Chapter 1: October All Over

June Lovich was, in nearly all ways considerable, a fuckup.

As she sat outside the principal's office, about to be expelled from her second school, she didn't even bother contemplating what her life could have been. She had accepted her reality long ago, when she overheard teachers gossiping about her in grade 3.

"With her unstable home life and behavioral issues, I don't even know what we can do for her."

"Nothing. We do nothing, eventually the system will sort her out and she'll either be in juvenile detention or an alternative school and we won't have to see her again."

June took that as a challenge, and had been attempting to prove that teacher right ever since. But somehow, there would always be one pesky adult making their case for her, trying to get the rest to believe in her. She hated when they did that, it always made her feel bad when she kept being the same old June. But it wasn't like she was ever going to change.

This time it was one of the assistant principals, Mr. Ryan. He was alright, he let her take breaks in his office and didn't give her detentions for cussing. He had taken it upon himself to stick up for her at this school.

"June, the principal is ready for you."

Mr. Ryan opened the door for her and ushered her into the room, giving her a supportive pat on the back. She shrugged it off. She sat in the chair while Mr. Ryan stood by the principal's desk. The principal's name was Dr. Mayfield, and she was a no-nonsense older Black woman who ran the school with an iron fist. She had to, the neighborhood was rough and the students needed the structure. But that meant she had no tolerance for June and her behavior.

"Miss Lovik-"

"It's Lovich," June interjected.

"Miss Lovich," Dr. Mayfield continued with an annoyed tone, "I hope you realize how lucky you are that Mr. Ryan has taken a liking to you. I was this close," she pinched two fingers together to show a microscopic distance, "to having you sent to an alternative school, considering your record. However, Mr. Ryan here believes that you have the capacity to change, and putting an alternative school on your record would doom your future. Although expulsions also show up on your record, so I don't completely understand the logic." She side-eyed Mr. Ryan. "That being said, Mr. Ryan took it upon himself to find a school that would take you. It's in Riverdale, so it should be closer to your home, but they don't bus to Regent Park, so you need to get your own transportation. I trust you won't embarrass Mr. Ryan by not showing up?"

June nodded her head slowly. "What's the school called?"

"Degrassi Community School," Mr. Ryan cut in, "I already spoke to the principal, they should be expecting you next Monday, after you finish your suspension for the rest of this week of course."

June nodded again. "Does my dad know about my suspension?"

"Your father has been informed, yes." Said Dr. Mayfield.

"Awesome. Bye then!" June grabbed her backpack and left the principal's office, whistling.

"Get back here, Ms. Lovik!" Shouted Dr. Mayfeild. June smirked.

"You suspended me, I can't legally be on school property! And it's Lovich!" She shouted without looking back.

After walking out, she scoured the parking lot for her truck. What kind of name is Degrassi Community School? Sounds like some hippy dippy shit to me.

June drove home with the radio blasting some random nu-metal crap. She didn't bother popping in one of her cassettes, it's not like she had anything good anyways, the new Jay-Z album didn't come out for another couple weeks, and she had grown tired of everything else in her collection.

Fuck, I still owe Rodneisha her Outkast record. That girl is gonna kill me when I don't show up tomorrow.

Neisha was the only person she truly messed with at Wildwood, her now old school. She was funny and non-judgemental, and was the type of person who could hang with the bad kids while still getting good grades. June still remembered when they met in grade 9, during attendance the second week of school.

"June?! What kinda old white lady name is that?"

"It's a family name, are you saying my Babooshka has a weird name?"

"And what the fuck is a Babooshka?!"

They fought about it and then quickly became friends. June smiled in her rearview mirror as she remembered. June really did like school, she just hated the teachers that tried to control her and be her friend. She hated the questions about her home life from adults who pretended to care and people who treated her with kid gloves because she clearly had behavior issues. It was tiring. June believed that if she wanted to get high before class or smoke a cigarette in the girls' room it was nobody's business. And sue her if she didn't feel like reading and analyzing Shakespeare when her dad had been gone for 3 days again and she didn't have enough money to buy dinner the night before. It was all stupid.

Jay Hogart was objectively a loser, but he didn't care. He had always lived by the idea that life is what you make of it, and if he didn't believe he was a loser, than loser he was not. It didn't matter what his dad said, it didn't matter what his new fiancé Dawn said, hell it didn't matter what the adults at his school said. Jay Hogart was not a loser in his own eyes and that's all that mattered.

"Jay drive!" Jay felt a smack on the back of his head to break him out of his thoughts. It was his girlfriend Alex. "My mom is gonna kill me if I don't at least get into the building on time. She can't afford truancy court."

"Heard loud and clear, babe." He accelerated and drove towards Degrassi street, loud music bumping through his rolled down windows.

Jay's mood fell as he pulled up into the parking lot.

"Who is that?" Alex said.

In Jay's usual spot was a black Ford 5-150. A trail of cigarette smoke emitted from the driver side window. Jay breathed in and then his nose twitched. It wasn't cigarette smoke. "Hang on, Lexi." Jay got out of his car and walked up to the truck, banging on the window. The driver rolled down the window the rest of the way to show their face.

A mane of purple hair and eyes covered by sunglasses greeted him. A blunt rested between the girl's maroon-painted lips.

"Yo, what's the problem dude? You need some of this?" She waved the blunt in his face. "Well too bad, maybe if you didn't bang on my window like a jackass."

Jay liked her already, but Degrassi was his turf.

"The name's Jay, and this is my parking spot, so you can see why I had to come up here and defend my territory." Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Alex getting out of his car to check on him.

"It is a pretty sweet spot," said the girl as she looked around. She pushed her sunglasses up on her head, exposing her hazel eyes. "I can see why you like it. I'm June by the way," she reached her hand out for him to shake and he took it, "I'm not gonna move my truck, but you're free to show me to the front office, today is my first day." She gestured for Jay to move as she opened her door and jumped out of her truck. She held the roach in her hand, "You sure you don't want some?" Jay shrugged and took a hit before crushing it under his sneaker.

Just then, Alex popped up under Jay and slithered her way into his arm. "I'm Alex, and you?"

"June, it's my first day. I got expelled from my last two schools, trying to make this a three-peat."

"You found the perfect people then," Alex smiled.

Maybe this school won't suck ass. Thought June. "Let's head inside, Towerz and Amy should be waiting." Jay said. June locked her vehicle then followed the couple inside the building.

As they walked around to the front, they passed some students sitting on the front steps. One of them looked like the white boys in June's old school, dressing like slim shady so they would fit in with the majority black population. It was almost absurd to see the same archetype at Degrassi, which was pretty white from what June had observed thus far.

Jay snatched something out of the hands of one of "slim shady's" friends, clearly a younger kid, maybe grade 9, and the kid yelled. Slim shady got up and snatched the object from Jay, giving it back to his friend.

Jay ripped off his sunglasses to glare at Slim. "What are you, his bodyguard?"

"His friend," Slim replied calmly but firmly. Jay scoffed and put his sunglasses back on before walking inside. June followed behind, stone face through her sunglasses at the grade nines.

The lobby of the school assaulted June's eyes with a barrage of yellow and royal blue.

"June, what a pretty name! Very old-fashioned." The secretary mused as she handed June her schedule. "Welcome to Degrassi, dear. If you have any questions feel free to ask. This is a great school, always seems to bring out the best in people." June gave the woman a sweet, albeit fake smile before walking back to her new friends. Well, sorta friends. She was tentative to label anything less than an hour into her first day.

"Damn you got the same schedule as Jay, remedial English and all. Luckily I'm taking classes for non-dumbasses." Alex said. Before June could respond, two more students walked up to the trio, a boy and a girl.

"Heyyy Lexi," the girl said as she gave Alex a hug.

"Hey Amy. June this is Amy and Towerz, Degrassi's finest if you ask me." June smirked at Jay's sarcastic comment.

"Sup, I'm June. This is my third school in four years, which pretty much tells you everything you need to know."

"What was your old school?" Towerz asked her. He seemed quiet. He was tall, with dark skin and a durag.

"Wildwood. I live in Regent Park though, so I got bussed out there."

"Damn, you went to Wildwood? People here are not gonna want to mess with you." He said with a shake of his head. June shrugged.

"It wasn't that crazy, was all I knew ya know?" Towerz nodded at her response.

Just then the bell rang. June figured she should go to class since it was her first day. "I'm gonna go to, uhhh," she looked down at her schedule, "Mr. Perino for grade 11 homeroom."

"That's my class, a rare occasion that I attend, but I'll do it for my new friend." Said Jay with a smirk. Everything he said sounded like a joke, and June thought it was charming.

"We've got Simpson for homeroom, grade 10. See ya later." Alex and Towerz headed off. "I've got Ms. Kwan, Niner." Amy said as she ran off.

The tardy bell rang loudly and Jay put his arm around June to steer her to class. "See ya!"

Attendance was first up on the agenda.

"June Lovich"

"Here," June waved at the teacher, Mr. Perino. At least someone knows how to say it right. She thought.

"Since you're new, June, how about you introduce yourself to the class?"

"Sure thing," June saluted him playfully as she stood up. She looked around at her new classmates.

"My name is June, don't bother me. Thank you." She sat back down and propped her feet up on the desk, Jay gave her a fist bump under the table.

"Mr. Hogart, I see you've graced us with your presence today. Will I see you back this afternoon for world history?"

"That depends on how well I get along with my new friend Junebug, sir. You see, we have matching schedules."

Perino rolled his eyes and went back to attendance as June and Jay continued to goof around in the back.

Around lunch time, the gang reunited in what June could objectively say was the grossest hallway in the school. "This is the wasteland," said Alex.

"Hey Junebug, you hungry?" Asked Jay. June was still trying to get used to the new nickname.

"I mean, I could eat. I'm definitely starting to get the munchies from earlier, you?"

"Oh I'm starving, and I'm craving something sweet." Suddenly Jay walked over to the vending machine, picked up a trashcan next to it and bashed the glass.

"Oh shit," June whispered.

"June and Towerz be on lookout," Jay said as he and Alex grabbed as much snacks as they could and stuffed them into their bags and coat pockets.

June saw Slim at his locker and motioned to Towerz who let Jay know, and the gang quickly made their way out of the hallway, but not before Jay smugly gave the kid a chocolate bar.

June smiled as they went outside to eat on the bed of her truck.

"We split up for the automotive class, which is a shame, since it's the only class we actually show up to." Jay said, looking over June's shoulder as she looked at her schedule again.

"Says I have intervention? Whatever that is."

"Oh fuck," Jay said as Alex laughed, "I remember intervention from when I was in junior high, it's therapy if you can believe it. Like some shrink is gonna come and fix us poor kids."

June remembered when her elementary school made her do therapy after her mom left. She hated it, because even as a nine year old she knew that telling people about her problems only made you a bigger target.

"Looks like I have a free period then." June smiled as she put her hands behind her head and reclined onto her backpack.

Jay was about done with Sean Cameron.

After school he was hanging out with Lexi, June, and Towerz by their cars. Towerz was fiddling with Jay's engine and June and Lexi were chatting about something Amy did that made her leave early.

And then of course Sean had to crash the party.

Who knows who started it? Sean was the one who accused him of wrongdoing, but Jay's big attitude always had a way of getting him into trouble. Regardless, Jay pushed him back, and then it began.

Towerz tried to back Jay up but quickly got shoved out of the way. This was between Sean and Jay.

Or maybe between Jay and the ground.

Eventually Armstrong came and pulled Sean off of him, and Jay was seeing stars but quickly got his senses back and started swinging again.

Then he felt a pair of arms around him that wasn't a teacher or one of his guy friends. It was June. She was surprisingly strong for a chick.

"I'm not gonna make a friend on my first day only to have him get suspended for a week. Cool it, man."

Jay took a deep breath. Sean was ushered away by Armstrong, Towerz was checking the car for damage, and Lexi bolted as soon as punches were thrown. She never stayed around for trouble if she could help it. It was just June.

"What's the deal with that kid, Jay?" She asked.

"That's Sean Cameron, he just.. gets on my nerves."

"Jason, come to the office with me." It was Armstrong with Sean in tow.

"I gotta go June, see you around." And in spite of himself, he wished he would.

The next morning, June parallel parked in front of Jay's car so she, Alex, and Amy could watch Towerz and Jay work from the bed of her truck.

After June finished hotboxing she sprayed some febreeze in her cabin and hopped out to greet her new friends. The girls climbed into her truck bed. They were chilling when Sean Cameron, the kid from yesterday walked up to them.

"Woah, woah. You have no business here, punk." June said.

Jay patted her ankle, "he's fine, we patched things up yesterday while waiting for Radditch. He's good with cars."

"My bad then, morning Sean."

Sean nodded at her, "Sup." And then went to talk to Jay and Towerz about whatever mod they were fiddling with. That led June to return to her new girlfriends.

"Okay Alex," June asked, "How did you and Jay fall in looooove?" Amy giggled at June's wording.

"We grew up together across the railroad tracks, there's a little hood over there, poorer street. We just started dating a few months ago but it's been physical before that." Alex said with a shrug, like it was no big deal.

"Do you have a boyfriend, June?" Asked Amy.

June scoffed. "I wish. There was this guy back at my old school, we would hook up sometimes but his personality was so bland, just your average gangbanger, no humor or finesse at all. Amy? How 'bout you?"

Amy blushed and her eyes darted to Sean, hunched over Jay's engine with a wrench in hand.

"Ooh, Amy likes Se-" Amy squealed and slapped her hand over Alex's mouth.

"He has a girlfriend!" She whispered. "And I don't think he would ever give me a chance if I tried to homewreck." Alex and June pantomimed locking their lips and throwing away the key.

"I hate lunch hour," Jane admitted as they walked past the Cafe. She wouldn't never say why out loud, but not being able to afford lunch while still having it carved into her schedule felt like a cruel joke. All her personal money went into her truck, the one thing her mom left her that her dad didn't pawn, and food insecurity was a major challenge of hers. It didn't help that her dad spent most of their welfare checks on booze or slots.

"Who says we have to spend it at school?" Said Alex. "Let's go for a ride," she nudged Jay.

"Don't have to ask me twice." He said.

As they walked outside they saw Sean with the environmental club.

"His girlfriend Emma is in the club, he's supposed to help her clean the ravine behind the school." Whispered Amy.

"You're really going with them?" Jay asked Sean.

"I promised I'd help out," Sean said.

"Fine, we're going for a drive," Jay dangled his keys and the gang followed him to his black Honda Civic

"Guess what happened in third period today?" Said June, "Radditch had a note delivered to my class, said if I don't show up to counseling he's gonna call my guardian. I don't know who he thinks he is but he's got me fucked up if he thinks I'm gonna let him talk to me like that."

"Your Wildwood is showing, June." Snickered Amy.

June whipped her head around, "And what's that supposed to mean, Amy?" She bucked at her a little bit, as much as she could in the cramped backseat of Jay's car, just for good measure.

"Nothing just... don't go all ghetto on Degrassi."

"Oh my god Amy you did not!" Alex shouted from the passenger seat.

June calmly began to take out her silver hoops. "It's fine Alex. But Jay, Imma need you to pull over."

"Come on, June. It's not that serious, I don't think you're like those Wildwood girls at all."

"Why, Amy? Because I'm white? I got bussed out to schools in Lawrence Heights and Weston for my whole life, Amy. I AM one of those 'Wildwood girls.' Now think very carefully about what you say next because you do not want beef with me." A silence fell over the car. Jay even slowed down for a moment, maybe in anticipation of having to pull over.

"Fine, alright." Amy said. June started to relax again until she heard Amy whisper under her breath.

"Crazy bitch."

"That's it, Jay pull the car over!" June screamed. Jay pulled over and June kicked her door open as she grabbed Amy's hair, trying to pull her out of the car. Towerz was trying to pull Amy away but June slapped him too. He was black for Christ's sake! He should not be on Amy's side right now. When she managed to drag Amy out of the car she straddled her in the grass and started punching. June was so mad she felt like she wasn't in control of her body anymore, she was just seeing red.

And then she felt her shoulders being pinned back. "Jay get off me! You heard what she said! Unless you're racist too, is that it?"

"No that's not it! You could do time for this you know? An assault off school property?"

He tugged harder until June was standing up above Amy. Alex was helping her get off the ground and checking her wounds. Her nose was bleeding and her eye looked a little red. June no doubt gave her a black eye.

"I'm not gonna apologize if that's what you want." She grumbled. "Amy was out of line and you all know it."

"She was," said Alex, "That's why we're not mad at you. Hell, sometimes I wanna punch Amy, but I know better."

June let out a sigh of relief, then she blushed when she realized Jay was still holding her arms back. "I'm good Jay, you can let go now. Thanks."

"No problem amigo, how do they say it? You scratch my back, I scratch yours, thanks for yesterday."

After Alex made sure Amy was truly okay, they began the awkward car ride back to Degrassi.

June was skipping counseling, but didn't want to see her friends in shop either. She fucked with Jay, Alex, and Towerz. But the risk of seeing Amy while she was still mad was too high. So she went to the parking lot and laid on her truck bed, watching clouds, with a 50 Cent cassette playing from her car radio.

"Hey June," Jay and Sean jumped into the truck bed, interrupting her meditation time. Alex and Towerz followed soon after.

"Have you stolen anything before?" Asked Sean.

June nodded, but didn't elaborate. The gang didn't need to know that she had to steal food and money at times just to get by.

"We stole something big today, Simpson's laptop. To afford the parts for this car mod Sean is doing for me. Had to let you know since you're part of the group."

"I guess, but I didn't see you as much of the camaraderie type. I could snitch,"

"But you won't," Alex said, "Because you beat the shit out of Amy and all of us were witnesses."

"Fair enough."

Just then, Sean's girlfriend Emma walked up to the group. "Sean, can I talk to you for a minute?" She glanced around at the group, "Alone?"

Sean shook his head, "No."

"Go ahead and talk," said Jay, "We're all interested." June smirked.

"It's about yesterday, we both said a lot, I was hoping we could talk, I mean really talk about everything." Emma looked nervous.

Poor girl, thought June. And it was true, she wasn't a monster, she just kept it real with a healthy dose of anger issues.

"I got nothing to say," Sean replied, turning away from her.

Emma walked away, trying to keep her pride.

"She's as flat as a board, huh?" Alex commented. The boys snickered. June couldn't help but feel a little bad.