Chapter 9: Friends

"Are your nails almost dry" Darcy asked Emma.

"Almost." Emma replied.

It was another girls night out this time it was at Manny's house after what happened at Emma's with the whole t-ping Chester's house with feminine products, she had to make it up to her friend. Although Emma's mom was cool with the whole incident she still feels uncomfortable every time Mrs Simpson smirks. "No more tamponing I mean t-ping our neighbor's lawn. You girls these days." Manny remembers Mrs. Simpson saying it through fits of laugher.

"Emma you still haven't told us what was so important that you had to have another girls night out." Manny stated.

"Thanks again Manny for having it at your house." Emma responded

"Although I wouldn't have mind having another one at your house." Chante replied

"That's just because you want to see more of Chester and his brothers. They're so cute." Darcy said while sighing.

"Can I just say ewww. I like my men more mature." Emma said. "Speaking of immature men, Manny you won't believe what I saw a few days back."

"Is it juicy" Chante giggled.

"Not really, well kind of." Emma replied.

"What is it? Really we will keep a secret, right girls?" Manny asked.

"Sure, yeah." Darcy and Chante agreed.

"It's about Toby. I think he's hanging around with a bad crowd." Emma said.

"Toby, he's wouldn't hang around with anyone bad." Manny replied.

"He was with Rick." Darcy interrupted.

"That's different Rick wasn't bad it was just a bad situation caused by Jay and Spinner." Manny looked at Emma. "Emma, Toby's not hanging out with those two? What am I saying he wouldn't do that not after what those guys did, right"

"Well he is. I saw them hanging out last Monday and I even spotted Jay picking up his goons with Toby tagging along." Emma replied. "I feel like this is all my fault."

"How is it your fault" Manny asked. "Jay is the idiot and I'm sure Spinner convinced him to tag along. Face it the guys we choose are all jerks."

"Yes we know, Jay, Spinner, Chris, J.T., ..." Chante named all the guys Manny and Emma dated.

"OK, I get the point." Manny replied. "I do recite the list a lot."

"No." Darcy sarcastically stated before continuing. "Out of all those guys one of them had to be kind of worth it." Darcy looked at Manny and Emma.

"No comment." Emma said. "All of those guys were jerks, well Sean was OK he did save my life but the rest were complete jerks."

"See there's one guy." Darcy replied. "Care to give one of your own Manny."

"There's no one." Manny stated.

"There has to be one, Manny" Chante said in a questioning voice.

"There's no one they're all jerks." Manny replied. Emma looked at Manny as if she was going to say something but Manny gave her look that made her think otherwise. Just as it appeared that Chante was going to ask again Manny changed the subject quickly.

"So what do you think" Craig asked Marco on their way to The Dot to meet up with the rest of the gang.

"About what" Marco replied.

"About the weirdness of it all."

"C'mon Craig it was just a coincidence. Manny had a one in ten chance of being close to the number."

"Yeah but not only was she close she hit the number on the head."

Marco hums a weird tune. "Next thing your going to tell me is that she's a psychic like Terri was. We'll see Manny being chased by kids who want there fortune told."

"Shut up." Craig playfully responded. "It's just weird that's all. My mom use to do the same thing with Joey she would think of a number and he would hit it right on the head."

"What are you trying to say Manny and you are meant to be, did you pick the wrong girl?"

"No!" Craig replied really fast.

"Wow, I was only playing around. Look, Ashley and you are meant to be. Why not play the game with her I'm sure she'll get every number correct. It's like you too share one brain your always together, I'm surprised she isn't here right now."

"Ha ha" Craig laughed. "You know Ash she said she had to do something and she didn't want me to wait up for her. Maybe, I'll play the numbers game with her, funny I never played it before until that thing with Manny made me think about it."

"We'll even though you three are paired together again it's only for a play."

"Rock Opera" Craig corrected.

"Whatever, besides the chances of you and Manny getting back together again and having some cosmic bond is highly unlikely especially compared to you and Ashley's bond. You guys are like Spike and Mr. Simpson, Joey and Caitlin, Me and Dylan."

"Had to put your relationship in that category." Craig laughed.

"I'm just saying the chances of you rekindling that flame is the chances of me and you being caught together in a passionate lip lock."

"Ewww, you know you could have paired me with someone else in a lip lock Paige, Hazel, Ellie, even Emma you know someone of the opposite sex."

Marco rolled his eyes. "It's not who I'm pairing you with it's just the possibility that you and Manny getting back together is well, highly unlikely."

"Hey man glad you could come." Jay said as Toby walked into The Dot. "Here, have a seat." Jay pushed one of his friends out of there chairs.

"No thanks." Toby replied. "I don't think I'll be here that long. What's this all about, anyway?"

"Nothing much, I just wanted to know how you've been"

"Fine, I guess. Thanks for the lift last time and the fun time at the Ravine but most of the girls there aren't my type besides since the Ravine incident I'm not to sure if I want to..."

"Your fries." Spinner interrupted before giving the plate to Jay and then joining the conversation. "Hey man you don't have to do anything you don't want with those girls. I rarely touch anything there."

"Fine, we don't have to go back to the Ravine." Jay said. "We can go to lots of places in this town."

"As long as it's not here." Toby stated while watching J.T. and Liberty make goggle faces in the corner and then spotting Craig and Marco coming in. "This place is nastier then the Ravine why do you work here?"

"I need the cash." Spinner shrugged before spotting Paige, Hazel, and Jimmy walking in. "Uhhh...I gotta go to the back to change, my shift is almost over."

"Don't take too long." Jay replied before Spinner ran to the kitchen. "Looks like our friend just spotted Archie and his jug heads. I guess that's our cue to leave. Meet me out back I want to show you something." Jay said to Toby before disappearing through the back door.