They say that New Years sets the tone for your whole year, and Ashleigh was afraid that the rest of her year, would turn out like crap too. She walked into Degrassi CS, skimming the school for Craig. “Wanna tell me about David?” Craig said as he stormed up to her. “Okay, where the hell did that come from?”

“Apparently there’s more to the story then you lead on.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sarah mentioned something the other night, about David. Did her really take advantage of you or did you want to do it? It seems like you were a little hoe back home.”

“Oh you did not just call me a hoe.”

“Ashleigh, tell me the fucking truth. Did you or did you not want to do it.”

“Like I tried to tell you the other night but you wouldn’t listen, I didn’t know what I was going, I was stoned and I just went I couldn’t stop myself!”

“You at least could’ve tried.”

“Oh and what about you and Manny, you could’ve at least tried then, but did you? I didn’t think so.”

“That’s different…”

“No, it’s not!”

“I at least should’ve had a right to know.”

“Oh, and when were you gonna tell me about you and Manny? Were you gonna keep that a secret from me forever?” she said and waited for a response out of a Craig, which she didn’t get. “I tried to tell you about David but you just stormed off after him.”

“You could’ve stopped me…”

“I tried, it wasn’t enough. You wanna know why I was out of Degrassi? You wanna know why I was home schooled for two years? Come on, ask me?” she snapped at him as she waited for him to ask her. “Why weren’t you at Degrassi for two years?” he said rolling his eyes. “For two, maybe three and a half years, I was doing drugs every god damn day of my god damn life. I couldn’t take my house, with the non-stop yelling and screaming, and Scott, I can’t stand him and drugs were the only way I could escape from that. I was spending every night out on the street, in Downtown Toronto, were I happened to meet David. The only way I could make money was by selling myself out on the street….I’m not proud of it, I used to be proud of it but now I’m ashamed of it and I try not to look in the past but you wanted to know so I told you, happy?” she told and waited for an answer and when she didn’t get one she just rolled her eyes and walked away.

          The rest of the day they didn’t speak to one another or even look at one another and then they did, Craig would give her some sort of an evil stare. At the end of the day Ashleigh was fed up with his behavior so she walked on over to him as he headed to his locker. “You’ve been giving me snobby looks all day so if you have something to say just say it and stop being such a jerk.” She snapped at him pinning him in a corner. He looked around at everyone else around them, even if they weren’t looking or not and wondered what they were think. “Don’t look at them, look at me, I’m talking to you.” She said and Craig’s glance got off everyone else’s and look at Ashleigh, but not in the eye, he’d find something else to stare at like her forehead or her ear or her eyebrow, anything so he didn’t have to look her in the eye. “It was the only way I could make money, okay? It was the only way I could survive.” She said to him as she tried her best to follow his eyes. “There are better ways then selling yourself on the street.” He said, finally looking right at her eyes.

“Oh, yeah, there are a lot of job opportunities out there for runaways.”

“You could’ve begged.”

“I did, it wasn’t enough! For two whole years I slept in some random guys apartment, not aware of what they were doing or who they were…try that sometime and see what you do.”

“Yeah, they got these places; I think they’re called shelters.”

“I did what I had to do to survive. I’m not proud of it but I don’t have to apologize to you or to anyone else for that either.”

“I’m not asking for an apology.”

“Oh really? Then what are you asking for?”

“I don’t know…I don’t know.”

“Well when you do figure it out, why don’t you just slither back at let me know.” She said in his ear before she walked off to go home.

          Ashleigh got home and saw Sarah heading her way up the stairs. “Oh, Dad and everyone are coming today.” Sarah told Ashleigh who just nodded her head yes and walked into the kitchen to get herself a drink. “You know I start Degrassi tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

“Sarah, no.”

“Why not?”

“Because I know you’re just gonna stick to me like glue and try and solve every one of my problems and I really don’t need that right now.”

“I wanted to be there in time for the dance.” She said with a grin and then all of a sudden Ashleigh’s face grew a blank. “Fuck, the dance.” She said as she slumped herself on the couch. “I get just skip the dance? I can’t do that, I love them.”

“No, I just forgot about it that’s all.”

“Aren’t you going with Craig?”

“I don’t think so.” Ashleigh said with a huff and then Sarah’s face lit up with joy, she’d finally have a chance with Craig. “Well Lauren will be here soon and I’m sure she will cheer you up.” Sarah said with a fake upset look on her face as she headed up the stairs and as she reached her room, her smile grew wider.

          Ashleigh and Sarah’s step family and father arrived around 6:30 and Lauren tried to comfort Ashleigh as best she could. She talked to Ashleigh for hours trying to calm her down and it seemed to work because Ashleigh feel asleep pretty early. The next day was Sarah’s first time in a public school in a long time. Sarah walked up to the school proud with a giant smile, she glanced around looking for Craig, she saw Ashleigh talking to Marco and Ellie but no Craig, it wasn’t until Sarah entered the school that she saw him. “Craig!” she said running up behind him. Craig turned around surprised. “Sarah?” he said blinking his eyes a couple of times to double check to see if he wasn’t seeing things. “In the flesh and bones.” She said with a smile. “Hi.” He said as he turned back around to make his way towards his locker. “The winter festival, this Friday, how bout you and me shake it up a bit?” she said catching back up to him. “Uh, I don’t know…” he said trailing off as he kept walking. “I already talked to Ashleigh and she said she had no intention of going…with you.” She said still with a smile as she headed down the hall.

          A week went by and Craig thought about going to the dance with Sarah, just to go with someone. Craig and Ashleigh avoided one another the whole time. They would see one another in the hall but pretend to ignore each other but every once and while they would turn their head over their shoulders just to get one last look. Friday neared and Ashleigh and Lauren planned to arrive at the dance looking hot, but first the dance needed to be decorated and that’s just what Ashleigh did. The dance was nearing and Ashleigh was at the gym finishing up the last touches with Marco when Craig walked in. “Yo Marco, do you mind if I talk to Ashleigh, alone?” he whispered to Marco, Marco nodded his head yes and left the gym so Craig walked over to Ashleigh. “Hey.” He said, Ashleigh quickly turned around, wiping tears from her eyes, and saw Craig. “What are you doing here?” she asked him as she turned back around to finish the decorations. “You crying?” he asked her worried but he tried his best not to show it. “No.” she snapped back, “What do you want?” she asked trying to cover it up from the tears of not going to the dance with the one person she truly loved.

“Look I just wanna talk.”

“Okay, you have two words; hopefully they’ll be the right ones.”

“So how bad was it?”

“You want more details? That’s great, that’s really sensitive.” She snapped back turning around to face him. “So how many guys are we talking about?” he asked, “Did you just say that?”

“Yeah, I’m just trying to get my head around it, that’s all.”

“No, that’s not all.” She said storming up to him. “You’re sweating all the details cuz it’s all about you.” She snapped at him. “What do you want from me? What do you want me to do?” he asked getting defensive. “Two words, two lousy words and you can’t even say ‘em.” She said as she turned back around with a huff and headed out the gym.