Chapter 7: Staring at the edge…

"And 5, 6, 7, 8" Manny and the girls ran through the routine flawlessly, finishing with Manny's dismount. After they were done everyone chatted excitedly except Hazel who was conspicuously stony.

"Hey, Manny" Hazel said walking over, "I'm really not cool with you taking over Paige's position on the team".

"Look around, Hazel. I can't take Paige's position if she isn't here for me to steal it". Besides, she's to busy with her after-school "study sessions" with Mr. O to notice"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on Hazel, don't play dumb with me. Paige told me all about her student/teacher trysts. I know you – you don't know, do you? Oops?"

"Paige is gonna fry me in a vat of oil and serve me for lunch" Manny said leaning against the restroom sinks.

"What have you done to Princess Paige now?" Emma said, joining her.

"Ok this is strictly between the two of us" Manny said checking the stalls to make sure they were empty. "No telling Spike and especially not Simpson".

"Okay tell me", Emma said trying to calm her agitated friend.

"Paige has been dating Mr. O"

"Mr. O as in Mr. Oleander? Our Media Immersion teacher?"

"There's only one Mr. O at this school. And I promised her I wouldn't say anything but I let it slip to Hazel. I just thought since Hazel's her best friend and like you're my best friend, I tell you everything. This certainly counts as best friend information and the only reason I knew was because I caught them so it's not like she confided in me or anything and—"

"Manny I get it. BFF. You thought she would've told Hazel or you wouldn't have said anything. I understand"

"You understand and I understand, but will Paige understand?"

"Hey Manny"

"Hey Craig" Manny said with a small smile. She was still worried about Paige and Hazel.

"You okay?" he asked concerned. Since their talk at Christmas time, Manny had been pretty friendly and lately he felt like their friendship was getting back on track. It was nice to have girls who were "friends". It helped to take the intensity out of their relationship and Craig was beginning to feel like it was possible for him and Manny to be close again.

"Yeah, just an off day. But I'm glad I saw you. I wanted to talk to you about something"

"Well is it important? I was about to meet up with Marco to help plan the blood drive next week"

"It'll just take a second". Manny pulled him into an empty classroom so they could have some privacy.

"Um, what are we doing in here, Manny?"

"I want you to talk to Spinner"

"No" Craig said turning to walk out the room.

"Wait!" Manny said grabbing his arm, "Aren't you even going to listen to why?"

"I don't care why you are under the false impression that talking to Spinner is anything other than dumb. No matter what you say I'm not going to talk to that heartless idiot".

"He's hurting Craig. Everyone has abandoned him. He feels terrible about what he did. Just let him know you don't hate him"

"That would be a lie" Craig said, stoically. He turned to leave once more.

"It's not like you've never made a mistake. Like you've never hurt someone" Manny called after him desperately.

Craig stopped short and looked at Manny dead on. "If you can equate me with Spinner, then you really don't know me Manny", he said, "Now I'm going to hang out with my real friends".

Manny's day had officially gone from bad to worse and at this point she felt like she was going to break. Just one more hour, she thought to herself. As she came around the corner she spotted Paige at the other end of the hall and attempted to steel herself against the forthcoming onslaught.

"Happy weekend Paige" Manny said semi-cheerfully. Paige didn't answer but instead through Manny a thoroughly disgusted look. You know what I'm tired of this, Manny thought. "Why thanks Manny" she said in a mocking voice "And thanks for taking my practice this morning"

"You want me to thank you?" Paige said, incredulously, "For what, dropping a dirty bomb on my life?"

"Practice went awesome without you and if you ask some of us, that wasn't a coincidence" Manny said, boldly.

"You told Hazel, when you swore that you wouldn't!" Paige said raising her voice.

"I thought she knew, okay? Chill."

"Don't use your outdated slang on me. I doubt that your mouth is even connected to your tiny, shriveled, boy obsessed brain"

Manny couldn't believe the words coming out of Paige's mouth. "I'm the dumb one?" Manny said pushing Paige. "Who still hasn't figured out not to chase older guys? A guy so out of her league, it's not funny"

"That's big words for a girl who picks up my leftovers" Paige said spitefully. She turned to walk away from Manny.

"Could you be more self obsessed? All you think about is your own butt, which probably does require a lot of thought, given that it's huge". Before she could truly think, Manny was lifting her foot and kicking Paige in her butt. Paige turned and slapped her. The two girls began to truly fight each one working out a year's worth of pent-up aggression.

Suddenly they were being pulled apart by Ms. Hatzilakos and Mr. Oleander. "Manny calm down!" said Mr. O as he held her tight.

Deeply enraged and hurt by Paige's comments, Manny couldn't help getting in one last remark. "Hey Mr. Pedophile - I mean Oleander", she said, calling attention to how tight Mr. O was holding her. "Don't make your girlfriend Paige even more jealous of me!"

"Manny, my office Monday!" yelled Ms. Hatzilakos. "Paige, Mr. Oleander, now! Alright everyone schools out. Go home, show's over. Now! I said now!" Manny didn't know whether to bask in the glow of finally getting one over on Paige or to cry. She never meant for it to go this far.

a week later

"So he kissed you?" Craig's therapist said with a tiny smile.

"It's not funny! And I'm not gay" Craig insisted.

"Clearly not. You have enough trouble with women. I'd hate to see you open up to a whole different group of hearts to break", his therapist said holding back laughter.

"I'm way past that now. I don't break hearts anymore".

"Well things have definitely been going well for you since you've been attending those teen group meetings with Ellie. And talking with Manny has helped, though I still recommend having a joint session".

"I just don't know how I would explain it to Ashley. She says she's okay with it but I don't think she is. Besides me and Manny got into an argument the other day".

"About what?"

"She compared me to Spinner"

"How so?"

"She wants me to talk to him. And when I said I wouldn't, she said I'd made mistakes too. And that I should understand because I'd been there"

"Do you think she's right?"

"I am NOT like Spinner. He pulled that horrible prank on Rick and then let Jimmy take the blame for it. He's been a jerk this entire year"

"Like you were last year?"

"I have not hurt anyone that bad. I am not responsible for anyone's death".

"Even your baby?"

"That's not my fault, it's … it's"

"Manny's fault?"

"It wasn't my decision. I didn't have a choice".

"Tell me Craig do you think you're nothing like Spinner? Or are you afraid you might be more like him than you want to admit?"

Author's Note: I had to include the Paige/Manny fight. It was one of the best moments this season. I hope this makes up for the lack of Cranny in the past two chapters. Hopefully, the next part comes this easy too. Oh and I have to give credit, I took the fight scene from the transcript http: