A story inspired by The Measure of a Life by Borne316. I know you stopped the story but I loved it! If you still read fanfiction I hope you enjoy it! Btw, this entire story is mostly in Toby's POV.

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One shot. One shot was all it took for time to stand still. What was once a normal school day in Degrassi, turned into a day of suspense when Degrassi, under Rick, Jimmy and Emma successfully took a garnished a victory in a pop quiz, with Rick as the head of the group, he stood tall and proud at his accomplishments.

Unfortunately that was short lived, as shortly after, a bucket of yellow paint and feathers shortly fell on Rick, stunning him, and making him the laughing stock of the school yet again. Watching the smile on Rick plummet into a look of shock and disbelief was tragic. The aftermath was one of suspense, as Mr. Raditch promised for the perpetrators to be caught, but nobody was fazed to his threats of a possible suspension. The suspense was instead on Rick and what would happen to him the next day.

How volatile the situation deteriorated. Rick came back roughly two hours later, still covered in paint and feathers, much to my margin. My reaction to his response to actually wanting to be in Degrassi shook me as I attempted to get him to return home. My initial thoughts were that maybe he knew was responsible for the prank, and was going to confront Mr. Raditch. My head shook in disbelief as I didn't want Rick to stay in Degrassi.

Sure what he did was tragic and unforgiving. But whereas the rest of the school shunned him, I was willing to give the poor kid a second chance. He looked willing to change himself, but unfortunately, in a environment where negativity was thrown at you, it was bound to reflect off of the source.

Images of many students bullying, tormenting, pushing Rick into trash, lockers or bathrooms haunted my mind, and soon after I myself was the victim of such actions, just for befriending Rick, specifically by Spinner and Jay. The names of those brought my thoughts to a halt, the names of those brought nothing but hatred.

Hatred. The same feeling Rick probably felt to everyone responsible to a prank that clearly did more damage than was anticipated. Whereas mine was confined to Spinner and Jay, the main source of the bullying and tormenting to Rick and I, Rick's eventually went to the entire school cast who bullied him throughout those days.

The image of students running for there lives, shortly followed by Rick calmly walking the halls, a gun in hand. My thoughts shook to a halt as all possible attempts to quell the situation was hopeless. I watched as how he walked towards us, and with the way he held the gun, he clearly had already fired a shot, how I hoped to god it didn't hit anyone.

I was took shook to do anything, besides telling Rick to put down the gun. I couldn't think of a fitting response. I watched Sean instead calmly talked to Rick. I was hopeful that maybe, just maybe the situation would result in a peaceful ending.

How I wished.

"I already shot someone," was all I needed to hear before I knew what would happen next. Rick pointed the gun at Emma, before Sean tackled Rick for the gun.

"STOP!" I screamed, fearing for the life of both Sean and Rick, I didn't want any of them to get shot, like the unfortunate victim who Rick said he shot.

Bang

Sean and Rick collapsed, and Emma and I watched in tears, hoping they were alright. Shortly after authorities came and inspected both of them. Paramedics took Rick to a nearby ambulance, as another set helped a traumatized Sean get back to reality. I took a look at Emma, who just like Sean, look just as traumatized. With a gun pointed at her, I looked at her in solemn.

"He pointed the gun at me," was all I heard from her since the shooting.

Eventually the lockdown ended and we were allowed to leave the scene of a shooting, also known as our school. Immediately I was confronted by news article who somehow found out I was associated with the gunman. And immediately I just wanted to sink into the Earth.

"What was I supposed to do?!" It was an honest question. What could I have done that wasn't already done. Sean tackled the gun out of Rick and now the whole school and hopefully heal from this event.

Then came the sentence that stopped me in my advance.

"Did the gunman say anything before he died?"

I looked shocked, and all I could mutter was, "He died?"

The past hours were nothing but a memory, we found out that Jimmy was unfortunately the victim Rick mentioned he shot. My mind turned to Hazel and Ashley, all who had some sort of interaction with Jimmy. As I watched the news of the shooting making headlines, I shook my head in disbelief and displeasure. I was mad. Mad at Spinner, Jay and Alex, all whom I knew had something to do with this prank that sent Rick over the edge. Mad and Mr. Raditch for not looking into Rick's mental state every since he reentered back into Degrassi.

My respect for Degrassi has just plummeted to a point that it wouldn't recover. But another sentence from Ashley would infuriate me.

"How about full on psycho? Certified freak? The guy made us a lead story on the 6:00 news."

At that sentence I got up and slammed the door in front of Ashley, dad and Kate. I didn't mind responding to any of their cries. I was pushed over the edge with this entire event.

As I laid down in my bed my mind raced. Death. Such a strange and interesting thing. Everyone jokingly would mention it. But nobody would experience some sort of death.

Until now. He had just had a close experience with death, alongside Emma and Sean. It was something nobody took seriously until it occurred to someone close to them. And while Rick's death was something many were sad about, it was more of Jimmy's experience that shook everyone. Rick's death was pushed to the side as prayers and vigils for the betterment of Jimmy's health were made. While Rick did get a funeral, which I attended, I couldn't remember the events.

My mind was tracing to my sudden hatred for Degrassi. The school I thought was fun, turned into a school of hatred. Hatred was a strong word, but I was willing to say I officially hated Degrassi, so much that if I got expelled for some reason I would actually be happy. As I watched the building of Degrassi, a whole week after the shooting, it looked unimpressive. And I heaved a sigh before I walked in.

Nothing had changed.

The school had pretty much moved on from the events. While the students would murmur about an update on Jimmy's heath or how crazy Rick truly was. It seemed nobody really cared anymore. Life would go on as normal. I was mildly surprised both at how fast everyone moved on, but also disappointed nobody really took the event as a sign for Degrassi.

In the times after, I noticed the looks many within the school would give me; fear. I was not surprised, as an associate to Rick it was natural people would associate anyone with Rick as dangerous as him. While I could take the looks of fear, it was the reactions of Spinner and Jay that provoked me and opened my eyes to the condition of the school.

"I told you he was nothing but a crazy psycho," was all I heard from Jay as he held me, and shoved me in the lockers. A tactic he had previously done to Rick, and another student recently; Paul. I shook my heads, despite what was said, nothing would change.

Mr. Raditch, who was actually fired for the school shooting, was replaced by Mrs. Hatzilakos, who while looked more promising, would probably continue under the line of just barking, not biting.

My mind shook as I watched my image of Degrassi tumble, and was now a place I despised. Whereas in Grade 7 to 8 I enjoyed being in the presence of Degrassi, I now saw nothing but resentment for the building I spend 7 hours a day in for 5 days.

Here I am, laying in the dark of my room, the only light being my clock, with the red image of 3:45 showing. All I could think of were the events back in the shooting, all the scenarios that could've taken place. But all of it didn't matter. Rick was dead. I had to except that.

Just like my presence in Degrassi disappearing almost completely, I had to except. Approaching Jt and Danny one day, they laughed at me and shoved me away from them before I could speak. My friendship with Rick had ruined my image in Degrassi, and all I could do was except.

Whereas Emma and Sean were all at the center of attention due to their involvement with Rick before his death, I was completely forgotten, despite being at the site.

All I could do now was just replay the scene in my head, without help from an external source.

I had lost all motivation to go to Degrassi, and all I could do was look at my previous possessions I had earned from that school and look in shock at how oblivious I was.

I had officially lost all motivation and respect for Degrassi, and I don't think any of that will come back.