Sophia walked up the drive way to the large house. She looked down at the address written down on the piece of paper she was holding. She looked up at the house. Same address. She shrugged and rung the doorbell. An old woman answered.
"Oh..I'm, sorry, do Dr. Manning and Craig Manning live here?"
"Oh no, I'm sorry dear, they don't. Just me and my kitties.." The woman smiled.
"Oh…do you know where they are?"
"Dr. Manning died two years ago in a car accident."
"What! Do you know anything about Craig?"
"No, I'm sorry. I don't."
"Thanks anyways." Sophia turned and walked away. Her home was only a short distance from the old Manning house, which was good, or else she would have gotten lost. She walked in the front door of her home, defeated.
"Sophia? Home already? How's Craig? And Dr. Manning?" Her mom asked her, coming from the kitchen.
"Dead." She flatly says. Her mother dropped the plate she was drying.
"What? What did you just say?"
"Dr. Manning, is dead. He died two years ago. In a car accident."
"And Craig?"
"The woman didn't know. So neither do I. I'm going to my room." Sophia sulked up the stairs, and flopped onto her bed. She pulled out a box from under her bed. It was full of letters from Craig. The letters had stopped coming about two years ago.
"I guess that's why…" She said aloud. She shoved the box back under her bed. She wondered where Craig was, and if he was okay. Sophia had just moved to Degrassi from British Colombia. Craig had been a good friend of hers, up until the end of eighth grade, when he moved. She was devastated. They tried to keep in touch. But it only lasted about a year. Now it was October, 2004, and Sophia was going to start eleventh grade at Degrassi Community School. They had already started a couple a weeks ago, which is okay, she wouldn't be too far behind.
The next day, Sophia had gotten up extra early, so she could look good on her first day of school. She made sure to wash her hair and body extra long, so she would smell good. And picking out her clothes was like defusing a bomb. She had to work perfectly and with careful thought. She was able to come across the perfect outfit though. A pink plaid skirt with a plain pink v-neck shirt, and pink, high top, Chuck Taylor all-stars to top it all off. She figured she looked great. And if not, she was at least looking like herself. She left her medium length bleach blonde hair down. It had black highlights in it. Picking up her messenger bag, she headed to her mom's room and pushed the door open.
"Mom?" She whispered.
"I'm going to school now, I'll see you after you get home from work." She saw her mom turn over in her bed, and then she shut the door. Going down stairs, she grabbed a bottle of water and went outside. She hopped into her Mini Cooper and carelessly tossed her backpack into the passenger seat. She blasted the radio and started on her ay to Degrassi Community School.
Upon arriving, she saw the school was swarming with teenagers, all different ages. Many were sitting out on the steps, others were on the basketball courts, and tons were flowing inside. She parked next to a black SUV, grabbed her bag, and got out. Locking her car, she looked at it, seeing her reflection. She was wearing all pink. Even her backpack was pink. With false confidence, she held her head high and walked up the steps and into the school. She took a piece of paper out of her pocket. It had her schedule and her locker number on it.
"156.…" She said. "Well this is 134, so I can't be too far from here." She walked down the hall, looking up every now and then, checking on the number. Finally, she found 156. And a dark haired boy leaning against it, talking to a blonde girl.
"Excuse me, you're on my locker."
The boy and girl stopped talking and looked at her.
"Oh, sorry."
The boy moved over to the girl and Sophia went to unlock her locker.
"Are you new?" She stopped, and looked up at the girl who had asked her the question.
"Yes, I am new. Let's get this conversation out of the way, shall we? My name is Sophia Carlson, I'm in grade 11, I just moved her from British Columbia, I don't need help finding my way, and, although I am accepting offers to be friends, I won't accept your pity."
The girl looked taken aback. The boy was laughing. The girl recovered and extended her hand.
"My name is Emma Nelson. I'm not new. I'm in grade 10. I won't pity you, but I'm sure I'll see you around." The boy cleared his throat.
"Oh. This is JT."
The girl nodded, slightly interested.
"JT? What's that stand for?"
JT interrupted before Emma even got the chance to start.
"That isn't important. We have to go, anyways. Bye!" JT pulled Emma away, seemingly half angry with her. Sophia shrugged and went back to opening her locker. She tossed her stuff in and pulled out her schedule.
"Hour one. Media Immersion. Oh yay."
The bell rang.
"Yippie, I get to hurry off and sleep again." She grabbed a notebook and folder, and her map. She headed where she thought was the right direction. After a minute of walking, and then a minute of panicking, she found the room. It was hard to miss. It was a giant computer lab. She went in and went straight to the teacher and waited until he looked up.
"Yes?"
"Hi, um, I'm new here, and I don't know if there is assigned seating or-"
"You must be Sophia!"
"Yep."
"We Aren't doing anything challenging right now in class, just working on some HTML. Your transcript said you had already done that, so you won't be behind. We are starting a project today though."
"Okay."
"Alright, go ahead and take a seat in the second row, third chair. And welcome, to Degrassi. I'm Mr. Simpson."
"Thanks, Mr. Simpson." She smiled. It was important to get in good with the teachers. But not too good. She went and sat down where she was told. There was a boy with curly, dirty blonde hair sitting next to her, but he hadn't even noticed she sat down. The bell rang and everyone immediately stopped talking and looked to the front of the class. Except for the boy sitting next to Sophia. He had finally realized someone sitting next to him. Mr. Simpson started talking about what they had done yesterday, and began a lecture on the usage of HTML.
"Hey. Where did you come from?" The boy asked stupidly. Sophia rolled her eyes.
"My mother. You?"
"You're saucy. No, really."
"British Columbia. Just today."
"Cool."
"Yeah." Sophia was trying to give this guy the signal she didn't want to talk anymore.
"I'm Spinner."
"Great."
"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
"Sophia. Will you leave me alone now?"
There was a tall boy sitting in the row ahead of Sophia, it made it hard to see part of the projection screen.
"Hey, what did I do to you?"
"Mr. Mason." Mr. Simpson said, hearing Spinner talk.
"Sorry, Mr. Simpson." Mr. Simpson went back to his lecture. Sophia couldn't stand it anymore. The guy in front of her was making it hard to see.
"Excuse me." He didn't hear her.
"Excuse me?" No response. She crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at his back. He flinched and started turning around.
"I can't see the sc -" She stopped when she saw his face.
"Craig?" Craig looked at her weird.
"Do I know you?"
A frown cast over Sophia's face. 'I can't believe this.' She thought.
"You look like someone I used…nah, never mind. Sorry about being in your way. I'll move."
"Thanks." She looked down. 'This can't be happening. Is because I'm older? Or because my hair is a different color? It is dark in here….' She was really upset. But she tried not to let it bother her. She pretended to listen to class.
"Alright class. Now, for you're assignment. I want you to make a website about something or someone that inspires you. It can be an idea, a person, an object, a group of people. Anything. But make it good! I'm handing out the guidelines right now."
Mr. Simpson passed out a yellow piece of paper to everyone.
"Okay, you have the rest of the time to work!"
But no one really planned on working. During 'work time', Mr. Simpson let them get away with pretty much everything. Sophia opened a window to start her project, and Spinner turned to her. Again. She sighed and knew she couldn't get out of talking to him. So she decided to oblige. Craig had turned around to talk to Spinner, but Spinner starte4d talking to Sophia first.
"So, Sophia from British Columbia, do you have a boyfriend?"
As Spinner said those first five words, something in Craig's brain clicked.
"Well, I did just move here so no. Why, are you -"
"Sophia?!?!?!?!" Spinner and Sophia, along with the rest of the class, turned their attention to Craig. Soon, everyone who didn't care went back to doing their own thing.
"Craig." She said, disappointed.
"No way."
"Way."
"How are you here?"
"My mom moved us here. Duh."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I went to your house….to find out it wasn't your house anymore. And some other stuff too."
"Yeah…this isn't the greatest place to catch up. Lunch?"
"Whatever." Sophia was still mad that he didn't recognize her. She walked away, realizing she didn't know where she was walking.
"Need some assistance?"
She turned around.
"Ah. The boy blocking my locker. JT, right?"
"Right. Where are you headed?"
"Mr. Armstrong's pre-calculus?"
"Sounds harsh. But its six rooms that way." He pointed down the hallway.
"Thanks!" She ran in the direction he was pointing and JT watched as she disappeared into a classroom.
At lunch, Sophia just stood in the front of the cafeteria, looking for Craig. She felt really dumb.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late!" Craig apologized, coming up beside her. She looked him over.
"Yeah."
"Let's go sit outside." Craig led Sophia to a table by the basketball courts. An empty one, so they could talk. They kind of just looked at each other for a minute, and Craig tilted his head.
"Ask me. I know you want to. It's okay." He said, knowing what was next.
"What happened to your dad? What happened to you? What made you stop writing?"
"About two years ago, I….Sophia, as long as I can remember, my dad had been beating me."
"What? No. He wouldn't. He was nice."
"To you. He had anger problems. So I moved out of his house, and lived with my step-dad Joey. And then my dad died in a car accident. I stopped writing because I knew if I kept writing, I would have to tell you. But I couldn't. I had so much trouble talking about it."
"This is so mind blowing. So much to take in."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"You should be….is there anything else huge that I should know about?"
Craig stopped and looked at his feet.
"Craig. Tell me."
"I….I've made some really bad decisions this past year, Sophia. I don't think you would understand."
"Try me."
"I cheated on my girlfriend, and the girl I cheated on her with got pregnant. And had an abortion."
Silence. The she laughed. But it was a harsh laugh.
"Craig, you….I'm so disappointed in you." She stood.
"Where are you going?"
"Inside."
"Can I see you after school?"
"I have dance class. See ya later. Maybe." she went inside the school, and he watched, wondered what he would do now.
"Oh..I'm, sorry, do Dr. Manning and Craig Manning live here?"
"Oh no, I'm sorry dear, they don't. Just me and my kitties.." The woman smiled.
"Oh…do you know where they are?"
"Dr. Manning died two years ago in a car accident."
"What! Do you know anything about Craig?"
"No, I'm sorry. I don't."
"Thanks anyways." Sophia turned and walked away. Her home was only a short distance from the old Manning house, which was good, or else she would have gotten lost. She walked in the front door of her home, defeated.
"Sophia? Home already? How's Craig? And Dr. Manning?" Her mom asked her, coming from the kitchen.
"Dead." She flatly says. Her mother dropped the plate she was drying.
"What? What did you just say?"
"Dr. Manning, is dead. He died two years ago. In a car accident."
"And Craig?"
"The woman didn't know. So neither do I. I'm going to my room." Sophia sulked up the stairs, and flopped onto her bed. She pulled out a box from under her bed. It was full of letters from Craig. The letters had stopped coming about two years ago.
"I guess that's why…" She said aloud. She shoved the box back under her bed. She wondered where Craig was, and if he was okay. Sophia had just moved to Degrassi from British Colombia. Craig had been a good friend of hers, up until the end of eighth grade, when he moved. She was devastated. They tried to keep in touch. But it only lasted about a year. Now it was October, 2004, and Sophia was going to start eleventh grade at Degrassi Community School. They had already started a couple a weeks ago, which is okay, she wouldn't be too far behind.
The next day, Sophia had gotten up extra early, so she could look good on her first day of school. She made sure to wash her hair and body extra long, so she would smell good. And picking out her clothes was like defusing a bomb. She had to work perfectly and with careful thought. She was able to come across the perfect outfit though. A pink plaid skirt with a plain pink v-neck shirt, and pink, high top, Chuck Taylor all-stars to top it all off. She figured she looked great. And if not, she was at least looking like herself. She left her medium length bleach blonde hair down. It had black highlights in it. Picking up her messenger bag, she headed to her mom's room and pushed the door open.
"Mom?" She whispered.
"I'm going to school now, I'll see you after you get home from work." She saw her mom turn over in her bed, and then she shut the door. Going down stairs, she grabbed a bottle of water and went outside. She hopped into her Mini Cooper and carelessly tossed her backpack into the passenger seat. She blasted the radio and started on her ay to Degrassi Community School.
Upon arriving, she saw the school was swarming with teenagers, all different ages. Many were sitting out on the steps, others were on the basketball courts, and tons were flowing inside. She parked next to a black SUV, grabbed her bag, and got out. Locking her car, she looked at it, seeing her reflection. She was wearing all pink. Even her backpack was pink. With false confidence, she held her head high and walked up the steps and into the school. She took a piece of paper out of her pocket. It had her schedule and her locker number on it.
"156.…" She said. "Well this is 134, so I can't be too far from here." She walked down the hall, looking up every now and then, checking on the number. Finally, she found 156. And a dark haired boy leaning against it, talking to a blonde girl.
"Excuse me, you're on my locker."
The boy and girl stopped talking and looked at her.
"Oh, sorry."
The boy moved over to the girl and Sophia went to unlock her locker.
"Are you new?" She stopped, and looked up at the girl who had asked her the question.
"Yes, I am new. Let's get this conversation out of the way, shall we? My name is Sophia Carlson, I'm in grade 11, I just moved her from British Columbia, I don't need help finding my way, and, although I am accepting offers to be friends, I won't accept your pity."
The girl looked taken aback. The boy was laughing. The girl recovered and extended her hand.
"My name is Emma Nelson. I'm not new. I'm in grade 10. I won't pity you, but I'm sure I'll see you around." The boy cleared his throat.
"Oh. This is JT."
The girl nodded, slightly interested.
"JT? What's that stand for?"
JT interrupted before Emma even got the chance to start.
"That isn't important. We have to go, anyways. Bye!" JT pulled Emma away, seemingly half angry with her. Sophia shrugged and went back to opening her locker. She tossed her stuff in and pulled out her schedule.
"Hour one. Media Immersion. Oh yay."
The bell rang.
"Yippie, I get to hurry off and sleep again." She grabbed a notebook and folder, and her map. She headed where she thought was the right direction. After a minute of walking, and then a minute of panicking, she found the room. It was hard to miss. It was a giant computer lab. She went in and went straight to the teacher and waited until he looked up.
"Yes?"
"Hi, um, I'm new here, and I don't know if there is assigned seating or-"
"You must be Sophia!"
"Yep."
"We Aren't doing anything challenging right now in class, just working on some HTML. Your transcript said you had already done that, so you won't be behind. We are starting a project today though."
"Okay."
"Alright, go ahead and take a seat in the second row, third chair. And welcome, to Degrassi. I'm Mr. Simpson."
"Thanks, Mr. Simpson." She smiled. It was important to get in good with the teachers. But not too good. She went and sat down where she was told. There was a boy with curly, dirty blonde hair sitting next to her, but he hadn't even noticed she sat down. The bell rang and everyone immediately stopped talking and looked to the front of the class. Except for the boy sitting next to Sophia. He had finally realized someone sitting next to him. Mr. Simpson started talking about what they had done yesterday, and began a lecture on the usage of HTML.
"Hey. Where did you come from?" The boy asked stupidly. Sophia rolled her eyes.
"My mother. You?"
"You're saucy. No, really."
"British Columbia. Just today."
"Cool."
"Yeah." Sophia was trying to give this guy the signal she didn't want to talk anymore.
"I'm Spinner."
"Great."
"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
"Sophia. Will you leave me alone now?"
There was a tall boy sitting in the row ahead of Sophia, it made it hard to see part of the projection screen.
"Hey, what did I do to you?"
"Mr. Mason." Mr. Simpson said, hearing Spinner talk.
"Sorry, Mr. Simpson." Mr. Simpson went back to his lecture. Sophia couldn't stand it anymore. The guy in front of her was making it hard to see.
"Excuse me." He didn't hear her.
"Excuse me?" No response. She crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at his back. He flinched and started turning around.
"I can't see the sc -" She stopped when she saw his face.
"Craig?" Craig looked at her weird.
"Do I know you?"
A frown cast over Sophia's face. 'I can't believe this.' She thought.
"You look like someone I used…nah, never mind. Sorry about being in your way. I'll move."
"Thanks." She looked down. 'This can't be happening. Is because I'm older? Or because my hair is a different color? It is dark in here….' She was really upset. But she tried not to let it bother her. She pretended to listen to class.
"Alright class. Now, for you're assignment. I want you to make a website about something or someone that inspires you. It can be an idea, a person, an object, a group of people. Anything. But make it good! I'm handing out the guidelines right now."
Mr. Simpson passed out a yellow piece of paper to everyone.
"Okay, you have the rest of the time to work!"
But no one really planned on working. During 'work time', Mr. Simpson let them get away with pretty much everything. Sophia opened a window to start her project, and Spinner turned to her. Again. She sighed and knew she couldn't get out of talking to him. So she decided to oblige. Craig had turned around to talk to Spinner, but Spinner starte4d talking to Sophia first.
"So, Sophia from British Columbia, do you have a boyfriend?"
As Spinner said those first five words, something in Craig's brain clicked.
"Well, I did just move here so no. Why, are you -"
"Sophia?!?!?!?!" Spinner and Sophia, along with the rest of the class, turned their attention to Craig. Soon, everyone who didn't care went back to doing their own thing.
"Craig." She said, disappointed.
"No way."
"Way."
"How are you here?"
"My mom moved us here. Duh."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I went to your house….to find out it wasn't your house anymore. And some other stuff too."
"Yeah…this isn't the greatest place to catch up. Lunch?"
"Whatever." Sophia was still mad that he didn't recognize her. She walked away, realizing she didn't know where she was walking.
"Need some assistance?"
She turned around.
"Ah. The boy blocking my locker. JT, right?"
"Right. Where are you headed?"
"Mr. Armstrong's pre-calculus?"
"Sounds harsh. But its six rooms that way." He pointed down the hallway.
"Thanks!" She ran in the direction he was pointing and JT watched as she disappeared into a classroom.
At lunch, Sophia just stood in the front of the cafeteria, looking for Craig. She felt really dumb.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late!" Craig apologized, coming up beside her. She looked him over.
"Yeah."
"Let's go sit outside." Craig led Sophia to a table by the basketball courts. An empty one, so they could talk. They kind of just looked at each other for a minute, and Craig tilted his head.
"Ask me. I know you want to. It's okay." He said, knowing what was next.
"What happened to your dad? What happened to you? What made you stop writing?"
"About two years ago, I….Sophia, as long as I can remember, my dad had been beating me."
"What? No. He wouldn't. He was nice."
"To you. He had anger problems. So I moved out of his house, and lived with my step-dad Joey. And then my dad died in a car accident. I stopped writing because I knew if I kept writing, I would have to tell you. But I couldn't. I had so much trouble talking about it."
"This is so mind blowing. So much to take in."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"You should be….is there anything else huge that I should know about?"
Craig stopped and looked at his feet.
"Craig. Tell me."
"I….I've made some really bad decisions this past year, Sophia. I don't think you would understand."
"Try me."
"I cheated on my girlfriend, and the girl I cheated on her with got pregnant. And had an abortion."
Silence. The she laughed. But it was a harsh laugh.
"Craig, you….I'm so disappointed in you." She stood.
"Where are you going?"
"Inside."
"Can I see you after school?"
"I have dance class. See ya later. Maybe." she went inside the school, and he watched, wondered what he would do now.