“Where’d Brian and Jade go?” asks Nick returning with an inflatable chair for Mark.
“They went to Brian’s place I think.”
“Without askin’ me along?” he whines.
“I guess they thought you’d wanna hang out with me…” I raise an eyebrow and he gulps.
“Oh yeah! ‘Course. It woulda just have been nice to get ASKED ya know.”
“Sure…” I laugh and adjust the camera as Mark gets settled on the chair.
“Ya know Ali…” Nick starts off.
“This is JUST like that chair you have in your room Ali!” finishes Mark.
“Uh, yeah…” I look at Nick nervously and his face is hard. “Nick…”
“Save it Ali,” he turns around and walks out of the room.
“Was it something I said?” asks a bemused Mark.
“Uh, kinda. Excuse me for a minute.” I hurry after Nick and pull on his arm to make him stop and face me. “Nick, will you stop running away from me and give me a chance to explain?!”
“Oh, I’d like to hear ya explain away Mark being in your room.”
“It was my birthday yesterday…”
“I know,” he interrupts.
“And the guys plus Jade decided to throw me a surprise party. They all hid in my room so ALL of them know what my room looks like Nick.” I suddenly realise what he had said, “You knew? How?”
“AJ told me.” He sighs sadly, “Ali, why didn’t you want to tell me it was your birthday?”
“I just don’t like to make a big deal outta it. It’s nothin’.”
“Ali, it’s the day you were born! That’s something!”
“Debatable,” I shrug.
“Will you stop cuttin’ me outta your life Ali?” he says quietly. “I’m your boyfriend and I love you and I’m here for you to share things with. You’re not alone any more.”
I stare and him and tears fill my eyes. “I know. It’s just hard to get used to. Ok…” I sit down on a nearby wall and sigh heavily. “I hate my birthday cos it was when I found my best friend dead. She was 16 and she committed suicide after her ex-boyfriend raped her. It was my 15th birthday.” Nick stares at me and slowly sits by me. “So I kinda have bad associations with that day.”
“God Ali… I wish you had told me.”
“Well, I have now.”
“Thank you,” he whispers as he wraps his arms around me and kisses my head.
“Thank you,” I start to cry, feeling safe for perhaps the first time in my life.
“So, what was Ali’s point?” Brian asks between mouthfuls of a cheese salad sandwich.
“The Dopey thing really bothers you, huh?”
“Kinda. Isn’t dopey like BAD?”
“No, it’s cute. Y’know when you have interviews and you like tune out a bit?” He nods. “That’s kinda bein’ dopey cos then you always get asked somethin’ and you have NO clue. So you kinda blink a lot and then go ‘huh?’ It’s endearing. Honest,” I stroke his arm gently. “But I won’t call you that again if it bothers you.”
“So, it’s like calling Nick blondie cos he can be dumb sometimes?”
“Exactly like.”
“Ok, I can deal with that.” He takes a few more bites before adding, “Usually when I tune out it’s cos I’m thinking ‘bout you.”
I smile at him and carry on eating.
Nick watches Ali working and studies her profile intently. She is joking with Heath Ledger and Paul Walker as she takes their pictures. He can’t believe how much she’s been through and she’s still only 23. The worst he has been through is when he fell out with his mom a year back over his career. That had been pretty bad at the time and their relationship still isn’t like it used to be. He still feels resentment towards her for pushing him into music at such a young age. He would’ve liked the chance to graduate high school, take his girlfriend to the prom and try out for the basketball team. But, on the other hand, he wouldn’t be standing where he is today if his mom hadn’t have pushed him. Ali bends down to her bag and Nick checks out her ass with a smug smile. The view from here is definitely pretty good.
“Hey Nicky, wanna make yourself useful and get me some film from my car?” she calls.
“Sure,” he catches the keys she throws and heads out to her car.
He climbs into the driver’s seat and rifles through the glove compartment, finding the spare film and an envelope. His curiosity gets the better of him and he looks inside. There are three pictures. One is of him playing Brian’s guitar. He’s concentrating on the strings and seems unaware of Ali’s presence. Another is of Jade, Brian and Nick playing basketball. In the picture Jade is blocking Brian while Nick jumps up behind her to shoot. Nick chuckles – he likes that picture. The third picture is of Nick with Ali. He has his arms around her and they’re both grinning widely into the camera. He remembers Jade taking it in order to finish off her film. He puts the pictures back in the compartment and locks the car up again. He heads inside and hands Ali the film.
“Thanks babe,” she smiles at him and he leans in to kiss her.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” she says, looking surprised he had suddenly said that.
“Oh, I’m HOME!” Brian yells throwing open his door and running down his hallway. I follow more slowly and catch up with him in the kitchen. “Man, it’s good to be back. If only for a while.”
“Yeah,” I stare out of the window at his pool as he heads off with his bag.
I open the side door and step outside, relishing the feel of the sun on my skin. The pool just looks so inviting. I walk up to its edge and dip my foot in the water. It’s deliciously warm on the surface and cool underneath. I really feel the urge to dive in. I look around Brian’s garden. The tall trees and walls make for 100% privacy and I grin to myself. I’ve barely kicked my other shoe off before Brian comes out.
“Whatcha doin’?”
“I want a swim,” I turn round to face him, he’s standing by the kitchen door.
“It does look pretty good. I think Trey was over yesterday.” Trey is one of Brian’s friends and he has free run of the garden, in return he keeps the pool clean whenever Brian’s away.
“Well, he did a good job,” I grin at him and start to untie my halterneck top. I pull it off and drop it slowly on the grass, keeping my eyes on Brian.
He moves towards me, a smile playing about his lips as I start unbuttoning my jeans. I slowly wriggle out of them as he reaches me. I kick them aside and pull my pants down, stepping out of them as Brian hooks an arm around my waist, pulling me into him. His other hand traces the curves of my body and then he kisses me.
“You’re beautiful Jady.”
“I’m even better wet,” I tease him and turn to dive into the pool. When I surface, he’s still standing where I left him. “What’re you waitin’ for?”
He grins and I swear I’ve never seen anybody de-clothe so fast. He dives in and surfaces near me. I grin at him and start swimming up the pool, savouring the feel of the cool water against my hot skin. It’s pure bliss. When I reach the side I turn round to swim back. Brian is swimming towards me and I smile happily as we pass. I don’t get much further as a hand closes around my ankle, pulling me back.
“Wha-?!” I yell as I flip over onto my back and Brian ducks me under the water.
I wriggle out of his grasp and dive down even deeper to touch the bottom. I surface and Brian has his back to me. I grin evilly and launch myself onto him, pushing him underwater. He comes up between my legs and throws me off his shoulders and into the water again. We splutter at each other for a second and then giggle.
“Evens?” he asks, pulling me into his arms.
“Evens,” I agree and wrap my legs around his waist. I smooth back his wet hair with my hands and kiss his lips softly. “I do love you Brian.”
“You do?” he smiles and holds onto me tighter.
“I do,” I nod seriously and he laughs.
“That’s good to know.”
“So?” I ask and he plays innocent.
“So what?”
“It’s kinda the done thing to say it back,” I giggle.
“It is huh?” he grins and dips me back into the water before pulling me back up again.
“Brian!” I splutter, still holding onto him.
“Sorry, I slipped…” he grins and ‘slips’ again.
“I’m never tellin’ you I love you in water again,” I say disgruntledly.
“Aw…” he pouts and then kisses my nose softly. “I love you too Jady. You know I do.”
“Hm, still not sayin’ those words again in water,” I pout and he smiles slowly.
“No?” he asks softly and slips his hands down my back to support my weight as he gently enters me. I moan slightly and hold onto him tighter, arching my back as he kisses my neck.
“God, I love you,” I murmur as he fills my body with his warmth.