Chapter Three!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!
"Christ, someone out there really doesn't want me to get any work done, do they?" Jay mused as Manny's arrival marked his third interruption of the day. He threw his tools down and turned his attention to the beautiful dark haired girl stood before him, Sean's words from earlier ringing clearly in his ears.
"What can I do for you, Santos?" Jay threw in his trademark smirk. Manny noticed him smirk, but that could be for any one of a million reasons. Who knew what went on in that head of his. Manny could take an educated guess, but she'd be getting seriously off-task.
"Did Sean come and see you?" Manny inquired.
"He rang. You want my car I understand." Jay replied, being overly sceptical, in a weird jokey manner.
"Please Jay!" Manny begged him, throwing her hands together like she was praying.
"I can't help but notice, Santos, that everyone's rocked up here today asking to borrow my car, but no-one had actually said they want me to come."
"Of course we want you there!" Manny exclaimed wildly.
Jay arched his eyebrows doubtfully. "Oh give me a break, Santos. Emma? And Sean? I don't know who's sick idea that was, but I'm not falling for that one."
"What 'one'?" Manny asked, playing dumb. "There is no 'one'!" Manny put air quotes with her hands around the word one.
"I know Sean doesn't know about me and Em in the ravine. But someone-" He shot a look at Manny, "...will open their big mouth with the aid of a few beers I'm sure."
"Jay, Em is my friend. I'd never betray her like that."
"Oh and what about me?" Jay asked with genuine offense.
"Well... I never considered us friends. Did you... ever..." Manny trailed off, feeling about two inches tall. She felt her cheeks getting flushed.
"Relax, Santos. I'm yanking your chain." Jay said smugly. "You'll have to find some other sap to bum a ride off."
"Jay! Please! We need this car, we've got no other way of getting one!"
"And anyway, why do you think Emma will want me there? It'll be plain awkward, why can't you see that?" Jay pointed out, desperate for her to leave him alone and quit bugging him for the usage of his car.
"Duh, I already ran it past her and she didn't say no, so..." Manny lied. Jay knew she was lying because Emma had already been round to the garage before Manny to plead Jay.
Emma's mind was racing as she walked home from the mall. What the hell did Manny think she was playing at inviting Jay on the road trip with them? Where the hell did she get off being so thoughtless and idiotic? Emma had a thousand questions, but was interrupted by Sean's arrival.
"Em!" He exclaimed as he barged straight into her. He tugged the earphones out of his ears and hugged her tightly. "Where have you been?"
"Uh, the mall." Emma wasn't lying, but she neglected to tell Sean the part about meeting Jay. "What about you?"
"Uh, just watching the sports channel." Sean wasn't lying, but he neglected to tell Emma the part about flirting with Manny. "What about you?"
"Uh, was that a trick question, Sean or do you have somethin' to hide?" Emma asked in paranoid confusion. She pictured Sean being stood in a dark doorway witnessing her conversation with Jay. He'd know everything, and he'd be ready to make Jay pay. Maybe that was the real reason he was so keen to invite Jay along for the road trip.
"No, sorry I'm just a million miles away." Sean shattered Emma's paranoia.
"OK..." She said dubiously. Sean did have a brain like a sieve, that was plain to see, but she couldn't help but feel nervous.
"So, I called up Jay." Sean said. Emma's stomach lurched at the mention of his name.
"Oh yeah?" Emma tried to sound breezy and nonchalant. Perhaps so much so she might give the game away. "What he say?"
"I'm still trying to twist his arm. He said he'd think about it." Emma was unsure if Sean had spoke to Jay before or after her visit to him at the auto shop. "We really need the set of wheels if we're gonna go driving."
"Yeah, they do believe that wheels help with the whole car driving process." Emma said sarcastically. Sean was too dim to notice her malice, and just laughed it off. Luckily he didn't notice her guilt or nerves either.
Jay Hogart had always been a man to stick with his ideas and not go against them. Stick with his best judgment, he always knew what was best, what was right, etc... But somehow, he found himself agreeing to take a road trip across Canada with Manny, Sean and Emma. How the hell it happened he would never know. Manny was a very persuasive young lady though.
He begrudged being woken up so early by the keen travelers, otherwise known as Manny, Sean and Emma. Particularly Manny. She was much more jubilant at this tender hour than Emma and Sean.
She came hammering on his door at 6.30am. He was sat at the table, woken by the aid of a phone call at 5.45am, wearily facing a bowl of Lucky Charms. Manny knocked once, gave him about seven seconds, then banged on the door again, hooting his name annoyingly.
"Santos, I'll kill you before we even get on the road, do you want that?" He hollered as he rose from the kitchen table and stumbled sleepily toward the door.
Manny looked freakishly well groomed and perfected for before ten in the morning. Her long dark hair and bangs looked reminiscent of a supermodel. Not one hair out of place, make up done flawlessly and her clothes were not slobbish gym clothes that Jay expected. It kinda made him feel tramp-like in his jeans and black tee that he always wore. His hat was pushed down even further on his head over his eyes to hide the evidence of last nights pre-road trip, nervous, anticipative drink and drug binge.
"Mr Hogart!" Manny scolded, going to knock the hat off Jay's head. He ducked out of the way in time and pulled a pained expression on his face.
"Woah, Santos! Too early for that!" He called out groggily.
"Jay, quit the moaning already, you got up this early for school, what's the big deal?"
"Uh, Manny? I haven't been to school in months. I'd forgotten that a day had two seven o' clocks!"
"Whatever, we have two minutes til we need to be on the road, get your ass in gear, Hogart!"
"Why are we heading off so early anyway?" Sean piped up, stifling a huge yawn.
"Ask Superfreak over there." Jay said, bowing his head toward Manny who was running around frantically grabbing the small yellow duffel bag Jay had haphazardly packed.
Emma scolded herself for letting herself be dragged into this. She told herself she wouldn't, but here she was descending the steps of Jay's apartment block, headed toward his ugly ass orange Civic with Jay, Manny and Sean in tow.
"I can't believe you, Manny!" Emma hissed as her and Manny hung back as Jay and Sean sauntered on ahead to load up the trunk in a more orderly fashion than the girls earlier attempts.
"What?" Manny exclaimed in stupidity. She was unaware of what made this so bad for Emma. Of course, Emma had already explained to her in the mall on the phone what she meant, but it was no good. "Do you mean, that?" She pointed toward Jay. Emma nodded. "Don't worry, for God's sake! It'll be fine! Just enjoy yourself!"
Please R&R – I hope you liked it!