Chapter 2
"Manny will you chill", said Emma helping Manny with her make up.
"Sorry I'm just nervous you know", said Manny.
Emma nodded her head. She understood. She didn't think she would ever be able to stand in front of everyone and sing a song.
"Alright done", said Emma putting the finishing touches on Manny's make up.
"Oh Emma thanks", said Manny smiling her dimpled smile.
"No problem", said Emma.
She turned to do her make up while Manny got dressed.
"So did you figure out what you are going to do about the Sean situation?", asked Manny.
Emma looked at her.
"No I don't there is something I have to tell you", said Emma biting her lips.
Emma then went into detail about her and Peter. Manny had an angry look on her face. "Why? after all he did, why would you", said Manny trying to hold onto her tears.
"I'm so sorry Manny, I never meant to hurt you. There was nothing between us. I was trying to find a way to tell you, I'm so sorry", said Emma.
Manny looked away and said nothing for a while before speaking up.
"Remember what you told me Emma, that the only way for us to work as friends is for us to be honest with each other. Why couldn't you be honest with me", said Manny wiping her tears getting up and looked at her friend.
"I don't know what to say", said Manny walking up the stairs leaving her friend behind.
Emma looked down at her hands feeling the tears spill down her cheeks. She hoped that Manny would forgive her. It was just hard to not be in good standing with her friend. Emma got up and wiped away her tears. She would tell Manny she was sorry again. She would also get rid of Peter. Sean was back and hopeful she and he would be something again. She always knew that he was her soul mate. He always had her heart.
"Manny you alright?", asked Ellie looking at the younger girl that seemed to be sad about something.
Manny nodded her head then shook her head.
"What is it yes or no?", asked Ellie.
Manny went on to tell her about what happened with Emma. Ellie sighed.
"She made a mistake Manny, you know that but she is your best-friend, you have been for a long time, forgive her. She probably feels like crap for hurting you", said Ellie.
"Would you forgive Ash?", asked Manny.
Ellie looked at her.
"I don't know but as much as I was friends with Ash, there was still a distance you know she wasn't the one I told everything. She was my friend of course but I didn't have the friendship that you and Emma share", said Ellie.
Manny nodded her head understanding.
"hey baby", said Craig smiling down at her.
Manny had a huge smile on her face.
"That's my exit", said Ellie smiling and walking towards Jimmy.
When Jimmy saw her he had this big goofy smile on her face.
"Well I guess she told him how she felt finally", said Manny.
"huh", asked Craig.
Manny rolled her eyes, Craig could be so clueless sometimes.
"Jimmy and Ellie, whoa", said Craig.
Manny just giggled at her boyfriend. He was so adorable sometimes.
"Let's get started", said Craig walking towards the stage with his large hands wrapped around Manny's smaller ones.
"Alright ladies and Gentlemen we are Downtown Sasquash, and we are hear for you listening pleasure. Let me introduce you to the band. On guitar is Jimmy Brooks", said Craig as Jimmy gave a small solo performance.
"On drums, the ever beautiful Ellie Nash", said Craig.
Ellie gave a small drum roll while Jimmy smiled at her.
"Next up also on Guitar Marco Del Rossi", said Craig pointing to Marco that gave like Jimmy a small solo on his guitar.
"Our vocalist, and the love of my life. Manny Santos", said Craig looking at her smiling.
Manny blushed a bit before waving to the crowd. Manny took the mic from him.
"And this is the lead singer and founder of the band, and also the love of my life. Craig Manning", said Manny smiling at him.
Craig gave a small as well.
"Let's get this party started", said Craig.
"1 2 3", started off Ellie hitting her drum sticks together.
Everyone was enjoying the songs and Manny and Craig were a hit. After about an hour or so they concluded their evening.
"That's all folks", said Craig.
Everyone cheered for them. A tall blond man walked up to them then.
"Excuse me", said the man.
"Yeah", said Craig looking up.
"My name is Mark Fuller, I am a record producer for EJ records, and what I saw tonight blew me away, if you want to talk here is my card. I want to work with you all I think that you guys have the potential to be the next biggest thing", said Mark handing his card to Craig.
"oh my god", said Manny looking at the card that was in Craig's hands.
"You think he is for real?", asked Jimmy looking at Craig.
"I don't know", said Craig still looking at the card.
"What do you guys think, do you want to give him a call?", asked Craig.
"I think we should", said Ellie walking towards them.
"Me too, you never know we could be rock stars", said Marco smiling.
"Rock Stars", whispered Craig.
Manny smiled at her boyfriend. She knew how much he would loved this. She would love this as well. After the two weeks practicing with the band, she knew that everyone would be on board if this turned out to be real.
The next week Craig had set up an interview with Mark from EJ records. He told Joey about it.
"Jo can you believe that this is happening", said Craig.
Joey smiled at his step-son. But to Joey Craig was more of his son then anything. When he talked about his kids he always said he had two.
"So Jimmy's dad will be there right?", asked Joey.
"Yeah he would, he said that he wanted to know it this guy was for real", said Craig.
Joey nodded his.
"Maybe when you are rich and famous you can take care of you old dad huh", said Joey smiling.
"Of course, and buy you a big house for you and Angie and of course any lucky lady you will be married to", said Craig smirking.
The both laughed at that one.
The band walked to the office building with Jimmy's father and their lawyer.
"We have an appointment with Mark Fuller", said Craig holding Manny's hands.
The secretary smiled at the boy.
"You name?", asked the woman.
"Craig Manning", stated Manny looking at the woman.
"Oh yes, he is expecting all of you, you may go in", said the secretary.
They all followed Manny and Craig into the room. Mark Fuller was on the phone but waved them in.
"Alright, Alright I'll be there", said Mark over the phone.
He hung up them turning his attention to the teens in the room as well as Jimmy's dad and his lawyer. Mark went into detail about what he wanted.
"I don't want another pop band, I want something real and true, your songs are what I want. You young lady have an incredible vocal range. Craig I love the lyrics, the whole thing I love", said Mark smiling.
Everyone had grins on their faces.
"That one song that I love was the one at the end", said Mark.
"Oh Craig and Manny wrote that", said Ellie.
Jimmy smiled at her. Jimmy's dad was less than impressed with Jimmy's choice in Ellie. He didn't like her and Ellie knew that. He made that clear with his actions that last couple of weeks. Jimmy wasn't stupid to it either and he had a talk with his dad about it. His dad told him he would try though. But his dad had still not warmed up to Ellie yet.
"Well that's great, that means that we need more hits like that from the both of you, alright let's get down to business", said Mark.
Everyone was shown what they had to do. They were shown their contract. Jimmy's lawyer negotiated a better deal than what they were initially given though. Then they all signed.
"I can't believe that we have a record deal", said Marco in awe.
Craig was damn near giddy.
"When do we begin?", asked Craig.
"As soon as possible, actually we want you to have the album out a little before school starts next year", said Mark.
"But what about school?", asked Manny.
"I mean the rest of them are older than me but I'm only a junior in high school", said Manny.
"We know that you can have tutors so you can graduate early. We will have to talk to your school about that. It's not a mandatory thing for you to go to school anymore since you are 16", said Mark.
"What about my parents?", asked Manny.
She hadn't spoken to any of them for over 3 months.
"You can file for emancipation", said Jimmy's lawyer.
Manny nodded her head. She had gotten permission from Snake to be here. The other parents had given their kids permission also on a signed document. Her situation was different since she wasn't living with her parents but she was still under this control.
"Alright let's do it", said Manny.
She knew this was going to be hard on her parents but she knew that they would never allow her to be a singer. She knew it had to be done this way.
The band started going to the studio regularly. Craig and Manny were now sitting in the studio recording a new song that wanted.
"Alright what about these lyrics, they don't fit", said Manny crossing them out.
Craig nodded his head in agreement. He took at his guitar strumming it. He looked at her concentrating so hard. He knew that these past few weeks have been hell for her. Her parents were outraged when she told them that she would file for emancipation. Her father called her names. Her mother said nothing as usual. Manny just took it. Craig had been her strength and she was forever grateful to him.
"Manny baby", whispered Craig.
Manny looked up at him and tried to smile but it was forced. He pulled her into his lap though. She buried her head into his neck.
"it will be alright I promise", whispered Craig running his fingers through her hair.
She cried in his arms.
"I don't understand why they can't be happy for me, I'm their daughter", whispered Manny.
"I know sometimes parents are just hard people to figure out you know", said Craig visibly wincing at the memory of his father.
"Why don't we write about that", suggest Manny.
Craig looked at her.
"You think?", asked Craig.
"Yeah I do, I mean I think it will be the most real thing that we could write about because it's about us battling them", said Manny.
Craig nodded his head.
"Alright let's put this song on hold for a bit, I think this song would be more real", said Craig smiling at her as they got down to work.
"Your father hates me", said Ellie sitting in his lap.
They were at the studio as well. They had taken a break.
"He doesn't hate you", said Jimmy but even to his own ears it was unconvincing.
"I just don't get it what did I do wrong?", asked Ellie looking at him.
"Nothing you did nothing wrong, it is his problem and his problem alone no one else's, I'll have a talk with him again. He just doesn't understand that's all", said Jimmy.
Ellie sighed leaning her head on Jimmy's shoulder's. Jimmy ran his fingers through her hair trying to comfort her. He would have to have a talk with his dad about this. He hated seeing her upset.
"Dad tell me why you hate Ellie", asked Jimmy that was now sitting with his dad at their kitchen table.
"I don't hate her", said Paul Jimmy's dad.
"Yeah you do, you treat her like crap when she comes here, she doesn't deserve that", said Jimmy.
Paul rolled his eyes getting up.
"She is just trash Jimmy, you deserve better than that", said Paul.
The look on Jimmy's face made him regret saying that out loud. He had hoped that Jimmy would come to his senses and be with Hazel again. Jimmy said nothing, he just looked at his dad shook his head and wheeled away. Hazel wanted Jimmy back and Paul wanted Hazel with him not that Ellie girl. But the look on Jimmy's face almost made him regret calling the girl that. He sighed. He was just doing what was best for Jimmy. Or so he thought.