By the time July rolled around, Jay and I were just about inseparable. We called ourselves 'friends' but those awkward moments that told us it was something more were happening more often. I was getting pretty good at pushing Craig out of my mind. He was more excited about his visit than I was.

Jay kept me busy. We were always doing something whether it was jet skiing, playing volleyball on the beach, or just hanging out at the house. There was never a dual moment. He'd taught me how to drive, talked me into surfing lessons, and had gone with me to get the tattoo I'd always wanted. With Jay every day had become an adventure.

The second week of July however, brought new obstacles for Jay and me. We came home from playing Pirate's Cove Put-Put to find a strange car parked in front of the house. Jay and I exchanged a curious glance before making our way into the house.

Alex met us at the door fuming, "Where the hell have the two of you been?"

"Out. Whose car?" Jay asked, fanning disinterest as he tossed his keys on the coffee table and headed for the kitchen.

"The rock star's," Alex answered, leveling her eyes on me.

"He wasn't supposed to be here until next week!" I said in confusion. It was more to myself then to Alex.

"Well he's early and he brought the groupies. They're on the beach. I'm going to crash at Brie's for a few days." Alex added.

"I'll drive you." Jay offered, his jaw clenched in annoyance at the news of Craig's arrival and Alex's abandonment.

I sighed as the front door opened and closed. I hesitated before making my way through the back door and down the sandy path to the beach.

"El," Craig cried out when he saw me. I offered a half smile as he rushed towards me and wrapped his arms around me in a friendly bear hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." I replied, realizing that I had missed him after all or at least I'd missed the guy he was a year ago. He'd changed just like I had and even though I still cared about him, it wasn't the same way I had at the end of senior year. It hit me the second I was in Craig's arms that I was no longer in love with him.

I took a step back and spotted Manny and Emma sitting a short distance away. Manny stood up and joined Craig and me. She put her arm around Craig's waist protectively and with a challenging smile said, "Hey, Ellie. I hope you don't mind Em and I tagging along."

"It's whatever, I guess, but try not to give Jay too much crap. It's his place and he's really not so bad." I said, looking directly at Craig.

"Best behavior, I promise." Craig replied with a smile.

I sat down in the sand near Emma while Manny and Craig went to splash around in the ocean. It reminded me of the movie "Grease," where Sandy and Danny are running around the beach. I laughed as I watched waiting for Craig or Manny to break out in song.

"The house is great." Emma said, pulling my attention away from the nauseating scene.

"Yeah, it is but I can't take credit. Jay's dad rented the place." I replied.

"I can't believe I let Manny talk me into coming here." She added with a little laugh. "Jay and I don't exactly get along."

I nodded, knowing what had happened between the two of them. But the Jay I'd been spending my summer with was nothing like the Jay that had cheated on Alex with Amy and Emma. I refused to blame him for a decision Emma herself had made.

"I know but that's not entirely his fault now is it?" I asked, causing her to fall silent and shift her eyes towards her friend and away from me. I felt guilty having hit such a sore spot, despite the fact that it's what I had intended to do. She'd been through a lot lately and with Sean and I over, there really wasn't a reason for me to dislike her. It wasn't like I had a thing for Jay, that I was jealous that not only had she been with Sean first, she'd been with Jay first too. I sighed before apologizing, "Sorry."

I headed back to the house a short time later. I knocked on Jay's bedroom door and walked in when he called out, "Yeah."

I flopped down on his bed and watched as he put on his deodorant and tee shirt before asking, "Going out?"

"Yeah. Bridget, the blonde from volleyball and I are going out to eat or something." He replied, avoiding my eyes.

"Oh," I said, trying to hide the disappointment from my voice.

He put his hat on his head before explaining, "I figured you'd be spending time with Manning. Anyway, I'm running late so I'll see you later."

I rolled my eyes as he turned his back to me and walked out of the bedroom. I silently cursed Jay, then Craig, then myself for getting into this mess in the first place. When I was done, I pulled myself together and headed back to the living room.

That night I found myself hanging out with Craig, Manny, and Emma. It wasn't exactly how I'd planned on spending my evening but it beat sitting at home by myself.

"I'm starving," Manny whined over dramatically. "Ellie, please tell me there's a good seafood restaurant around here?"

"The locals rave about a place called Tsunami. It's about two blocks up." I answered.

"We are so there." Manny added, linking her arms with Craig and Emma's and quickening their pace.

I followed a safe distance behind them, wondering where Jay was and if he was having fun. Call me purely evil but I was hoping he was having the same crappy time that I was. He'd stuck me with the prude and the drama queen. He definitely deserved to have a bad time.

There was a forty-five minute wait to be seated at Tsunami. Manny insisted any place with a forty-five minute waiting list was well worth it. I couldn't imagine any place good enough to wait around forty-five minutes but because Manny wanted to, we did.

"Are you stalking me?" A familiar voice asked from behind me.

I turned around to find myself face to face with Jay and Bridget. I offered up a small smile before my stomach flipped at the sight of them holding hands. I blamed it on being extremely hungry despite the fact I knew I wasn't.

"Ellie, right?" Bridget asked.

"Yeah," I replied, forcing myself to look away from their joined hands.

"Manning, party of four?" The hostess called out. I'd never been so grateful for a distraction.

"Well that's me." I said. "I guess I'll see you later."

"I'm not waiting forty-five minutes." I heard Jay say as I followed Manny to the table. I couldn't help but smile until Craig opened his mouth.

"Why don't the two of you join us?" Craig offered, causing my jaw to literally drop.

Manny grabbed his arm and whispered in an irritated tone, "Why would you do that?"

Craig looked at me for help but I just shot him an irritated look that matched Manny's tone. He looked back at Manny in confusion before explaining, "Ellie said to give him a break."

"He is letting us stay at his house." Emma added, putting her normal two cents in.

So much for not exactly getting along with him, I thought as I rolled my eyes. I sat down in one of the empty chairs, praying Craig or Manny or Emma would sit down next to me but instead the took the three seats on the other side of the table, leaving me stuck next to Jay and Bridget.

"So do you all go to school together?" Bridget asked.

"Not since Ellie graduated and Jay got expelled." Manny replied.

I could see the look of confusion on Bridget's face as she made a mental note to ask about that later before continuing, "Oh, so you guys are all friends?"

Craig chocked on one of the dinner rolls a waiter had sat in front of him as Manny continued, "Hardly. My boyfriend and Ellie are friends. Last time I checked Jay didn't have any friends."

I could see the anger flash through Jay's eyes and I wasn't sure if I wanted to pat Manny on the back or slap her across the face. I knew I should probably step in but I was having too much fun watching. I saw Jay clench in jaw as he tried and failed to hold back his retort, "Maybe if I flashed my boobs to half the school I'd have more friends."

Manny's cheeks turned bright pink in embarrassment but quickly turned to red as her anger took over, "You're a jerk."

"And you're a …." Jay started.

I cut him off quickly before things could escalate anymore, "Well, this sure is fun."

The table grew silent but luckily we didn't have to sit that way long. Our waiter came over to take our orders, breaking up the silence.

"The chicken fingers with fries and barbeque sauce." Jay ordered.

Manny snorted from across the table before snidely adding, "Who orders chicken at a seafood restaurant?"

I admit it, I had found her Jay bashing funny at first but it was growing more irritating by the second so I felt the need to step in. "Someone who doesn't like seafood." I replied in irritation then to the waiter added, "I'll have the same."

I knew Jay was smirking without even looking at him. It must have been contagious because I was fighting the urge to smirk too. Manny, however, wasn't finding it at all amusing. She was pouting on the other side of the table.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Manny answered her lips still pursed together in her little pout. She stood up and pushed her chair in before turning to Emma and asking, "Em, you coming?"

"I think I'll join you." Bridget added as Emma stood up.

"So much for that booty call," Jay said, once all three girls were out of sight. Then he turned to me and said, "I guess I owe you one."

"Let's call it even. After all, you held my hair while I puked." I replied with a little smile and a questioning look from Craig. I explained, "It's a long story."

"You kind of had to be there." Jay added with a chuckle.

The rest of dinner went fairly smoothly. As we all left the restaurant, Bridget made up something about needing to get home and by the smug smile on Manny's face I knew she had something to do with it. Jay offered to drive her but she refused and quickly left. I had to admit, I was glad the blonde was gone but I felt a little guilty about it.

"Why don't you hang out with us?" I suggested to Jay. Manny's smug smile quickly disappeared as she realized she was going to have to spend the rest of the evening with Jay now that his other plans had been canceled because of her.

"Thanks, Red." Jay said putting his arm around my shoulder then catching on added, "I think I will."

We continued up the boardwalk stopping in a few stores or to play a few games. Manny squealed in excitement when she saw a haunted house. She quickly pulled Craig and Emma into line.

"El, are you coming?" Craig called out, motioning for me to join them.

I looked up at Jay who shrugged but followed me anyway. We followed the glow in the dark arrows down a dark hallway laughing as Manny and Emma screamed with each fake Freddy or Jason that jumped out at them. As we passed a wicked witch figure it cackled and I couldn't help but think it sounded an awful lot like Manny.

"Remind you of anyone?" Jay asked, pointing at the figure then at Manny like he was reading my thoughts.

I laughed and playfully shoved him. I could feel Craig's curious glare but ignored it. I was having too much fun to stop and explain to Craig that I liked hanging out with Jay, that I liked Jay. That's when it hit me, in that pathetically un-scary haunted house I realized, I had fallen for Jay.

The spot on my lower back where his hand was guiding me began to grow warm. The warmth spread through my entire body leaving me with chills. I bit my lip as a shiver rippled its way down my spine. Jay looked down at me his eyebrows furrowed in what I assumed was worry.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice so that only I could hear.

I shook my head yes and offered him a reassuring smile before stepping closer to him. He moved his hand from my back and wrapped it around my shoulders. I returned the gesture by wrapping my arm around his waist as we continued down the hallway.

By the time the hallways led us back outside Emma and Manny were clinging to each other in fear and Jay and I were laughing hysterically. It earned us a few evil glances from both of them but it only made us laugh harder.

"That was great." Jay chocked out between fits of laughter.

"Oooh, scary," I added before turning to Manny and asking, "Are you okay? Freddy didn't get you did he?"

Manny's reply was another evil glare before she turned to Craig and started pouting again. I rolled my eyes as Craig put his arm around her shoulder to comfort her and she shot me a satisfied smile.