Christina walked into Sunny Spas & Massage Resort to look for Nick.
"Hello. Can I help you?" a young woman with clear, glowing skin asked her politely.
"Yeah. I'm looking for Nick Carter." The woman nodded and tapped something into the computer.
"I'm sorry, miss. But Mr. Carter has not come in for his appointment."
"Are you sure? He's supposed to be here. Have you seen him? He's tall with blond hair, blue eyes." The young woman's eyes lit up.
"Ah, yes. I did see a young man like that come in. But then a blonde-haired girl came up to him and then they kissed and he walked off." Christina just looked at her.
"Miss? Are you OK? Excuse me, miss?" She tapped Christina on the shoulder. Christina shook her head and mumbled her thanks and blindly ran out of the building. Looking around, she noticed a path leading somewhere into a forest and began to run towards it. Then she came to a clearing. Farther up was a pond and she noticed someone there skipping stones. As she walked closer, she noticed that it was Nick. He was muttering something as he threw the stones in the water. Christina walked closer until she was only a few feet away from him. As if he felt her presence, he looked up. A smile lit up his face and he came to her.
"Hey, I was just thinking about you." Nick said, as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Really." Christina replied, her voice cold.
"What's wrong, Chrissy?" His voice was puzzled.
"Don't call me that. And you know what's wrong! What happened in the spa, Nick?" She spat out.
"Oh, that's what you're mad about." He let go of her and ran his hand through his blonde, silky hair.
"Yes, that!"
"Well, uh…" Nick looked away. "I went in right and then Mandy came out of nowhere and she was planted her big lips on me. At first, I thought it was you but then I pushed her away and said that I already had a girlfriend. She then asked who it was, but I didn't say anything. And she named you and called you a bitch. I got mad and said that she was the bitch, not you. Then she got all sad and said how could I do this to her. She started saying all the romantic things I did for her and everything. I was so mad that I just left and came here." Nick said all in one breath.
"Wow, " Christina said softly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Nick." He smiled and took her hand.
"It's OK. I understand. So, enough about Mandy. What do you wanna do?" He asked as they started walking to the path.
"How about some food? I'm hungry." Nick laughed.
"You're always hungry!"
"So? You are too! Anyway, I'm still growing!" Christina protested.
"Whatever! Girls stop growing at 16. That's what my mom always say to Leslie and Angel."
"Whatever, Nick. So what do you wanna eat?"
"Pizza?"
"Nuh-uh, you're pregnant, remem-oops." Christina covered her mouth.
"So that's why your guys were acting weird! You thought it was funny didn't you?" Nick accused Christina. She smiled innocently.
"Who thought of it?" he demanded. Christina continued to look at him with wide eyes and a smile, not saying anything.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Nick said, pointing a finger at her. Christina laughed and ran towards Nick's car. He chased after her.
"I'm gonna get you!" he shouted.
"No, you're not!" Christina yelled back, still running.
"I have the keys to my car, remember!"
"Shit!" he heard her swear. She stopped running and turned around.
"Nick, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, " she said sincerely. Nick stopped also but began to advance towards her.
"I'm sure, C. And you got everyone on it too." Christina had started to back up and until her back was touching the car. Nick came up to her and put his hands on either side of her head on the window, blocking her, so she couldn't escape.
"It was just a joke, Nicky. You can't seriously be mad. Are you?" She looked up at him. Nick just stared at her, looking menacing. Christina continued to talk while her voice got smaller and smaller.
"Stop." She shut up.
"There's only one way that I'll forgive you." Nick said. Christina looked worried.
"What?"
"Like this…" He answered softly as he lowered his mouth to hers.
[AJ & Alyssa]
"So, what's the surprise?" AJ asked as his girlfriend led to him to the eighth floor. He frowned. This wasn't the right floor.
"Here we are," Alyssa said cheerfully. She opened a door and both of them walked in. AJ's mouth dropped open in shock as he saw the girl sitting on the bed in front of him. Alyssa walked over to her.
"AJ, meet my new friend, Alisha. Alisha, AJ, AJ, Alisha."
"Hey, AJ," Alisha said brightly.
"H…uh…h…hi." AJ stuttered. He was confused. Usually, he could talk his way out of anything. What was wrong with him?
"AJ, Alisha here has told me a lot about you," Alyssa continued looking at him pointedly. She walked over to him.
"So, do you have anything to say for yourself?" AJ looked at her and gulped. She smiled.
"Alisha, repeat to AJ what you told me!" Alisha squirmed.
"Do I have to?" she whined. If looks could kill, Alisha would be dead right now.
"OK, well…uh… we were at this club and I saw AJ. Actually, I didn't know who he was until afterwards. I thought he was really hot and thought that he should be a good one-nighter. But as always, just in case, I asked him if he was single. He said yes and I didn't see any rings or anything that said that he was attached or anything. So I went…uh…led him to a room and well, you know." AJ looked at her like he was going kill her at any moment.
"Thank you, Alisha. You can go now." Alisha bolted for the door, obviously glad to leave.
"What the hell, AJ?" Alyssa exploded, once Alisha left. "I thought that you, AJ, my first real boyfriend, was different from all the guys. But no! You’re all the same! You know what, AJ? I'm through with guys!" AJ looked at her, stunned.
"That's right! It includes you! We're through!" With that, Alyssa stormed out the door. AJ stood there taken aback for a second and then ran after her.
"Alyssa, wait! I can explain!" She ignored him. He grabbed her arm. She shook him off as she walked down the stairs to their own floor.
"Alyssa, I love you." Alyssa turned around angrily and snorted.
"You love me, huh? Well, loving me doesn't mean you go and fuck other girls two days after you get a girlfriend!" Her voice was getting louder and louder. "Having a girlfriend means being honest and truthful to her. And I'm the one you should fuck, not that slut! As for loving me, yeah, I'm sure you do, AJ! You're just like all the creeps out there. I'm not a 'thing' you can play around with. I have feelings too! I never want to see your fucking face ever again!" Heatedly, she turned on her heel when she slipped.
"AJ!" She yelled as she fell down the stairs, her arms flailing. AJ stood there shocked. He made a grab for her arm and missed. He quickly flew down the stairs.
"ALYSSA!" She was unconscious on the ground, her head bleeding. He picked up her head and laid it on his lap and tried to stop the bleeding.
"I'm so sorry, 'Lyssa. I didn't mean to hurt you so bad. I was just so confused by all these emotions running through me. I'm sorry, 'Lyssa. SOMEONE HELP ME!" AJ then remembered his cell phone. He took it out and dialed 911.
"Yes, we need an ambulance right away! My girlfriend's unconscious. She fell down the stairs…where am I?…at Embassy Suites on Hill Street. We're in the stairwell on level 6! Hurry!" He hung up and started crying.
"Alyssa, I'm so sorry. Please wake up, wake up. I don’t wanna lose you. I can't. I need you. Alyssa, can you hear me? Help's on the way. You're gonna get better soon." AJ said.
[At the hospital]
Jessica and Drew rushed into the waiting room.
"Where's 'Lyss?" Jess asked them breathlessly.
"She's still in the emergency room." Christina answered, her face wet with tears. Nick was beside her, comforting her.
"What the hell, AJ? What did you do to her?" Jessica demanded. AJ looked up at her, his eyes red.
"I'm sorry. We had a fight and we were on the stairs. She yelled at me and then turned around and slipped. I tried to grab her arm but I missed." AJ said sadly. Fate rubbed his back.
"It's OK, AJ. We understand, you tried to save Alyssa."
"No! It's all AJ's fault!" Jess insisted. Drew put a hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down, Jess. It's not his fault. He did his best. Just pray that Alyssa will be OK."
"You're right, Jess. It's all my fault. I should have tried harder. It's all my fault." AJ had started crying again.
"Jess, stop! Don't accuse him of anything until Jess wakes up. It feels bad already. Right now, having Alyssa OK is more important than who to blame." Fate said sternly. "Drew, take Jess for a walk, OK?" Drew nodded and led Jess down a hall.
"How's Alyssa doing?" Sarah said as she rushed in with Brian.
"We don’t know. Why don't you ask the nurse?" Kevin said softly. Sarah and Brian talked to the nurse. When they came back, the doctor finally came out of the emergency room. Everyone jumped up.
"How is she?"
"Is she OK?" The doctor held up his hand.
"She's fine. We stopped the bleeding, and she suffered a concussion. I gave her some painkillers, so she probably won't wake up until a few hours later."
"Can we visit her?" AJ asked him.
"Only two at a time, please. I don't want her to be crowded. And five minutes per pair please. And she's in room 528." The doctor left. The group headed towards the fifth floor. Sarah called Jess and Drew and told them about Alyssa's condition.
"Who wants to go first?" Fate asked. "Christina, Nick, how about you?"
"Wanna go in?" Nick asked. Christina nodded and both of them went in. Jess and Drew came around the corner.
"Who's in there?"
"C and Nick." Brian answered.
"Don't let AJ in there. Who knows what he might do. Probably try to kill Alyssa." Jess said bitterly.
"Jess!" Fate said sharply, giving her a warning look.
"What? I heard them yelling! He went and fucked another girl, that's why they were having a fight!" Everyone looked surprised.
"Is this true, AJ?" Fate asked when he didn't say anything. AJ nodded.
"But you didn't push her down the stairs, did you?" AJ shook his head.
"There you go, Jess. AJ didn't push Alyssa down the stairs, she slipped."
"Yeah, well, if AJ hadn't fucked another girl, maybe they wouldn't have had a fight and then Alyssa wouldn't have fell down the stairs!"
"Jess, stop yelling! It hurts my head and Jess might be able to hear you. Besides, it's not AJ's fault." Christina replied, coming out of the room with Nick. He still had his arm around her.
"C, how can you defend that creep? He went and - "
"Yes, I heard you inside, Jess. And don't call him that. He's one of your best friends."
"Best friend! I don't think so. Not what he did to Alyssa!" AJ looked up at her, hurt. AJ and Jess had a special relationship. They were like siblings.
"Stop fighting!" Howie finally said loudly. Everyone shut up. Howie hardly ever raised his voice.
"Look, let's just wait until Alyssa wakes up before we blame anyone, OK?" Everyone nodded. Howie hardly ever yelled and when he did, it was time to listen.
"OK, so who's going next?" Howie asked.
"We'll go," Sarah volunteered. Brain and Sarah both went in.
"I'll go in after. Then Jess and Drew, Kevin and Fate and AJ, you're last." AJ nodded.
Half and hour later, everyone had visited Alyssa, but she still didn’t wake up yet.
"Uh…I hate to break it to you guys, but we have a concert in a couple of hours and we'll have to fly. The crew and everything is probably all there already." Kevin said, worry written all over his face.
"Well, what about us?" Christina asked, wondering whether Fallen Angels will perform or not.
"I don't think you guys will be performing, but some of you can stay and some can go."
"I'm staying here!" Fate said immediately.
"Me too." Sarah replied.
"Christina, come with me and guys." Christina looked torn between the two of them.
"Go on, C, go with them. We'll call you if anything happens." Fate urged.
"OK, but remember to call me if Alyssa wakes up or something." Fate nodded and the guys and Jess and Christina left.
[On the plane]
"Nick, I'm going to talk to AJ. I'll be back." Christina said.
"OK." He answered as he took out his Color GameBoy. Christina walked down the aisle to AJ's seat. She plopped down beside him.
"Hey. How're you feeling?" she asked him softly. AJ looked up and smiled weakly.
"Like I'm gonna throw up. I didn't push her off the stairs. Do you believe me C?" he inquired desperately.
"Yes, I do believe you. I know you would never push Alyssa off the stairs. I've seen how you look when you're with her. I just don't understand how you can go and fuck another girl when you and 'Lyss are a couple!"
"I'm sorry. I know what I did was wrong. I don't know what came over me." AJ said, covering his head with his hands. "It's just that Amanda had just called me that day and said she wanted me back. And all my feelings for her came rushing back, even though I love Alyssa. I was so confused, C. You don't know how I felt. I just went to a bar and got drunk. I didn't even know what I was doing. And I'm sorry that I got drunk."
"AJ, there's no excuse for sleeping with another girl! Yes I know Alyssa may seem wild and fun at times, but inside, she's very fragile and lonely. She needs someone to give her warmth, to protect her, to love her. There's no really in her life that gives her that. Her dad is a lawyer and is always away on business trips and her mother cares nothing about her except her country club friends. Her brother is too busy flirting with all the hot girls to even notice that Alyssa's around. She tried so many ways to get her family to notice her that she's given up. We all love her a lot and she's like a sister. But she needs a guy. Whenever we're out on a date with our boyfriends, I know she's lonely. And you know what, AJ? I thought you were the one to give her what she needs. You were Alyssa's perfect match. But…" Christina stopped. "But…I was wrong. Think about what I said and maybe Alyssa can forgive you for what you've done. First, though, you have to forgive yourself." After having to say all that, Christina gave AJ a pat in the shoulder and went back to her seat.
AJ just sat there thinking about Christina's words. Her dad…away on business trips…her mom…doesn't care about…lonely, lonely, lonely. The word just kept pounding away in AJ's mind. --
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