-1Degrassi: The Third Generation
By: Ithurtssogood
Episode. 7
"Time For Me To Fly"
Named After The Song by Speedwagon.
The bell for homeroom to begin sounded and the students quickly emptied the hallways. Kylie Isaacs and her best friend, Nicole Stone, stumbled into their homeroom, giggling madly. Ms. Mackenzie, their homeroom teacher, motioned for them to take their seats.
Five minutes later, after the morning announcements, a student entered the class and passed out the latest issue of the Degrassi Grapevine. Kylie pushed her desk over to Nicole's and the best friends flipped through the new issue.
"Ew, look at that picture of Heather Sinclair!" Nicole giggled.
"Aww, look, it's Aaron!" Kylie squealed, her cheeks burning when her eyes fell on the picture of her new boyfriend. Nicole turned the page and saw a huge picture of Kylie and her on the right hand page. It was of them eating lunch and laughing, she squinted her blue-green eyes and read the caption:
"Kylie Isaacs enjoying her time at lunch with a pal," Nicole's eyes widened. "A pal? They don't know my name? Are you kidding me?" Kylie put her index finger to her full lips to signal her friend to quiet down. Other people stared up from their own issues of the school newspaper.
"This is bull, Kylie! I've been going to school with these people since pre-K and they don't know who the hell I am?" Nicole whisper-shouted.
"Maybe they couldn't recognize you in the picture…" Kylie said. The two looked at the picture again, Nicole's face was completely clear. It wasn't blurry or distorted or anything like that!
Someone walked up to the two desks and cleared their throat. Nicole looked up and a girl with thick, dark rimmed glasses, a weird salmon pink blouse, and thick fire engine red hair stood before them.
"You're Ben and Ryan Stone's sister right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I was wondering, how come they haven't been in school lately?" The girl questioned. Kylie sprang into action, after you've been stalked, you become more alert and suspicious.
"Why? Who are you? How do you know them?" The nerdy looking girl looked surprised at Kylie's quick questions.
"I-I just think they're really cute. My name is Amanda Ross and they're both in my Spanish class." Amanda said quickly. She then slapped her hand to her forehead and hung her head, she couldn't believe she just admitted her crush on the two Stone boys.
"They have the flu," Nicole said, her voice low and monotone. "They'll be out for a while."
"Oh, okay, thanks." The girl smiled and turned and walked away back to her desk.
"Hey, Amanda," Nicole called. The girl wheeled around and walked back over.
"Hm?" She asked.
"Do you know who I am?" Nicole questioned, propping her chin up in her hands. The girl stared at her, shocked.
"Yeah, you're Ben and Ryan's sister."
"Yes, I know. But what's my name," Nicole asked. The girl stood there thinking, Nicole knew she obviously hadn't a clue as to what her name was. "It's Nicole, Amanda. Nicole." The girl blushed and skipped back to her desk.
The bell to pass to period one rang and Kylie and Nicole adjusted their desks.
"I can't believe this, am I really forgettable?" Nicole questioned, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Kylie followed behind her as they went to the first period classes.
"No, you're so…unforgettable."
"Sure, everyone's going to remember the fat sister of the popular Stone boys…or the stumpy best friend of the most gorgeous girl in school." Nicole said sarcastically.
"Don't say that, Nicole. It's not true!" Kylie said, turning a corner and continuing down the hall. Their sneakers squeaked on the tile as they reached the staircase.
"Whatever." Nicole mumbled, walking in the opposite direction to her Science class.
"Bye…?" Kylie said quietly, waltzing into her History room.
xxx
Nicole slid into her Art class just as the second bell rang. Her teacher, Ms. Belucci, smiled and gestured Nicole to her table. She nodded and took her seat, she looked across from her and saw the Grade Seven girl, Eve Mason with her friends Stephanie and Josh.
"So name four basic elements of Art…" Ms. Belucci began. But Nicole didn't listen, out of the corner of her eye, she watched Eve and her friends. They were so edgy…so different. And different was exactly what Nicole wanted to be. That way people would actually know who she was.
Eve noticed Nicole staring at her and she gave her a small wave. They'd known each other since they were little, their parents were close in school, like a lot of the other kids at DCS. Nicole smiled and nodded her head a little.
After Ms. Belucci finished her talking, Nicole watched Eve and Josh get up and head for the paintbrushes. Nicole quickly hopped up and followed after them.
"Hey Eve! I haven't talked to you in forever!" Nicole said, stepping up to the flaxen haired girl and the ebony haired boy.
"I know, it's good that we're in the same school now," Eve smiled, digging through the bucket for the right paintbrush. "So what's up?"
"I was wondering…I know this'll sound weird since most people don't usually ask this," Nicole started, she gazed around the room quickly and then whispered. "Can I like…hang out with you? You know, get into the whole Emo scene."
Eve's grey eyes widened.
"I'm sorry, do you not like the word Emo?" Nicole asked quickly.
"Oh no, it's okay. She just can't believe you said 'the whole Emo scene'." Josh laughed, fishing out a paintbrush and grabbing the nearest bottle of hot pink paint. Nicole blushed and bowed her head.
"Yea, I guess that does sound a little lame." Nicole giggled.
"Well, I guess it'd be okay, Nicole," Eve said. "I mean, we've known each other forever."
"So I can become…Emo?" Nicole questioned excitedly.
"It's not like we're some secret cult or something." Josh said.
"What he means is, it's okay for you to be… 'Emo' with us." Eve said, turning around and heading back to the table. Josh and Nicole followed her and they all sat down. Stephanie looked up from her drawing.
"'Steph, this is Nicole, our Emo apprentice." Josh giggled, sitting down on the stool. Stephanie laughed and shook Nicole's hand with mock seriousness. Nicole smiled.
Finally, she was in. Hanging out with Eve and her friends would definitely make people not forget her. She'd no longer be one of the Stone Triplets or Kylie's fat friend. She'd be Nicole Stone, the Emo.
Perfect.
xxx
"Hey Kylie, come sit with us!" Mariana Aoyama called across the cafeteria. She had spotted the towering beauty when she entered. Kylie Isaacs skipped over, her lunch bag swinging in her hand. Mariana looked over at her friend, Kelly Hogart, and the two exchanged a look of disgust.
"Hey girls," Kylie said, she slapped her lunch bag on the table and slid into the chair. She sat on the opposite side of Kelly and Mariana, she felt weird sitting with them, their eyes piercing into her. It seemed as though they were analysing her or something, "Hello? What's up?"
Kelly shook out of it first, "Oh nothing, I just love that top!" She lied.
"Oh me too!" Mariana lied. Kylie smiled brightly and fingered the strap on her pink tank top. She couldn't believe the school's Queen Bees were complimenting her. I mean, it was just two years ago that the girls spread a rumour that she didn't shower.
Sure it sounds childish, but it was Grade Six. Rumours are so much dirtier now.
"Thanks a lot, I really like this too." Kylie giggled, unzipping her lunch bag and pulling out her sandwich. She noticed the two girls were sharing a plate of carrots.
"You're eating all of that?" Mariana asked, pointing to the ham and cheese sandwich as if it were a rat. Kylie smiled before taking a bite.
"Why not? It's delicious." She took a huge bite of the sandwich and wiped her mouth with a napkin from her bag. The two girls across from her looked at her as if she had just gotten some weird boy haircut or ate a live spider or something.
Kylie pursed her full lips and stared into the eyes of the girls across from her.
This was going to be an awkward lunch…not to mention friendship.
xxx
Nicole Stone was exhausted. She had just ran home during her lunch period to change her clothes. If she wanted to fit in with the Emo crowd, she couldn't still wear bright Polos and flip-flops. It took her forever, but she finally found an old black concert tee from the back of her mother's closet.
The front read AFI, which must've been some popular band back in the early 2000's. The t-shirt, to Nicole's surprise, fit her perfectly. She then had to dig through her own closet to find the pair of black skinny jeans she had bought at the mall a few months back. Then she threw on a pair of her brother's Chuck Taylor's, swiped on a ton of eyeliner, elongated her lashes with some mascara and headed back to school.
Eve met her at the top of the steps and gasped in astonishment. Nicole looked amazing in black, it completely slimmed her figure, "Oh. My. God. You look astonishing! You should wear black everyday!"
"I plan on it now!" Nicole giggled, skipping back into DCS with her new friend next to her. They met up with Josh and Stephanie in the main hall and then proceeded into the cafeteria for the remainder of their lunch period.
Nicole felt a rush when they entered the bustling cafeteria. She could feel all eyes on them when they entered. It was amazing. The four of them advanced to a table in the corner of the cafeteria and Nicole felt her face turn hot as eyes followed her.
They all knew she was Ben and Ryan's sister, but they had never seen her dressed like that.
"Is this how it always is for you guys?" Nicole questioned once they all sat down.
"Isn't it weird, people hate us so much, yet they follow our every move," Stephanie said. "It's idiotic and hypocritical." Nicole scanned the cafeteria until she spotted Kylie sitting at a table with Mariana and Kelly. She noticed the confused look on Kylie's face when she spotted Nicole, Nicole just smiled and continued talking.
"Yea, but no one's ever watched me. This is so weird." Nicole said, her voice raising a little. She could barely contain her excitement. She was finally someone people noticed, and it was a terrifying, yet exhilarating experience. But she still didn't command the attention she expected.
She had to do something out there. Something the old Nicole wouldn't do. Something that will make people pay attention.
Nicole's blue-green eyes fell onto Eve, the Grade Seven girl laughed at a joke that Josh had just told. Then it clicked, Nicole had the perfect idea.
"Hey, Eve, can you come up with me to get some apple juice?" Nicole questioned, pushing out her chair and standing up. Eve nodded in response and followed after her new friend. When they were halfway to the line, Nicole stopped and turned to look at Eve.
Then before the platinum blonde girl could say anything, Nicole leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. Eve's grey eyes shot open as she felt Nicole's tongue wedge between her lips and enter her mouth.
What the hell is going on? Eve screamed in her head. She could hear the entire cafeteria pause and out of the corner of her eye, she could see people staring. The guys especially. The kiss lasted for about thirty seconds and then Nicole pulled back. Eve stood in the spot shocked as Nicole smiled and skipped off to get her juice.
The entire cafeteria silently watched her go up to the line and then they erupted.
"I can't believe she did that?"
"That was hot!"
"Is she a lesbian?"
"An Emo lesbo, cool!"
"That was so gross!"
"I know!"
"Do it again!"
"Take your tops off!"
Nicole grabbed her a juice box and smiled as she heard the entire cafeteria buzz about her. This is exactly what she wanted, this is exactly what she needs. People finally know who she is, people finally acknowledge her.
It was awesome.
She smiled again and proceeded down the lunch line. There was a slight tap on her left shoulder and she turned and came face to face with Principal Kennedy. Nicole pursed her lips and blushed a little.
"Hello, Ms. Kennedy."
"Mhm, let's go Ms. Stone."
xxx
Eve and Nicole sat silently and patiently in Ms. Kennedy's office. They had been there since the whole lunch fiasco and now it had to be the middle of sixth period. Eve couldn't believe she was in trouble again, it had been about eight weeks since she'd gotten sent home for 'having sex in school'.
"What the hell, Nicole! Why'd you do that?" Eve whisper-shouted, once Ms. Kennedy exited her office to talk to Ms. Grey.
"No reason." Nicole said. Ever since they'd been sent to the principal's office, Nicole had been acting almost…happy.
"There has to be a reason," Eve said, leaning closer to Nicole. "You don't have a crush on me do you?"
"No! God, no!"
"Then why'd you kiss me."
Nicole sighed and told Eve the whole story. She told her about how she hated being known as Kylie's pal or Ryan and Ben's sister. She told Eve how she wanted to be Nicole, someone different, someone people would remember.
"So that's why you wanted to hang out with us?" Eve asked. Nicole nodded in response.
"And that's why I kissed you. Eve, I'm almost in high school and I don't want to be the girl who no one knows!"
"True, I understand."
"Still want to hang out?" Nicole asked, pouting her lips and making her blue-green eyes grow bigger. Eve giggled.
"Sure, why not? …Just no more kisses, I don't go that way." The two girls giggled until Ms. Kennedy re-entered the room. Her red hair was tied into a tight bun on the back of her head and her black rimmed glasses sat on the edge of her nose.
"Now, girls. You know we have a rule against PDA." Ms. Kennedy stated, taking a seat in her leather desk chair.
"Ms. Kennedy, in Eve's defence, she didn't know the kiss was coming. It wasn't PDA at all." Nicole said, staring straight into the principal's cold brown eyes. Ms. Kennedy cocked her head to the side and gave them a half-smile.
"Is this true, Ms. Mason?"
Eve nodded frantically, "I didn't know that she'd kiss me. We're not dating or anything so it surprised me." Ms. Kennedy smiled again.
"Fine, Ms. Mason, you can leave. But Ms. Stone, you have double detention this week. Go out and talk to Ms. Grey to schedule your detentions. That's all, ladies." Ms. Kennedy said, dismissing the young women from her office. The blonde teens exited the room in silence.
"Double detention's not so bad, eh?" Nicole giggled.
"Yea, I'll see you later, okay?" The two girls waved to each other and went their separate ways. Nicole walked up to Ms. Grey's desk while Eve exited the main office.
"Ms. Grey, I'm here to schedule my detentions for this week."
xxx
At precisely 2:30, Kylie burst out of her Spanish room. She was a woman on a mission, she had to talk to her best friend. After pushing through crowds of eager teens on the third floor, Kylie spotted Nicole at her locker.
"Hey!" She called. Nicole turned her blonde head and locked eyes with Kylie.
"What's up?" Nicole questioned, slamming her locker shut.
"What's up with you?" Kylie questioned, adjusting the strap of her backpack on her shoulder. Nicole scrunched up her light brown brows in confusion.
"Excuse me?" Nicole said.
"What's up with wearing all black? Why are you hanging out with Eve and her friends? And since when have you been a lesbian?" Kylie said, spitting out the questions in rapid fire. Nicole stood there, shocked that her friend would question her in such a way.
"'Ky, maybe I want to dress like this. I've been friends with Eve since we were little. And I'm not a lesbian. And why should you care? Since when have you been so concerned in what I do?" Nicole questioned, putting her hand on her hip. She stared straight into Kylie's eyes fiercely.
"Of course I care, 'Nic! We're best friends."
"Oh really? If we're best friends, then why don't you listen to me?"
"I do listen to you!"
"Really? Then why haven't you stopped hanging out with Mariana and Kelly?"
Kylie hung her head. She wasn't exactly sure why she still talked to them, even though they used to hate her guts, "They're not like they were in the past."
"You think they can change?" Nicole said in between guffaws. She couldn't believe Kylie actually believed a word they said. Kylie ran her hand through her dark locks and sighed.
"Nicole, they're fine now!"
"Yea right, 'Ky! They're going to screw you over, just like they always do!"
"They won't! We're friends now!"
By now a small crowd had formed around the two girls. Everyone knew the two were best friends forever so it was odd to see them fighting.
"Fine! Don't listen to me," Nicole said, slinging her backpack back onto her shoulder. She turned and began to walk away, she could feel Kylie's eyes piercing through her back. She wheeled around and began to walk backwards. "And you know, when they break you down. Don't come running to me, because I won't be there for you. I'm no longer 'Kylie's pal'"
Kylie Isaacs stood rooted to the spot. She couldn't chase after her, she couldn't even open her mouth she was so dazed. She desperately wanted to apologize to her friend, she desperately wanted to make up…but her body seemed like it didn't want to let her.
She couldn't not be friends with Nicole. They've been friends since they were five. Life without Nicole was like no life at all.
"So how the hell am I supposed to live?" Kylie whispered to herself.
Note: I finished an episode! I hope you all enjoyed it, this one was fun writing. Kylie and Nicole's relationship reminds me a lot of Manny and Emma's, you know, off and on. Stay tuned, Episode. 8 is a two-parter called The Smile Has Left Your Eyes. I'll give you a little peek: Jay returns and his stay won't be too pleasant. The anniversary of her husband's death comes around and Manny dips deeper into depression. And their daughter's are caught in the middle…
Read and Review and wait for the next episode!
Eleven episodes to go!