Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Read it again Manny." the blonde says to her friend, gushing as they sit at her computer.

"Again? I've read it six times already."

"Just one more time, please." the blonde begs.

"Okay." Manny says before reading the email again. "Emma, you saved my heart and my project. if we protect the wildlife refuge, I owe it all to you. Love you, Jordan"

"Love you. Love you." Emma says softly as her eyes look up into the air as she holds a mesmerized look on her face.

A girl with long black hair and pale skin giggles quietly at the two. She's laying on Emma's bed with a magazine in her hands. The others don't notice her giggle and continue to squeal over the email.

"Let me see his picture again." Emma scrolls down the screen to the pictures of a boy with brown hair. "He gets cuter each time we see his face."

"Is that possible?" Manny asks.

The girl on the bed let's out another giggle, this time catching the attention of the others. Emma turns around and sees her looking through the magazine.

"Hey Max. Don't wreck that. I want Caitlin to autograph it." Emma says reaching over and taking the magazine from Max before placing it on her desk.

"Emma! Ready to go?" Her mom calls from downstairs.

"Just a minute." Emma says back.

"We don't have a minute. J.T.'s waiting for us." Emma's mom says before making her way up the stairs. Emma quickly closes out the window with the email.

"Em, your rooms a disaster. I thought you were going to clean it up." Emma's mom says.

"I will."

"And turn off that computer."

"I was just showing Manny and Max your reunion website." Emma says pulling up the website.

Emma's mom clicks through the photos on the website, stopping on a picture of a girl with a freckle on her chin. "I always knew she'd make it big." She clicks through some more stopping on a picture of herself with a giant bleach blonde mohawk. "How's that for a hair-do? Could I have been any cooler?"

"Uh, yeah." Emma giggles.

"My ten year reunion. Wow. It's gonna be great seeing everyone again." she says clicking through the photos. "I'm getting as bad as you guys. Come on, let's go." She takes the hat Manny is wearing off as she goes to leave Emma's room.

"That's some pretty cool stuff you collected for the reunion." Max says as her and Manny follow Emma's mom out of the room.

"Thanks." She smiles. "Emma, now!" She calls, Emma comes out of her room and joins them.

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time skip brought to you by the theme song
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"Thanks for dropping these off." Emma's mom says as they walk up to a building labeled "Degrassi Community School."

"No problem Ms. Nelson. Gives us a chance to see the school." Manny smiles.

"Don't you think you'll be seeing enough of it over the next year?" A boy in a tyedye shirt says as Ms. Nelson hands him two boxes.

"You sure you can handle that?" Ms. Nelson asks the boy.

"I'm smug, but strong. Like bull."

"Speaking of bull..." Emma says to Manny.

"Thanks again guys. And Em..." Ms.Nelson says.

"Yes I'll clean my room." She turns back to Manny. "She rushed me out of the house so fast, I didn't get a chance to read my new email. I hope it's from Jordan."

"Guys! Help!" J.T. yells while trying to get up the stairs. Emma and Manny had already made there way inside though. Max grabs a box off of the top of the stack J.T. was holding. They walk into the school together.

J.T. drops the box he's holding as he gets inside. "Help!"

"J.T.!" Emma yells as her and Manny run to help him. They all start to pick stuff off the ground, Emma picks up a picture of three guys, holding instruments. "People in the 80's were weird." The others laugh and they all finish picking up the stuff before walking down the halls again.

They go through a set of doors, a tall man in a black shirt, holding a mug, is walking toward them. "I really hope you're Mr. Simpson." Emma says.

"I am. And you must be Emma." He looks at all the boxes. "Wow. Wow. Wow. Spike found all of this stuff, it's amazing."

"Spike?" Max questions as they all set the boxes down on the floor.

"My mom's nickname. Don't ask." Emma says.

Mr. simpson takes a hat off of J.T.'s head just like Spike had done to Manny earlier. "And I see fedoras are making a comeback." He puts the hat on. "Great. Thanks a lot guys. Go and enjoy your last few days of freedom."

"Spike?" J.T. asks as the four walk off. Emma hits him. "Ow!" he says. They all start running down the halls stopping at the lockers in front of a room full of computers.

"Holy..." Emma says.

"Look at all the computers." Manny says. Max, Manny, and J.T. all start to walk away but Emma stays put.

"Emma? Let's go." Max says.

"Oh I see. You gonna email Jordan from here?" J.T. smirks.

"Shut up!" Emma says.

"Oh, he can read into my soul." Max says mocking Emma. Emma hits her.

"And the jewel on the Degrassi crown, the media immersion lab. Every computer here is connected to the internet via, high speed telephone access." A man in a suit says as he comes down the hall with another man and a kid.

"Oh, you see Toby? Didn't have that at your old school." The other man says to the boy.

"Toby?" J.T. asks the boy.

"J.T.?" Toby recognizes him and J.T. runs over to him.

They do a little hand shake "Mickey hickey wampum, mickey hickey yeah, mickey hickey wigwam, North Creek summer camp." They say.

"Dude what are you doing here?" J.T. asks.

"My dad moved in with his girlfriend and Degrassi was the closest school so..."

"I think we'll let you two get reacquainted and your father and I will finish filling out the forms in my office." The man in the suit says to Toby.

"So, Toby, you gonna need a..."

"I'm gonna walk home, okay?" Toby interrupts his dad.

"Cool." his dad responds, before walking with the principal back to the office.

"Oh, sorry. Manny, Emma, Max, this is Toby. We were at camp together." J.T. says as he and Toby walk back towards the girls.

"No, really?" Emma says sarcastically.

"Nice to meet you" Toby says giving a small smile.

"Nice to meet y-"

"Yeah. Ok, the coast is finally clear. Manny, you're coming in with me." Emma says interrupting Max.

"No, no." Manny protests as Emma drags her into the Computer Lab.

"You guys stand guard." Emma tells them before shutting the door.

"So is your friend always like that?" Toby asks.

"Always." Max and J.T. say in unison.

"Really? Toby peaks through the window, Manny jumps out and hits the door, scaring Toby and J.T.

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Emma and Manny are on a tire swing, while Max, J.T., and Toby sit next to the monkey bars.

"I want to meet him. It's just I told him I was in high school." Emma tells Manny and Max.

"You almost are. Jordan's coming here. You have to meet him. It's fate." Manny tells her as they spin in circles.

"Who's Jordan?" Toby asks as he hands out popsicles.

"Some creep Emma met on the 'Net." Max jokes.

"I bet he lives in Scarbrough + works in a video store. I bet he's 40 and drools." J.T. adds.

"You still wet the bed and I'm friends with you." Emma tells him.

"Ha ha ha." J.T. laughs sarcastically.

"Ok. If you're meeting a stranger you met off of the 'Net, that could be really dangerous." Toby tells Emma while he opens his grape popsicle.

"He's not a stranger. He e-mailed me his picture. I've known Jordan a lot longer than I've known you." Emma argues.

"Guys, it's cool. Jordan's 16. He's coming here on a school trip." Manny backs Emma up.

"School trip? It's summer." J.T. asks suspiciously.

"He organized it back in the spring. He got to go at the last minute. Stop making it into something it's not." Emma explains, getting annoyed.

"Oh... poor baby." Max says, pulling out her water gun a shooting Emma. They all start having a water gun fight and laughing.

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"Ok. We've gone through all the e-mail. No video store. No mention of missing teeth." Emma says to Manny and Max, as they lay on her bed, while Emma sits at her computer, analyzing all the emails sent from Jordan.

"J.T.'s just worried about you." Max tells her.

"J.T.'s just immature." Scoffs back.

"That Toby guy seems okay." Manny says, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, I think he's cool." Max says.

"He's fine, I guess. Yeah. Girls are so much more mature than boys. That's why I like Jordan. I've never had a boyfriend so smart, so thoughtful." Emma changes the subject back to Jordan.

"Em, you've never had a boyfriend." Manny says matter of factly.

"I know." Emma says as she joins the others on her bed.

"Maybe..." Max starts.

"What?" Emma asks.

"What Toby said, about meeting strangers on the 'Net, Being dangerous..." Manny says what Max was going to.

"Manny I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry so much. We'll meet somewhere in public." Emma tells her, already having a plan.

"Maybe you should just talk to your mom." Max suggests.

"Yeah, She's cool. She'd understand." Manny adds.

"She's not that cool. Are you saying you don't think I should meet Jordan?" Emma says to the two.

They just look at her before changing their attention to something else.

Chapter Text

"So...have you made your mind?" Manny asks Emma over the phone. Max places her ear next to the phone so she can also hear.

"Yea, I'm not going." Emma says.

"Really? I'm so relived."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll meet him when I'm older, right?"

"Hey, absolutely. Want me and Max to come over?" Manny asks.

"Um...There's this show on tonight about the wildlife refuge and I really wanna watch it. You know, for Jordan." Emma says, Max looks over at Manny giving her a suspicious look.

"We could help you research." She offers.

"It's ok. I really need to concentrate." Emma says.

"Oh, ok."

"It's about to start, so I'll call you tomorrow, ok?"

" 'kay." Manny says with a slight trace of disappointment in her tone.

"Bye." They hear Emma hang up.

"Something weird is going on with her, I don't think she's telling us the truth." Max says.

"Yeah, me too. We should see if that show is actually on." Manny tells her

"Yeah let's do that." They go into the living room and turn on the television, they flip through the channels trying to find the show, but it's not on.

"We should go figure this out." Max and Manny leave, heading off to figure out what Emma is up to.

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They walk up to the door, and knock on it.

A man opens the door. "Can I help you?" he asks.

"We need to see Toby, sir." Max tells the man.

"Yeah, right this way." The man who is Toby's dad opens the door and invites them inside.
"Toby, you have some visitors." He says as he walks into the room, the girls following behind.

"Max? Manny? what's up?" J.T. who's sitting on the couch throwing a pillow back and forth with Toby asks.

"I've got a bad feeling. We went by Emma's. Not there. We tried her cell. Didn't pick up." Manny says frantically.

"So...?" J.T. asks not seeing the big deal.

"So...she said she was staying home tonight, to watch a show on wildlife refuge. It's not on. We checked." Max told them.

"Well, she didn't go meet that Jordan guy, did she?" Toby asks, sitting up.

"I have no idea. But, she was acting really weird." Manny says.

"So, this girl from BC, she meets this guy on-line, they hit it off, she goes to meet him, they days later they find her dead, like in pieces." Toby tells them.

"That was some psycho. Emma's way too smart for that. She gets like practically straight A's." J.T. says underestimating the situation Emma could be in.

"So? This isn't school. Where would they go?" Toby asks.

"Well, we can't call her, we can't read her e-mail." J.T. says.

"Why not?" Toby asks.

"Toby's right, this might be our only chance of helping Emma." Max says standing up. "Let's go."

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"What's her mom's maiden name?" Toby asks as they all sit in front of the computer, trying to hack into Emma's email.

"Nelson. Same as Emma." Manny tells him.

He tries it. It doesn't work. "Okay that's not it. Does she have a dog? A fish? Anything?" he asks. "Ah, here we go." he looks back at the computer. "Secret question: What's mom's favorite rock band?"

They start searching through Emma's computer to find the answer.

"There." Toby points to an old picture of Spike. "A picture of her mom. What does her t-shirt say?"

"Who were the pogues?" J.T. asks.

"A punk band from the 80's" Max says.

"Come on, guys. Emma wouldn't make her password that easy." Manny says, skeptical about the password working.

Toby tries it and they get in. "If I can do it, so can Jordan. Sorry, Emma, we're going in." he starts reading through the emails, before realizing what was going on.

"I don't get it." Manny says.

"See? Look here. You and Emma rent Chicken Run. The next day, she mentions it in an e-mail to you." Toby explains.

"So?" Manny still doesn't understand.

"Jordan's next e-mail?" Toby pulls it up.

"He likes Chicken Run, too. Big deal." J.T. says also not understanding.

"Coincidence, right? The next day, Emma e-mails you some garbage about how great fresh air is. Jordan's next e-mail?" He pulls the next one up.

"I love hiking. Being out in the fresh air makes me feel so free." Max reads the email.

"Emma writes to you or to anyone, he echoes it back to her." Toby explains.

"The guy's not looking into her soul, he's reading her e-mail." Max concludes.

"There. His last message. He's at the Bartley Valley, room 1409." Toby shows them the latest email from Jordan.

"We have to tell Ms. Nelson." Manny says.

"Yeah we need to go right now." Max says, they all run out the house and into the street making their way to degrassi.

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They arrive at degrassi, running in to find Ms. Nelson.

"Toby, come on." J.T. says, pulling him inside.

They run into the gym and see Emma's mom. "Ms. Nelson!" Manny yells.

"There she is. Right over there." Max points her out, she's dancing with Mr. Simpson.

"Ms. Nelson!" They all say together, running up to her.

"Guys, what's up?" She asks confused by the out of breath children, who just came in.

"It's Emma!" they all start talking at once.

"Wait a minute. Stop. Slow down." She tells them.

"One at a time." Mr. Simpson says.

"We can't find Emma! We think she went off to meet this Jordan dude she's been emailing." Max says.

Ms. Nelson's face drops and she runs outside. Mr. Simpson gathers the children and follows behind.

"Hello, police? My daughter's in danger. I don't know who she's with. All I know is it's someone she met on the Internet. Please hurry." Ms. Nelson says frantically on the phone. "You guys go home. I'll call your parents" She tells the kids, as her and Mr. Simpson get in a car together and speed off to go find Emma.

"Do you think they'll find her." Manny says worried.

"Yeah Manny, I know they will." Max says placing an arm around her friend, in an attempt to comfort her.

"We should probably head home." Toby says, J.T. nods in agreement.

"Yeah that's a good idea. Manny, do you wanna just stay the night at my house?" Max asks.

"Yeah, can I?"

"Of course." Max smiles.

Chapter Text

"I mean, I hadn't even spit out my toothpaste and she wanted in." Toby says as him, J.T. and Max walk to the school.

"Maybe you should explain to Ashley that bathroom time is private time." J.T. tells him.

"She'd probably go and cry to her mommy." Toby scoffs.

"Really?" J.T. asks.

"She has no sense of humor and she's a neat-o-holic. Yesterday, I left my gym socks on the couch, she freaked." Toby complains.

"Yeah because that's just gross, Toby." Max says disgusted.

"Your gym socks can reek something fierce." J.T. adds.

"Just 'cause me and dad move in to their house, Ashley treats me like..." Toby starts.

"Dirt? Gum stuck on her shoe?" J.T. finishes.

"All of the above. So, ready for Day 1 of the rest of our junior high lives?" He asks.

"What do you think?" J.T. asks rhetorically.

"It can't be that bad. Can it?" Max asks.

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"Hey, guys." Toby greets Manny and Emma as they walk over to them. They both say hi back.

"That's our homeroom?" Manny asks as they all peak through the windows.

"Cool." Emma says.

The bell rings. Mr. Simpson comes to the door and un-locks it. "Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late. Hey, Em. Okay, here we go." He explains. The kids enter the room and sit down. "All right, just choose your own seats for the time being."

Max takes a seat next to Manny. J.T. and Toby sit at the table next to them, and Emma is on the other side of Manny.

"Okay, welcome to Degrassi Community School. I'm Mr. Simpson, I'm your homeroom and Media Immersion teacher. And I gotta say you guys really lucked out, I mean it. This is by far the coolest homeroom in the entire school." He smiles.

"First order of business: These are the code of conduct forms." he passes them out to everyone. "...concerning the computers, and the internet, all right? I wanna get these out of the way before we get to know one another." he says, taking J.T.'s hat off.

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"Students are reminded that 3:15 today is the deadline for student council nominations." The P.A. announces.

"See, Manny, Max, this isn't so bad, isn't it?" Emma says as the girls, J.T. and Toby walk down the hall together.

"As long as we don't run into that jerk again." Manny says.

"What jerk?" Max asks.

"Some grade 8, with spikey hair and piercings." Manny says.

"Do you mean spinner? Was he with another kid with short black hair, wearing a hoodie?" Max questions.

"Yeah, do you know them?" Manny asks confused.

"That's my cousin Jimmy and his friend Spinner. Jimmy's basically like a brother to me. Spinner just a jerk but I'll talk to him after school and tell him to cut it out." Max says.

"Wow, thanks Max." Manny smiles.

They stop in front of Ashley's poster. "Is that your step-sister?" Emma asks Toby.

"She's not my step-sister. We just to be stuck in a forced living arrangement." he scoffs.

"Well, I think she's pretty." Manny says.

"That's Jimmy's girlfriend." Max tells them.

"Ashley hates I live in her house and she hates that I go to her school. Which she's obviously never heard of democracy." Toby complains.

"What are you talking about?" Emma looks at him confused.

"This election. No one's even running against her. She's a shoe-in." He explains.

"Why don't you run?" Max asks.

"Because it would provoke a rupture in our fragile family dynamic. It's family counseling speak for "my dad would kill me"." he tells them.

"So? Get someone else to run." Manny says.

"Yeah, right. Who'd wanna run for student council? The whole thing's a joke." J.T. says as the girls start walking away.

"Did you say joke?" Toby asks, an idea popping into his head.

"No way, Toby. I am not going a joke campaign." J.T. protests.

"Well i'll let you two sort this out." Max pats the boys on the shoulder before walking off to catch up with Manny and Emma.

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Max, J.T., and Toby are walking down the hall together when a boy comes up to them with a video camera.

"Hey, JT. Why do you wanna run for president?" he asks.

"Why do I wanna run for president? Uh, that's a good question." J.T. stalls because he can't think of anything to say.

"In one word people: democracy. The backbone of our fine nation." Toby says for him.

"Hear, hear!" J.T. says.

"He is, people, our great alternative. In a world dominated by cruel selfish 8th graders, JT is our last shining hope." Toby keeps going.

"I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you, Degrassi." J.T. says before walking off.

The boy continues to go around interviewing people. He goes outside to interview a girl by the steps.

"A grade 7 running for president? I wouldn't be caught dead voting for him. Besides, I think Ashley and I, Liberty Van Zandt, will make an excellent team." She says to the camera.

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"If elected, I, JT Yorke, will do what a real politician would do: absolutely nothing. And, like a true politician, I will accept bribes." J.T. says to the students crowding around them. They all laugh at his jokes.

"People are actually paying attention to him?" Ashley asks as her and her friend Terri watch from afar.

"He's pretty funny...If you like total amateur humor. You're not actually worried are you?" She asks.

"No."

"I, JT Yorke: Unknown, unremarkable..." J.T. says.

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The camera boy is back and is talking to Emma as she walks down the hall. "Personally, I think it's great. Grade 7's have just as much right to run for school president as anyone. I'm voting for JT." She says.

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"Look at this! You've got as much support as Ashley!" Toby says, as he shows J.T. and Max the polls.

"It's just some stupid poll." J.T. says.

"This is before your speech, Forget Ashley. You're on the verge of making Degrassi history! Am I the only one excited here?"

"Yeah J.T. you're winning, 42-58." Max says.

"I thought the plan was to make her sweat." J.T. says, not wanting to actually win.

"Exactly! The closer you come to beating her, the sweater she gets." Toby says.

"Yeah, well, I'm getting pretty sweaty too. Because if I win this thing, I'll have to do a lot of work." J.T. tells him.

"Toby are you sure you didn't get J.T. to run just for your own benefit?" Max asks.

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"It would be tragic if Ashley lost today. But if she did, and if I, Liberty Van Zandt, am elected as secretary, I would work closely with JT to ensure excellent standards of student government." Liberty says as the video camera boy tapes her again.

"Once the election's over, I head straight home." Manny says as the girls walk down the hall.

"And avoid Spinner." Emma adds

Spinner comes up behind them and hits Manny with a spitball. He laughs.

"Ow." Manny says. She holds her neck and starts to cry, Spinners laugh stops.

"Oh, great. Now look what you've done." Emma says.

"Yeah Spin, way to be a real jerk." Max says.

"I was just kidding around." Spinner says in defense.

"Wow that's so cool, Spinner. Making a grade 7 girl cry." Terri says to him sarcastically.

"Look, I didn't mean to make her cry." He says.

"Well, you did. Congratulations." Emma tells him.

"Spin just leave us alone." Max says. Spinner walks away.

"It's ok, Manny. He's gone." Emma says.

"I knew it would work. Always does on my brother." She smiles.

"That was a great performance." Max laughs.

They walk off and head to the assembly.

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"And in conclusion, I promise that if elected, I, Liberty Van Zandt, will fulfill my responsibilities as student council secretary with enthusiasm and even more enthusiasm. Thank you." Liberty finishes her speech and everyone claps as she sits back down.

Mr. Raditch comes to the mic. "Thank you very much, Liberty, for that enthusiasm. Next up, our two candidates for school president. Each will have 3 minutes to deliver their speeches and we will begin with, JT Yorke."

Everyone claps as J.T. comes to the mic. "Ladies and gentleman, it's a long year. You gotta vote for me. You need something to laugh at. Now if I could just say a few words about my presidential platform, this speech would be a whole lot shorter. But, seriously, if there's one thing I've learned in my zero years of political experience, well, it's nothing."

"So who do you think is gonna win?" Max asks Emma and Manny as J.T. continues his speech.

"J.T. for sure." Manny says.

"Yeah he's got the popular vote, I don't see how he could lose." Emma adds.

"She's got the looks, she's got the brains, she's got the brains, she's got everything. Don't pity her; pity me. Thank you. Oh, and by the way, I quit the race for school prez. Vote Ashley." J.T. says as he finishes introducing Ashley.

"Well that's rather interesting. JT, you sure?" Mr. Raditch asks, and J.T. nods in response. "Well, I still think we'd like to hear what Ashley has to say. Ashley? Ashley?" They all cheer as they wait for Ashley to come back inside. She finally does and comes back inside delivering her speech, and since J.T. pulled out of the race, Ashley won by default.

Chapter Text

"I can't believe you guys are chickening out." Emma says to JT and Toby as they take their seats in home room.

"We're not chickening out." Toby tells her.

"Fine." She rolls her eyes.

"Fine." Toby mimics her.

"We're just not going to the dance, ok?" JT says.

"I guess it's just us then." Emma says to Manny and Max. Max bods her head in agreement while Manny just stands there. "You did talk to your parents?" Emma asks.

"Yes... and no. If the dance was during school hours, fine. But it's at night." She explains

"So who are we supposed to go with?" Emma asks. They sit down. Mr. Simpson enters, with a boy in a denim jacket following behind him.

"Morning, people. I would like to meet Sean Cameron. He was here for a few months last year, before he moved up north. Why don't you tell the class about yourself?" Mr. Simpson introduces him.

"No." The boy says, bluntly.

"Ok, well, um, maybe when once you've more settled in. Why don't you have a seat?" Mr. Simpson says, pointing him to an empty chair.

He sits down and Ashley's voice plays on the tv over the announcements "So, come make history tonight when I host Starlight, Starbright, Degrassi Community School's first ever nighttime dance. Thanks again, Mr. Raditch. And I know I speak for all of us when I say tonight's going to be the best dance ever." She smiles as the announcements turn off.

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Jimmy is dribbling a ball when Max takes it from him. She passes it to another kid as she joins Jimmy. He pretends to shoot a ball in the trashcan. They see Sean and sit next to him, Max following Jimmy.

"Hey, buddy. What's going on? It must be weird being back and all. Don't worry. The guys won't treat you any differently because, well, you know. Alright?" he says hitting Sean on the arm.Sean looks at him weird and leaves, going to sit down on a different bench.

"That was weird. I'll catch you later." Max tells Jimmy before getting up and going to sit next to Emma and Manny. Emma looks at Sean, then looks away.

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"Welcome. Why don't you take that seat and that's your book." Ms. Kwan tells Sean before walking back to her desk.

Sean sits down as Max, Emma, and Manny watch. Toby and JT come in and walk over to them.

"Emma..." Toby starts but the girls walk away before he can finish. "That girl's not happy." He says as him and JT make their way to their seats.

"Ever since boy bands reared their genetically perfect heads they expect us to know how to dance. Curse them and their fancy footwork." JT explains.

"On the other hand, what else is there to do tonight?" Toby asks

"Oh, uh, Toby-woby wants to dance with his girly-wirly friend." JT teases him.

"Shut up! Emma's not my girlfriend." Toby says.

"But you really wish she was." Max giggles.

"Yeah, well, forget about her. I have an alternative" JT pulls out a piece of paper.

"Ok, guys, quiet down. I want you to open up your books and we're gonna read chapter 4." Ms. Kwan tells the class.

JT gives the piece of paper to Toby. "Where'd you get these URL's?" Toby asks.

"I got this cousin who's really into the 'Net. Best thing about them, they're all free. Girls too sexy for me, I doubt it."

"I don't know." Toby says skeptically.

"Come on, Toby. It's a right of passage." JT says.

Ms. Kwan comes by as she watches to see if everyone's working. "Boys, open up your books."

"Em, I totally wish I could go tonight." Manny says.

"Yeah, well, at least you have a real excuse. Those two?" they look over at Toby and JT.

"They're wusses." Max laughs.

"Emma, are you really gonna let a couple of prepubescent boys dictate your amusement?" Liberty asks the blonde.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Ms. Nelson drops Emma off at the dance. "Call me when you want me to pick you up." She says as Emma gets out of the car. "You sure you're okay going in there alone?"

"I'm fine. Besides, I think Max is already here."

"Okay. Good luck. But, do not walk home alone. I love you." Ms. Nelson smiles.

"Love you too." Emma walks into the school

"Your signs were blah." Liberty tells Ashley.

"Now you can't even read them. They're too covered in glitters, squiggles, and sparkles." Ashley tells her. As they're talking Sean is waiting in line. He gets tired of waiting so he goes to the front of the line, pays, and goes in.

"It's called marketing." Liberty says in a duh tone.

"It's called messy." Ashley scoffs at Sean's rudeness. "$5.00 please. It goes towards the Degrassi Community Food Bank, though you wouldn't know that from the sign." Ashley takes Emma's money and Emma enters the dance after Ashley stamps her hand.

"Hey! It's little Miss Big Mouth and look she's got a heart on." Spinner points at Emma. Jimmy laughs and high fives Spinner. Max rolls her eyes and walks away with Emma.

"You two are idiots." She spits.

"Don't worry about them Em. They're being jerks. like usual." Max tells her friend.

"It's fine. I like your shirt." Emma says, pointing at Max's red and black baby tee.

"Thanks. Yours is super cute." Max says.

The girls just walk around the gym until Max decides they should get some food. Paige and Terri are there too. Paige pours a soda, as Spinner comes up to them.

"Hey. I thought you weren't coming." He smiles at the sight of Terri.

"Oh, you know, I changed my mind."

"Cool."

"Hi Spinner." Paige says.

"Hi. Uh, Terri, you look, wow." He brushes Paige's greeting off, looking back at Terri.

"Ashley, my friend. I love you." Terri says, as she wraps her arms around Ashley who just walked up.

"Yeah, I love you, too, but maybe you should tone it down a bit before Raditch realizes you're drunk." She whispers.

"I'm not drunk. I'm just...happy." Terri says, obviously drunk.

"Paige, how much did she drink? And don't lie." Ashley asks.

"I don't know. A few glasses."

"What were you thinking? And what is with your skirt?" she fixes Terri's skirt.

"Uh, Ter, wanna dance?" Spinner asks.

"I thought you'd never ask." Terri smiles, wrapping her arm around Spinners shoulder as they walk to the dance floor. Ashley gives Paige a look. Paige sees Raditch and waves and leaves. Raditch walks around watching everyone.

"Hey, man. After party at my place. It's grade 8's only, but we'll make an expectation just for you. What are you doing?" Jimmy asks going up to Sean.

He gets angry and grabs Jimmy, "Just stop reminding me, ok? It sucks about having to repeat the 7th grade, and I don't have to have you rubbing it in my face." He spits.

"Do you wanna dance?" Emma asks Sean.

He let's go of Jimmy, "Yeah." They go on the dance floor and start dancing.

"Jimmy? What was that about?" Max asks.

"Don't worry about it. You coming to the party after?" He asks.

"Kinda have to, Mom's not in the best place tonight so I kinda had to stay with you either way." She says. Jimmy gives his little cousin a sympathetic smile and pats her shoulder.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Our very first dance. This is gonna be my favorite spot in Degrassi from now and forever. You're so cute. I can't believe I just said that." Terri slurs.

"Um, thanks." Spinner says, unsure of how to respond.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" She asks.

"Um, I don't know."

A new song comes on. Terri starts dancing around Spinner. Paige and Ashley are watching, Paige laughs at Terri, knowing that it's her fault Terri's drunk and no longer has a chance with Spinner.

"Um, are you okay?" Spinner asks.

"I'm fine. Never better."

"Okay." Spinner says not believing her. Terri falls and Spinner gets down next to her. "Are you okay?" he asks again.

"Um, Actually, I don't feel so good." Terri runs to the bathroom, Ashley following behind her.

"I told Terri not to drink so much. So, did you save me that dance?" Paige says having no concern for her friend.

"Uh, yeah. I guess." Spinner shrugs, Paige grabs his hand and he spins her. She starts dancing with him.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"You actually asked him to dance?" Manny asks Emma.

"Yeah right after he pushed Jimmy against the wall!" Max says, upset at Sean.

"It wasn't like that. I know he seems all scary and dangerous, but he was actually pretty nice." Emma says with a smile.

Max just rolls her eyes.

"I told you it was a stupid idea." JT says as the girls join them by the lockers.

"What did you guys do Friday night?" Emma asks.

"Nothing, why?" Toby says trying to avoid answering

"Nothing. Just imagine the most embarrassing possible moment of your life then multiply it by eternity." JT tells them.

"What happened?" Manny asks the two.

"The internet, Toby's perverted curiosity."

"Me? It was your idea, remember?" Toby argues.

"You guys stayed home to look at porn?" Emma asks.

"So? It's a right of passage." Toby defends.

"Please." Max scoffs.

"His dad and Kate came home early and found us." JT says.

"They made us look at porn sites with them, including sites with men. To teach us a lesson about objectifying women." Toby explains

"They made you look at porn?" Emma questions.

"With them?" Manny adds.

"Males and Females?" Emma asks a follow up question.

"Not so loud, okay?" Toby says not wanting them to be heard.

"Wow, didn't know you two swung both ways, it's okay I don't judge." Max laughs.

"Losers." Emma and Manny say as the girls walk away heading to class.

Chapter Text

"28 hours, 14 minutes, 7 seconds. 28 hours, 14 minutes..." Toby says as he, Max, and JT walk into school.

"Would you stop with the countdown please?" JT says annoyed.

"Sure, you've got Parents' Day in the bag." Toby says.

"What? Ok, you Einstein. Me, brain-dead." JT not understanding what toby meant.

"I mean, your parents aren't homicidal maniacs." Toby tells him.

"I thought Kate and Jeff were getting along great." Max says finally chiming into the conversation, having been too distracted by her own thoughts to pay attention to her friends.

"I'm not talking about Kate." Toby walks ahead of his friends.

"Whoa. Your mom's coming tomorrow? Oh, man. I should sell tickets. Remember that time at camp when they both came to pick you up?" JT says bringing up a memory Toby definitely didn't want.

"Don't remind me."

"Can't you just ask your mom not to come?" Max asks.

"Sure, if I want to start a nuclear custody war." Toby tells her.

"Maybe they won't start screaming this time." JT adds.

"Yeah. Maybe Mr. Armstrong will your parents about the "D" on your last math test." Toby says annoyed.

"How much time do we have left?" JT asks, now just as worried.

"28 hours, 13 minutes, and 17 seconds. 28 hours, 13 minutes, and 16 seconds. 28 hours, 13 minutes, and 15 seconds." Toby stars the countdown again.

"Guys you're just over reacting, I'm sure it won't be that bad." Max says, placing a hand on her friends shoulders.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
WHATEVER IT TAKES!!
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"The way it works now is perfect. Every other weekend with my mom, the rest of the time with my dad. And as long as they don't have to talk to each other, everything's fine." Toby explains, as he walks down the hall with Max and JT.

"Sorry, man. I didn't know it was that serious." JT says.

"Yeah." Max adds.

"Yeah, well, it is that serious." Toby tells them.

"Hey, we could contaminate the water fountains with E coli, that way they'd have to shut down the school, right?" JT suggests.

"There probably is E coli in the fountains." Toby jokes, making the others giggle.

"Actually, we test our water on a daily basis, boys. It's fine." Mr. Simpson tells them before taking a drink.

The bell rings and the three make their way to Mr. Simpson's homeroom.

"Ok guys, quiet down. We don't have Ashley today, but we do have this week's News About Kids broadcast." Mr. Simpson tells the class.

"Uh, NAK again." Emma groans. She has expressed to Max many times before how much she hates NAK.

"Em? Something you wanna share?" Mr. Simpson asks.

"No, Mr. Simpson." She sits down Mr. Simpson turns on the tv. The NAK people appear on screen.

"Hi, I'm Ryan, and this is Nicole. And welcome to NAK: News About Kids. Today we'll be talking about that infests major cities everywhere" A boy in a blue shirt says when he appears on screen.

"And we're not talking cockroaches, we're talking squeegee kids." Nicole, who's in a matching blue shirt says.

"Stalking street corners, waiting to pounce on un suspecting cars. Hijacking your hard-earned cash to waste on drugs and tattoos." Ryan's voice says as footage of squeegee kids plays on screen, Emma watching with an annoyed look on her face.

"Are squeegee kids legit or lazy? Are they using their "cool" trend for today's media saturated youth?" Nicole says, the show now ending.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Remember guys, you're here for media studies after lunch." Mr. Simpson says as the students leave for their next class.

"Em, it was just a TV show." Manny tells her friend who is still annoyed by the NAK video.

"Squeegee kids are very annoying." Liberty says.

"No, squeegee kids are poor. They live on the street and wash windows. It's their living." Emma gets defensive, upset at how these kids are being judged for trying to make a living.

"My father says that if another one of those ragamuffins tries to dirty up his window, he'll call the mayor. He knows the mayor." Liberty walks away, Emma glaring at her as she does.

"Last week NAK told us to join the army. What's tomorrow? A hole in the O-Zone is good because it makes a better tan? Imagine being a squeegee kid. Out in the cold, no school, no parents." Emma says.

"No parents?" Toby chimes in. Max rolls her eyes at him.

"Toby this isn't a joke." Emma says. she starts to walk backwards, accidentally bumping into Sean.

"He stared right at you." Manny smiles.

"Yeah, because I bumped right into him." Emma says embarrassed.

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"JT, come on. We've got to come up with an anti-parents plan." Toby says.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" JT says.

"Uh, playing the seeds for a massive heart attack?" Toby jokes.

"To plot evil, I need energy." JT says matter-of-factly"

"I don't understand what's so bad about both of you parents being there for you, it shows they care." Max says, a hint of annoyance at Toby in her voice.

"They aren't you parents Max, you have your own worry about them." Toby snaps.

Ashley and Terri come up behind them. "Hey. Just the person I was looking for. Your mom's a casting agent, right?" Ashley asks.

"Yeah, so?" Toby says confused at why Ashley is talking to him.

"So, is she coming to Parents' Day?" Terri asks.

"Thank you, for reminding me." Toby says sarcastically.

"Is that a yes?" Ashley asks him.

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason." she says as the two walk away.

"What was that about?" Max asks.

"I have no idea." Toby says. They go to a table where Manny and Emma are.

"It's not like people really think about it." Manny tells her blonde friend.

"That's the thing. They don't us to think. They want us to become brain-dead NAK robots." Emma says getting upset.

"What's with her?" Toby questions.

"NAK rage, kind of like road rage." Manny explains.

"And the announcements? They have commercials. They're trying to buy our bran loyalty in homeroom." Emma continues complaining.

"Emma, who are you talking to" JT asks.

"I could talk, or I could take action." She gets up and leaves her friends at the picnic table.

"Imagine being her for a day." JT says.

"I would be tired after 10 minutes." Max adds.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Mr. Raditch, could I talk to you about this morning's NAK broadcast?" Emma says, walking into his office.

"I'm all ears."

"NAK is totally bias. This morning they tell us squeegee kids suck, and then they tell us which running shoes to buy? It's wrong." Emma explains.

"Have you seen the new computers in the Media Immersion lab? 18 computers thanks to NAK. In exchange, we show their morning broadcasts." Mr. Raditch tells her, getting up to grab a binder off the shelf.

"Whatever they want to report?" Emma questions. Mr. Raditch nods in response.

"But that's bribery."

"No, it's 18 new computers we wouldn't have otherwise. Parents voted for it." Mr. Raditch says, slightly irritated by the accusation. "And remember, not everyone at Degrassi has a computer at home. But, if you feel strongly about it, write an opinion piece. Make sure you get it in by 4:00. Make the Parents' Day addition." He tells her, sitting back down at his desk.

"4:00 today?" She questions.

"Think you can do it?" Raditch says, Emma nodding and leaving as the bell rings.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

" I can't believe the principal is asking you to do this. You're like, attacking the school." Manny says as the girls walk into media immersion, making their way to their seats.

"I know. It's very cool." Emma says, they go to sit down, but Sean's stuff is in a seat.

"I'll stand." Manny says and leans over the desk.
Emma nods and sits down.

"Ok, so let's try to imagine. You're a squeegee kid." Emma tells her friend.

"Ok. I'm a squeegee kid."

"So how does it feel being compared to a cockroach?" Emma asks.

"I'd say, "Hey, preppy kids. Get off my case. We're people, too."" Manny says, making Max shake her head.

"Oh, please." Sean rolls his eyes at the girls.

"Could... We need the chair." Emma tells him.

Sean gets up and leaves, grabbing his stuff out of the seat.

"Talk about negative energy." Max says. "That boy is just a big pile of unhappy." Max gets bored with Emma's writing and heads over to JT and Toby.

"Emma's right. I could whine or I could do something about Parents' Day." Toby says as Max takes a seat.

"Ok, so, what are you going to do?" JT asks.

"Are you finally excepting the fact that your parents just wanna be here for you?" Max asks, hoping Toby changed his viewpoint.

"No. Convince my parents there's no need to show up. Ok, I downloaded the logo from the Degrassi website. Then, I scanned Mr. Simpson's signature from the last newsletter he sent home. It's a masterpiece." Toby shows them the faked letter.

"Masterpiece or insanity. OK, your parents don't have to come because of your exemplary performance in all of your scholastic pursuits. What?" JT is confused by the large vocabulary.

"Translation: I'm acing school. It's all in the details, my friend. This'll work. It has to." Toby says.

"Toby that's lying. Why can't you just suck it up." Max asks.

"Max why don't you worry about yourself, your parents are probably great and happy, mine can't go two seconds with fighting. You don't get it. Once you do then we can talk." Toby says annoyed.

"You suck Issacs." Max says, getting up and storming out of class.

"Miss Keller! You can't just leave." Mr. Simpson calls after her.

"Leave me alone." She says slamming the door and going down the hall.

She sits under the stairs, placing her head into her knees as she quietly cries. She hadn't told anyone what had been going on recently. Jimmy comes down the hall and sees her, running over to see what's wrong.

"Max you okay?" He asks.

"I'm fine." She sniffles.

"No you're not what's wrong."

"Just leave it Jimmy." She says, not wanting to tell him.

"No Max, something is wrong, you need to tell me." He says.

"Fine! My mom got arrested again. Happy?" She snaps.

"Oh, Max. I'm sorry I didn't know." He places a hand on her back to comfort the crying girl.

"Just leave me alone." Max says looking at him with her tear stained face and red eyes.

"Wait, who are you staying with now. Usually you stay with us when this happens." Jimmy asks.

"I've been by myself for the past week." She says.

"Max! Are you stupid. That's incredibly dangerous. Why was no one told." Jimmy says frustrated.

"I didn't want anyone to know. And besides I wasn't home when she was arrested, so they didn't think to find me." She tells him.

"You have to tell someone, You can stay with us like always, you know your always welcome." Jimmy tells her.

"Jimmy please don't tell anyone, I don't want anyone to find out." She begs.

"You know I can't do that Max."

"Please Jimmy, don't tell."

"Max, you're like my little sister. You being by yourself is dangerous, someone needs to know."

Max just stares at him, tears starting to fall from her eyes again.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Emma is running to the newspaper office to hand in her story. She knocks on the door. "Liberty, my NAK editorial. I just finished."

"You're 17 minutes late." She says, checking her watch.

"I'm sorry."

"The Grapevine deadline is 4 P.M. I'm trying to run a professional operation." Liberty explains.

"Even professional newspapers give extensions. It's 17 minutes." Emma says as Liberty drinks from the water fountain.

"I suppose I could make an exception for you. But, please try not to get used to it. Remember, as editor, I'm only as strong as my weakest link."

Emma gives her the disk and leaves, Catching up with Max.

"Hey, I turned in my editorial, I finally finished." She says as they start walking down the hall.

"That's great." Max says in a monotone voice.

"Are you okay?" Emma asks, knowing somethings is up with her friend.

"It's fine, I'm just a little tired." Max sees Jimmy standing by the front doors, waiting for her. "I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow Em."

"Bye." Emma says as she waves to her friend.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"So miss Keller? Where are your parents?" Mr. Simpson asks. Max just looks at him, unable to speak.

"Sorry I'm late." A women apologizes as she walks into the room.

"Mrs. Brooks? What are you doing here? Jimmy isn't in this class." Mr. Simpson asks.

"I'm Max's temporary guardian." She tells him. He looks at her confused and Mrs. Brooks whispers to him, explaining Max's situation. Mr. Simpson nods his head, now understanding.

"Well Mrs. Brooks, Max is an exemplary student, she's very intelligent and has a bright future ahead of her." Mr. Simpson says.

"Well that's great to hear." Mrs. Brooks says.

Max gets bored of grown up talk and goes into the hall, where she joins Emma and her mom."

"I am so proud of you. Rave review after rave review." Ms. Nelson tells her daughter. "Hey Max." she smiles.

"Mom, my editorial." Emma says pointing to the newspaper pinned to the bulletin board.

"So you have to watch this video every morning? Free computers are free computers, man. What idiot wrote this?" A boy who walks out of a room with Sean says.

"Excuse me, I wrote that." Emma says.

"Oh, sorry." He apologizes to Emma's mother.

"Don't look at her. It's my piece and I'm right. Students shouldn't be force fed advertising while we're at school. If you don't get it, you're the idiot." Emma spits.

"Emma..." Ms. Nelson and Max say together.

"Look, it's not that serious." Sean says, trying to deescalate the situation.

"What? Expressing my opinion isn't important?" Emma questions.

"That's all my brother's trying to do." Sean explains.

"I could tell, and he's wrong." Emma says annoyed.

"I'm wrong? Tell me Emma, is it fair or is it wrong that Sean here is falling behind in school because we can't afford a computer?" Sean's brother says.

"He can do his homework here." Emma explains.

"What? Yeah, on the free computers." He says.

"If you read the entire article, you would know..." Emma gets cut off by Sean's brother.

"That it's a piece of garbage." He says.

"It is not garbage!" Emma shouts.

"Looks like garbage to me. Smells like garbage." He says crumpling the paper up.

"Tracker, man..." Sean says.

"All I'm saying is there is two sides to every story. Try to remember that next time." Tracker says before walking off with Sean.

"What a jerk." Max says. "Don't worry Em, I thought your article was great.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Sean is in the classroom doing work. Emma and Max come in. He moves his stuff so Emma can sit down. Emma sends Sean a message apologizing about what happened on Parents Day. The computer tells him he has a new message. He opens it and reads it.

"I'm sorry too." He apologizes.

"I'm a little outspoken. It runs in the family." Emma says.

"Maybe it's contagious. Did you hear my brother?" Sean says making Max giggle.

"Looks like garbage." Emma quotes.

""Smells like garbage." It wasn't garbage." Sean tells her.

"Thanks." She smiles at him.

"I'll see you two later." Max says getting up and walking into the hall. She sees Toby and starts walking with him.

"How'd it go?" She asks.

"It went." they keep walking when Mr. Simpson comes up to them.

"Toby. Can I speak with you for a minute? Listen, yesterday...." Mr. Simpson says.

"I just want to apologize again for my parents' behavior." Toby tells him.

"Oh, Toby, it wasn't your fault. Are they always like that?" He asks.

"Only when they're together. Honestly Mr. Simpson, yesterday was good. It cleared a lot of air."

"I'm glad. Oh, listen, before I forget, next time you want to forge my signature, maybe you should spell my name correctly, and erase the file from the server." Mr Simpson says handing him Toby's fake letter.

"Mr. Simpson, I can explain." Toby laughs nervously.

"Good, why don't you start with a 10 page essay on why it's wrong to falsify documents, say by, um, tomorrow morning. And you know what? One final thing. Good work yesterday. Your parents should be proud of you. I certainly was." Mr. Simpson says before walking away.

"Told you lying was a bad idea." Max says playfully hitting Toby's shoulder.

Chapter Text

"Hey, Tobster. Check it out. Dr. Sally is coming to Degrassi, today." JT says with a smile as he shows Toby a pamphlet.

"Who's Dr. Sally?"

"The sex lady." JT says in a duh tone. "But she's only talking to the eighth graders, of course."

"Of course." Max says rolling her eyes. "Only someone as perverted as you would be excited about that."

JT sticks his tongue out at her. "It's totally unfair. I heard that she brings like props. And she gets graphic. As in pornographic. Eighth graders get all the luck." JT takes his seat.

"Ok, people as we dicussed in at the end of the last class today you guys are going to be creating a website on an animal of your choice." Mr. Simpson tells the class.

"Ooh! Can we do it on a specific animal, like Mama Onu?" Emma asks after raising her hand.

"Mama who?" Mr. Simpson says confused.

"Mama Onu. She's an endangered greenturtle from the South Pacific." Emma explains.

"That sounds very informative. You know, but don't forget to have fun and use the technology and your imagination, ok? That's what it's all about." Mr. Simpson says.

Sean comes up to Toby handing him a binder. "Hey, man. Thanks for letting me borrow your notes."

"Yeah, no problem Sean." Toby looks over at Emma, who's talking about something to Manny.

"You ok?" JT asks his four eyed friend.

"Oh, yeah, fine, perfect." Toby says.

"Yeah, totally fine, just drooling over Emma." Max laughs.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Toby, JT, Max, and Liberty walk to the lunch table together. Liberty is talking to JT.

"I could help you with your assignment. I get straight A's." She tells him.

"And I get straight D's. So why rock the boat?"
She leaves, Max, JT, and Toby approach their lunch table with Emma, Manny, and Sean.

"Oh, hey Sean." Toby says as he puts down magazines about turtles.

"The wonderback turtle? Is that for Media Immersion?" Emma asks.

"Isn't Emma already doing endangered turtles for her assignment?" Manny says confused.

"I was inspired after learning about Mama Onu to uncover the plight of other turtles. That's okay, isn't it?" He looks at Emma.

"Of course. Who knew I could have such an impact?"

"You know I saw this DVD in the video store the other day. It's a documentary on endangered species. We should watch it tomorrow night." Toby says.

"Toby, I didn't think you cared this much about animals." Max says.

"I thought we were going to the movies." JT chimes in.

"Maybe the future of helpless animals is a little more important than that." Toby tells him.

"Yeah, totally. JT how inconsiderate of you." Max laughs playfully hitting his arm.

"We could watch it at my place. My dad won't let me go out on a school night, but you guys can come over." Manny suggests.

"How about you, Sean? Wanna come?" Emma asks.

"No, I've got other plans. See you guys later." Sean says getting up from the table.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Don't you think that was a bit much? "Oh, hi, Emma. I rented this dvd for tomorrow night."" JT says loosely quoting Toby.

"JT, you better shut up." Toby says.

"JT's right Tobes. You look totally desperate." Max says.

""I was so inspired by Mama Onu and the plight of other turtles. Emma, I...I...I love you."" JT mocks Toby, making Max laugh. Toby hits him in the stomach. Liberty sees this.

"You do know that physical violence violates the Degrassi Code of Conduct, don't you?" She says before walking away.

"Violates the code of conduct?" Toby repeats confused.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Jimmy is walking with Spinner and Max, she's still staying with him.

Max has a basketball in her hands "She shoots, she scores! The crowd goes wild!" She passes the ball to Spinner. Spinner gives it to Jimmy. It hits him in the stomach.

"Hey!" He whines.

"What's with you today?" Spinner asks.

"For our anniversary, Ash wants to give me the ultimate gift." Jimmy says.

"A Ferrari?" Spinner questions.

"A puppy?" Max takes a guess too.

"You two are such idiots." He covers Max's ears with his hands. "No. What Juliet gave Romeo?"

"Ash wants to have sex? Man, you're going to get some? You got horseshoes up your butt." Spinner laughs.

"Yeah. Cool, huh?" He says taking his hands off of Max's ears.

"Ash and you are gonna have sex?!" Max questions. "Jimmy do you know how stupid that sounds."

"To mark this heroic occasion, I think you better get little Jimmy Jr. there a present." Spinner points to Jimmys pants.

"What?" Jimmy asks, confused.

"Condoms, you idiot." Spinner says.

"Condoms. Right."

"You two are gross. At least you're being safe about it." Max says before walking ahead of the two.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Come on, guys. Let's go watch Toby's DVD." Emma says as the friends get ready to go home. Liberty comes up to them.

"Emma, you said you'd help proofread this issue of The Grapevine, remember? It's scheduled in my palm pilot." She says.

"Right." Emma turns to the others "I'll be there in an hour, I promise." Emma leaves with Liberty. Max and Manny wave good bye. Toby stares after them. JT waves his hand in Toby's face. Toby shoos away his hand, they leave. JT puts on his hat.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Toby and JT are sitting outside. Manny and Max come outside and join them.

"I can't believe Emma didn't show." Toby says disappointed.

"She's probably still at school. You know what Liberty's like." Max tries to reassure him.

"Emma's lucky. That boring DVD almost put me on the endangered species list." JT jokes.

"I rented it for her." Toby gets up and leaves.

"I didn't realize this meant that much to him." Manny says.

"It doesn't, it's Emma who means that much to him, and he's hurt because she didn't show up." Max tells them.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max, Manny, and Toby are walking when Emma shows up.

"Hey, guys. Sorry about last night." She apologizes.

"Liberty chew your ear off?" Toby asks.

"No, I ran into Sean, we just started talking. He used to have this dog..."

"So you didn't even bother showing up? Not even a phone call?" Toby says interrupting Emma.

"What's the big deal?" Emma says not understanding.

"You said you'd come. What kind of friend are you anyway?" Toby leaves, upset.

"What's his problem?" Emma asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Max asks her.

"Uh, he's got a major crush on you." Manny says.

"Toby?" Emma questions.

"No, Mr, Raditch. Of course Toby, who else." Max says sarcastically.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Degrassi. Tomorrow, morning announcements will be replaced by a very special afternoon pre-game screening as the Degrassi Panthers face off against Earl Gray in an exception match, so, Go, Panthers, Go." Ashley says as she appears on the tv.

"She's pretty suavee, got it together." JT says.

"It's not suavee, it's suave." Max corrects him.

"Television is so stressful." Liberty says walking into class.

"Ashley doesn't seem stressed." JT says.

"I know. She's better than the people on the news. Calm, cool, a total natural." Manny says.

"So, if you see the Earl Gray team holding lighters, it's because they always lose their matches. Have a great day, guys." Ashley says ending the announcements.

"Lose their matches. Not bad." JT nods in approval of the joke.

"That was my joke. I mean, I wrote it after I found it on the 'Net." Liberty says.

"It's true, you know. You do all the work and Ashley takes all the glory. You should really talk to her." Emma tells her.

"Yeah, you would be great on tv." Max smiles.

"Or quit. Why spend any more time at school than you already have to?" Sean says.

"you're going out for basketball." Toby says.

"My social worker says it's beneficial. Personally, I couldn't give a rat's-"

"Class, sorry for the delay." Mr. simpson says running into the room.

"It just makes me mad that people think Ashley is so funny and clever, when all she's doing is reading my words." Liberty says.

"Yeah, a monkey could do that." Manny tells her.

"Personally, I'd say it's time you asked Princess Ashley to share the air, but, hey, it's your career." Emma says.

"Yeah Em's right." Max says before turning back around.

"Alright, today we'll be exploring the fascinating world of HTML." Mr. Simpson tells the class.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
Liberty is messing around with her face in front of the camera before she does the announcements. She doesn't know, but it's on air.

"What happened to Ashley?" Sean asks as they all watch Liberty on the screen.

"Liberty, we're on!" The girl behind the camera says.

"She's doing a great job." JT jokes.

"This is just sad." Sean says.

"Welcome to Degrassi's special pre-game announcements. Today the Degrassi Panthers start a whole new reason, season, of basket...ball. Basketball. Uh, by biting Earl Gray. You can run, but you can't hide, Earl Gray-Gray. The prowl is on the Panthers. The Panthers are on the prowl. This has been Liberty Van Zandt, filling in for Ashley Kerwin." Liberty says, stuttering as she reads through note cards.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The game is going on. Max is in the bleachers next to her friends. Spinner is standing on the sidelines.

"Come on, Jimmy. Show them what you got." Spinner cheers. Jimmy nods. "Come on! Start this game, come on!" The ref throws the ball in the air and the game starts.As Spinner continues to talk Degrassi gets the ball. A teammate passes the ball to Jimmy. Jimmy dribbles it down the court.

"Go Jimmy!" Max yells.

"Jimmy! Pass the ball. Jimmy!" Sean says, holding his hands open.

"Come on. What's he doing? Come on." Spinner says.

"Pass the ball." Sean says again. Jimmy shoots the ball and it goes in.

"Oh yeah! You the man!" Spinner cheers.

"Yay Jimmy!" Max yells.

"Degrassi leads 3-0." The announcer says. Jimmy jumps up, very excited. He high fives a player.

Jimmy has the ball again. Max notices he's been hogging it the whole time, she also notices how Spinners more rowdy than usual.

"Go, Jimmy! You the man! Yeah! Come on! Go, Jimmy, go, Jimmy, go. Go, Jimmy. Yeah, come on." Spinner cheers, Max comes up behind him and taps him on the shoulder.

"Spin? What's going on?" She asks. Spinner ignores her. "Spin? Why is Jimmy acting weird?"

"Pass it." Sean waits for Jimmy to pass the ball.

"Come on, Jimmy." Spinner keeps cheering. Max goes and sits back down, having no luck getting an answer. Coach looks worried about Jimmy's behavior.

"Gavin, You're the team manager, not head cheerleader." Coach says.

"Come on, Coach. I was just giving Jimmy some mortal support." Spinner tells him.

"Moral support. You want to show your support? Clean up this bench. Bring it in, guys. Good job, good job. Half time conference in thew locker room. Let's go." Coach calls the players over.

"Good job, guys, Jimmy." Spinner tells them.

"Half time! 22-24, Degrassi." The announcer says. Spinner takes out a boombox and turns it on. A cool beat comes out of it. Spinner gets into it.

Once half times almost over Spinner's sitting back on the bench. The music is still playing. Spinner gets up after turning the music up.

"Yo, Degrassi. We need some half time entertainment." He says. The crowd cheers. Spinner starts dancing. The crowd cheers him on and Mr. Raditch is watching and doesn't look happy. All of a sudden, Spinner pulls down his pants and moons the crowd. Max covers her eyes. Mr. Raditch drags him away.

"Good night, Degrassi." He yells.

The Game is on again. Jimmy has the ball.

"Jimmy! Pass the ball. I'm open." Sean tries to get him, but Jimmy isn't listening "Pass it, come on." Jimmy shoots, but misses. Coach is taking note of how Jimmy is acting. Sean gets the ball.

"Sean, pass the ball. Sean, I'm open. Sean!" Jimmy yells. Sean ignores him, just like he did to him. Jimmy gets upset and hits him, knocking Sean to the ground. Hegets the ball, and scores the winning shot.

"Yeah! Who's the man? Yeah! That's what I'm talking about." Jimmy jumps up and down. The crowd cheers. Coach goes to Sean who is still on the floor, hurt. Max goes down there too.

"Sean, you ok? Is it your ankle?" Coach asks. Sean nods. "I want you to wiggle your toes for me." Coach tells him.

"Degrassi wins 39-37." The announcer says.
Everyone is excited about the win. Max storms over to Jimmy.

"What is up with you?" She yells. "Why are you and Spin both acting weird?" She looks at Jimmy and puts two and two together. "Please don't tell me you took Spinners pills." Jimmy just looks at her, she knows he's guilty. "Jimmy how stupid actually are you?" She gets too upset and walks away from him.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max, JT, Toby, Emma, and Manny are walking down the hall and talking.

"Degrassi rules." JT says.

"I bet we go all the way to the regionals." Toby adds.

"But, what was up with that Jimmy guy out there? He was like a lunatic." Emma asks them.

"Don't worry about it, the problem has been solved." Max tells her.

"Sports are not for the weak of heart." JT says.

"Like you'd know, and besides, that doesn't mean you get to injure people." Emma says matter-of-factly.

Manny Sees Liberty on the TV. "Oh, no."

"Way to go, Degrassi. Our team just kicked some serious Earl Gray butt..." Liberty says.

"Liberty said butt?" JT chuckles.

"... Just before the buzzer we scored an awesome three pointer winning the game, 39-37." Liberty says.

"She's actually doing ok." Manny points out.

"I knew she could do it." Max smiles.

"Panthers, you're off to an sonsational start. This is Liberty Van Zandt, wrapping up today's special video coverage. Thank you."

Chapter Text

Toby is helping Mr. Simpson at the computer. "Ok, so, all you have to do is highlight this here, and then, you click the hyperlink button and you're done." He says.

"Good." Mr. Simpson says.

"Have you finished your haiku for Ms. Kwan yet? Her class is in like 10 minutes." Emma asks Sean.

"Have you?" He asks back.

" "Ancient waves so pure, lapping on the shores of time. Early death our fault."" Emma recites her poem.

"That's happy." He says sarcastically.

"That's about our polluted oceans." She explains.

"Mm-hmm." Sean nods.

"Hey guys, check this out." JT says. He throws a paper airplane that goes right past Mr. Simpson's head, which make everyone laugh.

"Ok, so who's the aeronautics' genius?" Mr. Simpson asks, holding the plane
in his hands.Liberty gets up and approaches him. "Liberty, this is yours?" He questions in disbelief.

"Yes, and I apologize profusely." She lies.

"Well... don't let it happen again." He tells her.
He sits back down. As Liberty sits back down, she smiles at JT and he smiles back and nods his head at her.

"That was weird." Max said to herself.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"What was with Liberty? She was acting, like, totally weird." Manny says as the friends stand in the hallway.

"She is weird." JT says.

"Why would liberty, whose never missed a day in her life, put her neck on the line, and for you?" Toby questions.

"It's so obvious." Emma says. The boys send her a confused look.

"Hello, Liberty has a major crush on JT." Max says.

"What?" JT questions

"Come on, it's so obvious." Emma laughs. JT shakes his head.

Liberty approaches them, giving JT the airplane. "I took it when Mr. Simpson wasn't looking." She smiles.

"Thanks, but, you didn't have to. You didn't have to take the blame in homeroom." JT says.

"Well, you know, you get in trouble so much, someone has to watch your back." She tells him.

"That's very sweet of you Liberty." Max smiles.

"Oh, and by the way, it's time The Grapevine has a 7th grader as Student Pick Of The Week, so, I pick you." She says.

"Why?" JT asks confused.

"Well, you know, everyone knows you're gonna be famous one day, so, I just want to say I interviewed you first."

"Cool." JT says.

"So, interview after school?"

"Sure."

"Kay." Liberty leaves.

"JT and Liberty" Manny starts singing and Max and Emma join in. "sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"Would you shut up? She does not have a crush on me." JT says annoyed.

"Sure." Emma laughs

"Yeah, right." Toby says.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

In Ms. Kwan's class Sean is reading his haiku and counting the syllables. "Poetry is crime, No idea have to rhyme, stupid waste of time." He says.

"A poem about hating poetry. Since poetry's about putting your feelings into verse, this haiku actually works. Nice job, Sean. Ok, who's next?" Ms.Kwan asks. Liberty raises her hand. "Liberty, come on down." She gets up and goes to the front of the room.

"Smile like a sunbeam, height saboreant to his heart, makes me lie awake." She reads her haiku and smiles at JT

"Liberty, wow. One too many syllables in the second line, but your feelings are definitely shinning through. Great work." Ms. Kwan tells her.

"Okay next, how about. Max." She points at Max.

Max gets up and stands in front of the class, holding her poem in hand. "Into a dark wood, she flees fast on two fleet feet, eluding the wolf." She reads.

"Thank you Max. That was wonderful." Ms. Kwan smiles as Max heads back to her seat.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Toby is at his locker with Max. They hear a disembodied voice. "Toby. Toby, over here. Max. Max." Knocks come from inside a locker. Toby hits one and opens it. He finds JT inside it.

"What are you doing?" Max asks.

"Avoiding Liberty."

"What about your interview?" Toby questions the boy in the locker.

"Did you hear her haiku? She wants me, man. I'm out of here." JT starts to wiggle out of the locker.

"JT, you were supposed to meet me seven minutes ago." Liberty comes around the corner. She takes his picture with a camera.

"Ah, Liberty, I forgot to tell you I can't come to the interview tonight. Toby and I've got dance lessons tonight." JT says coming up with an excuse as he looks at a poster on the wall.

"Right. Tonight it's... ballroom." Toby says.

"Oh, I get it, it's a joke. JT, you are beyond funny. Dance lessons? With a boy? Anyway, let's use your humor in the article, but, uh, if you actually want to take dance lessons, you should look me up." She says pulling him out of the locker.

"Help!" He mouths to Toby and Max.

"He totally deserves this for not just telling her the truth." Max laughs.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
"I don't get it. How can Ashley's dad, like, do it with other guys? Not only that, how does he?" JT asks as he, Toby, and Max walk down the hall the next morning.

"I don't know JT. I didn't ask." Toby says.

"Women, ok? Real women, not girls, are sexy. But, guys, I mean, we have muscles, we smell, we have body hair..." JT explains.

"You wish. Women can have body hair, too. My aunt Patina has..." Toby starts but JT cuts him off.

"That's not what I mean." JT says.

"I don't know, JT. Some people are just gay, I guess." Toby says.

"JT, put it this way. What do you think girls like about boys? That's how Ashley's dad feels too, he likes those same things." Max says.

"So, how'd your interview with Liberty go?" Toby says changing the subject.

"Don't ask, don't tell." JT tells him.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

At a table, Max, Liberty, Emma and Manny are eating. JT and Toby are goofing around, while Liberty is staring at JT.

"Don't, don't you think I'm making headway with JT? Wouldn't it be something if we became the new Jimmy and Ashley?" Liberty asks.

"Yeah, something." Manny says.

"Do you think I should ask him out? Or is that even ok to do?" Liberty asks.

"Sure, if you think he likes you back." Emma says. Liberty can tell something is up.

"You don't think JT likes me?" She asks another question.

"JT's a boy. Who knows what's going on in his head?" Max tells her. Liberty looks at JT, but he notices, so she looks away. "Sometimes you just need to be honest and tell him how you feel. The worst thing that could happen is that he doesn't feel the same.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
"I can't believe that worked. No, I can't believe you used that excuse." Toby says to JT.

"Can't believe what worked?" Max asks as she takes her seat.

"JT told Liberty he was gay, so she wouldn't have a crush on him anymore." Toby says.

"JT. That's wrong, and like borderline homophobic." Max says.

"Ok, there she is. It's time to cement the deal." He says, noticing Liberty come in. "Hey Liberty girlfriend!" He says in a high pitched voice. He makes a limp wrist motion and walks to his seat, he places his hands on his knee and tilts his head.

"Maybe you should tone it down." Toby tells him.

"Or just cut it out entirely." Max says annoyed.

JT p uts his arm around Toby. Liberty walks out as Mr. Simpson is coming in. He looks at JT and Toby. Toby takes JT's arm off him and they turn their chairs around.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Liberty, didn't you hear what I said earlier?" JT says as he sees the girl waiting at his locker.

"Loud and clear. And though it came as a shock, I should have seen it coming. Dance lessons? And that boy band compilation CD you own?" She says.

"That's my sister's CD." JT says in defense.

"Whatever. So I was thinking, wouldn't it be great, I mean, you could say no, but, wouldn't it be great if you came out in The Grapevine?" Liberty suggests.

"What?"

"I think that's a great idea Liberty." Max says with a smirk towards JT.

"Well, you know, as part of the interview to help other kids struggling with the same issue?" Liberty explains.

"Liberty, I don't think that's a very good idea." JT says.

"JT, there's nothing to be ashamed-"

"Liberty, I'm not gay, ok?" JT cuts her off.

"You lied?" She asks.

"JT, how low down do you have to be." Max says.

"Yeah, 'cause you wouldn't take a hint." tells Liberty

"Am I really that horrible?" She asks.

"Liberty..." he starts.

"If you didn't like me, you should have just said so." She walks away.

"Your plan didn't work out too well did it?" Max asks before pushing past JT.

Chapter Text

Emma is studying for a test in Science, while Max and Manny just sit with her not paying much attention.

"I found the coolest site, yesterday. It shows how the positions of the stars affect your personality." Sean says, making Manny and Max join him at his computer.

"Yeah, that's called astrology." Emma says.

"Cool, I'm a Leo. What does it say about me?" Manny asks.

"Manny, how many moons on Jupiter?" Emma asks.

"I don't know, a lot. Now, read mine." Manny focuses back on Sean and her zodiac.

"13." Max answers.

"And which planets have rings?" Emma asks.

"Ok, I need your date of birth and your place of birth." Sean tells Manny.

"Well, I was born in Manila." she says.

"Hello, the test is on astronomy, not astrology." Emma says getting frustrated.

"Ok, now I need your birth date." Sean says, ignoring Emma.

"Doesn't anyone care that we have a science quiz in, oh, 15 minutes?" Emma grows more frustrated.

"Em, we studied all last night. I think we're okay." Max tells her friend.

"August 15, 1989." Manny gives Sean her birth date.

"Blah, blah, blah!" Emma shuts her book. "I can't even think! Are you coming?" She says to Manny and Max. Max makes a crazy motion at her head.

"I saw that!" Emma says before storming out.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

In science everyone is working on the quiz, when, all of a sudden the bell rings. Emma slams down her pencil. "I failed. I totally failed."

"Em, you studied all last night." Manny tells her.

"Yeah, and besides, the test was easy. If I could understand it, then you probably aced it." Max says.

"Yeah, but I was counting on this morning, to refresh." Emma says.

"Wow, maybe you're a workaholic." Manny jokes.

"I am not a workaholic. Some of us want to make it university. I want a career in something other than horoscopes." Emma leaves in a huff.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Max says.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
Emma is walking with Manny and Max down the hall, showing off her new white skirt.

"See? It goes with everything." She does a spin, when JT and Toby show up.

"Wow, sexy shirt." JT says. Max shoves him slightly.

"Em, don't get mad." Manny says.

"Please. It's not exactly like JT is Mr. Fashion Forward." Emma jokes.

"Fashion who?" JT asks confused.

"Uh, JT, I'll see you in homeroom." Toby says. The others keep going. He and Max stop at Jimmy's decorated locker for his birthday. It says "Happy Birthday Jimmy, Luv Ashley", and it in the middle, it has a picture of Jimmy and Ashley, with his arm around her and other kids have signed it.

"Happy Birthday, Jimmy." Kids say as they chase Jimmy around the corner, spraying him with Silly String.

"Hey Max. Tobes, did you master that move I taught you?" He asks as he opens his locker.

"Almost. Happy Birthday." Toby says.

"Thanks. We can work on it later."

"Great, later. Uh, you know, I've been thinking, about what you said last night, you know, about when you're trying to master a really complicated move, leave it alone for a while, come back to it later." Toby says, not actually talking about the move.

"Yeah." Jimmy says.

"You know, give it a rest. Don't suffocate it. Kind of like with girls." Toby says. Max catches on and hits Toby in the back of the head.

"Tobes, what are you saying?" Jimmy asks, confused at what he means.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just interestingly similar, that's all. No biggie." Max sends Toby a death glare.

"What did Ashley say? Come on, you're my friend. What, is she feeling suffocated?" Jimmy asks. Toby nods. "Like-like, we're together too much?" Toby nods again. "She doesn't want to break up, does she?" Toby nods one more time.
Jimmy walks away frustrated. Toby shuts Jimmy's locker and then lays down the floor.

"Toby why would you tell him that. Especially on his birthday. Could that not have waited until tomorrow." Max shouts at him before getting up and storming off to class.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
Toby is sitting on a bench with Max, JT, Emma, and Manny outside.

"You shouldn't have said anything." JT says.

"JT, Jimmy's like Toby's older brother. He had to tell him." Manny says.

"No Manny he didn't, he could have waited until tomorrow and Jimmy isn't an older brother to Toby." Max says annoyed.

"Yeah, but Ashley is his older sister. Sort of. Maybe she was just having a bad day." Emma says, siding with Max.

"More like a bad decade." Toby says.

"Hey, Sean!" a guy says as Sean comes up to them.

"Before this decade gets any worse." Toby says as he and JT leave.

"Hey, Emma." Sean says.

"Sean, what's up?" Emma asks.

Sean takes a sip of his drink. "Nothing. Listen, I, uh, came to apologize about that astrology thing."

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have acted like that. Maybe you could do my horoscope on the computer. It could be kind of fun, and we have time before class." She says.

"Yeah that'd be great." Sean smiles at her.

Emma gets up, but Manny sits her back down "Emma, did you sit in something?" She asks.

"What? No, I." she looks at the back of her skirt and sits down after getting up.

"You coming?" Sean asks.

"I don't know. What do I do?" Emma whispers to her friends.

"I don't know. This hasn't happened to me yet." Manny says.

"Um, no. I don't think we have time for the horoscopes. So, you should go, to class, now." Emma says. He leaves, confused.

"Okay, don't panic. Everything's going to be fine. We'll figure out something." Many says breathing heavily.

"We need to get her to a bathroom." Max says, getting up and standing in front of Emma, Manny behind her, hiding the back of Emma's skirt.

"We should celebrate." Manny says as they go to find an empty bathroom.

"Celebrate what exactly?" Emma asks, confused.

"Becoming a woman. Em, you can get pregnant now." Manny says a little too excitedly.

"Oh, great. Can we celebrate by finding me a washroom?" Emma asks as they quickly slip into the girls washroom.

"Yesterday, I thought you were a workaholic. It was just PMS." Manny says.

"Guys, I can't go to class like this." Emma whines.

"Em, we have a book report to do. Do you have a jacket? You could tie it around your waist." Max suggests.

"I don't have a jacket, it's like summer outside." Emma tells her.

"I know, your gym shorts." Manny says.

"I brought them home to wash." Emma explains.

"Me too." Manny and Max say together.

"I'll figure out something." Manny says, grabbing Max's arm. They leave.

"Guys, don't leave me." Emma calls after them.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max and Manny run back to the washroom, they found a pair of shorts in the lost and found. As Paige comes out of the stall, the girls run in.

"Emma!" Manny yells, both of them stopping in front of Paige.

"What? It's the girls washroom. Sue me." She says, walking past them. Emma comes out. Manny hands her the shorts she got for her. She unfolds them and they're way too big.

"They we're the only ones we could find." Max says.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The girls enter Mrs. Kwan's Class as JT and Toby are finishing their book report presentation.

"Sorry, Mrs. Kwan. We had a bit of a-"

"Emergency." Emma and Max say together finishing Manny's sentence.

"Really? Well, you can give me the details after class, but, right now, book report please." Mrs. Kwan says. The girls go to the front of the class. Manny and Max standing on both sides of Emma, holding her shorts up.

"Okay, our book was I heard the owl call my-"

"Gym shorts?" Toby interrupts Emma.

"Ssh." Mrs. Kwan tells the boys.

"Yo, Yo. Puff Emma's in the house." JT jokes, making the class laugh. Mrs. Kwan shakes her head at them.

"This book is a bit-"

"Too big for you?" JT is the one to interrupt Emma this time.

"Metaphorical." Emma says.

"Guys, pull yourself together." Mrs. Kwan tells the class.

"Do you have a problem?" Emma asks, getting frustrated.

"Em, it's ok. We can just..." Manny starts but JT interrupts.

"Aw, did Emmy pee her pants?" He says in a baby voice.

"No, I just got my period, for the first time." Emma says making the room silent. Toby drops his pen. Sean gets a loom of shock on his face. "Menstruation. You may have heard of it. It happens to, oh, 50 percent of the population. Perfectly natural. Nothing to be ashamed of, right Ms. Kwan?"

"Absolutely right Emma."

"Now, can we continue?" Emma asks, JT and Toby nod in response. "Our book was I heard the owl call my name. It's a bit metaphorical because it relates the life of a young priest..."

"Who didn't like owls very much." Max finishes the sentence. As they talk, they try to keep Emma's shorts up.

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Max is in her room at the Brooks house, she's laying on her bed working on homework, when she hear Jimmy in the living room.

"You want to break up, Ash? Then, let's break up, now, okay? It's over. So go. Get out of here. What, are you deaf? Go!" He shouts. She runs out, Jimmy shakes his head. He picks up the phone and calls a pizza place to place an order. "Hi, Antonio, it's Jimmy. Yeah, the usual. Medium pepperoni, thanks." He hangs up the phone.

"Jimmy is everything okay?" Max asks coming around the corner.

"No. Relationships suck." He says flopping down on the couch.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Max flops down next to him. "We can watch a movie when the pizza gets here, if that'll make you feel better." She looks at him.

"Yeah. We can do that." He smiles.

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Outside Degrassi Manny, Emma and Max are standing with each other. Emma has a petition that a girl is signing.

"So, you feeling okay?" Manny asks Emma.

"Oh yeah Manny I love being a woman. I don't feel any different." Emma says sarcastically.

"Here you go." The girl hands Emma the petition.

"But I did have this idea. Like my mom says, never be embarrassed to be female. Paige, do you wanna sign my petition to get a tampon dispenser installed in the girls washroom?" Emma hands the petition out to Paige.

"Yeah, sure." She signs it. Sean rides by on his bike, and Paige notices. "Hey, Sean! Wanna sign Emma's petition, for tampons?"

"Sure. If Emma came up with it, it's gotta be a good idea." Paige rolls her eyes and leaves. Sean signs it, leaving too. Emma blushes at him.

"Oh Manny, our little Emma is in love." Max says placing her hand on her heart.

Chapter Text

"So I'm telling my mom that joke, you know, the one about the duck." JT says as he and Toby enter home room.

"That one's pretty good." Max says coming in behind them.

"And when I tell her the punch line, she spews milk out of her nose" JT says, making Toby, Manny, and Max laugh, but Emma doesn't. "Uh, Emma? Milk out of my mom's nose? Funny."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, funny, JT."Emma walks over to Liberty who is on a computer writing e-mails. "What's going on?" She asks Liberty.

"Nothing, just writing some e-mails."

"Um, I wanted to ask you, I saw you and Armstrong this morning." Emma says.

"And what's your point?"

"It looked like..." Emma trails off.

"Looked like what? I had a few questions, about equations. So?" Liberty says defensively. "Are you trying to read my e-mails?" She moves the computer so Emma can't see the screen.

"No, not at all." Emma says.

"E-mails are private. Mind your own business." Liberty says. Emma goes and takes a seat. When she does, she looks over at Liberty.

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WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!
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Emma, Max and JT are sitting at a table, eating. Emma is looking at Mr. Armstrong who is helping Sean with basketball.

"Don't you think you're being a bit obvious?" JT asks.

"About what?" Emma says.

"Sean. If you stare any harder, your eyeballs will pop out." Max laughs.

"Guys, what do you think of Armstrong? I mean, as a person?" Emma asks.

"Teachers aren't people, they're... teachers." JT says.

"You know what I mean. Do you think he's...ok?" She asks.

"Oh, yeah. Armstrong's given me lots of extra help. He's been really nice. To me, anyway." JT answers.

"Yeah, he's really understanding when you need extra help on things." Max adds.

"Yeah, come to think of it, he's nice to everyone." Emma points out. Mr. Armstrong sees Liberty come outside. He catches up to her and gives her a piece of paper after talking to her, then touches her arm. Emma is watching.

"You gonna eat that?" JT asks pointing at her lunch.

"Huh? No, you take it." Emma leaves.

"Something I said?" JT asks Max.

"Probably, but then again, Em's been acting weird all morning." Max says, stealing a chip from JT.

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Max, Emma, and Manny are at Emma's locker.

"So, for Media Immersion, should we use html?" Manny asks.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Umm, has Armstrong ever touched either of you?" Emma blurts out.

"Woah. Em. Where is this question coming from. Are you okay?" Max gets concerned.

"What? No. Did he touch you?" Manny asks.

"No, no. Not me, Liberty. I saw him touching Liberty." She says.

"Are you sure?" Manny asks.

"Yeah, That's a pretty serious accusation. Are you sure?" Max says.

Emma shuts her locker. "Yeah. I know what I saw."

"I don't know Em." Manny says as they start walking. "Armstrong's a pretty physically guy. Maybe you got the wrong idea."

"I hope so. But this morning, he had his arm around Liberty and I saw him passing her a note outside. It really looked like he was coming on to her" Emma says, Terri walking past them, eavesdropping.

"Mr. Armstrong?" Max asks again, still in disbelief.

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"I knew something was going on." Emma says to Manny and Max.

"You did?" Toby asks as he joins them.

"We talked about it yesterday. I just couldn't believe it. I still can't. Maybe we should report it." Manny says.

"Armstrong would be toast." JT states.

"That's true. We should wait to find out for sure." Emma says.

"This whole thing? It's disgusting. Just the thought ... uh, makes me want to take a shower." Toby says.

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea." Max laughs at him.

"So what do we do now?" Emma asks. They see Liberty and look at her as she looks at them before she runs away. Max and Emma run after her. They follow her into the girls washroom. Max going into one of the stalls.

"Leave me alone, Emma." Liberty says.

"Liberty, what you need right now is a friend, someone to talk to." Emma says.

"But there's nothing to talk about."

"It's ok, you can tell me."

"I am telling you." Liberty says, upset.

"Are you sure you're not lying? Because we really have to report it." Emma says.

"Emma! I swear on my life that nothing's going on." Liberty shouts.

"But the whole school is talking."

"I know and it's just a vicious rumor, honest. What if it gets to Mr. Raditch? To my parents? What will Mr. Armstrong say when he hears this?"

Then there's only one way to handle this: stop the rumor and track down its source. Then give whoever who started it..."

"A good swift kick?" Liberty suggests.

"I was going to say a good talking to, but that'll do." Emma leaves, Max comes out of the stall handing Liberty a tissue, leaving once she dries her tears.

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"Are you sure it isn't true though? When I talked to Liberty yesterday, she was really defensive, like she was hiding something." Ashley says, having just been told by Emma that the rumor wasn't true.

"She was probably just upset. Wouldn't you be?" Max says.

"Yeah I would. Poor girl. Who would spread a rumor like that?" Ashley says.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Who'd you hear it from Ashley?" Emma asks.

"It was Jimmy. But he heard it from Spinner."

The girls go out to the hall and catch Spinner asking him about where he heard the rumor.

"Hey, it wasn't me who started it. Talk to this guy." He points at Sean.

"Sean?" Emma asks shocked.

"What?"

"He's the one who told me." Spinner says.

"About Coach Armstrong and Liberty? Man, that's just sick." He says.

"It's not true Sean." Max tells him.

"It isn't?"

"No." Emma says.

"Oh, man. I knew it sounded fake. I should have never believed her."

"Believed who?" Emma and Max ask Sean at the same time.

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"Math class. I've been dreading this all day." Liberty says as she enters the room, Emma and Max behind her. They go in and sit down. "So did you track down the rumor?" Liberty asks Emma.

"Yeah, but I need to say something to you first."

The bell rings. Stopping Emma from confessing.

"Ok, today we're going to be working on equations. Now, when dealing with equations, we always use the BEDMAS rule. Now, who can tell me what that stands for?" Mr. Armstrong asks the students. No one answers "What's with everyone today? Ok, why don't you tell us Liberty, you and I have been working on it." People start to laugh. "What is so funny?"

"That's enough. Mr. Armstrong, could I have 5 minutes of your time?" Mr. Raditch says walking into the room, a lady standing behind him.

"I was just about to get started here." He says.

"Mrs. Smith will take over the class." Mr. Raditch explains.

"Right, okay. Class, I want you to begin working on the order of operations exercises on page 129." Mr. Armstrong walks out as they open their books.

"Liberty, would you join us, please?" Mr. Raditch calls her over. Liberty leaves with them and after a few moments, Emma gets up and leaves too.

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"Liberty? I know you're in here. I was responsible for the rumor starting, but I didn't spread it." Max hears Emma say from out side of the bathroom stalls. Liberty comes out of the stall next to Max.

"And there's a difference? You're lucky Mr. Armstrong didn't lose his job. And you what makes me really mad? That you thought I could do that." Liberty says, upset at the girl she thought was her friend.

"Do what? Be violated? And what were you doing with Mr. Armstrong anyway? He had his arm around you, passed you a note." Emma continues to jump to conclusions.

"You want to see my note?" Liberty hands her a paper. It's a phamplet.

"Dyscalculia?" Emma asks.

"it's a learning disorder, like dyslexia, but with numbers. I'm been really upset about it. Mr. Armstrong's been helping me." She takes the paper back.

"So that's the explanation? Why didn't you say something? Because it means you're not perfect?" Emma asks.

"Because it means I'm stupid."

"Stupid? You're one of the smartest kids in school." Emma's shocked by Liberty's statement.

"Not in math I'm not."

"Who cares?" Emma says.

"I do! It's important to me to be the best. You don't understand." Liberty gets more upset.

"Liberty, I feel really bad. Is there something I can do, to help?" Emma asks.

"No, Emma. Go back to saving rainforests and whales, because when it comes to help people, you suck." Liberty leaves, Max comes out of the stall.

"Emma, you should really be careful next time before you make assumptions and accusations." She says, leaving to go find Liberty and make sure she's okay.

Chapter Text

"It's called passion plain." Manny says, showing Emma and Max her new nails.

"I love them!" Max smiles.

"Ooh, very hot." Emma says.

"Speaking of hot..." Manny says as Sean walks up.

"Hey." He tells Emma.

"Hey."

"Oh, gee, I forgot. We have to go talk to Liberty." Manny says grabbing Max and walking off. Max just stops at the end of the hall to eavesdrop.

"So, did you do that math assignment?" Sean asks Emma.

"Yeah, it was brutal."

"Yeah it was. So, it's Friday." He says.

"Yup."

"Do you have any plans?"

"No."

"Ok well, maybe we could hang out."

"Sure." Emma smiles.

"All right. Cool. Well, I'll see you." Manny and Max come back after he leaves.

"Ok, so, what'd he want?" Manny asks.

"Manny, I'm not sure, but I think he asked me on a date."They squeal with excitement.

"OMG! Emma you're going on a date!" Max says.

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Max, Emma, and Manny enter home room.

"This is so exciting, your first date." Max says.

"I know." Emma smiles.

"And romantic. So, how'd he ask you?" Manny asks

"I don't know, he just asked me."

"Well, it had to be more than just "Oh, he asked me"." Manny says.

"Hey guys. I mean girls. I mean-" Toby says coming up to them.

"Hey Toby." Max smiles at him.

"Let's go sharpen our pencils." Emma says.

"Great idea." Manny says, pulling Max along.

"Why couldn't just Toby, I don't know, like either of you instead of me?" Emma asks as they stand next to the pencil sharpener.

"I think it's sweet he has a crush on you." Max says.

"Forget about him and give me details, exactly what Sean said." Manny says changing the subject.

"Well first we talked about that horrible math assignment and then he mentioned it was Friday. I know kind of weird. And he said maybe we could hang out." Emma explains.

"Ok, and?" Manny says, waiting for her to continue.

"Nothing. Just hang...out." Emma says.

"Oh." Max smiles awkwardly

"This is a date, right?" Emma asks.

"Totally." Max places her hand on Emma's shoulder.

"Of course... I think." Manny says.

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The girls and the rest of the class are getting ready to start gym. They're all stretching.

"I'm sure he was asking you out." Manny says.

"Well I'm not so sure anymore. And besides, even if he was, couldn't he have been a bit more romantic?" Emma tells her.

"Well here's your chance to find out." Max says pointing to Sean who's walking towards Emma.

"Sean, about tonight." She stands up.

"Yuh." He walks away.

Manny and Max share a weird look.

"Yuh? Sean!" Emma calls after him.

"Okay today we're going to play some dodgeball."Mr. Armstrong says, giving Emma the ball. She throws it, trying to hit Sean and he looks shocked. "Good arm Emma." A guy throws Emma the ball and she tries to hit Sean again. "Again, nice shot, but there are other targets you know." Mr. Armstrong tells her.

The game of dodgeball continues. Emma tries to hit Sean with the ball every chance she gets.

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"Guys, I have no idea what to do. Toby says Sean was just making conversation." Emma says

"You asked Toby about Sean?" Max asks.

"I know but I'm desperate here."

"Having a little boy trouble, Emma? Anything I could help you with?" Paige says, overhearing the conversation.

"No, nothing's going on." Emma says.

"Hun, your thing for Sean is more obvious than Heather Sinclair's bargain basement nose job. Do you want my advice or not?" She says.

"Ok, Sean asked me to hang out with tonight. Not go out, hang out. I thought he might be asking me on a date. I was wrong?" Emma explains the situation.

"Hun that's a date." Paige tells her.

"Told you." Manny and Max say together.

"Just in guy speak. Vague, short. Yes, no, grunt." Paige explains.

"Yuh?" Emma asks.

"Yuh definitely qualifies. Em, it's Sean we're talking about. He's a one- syllable kind of guy." The bell rings and they head off to their classes.

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Emma is showing her friends the pictures from her date with Sean. Explaining everything that happened, from bird crap, to garbage.

Manny points to one photo. "So this is pre poop."

Max points to another one. "and this is post poop."

"I like your first outfit better." JT says. Emma gives him a mean look.

"I'll be lucky if Sean ever speaks to me again." Emma says.

"Emma, if Sean really likes you..." Max starts.

"He's not gonna let some bird crap, rotting garbage, and a couple of embarrassing pictures changes his mind, really." Toby finishes.

Sean comes in and over to Emma. Her friends leave them alone.

"So, how's your wallet?" Sean asks.

"Sean, I am so, so, so sorry about Friday night."She apologizes. He picks up one of the pictures.

"Could I have this?"

"It's all yours." She smiles.

"Thanks." He leaves and she sighs a happy sigh.

"See Em. I told you it was gonna work out." Max says taking a seat next to the blonde.

Chapter Text

Manny comes up to Paige and taps her on the shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Paige asks.

"I'm Manny, I'd like to try out."

"Ok, what can you do?" Paige asks, assuming Manny wouldn't be able to do much. Manny goes to the end of the hall and does a great cartwheel.

"Manny, sweetie, sign right here." Paige says holding out a clipboard. Manny takes the clipboard, signs it, and gives it back to Paige with a smile.

"That was awesome Manny!" Max tells her friend as Manny joins her so the two can walk to class together.

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Paige is on the TV, talking about the Spirit Squad. "School spirit, can you have enough? If you ask me, the answer is no. That's why I've formed the Degrassi Spirit Squad. So come sign up, girls and boys. Give me a D! Give me an E! Give a G! Give me a R! Give me a A! Give me an S! Give me an S! Give me an I! What does that spell Degrassi! Whoo!"

"Give me a break. Cheerleaders? Please." Emma says. Manny nods as they continue watching the screen.

"I think it's cool we have a spirit squad." Max says, not understanding Emma's issue.

The bell rings and the girls go out into the hall, they start walking to their next class.

"It's like we're traveling back in time. Cheerleading is so over." Emma says.

"What? Cheerleading is huge, more popular than ever." Manny tells her.

"So are a lot of things that are just sexist and wrong." Emma says.

"How can it be sexist if there are guys?" Manny asks.

"I bet the guys won't be wearing tight sweaters and mini skirts." Emma looks at her.

"I hope not." Manny says.

"I think dudes in skirts are cool." Max smiles. "It totally helps deconstruct the idea that clothes have gender.

"Anyway, I was just thinking cheerleading might be fun." Manny says, ignoring Max's previous statement.

"Fun? Manny, you're not thinking of...You want to become some pom-pom - pumping robot? I'm surprised." Emma looks at her with judgment.

"Em..." Manny starts.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Max says.

"Too tell you the truth, I don't Degrassi should have a squad. Period."

"Ok, forget it. You're right. Can we talk about something else?" Manny tries to change the subject, not wanting to start an argument.

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The girls are walking past Paige's table with their food.

"So you're still coming tonight to study right?"Emma asks. Manny and Max both nod.

"Manny, there you are. Let's see that awesome cartwheel again." Paige says, but she doesn't move "Come on, Manny. If you want to be on the Spirit Squad, you can't be shy." Manny puts her tray down and does the cartwheel.

"Still amazing." Oskar says.

"Yeah, but her landing could have been smoother, if you ask me." Hazel has a bit of jealousy in her tone.

"Better watch out, Manny. You're making Hazel jealous." Paige teases. Hazel laughs it off. The girls continue on to their lunch table, Emma seeming annoyed with Manny as they do.

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"Please. Paige? Hazel? Are you gonna like, do your colors like, together like?" Emma mocks the older girls, as she paces back and forth around the washroom.

"Come on, Emma. They're the coolest kids in school." Manny says, coming out of a stall.

"Mm-hmm." Emma's uninterested in their popularity.

"And they like me, a grade 7. That's a pretty big deal you know." Manny says, washing her hands.

"The big deal is no one in this school except me is pointing out the bad side of cheerleading." Emma complains.

"Maybe because no one else feels the same way you do. Most people realize that it's just good fun." Max says, still not understanding why Emma cares so much about it.

"Well, maybe if my views were brought to the school's attention..." Emma starts.

"What? Are you saying you're gonna write another article for the Grapevine?" Manny cuts her off.

"No. It's not that big a deal." Emma says, slightly calming down.

"Great. Can we just talk about something else for a while, please?" Manny asks, still not wanting an argument.

"Come on, we don't wanna be late for class." Max says going to the door. They leave the washroom.

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Max walks into the library, she sees Liberty, JT, and Toby talking about something.

"You'd have nothing without me." Liberty says holding an empty can of pringles in her hand.

"And you'd have nothing without us. 50/50, that's our final offer." JT says.

Spinner comes out from behind a bookshelf. "Make that 45/45."

"That only makes 90%." Toby says, confused.

"That's right, Einstein. Plus, 10% for me." Spinner tells him.

"What for?" Liberty asks.

"For protection." Spinner smirks.

"Protection? From who? The only people who know about this are me, JT, Liberty, and you."Toby says, Spinner backs him up against a curtain.

"Hey guys!" Max smiles, walking over there to them. She notices the Pringles can. "You guys are still on about that stupid contest?" Max asks. "You do realize, that you're not gonna win. The chances of you finding both cans is slim to nothing."

JT just smirks at her, then the bell rings.

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Max and Manny are walking outside, when they run into Paige and Hazel.

"Hey, girls. Something wrong?" Paige asks, seeing that Manny is a little down.

"It's Emma. She's taking this whole cheerleading is sexism thing too far." Manny tells them.

"Really? How far?" Paige asks.

"She did say she might write something for the Grapevine." Max says.

"You know what these two need, Hazel? Some time with the girls. Want to hang out?" Paige asks the two. They hook arms with Paige and Hazel and start walking off.

"Wow. That would be amazing. My house is like 2 minutes from here." Manny tells them.

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In Manny's room, Hazel is looking in her closet as they talk.

"I'd say an 8." Hazel says.

"Hello, we're talking about Joseph here. Try 9." Manny tells her.

"I'll give him a 5." Max says.

"Try 4. He doesn't wear deodorant. Major pointage loss on the scent factor. But, I guess we shouldn't be rating boys. Perfect Little Emma would say it's sexist." Paige jokes.

"Just like cheerleading." Hazel laughs. The phone rings

"Guys, it's her." Manny tells them after checking the caller ID.

"Make sure she's not writing the article Manny." Paige warns.

"Hello?" Manny answers the phone.

"Manny, where are you? I thought you were coming over tonight to study. And where's Max, she's not answering the phone." Emma says from the other end of the call.

"I was, but I'm not feeling too well. Must be a 24- hour flu." Manny tries making herself sound a little sick.

"Oh, well I hope you feel better." Emma says.

"Thanks. But, Em, I was just wondering, just to make sure, you're not really going to write that article for the Grapevine."

"I told you I wasn't. Why?" Emma asks.

Manny whispers to the others. "She's not."

"I mean, trying to protect the world from cheerleading? As if." Paige says.

"Did I hear Paige?"

"She'll be leaving soon and then I'll come by." Manny tells her, feeling bad for lying.

"Don't bother." Emma hangs up the phone, upset.

"guys, she heard you." Paige and Hazel don't look like they care.

"Maybe she won't be mad..." Max tries to reassure Manny, but she doesn't even believe it herself.

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The Spirit Squad is practicing in the gym. Max is there too, watching Manny.

"Hey, all you Panthers fans. Show some spirit, clap your hands. D.C.S., let's hear it. D.C.S. let's hear it." The squad cheers.

"Ok, let's try this new move. It's called The Toe Touch. I'll show you." Hazel does a move that has her foot go up in the air. "Ok?"

"Not bad, but let's not get crazy here. Besides, I'm sure Manny could do it better." Paige says, trying to put down Hazel.

"I don't know about that, girl." Manny says.

"Try." Paige tells her, handing her the pom-poms. Manny does the move, then does a split, waving the pom-poms over her head.

"Manny, sweetie, you're so going to be the star of the show. After me, of course." Paige smiles. Max notices Emma watching at the door and then watches as she leaves.

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Max is walking with Manny, Paige, and Hazel down the hall.

"Manny, that last hand stand was flawless. Oh look it's "Little Miss Save The World"." Paige says as Emma comes from the other direction.

"And it's "Little Miss Plastic". Shouldn't you out testing your make up on animals?" Emma insults her.

"Shouldn't you be out hugging trees?" Paige scoffs, crossing her arms.

"Guys, come on." Max says, trying to not let the situation escalate.

"Manny, you were asking about this. It's coming out at noon." Emma holds out a piece of paper. Paige snatches it from her and reads it out loud.

" "The spirit squad's only spirit is the spirit of sexism." Look what your little friend wrote." She gives it to Manny.

"Nice, Emma. So I'm a bimbo too." Manny reads its and then she crumples it up then stomps away into the washroom, Max following behind her. Emma picks it up and follows them in. Emma throws the paper in the trash, when she enters.

"I can't believe you wrote that article, Em. You've got to get Liberty to cancel it." Manny says.

"Yeah Em, that's not cool." Max tells her.

"How long have we been friends?" Emma asks.

"Since Kindergarten." Manny answers.

"And now you two think you can drop me like a hot potato just because, ooh, some eighth grader is finally talking to you?" She scoffs.

"It's not like that, Em." Max says.

"I want to become a cheerleader that's all." Manny adds.

"Please." Emma rolls her eyes.

"Is it so wrong if I become friends with Paige in the process?" Manny asks.

"You honestly think Paige is your friend?" Emma says.

"Em, what's your deal?" Max asks, getting frustrated.

"Is that so hard to believe? That for once someone cool likes me?" Manny asks.

"She's just using you, Manny."

"no, you're just jealous." Manny spits.

"Jealous? Of that pretentious wannabe?" Emma turns away.

"Emma. Do you hear yourself right now?" Max shouts.

"You know the difference between you and Paige? Paige is fun. You're so boring sometimes I want to scream." Manny says.

"Well I sure hope you and Paige have fun together. Just don't come drying to me when she stabs a knife in your back." Emma leaves.

"Don't worry, I won't." Manny yells after her. Max comes and places an arm around her to try and comfort her.

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"Students, remember to pick up a copy of the new edition of the Degrassi Grapevine, out now. And lunch today is Mongolian chicken stir-fry." A voice says over the PA system.

Max and Manny are walking, when they see Paige and Hazel take all the copies of The Grapevine and go in the gym. They follow them.

"What you guys doing?" Max asks.

"Just making some editorial changes" Paige says as hey start ripping out what Emma wrote of the Grapevine. "Emma's article is just horrible. I mean, it's really going to hurt us. Here Manny, you do the next one. Normally I wouldn't put stock in anything a grade 7 wrote, no offense."

"But we need 12 people for the squad and we only have 8. This article might convince people not to join." Hazel tells them.

"And then, no spirit squad. I mean, you do want a spirit squad?" Paige asks Manny.

"Of course." Manny says.

"Then prove it." Manny takes the newspaper from Paige and rips out the article.

"There. Was that so hard?" Paige asks.

"Are you guys sure that's a good idea?" Max asks. The eighth graders ignore her as they continue to rip out the articles, Manny sits next to her as they both just watch.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Paige is looking at designs for a cheer uniform with Manny and Oskar there. Max is next to them working on homework.

"I think I like the shorter skirts better, Oskar. In the blue and gold. Oh yeah, that's it." Paige says.

"Yeah, I think that looks way better." Manny agrees with her. Emma and Mr. Simpson enter with the Grapevine newspapers.

"You guys know anything about this?" Mr. Simpson asks, showing the page where the article used to be.

"Who would do something like that?" Paige puts on a fake shocked act.

"You tell me. My opinion piece was stripped out of every copy of the Grapevine." Emma says.

"Well, I nothing to do with it."

"No one's accusing you, Paige. Even if it was Emma's critique of the Spirit Squad that was attacked. I don't have to tell you that vandalism could result in suspension. This is pretty serious." Mr. Simpson says.

Manny stands up. "Mr. Simpson..."

"Let me, Manny." Paige stands up, cutting her off. "If anyone should tell you this Mr. Simpson, it should be me. As head of the Spirit Squad. But, we saw Hazel hanging around foyer earlier, acting suspicious."

"More incidents like this, and the school may question having extracirrculars activities at all, including the Spirit Squad. You got it?" Mr. Simpson lectures. Manny sits down. Max gives her a look.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Manny is at her locker, Max is with her.

"So, two more people signed up. We're really on our way." Paige says coming up to them.

"Why did you do that? Why did you back stab Hazel?" Max asks.

"Hello, I had to give up somebody and you, Manny, were about to spill your guts. I was simply looking out for you." Paige says looking at Manny.

"Well, don't, okay? Not if it means dragging me into your dirty work." Manny tells her.

"My dirty work? You were there, too. Both of you." Paige says.

"Yeah, I ripped one newspaper, Max didn't rip any."

"One? More like all. Or at least that's what I'll tell Mr. Simpson if you don't shut up." Paige threatens.

"Paige you were the one who..."

"Who's he gonna believe? You or me?" Paige cuts Manny off.

"Let's go find out." Max says.

"Max, what is your damage?" Paige scoffs.

"You, Paige." Manny tells her.

"You better watch your mouth." Paige spits.

"Or what? You'll spread lies about me? About Max? Deface my locker? Just try it." Manny moves closer to Paige and glares at her.

"F.Y.I: Your attitude sucks. Good luck making the squad." Paige says as she leaves in a huff, pushing people put of her way.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Manny is outside her house, sitting with Max when Emma approaches them.

"Hey." Emma says.

"Hey." The two say in unison.

"Can I sit down?"

"Sure." Manny tells her.

She sits down, they all sit in silence for a few moments before Emma finally says something. "Manny, I wanted to apologize. I should have supported your cheerleading, not attacked you. And Max i'm sorry for being rude, you were just being supportive of Manny."

"Why? It's just a bunch of stupid sexist idiot girls prancing around." Manny says, still upset.

"Manny I was wrong, I'm admitting it." Emma tells her.

"It's just, all I wanted to do as have fun, Em. Then Paige took an interest in me. It all became so complicated. I'm sorry." Manny apologizes.

"So what are you gonna do? About the Spirit Squad, I mean?" Emma asks.

"Give it up. Paige won't want me anymore, not after what I said to her." Mannh sighs.

"Manny, you're good. Paige is mean, not dumb. She's not gonna cut you from the squad. And besides, what you said, that was amazing." Emma tells her.

"You were there?" Max asks.

Emma nods. "And you know? I couldn't have said it better myself."

"So can we all just make up now, I miss the three of us." Max says.

Manny smiles, and the girls all hug, happy to be friends again.

Chapter Text

"It's a poetic dance on an environmental theme, Sean. You'll love it." Emma says, trying to persuade Sean into being in the cabaret with her and Manny.

"I don't dance." He says.

"You don't have to dance. Manny and I will dance. I just want you to be the hunter." Emma explains.

"I don't wear leotards."

"We don't wear leotards. Just black, like panthers, in honor of our basketball team." Manny tells him.

"And because they're in dangered. In our piece, we're gunned down by a hunter. It has a strong message." Emma adds.

"I don't hunt."

"Told you he wouldn't do it." Max says.

"Max, shut up. You didn't wanna be in it either." Emma says.

"You know how scared I get in front of crowds." Max tells her. The bell rings and the girls leave to go to their next class.

"I can't believe Sean won't do it. It's gonna be so good. The audience will be entertained and learn something in the process." Emma says as they walk down the halls.

"Leotards and learning don't go together. Leotards and laughter do." JT jokes.

"You're so primitive." Emma says.

"Watch out Em. Big words confuse him." Max laughs, making JT stick his tongue out at her.

"Who are we gonna get to be the hunter?" Manny asks.

"We'll find somebody." Emma tells her.

"I'll do it." Toby volunteers himself.

"What?" JT and Max say in unison.

"Really?" Emma asks. He nods. "Toby, you're the best!" She smiles at him, excitedly.

"Hey, I do what I can." He's tries to play it cool.

"We rehearse after school in the gym." Emma says.

"See you there." Toby says as Manny and Emma leave.

"Well, I think it's cool when guys get in touch with their feminine side" JT says teasingly.

"Of course you do, JT. Look at you." Max says, patting him on the shoulder before going to catch up with Emma and Manny.

"Ha, ha. Funny." JT puts his hat on his head.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"You don't even know how to dance." JT says as he, Max and Toby walk outside of the school.

"I don't have to, I'm just hunting." Toby tells him.

"You're doing this just to get close to Emma." Max smirks nudging him on the shoulder.

"Duh." Toby says, as if it was pretty obvious.

"News flash Toby She has a boyfriend." JT tells him.

"Who refused to dance. So who's the hero now?" Toby says.

"This plan is gonna backfire on you, I can already tell." Max laughs before walking off to a table where Terri is doing tarot cards with Manny.

"So, I'm a fool?" Manny asks Terri as Max takes a seat next to her.

"No, in tarot, the fool represents fate. What's important is it's upside down. In means your day will end unexpectedly, with a twist." Terri explains.

"A twist? What's that supposed to mean?" Manny asks, confused.

"It means you should watch out." She says. Max and Manny leave and Paige comes over and sits.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"What do you think about adding a jested? Something like this?" Manny asks. She starts running on the steps and hurts her leg. "Aah!" She falls on the ground. Max gets down beside her to check on her. Ashley, Paige, and Terri run over to try and help.

"Can you stand on it at all?" Ashley asks.

"It's already starting to swell. We should probably take you to the nurse." Emma examines her ankle.

"I can't believe this. How am I gonna dance? How am I gonna be a panther?" Manny asks as Max and Emma help her up.

"We'll figure that out later. Let's just get you checked out first." Max says.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"All we have to do is adjust the dancing. Tone it down a bit. Manny can be the hunter." Emma says as she walks down the hall with Max, Toby, JT, and Manny, who is on crutches.

"I don't know, Em. I'm not exactly the best dancer." Toby tells her.

"I think it's a great idea, really. I can't wait to see it performed." JT laughs.

"Playing the hunter is one thing. But dancing?" Toby says, still unsure about taking Manny's place.

"You're the only one who's been to all the rehearsals." Emma says.

"You know the part." Manny adds.

"Of the hunter. Why can't we just have two panthers and one hunter?" Toby asks.

"Just forget it. I'll go tell Liberty we're not going on." Emma's voice filled with disappointment.

"Fine, I'll do it. But I'm not wearing a leotard." Toby finally agrees.

"You don't have to. Toby, thank you, I mean it." Emma smiles.

"Yeah you're gonna do fine Tobes." Max says, walking off with Emma and Manny. After they leave, JT dances and Toby hits him.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
In the gym Emma, Manny, and Toby are practicing. Jungle music is playing as Emma dances. Max and JT are controlling the music.

"Toby, that's your cue." Manny tells him.

"Oh sorry." Toby runs on stage. They dance, until Toby and Emma bump heads.

"Max, stop the music." Emma says. The music stops. "Toby, you keep leaning in the wrong way."

"Right, sorry. Wanna try again?"

"No, I think I've had enough head injuries for today." Emma tells him, standing up.

"Ok." Toby says, still on the floor.

"Maybe you should try it at home, in front of the mirror or something." Emma suggests.

"Sure." Toby says. Max, Emma, and Manny leave.

"Man, how far will you go?" JT says, as the doors shut behind the girl.

"JT, shut up, now." Toby says, annoyed.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

It's the day of the cabaret. Kids clap as Liberty goes on stage

"Welcome to Lunchtime Cabaret. I expect you'll handle yourselves appropriately. So without further ado, please welcome our first act, a dance piece entitled Endangered." She introduces the first act. She goes off the stage and Emma goes on in her panthers outfit and does her part, then Toby comes on beside her and they dance until they bump heads.

"Toby." Emma whispers.

"Sorry."

"Man, this is too easy." Spinner laughs from the audience. They continue dancing. Then Manny comes on and shoots them. Toby dramatically falls to the ground as he dies.

"What is this?" Jimmy laughs. Everyone laughs loudly.

"Hey! Shut up! Let them dance." Sean stands up and shouts at the audience. Emma smiles at him

"Emma, we're not done." Toby whispers. They finish the dance and the audience claps.

"Degrassi's own Paige and Terri! Paige and Terri come on stage just as the beat starts." Liberty says, coming on stage to introduce the next act.

Paige and Terri start singing. They move around and dance as they sing. "Oh just tell me who I can be, all that you ask of me. And still feel that I am free, free to be who I am. Oh, just tell me how I can be, all that you ask of me. And still feel that I am free, free to be who I am. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

After the song is over and people are clapping, Paige and Terri hug.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max, Manny, and Toby are walking down the hall together.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Max asks.

"No, but my panther dancing days are over." Toby says taking off the black gloves that were part of his costume.

"Unless a certain someone asks you again, right?" Manny smirks. Emma comes up to them.

"Toby, you were great out there. Thank you so much."

"Yeah, so, do you want to go and maybe..."

"I'll be right back, ok?" Emma says, walking off when she sees Sean. "Sean. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

"The way you just stood up like that, told everyone off, it was so brave." She kisses him on the cheek. Max sees Toby watching and he looks very sad.

"Hey, it's okay Tobes. There's other fish in the sea." She smiles sympathetically, placing and hand on his shoulder.

Chapter Text

"Well what can I say? It's been great teaching all of you." Mr. Simpson tells the class. Emma raises her hand. "Emma?"

"We're gonna miss you too, Mr. Simpson. So, look at the screen." She says, scooting over so there's room next to her at her computer.
Everyone crowds around. "See the present icon? Click it." When he does, we hear kids shout "Thank you Mr. Simpson" and the grade 7's heads pop up, saying great things about him.

"This is incredible." He smiles. Mr. Simpson is still looking at what they gave him, very happy, when the bell rings. "Ok, go. Go clean out your lockers and have a great safe vacation."

"Bye Mr. Simpson." Liberty says.

"Adios."

"Catch ya later, Mr. Simpson." Max says, giving him a fist bump as she leaves.

"Bye-bye."

"So girls, what are your plans for this very momentous eve?" JT asks, when they get into the hall.

"Girls' night at my place. Meaning no boys allowed especially boys named Sean." Emma says. Sean walks by as she said that. Emma was still very upset with him. He had gotten into a fight with Jimmy, and ended up pushing Emma to the ground. She didn't know when or if she was ever gonna forgive him.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Toby and JT bring a trash can to their lockers to clean them out. Max is with them, already having cleaned hers.

"Maybe she's learned that bad boys only lead to heartache." Toby says, glad about the current situation between Emma and Sean.

"And now she's looking for a good boy? One named Toby? Not likely. What you need is a new approach." JT says. Sean walks by. "Sean's approach. Hey Sean! Toby here is having the boys over tonight. To play some cards, talk girls, guy stuff. Wanna come?"

"No." He starts to walk away.

"You know Emma's gonna be there." JT lies.

"Emma?" Sean asks, stopping in his tracks and turning around to face them.

"Yeah we're..." Toby starts.

"Having the girls over...later." JT finishes.

"Ok." Sean leaves.

Max pushes JT up against a locker. "Are you insane? Why would you lie about Emma being there.

"After tonight's little tutoring session, Emma will be all yours. Trust me." JT says to Toby.

"Let me know how that goes." Max laughs before walking off, already knowing JT's plan will backfire like all of his other ones.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The girls are at Emma's. Liberty was there too, they had already painted their nails, talked about celebrities, and listened to music, now they were watching a horror movie. Max had begged and begged and finally Emma and Manny said yes. They comprised with Scream, it was funny, and the kills weren't all that scary.

Half way through the movie, the phone rings and Max is the one closest, so she has to answer.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Maximus!" JT's voice slurs from the other side.

"What do you want JT?" She asks.

"Why don't you ladies come join me at Toby's place. It'll be fun, there's a party going on."

"Idk JT. Tonight was supposed to be a girls night." Max says.

"Cmon Max. Don't be a downer."

"Fine. Let me ask the others." She turns away from the phone for a second. "You guys wanna go hang out at Toby's after the movie? JT is there too." She asks.

"Sure." Emma says.

"Yeah that's fine." Manny also agrees.

"Liberty is that okay with you?" Max asks.

"Yep."

"Yeah fine. We'll be over there in a bit." Max says to JT.

"Sweet. See ya." JT hangs up the phone and Max goes to sit back down and enjoy the rest of the movie.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max, Emma, Liberty, and Manny are outside of Toby's place.

"Guys, this is gonna be great. A real party. But if my dad finds out I'm here, I'm gonna be grounded until my wedding day." Manny says, quite loudly, as she listens to music with her headphones. Max knocks on the door and Ashley comes out.

"Hey you're not Jimmy and Spinner. Unless they had a sex change." She laughs. "Liberty I didn't invite you. How did you know? Was I sending out psychic vibrations?" Ashley was clearly not acting like herself, and the others noticed it.

"Uh, no. JT and Toby called." Emma says.

Ashley laughs. "Yeah, and I'm the one inviting too many people. Liberty, I've wanted to tell you this for like forever. But I get you. You're like me only sorta not, you know?"

"Uh..." Liberty seems uncomfortable, and doesn't know how to respond.

They go inside the house, trying to go upstairs to Toby and JT but Ashley takes Liberty and drags her over there to the others who were already here. "You guys look who's here: Liberty." She says. Ashley shuts off the movie and turns on music

"Ash..." Terri starts. When she turns on music she starts dancing with Liberty.

"Get down Liberty!" She laughs as she takes off her apron she's wearing and whirls it around. She knocks over a vase but is unfazed by it, continuing to laugh and dance.

The others just go up to Toby's room. JT is spinning around on one of the poles on Toby's bed when there is a knock at the door. He opens it.

"Hello." Emma says. JT moves his tongue around weirdly. "Toby?" Emma looks past JT, trying to find him.

"Welcome to the Issacs Zone of Invanite Love and Harmony. Sit." JT pulls them into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Okay, what is up with you?" Max asks, noticing that JT is also acting strange.

"Thanks, uh, for inviting us." Manny says. Toby sits next to Emma.

JT puts his hands in a praying position. "Shalom."

The door opens and Sean enters. "Emma." he says. Emma leaves. "Emma. Emma." He follows her out into the hall.

"Sean, just leave me alone. If I knew you were gonna be here I would've stayed home." She says trying to go into another room to get away from him.

"I'll go find Liberty." Manny says, going downstairs.

"Emma, can we talk, please?" Sean asks.

"There's nothing to talk about." Emma tries to walk away.

"Emma you're not being fair."

"Sean you went too far. We're over, as in finished." She spits. "Let's go Max." The two go downstairs together.

Everyone else is hanging out having fun. Emma storms out of the house, but Max stays when she sees Jimmy is there. Toby comes downstairs next.

"Hey Jimmy, have you seen Emma?" Toby asks.

"There you are, Mr. Drug Dealer." Jimmy says.

"Drug dealer?" Max asks, confused.

"What?" Toby asks.

"Don't you know that E leads to harder things, like my fist?" Jimmy says. "And you better not have given some to Max, or I swear it's not gonna be pretty."

"What do you care if I did E?" Toby asks.

"'Cause you didn't. Ashley did. And she said she got it from you." Jimmy says.

"Sean switched it." Toby realizes.

"Sean? Sean's here?" Jimmy gets upset.

"Yeah, he's upstairs."

Jimmy runs upstairs. A few moments later Sean comes down, Jimmy and Ashley not far behind.

"Where's Sean?" Jimmy asks the others.

"Jimmy stop." Ash says.

"Where's Sean, Spinner?" Jimmy looks at his best friend.

"He left, like 2 minutes ago." Spinner tells him. Jimmy starts to leave but Ashley stops him.

"Jimmy stop. Ok, I know you're upset, but what just happened was the most intense experience of my life. It was like this telescope and I saw me, the real me." Ash explains, still being affected by the ecstasy.

"Look, you don't know what you're saying." Jimmy tells her.

"What?"

"it's not you, it's the drugs." Jimmy says.

"Oh yeah keep going Dad. Keep telling me who I am." Ashley gets upset.

"Ash look..." Jimmy says calmly.

"No, this is exactly why me and Sean just...he gets me, you..."

"Ash, stop." Terri walks over pulling her away from Jimmy.

"Ter, I love your shirt. It's so shiny, like stars." Her mood changes instantly.

"I'm outta here. Max let's go." Jimmy grabs Max's arm and heads toward the door.

"What I should have done is broken up with you on your birthday like I was going to." Ash says.

"Ashley, just shut up for once." Max says.

"No, why are you even here. Go back home to your Mom, or wait is she still in prison, so you're staying with Jimmy." Ash spits.

"I'm gonna-" Max tries to run at Ashley but Jimmy holds her back.

"Ash would you stop being such a hag already?" Paige says.

"Paige you are a hag. On two fronts: your looks and your personality." Ashley laughs. Paige gets a mean look on her face and leaves.

"Jimmy, just you don't have what Sean has and you never will. You're just not enough for me, sorry. Oh now you're upset, don't be, it's ok, it is, it's all good, it is." As she talks she goes up to him but he pushes her away and then leaves with Max everyone else leaving after.

"Nice Ash." Spinner says sarcastically.

"Guys, where are you going? Come on it's a party. Come on. Where's everyone going? Come on guys. Guys." She dances and laughs not realizing why everyone is leaving. "Come on."

Chapter Text

Everyone is arriving at school, It's the first day of the new school year.

"Man, Grade 8 was supposed to be ours. This is so unfair." Toby says.

"I have no problem with an expanded Degrassi. Way more fish in the sea." JT smiles.

"What, you're fishing for a new babysitter?" Max jokes.

"No. Older women. Hot sexy older women just waiting to make me into a man, okay? This year, guys. Just trust me, I know it." JT says. He and Toby head inside. Max sees Manny and Emma and goes over to them.

She sees Emma and Manny watching a boy with brown hair and a camera walk into the school.

"Is that the sound of your heart pounding? No way, it's mine." Manny gushes.

"Proving that summer is so overrated." Emma smiles.

"Hey guys. Ready for our first day of year 8?" Max asks, as they head inside the school.

"Good morning students and welcome to Degrassi. If you're a new student and haven't received your homeroom number yet, please see Mrs. Smith in the main office immediately." A voice says over the PA.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Closing down the high school was a last minute board decision, meaning we're not fully prepared for the influx of students." Mrs. Kwan says, explaining the reason that the school has been expanded. Liberty raises her hand

"Will there be a separate student council? Separate video announcements? What about The Grapevine?" She bombards Mrs. Kwan with questions.

"Ok, my question at a time. In the short term, Degrassi's gonna be a very crowded place."

"Small price to pay, huh? Older women, younger men, very hot." JT whispers to Toby.

"Older women, JT Yorke, very not." Toby jokes. Sean comes in.

"Take a seat." Mrs. Kwan says. Sean goes and sits down and Emma sees him. "You may even have to share lockers." She continues explaining. "See me after class." She says to Sean.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
"Ok, and every second week we'll take out lunches, old school stuff..." Toby says as the five friends walk down the hall.

"Whatever you say roomie." JT says.

"I can't believe you guys volunteered to share. What made you think that was a good idea?" Max asks.

"Eh, it's just our way of giving something back to Degrassi, is all." JT explains.

"Yeah or of destroying your friendship." Emma laughs.

"Slow down." JT says as Liberty pushes past him.

"How soon till we tell them we told them so?" Emma asks Manny and Max.

"Now I get the top shelf, all right?" JT tells Toby.

"Why? We said I got it." Toby whines.

"No I get the top shelf because I'm taller."

"Yeah, by like a millimeter."

"No check this out. Look. See? Way taller." JT measures them very inaccurately.

"Probably by the end of the day." Max laughs as the girls walk on to their next class, leaving the boys at their now shared locker.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Ok, I give you The Isaacs System." Toby says, as a pixelated heart pulsates on the computer screen.

"The what?" JT asks.

"Ok, you want an older woman? This system determines your best match. Meet, Terri McGregor." Toby explains as he clicks on her picture.

"Guys, your dedication to grade 8 is impressive, but, uh, go home already!" Mr. Simpson emphasizes the last part.

"Can we just finish this first?" Toby asks.

"Five minutes." Mr. Simpson says.

"Terri's not really my type." JT says.

"Pretty and breathing. Exactly your type." Max jokes.

"It says here that you and Max are a good match." Toby says as he looks at the computer.

"Yeah right. As if I'd ever date James Tiberius Yorke." Max scoffs.

"As if I'd ever date Maxine Austin Keller." JT mocks her. "But seriously, I need more of a challenge. Someone like..." He lands on Paige's picture. "All righty."

"But you only have like a 0.03 % chance of scoring with..."

"Paige Michalchuk. Come to Papa." JT cuts Toby off. He puts on his sunglasses and smiles.

"Okay we'll I'll see you losers later. I'm going home." Max says, leaving the media immersion room.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Ok, my destiny is approaching. Project Paige has officially begun." JT takes off his backpack.

"Yeah, it'll be over in about two minutes." Toby says. JT approaches Paige.

"Oh look. It's gross and grosser." Paige laughs.

"Looks like grosser wants a word with you." Hazel says.

"Uh Paige may I say that you're looking rather radiant today? May I carry your bag for you?" He takes her bag.

"You want to carry my bag?"

"Yeah, I'll carry to home, I'll carry it to school. Your wish is my command." He smiles.

"In that case I wish that you'd go back to your girlfriend over there and leave me alone....Now." She takes her bag from him and she and Hazel walk away.

"Wow, you-you are an inspiration." Toby says sarcastically.

"The battle has just begun. Paige Michalchuk will be mine."

"Ok." Toby chuckles at JT as they go inside.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"So, he's in grade 9?" Manny asks as she sits with Max and Emma at a table in the library. They're watching Craig as he walks through the hall.

"Yeah, I saw him coming out of Simpson's homeroom this morning." Emma says.

"I think I heard him say his name was Craig." Max tells them.

"Why do the 9ers get all the hotties?" Manny groans.

"What do you mean? We have JT and Toby." Emma jokes.

"Don't make me gag." Max laughs, flipping the page in her book.

"Shh! There he is." Manny says. They see Craig coming in, they put up their books as if they're reading.

"Emma Nelson right? You baby-sit Angela Jeremiah." Craig says coming up to the girls and taking a seat at the table.

"I do? I mean I do but..." Emma starts.

"You don't recognize me? Five years ago. Our mothers made us dance." He says cutting her off.

"The wedding. Craig is Joey's stepson. Angela's half-brother." Emma explains to her friends once she realizes who he is.

"Oh. Oh hi." Manny says, mesmerized at the boy in front of her. He nods at Manny.

"Hi, I'm Max." She introduces herself. Craig smiles at her.

"Hey. Anyway, uh...nice to see you again." He gets up to leave.

"Craig, wait! I'm baby-sitting Angela later. My mom's having this big party and I was wondering if maybe you want to come along." Emma tells him.

"I wouldn't want to crash."

"No, you'd be my guest. If you want to come, meet me out front after school." Emma smiles.

"I'll be there. Thanks." He leaves.

"He's coming tonight." Manny says. Her and Emma squeal.

"Don't tell me you two are gonna be like this tonight too." Max facepalms, jokingly.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

At Emmas house, Craig is there with Max, Angela, Emma, and Manny. Craig is drawing something in chalk.

"Is that a frog?" Angela asks.

"Are you kidding? This is a big razor-toothed dinosaur with a taste for little girls named Angela!" He reaches over and tickles her, Emma and Max start ticking her too.

"What are you guys doing to her?" Ms. Nelson asks.

"Just feeding her to the dinosaurs." Craig smiles.

"Ok, guys. Dinner's served." Ms. Nelson says. They cross the street to go get food. Max is holding Angela's hand "Come on." Joey approaches with a gift and waves at Angela.

"Daddy!" Angela yells as she runs to him.

"Ya! Mmmwah!" He hugs and kisses her on the cheek.

"Hey, we didn't expect you. I mean it's only my birthday. Much less important than a blind date." Ms. Nelson says.

"Ok, Ok, My bad." Joey jokingly holds his hands up in surrender.

"So, Jeremiah, how was Miss November?" Mr. Simpson asks.

"She was Miss November of 1973. Ooh. It was like going out with my mother." He jokes.

"Ah, well you know women of a certain age do have a special appeal." Mr. Simpson says, placing his arm around Ms. Nelson's shoulder.

"You can leave now!" She smiles.

"What, and miss watching you turn gray?"

"Don't worry, he's coming home with me, after we eat." Joey laughs. He walks a little bit and sees Craig. "Craig. Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I invited him." Emma says.

"It's okay, isn't it?" Craig asks.

"Yeah, yeah, no, um...Can I talk to you for a second?" Craig nods and walks over to Joey. "It's great seeing you, I mean that. But your dad doesn't want..."

"Oh. He's fine with this." Craig cuts Joey off.

"He knows you're here?" Joey questions. Max and Emma walk by as they talk. "Look, I don't know why, but he doesn't want you hanging out with me or with Angie. He's made that radically clear."

"Wait, you talked to him?" Craig asks.

"He came by the dealership this afternoon." Craig starts to walk away. "Craig, come on! Your dad won't allow it, what do you want me to do?"

"No problem, I get it! Hey, um, Ms. Nelson, thanks for the hot dog!" Craig says as he leaves.

"I feel bad for him. He just wanted to be with his sister." Max whispers to Emma, seeing how sad Craig seemed when he left.

Chapter Text

Craig is talking with Sean as they shoot hoops. Craig shoots and it goes in.

"Man, you should try out for the school team this year." Sean says.

"I'm not really a team sport kinda guy."

"Didn't think I was either, but it's cool. Over here." Sean says. Craig gives him the ball. Sean tries to make a basket, but isn't really close to making one.

"Whoa, maybe I should join the team if you're the star player." Craig jokes.

"Nah, never said I was."

"I'll give the Panthers some hope." Craig laughs. They continue to play when Sean accidentally hits Craig in the abdomen. "Ow! Man, this isn't hockey."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sean apologizes.

"For what? Being a total idiot?" Craig snaps at the boy.

"Excuse me?"

"Take it!" He throws the ball to Sean. "You need the practice." Craig leaves, as Max walks up to Sean, having seen the whole thing.

"Craig!" Sean calls after him.

"What was that all about?" Max asks.

"I don't know, I accidentally hit him with the ball and he freaked." Sean explains.

"Well okay then. Hey, I'm still coming to your place tonight, to help you with that assignment right?" Max asks, taking the ball from Sean. She shoots the ball and makes it into the hoop.

"Yeah." Sean says. "Nice throw."

Max smiles at him before walking off.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max is sitting at a table with Sean. "So do you think you understand it now?" She asks. They just spent the past hour working on a math assignment.

"I think so, I just set the equation to zero, then I factor it, and then I find the solutions to x, right?"

"Yeah that's right. If you just remember the way I explained it then you should do pretty good on your next test." Max smiles.

"Thanks Max. I don't think I would've ever gotten this without your help." Sean tells her. Max goes to say something, but the phone rings.

"Hello?" Sean answers.

"Sean? Hey. Hey man. Um, I was wondering if you were, uh, were doing anything tonight." Craig says from the other end.

"Nah, I'm not busy. Max was just helping me with something, but we're done now. You can come over if you want." Sean tells him.

"Okay, I'll be right over." He hangs up the phone.

"Who was that?" Max asks.

"Craig. It's okay if he comes over here right?"

"Yeah, I mean it's your house, so it doesn't matter to me."

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max, Sean, and Craig are now at the train tracks. They talk as they walk on them.

"Where are your parents? You live with your brother, right?" Craig asks Sean.

"Yeah. Yeah, they're far away, which is, you know, good." Sean says.

"So you and your parents didn't get along? They hit you or something?" Craig asks. Max tenses up at the question, even though it wasn't her he was talking to.

"No. No, they were too drunk to do much. Total welfare cases. How about your dad?" Sean tells him, changing the attention over to Craig.

"He's a surgeon. He fixes people."

"Surgeon, huh? Is he rich?" Max asks.

"Yeah, crazy rich. But, his job's stressful, so um, so we fight." Craig says as they sit down. "And I've been thinking, I'm gonna go solo. I've got the money. I'm thinking B.C."

"Are you serious?" Sean asks.

"That's like so dangerous, being all by yourself, especially as a kid." Max tells him.

"Yeah, deadly serious. I'm outta here. Tonight." Craig says.

"You're gonna wind up on the streets." Max says, starting to worry about Craig's mindset.

"Then, come with me. Both of you. We'll all watch out for each other." Craig suggests.

"Craig, come on. Look, I can't leave. Look, uh, before you asked me if my parents hit me, right?" Sean says.

"Did I? So?"

"I don't know. Does your dad hit you?" He asks. The sound of a train comes from a distance and Max and Sean move off the tracks. Craig doesn't move.

"Cmon Craig. Get off the tracks." Max says.

Craig doesn't listen, he laughs as he holds his skateboard to his chest.

"Quit kidding around man, get off the tracks." Sean walks over to him. Craig pushes him when he tries to pull him off the tracks.

"Get off me." Craig says as Sean falls.

"Craig, get of the damn track!" Max shouts. "Craig this isn't funny. Get off!"

"Craig!" Sean tells as he tackles Craig, just in time to get him out of the way of the train. Craigs skateboard flies in the air and Max stands there, speechless at what just happened.

Craig just laughs before getting up and taking off.

"Man, what's wrong with you?!" Sean calls after him.

"Craig? Where are you going. Come back!" Max yells.

"Are you okay?" Sean asks as he pulls Max into a hug.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Craig on the other hand is definitely not. We need to get help."

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Emma is in her house painting her toenails when Max and Sean show up.

"Emma!" Max yells.

"What are you two doing here?"

"It's about Craig." Sean says, breathing heavily from running.

"What? Is everything okay?" She asks jumping up.

"I don't think so." Max says. "He really scared us."

The three run all the way to Joeys house. Joey and Angela are inside, sitting at the table.

"Okay this is an easy one. 2 and 2 is..." Joey says.

"4." Angela answers.

"Yeah." Joey smiles.

"Joey! Joey! We need to talk to you. It's about Craig. He said he's going to B.C., but you know he's just gonna end up on the street." Emma says as she runs into the house with Max and Sean.

"If he doesn't kill himself first." Sean says.

"What?" Joey asks, confused.

"He's really scaring us Joey. Last time we saw him, he was playing chicken with a train. Sean pushed him out the way. " Max tells him.

"Guys, what do you want me to do? I can call his dad again..."

"Joey, his dad is the problem." Emma says.

"He beats him." Sean adds.

"Now wait a minute. Do you know what a serious accusation that is? I can't go around accusing the guy of that, all right?" Joey says.

"Why would we make that up?" Max starts to get upset.

"Is something wrong with Craig?" Angela asks.

"Not now, honey, ok? This is serious." Joey tells her.

"No, I saw today." She says.

"No, I know you saw him today, ok?" Joey brushes her off.

"No I saw, all purple. A dinosaur hurts him. He told me." Angela tells her dad. Joey realizes they're telling the truth.

"Okay. Sean, why don't you and I start at the railroad tracks. Max and Emma, could you please just watch her?" Joey gets up from the table and grabs his jacket, leaving with Sean.

"Of course." Emma says.

"Totally." Max tells him.

Max and Emma start looking through Craig's book of pictures of Joey and Angela. Max sees a picture of Craig's mom's grave. She realizes where he probably went.

"Em. I probably need to go home." Max lies.

"Yeah, I understand, I'll see you tomorrow and I'll update you on what happens." She says.

"Thanks."

Max leaves the house and runs down the road, heading to the cemetery. She sees Craig there, standing at a grave.

"Is that your mom?" She asks.

"What are you doing here?" Craig is scared by Max's presence.

"I bet she was a wonderful woman." Max says, ignoring Craig's question.

"She was, I loved her so much. I miss her so much." He says, tears forming in his eyes.

"You know I know how you feel right now." Max places her hand on Craig's shoulder.

"You do?"

"Yeah, follow me." She takes Craig's hand and brings him over to a grave a few yard away from his moms.

"Sadie Keller." Craig reads the name on the grave.

"She was my sister. She died 3 years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Craig says.

"She was the only person I had. My dad, was a drunk, he would come home from work, drink until the bottle was empty, then he would beat me and my sister. He would beat me just like your dad beats you. My mom never did anything to help us, she just watched as it happened. She was so afraid of him leaving her. He finally got arrested two weeks after Sadie died. He's never getting out. My mom was always a druggie, she's been in and out of jail my whole life, she was doing good for a few months, then Sadie's death made her spiral." Tears start streaming down Max's face. "I'll never forget the day I found Sadie, dead in her room. She had killed herself. I remember screaming to the top of my lungs. I was angry. I was angry at her for leaving me, for leaving me with our dad, for leaving me with my mom who never cared and still barely does. My dad beat me the worst he ever had that night. He said it was my fault Sadie was gone. It was Sadie's death that got him arrested. The autopsy showed all the abuse she had endured over the years, they came to the house and took me to a hospital to get me checked on for abuse too. I told the doctors everything about my dad. He was arrested the very next day. I miss Sadie so much. She was only 16, she always would comfort me after dad was done with us. She would tell me stories of how we would run away someday, and no one would be able to hurt us ever again. Sometimes I wish it was me and not her. I wish I could've given my life up for hers, but it didn't work that way. I've taught myself to be strong now. For Sadie. I know she wouldn't want me to be weak. I know she's watching over me." Max is now sobbing and wipes away her tears.

"I'm so sorry Max. I never would've known. I'm glad your okay now." Craig says, pulling Max into a hug.

"It's fine, but Craig. Please know i'm here for you if you ever wanna talk okay?" Max says as they walk back to Craig's mom's grave. Max and Craig are sitting at the grave, when Joey and Sean show up.

"Craig? Craig?" Joey calls.

"What do you want?" Craig yells.

"Hey, whoa, I just wanna help okay?" Joey says calmly.

"I'm fine!"

"What's this I hear about a train?" Joey asks.

"Sean told you that? Well he's a liar. Liar!" Craig screams at Sean.

"Craig I told him!" Max says.

"Why would you do that to me. Get out of here!" He yells at her.

"I didn't want you to end up like Sadie okay! I almost watch you die Craig! I cant go through that again. I won't." Max yells, tears streaming down her face.

"Craig, just calm down and let's get outta here, okay?" Joey says.

"Where am I gonna go? Where am I gonna go? Back home, so Dad can...?"

"What? Do what? What does he do to you?" Craig walks away from joey. "He hits you, doesn't he? Doesn't he?" Joey asks.

"Yeah, he does." He starts to cry. He goes to Joey and Joey hugs him.

"It's okay Craig." Max says. "He's not gonna hurt you again. Not anymore okay?" Craig embraces Max into another hug.

"Thank you." He whispers as he quietly cries.

Chapter Text

Max, Emma, and Manny are walking down the hallway together. "So...did you get your poetry done?" Manny asks.

"No." Emma says.

"I got mine done for once!" Max smiles.

"It's due today." Manny says to Emma.

"I know, but some stuff came up with my mom." Emma explains.

"Serious stuff?" Max asks, accidentally bumping into another student. "Sorry." She apologizes, turning back to the conversation with Emma and Manny.

"She wanted to talk to me about her new boyfriend." Emma tells them.

"Boyfriend? Omg a boyfriend!" Max squeals in excitement.

"And you didn't call us? Who is it?" Manny asks as the girls see by Mr. Simpson, with gum stuck to his shoe. Emma is giving him a death glare.

"Got myself a bit of a uh sticky situation here."He chuckles as they walk past him.

"That's who." The girls look at Emma confused. "Simpson. My mom is seeing Simpson." Emma tells them.

"What?" Manny and Max say in unison.

"It's no big deal, really."

"Em, your mom is dating your teacher. That is huge." Max tells her.

"I know. And I'd like you to keep it quiet, ok? I'm fine with this. And you guys can be too." Emma says before the girls head off to class.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The girls sit in media immersion, Max is doodling in a notebook as Mr. Simpson talks to the class.

"So, for your weekend assignment, find a few examples of flash animation on the web. Don't forget to e-mail the URL to your D mail..." He says as the girls tune him out to have their own conversation.

"I thought him and your mom were friends. What changed?" Manny asks.

"She had a thing for him back in high school. Rekindled love?" Emma assumes not knowing the actual reasoning behind it.

"I can totally see your mom going for him. He is kind of cute." Max says, continuing to scribble down nonsense shapes.

"Yeah, for an old guy." Emma says.

"He's got a nice smile." Manny says as the girls watch as he talks to JT.

"And he's tall. That's always good." Emma adds.

"He's funny. And he's cool, in his dorky Mr. Simpson way." Max explains before the bell rings to dismiss them.

"Hey guys, looking forward to the junior back to the future dance this afternoon? I'll be working the turn table." He says as every packs up and start to leave, but he stops Emma. "Emma. Um, I just wanted to, you know, check in with you."

"I'm good, thanks." She says quickly before turning around to leave.

"Because your mom told me, you know, that you talked, and, I just don't want things to be awkward."

"I'm fine." She turns back around to leave again.

"Emma, are you un-happy with this situation with me and your mom?"

Emma shakes her head. "No, I think it's great."

"Really?"

"100 %. Wow look at the time. I've gotta go." She leaves with Max and Manny.

"What was that?" Manny asks as they get into the hallway.

"He wanted to "check in" with me. This whole thing is getting really confusing and weird and I can't get my head around it." Emma says looking back to the classroom, and accidentally bumping into Craig, who's with Sean.

"Hey Emma." he smiles.

"Craig. Sorry." She apologizes, nervously.

"So, uh, you guys going to the dance tonight?"

"Can't. Seniors only." Max tells him.

"Tell me about it." Sean scoffs.

"Oh yeah, sorry Junior." Craig jokes.

"Thanks for rubbing it in. You know how much I love spending lame nights at home alone." Sean says before going to leave.

"Wait, Sean." Max calls after him, he doesn't hear her though.

"Max, Manny, and I are having a girls' night with my mom." Emma tells Craig.

"Nice. Well, uh, maybe next year." Craig walks off leaving the girls there.

"It's so obvious Craig likes you." Manny smiles at Emma.

"You think?"

Max and Manny nod at their blonde friend.

"Attention students. The junior dance is starting now in the cafeteria." Mr. Raditch's voice plays over the intercom.

The girls walk to the cafeteria, and stand at the entrance as they watch students enter and Mr. Simpson dj.

"Hey ladies." Toby smirks, walking up to them. He and J.T. are dressed in 80's attire.

"What's up?" J.T. asks.

"Wanna dance?" Toby holds out his hand. Max and Manny just giggle as the boys walk off.

"This is what the junior is dance is all about. Serious immaturity." Emma says with an unamused look on her face.

"Now here's a hot little eighties retro number from my very own band, The Zit Remedy." Mr. Simpson says in an accent that sounds both british and australian, before playing a song.

"Uh! I hate that stupid song." Emma rolls her eyes.

"Wow, Em. You hate everything today." Liberty says coming up behind them.

"No. Just Simpson's taste in music."

As if on que, Mr. Simpson approaches the girls. "Thought I saw you girls playing wallflower by the door."

"This girl she likes to party all the time." Liberty twirls her hair in between her fingers as she walks into the dance.

"Get on in. How about you guys? Come in and get down?" He asks the others while he does a silly dance.

"We're more like gonna get lost." Emma grabs Max and Manny and leaves.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Mom!" Emma calls as she enters her house with Max and Manny.

"I'm in here!" Ms. Nelson answers, putting her earrings in.

"Can you feel the excitement? Girls' night is just minutes away." Emma puts her bag away.

"We've got romance, suspense..." Manny starts.

"And horror of course!" Max adds as they keep walking into the house.

"A whole range of empty calories." Emma walks into the living room and stops when she sees her mom dressed up. "And a dress code?" Emma asks confused.

"I'm so sorry. I completely forgot. Mr. Simpson called. He lucked into last minute Elvis Costello tickets. And as you know, we both live for Elvis." Ms. Nelson tells the girls.

"Great. Have fun." Emma walks off annoyed.

"I'm sorry. I was excited." Ms. Nelson apologizes. "We can reschedule, okay?"

"Unless, of course, another antique eighties singer rolls into town." Emma says as she puts the bags of snacks away.

"So how was your dance?" Ms. Nelson asks while putting on her purse.

"It sucked. Thanks to the DJ."

"Wasn't Mr. Simpson DJ-ing?"

"That's sort of my point." Emma walks off again, still frustrated at her mom for ditching girls night.

"Well I'm sure he tried his best. Have fun tonight. I won't be late." Ms. Nelson heads to the door, Max waves bye to her. After she leaves, Emma throws something.

"It's no big deal, Em." Manny tries to comfort her.

"Not to her. You know what?" Emma says as an idea pops into her head. "We deserve some excitement too. What do you say we crash the seniors dance?"

"Oh yes!" Max smiles excitedly, she's always wanted to do something exciting like this.

The girls head up to Emma's room and get ready for the dance, finding old 80's clothes in the house. Manny is getting ready in front of a mirror. Emma comes in the room, spraying her hair. And Max is on the bed already ready.

"Wow. You look just like your mom in her high school photo." Manny tells Emma.

"No, I don't. I look like Cindi Lauper." Manny shows Emma her mom's picture and it's obvious Emma does look kind of like her.

"Ugh. I'm changing." Emma storms off.

"No, don't. You look great." Max tells her.

"You're right. When she was my age my mom was totally cool. She didn't date dweebs like Mr. Simpson."

"She dated guys like Craig." Manny smiles.

"She wishes." Emma laughs.

"No, but you do." Max teases. "Oh, Craig. I love your eyes. And your hair. And your smile." She mocks as she stands up on the bed.

"We are so gonna have fun tonight." Emma says as she and Manny join Max.

"We are so gonna see Craig tonight." Manny laughs as they start jumping on the bed.

"This is gonna be so fun!" Max squeals.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"This is so cool. We are so cool." Manny says as the girls arrive at the school. They keep walking when Max ducks.

"Raditch alert!" She says and they run over to bushes and hide.

"There's Craig." Emma points as they see him. He's dressed like kind of like Sid Vicious, the bassist for the Sex Pistols, even though he died in 1979 so it wasn't really 80's.

"Craig!" The girls whisper yell for him. He turns to look in their direction.

"Over here!" Max calls.

"Hey look, valley girls. What are you doing here?" He smiles before walking over to them.

"We want to crash the dance." Max tells him.

"Cool."

"But we sorta need your help." Emma adds.

Craig looks at Raditch, coming up with an idea. "Meet me at the east door, 10 minutes." He says before heading inside.

"Yes!" The girls squeal. They wait until the coast is clear before heading to the east door. Craig goes to the door and lets them in.

"This is so exciting I could burst." Manny says excitedly.

"Manny, Shh!" Emma tries to quiet her, afraid of someone catching them.

"Keep your heads down, okay? If Raditch sees us, we're busted." Craig tells them. They walk through the boiler room and open a door. They look through another door and see Raditch.

"Raditch!" Max whispers before they all duck. Raditch hears the door shut and goes to where they are.

"Come on." Craig says as the girls follow him. They move away from the door and go hide. Raditch opens the door but doesn't see anything so he shuts the door and leaves.

They make it to the gym, running into the dance. Craig parts ways with the girls.

"We did it. We're in." Emma cheers.

"The seniors dance. Most fun ever." Manny smiles.

"I can't believe it actually worked." Max chuckles, pulling on the leather jacket she's got on, her look inspired by Joan Jett. They look over at Craig. He tips his hat to them before walking away.

"All right everybody. It is time for the break dancing competition. First prize is this: a pair of primo gold seats to an upcoming Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game." The dude from the radio station announces.

"That's right. First up we have Jimmy Brooks. Jimmy?" The girl who's with him says, looking at a paper.

Jimmy goes over to the DJ booth after having his name called a few times. Everyone cheers for him. He gives them his CD, which they put on. When it starts to play, he goes in the middle of the room and starts to dance, doing the moonwalk and everything. When he bends down, his pants rip. Everyone laughs. For a second, he stands there in embarrassment at what just happened, what seemed like ages to him but was only a split second. , he runs away.

"That gives a whole new meaning to doing a moon walk. Anyway, next up we have Spinner Mason. Spinner? Bring in on, Spinner." The lady announces.

Spinner goes up and gives them his CD. "Party people, get ready for some serious tunage." he says. Everyone claps as music starts playing, but it's not his music. It's some kind of ballad song with no words. "That's not my music." He says.

"Dance....dance...dance..." The dude DJ starts, everyone chimes in with him.

"Go Spin!" Max giggles, as Spinner leaves the gym. She watches him walk off but gets distracted at seeing Ashley, sitting alone, not dancing. She contemplates going over there but doesn't know if she should.

She decides against it, and joins Emma and Manny, who are dancing, Craig is watching them.

"All right, it's slow time, for all you couples out there. Here's one of my favorites." The lady DJ says. A slow song starts and the girls start walking off when Craig approaches them.

"Craig's coming right this way." Max whispers.

"Hey Craig." Emma smiles as he approaches them.

"Emma, Manny, Max. You, uh, you having fun?"

Emma nods her head "Yeah."

"I haven't had this much fun since, well, ever."Manny laughs.

"Yeah, it's better than I thought it would be." Max adds.

"Well, great." he says, staring at them slightly awkwardly.

"Great." Manny replies.

"Yeah, so. Manny. You wanna dance?" He says, catching the girls off guard. They all thought he liked Emma. Emma's eyes drop. She's slightly hurt by this.

"Me?" Manny asks, unsure.

"Yeah." Craig smiles. Manny looks at Emma and Max for approval.

"Yeah. Great. You two dance. I'll stand here with Max." Emma tells them.

The pair go on the dance floor. As they dance, Manny looks at Emma and Max. Emma looks sad watching them.

"Sorry, Em. I know you liked him." Max says, placing a comforting hand on her friends shoulder.

"It's fine."

"You sure?" She asks.

"Yeah, I think I'm just gonna go home though. I'm not having much fun anymore." Emma says going to leave.

"Do you want me to go with you? I can walk you home." Max tells her.

"I'm good. I'll see you later." Emma smiles before leaving.

Max decides to go over to Ashley, who's still sitting alone. She takes a seat next to her and waits a few moments before speaking.

"Hey Ash."

"Shouldn't you be with your friends." Ashley scoffs.

"You're my friend."

"No i'm not. We are acquaintances. Besides you probably hate me. Just like Jimmy does."

"I don't hate you Ashley."

"You don't?" She asks confused.

"You said some really hurtful stuff to me, but I don't hate you. I know you weren't yourself, it was the Ecstasy, not you. Besides I know how people can act on it, I know how hurtful they can be."

"I'm really sorry Max."

"I don't think I should be the one you're apologizing too. You hurt other people too." Max says.

"I keep trying to apologize, but no one is listening. No one will even let me talk to them." Ash explains.

"Maybe you just need to give it time. It may take forever until they forgive you. But at least you can say you're making an effort." Max smiles before getting up and heading home.

Chapter Text

Max is walking in the hall with Emma, Manny, JT, and Toby. Toby is going on about anime after seeing a poster on the wall. Max perks up, she loves anime. "Man, I can't believe how many sites are devoted to anime." Toby tells his friends.

"Not this again." JT sighs.

"JT, anime is the biggest development in animation in years." Toby says.

"And I really don't care. And I think it's for geeks." Max frowns at JT's comment. She likes anime and she's not a geek.

"Anime is actually very current." Emma says.

"See? She knows about anime. Who's your favorite character? Ashuhara?" Toby asks, finally hopeful to have someone share his interest.

"I said I know about it, I didn't say I liked it." Emma explains.

"See?" JT smirks.

"I love anime, my favourites are One Piece, Hellsing, Inuyasha, and Serial Experiments Lain. My favourite character from One Piece is Nico, she's so hot, but like not only hot she's super cool too and can do all sorts of cool things-" Max says, rather quickly in excitement.

"Toby, girls aren't into that stuff, except maybe Max." Manny says, cutting Max off. She sees Craig and turns her attention to him. "Hey Craig!" She calls before her and Emma go over to him.

"You see Toby? That's what girls are into." JT says as they look at Craig.

"I'm not into Craig." Max says.

"Max, you don't count." JT tells her.

"So am I not a girl? Last time I checked, I was." Max retorts.

"I didn't mean it like that, It's just you're not really a typical girl, you're not into cool dudes like Craig." JT explains.

"It's sure not me. I may be the first Jewish monk." Toby says before walking away.

"I am into cool dudes. Like... umm... Leonardo Dicaprio." Max tells JT.

"He doesn't count, he doesn't even know you exist."

"Whatever JT." Max rolls her eyes before walking off.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"I finally meet the girl of my dreams. So cute. So into the same things as I am." Toby says as he walks down the hall with Max and JT.

"And so related to Sasquatch." JT comments.

"Well Spin has always been overprotective of Kendra. I think it's sweet of him." Max tells them.

"Just forget about her. Look there she is. Come on." JT tries to pull Toby in the opposite direction when he notices Kendra walking towards them. She waves at Toby. "Toby, let's go." Toby doesn't budge. "Fine, but wipe the drool off your chin." JT says giving and pulling Max back a few steps with him.

"Hi Toby. Watch Ashuhara last night?" Kendra asks.

"Yeah. I love Ashuhara." Toby says, entranced by the girl in front of him.

"Me too. So lunch today?" She asks him.

"Yeah, lunch." He smiles. Spinner sees them talking and isn't happy.

"Uh, sorry to break this up. Big foot's heading this way." JT interrupts. Toby sees Spinner. "Let's go." JT and Toby run away. Kendra watches them with a confused face.

"Bye Kendra! See you later!" Max smiles before running off after them.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Hey Jimmy." Max smiles as she joins her cousin in the hall.

"Hey Max." He says seeming pissed off.

"What's up with you?" She asks, hating the fact that he seems angry.

"Don't worry about it." Jimmy sees Sean is at his locker. He comes up to him and slams it shut. Max just stands off to the side, watching the encounter.

"Sean Cameron." He says.

"Jimmy Brooks. Thought me and you were cool, man."

"There is no me and you."

"Fine by me." Sean rolls his eyes and opens his locker. Jimmy shuts it again.

"One warning though. You stay away from my girl." Jimmy says, poking him in the chest.

"What are you talking about?" Sean asks, confused.

"Ash and I are a thing again."

"Really?" Sean and Max say in unison.

"Yeah, really."

"Guess I'll have to ask her that when I take her out on Friday." Jimmy grabs Sean's shirt, Sean pushes him against the wall.

"Hey! Hey!" Craig says, coming in to break it up. "Take it easy. You all right?" He asks Sean.

"Yeah, I'm fine. If Jimmy knows what's good for him." Sean says. Jimmy storms off, Max following right behind him.

"Jimmy, what the hell was that?" She asks.

"Ash and me are together again, well at least I thought we were. Apparently she's going in a date with Sean." Jimmy says.

"You're literally letting a girl like Ashley Kerwin, get to you like that. Jimmy she's not worth it. Shes not worth fighting for. Especially if she won't fight for you. Now stop being an idiot." Max says, hitting him upside the head before walking off to her next class.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Attention would Mrs. Chitlo's grade seven homeroom and Ms. Kwan's grade eight please head to the gym." The PA echos as the students who were called gather to the gym. In the  gym kids are already getting their pictures taken.

"So do you think this look works? I went for sharp yet casual." Liberty asks Max, Emma, and JT. Manny is getting her photo taken.

"You look great, Liberty." Emma says before going over to Toby.

"Yeah you do look nice Liberty!" Max smiles before joining Emma.

Toby is looking at Kendra. Kendra sees and waves, but he doesn't wave back. He looks away. Emma and Max start making chicken noises.

"Shut up." Toby tells them.

"I'm trying to help you, Toby. You like her, she likes you." Emma says.

"Her brother likes to maim and kill."

"With his teeth." JT adds to Toby's statement.

"Toby, Spin isn't that bad. I promise he won't actually hurt you, I won't let him." Max says.

"Look, Spinner almost caught me talking to Kendra earlier." Toby explains.

"And?" Emma asks not seeing Toby's issue.

"And I don't wanna die." He says. Kendra tries to get his attention but he looks away.

"Toby stop being such a chicken. If you actually like her you won't let anyone get in the way of that. Not even Spinner." Max says before walking over to get her picture taken.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Max and Toby are walking when he bumps into someone.

"Watch it!" They scoff as he falls down. He sighs as he gets his stuff. Max goes to help him but sees Kendra walking over to him. She comes over and gives him the anime CD.

"Take this. I'm done with it. Where were you at lunch?" She asks.

"Lunch? I had some work to do." He very obviously lies.

"Really? And what about the gym earlier? You ignored me then too. I don't get it. What did I do wrong?" Kendra asks confused because she thought he liked her.

"It's just that you're in grade seven and I'm in grade eight." He says as he sees Spinner watching them.

"And we can't be friends? Why not?" Kendra goes to see what Toby is staring at. She sees Spinner too when she turns around. "You're afraid of my brother?"

"No. That's not it." Toby tries to lie.

"Look me in the eye and tell me that's not it." She says. He can't do it. "You, coward." She walks off.

Toby sighs and starts walking off in the other direction. Max follows behind him.

"You can't keep doing this Toby. You can't keep being afraid of Spinner." Max says.

"I like Kendra. I really do Max, but I don't want to feel Spinners wrath." Toby explains.

"You can't be afraid forever. You have to man up and go get the girl. She's was right, you are a coward. And if you don't go get her now, she'll find someone who is willing to be with her despite her brothers threats." Max says before leaving.

Toby sees Kendra and Spinner. He starts to leave but decides to go talk to her, thinking about what Max told him.

"Spinner."

"What do you want?" Spinner asks, crossing his arms.

"I want to talk to your sister."

"Isaacs, move on. Now."

Toby starts to leave but doesn't. "No."

"No?" Kendra and Spinner ask in unison, both in disbelief.

"No." Toby says again.

"You are aware that I can rip out your bowel and eat it for breakfast?" Spinner says.

"Yeah, I'm willing to take that risk." Toby tells him.

"As long as you know what happens if you break her heart, we're cool." Spinner leaves.

"Best me around again and I'll rip out your bowel myself, Isaacs. Want to go for ice cream?" Kendra asks.

Chapter Text

Emma is doing stuff for her experiment. This project really means a lot to her and she's worked really hard on it. Manny and Max are doing exercises. Emma blows her whistle so they stop.

"How many?" Max asks while leaning over to catch her breath.

"Uh, 50. That's 20 more than you did last week, when you were eating junk. Manny you got 48 which is 14 more." Emma tells them. She sees Mr. Simpson and she groans, "Everytime I turn around, there he is. At home At school."

"Can you ever get too much Mr. Simpson?" Manny asks.

"Uh, yeah. He came over again for dinner last night. And guess what he asked me?"

"What?" Max asks.

"If I had any hot dates this weekend."

"Ew, gross." Max and Manny giggle.

"You want grosser? He wants me to call him by his first name, Archie."

"Does that make your mom Betty?" Manny asks?

"I always thought she was more of a Veronica type." Emma says.

"Me too." Max adds.

Emma turns a blender on and finishes making her fruit smoothie.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
In grade 8 Science Class, they're working on their science fair projects.

"All right, remember the fair is tomorrow at 9 sharp. Well, looks like some of you are almost finished." Ms. Hatzilakos says walking around. "And looking around the room, it looks like some of you are lagging behind. Does anyone need any help?"

"Yes please, Ms. Hatzilakos." J.T. says, his hands covered in goop. She goes to help him.

"Em, your project is gonna be so awesome." Max says.

"Yeah, I can't believe how much work you did."Manny tells her as she puts some kind of robot helmet thing on Toby. "You are so gonna win."

"Um, no." Liberty says as she walks past them. "My project on the effects of life deprivation on household plants is so detailed, so thorough, it impresses even me. Sorry."

"Don't let her bug you." Max says, noticing Emma's look of annoyance.

"It's not her. It's my project. It's not working. Two of the kids did better eating junk food. Emma is really stressed. Liberty is listening to her and smiling.

"Really, who?" Manny asks.

"Spinner Mason." Emma says. "And guess who else?" They all look at JT, who spilled some of his stuff on Ms. Hatzilakos.

"Sorry." J.T. tells the teacher. They're staring at him. Toby looks too. JT looks at Toby and eyes at him to look at Ms. H. Toby takes off his helmet.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒
In the hallway, Max runs into craig.

"Hey, how've you been?" she asks with a smile.

"I've been great actually. What about you?"

"Pretty good."

They give each other awkward smiles and continue on their separate ways.

Max heads to the gym where the science fair is taking place. She joins Emma and Manny. Emma seems sad.

"My project was gonna be so good." Emma says to Max and Manny. Manny is eating a candy bar. She offers some to Emma. "Chocolate in the morning?" Emma asks. Manny then offers some to Max who gladly accepts.

"I know it's not good for me, but it tastes like happy." Manny says.

"Manny, what did you say?" Emma says getting an idea.

"It tastes like happy. Why?"

"Manny, you are brillant!" She leaves the room leaving Max and Manny at the science fair.

"Thank you." Manny confusingly calls after her.

The girls decide to walk around while they wait for Emma to come back. They stumble upon Libertys project. It's about sunlight and plants.
She's pointing at everything with a red light pen "Hour 147, notice a lack of green on the fern. Hour 148, even the cactus is beginning to dry out. Hour 140..." She tells the judges.

"Thank you Liberty. That'll do." Mr. Simpson says as he and the other judges move to the next project.

"But there's 52 more hours." Liberty whines.

"Oh, I'm sure there are. If only we had enough time." They go over to Emma's project.

"Two of her subjects produced irregular results. Plus she's not even here." Liberty tells them

As if on cue Emma runs in. "Wait! Sorry." She says as she says puts the new title up on her project. It reads "Mind/Body Connection." She looks at the judges. "Last minute burst of inspiration."

"No problem at all." Mr. Simpson says.

"You're judging?"

"Yup. And I can't wait to hear about your inspiration, so, go ahead."

"Okay, for my project, I set out to prove that healthy food is good for you, but as scientists, we must remember the human factor. Take JT Yorke, for example." She shows JT and his results. "His results threw me, until I realized that chocolate and burritos make him happy. Better mood, better performance."

"What about Spinner Mason? How do you explain his results?" Liberty asks.

"Margin of error. It makes sense, since it is Spinner."

"That's a very original project." Simpson says. He walks away. Emma smiles.

After a while the judges finish deciding the winner. The students are all grouped together. They're awarding the prizes.

"Maybe, one day, people will realize that the wolf is actually our friend. Thank you." A girl says after accepting her award. Everyone claps.

"Congratulations once again, to Nadia, for winning first prize in the grade seven class. And now, for our final award, junior science fair first prize." Ms. Hatzilakos says.

Liberty moves the crowd because she thinks she won. "Hope the engraver spelt my name right. Excuse me." She says cockily.

"And it goes to...Emma Nelson, for Mind/Body Connection." Ms. Hatzilakos reads. Everyone claps. Liberty looks confused that she lost. Emma goes to get her prize. "Congratulations."

"All right Emma!" Mr Simpson cheers. Emma's smile disappears when she hears him. "Woo hoo!" He claps

Max whispers to Liberty. "You are so jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I'm appalled. Teacher's pet wins again." Liberty scoffs. Emma smiles and holds up the trophy.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

After the science fair classes are resumed as normal. In grade 8 Media Immersion, everyone is talking.

Mr. Simpson whistles getting everyone's attention. "Okay! We all had fun at the science fair, but back to business. Mother boards. Now as you can see this one has no front side bus. It's practically an antique. Now the term bus actually comes from a similarity to a city bus that drops off and picks up riders. The same in a computer. When you turn the computer on the bus drives along and signals are dropped off or picked up to the devices attached to the line. Like the hard drive or a CD-ROM drive or any other..." As he talks Max, Emma, and Manny type messages.

The first one says, "Archie Simpson loves high-tech." Sent from Emma.

The second one says, "Archie Simpson loves Motherboards." Sent from Max.

The third one reads. "Archie Simpson loves Emma's Mom. When Manny sends that to Emma, the whole class gets it.

Mr. Simpson is still talking. "Now what happens if the bus misses a device, can't just walk to the next stop, right? Anyone have any ideas?"

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." Manny says after hitting send.

"Manny!" Emma calls.

"I'm sorry." She apologizes When Toby sees it, he elbows JT.

"Oh Lordy." JT says.

"Emma? What's wrong?" Simpson asks.

"Don't look at your e-mail."

Liberty gets a grin on her face. Mr. Simpson goes to his computer.

"Ms. Santos, you'll see me immediately after class."

Class continues as normal and Max and Emma wait for Manny. They head to the girls washroom

"And now I have to write a 1,000 word essay on internet privacy." Manny says explaining what happened when she stayed behind. Liberty comes out of a stall.

"So it's true?" She asks.

"Simpson is dating my mom? Yes." Emma tells her.

"And now everyone knows. Embarrassing." She takes out floss and starts flossing her teeth. "Of course, I was a victim of gossip last year, so I sympathize."

"Thanks, Liberty." Emma says.

"Your welcome. So let's talk about what you're going to do."

"About what?" Emma asks.

"There was a judging basis in your favor. Simpson's dating your mom."

"So?"

"So his basis doesn't bother you?"

"Don't listen to her, Em." Manny chimes into the conversation.

"Yeah she's just jealous." Max says.

"She can make up her own mind. It should bother you, because you, Emma Nelson, are a woman of conscience. One simple solution. Turn in the award." She zips her bag and leaves.

Max parts ways from the girls, she meets up with Jimmy and Spinner. They are sat in the cafeteria. It seems they finished talking with Sheila.

"Hey jimmy. Hey Spin."

"Hey Max." They say in unison.

"Jimmy, do you think I could stay at your place for a few days? Mom has a new friend who's staying with us and I'm not to fond of him."

"Yeah I'll ask my mom when we get home okay?"

"Thanks." Max smiles. She was grateful to have Jimmy as her cousin he would do anything for her.

Chapter Text

Max sits in her seat in Ms. Kwan's classroom. Liberty is on the TV doing announcements.

"Good morning Degrassi. I'm Liberty Van Zandt. Congratulations to Toby Isaacs and the rest of the computer programming team. Thanks to them, Degrassi placed third in the regionals."

"Nice work, Toby." Ms. Kwan congratulates him. She claps and the students clap politely for a few seconds.

"That's it?" He says to JT after looking around for a bit.

"Nascar's exciting. Britney in a hot tub, that's exciting. Third place in some geek contest... no."

Emma and Manny start laughing.

"I think getting third place is pretty awesome. Congratulations." Max smiles at him.

"In sports, for all boys interested in the wrestling team, there's a meeting after school in the gym. Speaking of wrestling, last year's champion, Sean Cameron, has been named this month's overall sports MVP by the students." Liberty says, continuing the announcements.

"That's fantastic Sean." Ms Kwan says. The students begin the clap and cheer.

"Nice to be him." Toby says. "Forget it. Just forget it." He puts his head down.

Once class is over Max, JT, and Toby make their way to Ms. Hatzilakos' class. They take their seats and Ms. Hatzilakos starts teaching.

"This is deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA." She says. "And DNA makes up your genes. Take one and pass it back." She hands a stack of papers to Max, who takes one and passes it to Toby.

"You done sulking?" JT asks when he gets the papers from Toby.

"I'm not. I just expected, I don't know. Something. Some kind of reaction."

"Like what?" JT asks. He speaks in a mocking voice. "Oh, Toby. I just love a man who can write binary code."

"Boys, want to share with the class?" Ms. Hatzilakos asks.

"I was just wondering if everything about us was decided by DNA."

"Some things, like your eye color. But there are others things about us that we have the power to change." She says. Class continues until the bell rings. "Remember to bring back these diagrams for tomorrow's class."

"But no one notices me." Toby says.

"Sure they do." Max tells him.

"You're the loveable, if slightly invisible, computer expert." JT adds.

"That's it?"

"Well. Yeah." JT says as the trio head out into the hallway. "No big deal. You could change your image... You could moon the cafe."

"I could dye my hair green." Toby says.

"Eh I think reds more your color." Max tells him.

"You could take up snow boarding." JT says.

"I could try out for wrestling."

JT starts laughing a bit "Yeah, now that's funny..." He then realizes Toby is serious. "No. Bad Toby."

"I think it's a great idea."

"Max gets it. No one ignores jocks JT." Toby walks away, meeting up again with his friends in the cafeteria.

"Toby, you realize you'll get killed. Creamed. Squashed. Mutilated."

"Quit it JT." Max says.

"I'm just being realistic. Remember what happened in gym class yesterday?" JT retorts.

"That's because all I ever do is sit behind a computer." Toby says.

"uh, huh."

"If I go up for wrestling, I'm gonna have to get fit. Then nobody will ever laugh at me again."

"Toby." Ashley says coming up to the trio, scaring JT who notices her totally new gothic look. "Do you have your keys? I won't be home after school."

"For your information, Vampire, I have wrestling practice after school."

Ashley laughs. "You, wrestling? Right." She walks away.

Toby looks at JT who's about to speak. "Don't say a word. I can make the team JT."

The next day Mr. Simpson's class goes by pretty fast. "Ten minutes left of class. Use this time for internet research."

Toby is running his shoulder which is sore from the first day of tryouts yesterday. Sean pinned him pretty quickly.

"Hey, I found the best wrestling site." JT says pulling the site up on Toby's computer. There's a picture of a wrestler with two girls hanging on him.

"Maybe in a few years I could be like this guy." Toby says.

"Uh, earth to Toby. Let's just concentrate on getting you on the team first" Max tells him.

JT clicks on link that says "training". A page comes up saying "Making weight- a bad move"

Mr. Simpson comes up and grabs Toby's shoulder. "Hey, congratulations for getting 3rd in the finals. I'm very proud of you Toby." He looks at computer. "Interesting research topic guys. You know, making weight is a serious problem. A lot of guys end up in the hospital. You know, on the computer team we don't make weight. We make programs." He laughs. Toby laughs a little too. "Isn't that right Toby?" He says before walking away.

"That's right coach..." Toby says sarcastically. "I have to make the wrestling team."

After school JT and Max get to work helping Toby train. They go to the gym. JT has a whistle and Toby is doing push ups, After that they make him run, do pull-ups in the gym, helped by JT of course. After that they head out so Toby can run outside. They then have Toby run up and down steps while JT eats a donut. Toby does sit-ups... Max throws a weighted ball to Toby and Toby falls backwards when he catches it. At the end of it Toby weighs himself on a scale.

"This is murder. Three days and I've only lost one pound."

"That's actually really good. Most people don't even lose that." Max tells him.

"You don't get it. I have to lose weight so I won't have to wrestle Sean and can actually have a chance. This sucks.

"Ding. Losing attitude." JT says holding a pen and a clip board. "Penalty... 30 crunches." Toby puts JT in a head lock. "Ah! Not cool. Fine, we'll get a drink first."

They head inside a store. JT has a drink and Toby is looking at a package of laxatives.

"Take it from someone who learned the hard way. Those aren't really chocolate." JT tells him.

"Only you'd make that mistake." Max laughs. Toby puts the package down.

"Uh, laxatives. So tasty going in, so nasty going out." JT and Max walk out of store. Toby looks at package again. He buys them without the others knowing.

The next day, JT and Max are hanging at his locker. Ashley comes up to them.

"Max. JT."

"Oh, hey Ashley. I was wondering when you were going to tune into my love vibe." JT smirks.

"Let's skip your little fantasy."

"Ok, let's talk about yours."

"JT, I'm worried about Toby."

I know. He's been acting so weird and crabby lately... But, he is in training."

"Training for an eating disorder." Ashley says.

"Wait what?" Max asks.

"He hasn't been eating. I'm worried about him."

"I'm pretty sure Toby's a guy. I mean, that's girl stuff." JT says.

"No it isn't. Guys can have it too." Max tells him.

"So if you notice anything, I wanna know." Ashley tells them before walking away.

JT and Max nod and head Mr. Simpson's class.

Toby is staring blankly at his computer and blinking. Max and JT notice.

"Ok, pop quiz. Click on the pop quiz link. You have 15 minutes and when time's up, the test will automatically end." Mr. Simpson say. He walks to Toby. "Are you ok? Do you want to see nurse Henderson?"

"No, I'm fine, Mr. Simpson."

Later in the gym it's time for Toby's first wrestling match as a team member.

Toby is sitting on a bench with his fellow wrestlers. His vision is blurry.

"Next up. Representing Bardell, Brad Therriault. For Degrassi, Toby Isaacs." Mr Armstrong says and the crowd cheers as Toby goes to the mat. "Shake hands." They do and begin to wrestle. Toby's opponent knocks him down, but Toby gets back up. He then collapses. "Toby?"

Max, Ashley, and JT run up to him.

"Toby?" They all call his name

"Give him some air." Mr. Armstrong says. In the stands, all the students look worried.

"Buddy, wake up." JT shakes him.

"Toby? I knew something was wrong." Max says.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Armstrong asks.

"He was to afraid to wrestle Sean. Ashley said he stopped eating to lose weight."

"Let's get him to a nurse."

After school Max, Toby, and JT are in Toby's kitchen. Toby is sitting down with an ice pack on his wrist.

"Hey. You ok?" JT asks.

"Ash is on the phone with my dad. He's on his way."

"You're off the team, right? What you did was really stupid Toby." Max tells him.

"I know Max. Mr. Armstrong chewed me out. He said I was playing with my life."

"Listen Tobes. You can cry if you want, but I'm not giving you a hug." JT tells him.

"At least I gave everyone a good laugh."

"Hardly. Word got out, people freaked. Even Sean asked if you were ok." Toby shakes his head at Max.

"The whole school was worried... I had a nice little chat with Kendra. She's like." JT talks in a girly voice, "I hope he's ok, I'm so worried." Both guys smile at each other.

"So... still think you're invisible Tobes?" Max asks.

Chapter Text

"C.S. Lewis called romance 'The religion of love'. But for many writers, romance isn't so simple. It is often a confusing experience." Ms. Kwan says as Max, Manny, and Emma sit in the back of the class. Manny picks up her book. There is a knock at the door.

Craig enters the class. "Excuse me, Ms. Kwan. I'm sorry to interrupt."

Manny lowers her book and looks at him, in a daydreaming state. Max gives Craig a small smile.

"I need to get that," Craig says pulling Manny out of her daydream.

"Pardon me?" She smiles.

"The AV cart behind you. Mr. Simpson sent me to get it and, um, you're on the cord."

"Oh." Manny moves her chair.

"Yeah, you could just move it." he scoots her chair slightly and collects the cord.

After class, Max, Emma, and Manny are walking in the hallway

"The ring is so nice. It's a diamond solitaire with platinum settings. Mr. Simpson let me help him pick it out." Emma says talking about Simpson and her mom's engagement.

"He checked with you before he proposed?" Manny asked.

"No, because he didn't propose. My mom did." Emma tells her.

"Your mom did? Oh, that's cool." Manny says in an insincere tone.

"Women can propose too," Emma says.

"Yeah, I think it's seriously cool that your mom proposed instead of Simpson."

"I know, but it's not as romantic."

"Because my mom saw what she wanted and went for it? Why not?" Emma asks.

"Hey girls," Craig says as he and Sean walk by. Manny and Craig smile at each other. Max also smiles at Craig.

"I think Craig really likes you," Emma says to Manny. Max's smile slightly drops when hearing this. She and Craig had been spending more time together lately, and she started developing feelings for him. she would never dare tell anyone about it though.

"Then why doesn't he just ask me out? Ugh, this is torture." Manny sighs.

"Manny, this is what we just talked about. You know what you want, so go for it." Max says before leaving the group.

As she turned the corner she bumped into Craig again.

"Hey Max," He flashes that signature smile of his. Max feels her stomach fill with butterflies. She really liked Craig but she knew she couldn't go after him. Manny would be heartbroken. She also knew the chances of Craig liking her back were hopeless.

"Hey, Craig." She smiles back.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend?"

Max was shocked by this statement. Craig never asks for them to hang out they usually just did without asking. He would walk her home from school unless she was staying with Jimmy. Max's mom was usually off with her new boyfriend so max would invite Craig inside. Hanging out with him until he would head home.

"Yeah sure. What would you wanna do?"

"We could go see a movie?"

"Yeah that works for me."

"cool."

"Well, I better get going," Max says turning away with the biggest smile on her face.

"Want me to walk you home today?"

"I'm going to Emma's tonight! Maybe next time?" She says as she walks down the hall.

Later at lunch, Manny has the biggest smile on her face. Just like the one Max had earlier.

"Why are you so happy?" Max asks.

"I took you guy's advice. I asked Craig out." She smiles. Max feels a pit in her stomach. Now her chances with Craig were ruined.

"Yeah, we're going to see a movie tonight. Also Em, he's picking me up from your house. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'm so happy for you!" Emma squeals.

"Yeah," Max says quietly.

Later at Emma's house. Emma is doing Manny's make-up.

"So you know what to say if my parents call?" Manny asks frantically.

"Manny, we've been through it," Max reassures her.

"And what if your mom comes home?"

"She's out till 11 with Mr. Simpson. Don't worry." Emma tells her.

Manny makes nervous noise, then gets up and presents herself. "So?"

"Craig doesn't have a chance." Emma smiles.

"I'm trying not to freak, but this is the first boy who's ever liked me."

"And he won't be the last. Trust me."

The doorbell rings and Emma and Manny both engage in girly screaming.

"he's here. he's here." Manny squeals.

"I'll get it." Max goes over and opens the door revealing Craig.

"hey, uh, I heard screaming."

"That's the tv," Max tells him. Manny checks her breath. As Craig comes in, Emma pushes Manny into his view.

"Manny, you" he pauses. "you look incredible."

"You too."

"Oh, I almost forgot." he hands her a pink rose. "This is for you."

"That is too picture-perfect," Emma says pushing Manny next to Craig and grabbing a camera. "Smile." She takes the picture.

"You ready for our date?" Craig asks.

"I am so ready." Manny smiles.

They head out the door and Max and Emma are left there alone.

"Well wanna watch a movie?" Max asks.

"Sure."

The next day at school Manny, Emma, and Max are walking together

"At first I was so nervous. But then I got into it. And by the end, I just knew. Craig was the one." Manny says talking about her date. Max didn't really wanna hear about it but she knew she needed to be supportive of her friend.

"So you're girlfriend, boyfriend, now?" Max asks.

"It's official? You've talked to him?" Emma adds.

"No, but I don't have to. I just know. That's what falling in love is all about. The only way to describe our date is magical. I thought we'd just go to the mall, see a movie. Nothing special. And then we get there and... the most incredible thing happened. My fingers brushed his lips. And I thought I would die."

The girls stop at Manny's locker. Manny is looking at the rose Craig gave her.

"I still can't believe he gave you a rose."

"Craig is a true romantic. I just wish the date had ended better."

"Why? What happened?" Max asks.

"More like, what didn't happen."

"I bet he wanted to kiss you, but he just wanted to get you back to my house on time, which I think is cool."

"Absolutely. Craig has my two favorite qualities: passion and thoughtfulness." Max says, secretly wishing she was the one who could talk about an amazing date she went on with Craig.

"That's why he's my guy." Manny smiles.

Manny spent the rest of the day obsessing over her date and new relationship with Craig. Max and Emma watch as he acted distantly and tried to warn Manny to not move so fast. She didn't listen though. She decorated his locker with hearts and gifts and a photo of them.

Craig ended up breaking up with her after Manny got too weird for him. She thought he just didn't like the locker she decorated but he clarified that it wasn't the locker. it was her he didn't like.

Manny was crushed by this and Max and Emma had to spend the rest of the week tending to a heartbroken Manny.

Chapter Text

In the gymnasium, Max, Manny, Emma, and Liberty are trying out for the girls floor hockey team.

"Over here Liberty! Pass!" Max calls. Liberty sloppily passes it and bumps into someone.

Ms Hatzilakos is watching the girls and jotting down notes how the girls are playing.

"Yes!" Max cheers after she scores.

"Great stuff girls. Bring it in. Alright the final roster will be posted tomorrow. Not everyone made the cut, but today I was really impressed with all your effort. Good stuff everyone." Ms. Hatzilakos says as everyone starts to leave.

"You ready?" Max asks coming up to Liberty.

"Yeah."

"Uh Liberty?" Ms H calls. "nice effort out there."

"I was pleased with my stick handling, though my scoring could have been better."

"You didn't score."

"We'll need to work on that if I'm gonna lead our team to victory."

"I know how much this means to you, but I'm sorry Liberty you didn't make the cut."

"There must be a mistake. I've never lost anything in my life." Liberty says anxiously.

"Well you haven't lost because I do want you on the team."

"To do what?"

"The role of team manager. This team really needs you."

"The team needs me, then I'm there." Liberty says before catching up with Max.

"Great."

The next day in the hallway, the roster has been posted

"Awesome I made it." Manny says finding her name on the list.

"Great. Now for the initiation." Max smiles.

"Initiation?"

Max and Emma start spraying Manny with silly string when Liberty walks over.

"Congratulations one and all." She tells the girls.

"Thanks. Sorry you didn't make the team." Emma says.

"But you're manager. That's good." Max assures her.

"That's great and believe me I'm gonna keep you girls in line."

Liberty got tasked with the job of coming up with a new jersey design. In the gymnasium she shows the girls her ideas.

"Our New Jersey design."

"Wow. That's awesome Liberty." Max says. The design shows new hockey style jerseys with yellow and white accents. The front says "Jeremiah Motors."

"Yeah. That's really good." Emma tells her.

"Thanks. We do have to convince Mr. Jeremiah to sponsor us and not boys basketball, but a minor detail."

"Yeah like the boys need funding." Max says.

"I know girls you're excited about this, but even with sponsorship we're not gonna win anything unless we practice, okay? So take your positions. We're gonna do passing drills." Ms Hatzilakos tells the girls. The girls get ready to practice.
"Oh and can you clean the pinnies? They need washing." She instructs Liberty.

"I just washed them the other day."

"I know. They're dirty again. Okay girls come on! Can we focus please!"

After practice, outside the school, Max, Emma, and Manny find liberty who's sulking outside.

"Liberty we just wanted to say that we really appreciate what you tried to do." Max says.

"Thanks, but Ms. H put me in my rightful place, the laundry room."

"Van Zandt, what's up with trying to steal our sponsorship?" Jimmy says coming up to them, Spinner and Sean following behind.

"Yeah. Who cares about girls sports? Except of course mud wrestling." Spinner adds.

"Stuff it Spin. We aren't trying to steal anything you guys just don't need the funding as much as us.

"Look you girls are crazy. Jeremiah's gonna back us because we're a winning team." Jimmy says.

"You really think you're better than us?" Liberty questions, standing up from her seat.

"Uh welcome to the conversation. Yeah." Spinner says.

"Then prove it. Floor hockey. Girls versus boys."

"Uh Liberty." Max says, trying to get her to back down.

"Okay. Say um winner gets the sponsorship?" Jimmy proposes.

"And loser does the other team's laundry for a week." Liberty adds.

"Awesome. I sweat like a pig" Spinner says as the boys walk off.

The girls go to Ms. H for help with the match.

"So whose idea was this again?"

The girls all look at Liberty.

"Well I'm not coaching you guys so you can get into a grudge match with the boys over bragging rights." Ms. H tells them.

"It's not about bragging right. It's about a sponsorship." Liberty explains.

"Well why gamble for it? Let Mr. Jeremiah decide."

"He can't so we have to do this."

"Look I know this is very important for you, but between school and preparing you girls for the actual competition, I can't help you with this. I'm sorry."

"But we need a supervisor."

"Yes. Yes you do."

"Who will coach us now?" Max asks in a defeated tone.

"I will and I'll lead us to victory like Napoleon in the battle of Leipzig."

"You know Napoleon was a dictator right?" Max asks. Liberty just ignores her.

In a classroom, Liberty tosses a huge book on the table

"100 Days To Glory?" Max reads the title.

"Our strategy. It outlines what we have to do to win the regionals." Liberty explains.

"Yoga. Meditation...and no junk food?" Manny reads.

"To achieve perfection, one must envision perfection. Envision, achieve, win. A simple formula."

"Liberty don't you think this is a bit much?" Max asks her. She is once again ignored.

In the gymnasium, the girls are complaining about Liberty's rules. Liberty walks in wearing an outfit like Napoleon's and they all stop talking.

"Napoleon said if you want authority you must dress the part. I look regal, commanding-"

"-Stupid." Max interrupts.

The girls laugh and Liberty blows her whistle.

"Silence!"

"Liberty I can't practice today. I sort of have my period." Manny says.

"Manny a true champion doesn't let a silly, little monthly visitor stand between her and victory."Liberty hands Manny a tampon. "Now lets get started. Fall in positions."

Liberty is going over the plays. Spinner and Jimmy are outside the gym watching the girls and laughing.

"You stay on the left wing allowing the fore-checkers to go deep in the offensive zone."

"What's this play called again?" Max asks.

"The left wing lock. It limits break out space and forces the opposition's defense to carry the puck or bank it up on the boards. Girls this is child's play."

Manny starts giggling. This gets Liberty annoyed.

"Hey little Ms. Happyface. What's a neutral zone trap, huh?"

"I don't know."

"Page 16. Did you read it? Maybe you don't know how to read!"

"Liberty stop being so harsh." Max says.

"Why are you picking on me?" Manny asks.

"Because you're the weakest link."

In the hallway after practice Max goes to find Liberty.

"Don't test me Max."

"Why not Napoleon?"

"If you want to win, you players need to pull together."

"We're not going to win Liberty, not with you barking orders!"

"They're not orders. They're plays."

"We don't understand them. They're useless, kind of like you as coach."

Max leaves and Liberty sees a boys jock string taped to her locker.

In the gymnasium it's time for the game but the girls haven't showed up yet.

"Some girls team, eh? What are they doing, putting on their makeup?" Spin jokes.

The girls march in.

"Closed set. Everybody out." Liberty announces.

"Um it's just a hockey game, Liberty."

"No Spinner it's your funeral. Last time, out!"

Everyone starts to leave.

"You, Panther, scoreboard." She tells JT who's in his panther mascot costume.

"Ayi captain!"

"Okay girls remember what Napoleon said. One must know when to leave the skin of a lion to take the skin of a fox."Nobody says anything.
"So get out there and give it to them, right?!"

"Right!" The girls cheer.

Joey blows his whistle to get the teams ready. "You ready? Ready? Let's go!"

They start playing as Liberty watches and JT keeps score.

Soon enough, the score is 4-1 for the boys

"Manny take it in. Take it in!" Liberty calls.

"I can't!"

"Take it in now."

Spinner and Manny bump into each other and Manny falls down.

"Hold on guys. Hold on. You okay? Help me get her up guys. Get her up. Get her up." Joey says pausing the game.

"Ow." Manny cries.

"Slowly. Where does it hurt?"

"Are you okay?" Max asks.

"It's my wrist. I landed on it."

"She's fine. You're fine, right?" Liberty says coming over.

" I don't want to take any chances. Manny go see the nurse." Joey says.

"No! She's going back out on the floor where we need her."

"I'm the ref and I'm telling her to go see the nurse."

"After this period."

"Get someone else to play."

"Those girls, they're alternates for a reason Joey. No!"

"You're being a tyrant." Max tells her, getting in her face.

"I'm doing my job!" Liberty spits.

"Liberty maybe you need to relax." Emma says trying to deescalate the situation.

"And maybe you need to shut up and do what I tell you! All of you!"

"Good luck trying to win short two players, Liberty." Max says storming off.

"Someone make sure Manny goes to the nurses office, please." Joey instructs.

"I can't believe you girls. I thought you wanted to win."

"Not like this." Emma says.

The guys start cheering. Thinking this meant the girls forfeit.

"Hey game's not over guys. They can still come out and finish it."

In the locker room. They girls have a meeting.

"I can't believe you're all quitting. This is a team." Liberty says.

"We're not quitting the team Liberty. We're quitting you." Max tells her.

"That's so unfair."

"Coaches are supposed to inspire people. You just bark at us." Emma says.

"And give us crazy textbooks. 1000 ways to make us miserable." Max adds.

"And the stupid cape." Emma says.

"Plus that whole thing with Manny."

"Alright I get the point. Look you're a great team. Be mad at me, but don't let those guys win. Max your slap shot is dead-on. Emma you're a good offensive captain. Focus on getting Max to the net, let her do the scoring and it's your game."

"She does have a point. We can't let those jerks get the jerseys." Max says.

"Let's get 'em!"

They cheer and head for the gym.

"Liberty we've got it covered, okay?" Emma says when Liberty goes to follow them out.

"Alright. Well go get 'em." Everyone leaves except for Liberty.

"I'm the weakest link." Liberty says to herself.

The next day in the locker room, Liberty is doing the boys' laundry.

"Having fun?" Max asks.

"Yeah. So much." Liberty says sarcastically.

"Sorry we didn't win." Emma tells her.

"You almost own. Losing by 1 point sucks, but impressive."

"Thanks."

"Not impressive enough to get Joey's uniforms of course."

"I don't know about that...girls!" Max calls. The girls all walk in wearing their new uniforms.Max unzips her jacket revealing her uniform as well.
"Mr. Jeremiah said he hadn't seen such a great battle of the sexes since Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs."

"Whoever they are!" Manny smiles.

"I don't understand."

"Joey's sponsoring both teams. We impressed him that much." Max explains.

"Wow. You girls look incredible."

"You mean we look incredible." Max hands Liberty a jersey that says 'team manager'. "Try it on! It's perfect."

Chapter Text

"So I turn it over and I'm sure I studied the wrong stuff." Craig says, telling Max, Sean, and Ashley about his exam. Craig was gonna walk Max home today like he always does.

"I know the feeling. The exam I'm really dreading is science." Ashley tells him.

"Tell me about it. Science is totally my worst subject." Craig smiles.

"Maybe you need a little help from your old science study partner." A man in a suit says walking up to Craig.

"Dad?" Craig calls the man. Max is quick to step in front of Craig. Knowing of the past, she wanted to protect Craig. "What are you, what are you doing here?!" Craig asks.

"I just thought I'd come by and see my son...meet his friends."

"I'm Ashley Kerwin." Ashely happily sticks her hand out.

"Hi Ashley." Mr. Manning shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you...and you?" He asks looking over to Sean. Sean spits on the ground.

"Can I give you a lift home?" Mr. Manning asks.

"I live with Joey now."

"To Joey's. We can catch up on the way."

"Um, I can't. I promised Max here, that id walk her home."

"Okay uh I don't know, maybe we could have dinner tomorrow night. You can come by work."

"Dad." Craig says wanting his dad to take the hint.

"Just think about it, okay? I got to go."

"He seemed nice." Ashley says, oblivious to the tension.

"Yeah well he didn't have a belt in his hand." Craig says.

"Yeah that man is pure evil." Max adds.

"You're not actually gonna go, are you?" Sean asks.

"Of course he's not. Craig wouldn't be stupid enough to that." Max tells him. "Ready to go craig?"

"Yeah." Craig says, as he and Max make their way to her house.

"So how are you feeling?"

"What do mean?" Craig asks.

"Well your dad just showed up out of no where and invited you to his house."

"I don't really know how I feel about that if I'm being honest."

"Yeah I wouldn't know how to feel if mine showed up either." Max says as the two continue walking. They finally reach Max's house and she invites craig in to stay for a while.

"Sorry, I gotta get back to Joeys." He smiles.

"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow." Max smiles back.
⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Free from science for two months!" Craig cheers, he had passed his exam and was ecstatic.

"And I'm so sure your knowledge of the periodic table will come in handy." Max giggles.

"So year end dance...you going?" Craig asks.

"Umm. I don't think so, I don't have anyone to go with." Max says.

"Me neither. Should we go together?" Craig asks.

"I would like that."

"Dad what are you doing here?" Craig asks when his dad pulls up in a car next to them.

"I just wanted to see how you did on the exam."

Max gives him a hateful stare.

"Uh it was great." Craig tells him.

"I should go." Max says walking off, but she doesn't go to far. She stays in eavesdropping distance.

"Nice to see you, Molly" Mr. Manning says.

"It's Max." She yells back to him.

"Interesting girl."

"She is." Craig says.

"So dinner tonight to celebrate the exam?" Mr. Manning asks.

"Um I'm supposed to baby-sit 'til 8."

"I can push it off. I'll meet you at the Bistro at 8:30. Craig...?"

"Right. I'll be there."

"Okay. See you tonight." Craig's dad pulls off and Max comes back up to Craig.

"You can't be serious. You're gonna go to dinner with him after everything that happened?"

"He's changed."

"Leaves change, not people. Craig this is a bad idea. How do you even know he's changed? You went and saw him already didn't you?"

"He helped me study for my exam."

"Craig he's not a good guy. Why are you giving him another chance."

"He's my dad Max. He's the only one I got."

"Did you forget the hell he put you through? Do you not remember that night?" Max raises her voice.

"Of course I remember it. It replays in my mind every night. All the bad memories of him I can't ever seem to escape!"

"Then why do you want to see him!?"

"Cause maybe it'll be different!"

"This is a bad idea Craig." Max says nothing else, walking off to head home, without craig.
⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Hey Craig how you doing?"

"I'm fine. I mean I was going crazy at Joey's, needed to get out, so i'm here! I can't wait for the dance."

"You still want to go?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I?"

"Well it's just we had that argument and your dad just passed last night-"

"Max, I still want to go. And besides you were right. He hadn't changed. Leaves change, not people." Craig says, giving her a soft smile.

"Oh Craig Im so sorry." She notices the scratch on his face and places her hand on his cheek. He is quick to remove her hand but he doesn't let go of it. He holds it in his.

"It's fine. I'm actually doing really good."

"I can go with you to the funeral if you want."

"Will you please."

"Of course." Max couldn't bare the thought of Craig going alone to his dads funeral especially knowing the relationship they had.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me; And in God's house for evermore my dwelling-place shall be. Amen." The priest leads prayer. "The grace of our lord and the love of God be with us evermore. Amen. At this time I call on Dr. Steven Whatley, one of Albert's coworkers, to say a few words. Steven?"

A man with glasses gets up and pulls a paper out of his coat pocket. He starts to read from it. "I knew Albert Manning for almost twenty years and he was a good friend, a topnotch surgeon, an absolutely devastating squash player and a dedicated father, but if you were to ask him, his last role was the most important."

"Please." Craig scoffs.

Max looks at him.

"Albert told me time and time again how his son Craig was the greatest gift he'd ever received. A gift he cherished, a gift he never wanted to relinquish."

Craig starts laughing loudly.

"Maybe Craig needs some air." Max says to Joey.

"Most of us who knew Albert knew his dedication to helping others. This was why he was a great doctor and a great surgeon. We're gonna miss him."

Craig keeps laughing as him, Max, and Joey walk outside.

"Can you believe that idiot?" Craig laughs. "Albert Manning was a dedicated father." He mocks.

"Craig you, you and your father had a complicated relationship." Joey tries to reason with him.

"Yeah! He beat me. Not gonna do that again now, is he? I'm happy Joey. I'm really happy 'cause he's dead. 'Cause he's gone for good."

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Hey uh you ready for the Hawaiian surf paradise?" Craig asks Max as she is cleaning out her locker.

"Um sure. Can't wait." Max says, slightly brushing him off. She's still concerned about how he acted at the funeral, like she understands him being glad he's gone, but the laughing and everything was disturbing, there had to be something more going on with him.

"Ready for tonight when you and I win the luau crown?"

"You put us in the contest?!" Max asks getting slightly upset.

"Yeah this is our night. Everyone's gonna know it."

"Craig I cant let everyone know it! Manny is still upset over you dumping her and I can't crush her with the fact that we ran for king and queen together!"

"Sorry."

"It's fine you didn't know. We probably won't win anyways."

"Great. I gotta go clean out my locker, but I'll see you later."

"See you later..."

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

"Spooky luau, cool." Craig says commenting on Max's outfit. It's was black and orange and gave off a very halloween aesthetic.

"I thought it'd set us apart." She smiles.

"And you know keep your dignity intact, until we start to limbo of course." Craig says, taking her hand and pulling her onto the dance floor. They are about to dance when they're interrupted by Simpson.

"Guys! The time has come. Votes are in for the luau king and queen. Oh and uh, thanks to Toby Isaacs and Kendra Mason for all their hard work on this. And the winner is from grades 8 & 9, Max Keller and Craig Manning!"

Everyone starts cheering for them as they go up and get their crowns. Craig looks out at everyone and starts calling out to a teacher.

"Dad? Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad look. Look! Look I won!" He says repeatedly as he walks over to the teacher and taps him on the shoulder. "Sorry Mr. Boyd. I thought you were..."
He starts backing away, takes off his crown and runs into the hall.

"Where have you been? They're waiting for our dance. Craig, are you okay?" Max says going out into the hallway to find him.

"I'm fine. I'm just really tired." Craig explains.

"I knew coming here was a mistake."

"What?"

"It's too soon with the whole manny thing and your dad. You should be home."

"Could you like revel in this any more? Miss, miss immature, miss broken home!"

"That's not fair. I'm just concerned about you." Max says tears now filling her eyes.

"Well I'm sick of you and everyone just being concerned." Craig spits, before walking off.

"Craig!" Max calls after him. Craig starts ripping down the huge poster in the hallway as everyone watches, then he runs down the hall.

"Let him cool down. Everyone back in the dance. I'll check in on Craig in a minute." Mr. Raditch tells everyone.

Max goes back into the gym to find Jimmy and let him know she's leaving, she wiping away her tears, when Manny and Emma come up to her.

"How could you Max?"

"Manny- I can explain."

"Explain how you stole Craig from me? How you swooped in right after he broke up with me!"

"Manny it's not like that- Craig is my friend, nothing more!"

"Just admit that you were jealous. Me and Emma have both been in relationships and you haven't so you went after craig!"

"That's not true. Me and Craig are just friends I promise!"

"Whatever." Manny says, her and Emma walking off.

Max decides she'll just call Jimmy later and tell him she left early. She walks to the entrance of the dance, about to leave.

"Going somewhere?" Craig asks grabbing her hand. He notices her tear stained face and gets panicked.

"What's wrong? Was it what I said."

"I'm fine. I promise."

"Now we both know your face is saying you aren't. What happened?"

"Manny hates me. You hate me. I cant do anything right."

"Hey, Hey... I don't hate you. I was just upset. And i'm really sorry for what I said."

"Thanks. So are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Going somewhere?"

"Soon. I'm gonna go home. I think we owe everyone a dance."He takes her hand and they start walking to the dance floor.

"You can ask." He says as they start dancing.

"Ask what?"

"How I'm doing. I won't go psycho."

"How are you doing Craig?"

"Better." He smiles.