property), but this was different than grade seven... when a young Emma was found outside crying because of himself and JT...and their stupid idea to invite Sean over...

"Emma?" Toby called out, closing the door behind him, trapping the noise from Ashley's party inside the house.

Crickets chirped. He looked around and finally saw her sitting on the bench, her back facing him.

"There you are," he said, "Look, it was stupid of me to invite Sean and I want you to know the only reason I did was 'cause..."

The moment was interrupted by Sean, exiting from the same door Toby had, with his jacket in hand. He quickly by-passed Toby. Emma tried not to cry, but couldn't stop herself when Sean turned around to face her, with his head cocked and mouth half-open, like he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words.

Meanwhile, Toby had slowly made his way to the bench and sat down next to Emma. She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried over the boy who broke her innocent heart. Toby then put his hands on her back, looking at Sean. Sean, his mouth more open now, as if in shock, didn't speak a word, but only turned his back and walked away.

Emma sniffed as Toby removed his glasses and held her like he always wanted to, minus the crying, minus Sean, minus the party... minus everything that had happened that night...

"Thank you Toby," Emma breathed out in between inhalation, "for being an amazing friend."

And as the young friends sat together, Emma became oblivious to the fact that she wasn't the only broken-hearted person sitting on that bench.

Toby finally realized he was crying too, he was scared for Emma, had he ever told her how much she meant to him? How much her friendship had value and importance? Had he ever thanked for the night after the shooting...

Toby stood alone as parents, teachers, family members, and even complete strangers lighted candles on the front steps of Degrassi, many adding flowers and signs expressing the only question people had been asking that day. He fought back the tears, blinking constantly. He suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Emma. Someone put down a new poster, a picture of Jimmy in grade eight, with a few surrounding pictures. Underneath, the simple question lay to read "Why?".

Caving in, Toby turned himself towards Emma and buried himself in her shoulder as she did the same. His glasses were displaced, but at that moment, Toby didn't care. He had been Rick's friend. He was the friend of a 'psycho'. Could he have stopped it? Could he have saved Jimmy? Or Emma for that matter?

Finally looking away, Toby adjusted his glasses as a familiar tear-stricken face pressed the side of her head against his, and he did the same. They both stood leaning on each other, not wanting to stand separated and afraid, that dreadful night that spoke of death and hospitals. Words were not needed then, only the knowledge that they were alive, and they weren't alone.