Chapter Seven

 *****
	AJ watched as April stepped back into the den after dinner.  She caught his glance
and gave him a slightly confused smile.  Nick looked up and indicated the seat next to his
for her to sit.  AJ sat quiet for a few minutes as Brian retold some old story to Nick and
Kevin before he looked back at April.
“ So, April.  How did you like dinner?” He said with vague pointedness.  
“ Um.  It was good.” She answered, unsure of why he would ask such a trivial question.
“ Yeah?  Are you on a diet?” 
“ That’s a pretty rude question.” Kevin said, hearing over Brian.  April fell silent and
turned her attention over to the other conversation.  AJ saw right through her and it was
kinda starting to piss him off.  He had had enough with people like her.  Perfect lives but
only seeking to cause enough chaos to stir up some trouble and attention.  And of course
Nick would be magnitized to people like her.  Poor old Nick, only looking for a soul to
save.  AJ gave a derisive chuckle to himself and stood up abruptly.  He wasn’t sure how
long he could go without making a comment.  He headed to the kitchen with the excuse
of  getting some water but instead took a seat at the kitchen table and lit a cigarette.  Nick
walked in a few minutes later and studied AJ.
“ You don’t like April do you?” Nick asked, getting a glass out of the cabinet.
“ I don’t know her.” He answered, taking another drag.
“ Does she seem nice?” AJ sighed and cast an annoyed look at Nick.
“ Why does my opinion matter?” 
“ Is that a no?” 
“...I don’t know...She seems...” He shrugged, not wanting to go into depth with Nick.
“ What?” Nick prodded as he filled the glass with cranberry juice.
“ Needy,” He finished lamely for lack of better word.
“ Needy?” Nick gave a wierd look and set the juice on the table, standing over it.
“ But like I said, I don’t know her...She just seems like the type of person who’ll cause
some sort of trouble just because she can...Attention grabber...” 
“ And you would make that kind of judgement because?”  Again he shrugged
indifferently.
“ Did you notice she headed to the bathroom right after she ate?” 
“ And?”  AJ stared at Nick.
“ What do you mean ‘and’?  It’s obvious isn’t it?” 
“ AJ, man. You’re just grabbing air there,” Nick shook his head but couldn’t help but feel
that seed of doubt planted in his mind.  Another shrug came from AJ as he finished off
his cigarette before standing up and walking to the sliding porch doors.  
“ What’re ya doing?” Nick questioned, picking up his glass.
“ I need to make a call,” He replied before shutting the doors.  Nick took  his juice and
returned to the living room where Leighanne was talking about Fiji and how some event
or another happened; Nick wasn’t paying attention.  Instead, he watched April
distractedly, thinking over things since he’d been back.  Sure she had been a bit evasive
and on-guard when he first showed up, it HAD been six months, that was normal.  And
besides, she had loosened up after a while.  There was something completly different
about her, too, though.  She was more...He couldn’t quite place it.  Protected?...She
caught his troubled gaze and raised her eyebrows questioningly.  He shook his head and
forced a smile.    The evening wore on and at eleven, Nick stood up, feigning a yawn.
“ Guys, I think me and April are gonna head on home,” He said and AJ looked at him
shrewdly.
“ ‘Home’?  You guys are living together or something?”  Nick sighed.  Leave it to AJ to
make a fuss over something ridiculously small.
“ My parents are out of town and he asked me to stay with him.” April explained,
standing up also.  
“ Out of town where?”
“...Seattle...” AJ nodded carelessly and Nick shot him a dirty look.  
“ Hey, Kev, do you have the promo papers for the next coupla weeks?” (Nick) 
“ Um, yeah, I do.  They’re upstairs,” Nick turned to April and handed her the keys to his
car.
“ You can go ahead and get inside the car, I’ll take a few minutes.” 
“ Ok,” She said her goodbyes and Nick followed Kevin upstairs.  He left the house five
minutes later and Kevin walked back into the living room where a slightly awkward
silence was hanging in the air.
“ Well I don’t like her-...” AJ said, breaking the silence and taking a sip of his drink.
“ I think she’s nice,” Brian said and looked at Kevin and Howie.  Howie nodded and
agreed with him.
“ She seems really sweet if you got to know her,” Leighanne stated, glancing at Kristin. 
“ Yeah, she’s nice.” 
“ Well...I’m not sure if I quite agree with what AJ said fully because that’s an unfair
statement but...She’s sweet.  She just seems really quiet,” Kevin concluded.  AJ
shrugged.
“ You have to be nice to her, though, AJ.  Nick mentioned her coming with us
tomorrow.” 
“ Hey, I’m a nice guy,” AJ defended, avoiding Kevin’s eyes as they all recalled his little
comments to her.
“ Not like it mattered ever before,” He muttered, standing up.
“ Where are you going?” Brian chimed.
“ I’ve gotta get going.  I promised Sarah something,” He answered, as evasive as always.  
“ We’ll see ya tomorow then, AJ.  Don’t be late,” Kevin warned as AJ picked up his copy
of the day’s schedule.
“ Ciao,” He said with a wave before walking to the front door and exiting.  The rest of
the guys ( and the girlfriends) hung around a while longer, until one when Kevin sent
them all home so he could catch up on some sleep...






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