Degrassi: The 3rd Generation

[Tristan Hogart]

The L i b r a r y
D e g r a s s i Community School
_________________________

The Library is always open for quite studying. If you need to cram for a test, or if you're just here to catch up on some reading, it is always quiet, and perfect for concentration. The Librarian - Darcy Mason - Is very helpful, and is always there if you have a question, or need help with writer's block.

[Delilah Andrews]

It was free-period at Degrassi, and everyone usually swormed out to the football field or maybe the student lounge to get a snack or something. Delilah would normally be out at the soccer field kicking around a ball with a couple of the guys, or sitting in Scott's car with Spencer and Scott, listening to a CD and talking about purely nothing. But Scott was sick today, and Delilah was incredibly tired from sneaking out in the middle of the night to check up on him and sleep with him for a few hours. She crawled back into her window around 4, and had to wake up at 7. She wasn't very happy today. So, Delilah got her iPod from her locker, and went to the library to chill out for awhile. The librarian usually took her lunch break this period because some kids didn't eat lunch and came to the library instead -- So Delilah was completely alone in there.

She turned it on 'All Around Me' by Flyleaf, and sat at one of the tables. She propped her legs up on the table, and drummed her fingers on her knees to the beat of the song while she closed her eyes.

[Spencer Cole]

It was a Wednesday afternoon at Degrassi High, and Spencer Cole, as usual, was just getting back from the music room where he always (barring some sort of apocalypse or attack on the school) spent his time before his free period. Surprisingly, he was having a pretty easy day. Sure, Scott was sick which made everything a lot more…boring, but the night before their foreign exchange student had arrived. And his parent’s, being the (overly) well-adjusted folks that they were, thought it would be a “learning experience” for Spencer to see how the rest of the world functioned and to take one Lily Huang into their home. She was staying in the guest room and after an amazingly awesome lecture…something about focusing less on music and more on the important things in life (what those “important things” were supposed to be, well, he’d pretty much tuned them out -literally- via his iPod when they’d gotten to that part) he realized that maybe having some random foreign person in his normally quiet house wouldn’t be as awkward as he’d originally thought it would. It only annoyed him that his parent’s seemed to think it was some “eye-opening” experience for him, when the truth was, for parents who cared so much about him, it was pretty aggravating to have them say he needed to put down the guitar and “get real”.

After the bell rang, however, he was pulled out of his thoughts and remembered that he had a pretty big history test to study for. One he definitely couldn’t fail, so he headed to the library. Walking inside, he did a double take when he spotted Delilah, looking half asleep with headphones blaring. He smirked and shook his head. Scott had texted him earlier all giddy about how “awesome” it was to have the flu when he had his own personal nurse to take care of him in the middle of the night. It was no wonder she was tired. Walking up to her, he nonchalantly tugged one side of her earphones off her head. “Boo,” he deadpanned, not really trying to scare her just making his presence known, before taking the seat next to her.

[Delilah Andrews]

Delilah had been drifting off into space, thinking about random things as the song played. She thought about the last time Scott was sick. He had food poisoning from Red Lobster, and he had been throwing up white fish-meat all day and night. It was during the summer -- When Scott took both Spencer and herself to Myrtle Beach for a week. While Scott slept it off in the hotel room that his parents got them, Spencer and Delilah went down to the beach and swam for awhile. They ended up building a sand castle, and watching the sun go down and talking for hours and hours. She remembered when she really liked Spencer a lot... She felt like an idiot for never telling him, but it didn't matter now. Everything was as it was supposed to be, she guessed. Besides, Spencer had this thing going with him -- Like, he didn't need a girl or someone to complete him or make him happy. He was fine the way he was, and thats what played in Delilah's mind right before she could work up the courage to tell him how she felt about him.

Right as soon as she erased that thought, one of her ear-plugs was jerked out of her ear, and right before she could get pissed off at whoever had done it, she saw Spencer and heard 'Boo'. She grinned at him. "Boo yourself, Spence. You may be white as a ghost, but we all know you're still human." She teased, cocking a tiny smirk as she pulled the other ear-plug out of her ear and turned off her iPod so they could talk.

[Spencer Cole]

“Hardy, har, har,” he shot back, but smiled nonetheless. “And everyone knows the sun is not my friend. It’s a genetic thing, Li. Cole’s don’t tan,” he explained, although he’d probably said different versions of that same explanation 50 million times in his 16 year old life. It was a running joke for the longest time that he was secretly an albino with colored contacts. Whoever had started that rumor, and he had a few guesses (Scott and…oh yeah, Scott), had saved him the explanation so it didn’t really bother him. Although, not much of what people said about him did bother him.

Leaning back in his chair, and opening his notebook (he had to at least look like he planned to study, otherwise there really wasn’t a point), he grabbed the pen he often hid behind his ear and tapped it on the table. He was just one of those kids that liked to be doing something with his hands at all times. Pretty much, if you were taking a test and you heard some annoying person clicking their pen behind you, that was Spencer. “So, I heard you were up all night playing doctor with Scott,” he started, thinking nothing of it until he repeated the words in his head for the second time. He cringed, the look on his face turning from normal to completely disgusted. “Okay, rewind and scratch that thought,” he continued slowly, feeling like a nice brain bleaching would be the only thing to cure his wording mishap. “Is it bad that I can‘t see anymore? I mean seriously, I think I'm blind."

[Delilah Andrews]

Delilah had to laugh her cute little giggle when he said the thing about Cole's tanning. It was pretty much the truth - His parents were as white as he was. But Scott's imagination just wouldn't let him settle for the simplest matter. He teased Spencer about it all the time, saying that both of his parents are actually albino, and all three of them wear contacts so they can appear normal to the rest of us. Delilah had quite a few laughs over the bit, especially when people openly asked Spencer if he was albino. Sometimes, Scott would answer for him and say 'Duh he is', but Spencer never did mind much. He never cared what people thought about him, and Delilah found that to be her favorite characteristic of Spencer.

She watched him open his notebook, and then start tapping that damn pen. He always did that, and it always got on her nerves. It was one of her pet peeves, and she handled it the same way she always did. She snatched the pen from Spencer, and put it behind her own ear mischeviously. And then he started talking about Scott. Of course, Scott told Spencer. He told him everything, and probably went into detail too. She rolled her eyes at the comment. Spencer's expression turned to disgusted, and Delilah just shook her head and laughed a tincy bit. He let his mind wander with that one. "Spence, you were blind way before you got a mental image of me and Scott playing doctor. I do distinctly remember those funny glasses you used to wear, and even though you have contacts now, I remember how blind you are without them." She started out, rolling her eyes once again, "And besides, if playing doctor means watching Scott throw up in the trash can beside his bed 80 million times, running to get a glass of water and a wet washcloth for him, and watching him sleep with his mouth wide open with drool trickling out of the corner of it, then yes. We played doctor all night long." She sarcastically replied, cocking an eyebrow at him.

[Spencer Cole]

When Delilah stole his pen and snuck it behind her own ear, he looked at her, smiled and shook his head. So, apparently he wasn‘t going to study today. Whatever, not that he really minded. “Sure Li, you can borrow my pen. No need to ask,” he started after a beat, his tone kidding. He knew how much his pen taping annoyed her, but it was a habit he’d never been able to break. “But unless you’ve got a spare can of Lysol around, I don’t want it back. In fact, five foot radius at all times because I really cant handle getting the flu right now,” he continued, matter-of-factly. Of course, he was mostly just kidding, not so much about he flu thing, but the five foot radius thing. Chances were they’d all end up getting sick by the end of the week so he was probably wasting his breath.

When she went into detail about all of the things she had to do with Scott while he was sick, he raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that clearly said ‘…why?’. “Well then, if that’s what being in a relationship gets me, well, man, I cannot wait until I can get in on that action. Sounds like good times,” he deadpanned, in his usual sarcastic manner. Seriously though, Spencer was one of those guys who didn’t feel like he needed anyone girlfriend-wise. In fact, he’d never really felt all that strongly about any girl outside of the one sitting next to him, and that had worked out stunningly for him in the end so there wasn’t much of an incentive. Sure, if something came along, maybe, but he was content to be a one man show for now. Besides, he had his best friends, and as much as he really did like Delilah, he had her friendship and that was all he needed. But then again, he never did ask for much. It wasn’t in his nature.

[Delilah Andrews]

Spencer commented about her stealing his pen, and she just grinned mischeviously at him. "Why, thank you Spence. You're such a sweetheart." She teased, resting her chin on her knees and smiling over at him. It was funny because it actually was like that. Delilah could take something of Spencer's without asking, and he wouldn't mind. Spencer could take something of Delilah's and she wouldn't mind. They were just close like that. Delilah laughed heartily at Spencer's next comment. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, Spence. You know you're getting the flu no matter what." She stated the obvious. The threesome shared everything. Even the gross sicknesses that Scott usually started. It was always Scott for some reason.

Delilah grabbed the pen from behind her ear, and reached over and took Spencer's hand. She guided it over and sat it down on her knee, so that she could draw on the back of Spencer's hand like she usually did. He often called her his 'little tatoo artist'. By the end of the school day, both Scott and Spencer would go home with pen-tatoos. While he talked about relationships and how great they seemed, she started to draw a picture of a dragon. "Spence, when you finally find someone, you'll understand." She replied, intently concentrating on the art she was drawing on him. "Taking care of someone you love, even if it requires the worst possible -- It actually makes you smile," She added. She stopped her work for a second to look up at him. "You just hate relationships, don't you, Spence? You never have a girlfriend, and the girls who gawk at you won't even get the time of day from you. Last time I checked, Batman had lots of women." She teased him just a bit, before going back to work on his hand.

[Spencer Cole]

“Or so I’m told,” he replied back when she called him a ‘sweetheart’, although both of their comments had been on the sarcastic-teasing side. And when she said they were both going to get the flu, he grimaced slightly. He hated feeling sick. He really did, but decided against asking her if they could lock Scott in a glass box and feed him through tubes for the next few days to prevent the spread of germs. No matter how cool of an idea that sounded to him.

And then she grabbed his arm and started drawing all over him with the pen she had stolen from him. So the five-foot radius rule had lasted about three seconds. Not that he really minded much anymore. But when she said that when he finally got a girl, he’d understand, he sighed. “I hope so. Because right now the thought of marriage…and like, waking up to the same person day in and day out, kind of sounds more like it’d be hell. I’d be all, ‘hey, you want to sleep on the couch tonight, and uh, not touch my stuff? thanks’,” he continued after a beat. And then he realized how cynical that sounded and tipped back in his chair some more, still trying not to move his arm and ruin her ‘art‘. It really was hard to keep still when she was drawing tattoos on him, but it didn’t really bother him. “And I don’t hate relationships. I mean, yeah okay, I guess it sounds like I do, but I don‘t. Not really,” he continued after she talked about the girls he never gave the time of day. Sure, maybe it was because the one girl he’d been in love with since he was six had ended up with his best friend, and maybe it was because he couldn’t fault either of them or even really be jealous because he just wanted them to be happy. And they were happy, which was both the problem and solution for him. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe I just need some girl to come along that’ll knock me off my feet. Then all will be well in the world and we’ll look back on this conversation and laugh at how stubborn and hopeless I used to be. Sound like a plan?”

[Delilah Andrews]

Delilah listened to Spencer talk, really trying to read between the lines. His parents were happy, weren't they? He had a good example of a functional, happy relationship. Delilah had always thought that both Spencer and Scott were lucky to have both parents. She only had one -- Who didn't date, and didn't plan on remarrying at all. Most kids would be happy for their parents to stay single if that's all they've known, but Delilah isn't most kids. She wanted to see her dad happy and inlove. She never got to see him with her mother... Never had an example of a happy, functional relationship. Maybe that was why Delilah liked relationships so much. She knew that Spencer would make some lucky girl really happy some day, and she'd get the pleasure of making him happy too. She just wished he'd get the point already.

She laughed at a few things that he said, especially the part about being married because that sounded so Spencer-like. Right as she finished off her dragon and put her initials beside it, Spencer said that last sentence. She looked at him for a second, and then slowly started to smile. She put the cap back on the pen, and handed it to him before she replied. "Sounds like a plan. But-" She paused, only for dramatic effect. "You're not allowed to go for Poison Ivy, Batman. I know she's gorgeous and all, but she's deadly. I'm glad Robin learned his lesson and stuck for the best choice of them all -- Batgirl. And if you do, infact, go for Poison Ivy, I'll cut your balls off." She warned, half-joking and half-serious. She really didn't want Spencer to go for some bitch that he only liked because he was put under a spell by her gorgeous looks or something -- Though Delilah knew he had more substance than that. She just always thought he should never settle for less than he deserved.

[Spencer Cole]

He couldn’t help but crack a smile, too, when she finished his tattoo and just…smiled at him. It was one thing about her that he loved. She could cheer him up no matter what and her smile was infectious. Taking the pen back from her, he placed it it’s rightful spot behind his ear and shook his head, still smiling when she dramatically told him he couldn’t go for Poison Ivy. “But Batgirl,” he started, mimicking her dramatic tone, “Poison Ivy is like the hottest serial killer this side of the bat cave. How can I resist?” Of course, then she told him that she’d cut his balls off, which was a good reason to resist, if you asked him.

“Okay, officially resisting now,” he announced after her declaration, tone amused as he looked over at her. “Besides, scantily clad bitches aren’t really my thing, anyway,” he continued, decidedly leaning back more in his chair and looking at the ceiling. “I don’t know if it’s the serious lack of clothes that makes it awkward or, you know, the poisoning left and right thing, but whichever,” he shrugged, before breaking into a slight grin. “Hmm, maybe Wonder Woman’s free. Do I lose my balls for going out with her?” he asked, looking from the ceiling and over to her as he asked the question. Really, he had no idea why they were even talking about this. It was weird, but the good kind of weird. The kind of weird that someone on the outside would raise an eyebrow at, but because it was Spencer and Delilah, it didn’t really matter. And he liked that sometimes it could be just them. The two teens sitting in the library discussing his lack of love life and whether he should date Poison Ivy or Wonder Woman.

[Delilah Andrews]

Delilah didn't know why, but for a split second, they were just smiling at each other... And she got this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach that felt like butterflies, only it made her feel light and floaty. It was a weird feeling, and she really didn't want to think about it because then she'd start to get uncomfortable. She looked away casually, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. When her head was clear, so focused in on what he was saying. Once back on track, she giggled slightly when he said he was officially resisting. The old 'cut your balls off' line never failed.

She let her eyes meet his again, and everything was completely back to normal again. "Hmmm.. Wonder woman is too perfect, I think. Too much perfection can get annoying, but hey - If you think you can handle her ego, go for it. I promise I won't cut your balls off." She replied, grinning widely at him. Delilah glanced over at the clock and sighed. The bell for free-period to be over would ring in a couple of minutes. She started winding up her iPod and collecting her stuff when the idea hit her. She looked over at Spencer with a mischevious glare in her eye. "When's the last time we ditched class? It's had to have been a couple days, right?" She said, with a tiny laugh at the end, thinking about how much the three of them ditched class together and never got caught. "Wanna get out of here?" She asked, desperate to go home and relax. She just didn't feel like doing the whole school thing today. She was tired, and she felt like eating, laughing with Spencer, and taking a nap.

[Spencer Cole]

“Good, because as awkward as this might sound, I like my balls where they are, thanks,” he deadpanned, looking at the clock and realizing that free period was almost over and he hadn’t even so much as glanced at his notes. Truthfully, he couldn’t really bring himself to care that he was about to fail a very important History test that was worth a big chunk of his already pretty pathetic grade. He was too busy inspecting the work she’d done on his newest tattoo. Which was way more important. And just as the bell was about to ring, and he looked up at Delilah, he immediately knew, just by the look in her eye, that he wasn’t even going to make it to his next class at all.

“When's the last time we ditched class? It's had to have been a couple days, right?"

“I’m thinking three, maybe four?” he offered, shutting his forgotten binder as he got up lazily from his seat, an equally mischievous glint in his own eyes. In all honesty, it had been three days too long ago that they’d skipped out on class. Of course, being the cool kids that they were, they never got caught. They just walked out whenever they felt like it and never got busted. Not like getting in-school suspension would really phase any of them anyway, since that would just give them an excuse to hang out all day instead of paying attention in class like they‘d usually be forced to do. “I don’t know, Batgirl. Wouldn’t that be breaking the rules?” he asked blankly, despite the half-grin on his face that said he really could care less. “I mean, what would Wonder Woman say?”

[Delilah Andrews]

“I’m thinking three, maybe four?” Spencer had replied, right before he stood up. Delilah smiled to herself as she finished gathering the rest of her belongings. She stood up as well, connecting eyes with Spencer's again. Yep, he definitley wanted to ditch with her. It was funny, because Delilah couldn't remember the last time the two of them had ditched together without Scott. She had a feeling that they would just sleep, because that's what they always wanted to do when they ditched -- Except they had Scott with them, and of course, Scott would never let them sleep more than five minutes. He was always up to something else, and he could never do it alone. He had to include Batman and Batgirl.

Spencer mentioned breaking the rules, and Delilah chuckled lightly. "You've got to be kidding me. Batman always breaks the rules, just not the laws. Theres no law that says we have to go to school.." She paused after she realized what she said, "Okay, so maybe there is a law that says that, but whatever." The bell rang, and the two of them started walking towards the door, side-by-side. "Screw Wonder Woman. She doesn't know how to have any fun anyway." She grinned over at Spencer right before she rested her hand on the door-knob. She looked from the door back to Spencer. "We could go to my house and sleep.." She tried to tempt him, nudging his arm lightly. "We could eat.." She tempted further, smiling softly at him.

[Spencer Cole]

“Hold up. If you say we can breath too, I’m totally in,” he replied teasingly, following her to the door. He sighed dramatically. “Eh, I guess we can skip. I mean, if you really want to.” And then the bell rang and with a cough of “bad influence” directed at her, he was already out the door and walking towards the music room to retrieve his guitar. He didn’t even bother to tell Delilah where he was headed because she already knew that he brought his prized possession to school and back every day and wouldn’t dream of leaving it there overnight. Not with the kinds of people that went to Degrassi. The kind of people with the sense of humor of a three year old that thought taking his guitar would just be hilarious. Not even Scott went there, and he was Scott for Christ’s sake.

The truth was he was more than willing to get the hell out of school. He was pretty tired today and more than usual for a total night owl that stayed up all night and slept all day if he could. Having Lily living in his house had been odd. He was used to being the only one home, and having this girl just kind of hanging out in the room next to his was strange. He’d actually spent a lot of hours into the night just staring at the ceiling unable to sleep. And he didn’t really know why that was, either. He was just thinking about things and then 4 AM had rolled around and he had been ready to down some Nyquil, but turned on the TV instead. And then he’d fell asleep watching some infomercial or something. He couldn’t remember. But the point was, he didn’t feel like spending the next three hours pinching himself to stay awake during class. As awesomly cool as that idea sounded.