Chapter 3: Black Dove (January)

June and Jay fell into a quiet routine at the Cameron household. Christmas was difficult, with trapped emotions and silent tensions high. The tides seemed to turn with the new year, however. Tracker accompanied June to her father's house and luckily he was gone on New Year's Eve, so June was able to get some of her clothes and other necessities. Her walkman and cassette collection among them. June was ecstatic to finally have her music back. But as the break came to an end, so did the looming question: Where were Jay and June going to go next? There was no time to ponder the question, however. A new semester at Degrassi was upon them.

"You two please keep the living room at least somewhat navigable?" Chided Tracker as he tripped over one of June's boots.

"Sorry, we'll do better," June replied. "I'm heading out early guys, need my morning smoke."

"See ya at school," waved Sean. Jay said some sort of sarcastic sendoff that June couldn't comprehend through a mouthful of cereal.

As the semester got into full swing, the gang continued their string of thefts from last year. Jay couldn't help it, he got this kind of rush from it that he only ever felt from drugs or sex. It was free, healthy adrenaline as far as he was concerned. And his hooligan friends always seemed to enable him, especially Sean. After stealing Simpson's laptop, Sean had become a bit of a klepto himself.

It was Sean's idea in fact, to steal the DVD player from the library, no doubt inspired by the fact his ex-girlfriend Emma had her club meeting there after school. Naturally, Jay was in full support of Sean's endeavors. As they walked past the library that afternoon, Jay could tell that Sean was a little proud of what he had accomplished when he saw Emma's club members bored out of their minds without the DVD player.

Then of course Emma had to walk out and confront them.

"What about you Sean? Do you know where it is?" Sean had a terrible poker face.

"No," his eyes glanced about 50 different places in the span of a one syllable word. "How could you even ask me that?" He glared at her and then walked off angrily.

"Man, you really need to get better at lying," Jay said.

"It's true, Sean," Interjected June, "You have too much of a conscience, you need to get over yourself."

"Hey! Don't be too hard on Seany," cried Amy. She rubbed his shoulder and gave him a peck on the lips. Jay felt a pang of jealousy. He had confessed his feelings to June a month ago, and she still hadn't spoken to him about it even though they were sharing a bed. He was beyond friendzoned.

"Let's go lovebirds, I'm hungry." Jay complained as he loaded his friends into his car. June nodded at him and ran over to her truck. As she hopped into the cab her skirt rode up and Jay got a glimpse of her upper thigh. He groaned internally at his hopeless position.

At the Dot, June had a major case of the munchies. She could see Alex eyeing the candy bars on the counter too, and snatched them when she thought no one was looking and stuffed them into her windbreaker. Apparently she wasn't sneaky enough. Emma was at the restaurant and must have seen them, because she walked up to the group and crossed her arms.

"Go away, Emma." Said Amy, throwing her shoulder around Sean possessively.

"Are you gonna tell the manager what you have in your jacket?" Emma said matter of factly to June. June rolled her eyes. She felt sympathy for Emma last semester when Sean and her broke up, but since December June didn't have the energy to feel sorry for girls who, in her eyes, had everything.

But before she could say anything, the manager of the Dot came up behind the gang at the counter. "And what would that be?" He asked. June rolled her eyes with frustration and threw the candy bars back on the counter.

"You know what fuck you, Emma. Let's go, guys."

"Yeah you better go, you kids are banned for life!" Yelled the manager. Towerz gave him the finger on their way out and the gang loaded into Jay's car. June headed towards her truck, but stopped when she heard Jay's Civic make a noise that cars should definitely not be making.

"Fuck!" Shouted Jay as he banged his hands against the steering wheel.

"I can look at it tomorrow, man." Sean offered, "But it's too late today. Hey June!" The group started to exit Jay's vehicle. "Looks like you're chauffeur today!" June gave a thumbs up.

"Come on in, guys." Jay sat shotgun while Towerz, Sean, and Amy squeezed into the back. Amy sat in Sean's lap to make space. June dropped off Alex, Towerz, and Amy, and was on her way back to Sean's house when Jay motioned for June to slow down. "Look who it is."

It was Emma and her new boy, another niner. June parked the truck and Jay opened the door and got out, walking up to the young couple. Sean and June followed.

"Why are you always getting into other people's business?" Jay said.

Emma bit back. "Your friend was taking-"

"Just a few chocolate bars! Big deal. Look, we're banned for life." Emma's friend stepped up to Jay. "Den eat somewhere else."

Sean gestured back to the truck. "Come on, Jay." Jay ignored him.

"These guys wanna ruin my fun, I'll start ruining theirs." Jay stated.

"And what is your idea of fun, Jay? Stealing the school's DVD player?" Emma said. June stepped forward to get involved but Sean touched her arm, motioning for her to stand down.

"Loads!" Jay sarcastically replied. "But stealing a laptop? Way better." June looked up in annoyance. Idiot.

"Jay," said Sean sternly. Jay got the hint and went to get back into the truck. June and Sean followed.

"What's she gonna do?" Jay complained. "If she's smart she'll shut up for once."

June drove off. She was just as frustrated as Jay, but that Emma girl seemed like a snitch. And if she had no problems snitching on them at the Dot, then what problem would she have with snitching on them at school? And June could not afford to get expelled again.

The next day, June's suspicions seemed to be right.

The cops came up June's truck during lunch and searched it for the stolen DVD player. Luckily she didn't have it. It was Jay's Civic they needed and it was broken down at the Dot. Even luckier was June's foresight, hiding her weed the night before in the couch cushions. She had a feeling Emma would snitch and she was right.

"That anonymous tip, it was you wasn't it?" Sean cried at Emma when she walked outside to observe the commotion. "You know I'm on probation," said Sean, stepping towards Emma. He looked equal parts angry and disappointed.

"Something you want to say, Mr. Cameron?" Said Mr. Raditch.

"Yeah," said Sean. "Go to hell!"

Raditch pointed at him. "I'll see you in detention, every Saturday, for the next two months." Sean accepted his punishment and glared at Emma, shoving past her as he spit on the ground. Emma just smiled, and June wanted to slap it off her face.

"Nice going, Emma." She said sarcastically.

"There's nothing here," the officers told Mr. Raditch.

"Very well then, thank you, officers." Raditch went inside and the officers dispersed away from June's truck.

"Oh thank god," she sighed.

Jay leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You hid your load, didn't you?"

She smirked back at him. "You already know."

"Nice!' Jay exclaimed, patting her on the back. "My friend the genius over here."

"Now let's get the hell out of here." Said Sean. The gang all hopped into June's truck and drove off.