Ch 1-The First Day Back

"Ellie!! We're gonna be late!" Ashley called up to her best friend.

"I'm coming!!" she said as she appeared at the top of the stairs. She was wearing her new Abercrombie and Fitch jeans and tight new light blue sweater. Her red hair hung loosely as she ascended the stairs to meet her friend.

"Wow. You look so great," Ash said.

"You're not so bad yourself," Ellie said as she breezed past her. Ashley looked down at her outfit and smiled. Her knee length jean skirt, off the shoulder green long sleeve t-shirt and black knee high boots. It was the first day back after Christmas break. They were going to rule the school; again.

"Hey Toby," Craig said shyly as he passed by the high school basketball star. Toby was one of the most popular guys in school. All the girls wanted to be with him and all the guys wanted to be him.

"Hey Craig," Toby replied as he slung his arm around Liberty. Craig just rolled his eyes as he walked away. He didn't know what he saw in that slut anyways. Half the school had already slept with her; those that hadn't were the girls. In fact, Craig was probably one of the few guys that wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole…even if he was straight.

"Looking good Em," Sean called out sarcastically.

"Fuck off!!" she yelled back as she adjusted her black fishnets. Sean Cameron. The person that she hated almost more than JT. Sean was a man whore…the exact same as Liberty Van Zandt, only a guy. He loved to poke fun at Emma and try to get in her pants. She sighed as she adjusted her black skirt and tucked her blond hair behind her ears. Another day at Degrassi Community School…another day in hell.

"Watch where you're going geek!" Jimmy called out to Alex as she accidentally brushed by him on her way into the school. Manny Santos, his girlfriend of one year, just laughed with him and made fun of the poor girl.

"Take your nose out of a book prude!" she yelled after her. Jimmy looked at her and then started to kiss her deeply as he pushed her against his car.

"Get a room!" Marco muttered as he skated by.

"Careful they might steal your board," Jay said to his friend as he walked into the school.

"I dunno, I kinda like your little gold crown instead," Jimmy shot back, referring to Jay's status as homecoming king.

"Baby that is so cheap. I mean that crown is plastic," Manny whispered loud enough to Jay to hear.

"Honey, the only thing that is cheap around here…is you," Marco called back and then ran when he saw Jimmy stand up.

"Paige, time to go!" her mom called to her.

"Fine," she sighed as she pulled on a sweatshirt. She picked up her bag and headed to the car. Degrassi Community School, where everyone is someone…what a joke. Paige Michaelchuck had been there for five years, seeing as how the school's combined, and she was a nobody. Sure Gavin, JT, Hazel and Alex talked to her…but as for friends…she had none. She had no one to confide in. No one to hang out with. She was alone and she hated it.

"Guys, this place reeks!" Hazel complained as she walked to school with Gavin and JT.

"It smells fine to me," JT replied.

"Oh my God, you can't smell that? Seriously, people need to stop driving so many cars. I can smell all the pollution from here!"

"Shut up!" they both said in unison as they walked away.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," JT said as the school came into sight.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Gavin asked.

"Well…Alex could still hate me. I can't keep seeing her day after day and know that she hates me!"

"She doesn't hate you! You guys broke up yeah, but she doesn't hate you!" Gavin insisted.

"She does too," JT mumbled back.

"Right. Well I won't be at lunch today. The Chess Club has their first meeting and I'm so psyched. I've been practicing all break and I think I've learned some more moves…God I wish I could talk to them," he said quietly as Ellie and Ashley walked past laughing.

"At least they don't hate you like Alex does me," JT said again. Gavin just sighed and kept walking straight ahead.