You Left Me Alone:
Chapter Seven: Just Can't Turn Away
Five days later ...
Jennifer
"I am so happy, for the first time in my life everything's perfect." I admitted to my cousin who rolled her eyes.
"You know he'll hate you when he finds out. You have to tell him the truth Jenni."
"How can I? Tell him the truth ... I don't think I can. I don't want to go back and ..." My voice trailed off as I realized we had company.
"Something you want to tell me?" Scott looked suspicious, still unable to trust me after what happened with Shelby.
"Just that ...." I smiled, just knowing that nothing could ruin what we had.
"What is it? You're not leaving are you?"
"No. Of course not. I'd never leave you." I sat down on the steps, leaving Rose in the cafeteria.
"Then what is it?"
"Wow ... I don't know how to say this ... I think I'm in love with you." I began, closing my eyes in fear of rejection. "I love you Scott." I repeated, noticing that he wasn't pushing me away, he was understanding.
"Jenni, I-" I knew what he was going to say. I was longing to hear those words. Instead, something else happened.
"Scott, we need to talk." Shelby interrupted. She took a deep breath. "I know you hate me and you don't want to see me right now, but I'm willing ... I want to tell you the truth ... I can't live without you and ..." I turned away, unable to hear anymore. I knew what was going to happen. It was the same thing that happened when Scott had became the "big man on campus." When he met Elaine and I was just the shoulder to cry on. I didn't want to not mean anything to him anymore.
"I don't want you Shelby. I don't want any part of it ... your lies ... you." I looked over at Scott, filled with rage, yet unable to hide his love for her.
"Look, I really need to say this to you..." Scott turned around to face me, as if asking for my approval.
"Do what you need to do." I proclaimed, trying to make myself smile, hugging him before walking back to the cafeteria, defeated. I could've said no ... I could've done so many things differently. At that moment, I hated myself. I was so weak, so giving ... so unselfish at times. It hurt. I just didn't want to be alone anymore.
Manny paced back and forth in her house, looking at Jimmy. He was better than ... what he had been and no damage had been done. With her luck, he wouldn't be able to remember anything he saw and she could just kiss away any doubt he had for her. Jimmy had lost a lot of blood, which had scared her at first, but if there was one thing she learned from her mother, it was not to panic ... and so she'd gotten someone to come over and fix the problem. An ex-doctor. But there was still some doubt in her mind that he would be able to keep his mouth shut too.
"I can't go back there..." She whispered to herself, continuing to pace. They would take her away ... this time for good and ... she'd never see Craig again. Ba-rring! Ba-rring!
"Hello?"
"Manny, it's Craig."
"Oh. I mean, how are you ... did you perform?"
"Yeah. Ash made me." He laughed. "How's Jimmy?"
"Is Ashley there with you." Craig looked over at his girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat. She was less-than-happy about him calling Manny. But he appreciated her ... and was going to show it in every way possible. And, he had a surprise for her ...
"Yeah, she's here."
"Okay. When she's not come over and we can talk." Manny hung up, retreating to the couch. Just thinking about Craig made her feel empty. Because she didn't have him ... not yet.
Craig
"What did she say?" Ashley wondered, turning down the radio.
"What are you doing?"
"I really want to here it. I know she probably asked you to come over, so what's her excuse this time?" She rolled her eyes.
"Why can't you trust me?"
"She's obsessed with you Craig, more than I'll ever be ... and I don't see how I can compete with that." Ashley sighed, leaning against the passenger seat roughly.
"That's just it, you don't need to compete with her." I responded, stopping the car at my house.
"I thought you were taking me home."
"I was, but ... there's something I need to do." I helped Ash out of the car, sitting her on my couch. I left, moments later, ready to make a decision that would change both of our lives. "There's something I need to ask you..." I began.
"Then ask it, but I already know what it is." Ashley responded, adding more pressure to the situation. A couple of months ago, he wanted to say this, but now, everything had changed. Somehow, she found out about it and I knew ... I couldn't let her down ... everything they had was so convenient, seemingly perfect.
I knelt down on the carpeted floor, pulling out a small black box. "Ashley Kerwin ... will you marry me?"
Shelby
"I don't know what you want from me." I admitted to Scott who had reluctantly agreed to hear me out.
"You wanted to talk to me, so talk." Scott sat down in the corner, as far as he could possibly get from me in the small space.
"Scott ... this past has been hell for me. I hate not being able to tell you the truth. But I want to." I continued, wishing that he would believe me without me having to risk my sister.
"I know what's going on." He stated.
"You do? How?" My eyes lit up, in hope, knowing that we would be together.
"You're regretting what you did to me and now you want to come back. Something that only a skank would do." I sighed, walking over to him slowly.
"No." Inches separated us as I kissed him firmly. "No! Believe it or not, I had to do it and ... I want to get past this and spend the rest of my life with you. Remember when we were almost over and I thought you had left here ... I was so alone. But you came back and you danced with me." I sniffed, trying to stop the tears from coming. "And when you came back ... I knew we were meant for each other. I love you so-"
"Stop it!" Scott yelled, covering his ears. "This isn't what you said you were going to say ... be straight with me or I'm leaving." He headed towards the door.
"No!" I yelled. "You can't." My voice died down as my heart-rate accelerated. "I'll tell you everything." I promised, against my will. "I'm risking everything for you Scott ... you can't tell anyone."
Craig arrived at Manny's house later that night after Ashley had accepted his proposal. They would wait three years before getting married. But, it would be well-worth it.
"You're here." Manny opened the door before Craig had even rung the bell.
"Yeah. I wanted to see Jimmy." She moved out of the way so that he could pass.
"He's upstairs. They released him from the hospital .. he'll be fine." Manny stated, watching Craig barely acknowledge her presence.
"What the hell?" Craig asked as he looked at Jimmy. "What happened?"
"He's fine." Manny repeated. "Now, I want you to go."
"What? I just got here."
"Get out!" She yelled, pushing Craig away.
"Manny, what's going on here?" He noticed that she was crying, looking at her for the first time since he had walked into the house.
"Doesn't it bother you that I spent that night with Jimmy and I slept with him ... and I slept with ... all your friends? Don't you care?"
"What do you mean? You have a right to do whatever you want."
"No. I don't." Her voice broke. "Do you know what it's like to have everyone you've ever cared about walk out on you. Do you know what it's like to not be good enough for anyone?" She put her face in her hands. "I don't have anybody! My mother is dead, my father left ... my sister hates me ... and I love you so much Craig. It kills me that you don't give damn! So just get the hell out! Go!" Manny pushed Craig again, running down the hallway.
Craig almost walked out and left like something was telling him to, but he couldn't. Even after she had ruined his relationship with Ash, Manny was so much like him ... so alone so ... "I can't."
"What?"
"I hate having to pretend that I hate you so that everyone doesn't hate me. I don't hate you." Craig admitted.
"But I hate you. I can't have you." Manny backed away, into her room.
"I love Ash." Craig responded, trying to make himself believe it. "All I can offer is my friendship."
"I can give you everything." Manny promised, hugging Craig tightly. "I love you more than anyone could ever love you." She attempted to kiss him as Craig backed away. "I love you more than anyone could ever love you!" Manny repeated pounding on Craig's chest. After a while, she grew tired and let herself be comforted by him, entangled in his hug, so close to his lips ... his mouth ... his eyes said it all ... he loved her.
(A/N: This was a really weird chapter and if you're confused, don't worry ... so am I. I'll get to everything ... I promise. Jimmy will be in the next chapter and Shelby might spill the beans. Plus ... something happens that changes Manny's life forever. Please r/r with more suggestions. Thanks! Sorry it took so long for me to update ... it's that whole IB program. A word of advice, don't get involved in it. Mucho amor. NL)