That night, all the adults gathered in the Gym for one last dance. Emma, J.T., Liberty, and John all danced near each other so they could talk. Spinner and Paige held one to one another as though if they let go they would never see each other again. Manny simply sat in the corner, once again all alone. She sighed and drummed her fingers on the table. She was relieved that Toby had decided to leave early, that way she wouldn't have to be fighting him off all night. Craig walked to where Manny was sitting.
"Hey, Manny," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "We never really got to finish that dance the other night, and I would probably always regret it if I didn't ask you to dance now."
Manny smiled and nodded, and reached up and took Craig's hand. Together they walked out onto the dance floor.
Sean was standing at the edge of the dance floor. He was trying to have a good time, but it was kind of difficult. He still was in a sad mood. Just then, someone walked in front of him that he had seen but didn't recognize.
"Sean Cameron, I don't believe it," the person said. "I would have thought you would have skipped out on this whole escapade."
"Yeah, well, I thought I should try it," Sean said. "This is going to sound really bad, but I don't seem to remember you.
The person smiled and the broke out into a laugh.
"Yeah, I figured as such, seeing as how you haven't talked to me yet. It's me, Alex."
"Whoa, Alex?" Sean said. "I can't believe it's you. How are you?"
"Good," Alex said. She had grown out of the rebel thing and looked great. "But, I would be even better if you would dance with me."
One more couple walked out onto the floor.
Meanwhile, Paige and Spinner decided to take a break to "breathe". As they kissed out in the hall, Paige suddenly heard something and broke away from Spinner.
"Spin," she said, her eyes darting around in the darkness. "Did you hear that?"
"No," Spinner said. He leaned in and began to kiss her again, and Paige kissed him back, even though she had a bad feeling. Suddenly, someone grabbed her around the neck and pulled her back.
"Don't move or I swear I will shoot her right in the head," Rick said.
"Rick, no! Don't!" Spinner said.
"Shut up!" Rick yelled at Spinner. As Spinner started towards the crazed man, Rick just pushed the barrel of the gun harder against Paige's head.
"I said, don't move," Rick sneered. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to her, would you?"
And with that, Rick walked down the hall, still holding onto Paige. Spinner took one last look at Paige's pleading eyes and ran into the gym.
"Someone calls 911!" he screamed. Everyone just stared at him in shock. What was he doing? Was this a joke?
"What, did you not hear me?" Spinner yelled in frustration. "Someone call the police!"
Letting out a scream of madness, Spinner ran over to Hazel and grabbed her purse. Rummaging through it and breaking several things he located the phone, and called the police and screamed at them that there was a man with a gun at the school and they had better get there quick. Throwing the phone back at Hazel, he ran out of the Gym.
Several people began to scream, scared that they were going to be victims of the shooting. Mr. Radditch quickly locked the doors to the gym, frightened that if they tried to evacuate Rick would catch them first.
Emma clung to J.T., trembling.
"J.T.," she said. "The kids...if Rick gets to us..."
"Shhhh," J.T. said. "We are going to be fine. Don't worry, please."
Mr. Radditch went over the sign in sheet, checking to see if anyone was missing besides Paige and Spinner.
"Where are those police?" he asked worriedly.
As his eyes scanned over the sheet, he drew in his breath sharply. Where were Manny and Craig?
Craig walked down the hall, one guiding Manny and one covering her eyes.
"Where are we going?" Manny asked, giggling.
"Somewhere amazing," Craig promised.
Finally he found the door he was looking for. He opened it and switched on the light. Then he took his hand off of Manny's eyes.
"Look," he said.
"Wow," Manny marveled. "What is this place?"
"The old drama room, or as me and Spinner called it, the hall of mirrors. We were the only ones who knew about it, at least I hope so," Craig said.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"Manny, please don't laugh at me when I say this, but I think that I still love you," Craig said.
Manny wrapped her arms around Craig's neck and the kissed. Suddenly, the door burst open, and they broke apart nervously.
"Rick?!?" Craig said.
"Craig, help," Paige said.
"Shut up!" Rick commanded. "How did you all know that this room was here? Paige, get down there."
He kicked Paige in the leg and she tripped down the stairs. Luckily Craig grabbed her before she fell on the ground. He gently sat her down by one of the mirrors.
"Man, what are you doing?" Craig yelled.
"Oh, something I have been wanting to do since school," Rick said. His eyes narrowed as they passed over Manny.
"You..." he said. Manny started to move behind Craig. "You...oh I didn't forget you, not by a long shot. We were two outcasts, both of us rejected by the crowd. We were perfect for each other. You just wouldn't have me. You were too good for me."
"Rick, I" Manny started to say.
"Goodbye, Manny. Now no one will ever have you again," Rick said and raised the gun, pointing it right between Manny's eyes. Manny trembled and shielded her head, not wanting to look at the gun right before it killed her.
"No! Rick!" Craig yelled. He wasn't going to loose Manny again. He ran and slipped right in between of the bullet and Manny. Rick had poor aim and was startled by Craig's actions, so the bullet got him right in the stomach.
Craig grunted and fell to the floor. Blood immediately began to pool around him. Manny quickly knelt to the ground beside him, and cried.
"Craig," she said quietly, not wanting to make him feel any worse. "Craig, can you hear me?"
Craig's eyes were barely open, and his breathing was short and labored. Rick looked back and forth at them and ran from the room. Paige, who had a sprained ankle from the stairs, crawled over to where Craig was.
"Craig," Manny said again, stroking his hand. "Craig, please don't leave me. I love you; don't let me loose you again."
Meanwhile, Rick shot the lock on the gym door and walked in, laughing at all the terrified faces.
"So, who shall go first?" he cackled.
A gun shot ran through the air, and Rick fell forward, dead, revealing a police officer right behind him, holding up a smoking gun.
"Did he harm anyone?" the cop asked.
"Go check the old drama room!" Mr. Radditch yelled. He had a feeling that Craig had taken Manny there. The cop ran out of the room, and all the students quickly walked outside, as some more cops covered up Rick's lifeless body.
Spinner, meanwhile, was running through the halls, screaming Paige's name and looking in every room. Finally, he reached the drama room and found Manny and Paige both kneeling around Craig.
"Hey!" Spinner yelled behind him to the cops. "Down here!"
He then rushed down the stairs towards them. He dropped down to where they were.
"Paige, Manny, are you guys okay?" he asked.
Both nodded, and then Paige burst into tears and buried her face into Spinner's shoulder.
Cops ran into the room, along with a paramedic. They ran down to Craig and asked Manny what happened. Still in shock, she mumbled out some words, shaking her head as tears rolled down her face.
"Get some more meds down here," the paramedic yelled. "And tell them to bring the stretcher. This guy needs to get to the hospital now, or he's got no chance."
The cop ran off to get some more paramedics, and Manny continued to cry. Craig looked almost dead now, and Manny could barely feel his pulse. His hand was beginning to feel cold.
"Why us?" Paige cried. "Why now?"
Spinner sat speechless, wanting to answer her, but there were no words to say. There was nothing anyone could do now but hope, pray, and wait for a miracle.