I don't own DTNG, so...whatever.

Part six

Craig

Em flipped open her phone and read the text message. She got real stiff, and quiet. I tried reading her face. I wanted to ask her who it was, but didn't want to overstep my boundaries. Instead, I waited for her to speak.

"Craig!"She whispered, the color draining from her face. "What is it?"

"She's home. Manny is home." I looked at Em in disbelief, and felt like I my head was floating away from the rest of my body. "What..what does it say?"

"Look!" She held the phone out so I could read. We both stood up and apart with lightning speed.

I started to look around nervously. "Do you think she's seen us?" Emma whispered, eyes growing wider and more crazed. I swallowed hard. "No, of course not. Manny's a pretty sound sleeper isn't she?" "Usually. But no one is home with her, so she might be up. You've got to get out of here Craig!"

"Em, calm down. We could just say I brought you, since my car was blocked in, I didn't want you walking alone...You know, Sean kissed you...the truth." Emma gave me a cold look.

"The truth? Including the part where the two people she loves more than anything made out with each other?"

"You know what I mean Em. But this," I wagged my finger between the two of us, "Is not over. We're talking about this soon. Maybe not this weekend, we won't be able to be alone, but Monday. We're discussing this." I turned and walked off the direction we came, leaving her staring after me.

The next morning, I woke up to my baby sister jumping up and down on my bed. "CRAIG!"

She yelled, "WAKE UP!"

"Angie! Leave me alone!" I tried to catch her, and toss her onto the mattress, but she was too quick. Satisfied with herself I guess, she stood in my doorway and grinned. "Manny's here! Get up! Did you forget we are going to the park today?"

Damn. I did forget. But I didn't forget about last night. About Em kissing me, sitting in my lap, with Manny less than fifty feet away. I grabbed my head, shaking it. When I looked back up, Manny was standing in front of me. And she didn't look happy.

Emma

After I closed the door last night, I half expected Manny to be there, at the door, or on the couch, waiting for me. But she wasn't. She was right where her boyfriend predicted she'd be. In bed, sound asleep and completely oblivious to what transpired just outside her own bedroom window.

I felt like crying again, at the memory. Just start to sob and wail at the thought of my betrayal.

But another part of me, deep down inside, wanted to laugh, and dance, and sing because he wanted me.

Just as much as I wanted him.

The sun came creeping in the basement window early. I knew I had to get myself together before Manny had the chance to surprise me. What was I going to tell her again? Oh yeah, the truth.

"Good morning Em!"

"Morning." I rubbed my eyes. "Awfully early, isn't it? Where ya going?"

My best friend kept brushing her hair, "Em, it's already 11:23. And I'm going to the park today, remember? Me, Ange, and Craig?"

I forgot. "So what happened last night? Did you have a good time?" I had to perk up or else she'd suspect something was wrong.

"Well, first of all Mom and Dad are gone out of town, so we have the house to ourselves, but, Manny, you missed something big!"

"What did I miss?"

"Sean."

"Sean, as in Cameron? He's back?"

"In the flesh. And he kissed me. In front of everybody!"

"Tell me you went for it. He's your true love!"

"No, I was shocked, I couldn't do anything, but run away. And Craig..."

"You ran away? From Sean? Why?"

"I'm just so confused Manny. I don't know what to do. Craig saw that I was upset, and he...he walked me home." I finished quickly.

"Walked you?"

"His car was blocked in."

"Oh. He's so perfect, isn't he Em?"

"He's...he's great." I say unenthusiastically.

"Don't worry. I'm on the case, and project 'get Sean back' is definitely in progress."

I grinned. Manny hugged me briefly around the neck, and made her exit, bounding up the staircase.

I am such a monster...