Rave Reviews
Sunny day, walking next to Ashley. He missed her already, didn't want her to go to Montreal. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him and he watched her run off. Manny sauntered over, the new sexy Manny with her crop tops and low slung hip hugger jeans and platform heel shoes. She toddled over and regarded him coolly. Handed him a flyer for a rave.
"Come," she said, and there was secret promise in her voice. He shrugged, vowed in his head not to go. It wouldn't be fair to Ashley if he went.
"Maybe," he said.
Keeping Secrets
She saw him through the crowd, watched him weave his way to her. Licked her lips and smiled wide.
"You came!" she said over the music, the beat that she could feel in her head and her chest. Craig looked guilty, but he smiled at her and nodded, and she took his hand and led him onto the floor, danced against him and she could feel him through his clothes, could feel every muscle as he moved.
Having A Girlfriend
He danced with her, buried his face in her hair, wild black curly hair. It smelled like coconuts and apples and he closed his eyes. She put her arm around him and he said to her, "I have a girlfriend!" but it didn't matter. It didn't matter now. She kissed him and he kissed her back, her kisses different from Ashley's.
Serenade
Picking up the pompoms and the uniforms, Manny was passing through the gym when she heard the first notes of a song. Guitar notes. She looked up and sitting on the edge of the stage was Craig. Still so cute but sort of older now, his hair longer and more curly. Taller. She'd noticed all the changes in him. Ashley stood near her, staring at him.
"No laughing, okay?" he said shyly, ducking his head, and Ashley nodded, said, "Okay,"
The song, that melody, Manny listened to Craig's voice, the texture of it, the sort of sexiness in it. She closed her eyes and imagined that this song was for her. Sully sucked. Sully was nothing compared to Craig.
Conned
The bright promise of the evening didn't just fade but imploded as Spinner's antics led to Ashley's anger, and he saw it smoldering in her eyes. He wanted to punch Spinner. That would feel good. Really good. Ashley dragged him outside and they fought, and he walked away from her, his anger almost uncontrollable. When he was angry he felt like his father. Felt control slipping, like a slippery leash with a pit bull pulling on it.
Inside, violently shrugging away from everybody, he grabbed his camera and took off. Fuck them, fuck her, fuck everyone.
If It Was For Me
Manny watched the mood between them change, uncertain of why but why didn't matter. She felt like some sneaky other woman, felt lousy for wanting someone else's boyfriend. But he had been hers first. It wasn't fair that Ashley had him. It wasn't fair at all.
She saw the mood change, saw them both go outside and then Ashley came back in, dragging Paige into the kitchen. She saw Craig come back in, push Jimmy off of him and go and get his camera and storm out. This was it. Her chance. And she was an opportunist, if nothing else. She wouldn't miss her chance.