Craig's mouth hung open. He was speechless. "Uh...hey...Joey." It took him a lot of energy to just get those three words out. "Sean," Joey said, keeping his eyes on Craig, "would you mind going upstairs?" Sean looked nervous but not nearly as nervous as Craig. "I uh...bye!" Sean said quickly. He got up and ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time. Craig sadly watched Sean go.
Joey blew up at him. "Craig...I don't even know what to say! What the hell were you thinking? You're fourteen! And...don't even get me started on what you did to Manny. You do know that you could have caused a lot more damage, don't you?" "I know, Joey! I'm sorry! It's my fault. I don't have any excuse this time!" "Craig, her parents could press charges! What you did was sexual assault!" Craig looked up at Joey; he had tears in his eyes. "I know. But...she wanted to too. She told me she did. And...I dunno. Joey, I think I love her...I told her too. But she hates me now, she's scared! Although, I can't really blame her."
Joey let out a huge sigh. He was torn between grounding Craig for life and just admitting that Craig felt bad enough and didn't need to be grounded. "Craig...I don't know what to tell you here, partner. I can really tell that you're upset...I can't think of any good grounding you would really do." Craig looked at him again. "What?" "I'm not going to punish you, alright? But...if Manny's parents do decide to press charges against you there is nothing I can or would do. You got it?" "Yeah. Thanks, Joey." Craig got off the couch and started slowly up the steps when..."Craig." "Yeah, Joey?" "Just no more sex." "I know."
"Hey." Sean said as Craig entered and closed the door. "Sooo...how'd it go? You don't look dead." "Yeah. It went a lot better than I thought it would. Once Joey got all his anger out, he was pretty calm about the whole thing. Man, I don't know what I am going to do. I mean, I really really like Manny, Sean. But...she told me flat out that there isn't going to be a third date." Sean shook his head. "I dunno man. Just let her go. Try another girl. I mean, that's how you meet The One." "You don't get it, Sean. She is The One. The only one I want to be with." "Sorry man. Doesn't seem like it's going to happen though." Sean said as Craig started to get undressed. Sean saw when Craig pulled his shirt off that there was blood crusted over deep gashes in his arm. Sean stared hard, trying to take it all in. Craig looked at Sean and then down at his exposed forearms.
Sean tore his eyes away from the cuts and looked up at Craig's guilty face. "Man, what do you think you're doing?" Sean said, "That's...that's bad!" "Thank you." Craig said sarcastically, "You think I don't know that?" Sean was lost. "Then...why?" Craig shrugged. "I don't know, Sean. It was a one time thing, I promise. It's just...I felt so bad about Manny...and then there was some glass...and I dunno." "Man didn't it hurt?" "Yeah! Like a bitch. But...I deserve it." "Craig..." Sean started to say. "Sean, I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay? I'm bushed. I'm going to bed." "Yeah." Sean said as Craig turned off the light.
Craig wasn't lying, he was extremely tired, but that didn't help him sleep the slightest. He truly did not want tomorrow to officially come. Tomorrow, Craig knew he would have to face Manny's parents. "They might as well kill me now." Craig said to himself. "What was that?" Sean said. He sounded wide awake. "Oh, nothing. Just can't sleep." Craig said. "Yeah...me either. Every time I try, Emma keeps popping into my head and...I dunno. How am I going to explain all this to her?I haven't seen her for like a week." "Dunno man. Just tell her the truth...cause, I mean, everything is fixed now, so... I think she'll understand." "Yeah..." Sean mumbled. "Can I call her?" Sean asked suddenly. "Now!" Craig said. "Sean, it's like four in the morning." "I know...but if she's like me then she'll be up thinking about this too." "Whatever man. Call her cell though." "I know." Sean said as Craig turned on the light.
Sean picked up the phone and dialed Emma's cell phone number. After three rings. when Sean was just about to hang up, "Hello?" Emma's voice said. Sean had been right, she sounded wide awake. "Hey, it's me." Sean said casually. A smile spread on Sean's face when he heard Emma gasp over the line. "Sean? Oh god, I haven't talked to you in forever!" "Yeah, I know. I am sorry about that." "What is wrong with you!" Emma bursted out. Sean could tell that she had been harboring that for much too long. She didn't sound so friendly anymore. Sean's smile quickly faded. "Um...yeah about that." he stammered. "Sean, why were you in the hospital? And why would you tell Manny something and not me!" "Yeah, well, I didn't think that you would like it, EM." "What!" Emma exclaimed so loud that Sean held the phone away from his ear. "Sean, you're supposed to tell me everything! This is exactly what happened two weeks ago!" "Emma!" Sean yelled. Craig gave him a death look to keep his voice down. "Sean, tell me what is going on, now." Her voice was steady and firm.
Sean had a sudden wish that he had not called now. He was feeling the exhaustion from a full day creep up on him. "Okay. The reason that I was in the hospital is...is..." "Is what, Sean?" Emma asked pleadingly. "Because Tracker beat me. Really, really bad." Emma went dead quiet. Sean thought he heard a clunk as if Emma had dropped the phone. "EM, Emma?" Sean asked cautiously. "How could he do that to you?" She sounded on the verge of tears. "Emma, don't worry, it's okay now. I'm okay now." "You reported it, right? I mean, you're not still living with him are you?" "Yes and yes I am not living with him." Sean said. "Okay." Emma replied, "How did Manny get involved? And Craig?" "Oh, yeah. Manny was somewhere nearby my house and she heard me yelling for help." "So she found you? What was she doing there in the first place?" "I dunno. Never found out. But Craig...well, I'm staying with him. I'm here now."
Sean heard Emma give a small sob. "EM, come on, what's wrong?" She took a minute before answering. "Sean, if I had stayed with you that day instead of leaving you by yourself than this would have never happened!" "EM, no! It's not your fault, alright?" "I dunno..." "Emma." Sean said sternly, "It is not your fault." "Okay..." Emma said hesitantly. "Sean, why wouldn't you tell me...call me, whatever?" "Because EM, I didn't want anyone to know and you would have told people." "NO I wouldn't have!" Emma protested. "Whatever, it doesn't matter now. Alright?" "Soo....when can I see you?" Emma asked in her cutesy voice. Sean's smile reappeared. "I dunno. Later today. Like, you know, when it's light out." "Okay, great! Can't wait!" Emma replied excitedly. "Love you." Sean whispered into the receiver. "Love you too, Sean." Emma said. They both hung up.
"So..." Craig said, "everything good now?" "Yeah, I think so. Probably should have told her earlier though. Before she got all worked up about it." "Yeah...I'm actually tired now, wanna get some sleep?" "Yeah, good idea." They climbed into their beds and Craig turned off the light.