School was finally out for the weekend with the sound of the final bell on Friday afternoon. Emma saw Manny walking down the hall ahead of her. She briskly walked up and linked arms with her.

"What are you doing tonight?" Emma asked, feeling a little giddy.

"Well, I was thinking about doing something with Darcy." Manny answered honestly.

"Wouldn't you rather go to a house party with me?"

"Oooo! A party! Whose house?"

Emma expected a less excited reaction as she answered, "Jay's."

Manny instantly deflated. "Oh Emma, I don't know…"

"Please, Manny? I need you! Jay really wants me to go but I need my best friend there. I just don't want to go alone." She pouted her lower lip out.

"Alright, I guess I can go with you. I do love to party."

Emma returned her lip to its natural position and grinned from ear to ear. "Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She hugged Manny then backed away. "Okay, so, meet me at my house at 6:30, and if you want, tell your parents you're staying over for the night again."

"Okay, bye Em. I'm gonna go home and get ready!"

*6:15 in Emma's room*

Emma was pacing around the room waiting for Manny to come and help her finish her look. She was wearing low-rise black pants, a white tank top, and a long sleeved, black, shrug that tied in the front just below the bust-line. Her hair was down and straight and her make-up was conservative and natural-looking. If anyone knew how to kick her look up a little, it was Manny.

*6:32*

"Manny! Thank goodness you're here!" Emma exclaimed, frantically. "I need you to make me look so irresistible that Jay won't want to look at any other girl but me."

Manny was thrilled with the request to makeover her best friend. "Okay, let's start with your outfit." She rummaged through Emma's stuff. "Here, put this on." She handed Emma a silver, glittered, belt. "Now, your makeup. You need a little more edge to it." She gave Emma some black eyeliner, peach colored eye-shadow that had some sparkle to it, darkened her blush a bit, and topped it off with a dark peach lip gloss. "Now for your hair."

"You are having way too much fun with this." Emma observed.

Manny smiled. "Hey, I'm just doing what you asked. When I get done, Jay won't be able to take his eyes off of you. Now, your hair." She gave Emma a couple of soft curls on the top layer of her hair. "There. You look totally hot!...Wait! Put these on!" She handed Emma some plain, black, boots with pointy heels. "Ok, now, I'm done. It's still very you with just a little something extra."

"I love it, Manny! Thank you so much! I just hope Jay likes how I look."

"How could he not?" Manny looked down at her watch. "Um, what time did Jay say to be there?"

"7:30, why?" Emma asked while still checking herself out in the mirror.

"Because it's 7:45…"

"Oh! We better go!" Emma decided, anxiously.

They left the house and started walking to Jay's.

"How do you even know where Jay's house is?" Manny wondered if any of her friend's strange encounters with Jay had ended up at his place.

"Sean took me there a few times. It's only like ten minutes from mine on foot. There's a short cut, through the woods, behind my house, that only takes five minutes, but since it's dark, we'll take the longer way around." Emma answered and Manny was silently relieved. It was easier for her, somehow, to continue thinking that the ravine was as far as things ever went with the supposedly 'old Jay' and her bff.

*8:00*

Emma pointed to a house with loud music coming from it. "See, even if I didn't know where Jay's house was, we could've just followed the party sounds."

Manny and Emma walked up to Jay's house; the door was open so they walked right in. Jay was standing off to the side constantly watching the entrance. He walked over when he saw Manny and Emma come in.

"I was beginning to think you weren't gonna show." Jay admitted.

Emma smiled, innocently. "Haven't you ever heard of being fashionably late?"

Jay studied her for a moment. "Yeah well, if that's why you're late, then I don't mind, because you look amazing."

By this point, Manny, had already wandered off in the direction of a cute guy.

"So…can I get you a drink?" Jay asked Emma.

"Do you have anything other than beer?"

"Let's go find out." He walked her to the kitchen. "Water? Soda?"

"Water's fine, thanks."

Jay handed Emma a bottle of water and grabbed another beer for himself.

"You wanna get out of here?" he asked abruptly.

Emma was a bit shocked by the request. "But, this is your party!"

"I know. Just come outside with me."

"What about Manny?" Emma did not want to leave Manny alone at a party she had dragged her to in the first place.

Jay looked over at Manny who was talking to some guy on the couch. "She looks fine to me."

Emma finally caved. "Okay, but just for a little while."

They walked outside and sat on Jay's front steps.

"You look really beautiful tonight." Jay said, letting his vulnerability show.

"Beautiful enough to distract you from all the other girls here?" Emma pushed.

"There are other girls here?" he asked, feigning oblivion.

Emma rolled her eyes.

Jay chuckled. "Okay, but seriously, you don't have to change your look for me."

"I didn't. I just spiced it up a little." Emma defended.

He nodded. "Right. Well, I like it, but you didn't have to. You always take my breath away."

Emma smiled. Jay pulled her closer to him and put his arm around her waist. Emma looked up at Jay. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment and then they kissed. It was long and passionate, just like the one the day before at the Dot. They both pulled away after a while and continued to talk while remaining in each other's arms until…

"Emma! I've been looking all over for you! It's 11:55; you told your mom we would be back by 12!" Manny anxiously reminded her best friend.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, Jay, I gotta go! Maybe I could come over tomorrow?" Emma asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, okay." Jay tried to reign in some of his eagerness. "Call me."

As Emma was being pulled down the street by Manny, she yelled, "I will!"