Thanks fpr all the reveiws guys! Enjoy this chapter!

THE "¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?" SEPARATES POVs


CH9

It is Christmas Eve and the whole gang was over at the Kerwins' for the tree trimming party. Ashley walked around thanking everyone for coming. Ashley came around to Manny who was sitting down not speaking, "Manny you okay?"

"Yea, sure, but I'm in pain."

"Maybe you should go to the docotrs, see what wrong."

"Ash, can you come with me, I think it might be bad."

"Sure, can Craig come?"

"Sure whatever, let's just go."

Manny grabbed her jacket and Ashley stood on top of a chair so everyone could hear, "Thanks for coming everyone, but Craig, Manny and I will be back in a few. Alright bye."

Craig grabbed the keys to his Firebird, "So ladies, where are we going?"

Manny struggled to sit down, "hospital."

"All right then."

The finally made it to the hospital and Craig had to carry Manny she was hurting so bad.

-Waiting Room-

Ashley took Craig's hand, "you think Manny is all right?"

"Yea sure."

Craig and Ashley stood up as Manny, accompanied by the doctor, came. Ashley looked down at Manny who was crying, "Doctor, what's wrong with her?"

"I think I need to discuss this we her parents."

Ashley looked at Craig then back to the doctor, "Alright, I'll call her mom."

-Ashley's House-

Joey looked at the time, "I wonder where those three could be, it's like 11 o'clock."

Toby ran out into the kitchen where everyone was drinking some coffee, "Ash just called and they were at the hospital, they'll be home soon."

Joey stood up, "thank god, I thought they got in an accident."

Mrs. Kerwin looked at Joey.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Ashley gave Manny a hug, "You don't have to tell me, just get better. Bye."

Craig grabbed Ashley's hand and they walked to the car and drove home.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Manny's mother kept glancing at Manny during the drive home, "My God Manuela, I knew this would happen!"

"Mom, I'm sorry that I'm such a disgrace to the family."

"What will your younger sisters and brothers think when they hear the news?"

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Craig and Ashley finally made it home. Craig opened the door and brushed the snow off his beanie. Joey stood up and walked towards Craig, "took you guys long enough. Well it's already time to go. By the way, where's Manny?"

Ashley gave Joey a hug, "Thanks for coming, but about Manny, she went home with her mom."

"Oh alright, well see you guys tomorrow."

Ashley gave Craig a kiss; "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too, I can't wait to open my present." Both Ashley and Craig laughed.

Mrs. Kerwin and Joey gave each other with suspicious looks at the sound of that.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Manny ran to her room crying in pain. Why is this happening to me?

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

When Craig and Joey left, the last guests that were there, Ashley went to her room and got out her journal.

Dear Diary,

Well today is Christmas Eve, and I'm getting very anxious for tomorrow to come. I mean, Craig and me are actually going to have sex. Sure he already has done it, and with Manny, but I think I can still go through with it. I mean, last Christmas, Craig was cheating on me with Manny, and now we're back together. Weird. Well Diary, Manny was in such pain today. I have no clue what is wrong with her. If she wants me to know, then she'll tell me. Bye.

Ashley put her diary between her mattresses and not under her pillow. She turned the light off and fell asleep.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Jt's mom entered his room, "Jt honey, Ashley invited you to the Christmas party she's hosting. That lovely girl Manny will be there, the one that you like so much."

"I don't want to go."

"James, you're going. Me and your father want some privacy..."

"Mom!"

"Okay, but you're going."

Jt picked up the picture of Manny that was sitting by his bed. He took the picture out and lit it on fire. He watched solemnly as it burned away Manny's image.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

It was now Christmas and of course there was no school due to it being the holidays. Ashley got out of bed with a smile. She walked downstairs and gave her mom a kiss, "Merry Christmas mom." She messed up Toby's hair, "Merry Christmas Toby."

Ashley sat down at the table and grabbed three pancakes, "mom, this breakfast looks fantastic."

Mrs. Kerwin gave Ashley 'the look'. "Ashley dear, I'm only asking you this out of concern, but are you and Craig planning on having sex tonight?"

Toby's ears perked at the word 'sex'.

Ashley looked at her mom laughing, "of course not. But what is we did?"

"Well I won't allow it."

"But mom, we're both old enough to make our own choices, besides we're in love."

"Oh? So if I'm hearing you correctly, you two are planning this little get together?"

Ashley hugged her mom, "thanks again for letting me have this party. So you'll be at Joey's?

"Yes. Go, eat up! You have some more decorating to do!"

Ashley smiled and went to finish her breakfast.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Manny's mother came into her room and woke her up, "how you feeling?"

"I'm pain."

"Are you still gonna go to Ashley's party?"

"Of course, Ash is my friend, I won't just miss this."

"Alright, just don't forget your pills."

Manny sighed and dug her face into her pillow.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

It is now 7 o'clock and people started coming. Paige and Spinner came in. Paige ran to Ashley, "Merry Christmas my oldest friend! Guess what?"

"What is it Paige?"

"Well me and Spinner are kind of leaving early is that okay?." Paige and Ashley both laughed.

Marco and Dylan came in holding hands and looking around, "Well Miss Kerwin, lovely decorating." Dylan said as he passed the huge Christmas tree.

Finally Craig came, Ashley ran up to him and started kissing him. "I'm so glad you made it."

"Yea. So tonight?"

"After everyone leaves, we'll have an after party."

"Sounds great."

Manny slowly came walking in holding a small brown bag. Ashley walked up to Manny, "here let me take this." Ashley said reaching for the bag.

Manny turned slightly, "I got it." Manny walked into the kitchen and hid the bag under the sink.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Jt was still lying on his bed when his mom came in, "Get dressed Jt, you're going to that party." She tossed his some clothes and closed the door.

Jt looked at the clothes and got dressed and set out in the snow to Ashley's.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

From the corner of her eye, Ashley saw Manny going upstairs into the bathroom holding the small brown bag. Ashley followed close behind. She leaned her ear against the door and heard Manny starting to cry as she opened the bag. Ashley quickly swung the door open then shut it quickly, "Manny, what happened yesterday at the hospital? Was it so serious that I had to call your mom?"

As Ashley came in surprising Manny, Manny dropped a bottle of pills.

Ashley looked down onto the floor and started picking them up looking at them.

Manny pushed Ashley away, "Ash, can you just leave me alone?"

'Manny what is wrong?"

"Fine! I'll tell you! Lets just say you were right."

"Right about what?"

"That if I continued to do what I was doing, then my health would be at risk. Well now it is."

"Okay but, how at risk are you?"

Manny sat down on the toilet and held the bag upside down letting bottles and bottles of pills fall.

Ashley gasped as they all hit the floor.

Manny put her head in her hands, "The doctors said that I have herpes and now I have to take a million pills a day."

Ashley's knees went weak, "you have an STD?"

"Yea.'

Ashley picked up the bottles of pills and put them into the sink, "Okay, well then I guess I'll leave you to take them. I'm so sorry." Ashley quickly left the bathroom taking a deep breath as she looking over at Craig. Should I have sex with Craig? I don't want to get and STD.

Ashley slowly walked downstairs and to Craig, "would you still love me even if we didn't have sex?'

"Of course, but why the sudden change?"

"I'm just afraid, that all."

"Afraid of what?"

Ashley looked at Craig.

"You're of afraid of me?" Craig asked bringing his hands to his chest.

Ashley stepped closer to Craig, we need to talk about something."

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Jt was slowly walking through the snow to Ashley's house, when he passed Rosetta's. Maybe I should just move on and forget about Manny. I mean, Rosetta likes me.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?

Craig sat down at the news that Manny had herpes, "Ash, do you think that I have it?"

"Well was Manny your first?"

"Yea, and I was hers."

"Ok, whom else did you have sex with?"

"No one."

"What about Jordan?"

"No."

Ashley had a half smile, "So we're still on for tonight?"

"If you want."

Ashley sat on Craig's lap and gave him a hug, "I feel so bad for Manny."


Alright, now it's time to review and tell me what you think about it. And tell me if i made any mistakes, thanks!