Disclaimer: I own nothing...except for the love in my heart for Craig.

Enjoy!!!

"Okay Emma, onto the plan!" Manny plummeted backwards onto her bed.

Emma sat down calmly.

"What plan? I thought we were going shopping."

"No, you see, that was an alibi to get you to do something. I would make one hell of a lawyer.

"Actually Mann, it's the accused that needs an alibi."

"Stop being so practical, Em! Now, onto business." She got up and walked to her closet.

She pulled out three brightly colored poster boards and an art easel. She put the poster boards on the easel.

"I present to you Exhibit A." She pointed to the first poster board, which was pink and glittery, at a picture and a name.

"Meet Lee Osborne. He just transferred from New York City." A picture of a boy with shaggy blonde hair and tan skin stared back at her from the board. "He is 5'6, 135 pounds not counting muscle weight, and his hobbies are baseball, football, skateboarding and flirting with hot girls. That is where I come in."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, totally at a loss.

"Remember! I'm supposed to get a guy; Craig gets jealous, Ashley melts into a puddle of water...okay, maybe not that last part." Manny rethought.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I thought we were past that Mann!"

"No, you were past it. There's a difference."

"So let me get this straight...that's the guy you are going to use?"

"Yes!" Manny squealed and giggled.

"How did you find out this information anyway?"

"You aren't the only one with connections, you know, Em."

"Flirting with other girls?" Emma read. "Is that even a hobby?"

"Of course it is."

"I don't know Mann, he sounds like a player."

"Whatever Em! Besides, he'll only be around for a little while so what's it matter?" Manny paused. "Okay, onto the presentation."

She threw of the pink board, revealing a purple one with flowers all over it. In the middle was yet another picture and name.

"Boy, you really thought this out." Emma commented, impressed.

"Yep. This is The Degrassi Plaza." She pointed to the board. An adobe building, about 3 stories tall, picture was glued onto it.

"So?"

"So, he will be there at 3 PM, which is approximately," She looked at her watch. "25 minutes away. And while we are there, I will pick up my outfit for-"

She flipped off that board, and a lime green board with butterflies sat behind it. A masquerade mask hung limply in the middle.

"The Halloween Howl. The dance of the season, in which I will go with-" She bent down and picked up the pink board. "Lee."

"What if Craig asks you?"

Manny growled and rolled her eyes. "He won't. I saw him asking Ashley this morning."

"Oh..."

Manny smiled and shook it off. "But that's okay, because I will get him one day."

Emma smiled and nodded. "I know you will."

"I know I will! Because I am Manny, and Manny always gets what she wants."

"Thanks Mom!" Manny waved bye to her mom as they walked into the Degrassi Plaza.

"So, where is this guy going to be anyway?" Emma inquired sighing.

"The Food Court. Oh Em, I can't wait!" Manny giggled.

"Well, neither can a whole lot of other girls." Emma said, her eyebrows rose.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Manny asked quickly.

"Look." Emma pointed to a group of giggling, ditzy girls twirling their hair and flirting with a boy you could barely see over all of the concubines.

Manny's face fell. "Oh..." She fell quiet. But then the raging came. "Holy crap! Is that Jessica Moore? I told her yesterday I liked Lee! That tramp! And-oh my gosh! Paige!!! It's Paige!!! Isn't Spinner enough??? No!!! She has to go off and flirt with my boyfriend."

Emma cut in. "Uh, Mann? Technically he's not your boy-"

"Shut it, Em! I'm on a role! Anyways, look at that horror standing in the middle! Sarah Locklear? She wouldn't even be here if I hadn't told her about that absorbing acne cream I saw at Sally's Beauty Shop!"

Manny took a breath and sighed.

"Em, I'm much prettier than all of them, aren't I?"

Emma nodded hurriedly. "Yes, of course."

Manny sighed again and smiled. "Yea, you know what? Your right. So I'm just going to walk right over there and show him who his future romantic interest is!"

She confidently stomped to the middle of the Food Court, her Prada heels clicking against the marble floor the whole way.

"Um, excuse me." She said absentmindedly, pushing past Paige and the acne girl.

Paige scoffed. "Oh, hello Manuela."

Manny turned to Lee. "Hey, you're in my World Civ. Class aren't you?" She asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

Lee smiled a glistening, white toothy grin. "Yea..." He paused. "Manny, right?" Manny nodded. "You're the girl who keeps dropping her pencil."

Manny blushed, but nodded.

"Lee..." He stuck out his hand for her to shake it. She did, and she couldn't help but think 'His hands are so smooth. I wonder if he uses Neutrogena...'

Manny smiled. "So, Lee. Are you doing anything Friday?"

He shook his head. "Nothing I can think of, no."

"Maybe you'd like to go to the Swing Batting Cages on Friday night?" Oh, she was good.

His face lit up. "Really? You can get us in there? Isn't it really exclusive?"

Manny rolled her eyes. "Please! My middle name is exclusive."

"Cool, so I'll pick you up at six then?" He asked.

"Sure! It's a date..." She seductively licked her lips and stalked off.

Emma, who found this all rather amusing, was sitting on a bench with a Frappe latté and a US Weekly at hand.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"Wonderful!" Manny twirled around dreamily. "We go to Swings on Friday."

Emma looked up. "Isn't that really exclusive?"

"Yea, but so?" Manny rolled her eyes. "My dad's brother's wife's brother-in-law used to make hot dogs for the Concession Stand there. I mean, my family practically owns that park!"

Emma shook her head in awe. How did Manny do it?

Manny linked arms with her best friend and started walking. "Now, onto business. Lord and Taylor is having a humongous sale on dresses and I have my mom's credit card so-"

"But I thought we were going to get costumes for the Halloween Howl." Emma cut in.

"Well, I'm going to be a princess and my date will be my Prince Charming." Manny said, in a matter-of-factly tone. She paused. "Em, what are you and Sean going to be?"

"I don't know. I want to be Minnie and Mickey, but Sean wants to be Elvis and Priscilla."

"Please!" Manny replied. "Elvis and Priscilla are so cliché."

Emma groaned. "Mann, we've been in here for three hours. I'm on curfew, you know!"

Manny paid no attention. She zipped up the back of an amethyst tube dress, and turned to look in the mirror. "What do you think, Em?"

Emma looked up; her eyes weary as she yawned.

"Yes! Mann, yes! Everything looks good on you! Can we please go now?"

Manny continued to ignore her. "Hmm...nope." She stripped the dress off in her dressing room, throwing it in a pile of other "Nah, to poofy." Or "Does this make my thighs stick out?" dresses.

"Aww...Em! At this rate I will never find a dress!" Manny whined, pulling back on her skirt and tank top.

She stomped out of the dressing room and back into the junior dresses department.

Her eyes drifted from dress to dress, none that satisfied her.

A saleswoman whose nametag said "Clarisse" drifted over to Manny.

"Hello Miss, what may I help you with today?"

Manny ignored her. "Em! How does gray look on me?"

"Ah! Looking for a dress are you?" The saleswoman asked. "Have you tried 'the back'?"

"The back of what?" Manny grunted, pushing past her to look at some mini dresses.

"The back of the store." The saleswoman shrewdly replied.

Manny immediately stopped. "Wait, isn't the back of the store the stuff that isn't on sale?"

The saleswoman took Manny and began walking. "That's right. We have this new dress that would look perfect on you."

"I'm interested..." Manny casually replied.

They arrived at a place that even Ramen Colchester, that rich foreign exchange student, rarely shopped.

"Now this..." Manny gasped as the saleslady pulled out a dress. "Might be what you're looking for."

It was a corset dress, very much similar to the one Beyonce wore to the VMAS a few years back, only it was crème colored.

"And..." The woman added. "We have matching shoes, jewelry, and purse."

Manny didn't even take time to think. "I-I'll take it!!!"

Emma's mouth dropped.

"$400 dollars?!" She exclaimed as they walked into the sunny afternoon, and out of the department store.

Manny slid down her sunglasses from her forehead and onto her face. "Relax Em! It includes accessories!"

"S-so???" Emma sputtered out. "$400 dollars Manny!"

"Yes, but did you see how it brought out my eyes?" Manny said dreamily.

"Do you have any idea how pissed your mom is going to be?"

"No...she will never know. Right Em?"

"Well, she will find out eventually. I mean, it will pop up on her credit card bill!"

"In that case, it's her fault! She knew what a shopaholic I am! That's like giving an alcohol addict a beer and saying 'Oh, don't drink too much!'"

"But Mann-"

"Enough! It was worth the money! And I am going to dazzle Lee!"

"If he asks you, you mean."

"Oh he will ask me, so help me God he will ask me! I just spent four hundred dollars on him, for Christ's sake! And Craig will be 'wowed' by my beauty and realize what a hag that Ashley is! It's a completely brilliant plan!" Manny reassured herself.

She would get Craig. She would. Wouldn't she?

Okay, horrible, HORRIBLE chapter! Sorry for the delay and this was just a Manny chapter. Please R&R though! You will give me the strength to go on!fb7