Craig stretched his arms over his head, and glanced out the window. He frowned and scratched the back oh his head, wondering where Roxie was. She had said she was going to her house to get a few things, but that had been forever ago. Craig knew they had gotten into a fight, but he had at least expected her to come back to his house, figuring that's how Roxie was. She was totally the type to get pissed and storm off, and then return an hour later, batting her eyelashes and pretending like nothing was wrong. Craig winced, thinking about how he had basically called her a "slut". He was an idiot.  Craig shook his head in amazement as he realized how down-hill everything was going. Manny was cheating on him, and Roxie had hooked up with one of his best friends.

Craig had realized something when Roxie had shown up to his house the previous day, bruised and battered. He cared about her- a lot. There was something about her that just made him want to be around her, and Craig wondered if she felt it, too. Since last year, Craig had assumed that he either had to be with Ashley, Manny, or alone. But now he realized that wasn't true.

The phone rang, and Craig stood up and glanced at Angie, who was engrossed in a children's show with multi colored giant bears. Craig picked it up, thinking it was Roxie.  

"Hello?"

"Craig. I need you help." It didn't sound like Roxie…it sounded like Emma. Craig tried to mask his disappointment.

"What's up?"

"Look, I can't talk for long, because I'm in major trouble with my parents, but…Manny called me awhile ago. She sounded really upset, and she asked if she could come over. I told her she couldn't, so she said she was going to Groove. I'm worried about what she might do- she sounded like she was crying," Emma paused and took a breath. "You have to find her. I can't leave. Please, Craig."

Craig nodded slowly. "You want me to find her?"

"I'm worried."

Craig nodded, stood up, and grabbed his jacket. "Don't worry. I'm on it."

"Thanks, Craig." The phone went dead.

    Ellie and Paige walked up to Ashley's house for the second time, and Paige shook her head and Ellie knocked on the door.

"This isn't going to work," Paige said, straightening her pink t-shirt and flicking a lock of blonde hair out of her eyes. "She hasn't talked to us all week. Why do you think it's going to work now?"

"She can't avoid us in her house, Paige," Ellie said reasonably. She didn't exactly love hanging out with Paige, but they had finally come together to help their friend. "We have to try to talk to her again. And this time, we are not leaving."

Just then, Toby pulled open the door. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked curtly.

"It's great to see you too, Toby. We came to talk to Ashley. Is she around?" Paige asked.

Toby looked thoughtful for a minute, and then shrugged. "My parents went out to a play, but I don't think she went with them. I haven't seen her, but I bet she's up in her room, playing some sad song on her keyboard. You can go up."

Ellie and Paige stepped inside, and Toby disappeared into the living room, where J.T and him were playing video games. J.T stood up quickly when he spotted Paige and put on a large grin.

"Paige! I wasn't expecting you. Let me guess- you heard I was here, and you couldn't resist yourself?" he joked.

Paige rolled her eyes at Ellie. "J.T, I'd rather mate with a cow than be with you."

J.T winced. "I can be a cow. I can be a cow!" he called, as Paige and Ellie began up the staircase.

 They walked up slowly up the stairs, arguing over what exactly should be said. When they came to her door, Ellie knocked lightly. There was no answer. Paige frowned at Ellie.

"Maybe she's not home," Paige whispered. Ellie shook her head and opened the door, glancing around. The room was empty. Ellie sighed and pushed open the door.

"You're right. Well, that was point-"Ellie was saying, but suddenly she spotted Paige staring at something in horror. Ellie looked into the bathroom that they had added to Ashley's room, and the door was open. Ellie felt sick. Slumped down against the sink was Ashley, unconscious and her arms were covered in blood.

"Oh, my god," Paige said quietly. "Ellie, call an ambulance." Ellie hurried and grabbed the phone, while Paige stepped cautiously toward her lifeless friend….

   Manny stumbled through the club, everything spinning around in front of her. She was sweating, and her breathing was quick and shallow. She shoved past a few people, looking for an exit. She was so hot….Manny stumbled as she neared an exit in the back. She had decided to leave, or at least get some air, after Sully had tried to kiss her. Manny had pushed him off and left, feeling horrible. She hurried toward it as fast as her legs would let her.

Manny pushed open the door to a small ally that led to the street. She could see people in the distance entering the club, but Manny was suddenly dizzy and couldn't focus.

The next thing she knew, the hard, cold pavement was coming toward her face, and everything went black…

     Craig neared the Groove, silently cursing the fact that he didn't have a car. He could have gotten there so much faster. As Craig came closer to the club, he began to wonder what he was even doing here. So he was supposed to go in there, find Manny, and then what? She was probably going to be dancing with some guy, and she would probably laugh in his face. Wasn't Craig supposed to be mad at Manny, anyway? He shook his head. When Emma had called, he had just instinctively got up and left to find Manny. He was worried about her, period.

Craig joined the crowd waiting to get into the popular hangout, and glanced around. He was standing in line in front of a muggy, dark ally next to the club. He glanced over briefly, and then looked back suddenly. Someone was lying on the ground in the ally. And it didn't look good to Craig.

He hurried through the dark ally to the body, and it looked like a girl. A girl with long, black hair. Craig bent over Manny, stunned. She was pale and hot.

"Manny," he said, shaking her slightly. She didn't move. Craig shook his head and jumped up, running back to the line.

"Can I use your cell phone?" Craig asked a blonde girl dressed in a slinky silver dress. "Please. It's an emergency."

The girl nodded and handed him her cell phone. Craig dialed, hoping someone would get there soon…

   Roxie paced in the hallway of the hospital, waiting for any kind of news on Spinner. She had been there for about twenty minutes, but it seemed like a decade. Roxie bit her lip anxiously, wondering what was taking so long. This couldn't be good.

Suddenly, she saw the doors to the left burst open, and a few paramedics rushed in with a stretcher. Roxie watched, and her eyes widened as she realized the girl looked oddly familiar. It was when she saw Craig running in behind the paramedics that she realized the girl was Manny Santos.

"Craig!" she called, but he didn't hear her. He followed the paramedics until they went into an operating room, and someone politely told him he would have to wait outside. Craig looked upset and slouched over to the waiting area. He spotted Roxie.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.

"Spinner. He got beat up pretty bad…" she trailed off. "What happened to Manny?"

"I…I don't know. They think a drug overdose," he said, glancing at the room where Manny was. "God…she looked horrible…"

Roxie nodded and wiped away a tear. "So did Spinner." Craig glanced back at Roxie, and stepped up to her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly, as Roxie pressed her face against his shoulder and cried.