*Crash Into You*

Chapter 6: An Adam Encounter

Manny walked down the street, headed to school, feeling very tired. She hadn't got much sleep lately, and she didn't even know why. Suddenly a tall brown haired boy came up to her and began walking beside her.

"Hey." the boy said to Manny with an ear to ear grin.

"Hey." Manny said, feeling a bit confused, yet curious as to who he was.

"I'm Adam." the boy said still smiling widely.

"I'm Manny." she said as she returned his warm smile.

"I like your name Manny, it's beautiful… just like you." Adam said sincerely.

"Thank you Adam, I like your name to." Manny said feeling more and more at ease with this cute stranger.

"Thanks." Adam said.

Manny, still confused about who Adam was, asked "Are you new here?"

"Yeah, is it that obvious?" Adam said looking down at the ground.

"Oh no, no, it's just that I haven't seem you-oh wait, aren't you in my English class?" Manny said as they began walking up the steps and into the school.

"Yeah, that's me! I've seen you before, Manny. Lots of times. You know I always wanted to talk to you but I never got the courage to come up to you until now." Adam said hoping she would get the hint.

"Well, I'm glad you did." Manny said smiling up at him, "Bye." she added as she walked down the hall to her class.

"Bye." Adam whispered as he admired her from afar. God she's beautiful. He thought while he watched her walk down the hallway with such poise it seemed she was floating… well to him at least.

~*~

"I completely failed that math test." Manny said to Craig as they walked down the crowed hallway.

"What are you talking about, you studied for hours for that test." Craig said as he squeezed past the people.

"I know, I know, but it was so hard Craig, you don't even know." Manny said thinking back to the test.

"Manny relax, I'm positive you did great." Craig said just as they both stopped in front of his locker.

"I hope so." Manny sighed and leaned against the locker next to his, "How about you? Any news?"

"Um… I have an English project due tomorrow and I haven't even started it. I guess that's news." Craig said as he rearranged the books in his locker.

"Why didn't you say something, I can help you with it." Manny turned and faced him.

Craig eyed her.

"Oh come on, I'm smart I can handle your work. How bad can it be, it's just one project." Manny said matter-of-factly.

"Ok, if you insist." Craig said as he closed his locker.

~*~

"Hey Manny." Adam said catching up to Manny who was headed to English.

"Oh hey Adam." Manny said as she slowed down to wait for him.

"So how you been?" Adam said nervously.

Manny laughed, "You mean since this morning?"

Adam looked down at the floor feeling foolish, "Yeah, sorry. I'm just kinda nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" Manny asked.

"Well, you make me nervous." Adam said hoping that didn't sound like a pick-up line.

"I make you nervous?" Manny said puzzled, "Why do I make you nervous Adam?"

"I dunno, you just do." He said feeling himself blushing.

Manny looked at him and smiled as they both stepped into the classroom and took their seats.

~*~

"Ok, so I just need to pick a book that was made into a movie and compare the book and the movie." Craig said, while he sat in front of his computer.

"It that it? That's so easy!" Manny said, she was sitting beside him.

"Good, so let's get started." Craig said as he faced the computer and opened Microsoft Word.

"So Manny, are you friends with Emma." Craig said, stopping to look at her.

"No." Manny said, keeping a steady gaze at the computer screen, "Craig you forgot to capitalize here." Manny said as she leaned in and corrected his typo, trying her best to avoid the subject

"Manny, why are you changing the subject?" he said as he pushed away the keyboard.

"I'm not." She said looking at him.

"Manny come on, we're, friends." Craig said, wincing at the thought of the word 'friends'. He wanted them to be so much more.

Friends… Manny thought. Was that what she really wanted? To be just "friends" with the boy she was madly in love with? "No, Em and I aren't friends anymore." Manny said with a sigh.

"What happened?" Craig asked.

"I don't even know, I mean, we were both in two different worlds. She didn't like, and I quote, the person I've become. Then some insults were exchanged, she called me the school slut, and I called her a prude princess and we agreed to not be friends."

"Wow, she called you a slut? I don't think you're a slut." Craig said sweetly.

"Thanks, I don't either." Manny said with a half smile. "I don't even know what 'person' Emma is talking about. Just because I changed my look doesn't mean I'm not still me." Manny said shaking her head. "But, why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that you've been spending so much time with me lately I don't think you have any time left to spend with her. Just curious you know… but I have to admit that I'm really glad that you've been spending time with me Manny." Craig said.

Manny smiled, "Yea, me too Craig." she said while reaching for his hand.

"But Manny, why did you change your look?" Craig asked, going back to the subject of Emma and hoping he wasn't prying.

"Lots of reasons I guess… I was tired of being seen as this cute little girl. I want to be seen in the crowd, you know. I want people to know who I am, I'm Manny Santos. I'm not just that brunette girl that hangs out with Emma, and I felt like that's exactly how everyone knew me, I was just Emma's best friend to everyone. I want to show Degrassi that I am my own person, and that I'm not a baby, I'm a big girl." Manny stopped and looked up at Craig intently, "And I want to make sure that no one ever dumps me…" Manny paused, "because I'm too young."

Craig looked away as he felt the blood rushing to his face. He felt so embarrassed and ashamed. He had said that to her once, and now he regretted it more than ever. It had hurt her, he had hurt her, and now it was hurting him.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long write this chapter. Hope you all liked it. Also, thank you all so much. Your reviews are great, I love them all.