@}~~{}
The ride to Los Angeles was silent. They had stuffed everything into Emma's environmentally sound Honda Civic. It was going to be a long trip. "How many days is this going to take Em?" Manny asked bored already.
"Manny. We just left. We talked about this. Maybe a week?" Emma said unsure of herself.
"God Em, maybe the way you drive. Could we possibly go any slower?" Manny said resting her arms on the window.
"It's your turn next Manny," Emma said. "When you drive, you can drive however fast you want to. I on the other hand, do not want a ticket." Manny rolled her eyes.
"Hey Em!" Manny laughed. "I'll start running and I'll meet you at the next gas station." Emma threw some chips at Manny. They were both laughing hysterically. "That's our road trip food Em!"
"Look what you made me do!" Emma said jokingly. She leaned over Manny trying to clean her car.
"Sorry Em," Manny said brushing the crumbs off her shirt.
"So, what does Craig think about you coming to UCLA?" Emma asked.
"What's there to think?" Manny said quickly. Emma knew that tone all too well.
"You did tell him, didn't you?" she asked. Manny didn't answer. "Didn't you?" Emma persisted.
"Well, no. He kinda doesn't know........yet," Manny said dreading her friend's response.
"What do you mean he doesn't know?" Emma asked. "I thought you called him."
"Well, I did call him," Manny said. "I just sorta hung up when he answered."
"You what?" Emma exclaimed. "Hello! We're in college now!" Manny sighed deeply. Emma softened a bit. "Okay, I understand it must have been hard for you to talk to him, but what on Earth are you afraid of?"
"I don't know Em. I guess I don't want him to think I'm following him like a love struck little puppy," Manny said slouching down in her seat.
"But you are following him like a love struck little puppy," Emma answered only to get chips thrown at her.
"I am not!" Manny said defensively. She covered her face with both hands.
"But that's okay. It's not like I wanted to go to Berkeley or anything....." Emma answered eating the chips that had fallen in her lap.
"You could have gone Em," Manny said upset. "I didn't force you to go with me."
"I'm just kidding Manny. College wouldn't be the same without you," Emma said smiling at her friend.
The two girls arrived at the dorms in record time and enlisted the help of two cute guys, Matt and Jerry to help carry their baggage. "I love LA," Manny squealed. "Go talk to him." Manny pushed Emma into the taller guy on his way to carry the last box to their room. Emma walked away with him, sticking her tongue out at Manny.
Emma had grown up a lot since they were freshman. She was about 5'8" with short, layered blonde hair. Adolescence had been kind and gave Emma a shapely figure. She dressed slightly less conservatively since the change and she loosened up a bit for Manny's sake. Manny had grown as much as genetics would permit. She was 5'5" and she still wore her hair long. She too, had her figure come of age, but it wasn't as drastic as Emma's transformation. Manny actually started dressing more conservatively and the two met at a happy median. They were a beautiful pair and all the guys had already noticed.
"So, you two are from Canada?" Jerry asked Manny trying to make conversation.
"Yeah. We drove all the way here. It took forever," Manny said leaning up against the car. He was cute. He had dirty blonde hair and tanned skin. She wondered if all LA guys looked this good.
"Where's your accent?" he asked smiling. "Don't Canadians have accents or say 'ay' a lot?" Manny rolled her eyes and pretended to be interested in what he was talking about.
"I guess they forgot to tell me, ay" Manny said sarcastically. Jerry laughed hysterically as if she had told the funniest joke in the world. His attractiveness suddenly hit rock bottom.
"You're hilarious," he said as Matt and Emma walked up to them.
"Looks like you two are having fun," Matt said nudging Jerry. "Would you ladies like to join us for dinner?"
"We'd love to," Emma answered while Manny gave her a look.
"Okay great, we'll pick you up at 7:00PM at your dorm room," Matt said grabbing his buddy by the arm.
"Aren't they cute?" Emma asked when the boys were out of hearing range.
"Yeah, I guess," Manny answered.
"I thought you quote, 'loved LA'," Emma said shaking her head at Manny's sudden mood change.
"I did until he opened his mouth," Manny said as Emma laughed and wrapped her arm around her.
"Don't worry. There are plenty of guys here. We're just getting to know a couple of the local boys so they can show us around," Emma said smiling. Manny smiled back, but only one boy was on her mind.
Jerry kept trying to put his arm around Manny at the restaurant. Manny would get up to leave for different reasons and come back empty handed. He didn't seem to take the hint. "So, Manny.....Emma tells us you're a gymnast. That's cool. Can you contort your body into different positions?" Jerry asked smiling.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Manny said under her breath.
"She's really good," Emma added giving her friend a look of bewilderment. Jerry seemed like a nice guy. He was attractive, smart and apparently really into Manny. Why was Manny acting so cold? Manny was now facing away from the table eyeing the posters on the walls. "Um, Manny wanna join me in the lady's room?"
"Uh....sure Em," Manny said getting up from her seat.
"We'll be right back," Emma said to Matt and Jerry.
"I think she likes you," Matt said to Jerry.
"Really? She doesn't seem into it," Jerry said
"Nah, she's just shy," Matt said encouragingly.
"What's your problem Manny?" Emma asked crossing her arms and giving Manny the look of death. "Jer's a nice guy and he's making an effort." Manny shrugged staring at her reflection in the mirror. "I mean, you don't have to like him......just be civil."
"You're right Em. I've just got other things on my mind," Manny said turning to face Emma.
"Other things.......or other guys?" Emma asked.
"Both I guess," Manny answered sadly.
"Sorry to interrupt," a pretty Asian girl said. "But your hat's really tight.......you sport that well," she said eyeing Manny's corduroy newsboy cap.
"Thanks," Manny said managing a smile. That comment had made her day.
"No problem," she said entering one of the stalls.
"Manny, just please try not to be so rude.......it's not like you," Emma said.
"Okay, Em.......for you," Manny said pushing the bathroom door open. Matt motioned for Jerry to stop talking because the girls were coming back.
"Our food came," Matt said as Manny and Emma sat back down.
"Great I'm starved," Manny said smiling at Jer. Emma nodded approvingly.
"Manny?? Emma??" a voice asked questioningly. Manny's heart stopped. She looked up.
"Craig?" Manny said dropping her fork to the ground. He bent to pick it up and set it on the table.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked giving Manny and Emma giant hugs. Manny couldn't speak. She was overjoyed. She could smell his cologne from her seat. She wanted to hug him again. He looked different, although it had only been a year. He wore glasses now and his hair was shorter. He looked handsome and intellectual all at once. His wardrobe hadn't changed much. He still had the same leather jacket and torn blue jeans. He still made her heart skip a beat.
"We both go to UCLA now," Emma answered kicking Manny under the table.
"Wow! That's really great!" Craig exclaimed. "I miss home a lot. This is awesome. Why didn't you guys tell me?" Craig asked looking directly at Manny. Manny felt she was meant to come here at this exact moment. She met Jerry and Matt so they could bring her to Craig. It was fate. It was destiny. They were soul mates. She was about to answer, but was interrupted.
"Hey, who are your friends honey?" the Asian girl from the bathroom asked wrapping her arms around Craig's waist.
"Oh sorry," Craig said guiltily. "Lina, these are my friends from back home........Manny and Emma. Guys, this is my fiancé Lina."
Did you guys read my Thank You (chapter 21) in Truth Behind the Lies? Just wondering! I hope you guys caught that......if not........thanks again!!!
The ride to Los Angeles was silent. They had stuffed everything into Emma's environmentally sound Honda Civic. It was going to be a long trip. "How many days is this going to take Em?" Manny asked bored already.
"Manny. We just left. We talked about this. Maybe a week?" Emma said unsure of herself.
"God Em, maybe the way you drive. Could we possibly go any slower?" Manny said resting her arms on the window.
"It's your turn next Manny," Emma said. "When you drive, you can drive however fast you want to. I on the other hand, do not want a ticket." Manny rolled her eyes.
"Hey Em!" Manny laughed. "I'll start running and I'll meet you at the next gas station." Emma threw some chips at Manny. They were both laughing hysterically. "That's our road trip food Em!"
"Look what you made me do!" Emma said jokingly. She leaned over Manny trying to clean her car.
"Sorry Em," Manny said brushing the crumbs off her shirt.
"So, what does Craig think about you coming to UCLA?" Emma asked.
"What's there to think?" Manny said quickly. Emma knew that tone all too well.
"You did tell him, didn't you?" she asked. Manny didn't answer. "Didn't you?" Emma persisted.
"Well, no. He kinda doesn't know........yet," Manny said dreading her friend's response.
"What do you mean he doesn't know?" Emma asked. "I thought you called him."
"Well, I did call him," Manny said. "I just sorta hung up when he answered."
"You what?" Emma exclaimed. "Hello! We're in college now!" Manny sighed deeply. Emma softened a bit. "Okay, I understand it must have been hard for you to talk to him, but what on Earth are you afraid of?"
"I don't know Em. I guess I don't want him to think I'm following him like a love struck little puppy," Manny said slouching down in her seat.
"But you are following him like a love struck little puppy," Emma answered only to get chips thrown at her.
"I am not!" Manny said defensively. She covered her face with both hands.
"But that's okay. It's not like I wanted to go to Berkeley or anything....." Emma answered eating the chips that had fallen in her lap.
"You could have gone Em," Manny said upset. "I didn't force you to go with me."
"I'm just kidding Manny. College wouldn't be the same without you," Emma said smiling at her friend.
The two girls arrived at the dorms in record time and enlisted the help of two cute guys, Matt and Jerry to help carry their baggage. "I love LA," Manny squealed. "Go talk to him." Manny pushed Emma into the taller guy on his way to carry the last box to their room. Emma walked away with him, sticking her tongue out at Manny.
Emma had grown up a lot since they were freshman. She was about 5'8" with short, layered blonde hair. Adolescence had been kind and gave Emma a shapely figure. She dressed slightly less conservatively since the change and she loosened up a bit for Manny's sake. Manny had grown as much as genetics would permit. She was 5'5" and she still wore her hair long. She too, had her figure come of age, but it wasn't as drastic as Emma's transformation. Manny actually started dressing more conservatively and the two met at a happy median. They were a beautiful pair and all the guys had already noticed.
"So, you two are from Canada?" Jerry asked Manny trying to make conversation.
"Yeah. We drove all the way here. It took forever," Manny said leaning up against the car. He was cute. He had dirty blonde hair and tanned skin. She wondered if all LA guys looked this good.
"Where's your accent?" he asked smiling. "Don't Canadians have accents or say 'ay' a lot?" Manny rolled her eyes and pretended to be interested in what he was talking about.
"I guess they forgot to tell me, ay" Manny said sarcastically. Jerry laughed hysterically as if she had told the funniest joke in the world. His attractiveness suddenly hit rock bottom.
"You're hilarious," he said as Matt and Emma walked up to them.
"Looks like you two are having fun," Matt said nudging Jerry. "Would you ladies like to join us for dinner?"
"We'd love to," Emma answered while Manny gave her a look.
"Okay great, we'll pick you up at 7:00PM at your dorm room," Matt said grabbing his buddy by the arm.
"Aren't they cute?" Emma asked when the boys were out of hearing range.
"Yeah, I guess," Manny answered.
"I thought you quote, 'loved LA'," Emma said shaking her head at Manny's sudden mood change.
"I did until he opened his mouth," Manny said as Emma laughed and wrapped her arm around her.
"Don't worry. There are plenty of guys here. We're just getting to know a couple of the local boys so they can show us around," Emma said smiling. Manny smiled back, but only one boy was on her mind.
Jerry kept trying to put his arm around Manny at the restaurant. Manny would get up to leave for different reasons and come back empty handed. He didn't seem to take the hint. "So, Manny.....Emma tells us you're a gymnast. That's cool. Can you contort your body into different positions?" Jerry asked smiling.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Manny said under her breath.
"She's really good," Emma added giving her friend a look of bewilderment. Jerry seemed like a nice guy. He was attractive, smart and apparently really into Manny. Why was Manny acting so cold? Manny was now facing away from the table eyeing the posters on the walls. "Um, Manny wanna join me in the lady's room?"
"Uh....sure Em," Manny said getting up from her seat.
"We'll be right back," Emma said to Matt and Jerry.
"I think she likes you," Matt said to Jerry.
"Really? She doesn't seem into it," Jerry said
"Nah, she's just shy," Matt said encouragingly.
"What's your problem Manny?" Emma asked crossing her arms and giving Manny the look of death. "Jer's a nice guy and he's making an effort." Manny shrugged staring at her reflection in the mirror. "I mean, you don't have to like him......just be civil."
"You're right Em. I've just got other things on my mind," Manny said turning to face Emma.
"Other things.......or other guys?" Emma asked.
"Both I guess," Manny answered sadly.
"Sorry to interrupt," a pretty Asian girl said. "But your hat's really tight.......you sport that well," she said eyeing Manny's corduroy newsboy cap.
"Thanks," Manny said managing a smile. That comment had made her day.
"No problem," she said entering one of the stalls.
"Manny, just please try not to be so rude.......it's not like you," Emma said.
"Okay, Em.......for you," Manny said pushing the bathroom door open. Matt motioned for Jerry to stop talking because the girls were coming back.
"Our food came," Matt said as Manny and Emma sat back down.
"Great I'm starved," Manny said smiling at Jer. Emma nodded approvingly.
"Manny?? Emma??" a voice asked questioningly. Manny's heart stopped. She looked up.
"Craig?" Manny said dropping her fork to the ground. He bent to pick it up and set it on the table.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked giving Manny and Emma giant hugs. Manny couldn't speak. She was overjoyed. She could smell his cologne from her seat. She wanted to hug him again. He looked different, although it had only been a year. He wore glasses now and his hair was shorter. He looked handsome and intellectual all at once. His wardrobe hadn't changed much. He still had the same leather jacket and torn blue jeans. He still made her heart skip a beat.
"We both go to UCLA now," Emma answered kicking Manny under the table.
"Wow! That's really great!" Craig exclaimed. "I miss home a lot. This is awesome. Why didn't you guys tell me?" Craig asked looking directly at Manny. Manny felt she was meant to come here at this exact moment. She met Jerry and Matt so they could bring her to Craig. It was fate. It was destiny. They were soul mates. She was about to answer, but was interrupted.
"Hey, who are your friends honey?" the Asian girl from the bathroom asked wrapping her arms around Craig's waist.
"Oh sorry," Craig said guiltily. "Lina, these are my friends from back home........Manny and Emma. Guys, this is my fiancé Lina."
Did you guys read my Thank You (chapter 21) in Truth Behind the Lies? Just wondering! I hope you guys caught that......if not........thanks again!!!