Love of a Lifetime

She spoke to no one. Even Brian couldn't get the smallest of grins from her. Eventually, he gave up trying. They all did. Even Howie. Her despondency began to wear on all of them, sending patience to the four winds, leaving short tempers in their wake.

"Watch where the fuck you're going!" AJ spat at Nick, barely brushing one another as they passed each other in the hall.

"You watch where you're fucking going ... asshole!" Nick yelled back, shoving AJ into the wall.

AJ bounced off the wall and threw himself head-first into Nick's midsection, sending them flying back into a table.

"Cocksucker!"

"Prick!"

"What the fuck is going on?!" Howie hollered, as he, Brian, and Kevin ran out of their respective rooms, into the hallway.

"Yo! Break it up!" Kevin bellowed, trying to pry in between them, getting suckerpunched to the jaw in the process ... which caused him to throw a few of his own.

"Don't look at me." Brian quipped to Howie, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the doorframe.

"Don't look at me, either!" Howie replied, standing there with hands on hips, looking a cross between irritated and bored. "Guys ... yo guys! Come on. Knock it off."

"Yeah, that'll make them stop for sure." Brian muttered under his breath.

"Oh, fuck you too." Howie shot back.

"Fuck YOU! It's all your fault anyway!" Brian retorted, not moving from his position.

"My fault?! How is this my fault?" he stammered.

"D, I give you a lot of credit for being smart. I apparently gave you too much credit."

"First of all, fuck you. Secondly, what are you talking about?"

"Howie, have you NOT noticed how everyone's been on edge since Destina's had a bug up her ass? Or, are you that fucking clueless?"

"Of course, I've noticed. How is Destina's mood my fault?"

"Well, what the hell did you do to piss her off?!"

"Yeah, D, what did you do, man?!" AJ asked, wiping blood from his lower lip. The fisticuffs stopped the moment they all heard Brian use the word 'fuck' because that normally meant that he was really ... really pissed off and those times proved quite entertaining.

Howie looked around to his four bandmates, all staring at him, looking and waiting for an answer.

"You all think it's my fault?!"

"Pretty much." "Yup." "Uh-huh." "Well, duh!"

He ran his hands through his hair and over his face, racking his brain, trying to think of what it was that he did that would make Destina stop speaking to all of them.

"Guys. Honest to God, I can't think of anything. She was fine the other day when I left her on the bus, then she comes off the bus and she won't speak to me ... or any of you."

"Since she got off the bus? Wait a minute. I think I'm on to something here." Nick mused, rubbing his chin.

"Oh, now there's something new." Kevin teased, rolling his eyes.

Nick's raised middle finger was the only response. "If she started getting pissy after she got off the bus, then it has to do with the prank you guys tried to pull on me. Maybe she's really embarrassed because it didn't work how you guys had it planned, which is why she won't talk to me; and, she's mad at you guys because she's the one who's embarrassed."

Nick looked up to find four pairs of eyes staring at him with complete and total confusion. They looked from one to another, then back to Nick, all shaking their heads, trying to figure out what Nick was talking about.

"Nick. What the fuck are you talking about?" AJ asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah." Howie joined, "What prank?"

"You guys didn't plan a prank for me and get Des in on it?" the lightbulb was slowly beginning to come on above Nick's head as they continued to look as if they had no clue what prank he was referring to.

"No, we didn't. What prank are you talking about?" Kevin asked.

"Not that you don't deserve a prank, mind you," Brian began, "You've certainly earned some payback and if you ever touch my Bible again, I will most assuredly be breaking a few Commandments, you ass!"

"Brian, I said I was sorry. You guys really didn't plan a prank?"

"NO!" they all shouted in unison.

"I'll be back in a little bit. I've got to talk to Des about something."

"What the hell's going on?" AJ asked, shrugged shoulders and 'I don't knows' his answers, as they all watched Nick go down the hall and pause in front of Destina and Howie's door, knocking softly.

***********************

"I've been a real ass." he said, head down in shame and guilt, as Destina opened the door.

"Come in." she sighed, allowing him entrance, closing the door quietly behind him.

************************

"I'm too curious." AJ quipped, walking briskly down to Howie's door, pressing his ear against it. Moments later, he was joined by Howie, Brian and Kevin, all doing the same thing ...

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