Chapter 31: Suddenly Last Summer

"So what is it you're making again," Emma asked Manny. They had just come back from the the arts and craft shop.

"Just some earrings," Manny mumbled while looping beads through a hoop.

Emma watched Manny beading the earrings fervently. She didn't know if she should help or just watch her. She decided to do neither.

"Hey, you want anything from the kitchen," Emma asked Manny after she walked towards the doorway.

"No, I'm fine." Manny said while beading the earrings.

Emma shrugged before walking to the kitchen. She felt really weird raiding in someone else's fridge but she was starving. The girls had spent the whole day shopping, with Manny in the arts store and Paige and Hazel in the clothing stores next door browsing she didn't have much to do but wait for everyone to finish. The whole downtown area wasn't her scene. So after waiting more then two hours, Emma was starving and they didn't have time to grab anything to eat because Hazel really wanted to get back to Jimmy before he woke up from his nap and Manny wanted to go home so she can start on her project.

Emma grabbed a large slice of cantaloupe out of the fridge with a glass of lemonade. She closed the refrigerator door and noticed she wasn't the only one in the kitchen.

"Did you find anything you like," Jenny asked Emma.

Emma didn't say a word she put the cantaloupe down on the kitchen table along with her drink before sitting down.

"You're still not angry at me because of what happened last night," Jenny asked sincerely. "I'm sorry if I upset you about the whole age difference thing between you and J."

Emma glanced at Jenny but didn't say a word. She just ate a slice of the cantaloupe and drunk a sip of the lemonade.

"I just wish you would say something, anything."

Emma drunk another sip of the lemonade before replying. "Jenny, why didn't you tell me you dated ?

"Like I said before I didn't think there was anything to tell."

"Why not?

"It just didn't matter it's kind of like you telling me you and Sean dated in the past or Manny telling me she dated Craig in the past or Paige telling me she dated Spi..." Jenny paused.

"Paige dating who?" Emma asked.

"Never mind. The fact is it would have been meaningless. I know you like J, he's a great guy, sometimes and I'm sorry about the things I said yesterday. My beef was with J not you we ended on such horrible terms the last time we were together but-" Jenny grabbed a cup from the cupboard and poured her a glass of lemonade. "-it's in the past. Just be careful, okay, J is a celebrity and also dating him can get a little out of hand and I'm not saying this because we dated before it's just I think you're a really nice girl I don't want to see you get hurt." Jenny took a sip of her lemonade.

"Don't worry, I won't, just like I said last night, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." Emma ate a slice of her cantaloupe. "And Jenny can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"How did you know about Sean and I and well everyone else?"

"We'll it's pretty obvious based up the tension in this house and Hazel told me all about everyone love affairs including yours when we had a moment alone. Hazel is a real chatterbox you know." Jenny laughed before Emma joined in.

"Come in," Manny yelled to whomever was knocking on her door.

"Oh." Craig looked surprised when he walked into the room and saw Manny on the bed carefully weaving beads through a hoop.

"Craig." Manny put the hoop on the bed.

"I'm sorry, I thought this was Jenny's room," Craig said. "I'm still not too familiar with the rooms in this place." Craig nervously laughed. "Manny."

"Yeah."

"You wouldn't happen to know where Jenny's room is?"

"Sorry, Craig." Manny picked up the hoop on the bed. "I'm not too familiar with this place either." Manny went back to weaving beads through the hoop."I need to get back to work so if you could, could you close the door."

"Oh, yeah, well thanks anyway." Craig closed the door.

Thump Thump. "Great," Manny said to herself out loud. "What does he want now?" Manny put the hoop down and opened the door. "Craig, Jenny's not..."

"Hey," Sean mumbled while looking at Manny who looked really angry." Is Emma in there?".

"No," Manny replied while marching back to the bed.

"Good," Sean sighed standing at the doorway. "Manny, I know your busy but can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can it wait." Manny weaved a bead through the hoop. "I'm really busy."

"You know I wouldn't ask to talk to you unless it was really important."

Manny put the hoop down on the bed and sighed. "OK Sean, what is it?"

"It's about Emma," Sean walked into the room and closed the door. "Can you tell me what's wrong with her?"

"What do you mean what's wrong with her?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Sean sat on the bed. "Manny tell me all about Emma since I left last year up until now,tell me everything about Jay in Degrassi and J here."

"Sean, you're asking a lot from me."

"I know and I wouldn't ask you unless it was really necessary."

"I can tell you everything I know that happened last year but I can't talk about Emma's relationship with J now."

"Why not?"

"Because Emma told me everything last night about how you're following her and J. Sean, your sure your not just a little jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Sean exclaimed. Manny gave him a I'm not convinced look "OK, maybe just a little but that's not the reason I want to know. I think J is up to something he reminds me of Jay from Degrassi and that's all I need to know that he's scum and he's up to no good. Emma's smart and she can take care of herself but when it comes to guys like J she can also be a little naive, she tries everything in her power to change the bad boy in them but some guys you just can't change. I want to help Emma and I can't do that without your help."

"OK," Manny mumbled. "I'll tell you what I know about him."

"That's how J and me broke up for good this time I assure you." Jenny and Emma were still in the kitchen having a heart to heart about Jenny's life and of course her stormy relationship with J.

"I never knew he was such a jerk." Emma shook her head

"We'll he wasn't always that way." Jenny stated. "He use to be kind, caring, but then he became a big star and well he changed." Jenny frowned. She glanced at Emma who was frowning as well. "I'm not trying to deter you from dating J in fact I'm sure he's not the same guy he use to be that was over a year ago people can change."

"No, I'm glad you told." Emma perked up. "You know the only reason I went out with him is because he reminds me of someone."

"Jay," Jenny exclaimed before catching her mistake.

"Yeah J," Emma chatted on not realizing Jenny's mistake. "He reminds me of someone at home he was a real jerk sometime but sometimes he was really sweet when you got to know him if he and this guy name Spinner wouldn't have did what they did."

"What did Spin do," Jenny asked curiously. "Was it bad?"

"Bad would be too nice for those jerks can you believe they..." Emma paused. She heard a little ditty which she figured out was Jenny's cell phone."You're cell's ringing."

"Oh," Jenny realized Emma was right. She was so into Emma's explanation that she didn't realize her cell phone was going off. Jenny picked up her cell and looked at the caller id. "Speak of the devil," Jenny mumbled

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing." Jenny got up from the table. "Excuse me, Emma." Jenny walked further away from her. "What is it?" Jenny mumbled. "Oh...ummm," Jenny glanced at Emma. "Yeah... Oh...Really...I didn't know...Look, let me call you back." Jenny closed her phone and walked towards Emma who was finishing off the rest of her glass of lemonade. "I gotta go. It's an emergency."

"Is is it serious?"

"No, it's not that kind of emergency it's just I have to do something really quick." Jenny threw her glass of lemonade in the sink. "It was fun chatting with you we really should do it again."

"Thanks for telling me all about Jesse." Emma smiled. "I can't believe that's his name."

"Yeah." Jenny made a sour face. "Don't tell him I told you he'll have a fit he says that name is sooo eighties."

Emma laughed. "I won't."

Jenny walked out of the kitchen and ran outside. "OK, guys." Jenny mumbled to herself. "What did you do this time?"