A/N: Sorry it took so long I wanted it to be perfect and I've been really sick so I couldn't post anything. Please ignore any grammer problems or any inacurate stuff in my story compared to the show like houses, grades and stuff.

Italics are for thoughts, emphasis, noises, memories, and anything thats being read like a book, note, etc.

Why are you still reading this? Its boring go read the story!

Disclaimer: I own a cell phone and a pack of gum but Degrassi isn't mine.

Chapter 2: Friends & Alibis

Tyler's POV

I went walking back to Adam. "Okay all set." I smiled and he returned one.

" 'Kay." He shut his phone. I didn't even relies he was talking to someone.

"I was just calling my friend Eli," he had mentioned him earlier, he was my cousin, but Adam didn't know that. "but, it was busy. Probably for the best he got really upset when I mentioned you at lunch." typical Eli, no surprise but I couldn't stop myself from biting my lower left lip in frustration. "Oh it probably wasn't because of you though." No, Adam it was. Adam had completely 180 degrees misinterpreted my lip-bite.

We started to walk in the direction of his house.

"So are you in the ninth grade?" Adam asked and I nodded.

"Yep."

"Oh 'cuz Clare thought you were in her math class."

"I am." he looked at me sideways. " I already took the ninth grade math class they have here at my old school last year." this time it was his turn to nod.

"Well here we are. Welcome to the palace." Adam was standing in front of a small two-story brick house.

"Cute." I followed him up the stairs.

"Tiny." He corrected me matter-of-factly while opening the door. "My brother Drew's at football practice and both my parents are at work." Walking into the living room my eyes fell on the xbox controller laying on the table practically begging me to pick it up and start to play for hours. Adam must of noticed me looking because he asked me if I wanted to play.

Of course I had to say yes. Eagerly.

Picking it up I felt the smoothness of the plastic, cold in my warm hands. Plopping down next to Adam we started to play.

~20 minutes later~

" Okay that's it I give up." Adam threw his hands up in defeat. Laughing at his gesture I sat my controller back down on the table. I Tyler Jones just beat Adam - a video game junkie according to Eli - at three, three, different video games. Ranking the new number one top score on all of them as well.

"Wow. She's good." I heard him whisper when I first one.

Adams POV

Tyler was great at these video games - though I wasn't to amazing myself - beating every record on all three games every time. She swore she didn't own any at home; if it was true, I was stunned.

After that we just started talking when I stopped paying as much attention to what was coming out of her mouth. I was thinking of how I had started great friendships like this then I told them the truth about me and then poof they were gone. Well of course it wasn't like that with Eli and Clare. They had accepted me. But I had waited a long time to tell them; I've made that mistake before when it came to this and I didn't want to do that again. I had to tell her, especially before the people of Degrassi could. If they hadn't already.

I was telling her.

"Hey I need to tell you something."

"Okay shoot."

Taking in a big gulp of air before I said anything, I let it all come out in a big rush of words. "I'm an F.T.M." I looked at Tyler, to the door - which I expected her to go running through any minute - and back to Tyler.

"That's cool." She sunk into the sofa farther not even close to getting up. Wait? Did I hear her right?

"Your okay with it?" I had to know for sure.

"Yea back home in the 'States one of my best friends is. Well she's a M.T.F. but it's the same concept." I was so happy she was fine with who I was I couldn't stop myself from reaching out and hugging her. Tyler made am 'oh' sound like she was shocked at first but then she was quickly returning the hug.

"Sorry. I don't know a lot of people who except me as me besides my family and a few others so its still a surprise to hear when someone does." She blushed slightly looking down to hide it.

"So your from The U.S.?" I asked trying to get rid of the awkwardness for her.

"Yep where the bacon comes in long crispy strips." Laughing I had to admit she was funny.

"Don't you dare insult Canadian Bacon. It has feelings to yea know."

"Pfft its just a piece of meat." Tyler looked up at the clock, "Oh my God! I'm late I have to go!" she ran to the door.

"Do you need a ride?" She shook her head while slipping on her jacket.

"I don't live far away but thanks for the offer." stepping out of the door she went running full steam ahead to her home.

Tyler's POV

The whole time I was running back I kept repeating in my head I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead.

Wearily falling up the steps as I attempted to climb them I pushed open the door. "Are you okay Tyler?" my uncle Bullfrog asked as I tripped over the welcome mat.

"Yeah…I thought…but I thought I was … late…?" I rambled out softly while rubbing my neck in worry.

"No your early. Dinners in an hour." Frowning, I felt relieved. I guess Adam's clock is wrong.

I took the steps one at a time now making sure my foot touched every one. Pushing open the door to my room someone grabbed me from behind pulling me out. Instantly I knew who the culprit was. "ELI! Kidnapping is illegal yea know!" I could hear Bullfrog and CeCe laughing from the kitchen downstairs because of what I had said.

Kicking and fighting I couldn't stop him from dragging me across the hall to his room.

Slamming the door shut he let go. "What the F Eli?" Crap. Shouldn't of said that new he's even more mad.

He Clenched his fists. "Me? What about you? Going over to Adam's house!"

"Adam asked me to hangout with him. Not the other way around." giving me a glare I was more then tempted to slap him. "Anyways you're the one who freaked at lunch when he mentioned me and left him alone! So he came over to talk to me." Regaining my calm attitude when I thought of something. I had to say it no matter what Eli's reaction would be. "So this is all your fault, isn't it?" I couldn't help but smile.

"So, that's not the point you didn't have to say yes!" I could tell but what he had just said that he wouldn't be winning this argument.

"But It led to the point Eli. Anyways why? I'm not going to be rude to him."

"He's my friend." He said sulking.

"What are you five?" another thought came to my mind. This time not so good. "What'd you tell CeCe and Bullfrog?" worry filled my voice and he noticed using it to his advantage.

Smiling silently for a while to make my nerves worse he finally spoke. "That you had stayed for a drama club meeting." At least it was something I would actually be interested in.

"Oh…okay."

"Like I'd so tell them you were with my friend without me."

I didn't know what to say. The silence quickly filled the small bedroom almost suffocating me. We just stood there staring at each other. "Why don't you want your friends to know about me?" When I finally spoke it was more to my feet then to him.

But Eli was silent. He didn't answer, I had to look up to make sure he was even still in the room. "The only reason why your living with us and going to Degrassi is because of your problem back home. Clare-" he put a special emphasis on her name "- and Adam know all about my problems if they found out about yours then it would automatically become mine. I'd be lumped in with you. I can't lose them." I had forgotten the real reason I was here until now. Water started to fill my eyes and blur my vision but I hid it from him.

"Not Adam, he wouldn't leave me - or he'd have almost no one I'm like his only friend - but Clare, I don't want to chance that." he shielded his eyes from mine by hiding behind his hair.

In a whisper with my eyes getting their focus back I looked at him again, "It's your problem too."

A sudden realization of what he had said a while ago hit him like a ton of bricks. That's all I could focus on. This not being his problem. Sighing he pulled me into a bear hug like he use to do when we were little and hadn't seen each other in a long time. Shaking I tried to say something - anything - but no words would come out of my throat. They were all stuck.

"I'm sorry Ty. Its gonna be okay." Eli was rubbing my back trying to sooth me, because I was crying. Crying? I hadn't even noticed no surprise though. For a few minutes I stopped trying to be my super tough self and cried like I was a little kid again.

When I had stopped crying Eli started to apologies but I wouldn't let him. "Hey Ty I'm sorry about what I said -" I had to cut him off.

"I know Eli. I know." I stepped out of his embrace. "I know this is hurting you just as much as its hurting me. I just…forgot."

Giving me another tight hug he whispered into my ear. "I'm not ashamed of you though." there were unsaid words to that sentence. So it really was 'I'm not ashamed of you though, even if you thought that.' . He didn't need to say that thought I knew he was thinking it by the way he was acting. I had known Eli all my life I could easily pick up on his little hints on how he was really feeling by now.

"Yea I know,"

I was smiling at yet another one of my many thoughts. I have one of the BEST cousins in the world. It was true, I did.

I was walking towards the door when Eli said something else I almost didn't catch. "Well not yet anyways." wagging his finger at me as he talked. Referring to not being ashamed of me.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah don't get all preachy on me now."

Leaving his room we went down to the kitchen for super.

Okay! So what'd yea think? Any ideas? I know it probably wasn't worht the wait if you were waiting but i Hope you enjoyed it!