Chapter Six: We Both Know and We've Known it

"What do you do when you are like falling in love with someone again?" Jennifer asked Rose who was the only person that she could really talk to.

"You falling in love with that white boy again?" She wondered, continuing to corn roll Jennifer's hair. "I don't know why you want me to do this anyway ... you know your hair is too fine for it to look good." Rose joked.

"Forget about my hair. I don't care what you do with it ... I just wish that Scott would just see me for once and not some other girl." Jennifer admitted. "How am I supposed to compete with someone who has blonde hair and blue eyes? Shelby is gorgeous."

"But you have a queen-like air about you ... you're like one of those rare jewels. Don't sweat it. I won't let anyone make you feel like you're not good enough." Rose added, finishing her cousin's hair.

"I wish he felt that way. When I was there with that last night ... I almost gave in and kissed him and told him everything I felt about him." Jennifer laughed to herself. "He wanted to know why I came here ... he wouldn't be able to handle the truth."

"Because we both know that neither one of us belongs here." Rose admitted. "But, you're my prima .. lo mismo de una hermana a mi. Te quiero." She hugged Jennifer, standing up and walking out the door.

"I love you too cuz." Jennifer whispered, with thoughts of Scott plaguing her even more than before. She had to do something other that sit around idly. All she wanted to do was kiss him and tell him how much she loved him.

"Where's Jimmy?" Craig wondered as Marco and Spinner both shrugged in response. "This is not cool ... how could he did this to us?"

"We can still go on ... I mean we have to." Spinner answered.

"He probably went out of town or something and forgot to tell us." Marco suggested.

"But he's the one with the solo ... not you guys. Jimmy." Craig continued to freak out. "I can't believe this." He mumbled, peeking out from behind the curtain. All the seats were nearly filled. Craig spotted Ashley easily, with her bright red and black hair. But ... there was one person he didn't see ... Manny. And the weird thing was that he really wanted her to be here, for some reason. She was the first one to know about this and she didn't even show up.

"Craig." He felt a tap on his shoulder, snapping him out from his daydream.

"What? I'm trying to think!" He yelled, without thinking about who was talking to him.

"Okay, I'm sorry I bothered you." Manny sighed, regressing back to her shy, sensitive self that she had kept hidden from everyone except for Craig.

"Oh Manny. It's you."

"Yeah, I know you probably don't want to see me here, but I really wanted to support you ... so here." Manny handed Craig some flowers. She looked like a train had just hit her. Manny gave Craig a forced smile and then forced herself to walk away.

"Wait ... Manny, what's wrong? And where's Jimmy?"

"He's in the hospital ... we got really drunk last night and ... I don't even know what happened." She lied, as her eyes teared up. "I thought it was just all fun, but ... I don't know..."

"In the hospital?" Manny nodded. "God." Craig rushed over to Manny, holding her tightly. Part of him did it because he felt like he had to and the other part genuinely wanted to hold her, and protect her ... after all he was the reason for why her life had been turned upside down.

"I should probably be going there then." He loosened his grip on her.

"No ... I mean, Marco and Spin need you. Jimmy should be fine. We were just ... having fun." Manny looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"Did you ... spend the night there?" Craig wondered, afraid of how she was going to respond.

"Yeah. We had sex." She answered, staring deeply into Craig's eyes, searching for a meaning and a reason to believe that he wanted her to be apart of his life. She couldn't read him.

"Okay." Craig turned away and walked towards the band, hurt. He was just surprised as Manny was to find out that he actually cared. A lot.

(A/N: Shorter chapters until I get at least three people to review per chapter ... next time, Jimmy's condition, Manny Craig and Ashley, Jennifer Scott, and Scott and Shelby)

THANKS TO: Activegirl00, liv, Unwanted Souless Freak, Mandy, Casey, Beth, Lynn, Manny, Jenni, vercua, keke1, carebear22, and Wendy for reviewing.