I get up and walk down the hall to Kevin's room, go inside and wait a minute while everyone arrives.
"OK," Kevin says, sitting down at the foot of the bed. "So, I was just watching the weather network," he pauses. "And it looks like the snow's only going to get worse over the next couple of days. We're not going to be able to fly out of here for Christmas."
"What?!" Nick exclaims. Brian, AJ and Carolyn just sigh with frustration. Alissa, Howie and I say nothing, having already known about the bad weather.
"Yeah, they said the snow won't be letting up for the next three days, which means no flights in or out of here," Kevin sighs.
"Well that's just fucking great," Nick says, frustrated. "I'm stuck spending Christmas in the same hotel as him?!" he says angrily, motioning at A.J.
"My sentiments exactly," Carolyn says coldly looking at AJ and I.
A.J. rolls his eyes but says nothing.
"That's it," Kevin says angrily, standing up. "What the hell is going on with you guys?" he asks, looking at AJ, Nick, Carolyn and me.
None of us speak. "I'm sick of the fucking tension! I want to know what the hell is going," he insists.
Again, the four of us are silent.
Brian sighs loudly. "A.J. and Ally had feelings for each other and they kissed and kept it from Carolyn and Nick," he pipes in.
Everyone looks at him with surprise.
"OK..." Kevin says, seeming shocked.
"You knew?" Nick asks Brian, looking hurt.
"I only found out the day before yesterday, man," Brian explains. "I knew Ally was going to tell you so I kept my mouth shut."
"Who else knew?" Nick asks, looking at Howie and Alissa.
"I sure as hell didn't," Howie says, seeming surprised.
Alissa raises her hand meakly. "I did," she confesses.
"Liss? And you didn't tell me?" Nick asks sadly.
"Nick, it wasn't my place to tell you," she says regretfully.
"Nick, I asked her not to say anything... I shouldn't have put her in that position," I explain.
He doesn't reply.
"So what's the situation now?" Kevin asks, wanting the facts.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"The tension is obvious and has been for a while now, so I want to know exactly what's going on. Are you and Nick broken up?" he asks directly.
I look over at Nick. He looks at me, then looks at Kevin.
"No," Nick says quietly.
"Are you speaking? Are you not speaking, what's the situation?" Kevin pries.
"I just want some space for a few days," Nick explains.
"Nick, take it from me man, space isn't going to resolve this. If you're not breaking up over it then talk, work it out," Kevin advises.
Nick says nothing.
Kevin turns to Carolyn and AJ. "What about you two?" he asks.
"We're over," Carolyn says definitively. "I'd be home by now if it weren't for the snow."
AJ looks hurt by her answer.
Kevin nods. "And what about you and Ally?" he asks her.
Carolyn looks over at me, then back at Kevin. "That's undecided," she replies.
"Fair enough," Kevin replies.
"Well isn't that nice," A.J. says sarcastically. "You're willing to forgive Ally but not me?" he asks Carolyn angrily.
"I didn't say I had forgiven Ally," Carolyn snaps back.
"So why are we 'over' and yet your friendship with Ally is 'undecided'?" he asks bitterly. "We're both guilty of the same crime aren't we? So why is she only getting a slap on the wrist?"
A.J's comment upsets me but I sit back quietly.
Carolyn looks him straight in the eyes. "I think we all know who the instigator in this 'affair' was, A.J," she says coldly.
"The instigator?!" A.J. yells.
"Yes," Carolyn says firmly. "If you hadn't made a move on Ally none of us would be in this situation. Do you honestly think she would have made the first move, A.J?" she asks.
"Well she certainly didn't protest," he says hurtfully. "And how did you know I 'made the first move'?"
"I think we better leave the four of you alone," Kevin says, standing up to leave. Howie, Alissa and Brian head for the door.
"Don't bother," Carolyn says. "This conversation is over."
Kevin stands in her way. "No, it's not," he says sternly. "This conflict is affecting the group, so the four of you are going to resolve it one way or another. We're all stuck here for the next few days, so just say what you need to say, and find some peace with each other because we're going to have a nice Christmas TOGETHER. No one is going to be spending it alone, sulking in a hotel room? Got it?"
"Got it," we mutter, a little taken aback.
"Good," Kevin says, opening the door. "None of you leave this room until everyone has said everything they need to say," he orders, closing the door behind himself and leaving the four of us alone.
We all sit silently for a brief moment and then A.J. cuts in.
"So what makes you think I made the first move?" he asks Carolyn.
Carolyn rolls her eyes. "Ally told me."
A.J. looks at me angrily. "So we're turning on each other now are we? What is this? An all out war?" he asks me.
"What is your problem?!" I ask angrily. "You did make the first move. We're telling the truth now, remember?!"
He just glares at me.
"You want to talk about 'turning on each other'? What was that about me only getting 'a slap on the wrist'?!" I yell. "You wish things were worse for me, A.J?!"
Nick and Carolyn just sit back quietly.
A.J. takes a deep breath to calm down. "I just don't get why I'm the only one being persecuted when we're both at fault."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've lost Nick as a friend, I've lost you as a friend, I've lost Carolyn. Meanwhile, you and Nick are still together, Carolyn is 'undecided' about your friendship, which is much better than 'over' by the way, and you don't seem to give a shit that we can't be friends anymore," he explains.
"I'm sorry you and Nick aren't friends anymore and I'm sorry you and Carolyn are breaking up and I'm sorry that we can't be friends anymore but what's done is done, AJ! I can't control Nick or Carolyn's feelings for you! It sounds like you'd be happier if Nick had broken up with me and if Carolyn never wanted to speak to me again!"
"Maybe I would," he says spitefully.
I look at him with disgust. "What's the point of this? We're not resolving anything, we're just arguing," I say, heading for the door. I open it to find Kevin standing outside.
He shakes his head. "Nuh uh, you're not leaving yet," he says, ushering me back into the room.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious. Work it out," he says sternly.
I go back in and sit on the bed. Kevin closes the door behind me. The four of us sit silently.