Chapter 37

The Past and the Present

Paige Michalchuk walked into The Dot and noticed a familiar body waiting at the bar from behind it was Spinner. In the years that passed after high school Spinner and Paige would occasionally meet when she was in town checking in with her parents. They'd talk, have wine and maybe even have sex but always the next morning Paige would be gone and Spinner would be left alone. Last time they met his marriage was crumbling and he could've really used the friend version of Paige but all she wanted was to surf, turf and go after their usual. Spinner loved Paige but arguably Paige never seemed to return those feelings and even if she did she always kept him at an arms length after what happened their junior year with Manny and the carwash. It doesn't mean that when she does see him she doesn't get excited because he was one of her good friends that she knows she can come to at any time. "Spinner!" She draped her hands over his eyes from behind. She flirtatiously whispered in his ear, "Guess who's back?"

"Paige is back, and I know you want me to tell a friend." He muttered clearly not returning Paige's sunny and exciting demeanor.

"Jeez Spin, who shit in your coffee today? I know what could make that frown turn upside-down."

"No you can't. You can't just come back, waltz back in my life, back in town and be Mr. and Miss high school anymore. Paige, it aint that kind of movie and besides I have Darcy. I grew up and I think you should too." Spinner turned around and walked right past her, but she stopped him much to the collective confusion of the people just trying to grab a coffee or a bite to eat.

Paige was blindsided and a bit embarrassed. "Spinner hun wait, talk to me."

"I was never good enough for you anyway. Just look at the way used to talk to me. I loved you and you treated me like garbage. You just tossed me away, I lost her once because of you, and I'll be damned it won't happen ever again. Next time you're lonely call someone else. I know what you are, Paige a user. You use people and when they're no longer convenient or entertaining or anything - take your pick, you just toss them aside like they don't matter. I was stupid to think I ever mattered to you."

"Spin, that's not true. You did matter, " She put her hand on his shoulder, and "you still do that's not why I'm back to throw a bomb on your life. I just thought us friends could get together like we always do."

"Yeah? Well go away, don't look at me like that."

"Like how?"

"Like you always do, let's just face it if I gave myself to you tonight I'm not sure if I could ever go back. I love you, I loved you then and I love you now you were my first love but you're not the only anymore. I have a life now that I can't ruin. I have a baby coming."

"It wouldn't have to be a commitment, Spin. We'd be having fun like we always did."

"Put it this way, it wasn't fun for me. It was never a game for me. That right there." Spinner shook his head, "you know you never even ask how I am, what I'm doing about my life, you don't even pretend to care."

"This isn't fair. Spinner wait."

"Just go, Paige haven't you made enough of a fool of yourself?" The bells on the door jingled behind him, but Paige wasn't going to let this go. She dodged glares from other customers and followed him out speeding quickly in her steps, which is hard to do in her high-heeled boots.

"You aint getting away that easily." She firmly grasped at the back of his shoulder and turned him around, "How long have we been friends? You think you could just have an outburst like that and not think I would I don't know not follow you. You didn't even give me a chance you shut me out. I heard from the grapevine that you got married and divorced in the span of maybe two years. If you want to be honest last time we slept together you were the married one, ass."

"Paige, all I want from you is to leave me alone. For once in my life I didn't think of what you'd have to say about my plans."

"Why Spinner, why can't you ever just be honest with me when you're feeling things and then lash out at me? I know I was a rotten bitch in high school and even a little bit beyond that and I know I've got my comeuppance for that tenfold I promise you. I thought we could drink some wine and catch up and whatever happens happens but congratulations for what its worth."

A wave of silence fell over them as they both stood awkwardly across from one another, "Paige," Spinner sighed, "I know Emma is obsessed with knowing and RSVP's but there's a party over at Emma's house tonight. I'm going with Darc, if you want you can come too. You know, Alex is going to be there."

Paige looked at Spinner directly in the eye and confided in Spinner as she got in that look in her eye, that wistful look the look Spinner couldn't get out of his mind if he tried, "She is?"

"I don't want problems, Paige. I just want to be happy and I know you do too. So maybe we'll both have a chance at that even if we're apart."

Paige nodded in understanding, "Spin, that's great I just wanted to be a part of your life. Everyone was so worried when you fell off the map. Especially me. You weren't just my high school boyfriend, I wouldn't have survived my teen years without you, and you know that, right? You're probably the only one who knew the real me not the student council spirit squad lead but just Paige."

They both stood in front of one another misty-eyed in the back lot, "I know, same here."

Spinner looked at the girl he once thought he'd spend his life with but life likes to throw those curveballs. Spinner relented pulling her into a hug. "C'mere. And there's lots you don't know, that nobody knows. I don't even own The Dot anymore."

"That's your place, Spin."

"It belongs to my ex now."

"Oh, that sucks I was hoping for free coffee, hun. Oh and Spin?"

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations, I think you'll do a great job as a parent."

- x -

Emma and Manny were getting ready for the party, which will start in only a few short hours. Manny decided on wearing a lace black dress and black leather boots, Emma opted for a burgundy revealing number with nude heels. Sean and Jay decided they were going to get ready together and will come by.

Sean put on his tie in the mirror of Jay's apartment, "I feel like I never spend any time here."

"That's because you're always with Emma."

"I do love her." Sean beamed in the mirror as he shook his head, getting frustrated with his tie. "Fuck it."

Jay wouldn't let that happen, if Jay Hogart is wearing a tie tonight so will his best friend. The air was tense, as Jay knew he had to tell Sean what he had done. Sean didn't take the news well when they had hooked up years ago so when he plans to tell Sean while he has him alone and he's going to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. "Come on I'll tie it." Jay when he was young had to attend a lot of parties at his father's house and he learned a thing or two about tying ties. Before attending Degrassi Community School he went to a prep school where he wore one everyday but he was expelled from there for sneaking in after hours in the pool with beer, which was really, dumb. Sean had no other choice then to let him, "So you and Emma, are you planning on popping the question anytime soon?"

Sean grinned shrugging his shoulders, "Look man I don't want to rush into anything. I want to do things right. I screwed up before when I literally had her, I could've would've should've asked her then but Jay she's been married before. I love her and I don't want to make her uncomfortable."

"Fair enough, I mean Emma would tell me all the time before you came back to town about you guys."

"Really now?" Sean asked.

"Nothing bad or anything, Sean just you know little things like how you guys met and eventually fell in love. How you were going to fight the cripple before he was the cripple but Emma intervened."

"How could I forget that? My first day of school." It was Friday September 21st, 2001 Sean had just started his first day back at Degrassi after a pretty rough year. All day long Jimmy had been breaking his balls about repeating the seventh grade but when he crossed him at the dance he just about had enough. Originally, he wasn't planning on going to the dance it was his social workers suggestion that it could be good for him to do something social after what happened with Tyler Sean thought that was an awful idea but then Tracker agreed he should go.

Jay couldn't hold in his secret much longer and while they were on the subject of Emma, he finally decided to bite the bullet. "Remember that night at Zanz when I got really wasted and Manny and I had somewhat of a fight?"

"Yeah I just thought you wanted to know about what's going on with Emma and I?"

"I do but there's something you have to know. I was really upset about Lexxi and then I sort of kind of kissed your girl, bro."

"You did what?" Sean backed away.

"I kissed her, by accident."

"You don't kiss people by accident, how do you even explain that?"

Jay sighed, "I was upset and angry. First, Manny didn't want to be with me anymore –"

"So you kiss my girlfriend," Sean scoffed, "and to think I thought you were actually my friend."

Sean tore off the tie and threw it on the ground, Jay saw Sean walk out of the room, "Where are you going?"

"To Emma's, where else?" He walked out the door and it slammed behind him.

Jay hung his head out the window and yelled out to him, "Don't do anything stupid, Sean." Sean flipped him off and continued walking to Emma's.

Emma heard a knock at her front door as she was putting the finishing touches together. She immediately stopped what she was dong and swung her front door open.

"Sean." Emma smiled sweetly when she saw him standing in the doorway, he looked great but the expression on his face was one of disappointment. She leaned in to kiss him but he pulled away and then she realized that he knew and everything was out in the open.

Then, Sean answered, "Jay tells me he kissed you."

Emma was somewhat surprised but she knew Sean would react in someway after all they were romantically involved now and were honestly in a good place, "Sean, I didn't kiss back and besides Jay was drunk, we all kind of were and we're sorry."

"That's what I figured, Em. I just- why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was preoccupied, because of what happened before and to be honest I knew Jay didn't mean anything by it. In all the years I've known him I would've thought maybe this was something high school Jay would do but not best friend Jay. He made a move on me in high school but he never did before that night. In fact, it was the first time we ever talked about it because he was drunk and upset because of Alex being a dancer and he blamed himself for not being there for her then and blamed me too because of what happened back then."

"You went out to make him feel better and I totally feel like shit now." Sean sighed shaking his head, "I don't want to be mad at you." He clasped his hands around hers, "I'm not mad I'm just feeling like you guys didn't think I could handle it. We're adults now. Sure, I'm a little upset with Jay but I know I'll get over it. I can't be too upset he'll be leaving town, don't worry I'll talk to him later."

Emma wordlessly pulled Sean into a hug, and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too, Emma." Sean replied, "now let's get this party on the started on the right foot."