“I wonder where he is?” Kevin said looking at his watch.
“You know he is always late,” Howie said with a laugh. “Besides, Felicity moved in this weekend, so I am sure they are busy if you know what I mean.”
Kevin and Nick joined in on the laugh but Brian stayed quiet, disgusted at the thought of AJ and Felicity having sex together. Just as the laughter stopped AJ walked on the room with a bright smile on his face.
“Hello boys!” he said a little too happily causing the three to start laughing again. AJ knew that he was the butt of their joke, but he was in too good of a mood to care. “Laugh all you want,” AJ said patting Howie on the back, “at least I’m getting some.” Howie gave AJ the finger in response and he just laughed it off with a smile.
“So Felicity moved in did she?” Kevin asked before gulping down some water.
“Yep, last weekend she moved in the last of her stuff and gave the keys to her house to the new owners,” AJ said proudly.
“So everything’s going good so far?” Nick asked. “She got tired of you yet?”
“Fortunately no, but ask me again in a couple weeks,” AJ said with a laugh.
The four continued to talk while Brian stood in a corner trying not to hear AJ discussing the surprise party he was planning for her birthday. During their two months off Brian thought a lot about the Felicity situation. He had a hard time trying to figure out why she was with AJ. Brian had hurt her so bad that he was surprised that she would ever want to be around him. She had said she never heard of the group before she met him, but the more he thought about it the more impossible that sounded. Then he remembered the way she would look at Brian, the anger and hurt in her eyes every time they were in the same room together. Then she would snuggle closer to AJ or kiss him making Brian’s jealousy rise. It was almost like she was flaunting the fact that she was with AJ. Brian was so troubled by the situation that he even asked Leighanne if she thought there was something weird about their relationship. She laughed and just explained that they were in love and wondered why Brian couldn’t recognize it since they used to be the same way.
“Hello guys glad you could all make it,” their manager said walking into the room. “Follow me and we’ll get this meeting underway.”
The five guys started filing out of the room, AJ and Brian the last to go in.
“Hey AJ, how’s it going?” Brian greeted him. AJ looked at Brian for a moment before rolling his eyes and walking away. Brian stared at him for a moment wondering what the hell that was about before following everyone else into the conference room.
The meeting lasted about two hours and they only uncovered the surface of what they needed to start for the next album. The decided to go to a little cabin studio in the woods of Northern California. They where going to seclude themselves like they did for the last album. Except this time, at the request of AJ, they decided to each bring one guest. During the meeting Brian and AJ would once in a while catch eyes with each other and AJ would give him a very angry look before turning away. Brian couldn’t figure out what was going on and decided he would have a little talk with AJ. They separated for a lunch break and Brian quickly went to talk to AJ.
“Can we talk alone for a moment?” Brian asked him. AJ rolled his eyes and nodded his head. The two walked into the hallway and AJ turned to Brian crossing his arms in front of him.
“What do you want?” AJ asked irritated.
“What’s your problem man?” Brian asked back. “You’ve been giving me death looks all day.”
“How could you hurt her?”
“WHAT!?!” Brian exclaimed with wide eyes.
“Felicity. I know all about you two,” AJ said pointing at Brian. “I would of never thought in a million years that you of all people could hurt someone like that.”
Brian stared at AJ with a bewildered look in his eyes. He knew. What was he going to do now? How could Brian explain to AJ why he did what he did without looking like a jerk? Why did she tell him? After Leighanne told him about her little chat with Felicity, Brian was under the impression that Felicity wasn’t going to tell AJ about them. It would surely set AJ off if he knew.
Maybe that’s why she told him. Maybe Felicity wanted AJ to get upset with him. Suddenly Brian became extremely paranoid. He saw the vindictive look in her eyes. She wanted to hurt him like he hurt her. She was going to turn his friends, his band mates, against him!
“Dude, you have no idea what’s going on here!” Brian insisted moving closer to him.
“Oh really, tell me that you didn’t do that to her then,” AJ responded moving backwards and crossing his arms in front of him.
“I did, but I thought it was in the past. I thought she was over it,” Brian explained.
“How the hell do you think she was over it? Do you know how in love she was with you?” AJ practically yelled.
“Yes I did! I was in love with her too!”
“Then how could you do something like that to someone you loved?”
“I don’t know ok!” Brian screamed throwing his hands up in the air. “Look, that’s not what is important. What is important here is your relationship with her!”
“Damn right that’s what is important! I treat her better then you ever…”
“She’s using you,” Brian said interrupting AJ’s sentence.
“What?” AJ questioned with his eyes wide.
“Don’t you see AJ she’s using you to get back at me!” Brian calmed down and walked closer to AJ. “She want to hurt me like I hurt her. She’s trying to break up the thing that broke us up.”
Brian barely finished his sentence before AJ’s fist came in contact with his face. He stumbled backwards and AJ came at him again screaming “you asshole” at the top of his lungs. Kevin and Howie happened to be walking down the hall and saw AJ’s first hit. They immediately ran down to where the two were and pulled AJ away from him.
“How could you say something like that about her?” AJ screamed as he struggled to get away from Kevin’s grasp. Howie held Brian back, who now was aching to hit AJ back. “Do you know she tried to break up with me because of your dumb ass!”
Kevin’s eyes widened at AJ’s remark. “The shit has hit the fan,” he thought to himself. “You guys calm down now,” Kevin barked at the two.
“Just as soon as you get that asshole out of my face,” AJ spat trying his hardest to get away from Kevin.
“Why can’t you get it through your thick head that she is using you to get back at me?” Brian screamed.
“You really think she would want to be around you again after what she did to you? Do you know how bad she traumatized her? Especially after she tried to kill herself….” AJ trailed off after the last sentence, knowing Felicity would be extremely pissed at him.
Brian stopped dead in his tracks. “What?” he asked. AJ shook his head no and Kevin let him go. He started to walk back into the hallway when Brian broke free from Howie and ran towards him. He slammed AJ against the wall and pulled on his shirt, the two glaring into each other’s eyes.
“Look, I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Just forget it,” AJ said shaking his head.
“I don’t think so,” Brian spat pushing AJ closer against the wall. “What the hell are you talking about?”
AJ, his temper flaring, pushed Brian off of him. “You fucking hurt her you prick!” he exclaimed. “You hurt her so bad that she tried to kill herself!”
“No she didn’t,” Brian reasoned.
“What the hell are you talking about? She told me everything that happened. If her mom hadn’t of found her she would be dead now because of your dumb ass!” AJ yelled pointing a finger at Brian.
“Can’t you see she’s lying?” Brian said moving closer to AJ once again in a threatening manner. “She wants to turn you against me! If something like that happened I would of known about it.”
Kevin felt like the biggest asshole in the world at that moment. He needed to speak up because he knew that the things Brian was accusing Felicity of were not true. “Umm Brian,” he said quietly but they all still managed to hear him. All eyes turned to him wondering what he had to say. “AJ’s is telling the truth.”
Brian backed away from AJ and AJ gave him a “told you so” look. “What?” Brian asked.
“You’re mom called me and told me,” Kevin said looking at him cousin. “We… I decided and convinced your mom that you didn’t need to know.”
“What? Why?” Brian asked confused.
“I thought it would be for the best. I knew you Brian. If you found out you would of rushed back home and give up everything,” Kevin explained.
Brian glared at his cousin a million thoughts running through his mind. The four remained quiet, the air thick with tension. “Maybe we should go J,” Howie said nodding his head towards the exit. “We can finish the meeting another day.”
AJ stared at Brian again for a moment but he was too caught up at giving Kevin a stare down to notice. The two left and Kevin walked closer to Brian. “Look Brian, I’m sorry…” he started but Brian quickly cut him off.
“Why the fuck wouldn’t you tell me?” Brian screamed and Kevin knew he was mad. Brian didn’t say fuck for just anything.
“It wasn’t long after you came to Orlando, around two or three months. Your mom called and told me what happened. I just figured it would be for the best.” Kevin paused and ran his hands through his hair. “I didn’t want you to give up the best opportunity to make something of yourself. Could you imagine what would of happened if I had told you? You would have ran back home and ruined everything we worked so hard for.”
“So basically you didn’t want me leaving because you didn’t want me ruining your chance to make something of yourself?” Brian accused staring Kevin down.
Kevin looked around and sighed. “No… ummm… you see… I guess… well, it had a little to do with it…”
“You fucking selfish prick!” Brian exclaimed. “How could you do such a thing? All you do is think of yourself!”
“Brian… I’m sorry. It wasn’t just for me. I mean the other guys…” Kevin tried to explain but Brian shook his head.
“You know what Kevin? Fuck you!” Brian yelled before stomping away towards the exit just as Nick was walking towards them. He looked at Brian and then Kevin with an eyebrow raised.
“What I miss?” he asked curiously. “Is the meeting canceled?”
Kevin sighed and ran his hands through his hair. The shit REALLY hit the fan!
Chapter 13
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