**Chapter 1: New Beginnings**

The sun was shining brightly on the first day of 7th grade at Degrassi Community School. Christa Fawcett, a curvy and pale-skinned girl with piercing blue eyes, stood outside the school gates, adjusting her backpack straps. She was excited to start a new year with her best friends, Emma, Manny, Toby, and JT. "Hey, guys! Happy first day!" Christa chimed, grinning at her friends as they gathered around her. Emma, her best friend since forever, gave her a warm smile. "Hey, Christa! I'm so nervous about this year." Christa snorted, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. "Come on, Em, it's going to be a great year. I'm sure of it." She nudged her friend playfully. "Besides, we've got each other. What could possibly go wrong?" Manny, always the jokester, chimed in, "Well, let's see... we could get stuck in a boring locker, or our favorite teacher could retire." Toby groaned, "Manny, don't even joke about that." JT, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, "Hey, I heard Mrs. Raditch is retiring. That's, like, the worst news ever." Christa's eyes widened in mock horror. "No way! What would we do without her crazy antics?" The group shared a laugh as they walked towards the school entrance. Inside, the hallways buzzed with students chatting and laughing. Christa scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces and the new students who had transferred over the summer. As they made their way to their lockers, Christa spotted Sean Cameron, the star hockey player, chatting with his friends by his locker. She felt a flutter in her chest, and her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary. She had had a crush on Sean for what felt like forever, but she had never mustered the courage to tell him. "Hey, guys, let's get going," Emma said, nudging Christa forward. "We've got our first period English class with Ms. Patel. I hope she's not as tough as everyone says." Christa snorted. "Tough? Ms. Patel? Please, she's a sweetheart. We'll be fine." The group made their way to their locker, swapping stories and gossip about the summer. As they changed into their first-period class, Christa caught Sean's eye and smiled, feeling a little shy but also excited to see where this year would take her. As they entered their English class, Ms. Patel greeted them warmly and began to take roll call. Christa spotted an empty seat next to Sean and made a split-second decision to grab it. She plopped down beside him, trying to appear nonchalant. "Hey, Sean," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "How was your summer?" Sean turned to her, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "It was good. I played a lot of hockey and hung out with my friends. You?" Christa shrugged, feeling a little flutter in her chest. "The usual. Hanging out with the gang, working at the mall... you know, boring stuff." The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and Ms. Patel began to discuss the syllabus. Christa settled in, trying to focus on the lesson but sneaking glances at Sean throughout the period. As the class drew to a close, Christa felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. This was going to be a great year, she could feel it. And maybe, just maybe, she'd find a way to get closer to Sean Cameron. What happens next?