Chapter 7
Meanwhile back at the hotel, A.J. was pacing around his room. He had tried hard all day to get Christin off his mind but just couldn’t. He figured going to a club, which they were planning on going to, would help forget about her. He would find a pretty lady and have some fun. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He didn’t have to worry about fans yet cause they hadn’t found the hotel they were staying at yet plus they weren’t supposed to be in town until Monday. Three days from now.
“Who is it?” A.J. asked loudly.
“Kevin. A.J. let me in before someone sees me.” Came an answer though the door.
“Coming man.” A.J. walk over to the door unlocked and opened it.
“Hey bro, what’s up?” Kevin asked while he walked in the room and shut the door. “You still going tonight, right?”
“Yeah man. You know I’m going. What time we leaving?”
“8:10. The club we’re going to is called The Club. It is 10 minutes away. Were going to take your rental. Is that cool?”
“Yeah fine. What time is it right now?”
Kevin looked down at his watch, “7:08. You got an hour and two minutes. See ya then.” Kevin walked out of the room, leaving A.J. alone by himself to get ready.
A.J. found his suitcase and opened it to find something to wear. He pulled out a wifebeater with a shiny silver shirt to wear over the shirt, a pair of baggy black JNCO’s and socks. He hopped in the shower. When he finished, he glanced at the clock. ‘7:31.’ “I wonder what Christin is doing?” he thought innocently. Then he said aloud, “Stop this A.J. You have only known her since this morning. She was a real bitch.” Then he thought, “Yeah but she apologized. She’s really nice once you get past the bad part. She is beautiful and has a great laugh. Maybe one day I’ll make her laugh. Wait. Stop. She lives here in San Francisco. I live in Orlando. She works full time. She probably already has a boyfriend.” With that A.J. put his clothes on. He then fixed his hair, which took a while. Right when he put his shoe on, there was a knock on the door. He finished putting his shoe on then opened his door. All four guys and Q, one of the guy’s bodyguards, greeted him.
“Sup A.J. Ready to par-ty?” Nick asked.
“Hell yeah, Nicky, when did you become such a party animal?” A.J. asked while he grabbed his keys and walked out into the hallways towards the elevator.
“Been hangin round you to much” Nick replied, then laughed with the rest of the guys.
When all the guys got in the lobby, A.J. yelled “I’m drivin.” And took off for his rental.
“Shotgun!” Brain and Nick shouted at the same time and took off running after A.J.
“Man, now we have to listen to them arguing about who got there first and then have to pray for our lives with A.J. driving.” Howie whined.
“It’s alright man. We’ll just have Q decide between Nick and Brain, but the whole A.J. driving. We’ll just have to pray hard.” Kevin said logically.
“Hey. I don’t want one to like me and the other to hate me cause you decided to make me judge.” Q told A.J.
“Hey by the end of the night they will be too drunk to even remember who you are so don’t worry about it.”
When Howie, Kevin, and Q got there, they were surprised to find A.J. in the backseat, Nick in the passenger seat and Brain driving. Nick was saying, “But I should get to drive I got here first.”
“Yeah but A.J. gave me the keys so I’m driving.” Brain said in a matter-of-fact tone.
As Howie, Kevin, and Q climbed in the back seat, Kevin said, “A.J., why is you letting Brian drive? I mean you usually always drive if given the opportunity. What’s up?!?”
“Nothing, just that I ain’t feeling like driving. Plus Brian had to have a second-place prize.” A.J. replied a little disturbed.
The real reason A.J. didn’t want to drive is because he wanted to think. It’s a little hard to drive in a strange city and think at the same time. His thoughts started to drift as the car started to pull out the parking lot. Unfortunately, his thoughts were interrupted because the other guys wanted to talk including with A.J.
“A.J. Earth to A.J. Come in A.J.” Nick kept saying while everyone but Brian, who was watching the road, looked at him.
“Yeah. What do you want?” A.J. snapped.
“What’s up with you? First you don’t want to drive then you don’t answer when your name is called. It’s like you’ve been distance all night.” Howie remarked.
“Nothing man. Just got some things on my mind. That’s all.”
“What might those things be?” Brain asked from the driver’s seat.
“Girl Stuff?” Howie asked in a knowing voice.
“Let’s just drop it.” A.J. remarked flatly.
“Oh so it is girl problems.” Kevin said.
“What’s the problem? Your almost single and always willing to mingle.” Nick sang.
“That’s not the problem.” A.J. gave in.
“Then what? You found a woman that you ain’t tell us about.” Brian asked accussingly.
“Kinda.” A.J. answered like a five year old child who had just got caught stealing cookies out of the cookie jar.
“Kinda? What do you mean kinda?” Q asked. In his mind he silently prayed “Don’t let this one burn him like the rest.”
“Well I met her today. She-”
“Today? Then you either met her a t The Firm or-” Howie who interrupted A.J. was interrupted by A.J.
“If you let me finish I’ll tell you. Anyways I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…”A.J. reached over and slapped Howie in the back of the head. “I met her today at The Firm. She’s beautiful, smart, has a great laugh…”
“Someone’s got it bad.” Howie sang out over and over till all the guys were singing along.
“SHUT UP!! You didn’t let me finish.” A.J. shouted over the chanting of the guys.
“Oh ok. By all means finish.” Q said.
“Ok then. Shut up and I will.” They all hushed up. “Ok well what I don’t get is why I can’t stop thinking about her. I only talked to her twice. The first time the she was a flat out bitch. The second time she apologized in the sweetest way possible.” A.J .concluded with a sign.
“Well maybe she apologized cause she found out who you were.” Kevin reasoned.
“No, I… Brain pull in there. That’s the place, isn’t it?” A.J. stated when he saw The Club sign.
“Oh my bad.” Brain pulled the car into an almost full parking lot and found a place to park.
“We go in through the back so you guys don’t get recognized.” Q remarked, “They know we are coming, I phone ahead to get clearance.”
“Oh ok.” Kevin said.
Everyone got out of the car and walked towards the back of The Club. A.J. glanced at his watch. ‘8:24.’ “The night is young and full of possibilities. But not the possibilities I’m hoping for.”
When they all got in the club, everyone got a drink, Brain getting Nick’s and set out for the dance floor to find a few ladies.
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Chapter 8
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