Friday came just in time. I had began to have doubts thanks to Craig and Ashley constantly trying to talk me out of going, Craig especially. I had hesitated about telling him but had finally given in, only to get an hour long lecture on the evil that is Jason Hogart. Jimmy wasn't much better either but I pushed away the constant warnings and packed my bags anyway.

I woke up early Friday morning, despite the fact Alex and Jay wouldn't be there until noon. I was a tiny bit nervous, so I unpacked and repacked my suitcase. Why? I have no idea. It wasn't like I'd never been away from home. I lived with Sean for over a year. So maybe I did have an idea about why I was nervous. Maybe there was something inside of me that was scared that when I came back from this little trip my mother would once again be passed out on the couch...a bottle of Vodka sitting beside her. I shook the thought out of my head as I lugged the bag downstairs and dropped it beside the front door.

I paced around nervously until I finally heard the loud bass that could only be Jay. I opened the door and lugged my bag to the car. As I got close to the car I could see Alex curled up in the backseat, sound asleep. Jay sluggishly climbed out of the car and popped the trunk.

"Hey," I said as I heaved my heavy bag into the trunk.

His response was more of a grunt and I could tell right away that he wasn't in a good mood. I knew the three hour trip ahead of us wasn't going to be anywhere near pleasant. I begrudgingly climbed into the passenger's seat and buckled my seatbelt. Jay slid in next to me and started the car. I had no idea how Alex could sleep with the loud beat of some old school rap mix that blasted from the speakers. I averted my attention to the window as Jay pulled out onto the street. It wasn't even thirty minutes into the trip and I was already second guessing my decision.

A short time later I had grown increasingly tired of the crap Jay was forcing me to listen to. Without thinking, I leaned over and turned the station to something a little more my speed and a little less ear busting. He shot me an evil look but I ignored it. Then he reached over and turned the radio back to its original channel. I figured two could play this game and I quickly turned it back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He screeched, changing the channel back again.

I changed it back before replying, "You have the lamest taste in music ever."

"My car, my music!" He spat as he turned it back.

"There is no way I can listen to that for the next two hours." I argued, hitting the button to change the channel again.

Alex sat up and reached between Jay and me hitting the button to turn the music off. "There! Now will you both shut up?" She asked before returning to her sleeping state.

I turned back towards Jay a smug smile on my face. He rolled his eyes before turning his attention back towards the road. The car was beyond silent. It made me regret packing my CD player in my suitcase instead of in my carry-a-long bag. I sighed as I watched the familiar scenery fly by.

"You're awfully quiet." Jay said, breaking the silence. "Are you sure there's nothing else you want to nag at me about?"

"Well now that you mention it...your driving kind of sucks too." I replied half jokingly.

He laughed, "Maybe you should have stayed at home."

"Maybe," I added. "But how could I pass up a summer with Degrassi's very own juvenile delinquent?"

"Aww Red! That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!" He teased and this time it was my turn to chuckle.

"I've got to piss." Alex grumbled as she sat up in the backseat.

"One pit stop coming up," Jay replied as he pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a tiny, dilapidated gas station. "I'm going to fill up. I'll meet you guys inside."

I followed Alex into the store's tiny bathroom. It was filthy from floor to ceiling and smelled like it hadn't been cleaned in over a year. I chocked back a gag as I tried to talk myself into holding it for the next leg of the trip but I knew there was no way I can.

"I think somebody died in here." Alex stated as she pushed one of the stall doors open with the toe of her boots, "Or maybe something."

"Just don't sit down on the toilet seat. God only knows what you'll catch from that." I replied as I hovered over the crusty commode. Just being in there made me feel dirty.

I squealed as a cckroach crawled underneath the stall door. I quickly hopped over it and out of the stall. I looked at the sink with the dirty bar of Zest soap sitting in the soap dish. There was no way I was touching that. Alex must have had the same thoughts because when I turned toward the door she was already pushing it open. We picked up a couple of bags of chips and a couple bottles of pop before meeting Jay beside the car.

"Okay...that place was gross. Even by my standards." he said, as we all climbed in to the car.

"Tell me about it." I replied, opening my bottle of Coke.

"Spill anything in my car and you're dead." Jay added, leveling his eyes on me as he spoke.

"Here," Alex said, handing Jay a Mountain Dew before reaching around him and grabbing a CD out of the visor. She popped it into the CD player and when the first song started I was extremely glad it wasn't that rap crap Jay had been listening to earlier.

A few miles up the road, a sign caught my attention, Wasaga Beach, 27 miles. Sean. The last time I'd seen him I'd been angry, angry that he hurt me, angry that he thought I'd still be waiting around for him. But now I found myself wondering if he was ever coming back.

"Cameron?" Jay asked, pulling my attention away from the sign.

I nodded, not sure how to explain what exactly was going through my head. "It doesn't feel like it's been over a year since he chose to stay."

Jay shrugged, "I don't think it was really a choice."

He was right. I didn't like to admit it, but staying in Wasaga had been what was best for Sean. It had been his way to deal with the shooting, with Rick's death, with his past. I had been angry not only at Sean for bailing on me but at myself for not being able to understand at the time that it was what he needed to do.

I was half asleep when the car stopped at our final destination. I opened my eyes to find myself starring at a two story off-white house. The paint was worn from the ocean breeze blowing sand against it, but it only added to the house's character. It was hard to believe I'd be spending the next two months living here.

We entered the house through the front door and found ourselves in a large, spacious living room complete with a big screen T.V. The living room opened into the kitchen and a game room. A set of stairs led upstairs, where three bedrooms waited to be claimed. Another bedroom was squeezed between the downstairs bathroom and the laundry room. The house was huge.

"Wow, Jay. Your dad went all out." Alex said, sticking her head into the game room. "There's a freaking pool table in here not to mention a fully stocked bar."

"That's Richard Hogart for you. He never does anything small." Jay replied dryly.

I found myself wondering towards the sliding glass doors on the other side of the living room. The back porch was spacious with a hot tub on one side and a grill on the other. The back yard was nothing but sand with a few blades of grass sticking up here or there and a few feet away the beach stretched out to meet the ocean.

"Anyone else feel like we've just stepped into an episode of The Real World: Canada?" Alex asked jokingly, causing both Jay and I to bust out laughing.

"I claim the first floor bedroom. The two of you can duke it out over the three upstairs." Jay added as he disappeared into the downstairs bedroom.

Alex and I exchanged a glance before heading up the stairs to check out the other three rooms. They were all a nice size, not to big not too small. We each picked one out then headed back downstairs to get our bags.

"I say we hit the beach." Jay said from the couch, as Alex and I lugged our suitcases into the house.

"Would it kill you to help?" Alex asked in an annoyed tone.

"Possibly," Jay responded, making no attempt to help.

I rolled my eyes as I continued to lug my bag towards the stairs. Once I was finally shut into my room, I pulled out my new bathing suit that I'd been so lucky to find and put it on. I looked in the mirror and was a little self conscious about the amount of skin showing. The fishnet top hid the scars on my arms but it did little to cover my exposed stomach. I was pasty white but I figured the whole point of being at the beach was to change that. I pulled my hair up in a messy ponytail, grabbed my beach bag complete with my CD player, CDs, and sunscreen tnd headed back downstairs.

Jay let out a low whistle as his eyes spanned my body, "Wow Red. Who knew you were a babe?"

I rolled my eyes and did my best to ignore him. Alex joined us a few minutes later in a pair of jean shorts and a white tanktop. I pulled my sunglasses down from on top of my head and followed Jay and Alex the short distance to the beach.

It was crowded with little kids building sandcastles, couples chasing each other around or walking along the edge of the water holding hands. It made me think of Craig but I quickly shook the thought away. We found a spot on the sand and sat down. My attention was on the water crashing into the shore. I'd never set foot in the ocean before. It had been too cold when we had taken Sean to Wasaga.

"I'm going to the water. Are you guys coming?" I asked glancing from Jay to Alex then back.

Alex shook her head no as she pulled out her cell phone and began to key a text message. But Jay stood up and followed me towards the water. Neither of us spoke until the first wave rushed over our feet.

"Makes me think of Sean," Jay said as we worked our way a little further into the water.

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye as he spoke what I'd been thinking. I smiled lightly as I took some water and splashed it at him, "Don't bring me down, Hogart. I plan on enjoying the beach this time."

"Oh Red...don't start something you can't finish." Jay laughed as he splashed water back at me.

"You mean this?" I asked flipping more water at him.

"That's it," He replied gently grabbing my arm and pulling me closer to him as he continued to splash.

The water fight went on for a few more seconds until we were both laughing so hard we couldn't see where we were throwing the water anymore. I couldn't believe I was actually having fun with Jay, but it was refreshing not to have to worry about a jealous girlfriend or if he was going to read more into it than friendship.

I made my way back to the spot where Alex was half asleep while Jay flirted with some bikini clad blonde. I laid down on the towel beside Alex and pulled out my CD player. Craig's latest demo started up as I laid on my back and stared up at the bright blue sky. I took a deep breath of the salty ocean air and was glad I decided to get away from Toronto.