Straight Up
"Manny, we need to talk. Meet me at The Dot in five, okay?" Craig said into the phone. He sat on the couch staring at the yearbook Marco had brought over to show him. He had flipped to the senior girls' page and was looking at one girl in particular.
"Craig, baby, is something wrong?" Manny asked sounding worried.
"Just meet me in five. It's important" Craig said hurriedly and hung up the phone. He took one last look at the yearbook and grabbed his jacket from the coat rack. "Joey! I'm staying at Jimmy's tonight!" Craig yelled before he left and headed down the street towards The Dot.
He entered The Dot and saw that Manny wasn't there yet. So typical Manny… she has to get ready for everything, Craig thought and he went to sit down.
Manny entered ten minutes late with makeup piled all over her face. She looked as if she had a mild hangover but still she looked pretty to Craig. She ran over and wrapped her arms around him and went in to kiss him but he turned away.
Manny sat down looking confused. "Craig, what's going on?" she said as if she knew that this was an impending thing.
"Manny, I care about you…a lot…but…I can't be with you. I'm sorry." he said looking her straight in the eye.
"I- I thought everything was great between us! I mean… I love you Craig. Don't you love me?" Manny said in a way which seemed too much rehearsed.
"Manny, you're great and pretty and nice and smart and any guy would be lucky to have you. But, I'm sorry… You and I… aren't meant to be." Craig said awkwardly.
"I… I knew this was coming! It's her! I know it… you fell in love with her!" Manny said as she stood up. She looked at him and mouthed for him to go to hell and she stamped out in a storm of anger and perfume.
He walked out of the dot and walked toward his garage. He needed some time to figure it all out. I mean, he didn't know how to tell her, the girl he loved, how he really felt.
When he entered the garage he saw Marco and Jimmy already there and ready to jam away.
"Dudes, what do you do if you fall in love with a girl you aren't supposed like that way?" he said looking frustrated.
"Oh god, Craig, you got yourself in MORE girl troubles? Wait, what about Manny?" Marco said in his usual tone of curiosity.
"Well, we aren't an item anymore. I broke it off because… well I fell in love with someone else." Craig replied.
"Aha, more drama with Miss Santos. Dude, give it up. You and Manny, always a bad idea!" Jimmy told him laughing. "And anyways, there are much hotter fish in the sea." he finished.
"And would this hot fish happen to have red hair and be my best friend?" Marco laughed jokingly.
"Hell, Ellie is one hot fish!" Jimmy said protectively.
"Wait, you like El?" Craig chimed in, confused.
"I asked her out last year but she turned me down. This summer, I'm Ashley's man" Jimmy said seriously.
"Oh…" Craig muttered to himself.
"Yeah but me and her are still good friends. Don't worry there isn't any conflict in the band. Since you're back, there won't be any conflict anyways, we have too much work" Jimmy said in a very matter-of-fact way.
"I hear the sounds of love in the air" Marco said.
"Yes I love Ashley" said Jimmy jokingly.
"More like the sound of Craig falling in love with my fish" Marco said smiling.
"I-i…" Craig muttered and looked at the ground. "Let's just get ready for practice" he said as he picked up his guitar.
Suddenly, Ellie comes though the door flabbergasted with an expression appropriate to having being hit with a rock in the face.
"El, is everything okay?" Marco said with a concerned look on his face.
"Marco, he's back!" Ellie said in a confused tone.
"What are you talking about Ellie? Come on, sit down, and relax. Tell me what happened" Marco said as he led her to the couch. He made he sit down and looked her straight in the eye. "Okay, explain to me what's wrong" he said calmly.
"It's Sean." She said slowly. "He's back!"