Author's notes: I can't honestly tell you where this came from. But. . . it was fun to write, if that means anything. Takes place after Together Forever, but the most references are from Weddings, Parties, Anything. Very light femmeslash, of course. So don't read if that offends you, and blah blah blah. And there is also a very good chance that this is extremely out of character. But. . . what can you do? What's done is done.

So, yes. Review, please. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thankyou.

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There are many times that you fail to see what Craig saw in her. What Spinner saw in her. What half the boys in school saw in her. Well, maybe not all the boys – you were pretty sure you knew what they wanted from her. But besides tight jeans, electric blue thongs and pouty, made-up lips, what else was there?

Was she smart? You don't think so or else she wouldn't have gotten herself sucked into the middle of a tragically doomed love triangle or traded in clean, white sneakers for trashy heels she oh so desperately hoped would make everyone think she was sexy.

She was though, sexy. Not that you were into girls or anything, but if you were, maybe you would've chosen her like Craig did. Twice.

Did that even matter anymore, now that he was gone? She didn't even seem broken up over it. You had expected her to be. She didn't cry when he said his goodbyes. She just hopped into the backseat of his car and let him drive off, without one word. Perhaps that was a sign of maturity? You could never be so sure.

You were sure, however, that when you saw her in school, she looked perfectly fine. Smiley and fresh from what appeared to be a good night's sleep. You wondered if maybe she had cried then, last night, when no one could see her.

You also tended to wonder why you cared so much. Here you were, spending your free time contemplating the thoughts of a girl who made it her life mission to glare at you in the halls and curse you from now until forever because you got close to her man.

Yes, you wanted him to like you. You wanted to feel a spark of romance again. Something you hadn't had since Sean Cameron stepped in and rocked your world. And you had, a little bit. You wanted to be like his Ashley - only stronger, better, and maybe a bit wiser. You had all these scenarios in your head, of you two strumming along to guitars while the sun was setting, then sipping diet cokes and comparing favorite movies.

It just seemed so comfortable to you that you didn't want to let it go. At times you'd almost forgotten about her. Until she showed up just before that wedding gig in that disgustingly puke-able emerald green top, like that was all she needed for Craig to see that she was the one for him. Though, you really weren't one to talk. That black dress?

Yeah, you really weren't one to talk.

She made it seem so easy, though, in a way that you envied and hated all the same. With that hair toss and, "they do say there should be at least one attractive girl in every band," you wanted to slap her, but in retrospect, you probably should have watched her. Because she always knew how to get what she wanted. She was fearless. She was exciting.

Could you even remember the last time you felt excitement?

You think about just what it is that makes Manny Santos so damn exciting. It perplexed you, but it didn't seem so bad when watching her saunter down the hallways with her held high, like she had nothing to be ashamed of, though to you it seemed she did. She could step up on that stage with Craig and the band and act like she was a part of it all; something you had never quite been able to master.

So was it jealousy? The only thing that you knew you had to do was suppress a growing interest in this girl who would've scratched your eyes out for a boy that didn't even really matter anymore; this girl who would call you ugly to your face and who knows what behind your back. A girl who lifted her shirt for some guy with a camera. The other woman. The school slut.

She must feel pretty powerful, you think. Everyone who crosses her path is entranced by her. Amazed. You hated you were becoming just like them. Like the boys who checked her out when she was at her locker. Like Craig. Spinner. You were about to join the club, and as much as you wanted to fight it, you couldn't. You could try. Think of all the excuses for why she's a horrible, terrible person. Think of all of the glares and eye rolls, but it won't get you anywhere.

The truth was, she wasn't smart. She wasn't anything, but a girl you couldn't help but love. You say you just loved to hate her, but did that hold any sort of honesty? Maybe it did at times, but what was really going on was something you didn't think you could face.

Manny Santos? Yes, she was something. The only difference now was you were just starting to realize it.

END