Chapter Twelve: You Don’t Make Me Well!

I didn’t get much sleep that night. For one thing I couldn’t sleep on my bed, it smelled like April. I couldn’t sleep on the floor between the beds because it smelled like Nick and April all tangled up. So I made an attempt to sleep in the chair which meant that I now had a lovely if painful crick in my neck.

“What’d you do to yourself, Nick?”

“Nothing. Why do you ask?” I said in the direction of Kevin. I’m sure it was him, I couldn’t see him but I could smell the Brute.

I found a seat near the back of the bus and threw my pillow against the window. Now I could prop myself up and see out without looking like my neck was in a noose. It took forever but finally the bus pulled out. I could hear the guys talking in the bunk area and prayed that the presence of the other three would keep AJ from using any sharp objects on my person.

I guess I was really tired because I half-way drifted off. I felt hands on my neck rubbing the crick out. I moaned as the muscles loosened and turned as far as I could to thank Brian, except it wasn’t Brian.

“AJE!!” On no! He had his hands on my neck. The presence of Kevin, Howie and Brian be damned, he was out to strangle me. In front of witnesses to boot. Doesn’t he ever think of the others? The trial would be so rough on them, having to give testimony against him. Then again none of them seemed very concerned. I could just see it now... “Once again Mr. Richardson, you claim you slept through the entire thing?” “Yes sir.” “I see. The breaking glass and screeching tires didn’t wake you?” “Well, things break all the time and Nick screeches so much I just didn’t notice.” “I see.”

“Man is your neck tense!” The better for snapping, my dear. “Relax! You almost jumped out of your skin!”

“I’m sorry. Oh, God, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” I was stuck on repeat.

“It’s fine, bro. It’s not like you broke my nose!” AJ cracked up. One does need a good laugh before the slaughter.

“I’m sorry AJ. I’m so sorry.” I was moaning more than I had the night before.

“Nick, just chill. I know what you’re saying, and I’m not here to kill you.” Of course not. Why should he kill me now when torture would be so much more fun?

“I’m sorry.” What else could I say?

“Stop that or I’ll kill you.....Nick! I was just kidding!” AJ did not seem fond of my whiter-than-white-near-faint skin tone. “I’m serious! I’m NOT mad.”

“Really?” It took approximately five minutes for me to gather enough air to get the single word out. Not since Sophie’s breast had I been this oxygen denied, or excited. But for entirely different reasons.

“Well...” I don’t like the sound of that. Excuse me while I make a run for it. “...I was mad last night, but more at April than you.” Why? Cause she was on top?

“Nick. Listen. I know why you did it....to get back at me for being a jerk lately. And I ..I know April started it. This wasn’t the first time she’s pulled something like this. So if you were feeling bad about her don’t. She was using you bro.” Oh. Well I no longer feel bad about using her. Nope. I feel bad in an entirely different way. The “the blond kid really wasn’t top choice but hey he was available” way. On the other hand..

“I’m sorry I..”

“STOP it Nick! I wasn’t in love with her and you knew it. Remember how you guys teased me about it on the flight over?” Oh, yea. That was before the turbulence. “I know you wouldn’t have done that with someone I really cared about.”

“Why were you with her?” I mean if you don’t love her or anything...

“Nick my man,” AJ gave me the biggest crap eating grin. “you need to finish that book.”

Oh.

“And anyhow, I have been a BIT of a jerk.” Hey, let’s not over state it or anything. “I forgot what it’s like, ya know?” No. I’m in the middle of it right now, somewhat hard to forget it. “Listen...” AJ’s voice dropped to almost nothing. “After my first wet dream....” He looked around as if his mother might be listening in. “...well, I was really, really asleep. I got up without noticing and I...” He looked as if he would like to forget this, glanced at me and then plowed ahead. “...I walked into the living room.”

“So?”

“It was morning.”

“So?”

“Christmas morning. With all the family and I was the last one up.”

“OOooohhhhhhh.”

“Yea. Believe me, you had it easy. It was only me and Howie.”

He was correct. I considered the fact that my MOTHER could have been the one to discover my “condition”. That would have warped me for life. I mean, look what it did to AJ.

“So I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain. It’s just that you are the little bro, you know?” I know. I know. “And you really need to learn to take the teasing with a better sense of humor and...”

“I have a sense of humor!”

“Don’t yell, man! I mean about stuff about you! And you shouldn’t whine when we tease you...”

“I DO NOT WHINE!”

“Hey, DON’T yell at me! I mean it you little gnome.”

“Don’t call me names and what the hell is a gnome?”

“OHHHH. Nicky cussed! Little Nicky cussed! I’m telling his mommie!”

“Jerk!”

“Piss ant!”

“AJ you make me sick!”

“Well you don’t make me well!”

“SHUT UP you guys.” We turned simultaneously to look at Kevin. My goodness he was miffed at something. “Are the two of you going to fight all day?”

“YES.” We both said together, with really big eyes. I guess you had to have been there but it really cracked us up. Kevin was of the opinion that a stretch in the loony bin would do us both good. I was trapped in a Kevin lecture, but this time I had AJ with me.

I wish I could say things were better between AJ and myself after this, that’s how most stories end, with that uplifting revaluation. However AJ and I are not a story, we’re human. Often too human.

Things went on pretty much as they had before. AJ teased me at the drop of a hat. I pulled pranks on him and whined to get out of trouble. There were days when we could not stand the sight of each other, and there still are. There were days when I was convinced that AJ hated my guts and his one and only hope was to never set eyes on me again. There still are.

But again there are days when AJ seems genuinely pleased to see me, days when he wants my company. There are days when he covers my butt for me (once literally) so Kevin will get off my back. Hell there are even days when he hangs with me. These do come more often now that I am older, but they are still rare. Funny how so many people think it is Kevin and I that are at opposite ends of the group when in fact we get along much of the time (We avoid each other.).

AJ and I plod along in one of those “can’t live with you, can’t live without you” relationships. My life seems to be defined by those lately.

So, as the BSB bus plugs along the winding road, let’s take one last listen to the days of yesteryear as the older and wiser AJ fills the young and blond Nick in on the facts of life.

“Hey Nicky, want me to explain how I really got the nickname “bone”?

THE END