A/N: Okay. First off I want to give thanks to the people who took the time to write me reviews. They help me so much in telling me what I am doing right and wrong, so that I can writes these chapters faster.

Second, the reason I have been getting these chapters out so quickly is because I already had them written out for the most part for a while now. Future chapters might be a little slower, but now that my schedule is freeing up a little bit I can get some more time to sit at my computer. As I have send in past stories, I do tend to procrastinate a bit, but I really like where I am going with this story, so that should help some. Also, I highly doubt that I am just going to drop this story like I have with a couple others. I have a definite ending, I have the big events mapped out, and I have a lot of little story line ideas as well. My other stories I just sort of came up with at the top of my head and started writing.

So, just remember to be patient when waiting for updates and know that I haven't forgot about it.

Chapter Three

Monkey on your back pt 1

Ellie had spent her whole day rehearsing lines through her head over and aver again, trying to find the perfect combination of words that end with 'I am pregnant'. At first she thought that it might be a little easier now that she had a some practice, but this was in no way like telling Marco. Being a writer, it was aggravating to be at a loss of what to say. Everything that came out of her mouth either sounded too abrupt or too controlling. Ellie figured that she was probably going to need to get someone's help on this because she was driving herself insane.

For a second she thought about asking for Manny for help. She had been in this situation before, and she also had to go through telling Craig about it. It actually seemed sort of tempting, but then she cam to her senses and decided that it wouldn't be a good idea at all since the two of them weren't exactly friends. A conversation between them would probably go worse then the one she was supposed to be having with Craig.

"So, did you get ahold of Joey?" Ellie asked Marco as she met up with him at his locker.

"Yes, and he said that he would be able to keep Craig busy with something while we set up his party in the garage."

Ellie let out a breath, not sure if it was out of relief or keeping herself distracted from realizing that it was just one step closer to where she dreaded going. "Good, that's good. Remember that I need help lifting that big old drum set to his place."

"Don't worry, I am not leaving you with all the heavy lifting in your condition." Marco opened his locker and shoved a few books into his backpack before returning his attention to Ellie. "So how are you planning on telling him?"

"One of my latest idea s was to tell him in a suicide note, but then I figured that since I would be dead there would be no point in him knowing, would there?" she mused sarcastically. "Or I could not tell Craig at all and say that I have just put on some extra weight."

Marco went and started walking for the exit of the school with Ellie trailing behind. "Craig isn't the brightest bulb in the tanning booth and yet I think that he wouldn't be fooled by that one." He watched as she sighed deeply and said "So, you have nothing?"

"Nope. For the first time not a word in my head sounds at all right." They had made their way outside and Ellie squinted as the bright sun burned her eyes. "God, the mixture of the heat, my condition, and my nerves are all making me feel like I am going to be sick."

"Then why don't we get you back home and you can lie down for a half an hour or something."

"But I need to stop at the party supplies shop."

"I can do it. You just need to go and take care of yourself."

"Thanks Marco." She squeezed his his arm lightly and rested her head on his shoulder for a short second. "I am really glad that you are back."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Craig really didn't feel that different now that he was eighteen today. Everyone keeps saying how big of a milestone it is and acted as if he should feel some big magical energy change that proved he was now an adult. He felt no such change. Heck, the slaps on the back and congratulations he got all day just served as a reminder when he couldn't even remember the date. And just like any other day, as soon as he came home, he went straight for the garage only to pick up his guitar and started jamming.

The only thing that could truly make this day any different was the conversation he was supposed to have with Ellie tonight. To be honest he was really nervous about where it was going to go. For the past month he had tried thinking about their night together, but to him it just seemed like a big bag of confused feelings, feelings that were difficult to sort out. As he looked back he remembered wanting her when they were alone together in her basement, yet all that time that they had hung out together he thought that the strong bond they developed was strictly platonic. He didn't have any feelings for her. He couldn't because he was already madly in love with Ashley, his girlfriend. It was just one drunken night that kicked their teenaged hormonal tendencies into overdrive and left them both sweaty and guilty.

He kept convincing himself of all of that, but there was just one little voice in the back of his head that constantly fed him the idea that maybe he was purposely holding himself and his feelings back because of...

"Hey Craig." He heard a female voice speak over his music and he spun around to see the very opposite person of to whom he was expecting.

"Ashley?" He said stunned until he finally lifted the guitar strap over his head and set the instrument on the ground. "I can't believe you're back!" he was surprised at how much he had to force the excitement into his voice, but wasn't paralyzed by it for he ran up and gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the lips.

"Hi, yeah I am back, but not for long." She replied awkwardly without returning any of his 'good to see you' gestures of affection and pulled herself away from his embrace.

"What do you mean, 'Not for long'?" He said as his face contorted in bemusement.

"Look, can we talk for a minute?"

"About what?" Craig suddenly grew worried that somehow Ashley had found out what he had done. She was just so serious without showing much happiness to see him and he could only think to one thing that could cause that.

Suddenly he was distracted when he saw Joey appear from behind Ashley. "Hey, Craig? Can you come in here and-" Joey started but was then taken aback upon seeing her stand there next to him. "Why if it isn't good ol' Ashley Kerwin! Sorry to break up the reunion, you two. When did you get back?" He said cheerily.

"Just a few hours ago actually." She said. "I didn't even really get a chance to tell anybody yet."

"Well, what a nice birthday surprise for you, Craig! That's really great that you could make it back in time.:

"Yeah, great." She said as believable as she could, but the false look in her eye told him that she had completely forgotten that it was his birthday.

Joey smiled up at Craig again and said "Okay, so after you two catch up can you come in and help me with a few things in the house?"

"Yeah, I won't be long."

"Thanks, man." And with that said he went back into the house leaving Ashley to walk fully into the garage and shut the door behind her.

"So, how was London?" Craig asked as he went to turn off his amp and neatly set his guitar back on it's stand.

"Great, really great. Amazing actually." He could hear the nervousness in her voice begin to build up.

"That's good to hear. I am glad that you enjoyed yourself there so much."

"I did, so much. And how have you been?"

With the look she gave him he knew exactly what she was referring to. She was fishing to know about any crazy Craig episodes he might have had over the summer. The only thing that he could think was that whatever she wanted to talk about had to be bad if she was worried that he was going to flip out on her. "Good. I've been taking my meds on a regular basis and going to group therapy every week. Haven't really had any freak outs since the whole running away thing."

"Good. It's good that you are taking care of yourself."

"Okay, now that we both know that each other's summers were good, why don't you tell me what this whole 'Not for long' thing is about?" He didn't want to delay it any longer. He wanted to know right away what this was about and if he needed to go on his hands and knees with the huge apology or not. Craig knew that it had to be bad, no matter what it was, but he just didn't know if he could take it.

"I am going back to London to stay." Ashley sat down on the old couch in the middle of the room and looked at her hands wringing together. "I don't know how to tell you this, but I kind of... met someone."

"So that's what it was? You met someone?" His voice raised in shock. "What kind of someone?"

"His name is Allistor. I met him at my internship and I am going back there to be with him."

"I can't believe this! I knew that this would happen. I kept saying how you were going to fall for the first guy you see with a British accent and then dump me!" He slunked down into the opposite side of the couch as her with his palms digging into his head.

"Craig, I don't mean to dump you. It's just that things with us are so complicated and with Ali it isn't. I am really happy."

"I bet you're happy. How could you not be with such a simple minded boyfriend instead of an unstable and all around psycho Craig?"

"Come on, you know that isn't it at all!" She snapped back at him, but he just gave her a pressing stare that forced her to come clean with what she was really feeling. "Okay, maybe it was part of it. But I never called you a psycho!"

"Oh, well that is just so comforting." Craig got back up again and headed for the other side of the room and stared in the opposite direction. "Craig isn't crazy. You're just trading me in for somebody who doesn't have those nasty bi-polar episodes."

"No! You don't get it. All I am saying is that I don't think that I can be a good girlfriend to you. I can hardly take care of myself, let alone you!"

"Why do you always insist that I need to be taken care of!" He yelled. "I am better! Ask anyone! Joey, Angie, Jimmy, Ellie... even." The last name he mentioned Craig was surprised he let slip out. There was just something that hit him as he spoke her name out loud to Ashley that made him feel so criminal and deceitful. He felt like during this whole argument he wasn't the victim he was playing as. Once this thought occurred to him he turned around to look at her again and calmed down into a normal talking voice. "Even she can tell you that I am better."

"And I believe you, but I think that with you and I...our personalities just clash too much. It's too overwhelming, and intense, and we are both just so destructive when it comes to us being together. I really don't think that I can spend forever living like this."

Craig closed his eyes tightly, struggling with what he should say. He wanted to be close minded and stubborn and say that she was wrong, but he just couldn't do it anymore. This was just yet another argument and it was really getting to the point where it wasn't worth the struggle anymore. There is that saying that you have to take the good with the bad, but what happens when the bad greatly outweighs the good? "M-Maybe you right." He finally got himself to agree. "We never balanced each other out well."

Ashley stood up from the couch and walked over to him. "It's good that you see it that way. I am sorry for doing this to you on your birthday." She said before attempting to bring him into a hug. After a second of stiffening up Craig gave in to the awkward and brief embrace. "And know that I never intended on leaving for London and finding someone else. I wanted to come back and be with you, but things just happened that got me thinking. I still love you though. I probably always will."

"You too." He replied half heartedly. With the mood that he was currently in, he thought that it would be better if he tried not to show too much emotion at the moment. He thought that if he did he would get carried away and say something that he would definitely regret.

"Well, I should probably go. I have to have dinner with my family and then pack up the rest of the stuff that's in my room." She said, unsure if it was alright if she left just yet.

"Sure...yeah- I mean go ahead. I can imagine that you are really busy." Craig said before he turned back in the opposite direction and picked up his guitar again.

"So, are we okay?" Ashley tried to raise her voice over the music that was now being played.

He didn't bother to look back at her again when he said "We're fine. I'll talk to you sometime."

"Alright." She muttered, mainly just to herself, and took a moment before she could get the courage to head for the door and leave.

Ashley took a deep and sorrowful sigh as she walked out of his garage. She had almost felt a tear begin to well up in the corner of her eye, but she didn't allow herself to let it fall because she knew that all of this was for the best. I was just that even though being with Craig wasn't what she wanted anymore and she found someone that could really make her happy, Ashley couldn't help but reflect on how much he meant to her. He was a huge part of her life and a vast source of her inspiration. It was just so hard to give it up.

*~*~*~*~*

A/N:

Part two should be another week or two. Like I said, I haven't written it yet, but I will start on it tonight. Reviews are much appreciated!