The next day of school, Emma looked down as she passed Spinner's locker, Jay standing there and watching her pass and trying to grin as she tried not to look at him either.

She blushed once she passed and shook her head, then smiled widely to Manny when she came to meet up with her.

"Why hello there." purred Manny teasingly, walking down the hall with her, "What has you so happy?"

"nothing." lied Emma with a shy smile and shrug.

Manny laughed, "Em, you are so obvious. Is it a boy?" she gasped, "Is it Peter? Did you go back to the pool without me yesterday?"

"No." Emma snickered, "He's not even my type plus he's just some pool boy."

"You don't know?" Manny said, taking the back of Emma's arm as they stopped by a corner and she made Emma peak around it.

There he stood, and by her locker too.

Damn.

"Great." Emma muttered then went back to Manny, "go get him then tiger." she went to push Manny forward.

"Emma, I saw you this summer and how upset you got again .. I want you to have some fun. Meet a boy, go crazy!" Manny insisted.

Emma's eyes widen, "O-Oh! You thought I was depressed over the..Rick thing, agian?" she asked.

Manny nodded.

Emma sighed. It wasn't that..it was Jay and their fight.

"It was just something else, it's totally fine now. And you're single so go crazy." she said, pointing the way Peter was.

Manny winced, "I can't hit on him, I already told him you liked him" she admitted.

"Manny!" Emma exclaimed, not believing she would do that.

"I thought it'd give you the push! Or him, to come talk to you. He's always staring anyways." Manny declared, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not interested!" Emma snapped just as two figures came walking past

"Hey Manny." Spinner greeted with a sad 'take me back' smile, and readjusted his bag on his shoulder while walking past with Jay.

Manny scoffed, and turned back to Emma, but saw her eyes twinkling on something else, or rather, someone else..Jay smirked a bit too but kept on walking.

Manny's mouth hung, "Jay?" she asked Emma.

Emma blushed madly trying to find her energy to say no and look like she meant it.

"You can't be interested in a very cute, fresh cut boy..because of Jay Hogart?" Manny taunts, crossing her arms.

Emma groaned, "I know it's crazy I like him okay? No need to rub my nose in it." she insisted, walking off into the girls bathroom

Manny followed her in, pushing the door and stopping at it, "Em, he was mean to you before, remember?!"

"For reasons." Emma declared, "Someone whose got him..scared, was starting to threaten me."

"Jay Hogart?" Manny asked, "scared?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "Hard to believe I know, but this somebody did admit to me that they were the ones who almost burned down the school gym during our Dracula play. I just don't know what it has to do with Jay."

Manny's eyes popped out and she walked to Emma, grabbing her shoulders, "If Jay has some fire starting freak after him..are you sure the best thing to do is get close to him?"

"It's Jay, Manny." Emma insisted, looking hopeless, "I already feel close to him. He's been around forever."

Manny looked sadly at her but nodded, true. "Just saying the guys such bad news."

"I think the bad just follows him," insisted Emma.

"Whatever you say just be careful." pleaded Manny to then smirk, "He is hot.." she gasped, "Did you guys kiss?"

Emma tried to hide her smile but her cheeks went rosey and Manny slapped her arm.

"Em, you dog!"

the two laughed, leaving the bathroom and going to class.

It had been another month , and still.. no 'A'. It was starting to get comfortable and safe again, that even Alex was getting a crush...on Paige Michealchuck! No, Spinner didn't get Manny back, but he had begun dating Darcy..hoping she and her 'lord' could save him.

Jay? No girl friend.. he had his eyes still on one girl but was still keeping away for safety reasons. Small smirks at her here and there though, and smiles and small 'sorrys' when they bumped into another.

He wanted to wait a little bit longer.. just incase A was just waiting for him to bluff. He really didn't want to get close to Emma for A to ruin it before it even begun. He'd give it a few more weeks.

"Projects." announced Mrs Kwan, walking back and forth upfront slowly and smiling at the kids' groans, "yes, that's the sound I love to hear."

Darcy rolled her eyes to Spinner, "So lame." she huffs.

Spinner nodded and smirked, putting his hand on her knee as he leaned over close, "Hopefully we get paired up so we have an excuse to hang out after school without your parents going all crazy."

"The pairings will be boy/girl and each will write about sexist acts of their own gender with another." Kwan spoke.

Darcy looked down at his hand and gave him a 'don't go there' look. He knew the rules. She wasn't that type of girl.

Spinner coughed awkwardly, letting go of her. She was a wierd girlfriend, he'd give you that. But she was damn pretty.

"Toby and Darcy." announced Kwan first

Darcy sighed, but nodded and got up. Spinner frowned deeply and watched her sit down next to the dork.

"Peter and ..Emma." the teacher announced next

.Jay frowned a bit, but knew she'd be paired with another guy. But his skin crawled more when he saw the prep loser new kid, Peter Stone, catch her eyes and smirk, getting up and going over to her. Sitting too close for comfort.

"Jay and Manny."

Emma shifted a bit awkwardly, one because Peter was too damn close and couldnt take a hint..and two because Manny was working with Jay. I don't know, she wasn't the jealous type but she knew boys liked Manny's kind of look and confidence..she didn't 'reveal' herself the way Manny did.. and Jay and her had barely talked for a month now so.. what if he falls to her best friends charm?

"Ok." Manny sits down next to Jay as everyone went to work with another, "Let's just do this and get it over with."

"Sexist act one.. Manny Slutos thinks she's better than man; Jay Hogart." taunts Jay, leaning back boredly.

"Boy." corrected Manny tauntingly and lifts a finger, "Sexist act two, Jay thinks he can call a girl a slut."

Jay looked up, pretending to think, "When she's hooked up with two guys now whose had girl friends at the time and 4 guys who just wanted 'action'.. yes, I think I can call her a slut."

Manny's mouth hung, wanting to slap him, "Oh but when a guy..like you, especially you." she taunts, "does it, it's cool! But a girl? She's a slut."

"Exactly." smirked Jay.

"You little jerk!" Manny exclaimed in the middle of the class, people turning.

Emma blinked and even glanced over, trying to hide in her small laugh at how much Manny was fuming and Jay just careless.

Ok, so, complete oppisite, good.

"Clearly you two can't work together." sighed Kwan, and looked across the room for someone else to pair them with.

Emma got up to sharpen her pencil so Kwan thought of her first.

"Emma and Manny, switch partners." Kwan demanded.

Emma stopped, and turned, looking at Jay who stared back but his eyebrows raised up. Well, it was the perfect excuse to hangout without A thinking anything of it.

Jay smirked, seeing Peter look all huffy and pouty. Nimrod.

Emma passed Manny a small 'it's okay' smile as she gave Emma the 'hes such an ass how can you like him' look.

Emma sat where Manny did and gave Jay the 'i know you started it' look.

Jay laughed, shrugging, "I can't help it when she can't handle the truth." he confirms.

"Why don't you like her?" Emma had to ask, somewhat curious and opening her binder, focusing too hard on it when she muttered, "Guys mostly love her."

Jay eyed her closely. Was she jealous? He was on the verge of doing the disco dance on top of his table or something right now. Emma Nelson! Jealous! OF another girl near him.

He'd never find a better feeling than this.

"I use to like party girls." Jay admits, shrugging as he went on, "But that's until I grew up, and met smart pretty girls." he couldn't help but grin as she glanced up, giving him a small eye roll but smiling and he chuckled

It was true though. He didn't really know girls like her existed out of his party life style until he saw her and got to know her.

"Girls who have more to offer than just their looks." Jay informed, wishing Emma wouldn't think Manny was better than her or something

Manny never had his interest.

Emma was beautiful. She just didn't show it off with her clothes..which is fine with Jay cause he'd probably rip any necks that looked at her with hungry eyes.

"Doesn't mean they aren't hard to look at now and then though." Smirked Jay, receiving a hit in the shoulder and laughed.

The bell rang and Emmma laughed too shaking her head and went around Jay, leaving. He happily watched her go.

He then frowned..wishing he had more of that. He was starting to miss her a lot and this 'staying away' thing was getting difficult

No more disco dancing..he was back to sulking around. He just wanted her so badly.