Summary: When Manny suspects Craig's cheating on her, JT helps her to find out.

Just a story I had to write about my favorite characters. Have fun reading and reviews always make me happy.

The great doors banged behind him as JT rushed out of Degrassi High. His detention was finally over and although he would likely do something tomorrow that would give him detention again, he felt like he was free. A gust of wind blew through his hair that already was messed up. In his excitement he nearly fell over a girl who was sitting in front of the school, but he slowed down in time. He hadn't expect anyone to still be here at this hour.

He almost walked on, but something made him change his mind and he turned back, seeing that the girl was Manny. Her long, dark hair covered up the most of her face since she was staring hard at the ground.

"Are u ok, Manny?" JT asked concerned as he moved a bit closer towards her.

"I'm fine. Better than fine," she mumbled softly, while her gaze kept set at the same point.

He could have walked away and left it at that, but this was Manny. His first girlfriend ever and before that he was friends with her for a very long time. Although she broke his heart, he would always have a weak spot for her. So he just couldn't ignore her and let her be alone when she was troubled.

"Manny, any kid who voluntarily sits on the schoolyard in his free time needs help, seriously."

She finally looked at him and smiled, which gave him the courage to sit down beside her on the hard bricks.

"We are friends. You can talk to me."

Friends? Were they really friends? They hadn't been such great friends anymore after they split up. She wondered now why she never had been afraid of their friendship when she went out with him. What it would mean for them if they would break up.

"I don't know. It just haven't been the same after we broke up… I miss that," she spoke her mind.

"Are u sure u want to see me with a penis pump again?"

Breaking the tension with a joke, even when it included bringing up the most embarrassing moment in his life, was his way to deal with everything.

"That's not what I meant," she laughed, while she playfully poked his arm.

"Spill it," JT encouraged her to talk.

Manny bit her lip. Normally she would have talked with Emma about this stuff, but her best friend already had enough troubles of her own. An eating disorder was much worse than her problems.

She could really use someone to confide in. But still… this was JT she was talking to and she knew this was going to be awkward. However it was too late now. She would damage their friendship more if she pretended everything was alright, while it was obviously not.

"It's Craig," she admitted.

"Oh," JT rolled his eyes, " what's wrong with mister perfect? Did one curl move too much to the left today?"

"Never mind," Manny sighed and she got up from the ground.

"Sorry, I'll be serious I promise," JT took hold of her arm, making her sit again.

That was one sentence she never had expected to come out of JT's mouth. He had grown up these last years. Not that she had talked to him a lot, but she did notice he joked around less.

He seemed to be sadder or maybe he always had been like that, but he didn't try to hide it anymore.

She had known him since.. forever. It seemed like a million years ago when they were swinging tires, when he pulled her hair, when they played in the sand-box, when he scared her with a toad in his hands and when they fought over lollipops. Who could have ever thought then they would end up like this. If they had known then about all the misery to come, they probably hadn't laughed so much.

Nowadays she was known as the slut of the school. It all began at the day she decided not to be cute anymore. She wanted to be hot as hell and of course that included new clothes, which actually meant barely any clothes. The reason for that change was Sully. He didn't see her, then he did and she realized how boring he was. However she kept her sexy look plus her changed attitude. Sleeping with someone who was taken, flashing when she was drunk, getting pregnant and having an abortion. What hadn't she done these last years?

JT, well… he was the joker. Going through life with a smile on his face or mimicking the voice of someone else to make everyone laugh. He seemed to be doing fine: he had friends, two jobs, a girlfriend. Everything went alright until his girlfriend Liberty turned out to be pregnant, which was a great shock to him. At the end they gave the child up for adoption. He had even taken an overdose during that period, but luckily he was still here alive.

No more innocence of their childhood.

Manny set her mind back on Craig, who was her greatest worry now.

"I think he's cheating on me. He's been lying about his whereabouts to me. And it's not like he never cheated…" she stopped her sentence.

She wanted to smack herself for saying that. Yes, Craig had been cheating… with her. She shouldn't be so hypocritical to blame him for something they did. She hadn't known at first because he lied to her. But then when she did know…

She went to him. Telling him she could keep a secret. She didn't mind sharing him as long as she could be with him. Her love was so great that she did whatever it took to have him. When he kissed her then again, it had felt like a victory. He did care about her. That moment she knew they were meant for each other.

Thinking back at that year she realized how egocentric she was. She even jeopardized her relationship with Emma for him. Her closest friend didn't like her new look nor her relation with Craig. Emma was the more sensible one, always doing what was right. Manny on the other hand just wasn't like that.

Had she ever cared about Ashley and her feelings? If she was honest she had to say no, she only had her mind set on Craig and on how much she wanted him. Everything was allowed in war and love, right?

And it all turned out right. They were together. She had him… at least that's what she had been thinking till a few weeks ago.

After all they've been through she still felt insecure or maybe it was because all they've went through.

"Why can't u just ask Craig where he really went?" JT asked, trying to help.

"What if I'm wrong? What if he's not cheating? Then I'm the lousy, jealous girlfriend who doesn't trust him and questions about everything."

"Then we have no other choice," he stated dramatically, which caused Manny to raise an eyebrow of confusion.

"… we have to follow him."

XXX

"He must be leaving by now."

"You already said that an hour ago," JT said unbelieving.

"I got to be right sometime."

Manny had called him to meet her by her house. A few minutes later he was there and now they were wandering around by Craig's house. It was Saturday evening again. The last two Saturday's Craig had told Manny he was going to hang out with the guys, but it turned out he didn't do that. She had seen his friends and Craig wasn't with them. Today when Craig said her he would go away with the boys again, she hadn't doubted for one second to call JT.

It hadn't been the ideal circumstances to spy since it was already dark and everything was hard to see. They already had been waiting a long time. But at least it didn't rain, because else they would have been soaked.

Finally the door went open and Craig appeared carrying a black bag with him. JT and Manny both sneaked up on him behind the bushes. Craig seemed to be turning back, so JT suddenly stopped walking, causing Manny to bump into him, through which they both fell hard on the ground.

"Did he hear us?" Manny whispered shocked, getting a leave out of her hair.

JT rubbed his painful head and gave her a look he didn't know either. They sat still on the wet grass for a few seconds. After a while JT had the guts to look over the bushes very slowly, praying he wouldn't see Craig's angry face right in front of him. Luckily the only thing he saw of Craig was his back at the end of the street.

"We're cool," JT assured Manny and they both gave a sigh of relief.

"Come on, follow him," Manny ordered her partner in crime.

"Alone? What about you?"

"I can't. I don't want to be the crazy girlfriend who stalks her boyfriend. Being the school slut is enough reputation for me."

"So sending the teenage father, who took a overdose, to stalk your boyfriend will do u good?"

"Could you follow him, please?" Many begged with her big brown eyes which he couldn't resist.

JT sighed very deeply as if she was asking him to give her a kidney. As if this following Craig hadn't been his idea at all in the first place. He stood up as a sign he gave in.

"Thank you," she smiled, "I'll be right here."

He had to fasten his pace before he would lose Craig out of his sight. JT was happy to see Craig stopping at a house, after he had kept following him a couple of blocks. He really hadn't liked the idea of stalking Craig the whole night going to a unknown place far away.

Then to his surprise he realized the house Craig stopped was Ellie's place. Craig didn't go to the front door, but made his way in through the backdoor, stepping into the garage. JT moved closer and closer to the garage, trying to discover what was going on, without drawing anyone's attention. As he came nearer he heard slow music coming out of the garage. He didn't recognize the music, but it sounded good.

Craig had left the backdoor being ajar. JT decided to take advantage of it and looked through it. After he got used to the bright light in the room, he saw Craig and Ellie.

"JT, what are you doing here?" Craig noticed surprised JT's presence.

The young Yorke was startled of being busted. He was the lousiest spy ever of getting caught so soon, but he had to pull himself together. He walked further into the garage, trying to look as careless as possible.

"Just…you know… hanging out," as JT heard himself saying those words, he wanted to take them back. Why did his talent for great excuses leave him at this important moment?

"In garages?" Craig frowned. He exchanged a look with Ellie asking

"Where ever fates takes me.So what are you guys doing?" JT looked from Craig to Ellie who both were hesitant to answer.

Craig sighed a bit reluctantly. He always thought JT was an annoying, strange little fellow and JT showing up unexpectedly in his garage didn't quite change that thought. Although Craig didn't feel like sharing anything with JT, he decided to answer to get rid of him quickly.

"Not that it is any of your business, but I'm writing a song for Manny and Ellie is helping me. It's going to be a big surprise, so keep your mouth shut."

JT caught a glimpse of some sheets of music. He saw the many musical notes and on top of the sheet he saw the title Manny written so big he probably wouldn't even have missed it if he hadn't paid attention. It was true. Craig was writing a song for Manny.

JT knew he should have been happy Manny wasn't going to be heartbroken. The last thing he wanted was Manny to be crushed. So this was the result he had been hoping for, right? But somehow he couldn't help to feel sad. As if he had lost something.

"Could you go away?" Craig said, wondering why JT was still here.

"Yes, sure, of course, great… u got it," JT knew that sentence had way too many words. Not that it would really matter now anymore. He couldn't have erased his dorky impression in this garage with the best joke or coolest sentence.

He shook his head after he walked out of the garage. That wasn't one of his best actions, however he did get the information he was looking for. JT, masterly stupid spy, he thought to himself, while he walked back in the streets he was before.

A grin appeared on his face when he saw Manny nervously walking in circles in the distance, waiting for him to come back. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and she rushed to him. This whole time she had been waiting seemed like an eternity, causing her curiosity to grow by the minute. She had the feeling she would explode if she didn't know soon enough.

"And?" she asked anxiously.

"Congratulations, you're a lousy, distrusting girlfriend."

"What?"

"You have nothing to worry about. He's not cheating on you."

"Really?" Manny looked like she still couldn't believe it. The expression of confusion was still on her face, as if she didn't know what to do.

"Really," JT gave her a vague smile and she smiled back at him.

XXX

"Hey."

JT looked at Manny standing by his locker. It had been a few days since their stalking adventure and he had seen her on school of course, but he hadn't really talked to her anymore since there were always people surrounding them. And getting suspended for a few days from school didn't help him really well either.

"How was Craig's song?" JT blurted out, not even knowing whether Craig already had sung it for her.

"Very romantic," Manny said surprised he knew about the song.

"It must be going very well for you lovebirds then."

"I'm not seeing him anymore."

JT dropped one of his books he tried to put in his locker.

"I guess my crush was over. I felt sad when you said he wasn't cheating on me. All this time I was hoping he was betraying me… am I the weirdest person ever or what?" she laughed a bit awkward, " besides I finally saw something I really wanted."

She leaned into him, letting her lips touch his, making it a sweet tender kiss. A better kiss than they ever had before when they were still together. As they deepened the kiss, JT let all his other books drop on the ground too. One even hit his foot, but he didn't care. This was the greatest feeling ever.

"Definitely weird, but in a very awesome way," JT smiled.