* I decided I wanted to write something about one of the original characters, with only the original characters in it. I probably will continue my other one, but I need a break, and I figured some more experience would help as well. Please. Read. And so you know what your reading, there will be NO Mary Sue in this one, because there won't be any knew characters.*

Chapter 1: Childish Games

Manuela Santos woke up Saturday morning to the smell of Spanish Pancakes. No one she knew had the same background she did : Spanish. Okay so there was one new 9th grader who did, but does that really count? She had a whole different up bringing than the other Canadians, hers included the most important influence of family, and upon this, yes maybe she was a baby.

But no one had to know that- until the day before yesterday. That day was the day Craig Manning and Manny went out to the mall carnival, she screwed everything up. I'm such an idiot. She thought to herself. I talked way too much. I acted like a baby at the carnival wanting THE FLUFFY FLUFF COLLECTION. How stupid am I? And yesterday I decorated his locker like an obsessed little girl. And then I wouldn't let him talk to Ashley. I WAS ACTING OBSESSIVELY. And she didn't blame him for dumping her like a piece of old furniture nobody wanted on the highway. SHE WAS JUST UPSET with herself. The words he mentioned before rang in her mind "It's you, Manny."

Today, when she went to school she have to face the fact that everyone knew she was a baby. She was dreading it. And yesterday, when Craig broke up with her, she didn't even take it well. One guess what she took it like: A baby. But she was being a little bit hard on herself. Some of it was his fault. She'd have to face the music. SO FACE IT. she told herself, angrily. And now, Emma was mad at her too, for going out with Craig. UGH. everything was one, big, mess.

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Manny walked down the hallways of Degrassi, and spotted a tall, blonde figure, hunched over near the lockers. Emma. She'd have to apologize, as much as Manny hated doing it; she'd have too. UGH! LIFE WAS A HORROR FILM. But, she desperately need her friend back. That's the kind of person Manny was, without her friends, she'd feel like a nobody. I guess you could say she was a people person. "Hey Em! Please Wait Up!" Emma just stood there and looked up. "Listen to what I have to-"

"I'm listening," Emma interrupted.

"Look, I really liked Craig, Emma. You know I've never had a boyfriend before. And this was my opportunity and it didn't work out anyway so you don't have to worry."

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"The Fluffy Fluff collection. That's what happened!" Manny replied. They both started laughing. Maybe they had rekindled their friendship.

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Later that day after the bell had rung Manny and Emma were talking about the disaster date. "And then I decorated his locker." Manny told her story.

"You're right Manny, I take back the part when I said you weren't obsessive."

"Now, you don't have to go doing that." Manny replied, both of them laughing. "I don't need a guy to make me happy. I'm just fine the way I-" And then there he was, a tall character with curly, bushy, dark brown hair, in one word Craig.

"We can go the other way if you want." Emma stated.

He was by himself maybe this was the right time to apologize. "No, Em. That's okay. I have to learn to face my problems, other wise, I'll always be a baby."

"Want me to come with you?" Emma asked sweetly and empathetic, not always a characteristic shown in her.

"No. I have to do it by myself."

"Okay," Emma said as she patted Manny on the back, "I'll wait here."

Manny walked in the direction of Craig, one baby step at a time. Once she realized she was taking baby steps she made then larger, and reassured. Manny needed to be confident with herself, for once. And there she was standing across from him. From the look on his face she knew he wasn't sure why she was there.

"Umm... Craig.. I-" Manny was interrupted by Craig.

"Look Manny-" She wasn't going let him stop her, she was going to make him let her talk.

"Craig! Let me talk." She said forcefully then he stopped the whole thing which she knew was going to result in 'you have to accept it: we're over.' but she knew that. She didn't needed one of those. SHE WAS GOING TO SHOW HIM SHE KNEW THAT. SHE WAS GOING TO BE STRONGER THAN HE, LET ALONE ANYONE HAD EVER SEEN HER. "I know what you're going to say. Would you just shut up and let me talk!" Okay, maybe a little too forcefully. "I just wanna say that I'm sorry for acting like a baby. And you were right when you said it was me. I was a real idiot. And I shouldn't have been mad when you broke up with me for it. So I know you really hate this and you won't ever have to talk to the baby again. Bye." She stated strongly as she stormed off. She didn't want a response from him. She wanted to take in the full effect of what she did, which she never really did before. She stood up for herself.