Chp 24
"So, my good friend, how's the impending tour coming along?" Elena asked AJ as she scooped up a chunk of her banana split. They tried to spend as much time together as they could before the Boys were back on the road for another three months. That afternoon, they settled for a nice, peaceful meeting at Corky's Ice Cream Place.
"It's cool. It's basically the same exact thing as before. Just some little changes like choreography, costumes, song order, and stuff."
"Oh ok. Are you guys ever going to fly again? Man, that kicked ass! Although, I resent you hitting my face with a beanie baby!"
AJ laughed at the memory and nearly choked on his cone. "That was fun! But you know, you get older. You can't exactly do the same things as when you were younger."
"What are you talking about?! You're only 26!"
"I know! I wasn't talking about me! I was talking about Kevin!"
Elena chuckled and playfully smacked his arm. "You are so mean! Leave poor Kevin alone!"
"What? It's true!"
"Jeez, if Kevin's old, them I'm ancient!"
"I ain't disagreeing with you."
"Hey! Listen you little punk, don't make me sick my Latina side on you!" she threatened.
"Go ahead! I'm Latin, too!"
"Yeah, but I can curse you off in Spanish and you wouldn't understand it!"
"So? I know a few insults or two! You are a cabeza de culo!"
They both busted out laughing. "Did you just call me a butt head?!"
"Hey, if the thong fits!"
That just made her roll on the ground. "Oh AJ! What would I do without you?!" she wheezed out wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Well, for one thing, you wouldn't be pissing in your pants right now!"
"I can always count on you to make me laugh! How I adore you!" she gushed as she hugged him and planted a friendly little kiss on his cheek.
"Wow! If that's what I get every time I make you laugh, you're side's going to be splitting every second of every day!"
Her elation died down. "Don't count on it," she sighed.
"Why?" he asked concerned.
"Well, there's a certain thorn, no, more like dagger in my side, beginning with an N and ending with Athan. He even had the nerve to come to my house the other day at like 11 at night, begging me to let him explain!"
"Really? What did you do?"
"I said I didn't want to hear it and told him to leave! But did he listen? No! He's still the stubborn, pig headed, stupid Nathan I've grown to despise! He's never going to change! Staci had to threaten him, push him off my front steps, and slam the door in his face for him to get the picture! Argh! Why is homicide illegal in this state? Some people deserve it!"
A grin formed on his face. "So Staci basically kicked his ass, huh?"
"Yes. It was pretty funny actually. I would've laughed if it wasn't for the rage and perturbation I was feeling at the moment. Ugh! I just wanted to strangle him and feed his dead body to the goats!"
AJ raised an eyebrow. "Goats? I don't see any goats around here. Besides, they don't eat meat."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Goats eat trash! Anyway, you know what I mean!" She looked over his shoulder at across the street. Something had caught her attention. She squinted trying to get the image to become clearer. "What?"
"What?" AJ followed her gaze.
"Well, speak of the devil!" Elena groaned and hid her face in her hands. "Oh God, please make him go away!"
AJ's eyes darkened at the figure approaching their table.
"He just doesn't get it!" Elena shouted flailing her hands to emphasize her frustration. AJ rose up from his chair and started walking in his direction. "What are you doing?!"
"Just stay here. I'll be right back." Elena warily looked on as AJ confronted the unwanted visitor. "What don't you understand about leaving her alone?!"
Nathan's angry eyes narrowed. "Move aside, boy. I need to talk to her."
AJ planted himself in front of him, obstructing his view of Elena. "Well, she doesn't want to talk to you."
"This doesn't concern you! Get out of my way!"
AJ firmly stood his ground. "Oh I think it does concern me. You mess with my friends, you have to take it up with me."
Nathan stepped to the side. AJ blocked him. Nathan moved to the other side. AJ followed. He refused to let him pass. Nathan was growing impatient. "I need to talk to her---"
"No! I'm not going to let you hurt her again!"
"The only one hurting her here is YOU!" he screamed.
"Do NOT even go there!"
Elena became alarmed. They were getting pretty loud. She noticed Nathan's fists were clenched. She decided to stop this before anyone got hurt.
"If you come near her again when I'm around, I will not be so hesitant in acting out my thoughts of clobbering you to a bloody pulp!"
Nathan laughed sardonically. "You think I'm afraid of you?! You have NO idea who you're dealing with, boy!"
"Try me!"
"AJ!" Elena grabbed him by his arm and gently pulled him back. "Thanks, AJ. You've done enough." She then turned her attention to Nathan. She could feel the fire burning up inside her again. "You!"
"Now Elena, before you say anything, just let me explain---"
"What the fuck do I have to do to get it into your head that I do NOT want to hear it?! There is no explanation that you can possibly give me that will change my opinion of you! Why do you insist on making my life a living hell?!"
"Because I love you and I refuse to let you go so easily!"
"Bullshit! You never loved me! Everything you ever told me was a lie! I've realized it now! I don't why it took me so long to get it! Go away! Move on! Go live out your life and let me be!"
"No! I won't let you walk away from me!"
"Let me?! LET ME?! Who the hell do you think you are?! You do not have to LET me do anything! I do what I want! Get it through your head! IT'S OVER! I do NOT ever want to see you again! Get the fuck away from me!"
For the first time in her life, she actually saw hurt in his eyes. But that wasn't going to change her mind.
"You don't mean that!"
She brought her face closer to his and exaggerated the pronunciation of every angry word. "Read---my---lips. I---hate---you. I HATE YOU! If you don't leave me alone, I WILL get a restraining order! You've been warned more than once!" She turned around, grabbed AJ's hand, and started walking away.
"ELENA!" Nathan pathetically called after her. She didn't turn around. They just kept on walking. "Elena! You don't know what you're doing! It doesn't have to be this way! Don't let him ruin our lives! Don't let him be our downfall!"
Elena spun around. "No, Nathan! It was YOU! YOU were our downfall! And I'm actually glad it happened, too! I can't believe I almost married you!!! Have a happy life!"
"It was all your fault! I'm going to get you for this, McLean! You will pay dearly! You will pay dearly with your life!" he spat his voice baneful.
AJ simply flicked him off and paid no heed to his empty threats as he and Elena continued on their merry way.
Nathan cursed out loud and kicked the dirt. He finally retreated to his car and punched the steering wheel. Lying his head on it, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "No worries. They'll be sorry soon enough," he hissed vindictively. His eyes glowed with outrage and malicious intent. There was nothing he wasn't willing to do. Nothing. "No one messes with meand lives."
Elena and AJ plodded down the streets in silence. He looked over to her. Her head was hung and she seemed deep in thought. Her face expressed disturbance. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You ok?"
She looked up and met his gaze. Her green eyes were filled with concern. "AJ, I didn't mean for you to get involved. I'm so sorry."
"What are you talking about? You think I'd let him hurt you? After all you've done for me, this is the least I could do."
"No, this is different. I'm scared. Why did he threaten you and not me? I don't like this at all. I don't want to see you get hurt." Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. "He has a gun, AJ. I saw it. It's in a drawer at his house. He said it was for protection, but Oh God, I'm so sorry I got you involved! I never meant for it to get so out of hand!" She began to cry thinking about the grim possibilities.
"Hey, don't worry about it. When we get mad, we make threats all the time. It's a guy thing. We never mean it," he assured her enveloping her in a comforting hug.
"No, no, I don't like this at all. I'm so scared," she whimpered. "I don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't. Nothing's going to happen, ok? If it makes you feel any better, I'll be extra careful from now on, alright?" She nodded her head dejectedly. "Ok. Come on." He took her hand and started leading her somewhere.
"Where are we going?" she asked momentarily forgetting about the ominous situation.
He simply smiled at her. "You'll see."
Elena groaned. "Oh come on, I've had enough surprises for one day!"
"You'll like this one, I promise."
He guided her into a park. They went passed the deciduous vegetation, crowded playgrounds, populated fields, and splendid esplanades into a kind of garden upon a hill. There were trees and shrubs of every size producing blossoms of ever color. Tulips, carnations, and daffodils protruded from the earth. Honey suckles grew along side of the decorative bushes that also served as boundaries from the rest of the park and perfumed the air with their sweet scent. Elena gasped at the beauty surrounding her.
"Wow. I've never been to this side of the park before. I never realized"
"How beautiful nature can be?" he finished.
"Well, yes. How did you come across this?"
"I'm known to be adventurous. I like to explore places. I don't know, I just kind of stumbled upon it. Not many people know about this place. They mostly come here for their kids. You know kids and their playgrounds. They couldn't give a cat's butt about the serenity and comeliness of nature." He sat himself on the grass and patted the ground next to him motioning for her to join him. She gladly did so.
"You never cease to amaze me. I never thought you were so poetic."
AJ shrugged. "What you see on the outside isn't always what you get on the inside."
"I know that. I just meant that I learn new things about you everyday andI like it." She smiled and scooted closer to him. She looked straight ahead and admired the view of kids playing on the swings and slides, enjoying life, being innocent, oblivious to the harsh realities of the cruel world. "I'd like to have some of those someday."
AJ followed her gaze. "What? Trees?"
Elena chuckled. "No, silly. Kids."
"Oh. Oh yeah, me too. Know where I can get some?"
She rolled her eyes. "Come on now, you aren't that innocent."
"I know. What I meant was that it's kind of hard to have kids on your own, unless you, unlike the rest of us, reproduce asexually."
She shot him a weird look. "You think up the weirdest things!"
"I know! I'm unique that way!" he smirked.
"I think I'm going to feel sorry for your future kids! You'll probably name them something totally unheard of or in your terms, 'different.' Something like Ulalume or Devante."
"Devante I like. Ulalume is iffy. Isn't that like a poem or something?"
"Yeah, Poe and you must be joking!"
"Duh! I'm not that crazy! Or cruel for that matter. No, my future child's name will be Christian, boy or girl."
Elena looked at him surprised. "Are you serious?"
He cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, why? What's wrong with Christian?"
"Oh nothing! It's just that that's my future son's name as well."
"Really?" She nodded her head smiling. "We have more in common than I thought."
"Yeahwe do," she said softly. Her smile soon faded away. She looked off into the distance and ran her hands up and down her arms.
"You cold?"
She nodded her head. "Not really. I just keep thinking about Nathan and what he said. I have a bad feeling and I can't shake it off."
AJ sighed and wrapped his arms around her pulling her in closer to his body. "Stop worrying so much. It's nothing. I do it all the time, well, when I'm pissed. Trust me, nothing is going to happen." He was a little disturbed to find out that Nathan had a gun in his possession, but he really didn't think anything of the threat. Nathan didn't seem the type to go on a killing rampage. Sure he was an asshole, but not a dangerous asshole. Just your everyday run of the mill asshole. He wouldn't dare. Besides, even if he had the psychotic intent, he wouldn't have the chance. AJ was always around people whether it was in a crowded place, around the other Boys and crew, or caught in the middle of a stampeding throng of fans. Also, security was on his butt almost 24/7. It was virtually impossible for Nathan to get him. Still, that little seed of doubt was implanted in his mind. But he took no notice of it. "Anyway, I should be the one worrying about you. What are you going to do if he approaches you again?"
Elena let out a sigh and ran her hand through her mocha colored hair. "I don't know. He's really starting to annoy me. No scratch that. He's not annoying me. He's fuckin' infuriating me! I've had it! Next time, I'll call the fuckin' police if I have to!" She brought her knees up to her chest and rocked back and forth. "What have I gotten myself into? I'm going crazy! I don't know what to do! Will I have to take it up with the law? I'm so frustrated!"
He hugged her tighter. "Do what it takes. You don't need all this aggravation. Neither do I."
She rested her head against his shoulder and looked up at him. "How are you doing with, you know?"
"I'm doing fine. Just dandy. I haven't even thought about it for a while."
"Oh. I'm sorry I brought it up. Me and my big mouth!"
"It's no problem. I don't have trouble talking about it anymore. Besides, with the second leg of the American tour coming, I'm too excited to worry about it. I am so looking forward to performing again."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad you're happy. Too bad I can't say the same thing for me. Some serious shit is definitely going down. It's really stressing me out."
"I wish I could gather all your problems in a bubble and just blow them away. That way, I can see that wonderful smile of yours all day long."
"You're such a sweetie. But unfortunately, magic doesn't exist in this world."
"Oh I'm not too sure about that. I believe there's still some magic left."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
"All around us. Everywhere. Especially where we are right here, sitting on top of this flowered hill looking down at the world. It could make anyone do absolutely anything. It is the most powerful element in our lives. It's surrounding us right now."
Elena closed her eyes and drank in his every word. "Sometimes you can hear it. Sometimes you can see it." He lowered his head and gently whispered into her ear. "Can't you feel it?" She turned her face and her eyes fluttered opened only to be met by his loving gaze. They were so close. Their lips barely half an inch apart. "It's love" he exhaled, his sweet breath causing her heartbeat to quicken and sending heat waves throughout her relaxing body. They couldn't resist their temptations any longer. Their lips drew nearer and in a blink of an eye, they met. A tingly feeling struck them right in the heart. Their heads swam overcome by euphoria. The world was forgotten. The only thing that mattered was them and the long waited amorous connection that they had just made.
An eternity seemed to pass by before they realized what was happening. As soon as it hit her, Elena's eyes flew opened and she quickly pulled away. She stared at him in shock as he was shaken out of his trance by her abrupt actions.
"What?" he asked hurt by the doubt and fear evident in her eyes.
"I-I-I just--- I didn't mean---I'm just---I'm so sorry"
He merely blinked and just looked at her. "I'm not," he replied quietly.
"Bye," she whispered sadly. She stood up and walked away from him, leaving AJ all alone in a state of confusion. His heart had just about taken all the agony he could bear.
"Why?" he asked silently as he somberly watched her form disappear off in the distance.
Chp 25
Chp 23
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