Chapter Three-
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When I got to shool, Emma was waiting for me. "Hey," I said cheerily. I didn't want to look like I had a rough night or had school trouble. I locked my bike to the
bike rack and we walked inside. I had Mr. Simpson's class first, and homeroom also. Emma (thank god) was in the same class and homeroom too. J.T. smiled at me
when I walked in the room. "Hello, Manny, you're looking great as always." I said thanks and sat down at my seat. Ever since I had Carmel, I cooled off on my clothing style,
and wore jeans and baggy sweatshirts mostly. J.T. still complimented me. He's so sweet. I signed up for some sessions at the town gym, because I wanted to get back
into shape and not lose it. Hello, I'm only 15!
After Mr. Simpson's, he asked to talk to me. "Yes, I got your e-mail. I'll try, Mr. S." I said before he spoke up. He smiled and said, "Yes, that's one thing I was going to ask you. But also,
if you do feel pressured, feel free to stop by and I have a list of phone numbers and addresses." I smiled and nodded, and then walked out. A list? I don't want a damn list! Do you think
a list of some old people who don't know what it's it like will help? Have they been so into a guy that they ended up with a baby? Were they 15 when they faced motherhood problems?
Really. I sighed, and went to my locker. As I shut it and turned around to go to class, I saw Craig walking with Paige. Oh well, who cares, I thought. Craig is so last year.
School ended just a couple minutes ago. I'm at my locker, with Emma by my side. We decided to go to my house. Ever since yesterday she fell in love with the place, so I decided
it would be cool for her to come more often. We walked out of school. I felt much better outside. I guess just knowing that I'm in a place that will decided whether or not I will
succeed in life makes me nervous. We talked about the collage we were going to do with the hot guy pictures we cut out. As we turned right toward my block, we spotted Tommy
and a girl across the street. They were kissing. I pretended not to care. "Manny, do you see that?" I looked over there. "Of course, I'm not blind you know." I snapped at her. I didn't
mean to, but she's Emma, and she understood.
Tommy lived close by to me, a couple streets away, that's why I saw him so much. When we got to my house we went up to my room, and I decided to rummage through some old photos
and things while Emma put together some of the collage. I was looking through a huge pile of photographs, when I found some of Angela, Craig's little sister. I frowned. I was mad at myself.
Ever since I was pregnant with Carmel, I never went over to play with her. I know Emma used to baby-sit her. I turned around. "Hey, Emma, I have a better idea." She looked up. "Like what?"
I smiled. "Let's go to Craig's." Emma's jaw dropped. "No, silly. Let's go for Angie. We'll bring Carmel along. Angie loves babies." Emma smiled back, and we ran downstairs and put on our shoes
and coats. I put a small sweater on Carmel, and her pink little slippers. We decided to walk there, it wasn't that far.
When we got there, I hesitated. Emma pulled my arm. "Come on. Don't be shy." She teased. We walked up the steps, and I knocked on the door. Craig, looking half sleepy, answered it. He looked
surprised when he saw us. "Hi Craig." He stared for a minute, checking if this was real. "Hi. Uh, come on in." We stepped in, and then he closed the door behind us. "Well, I've been feeling
kind of bad that I haven't visited Angie in a while. Is it okay if Emma tags along?" Craig smiled. "Yeah, yeah it's fine." He called up the stairs. "Angie! Guess who's here!" She walked slowly
down the stairs and then put her head up to see who was there. She beamed. "Manny!! Emma!!" She zoomed down and hugged us both. "Who's that?" She asked, pointing to Carmel. I smiled.
"This is Carmelita. But you can call her Carmel for short." Craig wasn't smiling now, but I intended on talking to him later. "She's your daughter? Wow! Look, Craig, Manny has a baby!" Craig put
on a fake smile. "Yeah, Angie, I see."
We went into the garage, and Angie went to get her toys. Emma set Carmel down and played with her, while I sat on the couch to talk to Craig. "Craig, it's not what it seems. You know, it's easier
to talk to you now. And, well, with Tommy, I wasn't expecting Carmel or anything, it just happened-" Craig put his hand on mine to let me know he understood. "I know, Manny, I know." I smiled. "Thanks."
Nothing was going to happen between us, I knew that. But I felt some other feeling toward Craig. Different from Emma, but almost the same. I could trust him. I had a feeling we would become better friends
after that day. I just knew it.
We played with Carmel and Angie, and Craig did too. But then it got late and Emma had to go home and so did I. Carmel was sleeping on my shoulder when I was about to walk out the garage door. Emma was
gone, she had to get home earlier than I did. Craig stopped me. "Hey, do you want a ride? It's cold." I smiled at him. "Sure, thanks." He drove Carmel and me home, and as I thanked him Mom was coming outside.
Craig drove away, and Mom looked at me suspicously. "Manny, why are you back with Craig?" I hated her jumping into conclusions. "We're not together. Trust me, mom. After Carmel, I'm not going to be
ready for boyfriends just yet. He's a good guy. A good friend." Mom nodded and walked on. I watched her. She went to check the mail. "Aren't you supposed to do that in the morning?" I teased after her.
She waved her hand at me and I went inside. I changed Carmel's diaper, it was full, and then tucked her into her crib. I bent over and kissed her small forehead. "Good night, my little angel."
The next morning, Tuesday, wasn't any better than Monday. I mean, when I went to Craig's things seemed like they were getting better, but when I was sleeping on my bed I realized that they weren't, and
that was just a good time. I sighed. It's morning, I'm dressed and ready, but an hour early. Carmel was awake and I was cradling her in my arms, singing her a lullaby. Mom came in, and she looked impressed.
"You're not half bad a singer. No wonder Carmel falls asleep so smoothly." I smiled but kept singing. I had a good voice? I shrugged and then set Carmel down into her crib. Mom came in to borrow some pantyhose.
So it wasn't a social visit. I went down, and surprisingly, had breakfast with Mom. There was a knock on the door, and I knew it was that Wanda girl. Carmel seemed to like her well enough. Mom answered it, and she smiled
at Wanda. "Glad you're here so early! I was about to drive Manny early anyway." I glared at mom as if she transformed? Her? Drive me to school? Early?
As we got into her car, I got silent. I didn't know what to say. But Mom had planned this, I could tell.
"Manny, I need to talk to you about something."
Yup, see, I was right.
"Okay, about what?"
"Well, your father and I, it's our 15 year anniversary in a couple of days, and we were thinking of going on a cruise to Hawaii for a month or so.
Like a vacation."
It didn't bother me.
"Sure. Yeah, that's okay with me."
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, well, everything will be the same except that we won't be here."
I nodded. I wonder why she thought I wouldn't agree to it. Oh well.
When I got to school, I actually reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled, and hugged me back. "Have a great day." I grunted, like that would ever happen.
Emma was by her locker, so I joined her after I put my bookbag in mine. We walked to homeroom together. When we walked in, there was Tommy. Again. I was getting sick of these
"incidental" bump-ins with him. I sighed, but ignored him. But then Mr. Simpson called me over. "Hello, Manny. You know Tommy?" Of course I knew him. But Mr. Simpson didn't know
him. At least, not about him. "Uh.. yeah." I answered. "Well, he is starting a slideshow project, but he doesn't know how to run the program. Maybe you can teach him?" I stopped breathing.
Was he crazy? I can't stand being in the same room as him than teach him to use a slideshow program?! I knew when Mr. Simpson said "Maybe you can teach him," he meant it as
an order I guess. So I had no choice but to agree. I spent the whole homeroom and Media Immersion class in a corner with Tommy. He would barely talk to me except to say stuff such
as, "Uh huh," or "Yeah, I get it." Good. I didn't WANT to talk to him.
At lunch, there he was again. Only he came after I was already half finished with my sandwhich. "Manny, thanks for teaching me the program. I was totally lost." I didn't look up at him, just
nodded and said, "Mhmm." He walked off, probably offended. I hope he was offended. When school let out, Emma had to get to some piano lesson or something, so I decided to go to Craig's.
When I got there, he answered the door, only this time, Paige was behind him.
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When I got to shool, Emma was waiting for me. "Hey," I said cheerily. I didn't want to look like I had a rough night or had school trouble. I locked my bike to the
bike rack and we walked inside. I had Mr. Simpson's class first, and homeroom also. Emma (thank god) was in the same class and homeroom too. J.T. smiled at me
when I walked in the room. "Hello, Manny, you're looking great as always." I said thanks and sat down at my seat. Ever since I had Carmel, I cooled off on my clothing style,
and wore jeans and baggy sweatshirts mostly. J.T. still complimented me. He's so sweet. I signed up for some sessions at the town gym, because I wanted to get back
into shape and not lose it. Hello, I'm only 15!
After Mr. Simpson's, he asked to talk to me. "Yes, I got your e-mail. I'll try, Mr. S." I said before he spoke up. He smiled and said, "Yes, that's one thing I was going to ask you. But also,
if you do feel pressured, feel free to stop by and I have a list of phone numbers and addresses." I smiled and nodded, and then walked out. A list? I don't want a damn list! Do you think
a list of some old people who don't know what it's it like will help? Have they been so into a guy that they ended up with a baby? Were they 15 when they faced motherhood problems?
Really. I sighed, and went to my locker. As I shut it and turned around to go to class, I saw Craig walking with Paige. Oh well, who cares, I thought. Craig is so last year.
School ended just a couple minutes ago. I'm at my locker, with Emma by my side. We decided to go to my house. Ever since yesterday she fell in love with the place, so I decided
it would be cool for her to come more often. We walked out of school. I felt much better outside. I guess just knowing that I'm in a place that will decided whether or not I will
succeed in life makes me nervous. We talked about the collage we were going to do with the hot guy pictures we cut out. As we turned right toward my block, we spotted Tommy
and a girl across the street. They were kissing. I pretended not to care. "Manny, do you see that?" I looked over there. "Of course, I'm not blind you know." I snapped at her. I didn't
mean to, but she's Emma, and she understood.
Tommy lived close by to me, a couple streets away, that's why I saw him so much. When we got to my house we went up to my room, and I decided to rummage through some old photos
and things while Emma put together some of the collage. I was looking through a huge pile of photographs, when I found some of Angela, Craig's little sister. I frowned. I was mad at myself.
Ever since I was pregnant with Carmel, I never went over to play with her. I know Emma used to baby-sit her. I turned around. "Hey, Emma, I have a better idea." She looked up. "Like what?"
I smiled. "Let's go to Craig's." Emma's jaw dropped. "No, silly. Let's go for Angie. We'll bring Carmel along. Angie loves babies." Emma smiled back, and we ran downstairs and put on our shoes
and coats. I put a small sweater on Carmel, and her pink little slippers. We decided to walk there, it wasn't that far.
When we got there, I hesitated. Emma pulled my arm. "Come on. Don't be shy." She teased. We walked up the steps, and I knocked on the door. Craig, looking half sleepy, answered it. He looked
surprised when he saw us. "Hi Craig." He stared for a minute, checking if this was real. "Hi. Uh, come on in." We stepped in, and then he closed the door behind us. "Well, I've been feeling
kind of bad that I haven't visited Angie in a while. Is it okay if Emma tags along?" Craig smiled. "Yeah, yeah it's fine." He called up the stairs. "Angie! Guess who's here!" She walked slowly
down the stairs and then put her head up to see who was there. She beamed. "Manny!! Emma!!" She zoomed down and hugged us both. "Who's that?" She asked, pointing to Carmel. I smiled.
"This is Carmelita. But you can call her Carmel for short." Craig wasn't smiling now, but I intended on talking to him later. "She's your daughter? Wow! Look, Craig, Manny has a baby!" Craig put
on a fake smile. "Yeah, Angie, I see."
We went into the garage, and Angie went to get her toys. Emma set Carmel down and played with her, while I sat on the couch to talk to Craig. "Craig, it's not what it seems. You know, it's easier
to talk to you now. And, well, with Tommy, I wasn't expecting Carmel or anything, it just happened-" Craig put his hand on mine to let me know he understood. "I know, Manny, I know." I smiled. "Thanks."
Nothing was going to happen between us, I knew that. But I felt some other feeling toward Craig. Different from Emma, but almost the same. I could trust him. I had a feeling we would become better friends
after that day. I just knew it.
We played with Carmel and Angie, and Craig did too. But then it got late and Emma had to go home and so did I. Carmel was sleeping on my shoulder when I was about to walk out the garage door. Emma was
gone, she had to get home earlier than I did. Craig stopped me. "Hey, do you want a ride? It's cold." I smiled at him. "Sure, thanks." He drove Carmel and me home, and as I thanked him Mom was coming outside.
Craig drove away, and Mom looked at me suspicously. "Manny, why are you back with Craig?" I hated her jumping into conclusions. "We're not together. Trust me, mom. After Carmel, I'm not going to be
ready for boyfriends just yet. He's a good guy. A good friend." Mom nodded and walked on. I watched her. She went to check the mail. "Aren't you supposed to do that in the morning?" I teased after her.
She waved her hand at me and I went inside. I changed Carmel's diaper, it was full, and then tucked her into her crib. I bent over and kissed her small forehead. "Good night, my little angel."
The next morning, Tuesday, wasn't any better than Monday. I mean, when I went to Craig's things seemed like they were getting better, but when I was sleeping on my bed I realized that they weren't, and
that was just a good time. I sighed. It's morning, I'm dressed and ready, but an hour early. Carmel was awake and I was cradling her in my arms, singing her a lullaby. Mom came in, and she looked impressed.
"You're not half bad a singer. No wonder Carmel falls asleep so smoothly." I smiled but kept singing. I had a good voice? I shrugged and then set Carmel down into her crib. Mom came in to borrow some pantyhose.
So it wasn't a social visit. I went down, and surprisingly, had breakfast with Mom. There was a knock on the door, and I knew it was that Wanda girl. Carmel seemed to like her well enough. Mom answered it, and she smiled
at Wanda. "Glad you're here so early! I was about to drive Manny early anyway." I glared at mom as if she transformed? Her? Drive me to school? Early?
As we got into her car, I got silent. I didn't know what to say. But Mom had planned this, I could tell.
"Manny, I need to talk to you about something."
Yup, see, I was right.
"Okay, about what?"
"Well, your father and I, it's our 15 year anniversary in a couple of days, and we were thinking of going on a cruise to Hawaii for a month or so.
Like a vacation."
It didn't bother me.
"Sure. Yeah, that's okay with me."
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, well, everything will be the same except that we won't be here."
I nodded. I wonder why she thought I wouldn't agree to it. Oh well.
When I got to school, I actually reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled, and hugged me back. "Have a great day." I grunted, like that would ever happen.
Emma was by her locker, so I joined her after I put my bookbag in mine. We walked to homeroom together. When we walked in, there was Tommy. Again. I was getting sick of these
"incidental" bump-ins with him. I sighed, but ignored him. But then Mr. Simpson called me over. "Hello, Manny. You know Tommy?" Of course I knew him. But Mr. Simpson didn't know
him. At least, not about him. "Uh.. yeah." I answered. "Well, he is starting a slideshow project, but he doesn't know how to run the program. Maybe you can teach him?" I stopped breathing.
Was he crazy? I can't stand being in the same room as him than teach him to use a slideshow program?! I knew when Mr. Simpson said "Maybe you can teach him," he meant it as
an order I guess. So I had no choice but to agree. I spent the whole homeroom and Media Immersion class in a corner with Tommy. He would barely talk to me except to say stuff such
as, "Uh huh," or "Yeah, I get it." Good. I didn't WANT to talk to him.
At lunch, there he was again. Only he came after I was already half finished with my sandwhich. "Manny, thanks for teaching me the program. I was totally lost." I didn't look up at him, just
nodded and said, "Mhmm." He walked off, probably offended. I hope he was offended. When school let out, Emma had to get to some piano lesson or something, so I decided to go to Craig's.
When I got there, he answered the door, only this time, Paige was behind him.