"It was amazing, Al," Sean gushed about his date the night before as he and his sibling walked from his car to the front doors of Degrassi, "we've both grown so much since I left."
"She's just as amazing as I remember her, though."
Alice's ear-to-ear smile carved the Cameron dimples into each of her cheeks as she listened to her brother practically melt as he spoke about the blonde.
"Anyway," he concluded his rambles about Emma as they reached Alice's locker, "I have an assignment I wanna get a head start on, so I said I'd go to shop before first period. I'll see you in class, alright?"
Alice smiled and nodded at her brother as she reached into the top shelf of her locker. Sean disappeared around the corner at the same moment Manny and Emma joined her at her locker.
"Where'd Sean go?" Emma's head bobbed around Alice in the direction he had just taken off.
"Shops," she shrugged, "said he has an assignment to start?"
Emma looked a bit disappointed being unable to talk with him, but the girls carried on in conversation. The blonde reitterated Sean's sentiment about their date the night prior. Manny listened intently, giddy over he best friends' news.
"You're making me miss Craig," she frowned playfully, "oh, did I mention he'll be back from Vancouver in a couple weeks? I was thinking you and Sean could join us—"
Manny's voice trailed into silence as Sean and Ms. H walked by. Judging by the look on her face, something was up.
"It's not mine, I swear," he pleaded, a pace behind her, "Ms. H, you have to believe me!"
Emma and Manny's eyes softened with concern in Alice's direction as she watched her brother get whisked off into the office. As if right on cue, suddenly the devil himself appeared from behind the two.
"Did you hear about Sean?" He asked, concerned. But Alice could see through his facade. The other girls shook their head no. "Apparently he had some weed in his locker."
Emma's neck snapped in his direction, her face reading disbelief. Alice just rolled her eyes. There's no way she was stupid enough to believe him.
"I knew he was into some stuff, but I didn't know he was selling."
His words made Alice sick to her stomach. She knew it was him; she knew he was up to no good the day before. There was no way anyone would believe his crap.
Emma's eyes dropped to the floor as she swallowed hard, "that would explain how he was able to afford the beautiful pair of earrings her gave me the other day."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Alice finally spoke, her voice full of rage, "you can't seriously believe this slimeball, Em."
Her eyes remained on the floor. Silence.
"You put them there," Alice pushed between the two girls in order to slam Peter in to a set of lockers behind them, "I'm not stupid. I saw you snooping around your mother's office at the end of the day yesterday."
Peter winced from the impact of the lockers, as Alice grabbed his collar and slammed him into them once more.
"And you," she turned her attention to the blonde and pointed a finger in her direction, "if you're seriously going to believe this weasel over my brother, you're just as awful as he is."
Emma refused to move. Manny stood next to her friend; in shock from witnessing Alice's outburst.
She returned her attention back to the boy, who was fixing his shirt, "you're just as psycho as your brother."
With one last swift push to his chest, she looked him dead in the eye, "oh I'm even crazier."
"Now, I'd suggest you tell your mommy truth."
Peter gulped audibly. She could see a sudden sense of fear wash over him. Without another word - only a death glare to both Emma and Peter - Alice headed for the front staircase and took a seat on one of the steps. She hadn't even looked back in her friends' direction.
A slew of emotions washed over her thinking about what could happen to her brother; the guy who just wanted a fresh start at Degrassi with the girl that he loved. She also felt guilt around how she acted in front of her friends. But the Cameron siblings were known for their tempers at every school they went to.
A single tear fell down her cheek, but was quickly wiped away when her attention turned to one of the doors swinging open. It was Sean.
"I'm suspended indefinitely," he cried, "who would do this? Who would plant drugs in my locker?"
"It was Peter, Sean," Alice hung her head, "I saw him messing around in the office yesterday. I had no idea he would do something so low. He even had the balls to come tell me, Manny and Emma the news."
"Emma?" his voice concerned, "she doesn't believe they're mine, right?"
Alice, still seated, lifted her head and turned to face her brother. She said nothing; the look on her face said it all.
"I can't believe this..."
Alice could practically hear the heartbreak in his voice. Sean took off down the stairs and toward his car, his sister following at a distance.
The car ride back to Jay's was quiet. Sean hadn't even bothered to put in one of his CDs that Alice hated so much. Instead, Alice's attention was fixated on Sean's white knuckles from grasping the steering wheel too tight. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to cry. And maybe beat the hell out of that blonde wiener.
"You'd better go inside," Sean instructed as he pulled up in front of Jay's place, "I just need some space right now."
Alice knew not to argue; there was no winning when it came to Sean. Without a word, she did as she was told. She had barely closed the door by the time he sped off.
As she approached the door, she took in a deep breath. She knew Jay was behind the door enjoying his day off; she didn't want to burden him with this.
She opened the door slowly, immediately grabbing his attention from the couch. His eyebrows furrowed as it was revealed to be Alice on the other side of the door.
"What are you doing home?" His face lit up at the sight of her.
She couldn't hold back her tears. Her body felt limp as Jay darted over to wrap his arms around her. Her shoulders bobbed up and down rapidly as she broke down completely in his grasp.
Over the past little while, the two had grown close. The evenings Sean spent at the races or on his date with Emma, Alice and Jay would take part in things Sean would definitely disapprove of.
"Hey," Jay whispered, cupping his hands around her cheeks, forcing her tearstained face to look up at him, "take a deep breath. We'll get through it."
He used his thumbs to gently rub the tears from her face. Alice reached her lips upwards to meet his. Jay gradually moved his hands to her hips and pulled her closer. Alice practically melted into his arms, until the door swung open and brought their attention to the last person they were wanting to see.
"What the fuck is going on here?"
—
Bear with me here. Although I ultimately have chosen to follow the drugs in the locker storyline, it'll play out differently I promise!
