AJ pulled on the ends of his scarf to keep it tight around his neck, as he walked across the streets of Trois Rivière. It was very cold and the snow lay high on the pavements, roofs and just everywhere. He hated it, but at least the city was beautiful. It wasn't as exciting as New York or any other of his favorite cities, but it was nice. Besides - he knew he'd take anything if he could only see Alyson again. If he could only get a second chance and make up for lost time. Brian had listened to his side of the story and had told him it was worth a try. He, as a Backstreet Boy, did understand what had made AJ end their affair or whatever you wanted to call it. But he had also said that Alyson might not believe or understand those reasons.
AJ kept on walking up the road, where the house Alyson was staying at should be, if the man he had asked earlier was right. AJ had rented a car after landing in Montreal, but he had left his car down the road. He needed to think of something to tell Alyson, but even now, after he had been thinking for days already, he didn't come up with a good start. He walked past a few stores and suddenly thought of how much everything here reminded him of Switzerland in the winter. He wondered if Alyson had ever been to Switzerland.
"She would love it", he thought.
His eyes wandered around, taking in the whole scene, when he stopped dead in his tracks. The long, straight red hair... The way that woman moved... AJ had spotted a woman carrying groceries to a car near by. Unfortunately only her back faced him, but he was almost sure it was her. His heart started beating faster, louder and he didn't feel the cold anymore.
"Ok, Bone - it's judgment day..."
He started walking towards her, as fast as he could while making sure not to land on his butt on the icy streets. He stopped again, when he was standing right behind her. She was still loading stuff into the trunk of her car. The same smell of her hair...
AJ took a deep breath and swallowed. "Alyson...?"
The woman turned around. The same green eyes, with just as much fire in them. She stared at him for a moment, to make sure he was really there. "AJ?!"
He couldn't think of anything to say. All he wanted to do was take her into his arms, kiss her and continue where he had let it end.
When the first shock and surprise was over, the expression on Alyson's face turned cold. She turned around and closed the trunk angrily. "What a coincidence", she then spat, as she looked straight into his sad eyes. She stormed away and wanted to get into her car. How dare he just come up to her like that?! As if there was anything left to say between them!
AJ quickly rushed to her side and kept her from opening the car door. "Alyson, please!"
"What?" Her eyes sparkled with anger, but she tried her best to keep her voice calm. It was alright to think of him every now and then, it was ok to see him on TV and in mags, but it sure wasn't ok that he stepped back into her life like that.
"Can we talk? Please!" he begged.
"What is there left to say, AJ? Huh? If you still had something to tell me you should've told me eleven months ago!"
"Alyson - just five minutes."
She hardly listened to what he was saying. She was too confused and she couldn't keep calm anymore. "What in the world are you doing here? Couldn't your family celebrate down in Florida as always? Geez, why did you have to run into me?! Why now? Here - out of all places..."
"I'm not here with anyone", he replied. "I came here because of you!"
"What?!" she exclaimed. "How the hell do you know where I am?"
"I...had my sources", he just said, not wanting to get anyone in trouble because of him. It was enough if she would beat the shit out of only him.
"Whatever", she snorted. "Why are you here? Do you want to refresh some Christmas memories?! Or did some chick dump you and you thought: hey, there was that great fuck from Frisco last year - let's see if she's up to some fun!" She brushed his hand away from the door handle: "Now let me get into my car!"
"All I want are five minutes. You deserve an apology. God knows, you deserve so much more. And if you don't want that anymore, then I at least owe you an explanation."
She wanted to hate him. The way those beautiful eyes pleaded with her, the emotion in his voice when he spoke to her made that impossible though. She wanted to reach out and trace the lines of his goatee, like she had done before. She wanted to kiss those lips and let that mouth give her the pleasure it had given her so often. She felt her walls crumble, but tried to keep them up. He was right though - she wanted an apology. She didn't need his explanation. What for? To hear him say what she knew already, that she was a fling, a one-night-stand that lasted for a week? She was over that a long time ago, but damn him - yes, she deserved an apology for being treated like a cheap ho.
"I'll give you a little more than five minutes. I might have a few questions myself", she said coldly. Right now was the first time that she actually felt older than him. She was three years older than AJ, but he had always talked and appeared so very mature that she would have always guessed he was the older one. But looking into his eyes now, seeing the nervousness and probably even fear of something in them made him seem like a little boy. But maybe that was just his outer appearance: the typical baggy jeans, a big, fluffy, warm jacket, the scarf, the thick gloves and that cute cap on his head. It was hard for her not to let a smile appear on her face. "Let's go", she said and walked away from him.
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