Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine...

A/N: Again, thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed! It really is what motivates me to update.

O.o

Craig was true to his word. He walked me home and made sure that no mass rapists suddenly jumped me.

Although...I think it was a highly unlikely thing that would have happened anyway, don't you? I mean really. Here, in Toronto, in this neighborhood? Right.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Craig Manning was walking me home.

So after our whole thing of him swinging me over his shoulder and the tickle fight and the me almost spilling my guts, we walked to my house. Mostly it was in silence, but every now and then we'd glance at each other, smile, and quickly look away. You know what I'm talking about, right? The whole thing where you sit in English class and you're too bored to actually pay attention so you gaze randomly around the room. And some guy across the room happens to be doing the same thing and you make random eye contact, smile, and look away. And then the rest of the class period is spent looking back at that person because you both assume that the other was staring at you. Yep, that game. And that's what we did the rest of the way home. Only, you know, a bit less awkward. Or maybe more awkward since there was only a limited amount of space in between us and you could practically smell the tension between us both.

That and well, Craig Manning was walking me home. And my stomach was still doing that flippy thing even though I was consistantly trying to make it stop. Damn those salsa chips at Marco's...

Finally though, we got to my house. And when we did, I was praying that we wouldn't have to endure one of those awkward situations of standing in front of my door, not knowing what to do.

So, I walked down the sidewalk, Craig following next to me, and tried to find my keys in my bag. My hand dug through the fabric and all I felt was my wallet, iPod, and cell phone. My keys were no where to be found.

"Shit," I exclaimed into the darkness, finally breaking the comfortable silence that had settled in between Craig and me.

"What, Nash? Lost your keys, or something?" Craig inquired jokingly.

I turned around and glared at him.

"Actually, yes. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't just stand there with that goofy look on your face."

"What do you want me to do?" he asked innocently.

I raised my eyebrows at him as if to say 'Craig, are you really that dense'? Apparently he was.

"Craig, help me look for them!"

"Ugh, fine," he retorted, as if it was so hard to get down on the ground and help me look.

A few minutes passed and we didn't see my keys anywhere.

"I guess they're back at Marco's," Craig said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I didn't grab them before I left."

That was weird, though, because I could have sworn that I threw them in my bag before slipping casually out the door.

"Well, then we'll just have to walk back to Marco's and get them."

I froze. I didn't want to go back to Marco's. Because going back to Marco's meant facing that whole awkward, embarassing situation of Manny inquiring where the hell Craig had been all this time. And if he told her then we'd have to explain why we were back. And then she probably wouldn't let Craig walk me back home after we retrieved them.

Note to self: Keep my damn keys with me at all times.

But I really had no other choice than to walk back to Marco's and get my keys.

So I started walking back with Craig, dreading of what would happen once we reached our destination.

O.O

Craig and I walked back to Marco's house mostly in silence once again, making some small talk here and there. Mostly though, I was not anticipating walking back into that room filled with our former classmates.

But the moment came. We made it to Marco's fairly quickly and slipped in the door quietly.

Thankfully, everyone's backs were turned as we made our way in and no one noticed us in the back of the room. I looked around trying to spot my keys. Finally, after a few moments of no luck, I noticed that they were lying comfortably next to the chip bowl. Those damn salsa chips...why had they looked so inviting when I first walked into the party? If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be in this whole mess.

Wait, actually, if I wasn't still in love with Craig I wouldn't be in this whole mess but that's not the point.

The point is, I found my keys and now we could just slip out the door again and walk back to my house.

Ha, fat chance.

Unfortunately for me, Marco had noticed me standing there.

"El! There you are! Where've you been?" he questioned suspiciously.

Shit. How was I suppose to answer that? 'Craig and I have been walking home together for the past 45 minutes while in the mean time having tickle fights that slowed us down.' That definitely would not go over very well so I had to think up a lie.

"I was just walking home and when I got there, I realized that I didn't have my keys. You know me, Marco, always forgetting things."

Okay, that lie sucked. First, because Marco knows me the best and he knows I'm a bad liar and second, he knows I am not forgetful.

He gave me a 'I know you're up to something and you're going to spill when there's not a crowd full of people in the room' look and said, "Yeah, okay El. Whatever."

Marco turned back to the crowd who somehow still hadn't noticed us and I couldn't believe that I was off the hook. I let out a sigh of relief and turned to Craig, motioned that I had found my keys and just as I thought we were home free...

"Craig! Babe, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

We weren't.

I turned around and saw Manny strutting her way over to Craig, then wrapping her nasty arms around him that have been God knows where, and then kissing him right there. Right there in front of me as to say 'Duh Ellie, you're so stupid for even trying. Craig is my boyfriend.' And suddenly, I found myself running past the PDA obsessed couple and out the door.

As I made my way outside I couldn't help but to think that it was all because of those damn salsa chips.

o.O

A/N: Review, please! Characters, storyline, all that. Let me know what ya thought.