"Raditch is leaving?" Manny asked, pushing through the students to get to Liberty, her brother Danny and Jt.
JT nodded, "yup, little Raditch is sad he wasn't able to stop bad boy Ricky from doing what he did."
"There was no signs." Manny said, agreeing.
Liberty turned to the, "No signs? He was bullied every day. Even you wouldn't be nice to him Manny."
"I stayed out of his way, I never said a thing to him Liberty." Manny fought back and sighed, this wasn't getting them anywhere.
And most of all, their friends needed them.
"Toby is never around anymore, and Emma is starting to scare me." Manny confirms.
Jt snickered, "Toby's probably busy visiting his 'friends' grave." He shook his head with Danny and stopped when Manny dug daggers at him.
"He needed to hangout with SOMEONE since someone ditched him for Webster here." Manny said, tossing a glare at Danny and back to JT.
Jt clenched his jaw and looked away from her.
Manny shook her head at him, "Clearly your still not the BIG man." She raised an eyebrow at JT, reminding him of their summer fling when she caught him with a penis pump, so that hit him where it hurt.
Manny flipped her hair and walked off as Raditch began announcing Mrs.H as principle.
As Manny walked down the hall she saw Jay Hogart. The words that came from Emma when she finally confessed what happened between her and Sean, came into her head as she walked closer to him.
"He was there every day of the summer and I don't know.. I got curious and curiouser about him. He was still the smart ass he is but I did see it, he was softening up to me, and I thought, I don't know, maybe even more then he did with Alex? And we kissed, a-and then I got too close, I actually was ready to give myself to him and I'm not like that Manny." Emma cried, "And he rejected me, only now he's saying he meant he wasn't ready, which makes sense now because it was crazy I threw myself at him so soon but I just.. fell for him. I fell for Jay Hogart... and now he hates me because... he said he 'loved' me, loved is past tense... and, and because I slept with Sean."
Manny decided to stop, Jay was talking to Amy. Really? After he broke the girls heart he 'loved', he's already slut Amy drop all over him?
"Jay?" Manny asked, stopping infront of them, arms crossed.
Amy looked over first and eyed her up. Oh no she didn't!
Jay narrowed his eyes, "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, you can." Manny bittered back and he sighed, looking at Amy, hinting to leave.
Amy bit her tounge and glared at Manny once more before putting her hand on Jay's chest, "See you later." It was like a promise.
Manny watched her go in disgust and looked at Jay, "Moving on quick huh Hogart?"
Jay rolled his eyes, "Alex isn't much to get over." He muttered and looked around the hallway boredly.
"I meant Emma."
Jay's eyes snapped back to Manny and stood up a bit straighter, leaning off his locker.
"Yeah, she told me. Actually I had to beat it out of her since she was too hurt to talk about it." Manny said and put her hands on her hips, "I'm shocked she ever gave a guy like you a chance, and the way you hurt her? You never deserved the chance."
"She slept with Cameron!" Jay whispered harshly, getting into Manny's face and then coughed awkwardly looking around to see if anyone saw his outburst. He swallowed hard.
Manny shook her head at him, "You didn't even fight for her? Girl just got a gun pointed in her face and the guy she fell for rejected her.. right after, I hear, she told this guy about the last rejection she got from some asshole who just wanted a simple lay during summer break."
"Stop talking like you think you know everything." Bittered Jay.
"I do!" Manny yelled at him, "I understand perfectly you got someone amazing, ruined it, lost it, tried to get it back at the wrong time, and won't forgive her for a stupid mistake. Sean was THERE when she needed somebody and her head wasn't on straight. Would yours be after being part of Ricks madness?"
Jay wasn't looking at her anymore.
The school bell rang and Manny sighed, walking off when she saw Spinner down the hall. She's been hanging out with him lately, just having fun and stuff.
What? He wasn't with Paige anymore and everything in Degrassi was changing so might as well be same ol' Manny!
Jay snuck a glance back Manny's way, thinking harder about Emma even more than he just was before she came over.
The next day, Emma groaned, no more skipping school, she wasn't Jay Hogart!
Emma stopped herself when she went to get out of her bed and groaned again when that went through her head. Way to remind yourself.
She pulled herself into the shower.
On her way outside her neighbour was also coming and smiled, "Emmaleeen." He practically sang. This was Chester, he was new. He and his parents came over a night before the shooting, he had other brothers too, they were all a handful.
Emma sighed but gave him a playful 'what do you want' look, then smiled small.
He opened his passanger door and pointed inside, "You want a ride?" he asked. Emma shrugged, why not?
She walked across the street and over to him. He closed the door behind her and got inside himself.
Emma still must of been 100 miles away because she didn't even notice the orange civic on her side of the street, parked on the side and Jay watching her get into Chesters car.
When they got to school Emma pulled his bag over her shoulder and called over to Chester, "Thanks for the ride."
He was about to nod and go before Manny came over, "Hey Em, Chester."
Chester smiled and eyed Manny up. Emma rolled her eyes but smiled, oh Manny and the boys. At least she never changed.
"Manny!" called a voice and Marco came running over to her out of nowhere.
Manny groaned giving Emma a look, "I don't want to do this dance thing Marco." She pleaded.
"Dance?" Chester asked and she nodded at him.
Marco huffed, "We have to do something Manny, this school is begging for some fun after that shooting." He stopped himself and blinked, looking at Emma.
Emma awkwardly looked away.
Marco opened his mouth and mentally kicked himself, "Emma I'm so-"
"It's okay." Emma said with a sad smile and shrug.
Chester eyed Emma, she was a part of that?
Emma got distracted as she saw that famous orange civic pass. Oh so now you see it. Jay parked from across and she noticed Spinner and Towerz walking over to it immediately.
"We have to come up with a theme." Marco spoke but Emma was really listening. Jay had pulled himself out of his car, sunglasses on and his friends greeting him.
"What about a match maker theme?" Chester pitched in.
Manny eyed him, "Huh?"
"You know.. let the computer match up students, and they have to go even if they don't know another or like another. It's fun, unpredictable." Chester declared.
Marco raised an eyebrow and looked to Manny, "That's actually genius!" he yelled. Emma blinked and came back to earth, looking at them.
"Chester, you saved us!" Manny exclaimed with a laugh and hugged the boy.
Emma raised an eyebrow, wasn't she having a thing with Spinner?
Over by the civic, both Jay and Spinner were eyeing the scene...and this stupid new kid, Chester.
"Who the hell is he?" Spinner asked Jay.
Jay just shook his head, and looked away.
"Ok, so, just click there." Chester directed Manny later in class, "And there you got it, just make an announcement to go on the Degrassi Forum and take it's test. It'll match people itself... but.. if you wanted?"
Chester leaned by the computer and Manny watched him at the corner of her eye, smiling a little as he showed her click on his picture and hers, "You can edit the people and put them together, since you run the site."
Now, him and Manny were paired for the dance.
Spinner came in the door way and saw Chester looking at Manny who was smiling at him, he clenched his jaw.
"Manny." He said and the brunette looked over.
"Oh, Spin!" Manny got up and put her hand on Chesters shoulder, "see you later Chester, thanks for the help!"
Chester nodded and caught Spinner's glare as he left with Manny.
"What the hell Manny?" Spinner snapped at Manny, "Your really making me look like an idiot."
"What are you talking about?" Manny snapped, noticing Emma walking down the hall towards them and waved her over.
"Meaning flirting with other guys when your MY girl friend." Spinner snapped and stopped at Jay's locker where Jay stood and put on his hat, glancing at the scene.
Manny stopped when he said that, just in time for Emma to meet up with her.
"Girl friend?" Manny asked and shook her head at Spinner, "I thought we were just having fun?" Spinners mouth hung.
Even Jay and Emma didn't open their mouths, wow, awkward.
"Yeah... lots of fun." Spinner said giving 'what's the big deal' kind of look, "So why not be girl friend, boy friend?"
Manny shut her eyes trying to understand this and shook her head frantically, "I can't do this right now." She grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her.
Jay snuck a glance watching Emma being dragged away and out the Degrassi doors.
"What the hell do I do!" exclaimed Spinner looking at Jay.
Jay shrugged, "How am I suppose to know?" he slammed his locker shut and then noticed Spinner looking antsy, upset. Jay huffed, "You really like her?" he asked and Spinner nodded, "Fight for her."
Spinner then smiled and nodding, punching Jay's shoulder and jogged off.
Jay looked around the hall and then noticed couples flirting, Spinner was running after Manny, and even Sean was talking to Ellie again.
Fight for her. It ran through Jay's mind.
He then walked quickly out of Degrassi, but before he hit the doors he slammed into Sean.
Sean looked up to glare to then blink and coughed, "Jay."
Ellie stood beside him and looked between the two, Jay hadn't really been around lately.
"so what's this?" Jay taunts Sean, glancing at Ellie, "Going back to her when Emma won't take you back, huh?"
"What is he talking about?" the red head asked, crossing her arms and looking at Sean.
Sean snickered and shrugged at Ellie, "I don't know what he's fucking talking about." He glared up at Jay.
"Sure you do. He slept with Emma the other week." Jay shot back, raising an eyebrow at Sean, "What? You can tell Emma about the fire and the lap top without me, and then sleep with her after I finally tell you the truth about what I feel for her... but I can't tell Ellie you slept with Emma?"
"You fucking-" Ellie spat at Sean and shoved him back.
Sean walked back to her and desperately explained, "It was after the shooting we were both acting out, El!"
"After the shooting? Nash, he dumped your ass for her a month ago to try to win her back." Jay told Ellie who shook her head, putting her hands on her head.
"Dumped? We never broke up!" Ellie yelled and pointed at Sean, "I just moved in with him!"
"What?" Jay asked and blinked.
Oh wow.
Sean never broke up with Ellie, since when was he such a liar?
"Well aren't you in deep shit." Jay said with a grin. Karma. Maybe it was real. Finally Sean was getting in shit with no slap on the wrist this time.
"We're over! Don't talk to me, don't LOOK at me and don't even BREATH IN MY DIRECTION!" Ellie shouted at Sean so loud everyone was turning to watch the scene.
She even spat in his face and stormed off.
Sean whiped his face with his sleeve and blinked, a bit in shock.
Jay smirked and just nodded, happy. He then went back to leaving, walking out of the school with plans of getting Emma back on his mind.
"does this look good?" Manny asked Emma that weekend. The girls were shopping in the mall and stopped in the store of 'Allys Dresses'. Manny came out wearing a short purple tutu dress.
Even Emma cringed.
Manny scoffed and whined, "I can't find anything!"
"That black dress out there was nice." Emma insisted.
Manny just leaned on the wall and shut her eyes.
"Maybe your just not in the mood for it right now." Emma said with a shrug.
Manny opened her eyes giving Emma a look, "When am I never in the mood to shop?"
"When you have a certain Spinner on your mind."
"Take that back!" Manny warned, raising her finger at Emma.
Emma innocently smiled, "Maybe you like him more than you think."
"I..." Manny drifts off and sadly looked away, "Can't. Not with the whole Craig thing... and after last year."
"Why can't you?" Emma asked.
"So black dress?" Manny changed the subject after Emma asked her that one tough question she's been running from.
Emma just nodded, and then Manny eyed her, "What?"
"Did you do the match maker test yet for the dance?"
"I didn't do it yet."
"Em! You can get stuck with the last person! Or another person who didn't do it which leaves like... retarded randy or.. some careless guy! Who probably smells."
"Then I just won't go.. wasn't planning on it anyways." With that, Emma stormed out of the changeroom.
Manny changed and then quickly walked out of the store to stop when seeing Emma just leaning on the wall outside of it.
Manny took a sad breath, "Come on, lets go stuff our faces with ice cream" she pulled her toward the food court.