He should have cared that she was so dependent on him, that he was the center of her world -- that would have been the nice thing to do. But he stood there, watching her cling to his hand, unwillingly letting go, and it occured to him how much this actually meant to her, and how little it had become to him. Her hand dropped, and his stayed hanging.

And he had simply ignored it.

A breakup with Ashley was one that required much planning and many fine details. It was no a typical break up. Explanations would be needed, apologies would be asked for -- every detail had to be carefully laid out as to avoid any heartbreak.

Just another thing to add to his to-do list. But first thing was first.

"Spin, I'm not asking a lot, just for you to get me a job application and maybe say a word or two!"

Craig and Spinner were lunching outside the school building at one of their favorite tables. Craig had decided that with Spinner's jolly mood there would be no better time to check off the top item on his to-do list. Get a job.

"What? Dude, I can't. You don't understand I've recommended, like, ten people but he doesn't care, okay?"

"Spin, will you just try?"

Rationally laying his hands down on the table, Spinner blinked once then looked up. "He doesn't listen, okay? So naturally, whatever I say will just be a waste of my breath."

Spinner was stubborn. Spinner was stubborn and Craig hated him.

Couldn't he see that he was desperate? And what could Craig possibly say to persuade someone like Spinner?

Rolling his eyes in annoyance and frustration, he said, "Spin, I need this job! I need the money! Do you not get it?"

A second after he said those words, he could tell he struck something in Spinner. His expression was that of realization. He ws putting two and two together.

Straightening himself, Spinner pushed two pop cans out of the way and sat forward, preparing to speak.

"Oh my God, dude, someone let you lose and you impregnated another girl!"

...Shock. Complete shock. What kind of person comes up with a conclusion like that? Other than Spinner.

A lie, would that be a smart move?

No, idiot.

Craig was frightened. How loud had Spinner spoken? Who had heard?

Leaning closer in an urgent manner, Craig grabbed a hold of Spinner's shoulder, attempting to keep the conversation as private as possible.

"Okay, one -- no one 'let me loose'. Two -- well... is it that obvious? How could you tell?"

Shaking free of Craig's grip, Spinner straightened himself. "Wait, wait, wait. Let me guess first, you have to let me guess. This is the highlight of my morning. Please let me guess."

Rolling his eyes, Craig responded, "Fine, guess away."

Spin's face broke into a wide smile. "Okay, first of all, is it someone I know? ...Craig?... C'mon, Craig you have to answer!"

"Yes."

"Alright then, that rules out, like, half the school. Dude, I swear if it's Manny again --"

"It's not."

"Well --"

Spinner looked like he was all out of answers, until --

"It's Emma... You impregnated the hippie."

Okay, so lying had been a possibility... now it wasn't. Craig would have been more roused to have a reaction if it hadn't been Spinner who found out, but he knew that Spin would keep the secret... and badger him about it for months to come.

"Spin, she's not a hippie."

"You get all this action. I don't get it."

"Sex is... well -- well, sex is.. it's great, believe me --"

"You're telling me. I wanna have sex."

Poor Spinner. Stuck in virginity mode.

But the consequences of having it otherwise. Craig wondered for a minute if he would take it all back just to avoid his curerent situation, but he knew it had been to big of a thing for him.

"Do you get why I need the job?"

Spinner nodded. "I'll do something."

Emma concentrated soley on her book, determined not to look up. From across the room, Spinner was being creepy and smiling at her.

"How's the book?" Manny asked stiffly.

"Umm..." she hadn't actually been reading it. "It's good." She set it to the side. "Manny, do you have any idea why Sean didn't show up for school today? He said he'd see me in math, but he never showed."

A blank stare was all she got for a response.

"Manny, hello?"

Idly turning in her seat, Manny sighed. "I don't know, Emma. Did you do anything to upset him?"

"Upset him? I don't think so, no."

At least not anything that he knew of.

"Why, did he say something?"

Anger crept over Manny's face. "You called me a slut, Emma. Just look at you now."

Emma watched in disbelief as Manny slammed her book shut and stormed off, disrupting the entire class. Mr. Armstrong tried to call after her, but it was a lost cause.

Spinner's smile lessened.

Millions of girls had been hrough teen pregnancies. Numerous amounts. And they had gotten through it.

So what gave Emma the right to complain?

Because she damn well could.

Countless inarticulate hours had passed in that basement, Emma pacing frantically before her mirror, silently screaming to herself.

It just wasn't fair! It wasn't right! It was pure bull.

One mistake -- one screw up -- and now not only she had to pay -- everyone around her did, too.

She sat stiffly on the edge of her bed, convinced someone was watching, critiquing. It was one of those weird human paranoia things.

She had come down for one purpose: To call Manny. But now, as she sat there, hone clamped eagerly in her hand, the line never stopped ringing.

Oh, it had been so close. It had been so close to being peaceful.

Craig had awoken from an afternoon nap in his dusty, sunlit room, hidden beneath a pile of warm blankets. And for one minute, everything was back to normal.

So close. Just not close enough.

Groaning, Craig kicked the covers off with his cock-clad feet, rolling over to the side of the bed. Spinner would be coming over. He'd need way more energy to deal with his cheeriness... actually, a good laugh could be exactly what h needed.

Shuffling to the door, he heard the house bell go off. It was probably Spinner. This gave Craig no reason to rush. He took his time fiddling with the door handle and his jeans while the bell went off like crazy.

"Hold on."

Impatience. How annoying.

Clambering down the stairs, Craig stretched out for the door, twisting the knob to reveal none other than Sean.

Oh, great.

Graffiti on the lockers. It had been a classic stunt in all the movies, in all the books. But now, standing before her own locker, Emma finally understood the gravity of their misfortunes.

It was streaked with large, black paint, the occasional drip here and there, showing where it had trickled down in the drying process. It was the ugliest word she had ever read.

Slowly bringing her her hand up to chip it away, she saw Ashley round the corner, and knew what was about to happen.

"Emma, what is that?"

The awaited question. Ashley had her hands bound tightly around her books, striding nearer and looking on in concern.

"Why would someone write that?"

Emma was conscience-stricken. Ashley was such a nice person, and she once had a nice boyfriend... Until I had to go take it all away.

"I don't know," Emma replied, "I just came in here and it was there. They must have got the wrong locker."

She tried to sound clueless. It then occured to Emma that she was in fact clueless. Why would someone deface her locker? A sick joke? There was no one that knew about the baby.

"Well, that's too bad." Ashley moved closer, leaning against the paint-free lockers. "But you know what might cheer you up? I'm having this small get together at my house for Craig, and I was sort of hoping you could help plan."

This left Emma flabbergasted. It immediately took her mind off her locker. "Me? Help plan?"

"Yeah, it's only gonna be, like, five or ten people. Just close friends."

Emma gaped at her, speechless. "Well, why are you even doing it?"

"Craig. It's all for Craig. He's been so good lately, no worrying or freaking out. I think he deserves a little something."

Oh, now she had to say yes.

"When is it?"