The relationship between Zig Novak and Esme Song developed during the second season of Degrassi: Next Class.
Friendship History[]
Overview[]
Esme and Zig first met during their junior year at Degrassi. Esme taught Zig how to dance after he begged her to help him get better so that he would do well in his dance audition. They began dating sometime before their senior year. Their relationship was very physical, which caused Zig's friends to begin slut-shaming Esme, as being with her had him slacking in school. Zig began making comments along with his friends, which Esme found out about, and hurt her feelings and caused a public meltdown. She confronted Zig and the two reconciled. Esme is not on friendly terms with most of Zig's friends. Esme became jealous of Maya as she returned to Degrassi and Zig spent a lot of his time with her. She began to act irrationally and possessive over Zig, going so far as to feign anaphylaxis shock. After he realized that she faked the allergic reaction, he broke up with her. She continued to pine after him after the breakup and had a mental break down when he was graduating and leaving her.
Season 2[]
In #SquadGoals, they are both seen talking in class and later by the printers are interrupted by Maya. Maya looks through Zig's Hastygram and sees a picture of him and Esme together and speculates that it looks like Zig has his arm around Esme.
Esme yelling at Zig when he thinks he's not good enough.
In #RiseAndGrind, Esme watches Zig and Tiny's dance battle and tells him that Tiny beat him. Zig thinks she's not an expert but Esme says her 12 years of dance training would beg to differ. Esme offers Zig some dance lessons but Zig says no until Tiny leaves and he tells Esme he needs her help. Esme says she thought she wasn't an expert, Zig says she is an expert and I would be lucky if you taught me even one move and begs Esme to help him, Esme agrees on the condition that he is ready to work hard.
In the gym, Zig is dancing but Esme is not impressed. Zig gets pissed off and rants at Esme how he can't even be a good boyfriend and sucks at everything else. Esme says she can't believe they are talking about some other girl right now, dance is about confidence, fighting the doubt so forget about her and fight it and asks if he can do that and Zig says he can. Esme says he needs to start again.
Esme asks Zig if he'd be interested in joining her dance troupe.
At school, Esme arrives and tells Zig that isn't part of the school dress code and asks how his audition went. Zig says it turned out it was a stripper audition and shows her the tights and tells her to laugh at him. Esme says shes disappointed because he worked hard and is actually good and offers him to join her dance troupe over the summer and she says he doesn't even have to get naked for the audition before bailing.
In #TheseAreMyConfessions, Zig and Esme are seen together at the party. Zig tells Grace about he and Esme being in the dance troupe together and how she's nicer than everyone else makes her out to be and implies an attraction towards Esme.
Season 3[]
Zig and Esme kissing and are now a couple
In #BreakTheInternet, Zig and Esme have become a couple over the summer break, they are seen kissing to accommodate their new relationship. In the school parking lot, Zig and Esme walk hand in hand until Zig yells out to Tiny to kiss Shay and Esme drags Zig away. In Class, Zig watches on Esme attempts to tear Miles down. In class, Zig watches on as Esme and Miles provoke each other to the point where Esme hits Miles and Zig puts his arms around Esme and drags her out of the classroom.
Zig and Esme kissing in Esme's car
In #IWokeUpLikeThis, Zig and Esme are kissing in Esme's car in the school parking lot, Esme tells Zig she doesn't bite but ends up biting him on his neck and admits she lied she does bite, Zig says he promised Tiny he would make it to math class, Esme thinks they should skip and just hang out, you and me, like it was all summer, Zig asks doing what? but Esme says to use his imagination and kisses him, Zig asks where but Esme thinks right here as everyone will be class, Zig thinks doing it in the school park might make them get caught, so Esme suggests she give him a blow job and Zig is happily surprised and the two start kissing.
In a classroom, Esme finds Zig and Zig tells her not to sneak up on him, Esme thought he would be relaxed after this morning, Zig asks if she's given blow jobs before and Esme wonders if she was out of practice and suggests they skip lunch and try again if he was unsatisfied, Zig tells her he's doing a make-up quiz from missing class before and Esme suggests they study together, Zig admits that Tiny thinks he should focus on school instead of her, Esme says he's only saying that because he's with that prude Shay, Zig says they get distracted when they are together though, Esme says she is good at math and wants to help, before taking his hand and promising no sexy stuff no matter how much he begs.
Esme is teaching Zig math and when Zig gets a message from Tiny, Esme takes his phone off him, Esme tells Zig her way to figure it is 'Oscar has a handful of apples', Esme looks at a text on Zig's phone which makes her upset and when Zig turns around, she's gone.
Zig not denying that Esme is a slut
In the hallway, Zig catches up to Esme wondering why she took his phone, Esme says lets check out his group text and is mad at his text in the conversation "As long as I don't wife her what's wrong with some third base action?" and Esme angrily throws his phone back at him. Zig and Esme start having a slagging match which ends in Zig not denying calling Esme a slut, Esme grabs Winston and suggests they have sex in the hallways but a teacher breaks it up and Esme leaves.
Outside the school, Zig catches up with Esme and shows her that he got 82% on that make-up quiz thanks to her. Zig apologizes and says he shouldn't have let people say those things about her, Esme says she doesn't care what people say about her and that his opinion was the only one that mattered, Zig says he thinks the world of her, Esme asks what happens when people start saying other stuff, darker stuff, stuff that might be true, she goes on to ask if he will freak out and leave her again. Zig asks what kind of dark stuff she's talking about, Esme says she has been in and out of therapy her whole life because when she was 10 her mom killed herself and she found her and goes on to say all the things she may have done wrong, trying to keep her mom alive, but after few weeks in the hospital she died, Zig tells her it wasn't her fault but Esme says her dad still blames her.
Zig and Esme hugging
Zig asks if that why she reacted to the hospital pictures of Tristan that Miles showed in class, Esme admits it brought her back Zig says his parents blamed him for stuff too, Esme asks what, Zig admits his mom kicked him out for selling drugs and hanging with guys who had guns and putting his little brother in danger, he tells her that he's on probation for another year and since his family disowned him, he follows his friends' advice on everything because they're the only family he has. Esme forgives him, telling him he has her.
In #WorstGiftEver, Esme and Zig are chatting during gym class. Miles serves Zig and Esme dinner at Lola's family restaurant. Zig cheers on Esme during the cross country race and is disappointed when she loses.
In #HugeIfTrue, At Frankie's House, Zig and Esme are invited by Tiny to hang out.
Zig and Esme playing "never have I ever"
Frankie, Jonah, Zig, Esme, Grace, Tiny, Shay, and Lola are all sitting down on the sofas and playing "never have I ever", Esme starts by saying "Never have I ever had sex", Zig and Esme both drink, Jonah says "Never have I ever hooked up in a pool", Zig and Esme both drink, Frankie says "Never have I ever made out in a scuzzy hotel", Zig and Esme don't drink and Esme tells Zig to put that on their list of places to hook up. Frankie and Jonah go upstairs and Esme asks who's turn it is.
Esme says "Never have I ever wanted to hook up with the person on my right", Esme and Tiny both drink, Shay says "Never have I ever fooled around with someone I'm not in love with", Esme and Zig both drink and Tiny doesn't but Zig doesn't believe him and Shay questions why. Lola and Shay argue about Tiny so Grace thinks they should call it quits but Esme suggests that they now play truth or dare, Esme asks Tiny truth or dare and Tiny picks dare, Esme dares Tiny to spend 7 minutes in heaven with Shay, Tiny smiles and says spending alone time with Shay doesn't bother him at all and puts his arm around Shay but Shay says no, Esme obliges and tells Tiny to spend 7 minutes in Heaven with Lola then, Shay and Tiny object but Esme asks Shay whether she trusts Tiny, Zig says that Shay is jealous so Shay lets them go ahead and assures that it's no big deal, Lola agrees and takes Tiny's hand and they leave.
Esme tells Shay they have 2 1/2 minutes left and thinks she wouldn't have to worry if she was meeting Tiny's needs, Zig tells Esme to ease off, Esme says that Shay thinks she's so much better than Esme because she won't let her boyfriend touch her and says that they both get straight A's but she just likes having more fun, Shay calls Esme easy, Shay said she doesn't get why everyone is obsessed with sex, Esme thinks she should run along and leave the grown ups alone, Shay says fine and leaves the room.
In #IRegretNothing, Maya kisses Zig, Zig asks what she is doing as he has a girlfriend, Esme has seen this and Maya apologizes and Esme asks if she looks like the forgiving type, Maya leaves afterwards. Zig walks right past Maya with Esme ignoring her.
In #Woke, At the dot, Zig and Esme are playing cards together.
In #ImSleep, In the hallway, Esme tells Zig she doesn't want to go to Miles play but Zig says they have to support Grace and he's sure it'll be fine, Esme asks meet Miles because knowing him, the play is going to be going to be a waking nightmare before taking Zig's hand and dragging him away. At the play, Zig and Esme enter holding hands and Esme decides to take someone else's seats just in case they need a quick exit. Esme and Zig watch the play. Esme says she can't watch anymore and wants to leave, Zig is unsure but Esme says she will make it worth his while, Zig smiles and Esme takes his hand and leads him away.
Zig and Esme kissing on the roof
On the school roof, Esme and Zig arrive, Zig is surprised you are allowed to be up here, Esme and Zig hold hands, Esme says they crossed off parking lot already so they needed a new spot and they kiss until they notice Maya on the ground, Esme realises Maya is overdosing and rejects Zig's suggestion of making her throw up since Esme says not to do that. Esme puts her in prone position and yells at Zig to call 911.
Zig and Esme are waiting in the waiting for news on Maya. Zig says he told Maya to leave him alone today, Esme says that its nobody's fault and breaks down crying so Zig puts his arm around her. Zig and Esme are happy Maya is going to survive her suicide attempt and they hug each other.
Season 4[]
In #BackToReality, Zig is happy to have found Grace post break, but Esme orders him to keep giving her a piggyback ride. They tease Grace's hickey and press her for more details. Both are startled to see Maya returning to school after her suicide attempt.
"Property of Esme <3"
In art class, Esme writes with a black sharpie, "Property of Esme <3", on Zig's arm. Their first assignment is to recreate and paint a modern renaissance painting. Esme is excited to model for Zig as Mona Lisa, but he insists on working with Maya, so she won't be alone. Reluctantly, Esme complies with Zig's request. Tiny assures her that he's just worried about Maya, he's never loved anyone half as much as her. She wonders why Zig and Maya even broke up if they were so in love. Tiny tells her that it was due to jealously, on Zig's behalf. Esme then gets the idea to make Zig jealous by posing nude for Saad.
When she and Saad receive detention for her breasts being inappropriately exposed, she objects, saying that it's unfair that Zig can be painted with his nipples shown, but she's not allowed. Madame Jean-Aux then gives both Zig and Maya and Esme and Saad detention.
In detention, Zig is upset with Esme and asks why she always gets so crazy. Esme says that she's not the crazy one, Maya is for trying to kill herself. Zig defends her, telling Esme that she's sick and trying to get better. Esme calls her selfish for attempting sucide and that she could of done it anywhere else and she wouldn't have been the one to find her. She suggests that maybe she should kill herself because it runs in her family. Zig asks her if she's serious about killing herself, and she replies that she may or may not, because she's "crazy." Zig apologizes for calling her crazy and says that he can't stop hanging out with Maya because he feels responsible for her suicide attempt, due to him constantly pushing her away. Esme tells him if anyone's to blame it's Saad for being the last one to see her and opening the door to the roof, giving her an "invitation." Adding that he let Maya get sicker and sicker and did nothing and that she might have been ok if it weren't for him.
In #GetMoney, they are hanging out at the drumming festival together, and invite Frankie to join them.
In #RollUpToTheClubLike, Zig and Esme work in a group in class with Grace and Jonah. They help Grace with her bucket list and Esme says if it was her last day she’d spend it with Zig and Zig says “Aww me too” but also remarks how cool it would be to be on top of a mountain and Esme says “you don’t already feel that way when you’re with me?”
In #Preach, they go to Frankie’s house to help her bake cupcakes. They later ditch school to go get burgers.
In #FactsOnly, Zig is proud of Esme when she gets into Harvard. Esme asks him if he got into the school he applied to and he lies and says he did but when Grace sees the email that said he was rejected, Zig walks away ashamed, Later Frankie is comforting Zig when Esme arrives. Zig says Frankie was just trying to cheer him up and Esme asks if she doesn’t cheer him up. Zig denies anything going on with Frankie but Esme seems to think Zig likes Frankie. Later, Zig shows up to Frankie’s house with university applications but Esme throws them in the pool and tells Zig to not worry about that right now. They all get in the pool and Esme commented about the threesome rumors and how it was a rip-off because they didn’t actually get to do it. She convinces Frankie to kiss Zig, and Esme asks Zig whose a better kisser. Esme kisses Zig and then Zig says he needs to “do more research” before kissing Frankie again and Esme jumps on top of them. The next morning, Esme and Frankie get Zig’s attention in the hallway and he walks off with them.
In #Fire, Zig, Esme, and Frankie are cuddling in the hallway talking about a horror movie. When Tiny approaches talking about his and Zig’s camping trip with Grace, Jonah, and Maya, Esme is upset that Zig didn’t tell her or invite her. She manages to convince Zig it would be more fun if her and Frankie were there. Later at the camping trip Esme tries to fit in with Zig’s friends but it doesn’t work. She goes to the tent and Frankie shows up and she convinces Frankie to put on a bikini and find a place with her to swim so Zig will want to hang out with them. Zig is later looking for Esme but runs into Maya who is upset that she is high and Zig offers to help her with her song. He talks with Maya in her tent about not knowing what he would have done if he lost her and Esme overhears this and becomes upset. She starts yelling for help and Zig and everyone comes out and tries to help her. Zig thinks she got stung because she’s allergic to bees and they find her epi-pen and Esme takes it to inject herself but it’s still loaded. Zig realizes that Esme faked an allergic reaction and goes to take a walk. The next morning he goes back to Esme’s tent and breaks up with her. Esme tries to assure him they can figure things out but Zig tells her to ride home with Frankie and leaves.
In #Obsessed, Esme approaches Zig and asks him what time he’s picking her up for prom. Zig says they aren’t going to prom together and that he’s going with Maya. Esme asks how he could do this to her and that they were together for a year, and Zig says things just got a little intense. Esme aske if he still loved her and Zig says those feelings don’t just go away but he needs some space. Esme reminds him that he said she could count on him and Zig says that if she ever needed anything he was there and she accepts this and leaves. Later, when it was revealed there was a bomb threat and prom is put on hold Zig texts Esme to ask if she’s okay. She repeatedly sends him photos in her bra and Zig asks her to stop. He blocks her and goes to dance with Maya. Esme shows up and yells at Zig for blocking her, and threatens suicide, picking up a knife. Zig tells her to stop saying things like that and Esme begs Zig to talk to her. He agrees and follows her. Esme tries to kiss him but he tells her to stop and that he doesn’t want to kiss her and he said she wanted to talk but Esme says they’re better when they aren’t talking and tries to have sex with him but Zig says it’s over and attempts to walk away. Esme said he can’t leave and it isn’t over but Zig says it is for him. Esme says she hates him and pushes him down the hill, and begins crying when she realizes what she’s done.
In #KThxBye, Esme is crying and pacing not knowing what to do when Maya approaches asking where Zig is. Later Esme goes to Frankie’s house, saying Zig will never forgive her and she needs to make a plan. She ends up getting him a motorcycle and shows up to graduation with it. Zig meets her outside and Esme says she got it for him as a graduation gift. Zig says something is wrong with her and Esme says it’s that his friends are trying to tear them apart. She wants Zig to run away with her on the motorcycle but Zig declines. Esme asks why he keeps poking holes in her plans and has a breakdown, and starts wrecking the motorcycle. She starts attacking Zig before falling into his arms crying, and Mrs. Grell comes out to talk to Esme.
Trivia[]
- They have both kissed Zoë Rivas.
- They both saved Maya Matlin from her overdose attempt.
- Zig's best friend, Tiny, has a dislike for Esme.
- Esme has a conflict with two girls Zig has been romantically involved with.
- They both had conflicts with Miles Hollingsworth III.
- Both have dated Frankie Hollingsworth at the same time.
Timeline[]
- Start Up: Before #BreakTheInternet (DNC 301)
- Break Up: #Fire (DNC 407)
- Reason: Esme faked an allergic reaction to get Zig away from Maya
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
