Paige Michalchuk was the queen bee that J.T. Yorke pined for in grades 7 and 8. She saw him as nothing more than an immature nuisance, but still he persisted in trying to win her over. When J.T. became the Degrassi Panthers' mascot, he and the head cheerleader began spending more time together, and she slowly began warming to him. The event that truly cemented their friendship was when J.T. defended Paige's honour when her rapist, Dean, came to Degrassi for a basketball game.
J.T., in his mascot costume, attacked Dean during the game, completely unconcerned about the consequences. From then on, J.T. had Paige's respect and friendship. The two became so close that Spinner, during his relationship with Paige, was worried that she enjoyed spending time with J.T. more than with him. Paige and J.T. remained good friends until her graduation in season 5.
Friendship History[]
Season 1[]
In Jagged Little Pill, Paige and J.T. attend Ashley's party. When Ashley calls Paige a hag, J.T., along with everyone else, leaves.
Season 2[]
In When Doves Cry (1), Toby creates a compatibility program and J.T. is upset when he is matched with Terri. He scrolls around and sets his heart on Paige. Throughout the day, he tells Toby that he needs an older woman like Paige. When he finally sees Paige, he tells her he will carry her backpack to and from school. She's amused slightly, but later, when he asks her out, she laughs along with Spinner and Hazel and walks away. As they walk, Paige mentions how she can't believe "a loser" would ask her out and think he could get away with it. Hazel, amused at the situation, gives Paige $30 (enough she needed to get rid of her "mullet" hairstyle she complained about earlier in the episode) to go on a date with J.T.
In When Doves Cry (2), Paige comes to J.T. during lunch apologizing for being mean to him and she agrees to go out with him. At the theater, J.T. begins thinking Paige stood him up but Paige comes late and they go to the movies. After the movie, J.T. gets Paige and him some food and they both exchange jokes. Paige is having a good time with J.T. when Hazel and Spinner come to give her the money. J.T. asks her if she was paid to go out with him and Paige, though feeling guilty, leaves saying "Sue me."
Paige makes J.T.'s wish come true with a kiss.
The next day at school, Paige apologizes to J.T. Though he's reluctant at first, he listens as she tells him that she needed the money. He sarcastically says that that makes him feel a lot better. She explains that he's a good date and if h weren't 5'1 and in a "subterranean social strata," she might even consider going out again. He understands, but adds he might feel better if their first date ended in a kiss because that's what he's always imagined. She turns him down but when he pleads again, she obliges and kisses him on the cheek.
In Dressed in Black, J.T. excitedly talks to Toby about Dr. Sally coming to give them a lecture about sex, saying "First you get the knowledge, then you get the power, then you get-" before he almost walks into Paige. Overhearing, she replies "What" and Toby quickly responds that she doesn't want to know. J.T. just smiles blankly at her before Toby yanks him away by his shirt collar.
In Fight For Your Right, Paige tries to throw her food at J.T. after Jimmy threw his food at her, thinking it was J.T. He ducks when she throws and she hits Craig. Chaos ensues as the cafeteria erupts in a food fight.
J.T. fighting Dean
In How Soon Is Now?, J.T. comes and knocks at the window where Paige is. He plays around but Paige ignores him. He comes up to her and wonders why his joke didn't work and if she is mad at him. Paige says it isn't him and says she won't be cheering tomorrow and J.T. asks why. Paige says someone is coming tomorrow and that she can't see him. He asks if he cheated on her or something and Paige responds saying "Or something" J.T. then tells her to give him her world famous attitude to which Paige asks if that's why he was stalking her to give her pep talk and J.T. smiles, pats her shoulder, and walks away. Later, Paige goes out of the school, traumatized at seeing Dean, and J.T. follows her saying the squad needed her and Dean was just some stupid guy. Paige tells J.T. Dean raped her and that no one seems to do anything about it. J.T. leaves and starts hitting on Dean calling him a rapist, leading Dean to be suspended from the game and J.T. going to the principal's office.
Season 3[]
In Gangsta, Gangsta, J.T. is seen sitting with Paige during lunch, having bailed on lunch with Toby. The next day at lunch, Toby tells Paige and the rest of her friends about J.T.'s wet dream. Although Hazel asks to change the topic, Paige wants to know more "juicy gossip".
J.T. and Paige laugh before Spinner interrupts.
In Never Gonna Give You Up, Paige and J.T. are seen laughing and talking by some lockers. After Craig brings up his confusion of the pairing to Spinner, Spinner explains that Paige was going through a hard time last year and since J.T. helped her, she feels she owes him. Craig points out that Spinner doesn't owe him and that he can tell him to get lost. In response, Spinner pushes J.T. out of the way and tells him to "run along and join the other children." J.T. then proceeds to repeat everything Spinner says, annoying him and amusing Paige. It annoys Spinner to the point where he grabs him and lifts his arm to punch, but after seeing Paige's disapproving face, he drops his arm. J.T. says he should ease up on the red meat and consider anger management before walking off as Paige smirks in response. Paige then convinces Spinner to give J.T. a chance and try some male bonding. After Spinner pulls a prank on J.T., Paige recalls the prank to Spinner but just then, J.T. runs by and rips away Spinner's pants, revealing heart-printed underwear that Paige laughs at. After they pull pranks more, J.T. ends up apologizing to Spinner for being a bad customer at The Dot because Paige said Spinner was demoted. J.T. agrees to a peace settlement when Spinner asks him to leave him and Paige alone. After J.T. leaves, Mrs. Kwan comes up with a poem "written by Spinner" and Paige laughs.
In It's Raining Men, the Spirit Squad is practicing cheers and Paige compliments J.T.'s slide in the mascot costume and calls him Sweet Potato. She begins to ask him about the party he is hosting but he interrupts her and excuses himself to chase Manny down.
Season 4[]
In West End Girls, J.T. is shocked when Paige rips Manny's dress off.
Season 5[]
In Foolin', J.T. and Liberty find Paige working at the movie theater, and she comments that everyone from Degrassi seems to come to the one she works at. She asks for their order and starts to make it. When J.T. makes a joke about his and Liberty's sex life to Toby, Toby calls him out on it, and J.T. is confronted by Liberty. To avoid talking to Liberty, he tells Paige that she is good at hustling, and she says his order will be $400. After Liberty pours soda down his pants, Paige says the drink will still have to be paid for.
In High Fidelity (2), J.T. laughs behind Paige at Spinner who fell when he was flustered by her. Paige later helps J.T. with his costume while she listens to Spinner and Darcy talk. While J.T. and Manny are onstage, Paige takes a picture of them and smiles.
Degrassi Minis[]
In the mini Six Months, Paige visits the spot of J.T.'s murder with flowers, along with Danny, Derek, Liberty, Emma, Manny, Mia, and Toby. She apologizes for missing his funeral and memorial, as she was so busy with her studies at Banting. She says, "That little fetus was a big part of my growing up, but he became quite a man. I'm sorry, Liberty." Liberty says that it's okay, and all that matters is that he was loved.
Trivia[]
- Paige was rivals with J.T.'s close friend and ex-girlfriend Manny Santos.
- J.T. had a conflict with Paige's then-boyfriend Spinner Mason but they resolved it before J.T.'s death.
- Both had crushes on teachers though only Paige's turned into a relationship.
- Both were on the Spirit Squad: Paige was captain and J.T. was the mascot.
- They both had a conflict with Jay Hogart.
- They both made their first appearances in Season 1: J.T. in Mother and Child Reunion (1) and Paige in Family Politics.
- They were both featured in Degrassi Minis during seasons in which they did not appear: J.T. in the Season 9 mini Ghost of Degrassi Past and Paige in the Season 11 mini The Power Play.
- Paige was J.T.'s first date in When Doves Cry (2).
- J.T.'s best friend Toby Isaacs was the stepbrother of Paige's close friend Ashley Kerwin.
- According to Toby's computer dating system, J.T. had only a 0.03% chance of scoring with Paige.
Quotes[]
- J.T.: "Wait, did you just talk to me without saying 'midget,' 'twerp,' or 'dweeb?'"
Paige: "I think I did! Lucky you!" - How Soon Is Now?
