(A/N: This afternoon I had a huge writers block, and then I listened to Maroon 5 and BAM! The chapter was born! I hope you enjoy!)
Chapter Ten
That was not the way Manny had envisioned turning twenty-eight. And she never expected in a million years to pass out at Calvin Klein's party in the middle of the dance floor and have Craig carry her home. She had never thought of herself as an alcoholic either, when she was under stress she drank, when she wasn't, she didn't. But after the night before, everyone was telling her to get counseling for her problem. Even Liberty wanted to take her to the intensive care unit in the hospital, saying that she was emotionally unstable ever since her breakup from Keith. Her legs were curled to her knees as she read a magazine outside on the Yorke's veranda; her agent was on the phone with her as well.
"No, Leigh I'm fine", Manny paused, "No, no, no. It was NOT like that. I didn't go up on the bar and start dancing", she paused a couple of seconds of longer, "I know this looks horrible for the company, I understand that Leigh", she paused longer this time, "I understand Leigh, I promise, it won't ever happen again. I understand that if I do anything like this again I'll be kicked out of the agency. I love you too, ciao". She set the phone in her lap and scanned over the magazine she had James pick up for her from the grocery store. The glossy pages eluded her, she had turned down her occasional Elle, for the latest Home Living magazine, something she rarely read but was getting very into.
"Manny", James walked onto the veranda, "What did Leigh have to say? If you're kicked out of the agency I'll personally go over there and kick Leigh's ass…"
Manny smiled and held her hand up, "No need for that JT, I'm still in the agency, Leigh just told me I have one more chance, if I do anything like this again, I'm out".
"You called me JT", James whispered, "God that brings back memories…"
"Funny how names can do that", Manny shrugged, "JT… you don't think I'm crazy, right?"
"You're a model", JT smiled.
"Seriously JT, you don't think I'm emotionally unstable after what happened with Keith, do you?" Manny peered into JT's eyes.
"The man treated you like shit, of course you're going to be affected by it", JT simply answered.
"But you don't think… I take it out by drinking. I mean, you don't think I'm an alcoholic, right?"
James stood up and cupped Manny's face into his hands, "Of course not", he smiled and kissed her lightly on the forehead; he pulled away and eyed the phone, "Duke might think you are though, you might want to call him, his number's in the Caller I.D".
Manny mouthed the words 'thank you' to James and watched him walk away, into the house before she picked up the phone and called Duke.
"Duke Daniels", Duke's smooth, silky voice filled the speakers.
"Hey Duke, it's Manny. Look, I'm really sorry about what happened last night… I even dunno what happened. I know you think I'm some alcoholic and that's okay. You can believe it. I'm sorry I put you through that last night I knew you didn't feel comfortable at that party, sometimes I keep persisting and I forget about other people's feelings, and I didn't consider yours at all Duke, and I'm terribly sorry…"
"Slow down", Manny heard Duke chuckle over the phone, "It's alright, you don't have to apologize".
"For being an alcoholic?"
"For anything, hey since I had a walk through your life, maybe you can take a walk through mine?"
"Sure".
"Oh great, um I'll pick you up from Liberty's house at seven, and we'll have fun, my way", Duke promised.
"Sounds great! See you at seven", Manny hung up and flipped through the pages of the magazine joyously.
---
"She still hasn't called you?" Genesis asked as she sipped on some orange juice from the carton.
"I'd really appreciate it if you used a glass", Craig shot Genesis an evil glare.
"Sorry", Genesis shrugged and reached for a glass, "What did she say to you last night?"
"She was unconscious last night", Craig sighed, "Although she did throw up on me as I was walking her home".
"Well that's just dandy!" Genesis rolled her eyes, "I meant before she passed out".
"Oh, nothing".
"BECAUSE YOU WERE FLIRTING WITH A FUCKING WAITRESS INSTEAD!"
"Why are you so upset?" Craig asked.
"Because for Manny's birthday, all she wanted was you and she didn't get that", Genesis grabbed her glass of orange juice and walked out the door.
(A/N: Sorry so short... I have a short attention span so I usually can't write super duper long chapters. Please leave your comments! I'd really 'preciate it!)
