"AJ, please! Wait up!" I called running after AJ. Howie had gone off to talk to Heather.
"What?" he snapped turning around.
"Please, talk to me," I said, trying to catch my breath.
"Fine, come on," he said after a moment of consideration. I followed him into his dressing room, he shut and locked the door.
"What?" he growled.
"AJ, please, I dont want things between us to be bitter. And, I guess we were fooling ourselves when we actually thought a relationship we rushed into would work. I mean, Ive gotten to know Howie and I really like him. When you and I got together, I didnt know a thing about you," I said, trying to make sense out of everything.
AJ sat in silence for what seemed like forever, "yeah, I guess you're right."
"Yeah," I said softly.
"Im sorry Micki," he said, looking into his lap.
I walked over to him and hugged him for what seemed like forever.
There was a light knock on the door. AJ walked over and opened the door and Howie stood before him.
"Hey man, come in," AJ said offering Howie.
Howie looked at me as if to get an answer as to why AJ was being so nice.
"Im sorry I was acting like such a dick. You and Micki have gotten a chance to know each other and I wish you two the best," he said.
"Thanks man," Howie said.
"How'd Heather take it?" I asked.
"Not good, we'll just leave it at that," he sighed.
"She'll get over it. Its about time you got rid of her," AJ laughed.
"Yeah," Howie agreed.
"We've got a show to get ready for. Let's get going," I said smiling. I still had to be put through hair and makeup as well as everyone else.
*After the Show*
"Come on Howie, are you ready yet? I asked sighing. We had earned 100+ dollars for the charity and we were so happy. Howie and I were of course the last ones to be leaving.
"Im coming!" he called. We left the building. The boys have a couple days off, so everyone was going to their own houses since we were in Orlando. I was going to stay with Howie.
We were walking through the parking lot, which seemed deserted. All of the sudden four guys ran up in black trench coats. One of the guys grabbed me while the other started beating on Howie.
"Stop!" I shouted. I tried to kick the guy that was holding me, but it didnt seem to phase him at all.
Tears were streaming down my face. Howie was lying practically lifeless on the ground. The three guys that were beating him up ran off. The guy holding me threw me down and took off with them.
"Howie," I whispered touching his face with my finger. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the only other number I knew, AJ's.
"Hello?" AJ asked.
"AJ! I need your help..."
After AJ arrived, we drove Howie to the hospital, explaining what happened to the doctors. Well Howie is in bad shape, the doctors are unsure if he's going to be ok. Of course, we had to cancel the rest of the tour.
"How's he doing?" Kevin asked walking into the hospital room, which Howie has been spending the past couple of days in.
"He keeps slipping in and out of consiousness," I whispered, the tears choking me up.