"Everytime she sneezes I believe it's love,
And oh...I'm not ready for this sorta thing...
Every word she says is nonsense, but I understand,
And oh Lord, I'm not ready for this sorta thing."
-Counting Crows, Anna
Begins
Brent was sitting cross-legged on Nick's bed as I entered. I heard the
swoosh of the shower and pushed the picture of Nick's wet naked body in it
out of my head so as to remain cool.
"Hey Kelly" he said and smiled, acting much more approving than the day
before. Nikki stood behind me and as she walked up to my side Brent stood
and reached out his hand. "I'm Brent, by the way, I don't think we've ever
really been introduced."
"We have" Nikki said as she shook his hand politely, "but it was back in
New York and I'm sure you don't remember...I'm Nikki."
"So, uh, are you guys from New York, then?" Brent asked as he sat back
down grabbing a video game control. He motioned with his head for us to sit
as well.
Nikki answered. "No, actually we go to school in Boston, but I'm from
Cleveland..."
"And I'm from the butthole of the earth, Maine." I added.
"I thought that was Tampa" Brent said with a cocky grin.
"Maybe that's the ARMPIT" Nikki remarked.
"Yeah, or the stinky space between your toes." I said as Brent snickered.
He was now popping a game into the Sega Dreamcast. "Either of you ladies
care to play?" The shower stopped. I thought of Nick in the small, steamy
room, with ringlets of warm water cascading down his long body. Imagined he
was erect (wasn't he always?) I shook my head to escape the erotic image.
"Nah, I hate video games." I slipped.
"Uh oh..." Brent's eyes widened and he looked at Nikki. *Now this is a
GODDESS* he thought as she lifted her eyes to his. "I'll probably kick your
ass, you know that, right?" she said as she took a control.
"Sure you will." Brent looked determined as he began explaining the game.
I sat and watched the two of them, swearing at one another like a brother
and sister until the bathroom door creaked open and a spew of steam escaped
into the hotel room. *Dear God, please make them disappear and PLEASE let
him be naked.* There was no such luck as the blond creature emerged from the
bathroom. He had on a pair of jeans that hung perfectly to reveal the
elastic of his Calvins, a bare chest and a towel wrapped around his head in a
turban-like fashion. He sniffed as he stepped out and looked at me.
"Kel, wanna hand me that white sweatshirt on top of my bag there?" he
pointed to his bag. He was feeling a bit shy at parading his bare chest in
front of Nikki.
I grabbed the soft sweatshirt and handed it to him, walking up to his
side.
"Thanks" he said in his squeaky voice and patted the back of my head
affectionately. He then pulled on the shirt as I watched, tangling himself
in the towel. I reached up and grabbed it off, smelling the sweet scent of
his shampoo still lingering on the towel. Nick chuckled.
"Well kid, looks like it's time for me to say 'goodbye', Angie told us
we're leaving at 12:00 and, well, it's already 12:15 so..."
"I thought you all were gonna stay for the show," Nick said, his brow
furrowing.
"Plans changed" Nikki called in from the other room. Nick grunted.
"Well...uh...well, Ok then. BYE" He moved his head down and kissed me
quickly and carelessly on the lips, hardly touching me.
"Bye?" I teetered out watching Nick grab a brush and head toward the two
video warriors. I had so much I wanted to say...*When will I see you again?
When can I call you? What's going on with us? Can I mother your children?*
I felt as if I'd die, but masked it and called to my friend. "let's go,
Craps..." Nikki handed off the control to Nick who stared blankly at the
screen. He fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I'll get you next time" she said, glaring at Brent.
"I look forward to it...CRAPS." He emphasized the new nickname, and Nikki rolled her eyes while saying "GREAT...GREAT nickname."
Nick smiled crookedly as he waved his hand at us and we walked out the
door. I once again was in disbelief at his actions. The lump in my throat
was enormous. He had done this to me time and time again since I'd been
there. One moment I felt like I could take on the world and the next felt
like someone had torn out my heart. Who was this person? And why did he
make me feel this way?
*****
Angie heard a gentle but husky "come in" as she tapped on AJ's door. She
walked into the dimly lit room to the sound of MTV's "The Real World".
"Hey Sexy," AJ said from underneath his large comforter. His back was
propped against four huge fluffy pillows and Angie grimaced, recalling the
"pancake pillow" ordeal that had taken place in her own suite. She shrugged,
supposing the VIP guests got ALL the nice pillows at the Ritz.
"How you feelin' kid?" Angie questioned softly as she sat down on the
edge of AJ's bed. He was pale and feverish and he sniffed. But he looked
comfortable and she knew that he was a fighter and quite annoyed with his
present condition. She lifted her hand and caressed his cheek softly,
responding to her vast maternal instincts.
AJ whispered, "I can't sing for two weeks." his eyes were laughing, as if
giving the mental finger to the nut job who revealed this to him. Angie
wanted to scold, but she just couldn't. AJ just exumed an air of comfort and
well, the feeling that everything was alright.
"Howie's been looking for you, Sexy." AJ added. He looked at Angie
knowingly.
"I see nothing remains confidential in BackstreetLand" She said, looking
annoyed, but not suprised.
"Nah," AJ said, whispering. "I just figured..."
"It's no big deal." Angie responded. She wanted to ask AJ what Howie
had said, but she was just so confused about the situation. One moment she
was fine with it, the next angry and sad.
"Yeah...I guess." AJ looked at this person he hardly knew. He had taken
an instant liking to Angie that night at the club. But along with it, he
felt some type of deep respect. He really LIKED her. He felt so little of
that these days. It was hard to trust people, but AJ trusted Angie. Hell,
she had trusted him that night, hadn't she? He thought back to the few hours
he'd been alone with her after the club. It didn't seem like "no big deal"
then. AJ looked at Angie with concern. He saw an unanswerable question on
her face. Deep down AJ knew that Angie was looking for love and he knew that
Howie wasn't giving out that kind of love. At least not at the moment.
*Hell,* he thought, *that goes for most of us, besides Brian.* And AJ also
knew that this girl was a FAN. A big FAN. And they wanted so much of
something they knew very little about.
Angie broke AJ's train of thought. "Do you think I was wrong?" she
asked, her eyes full of concern. "Do you think I'm...well...bad?"
"Absolutely not, Angela. I'm the LAST person who'd judge you in that
area. You saw what you wanted and you took it. I know you'd take it in
whatever way you could get it at the moment. But it's not that what you did
was WRONG or BAD. It's just that, well...you settled. And I can tell you're
not the type of lady that normally just settles. Damn, Ang, and there's
nothing wrong with wanting ALL of someone..." he paused, breathing deeply and
swallowing as Angie looked at her hands, "you just gotta find the right
person to give you that. And it's tough when the person you want so much
can't give you that." Angie released a quiet sob. *How does he know so
much? It's like he's opened my soul and read it.*
AJ slowly opened his arms and Angie fell smoothly into them. She cried
for only a few moments, comforted by the sweet smell of Joop still lingering
on AJ. It would be a scent Angie would forever relate to the weekend. She
felt content here with him, in fact, she realized now that she felt content
with AJ every time she was with him. Angie sniffled and ran her hand across
her nose. She mumbled "I have a new favorite now." AJ giggled and it turned
into a cough. "I'll leave you to rest." She looked at him as she inched
away. "I just wanted to say goodbye."
"Leave your number...and Nikki's and Kel's too..."
"Well, I'm sure you'll be seeing Kel again soon. I guess her and Nick
are in a dimension beyond reality." There was a sarcastic tone in her voice
as she grabbed a writing pad and pencil off the coffee table. She looked at
AJ as she saw him shaking his head.
"Strange," now he was talking, "It was just a few days ago that he was
confiding in me how much he misses Mandy. Kelly doesn't know what she's
stepping into here...she should really tread lightly."
Angie was becoming concerned. "What?..." Just then, Marcus entered the
room.
"Sorry Angela, AJ really should get some rest." the burly man said
sternly but nicely.
"What are you? My doctor too? Man oh man..." AJ huffed. He loved
Marcus though...loyal to the end. Angie placed the pad of paper on the table.
"The numbers are right there, AJ." she said. "But...I still..."
"Just tell her to be careful...we'll talk soon." AJ eyed Marcus
uncomfortably.
"Alright," Angie sighed. She walked to AJ and quickly kissed him on the
head and then to Marcus and gave him the same on the cheek. "Be good, boys."
she said, flashing a smile. AJ had made her feel a bit better about her
situation and even more wary of Kelly's.
"Aren't I always?" charmed AJ, raising his eyebrows.
Angie laughed. "And get better." with that, she blew him a kiss and
exited.
"Man, you know who she reminds me of?" AJ questioned Marcus when the door
shut. "Marilyn Monroe"
"You think?" said Marcus, obvoiusly considering it.
"Yeah, I do." AJ slunk down further into the bed, shut the TV and Marcus
walked out without a word, flicking off the light.
******
The three of us met at the rear of Angie's car. No one really said much
of anything. RoRo had met Angie in the lobby and was gentlemanly enough to
carry her bags. Nikki and I opted to heave ours ouselves. We each hugged
RoRo and exchanged numbers. I was pale and shaky, but I refused to cry, not
there and then. Nikki idly twirled her hair up and down, concerned for both
her friends and secretly longing to see Brian...or even AJ. Angie hurried,
wanting to get out as quickly as possible.
As we were just about to get into Angie's car and leave, Nikki spotted
Brent running towards the car.
"Wait! Wait! Kelly! Hold up a minute!" Brent was extending a stocky
arm.
I turned and looked at him while Nikki continured her bout with
trickomania.
"Whoo.." Brent gasped for air. He silently vowed to himself to workout
more and play Dreamcast less. "Kelly. Uh...Nick sent me out. He...uh..."
Brent looked at RoRo, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable. "He told me to
tell you he wants you to stay. That you should be his guest for the week.
All you guys, actually." his brown eyes scanned the three of us.
"Wha?" I was dumbfounded now.
"Alright." Nikki interjected quickly, looking at Angie.
"No way. I gotta be at work tomorrow or my ass is fired."
"Is it OK if we stay?" Nikki didn't fell right doing it, but she NEEDED,
within every depth of her, to see Brian again.
"I...I...I don't know if this is such a good..." I was wary and I wasn't
sure of anything. "What about classes?"
"Kel...classes'll be there when you get back. Are you high? He just
said NICK, the wonder-boy, wants you to STAY! C'mon..." Nikki was
determined. I looked toward Angie.
"Do what you want." She replied shortly. That was just it...I wasn't
sure WHAT I wanted. "But be careful, Gizmo...things may not be what they
seem. Just remember that." Angie opened the drivers side door and started
the engine. Nikki unloaded our suitcases from the trunk. The decision had
been made for me. Angie's remark, though, left me with a sense of eeriness.
Angie backed out of her space and pulled away without so much as a wave. I
noticed, but Nikki was too busy chattering with her new friend, Brent. I
watched the car go out of the light and onto the service road, praying she
would turn around. But she didn't.
I followed Nikki and Brent to the front doors, butterflies doing battle
in my stomach.
Angie got on the highway to Cleveland, angry and hurt and alone and
scared. She cried the whole two hour trip.
SFK 17
Song For Kelly
NinasFiction
