New Beginnings
**Chapter 1-New Year's Resolutions**
Author's note: Hey everybody!!!! Please keep in mind that this is a joint fanfic, meaning there are two authors writing this story, Ari and Lizzy. Please give props to BOTH authors!!! Thanks ahead of time. Oh, and we hope you like the story!!!
(Ashley and Ellie are going to the big New Year's bash at Craig's house. Joey and Caitlin are out for the weekend "rekindling" their relationship so Craig invites all his friends-and enemies-to the party. Ashley and Ellie are almost there, while the party is just beginning.)
"Ellie, I don't know why I let you talk me into this," Ashley said, shaking her short auburn brown hair. "You know how I feel after what happened before the break with Craig and everything. I never feel like seeing him ever again." Ellie's platform boots plopped into a puddle as she strode along the sidewalk beside Ashley.
"Ashley, don't sweat it. We're going to this party to have fun right? If that's what we planned, that's what we're going to do. Besides," Ellie said thoughtfully, breathing in the frosty late December air, "I'm the one who usually worries, remember? So just forget it."
"Alright, but you have to promise me you won't say anything about Craig, or .. Her." Ashley said, her voice tapering off.
"Oh, you mean that little. interesting grade 9 named Manny right? I don't recall."
"Ellie!!!! Stop it!! Just thinking about the little "love triangle" makes me cringe. And don't pretend that you don't know what-or who-I'm talking about," Ashley said, her cheeks flaming in the icy falling snow.
"Okay, okay, sorry about that. Anyways, we better walk faster, I have a feeling they're already starting to count down," Ellie said, glancing at her punk-metal clad watch.
"Yeah," Ashley said with a chuckle, "I can already see Spinner's spray- cheese smeared face."
"And Paige's dreamy smile at the sight of it." Ellie joked.
"Nice," Ashley said, gently punching Ellie in the arm.
Meanwhile at the party, everyone was enjoying themselves, except for a certain curly- haired boy named Craig.
"Manny, please talk to me. I promise you I'll dump her tonight. I love you. Not her. You," he said, tugging on her arm. She turned to face him.
"How do I know that you aren't lying to me, Craig?" She asked. "How do I know you're not back with Ashley again? You're so unreliable that I don't even know when to believe you're telling the truth," Manny hissed.
"Manny. I swear I'm not lying. If I don't dump Ash tonight, then you will never have to speak to me again. I promise."
"Craig, this is your last chance, okay? If you can't get it together tonight, then forget it."
Meanwhile, Ellie and Ash decided to grab some food at the Dot, knowing that it was open late because of tonight's' occasion. By the time they were done eating, they had about ten minutes to get to Craig's.
"We are on a serious time crunch," Ellie exclaimed. "We've got to go!" They made it to Craig's house with about five minutes to spare. When they stepped in, Ashley turned to see Craig. He had spotted her. He dashed over to her.
"Ash, we need to talk. Could you excuse us, Ellie?"
"Uh, sure." And she made her way over to the punch bowl.
"Ashley, things aren't working out between us. I'm sure you could tell, but these last few weeks haven't been as great as the rest of it has. I know you can feel it."
"I know, Craig. I just can't believe you would actually do that to me! I thought that you were caring and compassionate. I guess I was wrong."
"That isn't it Ash, it's just not as good as it could be, and I don't know why. I'm really sorry, but, it's over. I've found that I really cared for someone else all along, and I am just realizing it."
"Whatever, Craig." By this time, Ashley eyes were sparkling with tears. She stalked towards the punch bowl and grabbed Ellie. "Let's go Ellie. He only invited me to dump me."
"How 'bout I stay with you tonight?"
"Ok."
Craig was relieved that his ordeal was over. He was somewhat sad about what he had done, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to deal if Manny wasn't talking to him. He didn't know why, but, he couldn't get his mind off of her.
"Okay everyone, TEN SECONDS!!!" Spinner shouted, while grabbing Paige in a quick bear hug.
"TEN!!!! Everyone screamed. He had to find Manny. "NINE!!!!!" "EIGHT!!!!" "SEVEN!!!" "SIX!!!" "FIVE!!!" "FOUR!!"
"Manny! Craig shouted "Did you do it?"
"THREE!!!" TWO!!"
"Yeah! I did!" he exclaimed.
"ONE!!!"
Manny jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. At the same time, she gave him a sweet, tender, kiss.
"Happy New Year," she said breathlessly when they broke apart. And she lowered her head for another kiss.
Ashley scanned the room just before she left, amidst the partying and laughing. She quickly eyed Craig and Manny snuggled up in a distant corner, rolled her eyes furiously, and simpered out the door with a slam.
"Some New Year," she muttered to herself with Ellie close behind. Ellie's eyeshadow-dusted eyelids fluttered over to Ashley's mascara tear-covered face.
"Did you say something, Ashley," Ellie asked quietly.
"No.. nothing.. Just happy New Year, Ellie," Ashley sniffed. Ellie smiled softly, and from then on the only thing Ashley could hear was the distant pounding in her sore heart.
**Chapter 1-New Year's Resolutions**
Author's note: Hey everybody!!!! Please keep in mind that this is a joint fanfic, meaning there are two authors writing this story, Ari and Lizzy. Please give props to BOTH authors!!! Thanks ahead of time. Oh, and we hope you like the story!!!
(Ashley and Ellie are going to the big New Year's bash at Craig's house. Joey and Caitlin are out for the weekend "rekindling" their relationship so Craig invites all his friends-and enemies-to the party. Ashley and Ellie are almost there, while the party is just beginning.)
"Ellie, I don't know why I let you talk me into this," Ashley said, shaking her short auburn brown hair. "You know how I feel after what happened before the break with Craig and everything. I never feel like seeing him ever again." Ellie's platform boots plopped into a puddle as she strode along the sidewalk beside Ashley.
"Ashley, don't sweat it. We're going to this party to have fun right? If that's what we planned, that's what we're going to do. Besides," Ellie said thoughtfully, breathing in the frosty late December air, "I'm the one who usually worries, remember? So just forget it."
"Alright, but you have to promise me you won't say anything about Craig, or .. Her." Ashley said, her voice tapering off.
"Oh, you mean that little. interesting grade 9 named Manny right? I don't recall."
"Ellie!!!! Stop it!! Just thinking about the little "love triangle" makes me cringe. And don't pretend that you don't know what-or who-I'm talking about," Ashley said, her cheeks flaming in the icy falling snow.
"Okay, okay, sorry about that. Anyways, we better walk faster, I have a feeling they're already starting to count down," Ellie said, glancing at her punk-metal clad watch.
"Yeah," Ashley said with a chuckle, "I can already see Spinner's spray- cheese smeared face."
"And Paige's dreamy smile at the sight of it." Ellie joked.
"Nice," Ashley said, gently punching Ellie in the arm.
Meanwhile at the party, everyone was enjoying themselves, except for a certain curly- haired boy named Craig.
"Manny, please talk to me. I promise you I'll dump her tonight. I love you. Not her. You," he said, tugging on her arm. She turned to face him.
"How do I know that you aren't lying to me, Craig?" She asked. "How do I know you're not back with Ashley again? You're so unreliable that I don't even know when to believe you're telling the truth," Manny hissed.
"Manny. I swear I'm not lying. If I don't dump Ash tonight, then you will never have to speak to me again. I promise."
"Craig, this is your last chance, okay? If you can't get it together tonight, then forget it."
Meanwhile, Ellie and Ash decided to grab some food at the Dot, knowing that it was open late because of tonight's' occasion. By the time they were done eating, they had about ten minutes to get to Craig's.
"We are on a serious time crunch," Ellie exclaimed. "We've got to go!" They made it to Craig's house with about five minutes to spare. When they stepped in, Ashley turned to see Craig. He had spotted her. He dashed over to her.
"Ash, we need to talk. Could you excuse us, Ellie?"
"Uh, sure." And she made her way over to the punch bowl.
"Ashley, things aren't working out between us. I'm sure you could tell, but these last few weeks haven't been as great as the rest of it has. I know you can feel it."
"I know, Craig. I just can't believe you would actually do that to me! I thought that you were caring and compassionate. I guess I was wrong."
"That isn't it Ash, it's just not as good as it could be, and I don't know why. I'm really sorry, but, it's over. I've found that I really cared for someone else all along, and I am just realizing it."
"Whatever, Craig." By this time, Ashley eyes were sparkling with tears. She stalked towards the punch bowl and grabbed Ellie. "Let's go Ellie. He only invited me to dump me."
"How 'bout I stay with you tonight?"
"Ok."
Craig was relieved that his ordeal was over. He was somewhat sad about what he had done, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to deal if Manny wasn't talking to him. He didn't know why, but, he couldn't get his mind off of her.
"Okay everyone, TEN SECONDS!!!" Spinner shouted, while grabbing Paige in a quick bear hug.
"TEN!!!! Everyone screamed. He had to find Manny. "NINE!!!!!" "EIGHT!!!!" "SEVEN!!!" "SIX!!!" "FIVE!!!" "FOUR!!"
"Manny! Craig shouted "Did you do it?"
"THREE!!!" TWO!!"
"Yeah! I did!" he exclaimed.
"ONE!!!"
Manny jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. At the same time, she gave him a sweet, tender, kiss.
"Happy New Year," she said breathlessly when they broke apart. And she lowered her head for another kiss.
Ashley scanned the room just before she left, amidst the partying and laughing. She quickly eyed Craig and Manny snuggled up in a distant corner, rolled her eyes furiously, and simpered out the door with a slam.
"Some New Year," she muttered to herself with Ellie close behind. Ellie's eyeshadow-dusted eyelids fluttered over to Ashley's mascara tear-covered face.
"Did you say something, Ashley," Ellie asked quietly.
"No.. nothing.. Just happy New Year, Ellie," Ashley sniffed. Ellie smiled softly, and from then on the only thing Ashley could hear was the distant pounding in her sore heart.