Chapter 37
~1 month later~
Nick and AJ were at Kristen and Toni's new apartment one night watching movies and eating pizza. Over the past month the four of them had become really close friends. They had practically forgotten about everything that happened between Nick and Cassie so it was never brought up. None of them ever talked to Cassie. According to Angela it's like she doesn't have a roommate any more since Cassie is always spending the night at Luis's house. Kristen and Toni were in the kitchen getting the pizza and drinks while Nick and AJ were in the living room talking. "I need your help," AJ said to Nick.
"What? Did I just hear you right? You're asking for my help?" Nick asked surprised.
"Yes, now will you help me?"
"With what?"
"Kristen's birthday is coming up in two weeks. I want to make it special for her since she's been through a lot lately and plus it's her golden birthday."
"What the hell is a golden birthday?"
"Let's just say she was born on the 19th of July and she will be turning 19. Now if you help figure out what to do for her I'll help you with anything you need. Please," AJ begged.
"Hmmmmm.....you'll do anything for me?"
"Yes."
"Help me get hooked up with Toni."
"Yes, now are you going to help me?"
"I guess but if Kristen gets upset about it I had nothing to do with it."
"Why should she get upset? We are over. We have been. I still love her but only as a friend now. We both decided that it was best if we ended it. I'm moving on."
"Fine, now what can I do for Kristen?" Nick sat back and thought for a minute before he came up with an idea.
"I got it. This is the perfect thing for you AJ."
"That's great now what is it?"
"It's a good thing you can sing. Anyways, Kristen loves it when guys sing to her. She told me that one time. She said that she could sit and listen to a guy sing to her for hours. So I figure you should write her a song and sing it to her."
"Nick you're a genius!" AJ exclaimed
"Nick? A genius?" Kristen asked coming into the living room. "Is that debatable?"
"No, it's not," Nick said getting up and taking the pizza from Toni.
"Aren't you going to help me?" Kristen asked holding the sodas.
"Not after that comment."
"Fine, I see the love," she said setting the sodas down.
"Kristen I forgot to tell you. A package came in this morning while you were at work from your mom," Toni said.
"Where is it?"
"I put it in your room. It's kind of heavy so I'll help you with it," Toni said following Kristen to her room.
"Now I need another favor from you," AJ said when they left.
"What?"
"I need you to talk to Kristen."
"About what?"
"How should I know? Just talk to her and help me get some ideas to write the song about."
"Fine I'll do it but you'll owe me another favor."
"I don't think so. Me hooking you up with Toni is a big favor. You telling me what to do for Kristen was nothing so now you have to do something else or you can forget me helping you out with Toni."
"Okay, do you like Kristen or something?" Nick asked confused.
"Yes, actually I do. A lot. I need this to be really special." Kristen and Toni walked back into the living room. Kristen sat down next to AJ and set the box in front of her and opened it up. "What is all that from?" AJ asked as the box revealed tons of framed pictures.
"I had these frames of me and my friends and family all over my room at home. I can't believe she sent them to me. Kristen pulled out a picture of her and her friend at home, Theresa, that was in a best friends frame.
"Let me guess. This was taken at a Backstreet Boys concert?" AJ asked. It was a picture of her and Theresa decked out in BSB merchandise with a stage behind them.
"Yeah, that was the concert in Denver, Colorado for your US tour. I'll never forget your bright red hair and your comments."
"What comments?"
"It was pouring down rain outside and everyone was drenched. You said that all the ladies out in the audience looked so sexy all wet. You've got hormones."
"Don't all guys though?" Toni asked.
"Good point."
"Now this is cute," Nick said pulling a purple fuzzy frame out of the box. It had a picture of Howie in it and there were hearts drawn all over it. Nick looked in the box and saw that there were a lot of framed pictures of Howie. "Are you sure you just didn't have Howie all over your room?"
"What can I say? Howie was my fav," Kristen said pulling a wrapped up box out.
"What's that?" AJ asked.
"I don't know," Kristen said opening it. When she saw what was in it she closed the box again. "I'll be right back," she said going to her room taking the box with her.
"What was that about?" Toni asked.
"I don't know but I'll go see," AJ said. He went to Kristen's room and knocked on the door then entered. He saw Kristen sitting on the bed looking at something. He went up to her and saw she was looking at a picture of her and Nick in a boyfriend/girlfriend frame.
"My mom must have taken this when she was here and bought a frame for it. She doesn't know about us yet," Kristen said before AJ could ask her anything.
"Why haven't you told her yet?" AJ asked.
"Because she would just tell me that she told me so that Nick was no good because he was gorgeous and once he realized it he wouldn't stay with me."
"That's not what happened though."
"It doesn't matter."
"I thought you were over this?" AJ asked.
"You never fully get over someone until someone else comes in your life."
"Then why don't you let someone else in your life."
"Because I'll never love again."
"You have to love again. If you don't love how will you ever find that special someone who you will have kids with and grow old with. I know you want kids. How will you ever have a husband to have them with if you don't love?"
"I'll adopt. It's better anyways. Besides this isn't about having kids."
"That's right it's about you loving again."
"Well, that's not going to happen."
"You can't control falling in love."
"I won't allow myself too. I won't put myself in a trap to fall in love."
"Kristen you can't be alone for the rest of your life."
"AJ I don't want to talk about this. I know what I want in life."
"What you're saying is not what you want."
"Yes, it is. Please leave. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone."
"Alright, I respect that," AJ said leaving her room. He walked into the living room to see Nick and Toni on the couch kissing. 'Looks like he doesn't need my help' AJ thought to himself. He didn't want to sit around and watch Toni and Nick make out and Kristen didn't want to talk so he decided he would just leave. He quietly walked out the door and drove back home.
Chapter 38
