“I’m so bored!” Jade whines, as she throws herself down on the couch.
I roll my eyes. “Well, you won’t be for long. AJ’s comin’ over.” She sits up as I continue, “Yeah, he’s coming over to watch a movie. He’ll most likely bring Pulp Fiction.” As Jade opens her mouth to complain I quickly interrupt, “Before you say anything, I know we have seen it a thousand times but it’s his favourite movie so-”
She cuts me off, “No, it’s just that how did you know I wasn’t doing anything? You just invited him over without seeing if I was busy or not?”
“Yeah, because your social calendar is just SO full,” I retort sarcastically. She laughs.
“So, when is he coming?” she asks, following my lead and picking up the mess that covers our living room floor.
“About an hour or so, I guess. Hey, did you lose the remote again?”
Jade shakes her head innocently and I start to dig through the cushions of our bright pink, zebra striped couch. One of the many things AJ had talked us into buying. My room is almost completely zebra striped, or leopard print, or some other wild, freaky pattern AJ has designed for me. When it comes to our fashion sense, we are most definitely related.
About forty-five minutes later, we have cleaned up the apartment a bit, and have each taken showers. Jade comes out of her room wearing loose black pants and the white “Brooklyn” tank top she had gotten when she had come to stay with me and my family last Christmas. I am clad in short blue jean shorts, and a lime green halter-top.
“You go start the popcorn, I’ll answer the door,” I instruct as the doorbell rings. I hop over the couch and rush over to the door. “AJ!” I exclaim, throwing the door open. He pulls me into a hug. I smile and then glance over his shoulder. Uh-oh. “AJ, you brought friends?” I ask cautiously.
He smiles, giving me a knowing glance. “Yeah, lemme introduce you. Guys?” he says, pulling my arm and turning me around to face them. “Brian, this is Alicia. Ali, this is Brian.”
I smile and politely shake his hand, and he pulls me into a hug. He smells so good! I smile to myself and let go of him.
“And this,” AJ continues, pointing to Nick, “would be Nick.”
Nick whistles, giving me the once-over. I blush and he pulls me in for a hug.
“It’s really nice to meet you guys. Please, come in.”
They follow me into the living room.
“That’s a... nice couch you got there,” Brian hesitates, pointing to the pink sofa.
I laugh looking at his and Nick’s faces.
“What?! I think it gives the room character!” AJ exclaims, causing them to burst into laughter.
Then I hear the microwave timer go off.
“Jade!” I shout. “Get your ass in here! Somebody wants to say hello!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming. Chill out!” she mutters, coming into the living room. Her eyes widen when she sees the “extra” guests.
“It’s you!” Nick and Jade yell, simultaneously.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he says, folding his arms over his chest.
Jade stands with her hands on her hips. “I live here!”
I stare at Nick Carter. What WAS he doing in my living room? I glance past him to AJ and Ali who are trying not to giggle too much, but failing miserably. Brian just looks confused.
Nick looks at AJ. “This is the sharp one huh?”
AJ nods.
I glare at them both. “The sharp one?”
AJ shrugs. “Hey, it’s a compliment… Kinda.”
I pull a face at him and turn my attention to Brian. “Hi.”
He smiles. “I’m Brian. I’m guessin’ you’re Jade.”
“Yup,” I shake his hand with a smile. “Hi Brian.” Damn the guy was gorgeous. All tousled reddy blonde hair, big blue eyes and a smile that could melt stone.
“Atlanta huh?”
I look surprised. “That obvious?”
He grins. “I had a friend from Atlanta back in Lexington. Always loved the accent…”
“Down boy,” AJ whistles. I’m not sure who blushed the most – me or Brian.
To cover my blushes I glare at Nick again who is still rooted to the spot in front of me. “So, you’re stayin’?”
“Any reason I shouldn’t?” he challenges me.
I glance at Ali and for once in my life follow the plea she shoots me in her eyes. Leave Nick alone. I shrug.
“Come on, guys. I want to watch a movie,” Nick turns away from Jade and pulls AJ and I over to the couch and sits down, movie in hand.
Jade throws her hands up in frustration. “Fine, whatever,” she grumbles, sitting on a velvet recliner.
Trying to ease the tension, AJ breaks in. “Let’s go get the popcorn, babe.” He pulls Jade up from her chair and they leave for the kitchen. Brian heads off to the bathroom.
“I’m sorry about her. She’s just having a bad day,” I say, turning to Nick and putting a hand on his shoulder.
He frowns. “She doesn’t have to take it out on me.”
“She’s sorry. I’m sure she is,” I reason.
He smiles at me. “Are you the peacemaker or something?”
“I hate fighting. Life’s too short to be mad all the time, so why bother?”
“Exactly! Live life to the fullest, for the future is scarce,” he quotes proudly.
I nod and smile, pretending I haven’t already heard that a thousand times before.
“We’re back!” AJ bellows, coming into the room with three small bowls of popcorn and a larger one for himself and Jade. “Didja miss us?”
“Not really, no,” Nick says, rolling his eyes.
Jade rolls hers back at him but AJ dismisses his sarcastic comment with laughter. They walk over to the large fluffy chair and he pulls her onto his lap by her waist. She giggles but goes along with it.
Brian comes back into the room and sits down on the couch on the other side of me. Noticing Jade and AJ off in their own little world he turns to me, “What’s going on with them?”
I shrug. “They sort of have a thing for each other. Nothing serious, it’s all physical.”
He nods slightly and we turn back to the movie.
About half way through the movie, I look over to see how AJ and Jade were getting along. They were whispering softly to each other, laughing along with the movie, and several times I saw AJ stop to give her kisses on the neck or tickle her stomach. She looks rather uncomfortable, but I know she doesn’t have the heart to tell him to stop.
“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Nick whispers in my ear, giving me chills. I turn to him, and he puts his arm behind me on the top of the couch and lets it rest there.
“Them,” I reply, pointing to the two on the chair. “I think AJ is starting to get pretty serious with her, but I know she isn’t interested.”
“AJ? Serious? I don’t think so. All he wants is someone to play around with.”
I shake my head. “No, that’s not it. I think he really likes her.”
Nick shrugs, and sticks his hand back into his popcorn bowl.
I squirm slightly as AJ’s hands wander down my waist again. I really can’t take this much longer. He is a great guy and I think the world of him, but he is just not my type. I kinda know him too well I guess. But how can I tell him without hurting him? I shake my head with a small laugh. Listen to me, as if AJ would get serious with ANY girl let alone me. He’ll soon find some other piece of ass to fixate on. He moves to kiss my neck again and I leap up. Everybody looks at me and I feel myself blushing.
“I’m kinda dry,” I explain. “Anyone want a drink?”
Brian looks up at me and a slow smile spreads across his face, making my heart do a weird back flip and somersault. “An OJ would go down well.”
I try not to think about what else would go down well, and reply, “Sure.”
Ali thinks for a while. “I’m thinkin’ JD and coke.”
AJ grins. “Girl after my own heart. Make that two.”
I look at Nick who is staring intently at the TV. “Nick?”
He looks up. “Huh? You talkin’ to me now?”
I roll my eyes. “Drink?”
“Oh…”
He looks genuinely surprised that I bothered to ask him, which pisses me off all over again. Does he really think I’m such a bitch as to forget my manners?
“I guess whatever you’re having would be fine.”
“Vodka shot,” I say, thinking of the most extreme drink we have in the apartment.
He looks taken aback. “Oh, ok.”
“Cool,” I head off into the kitchen.
Closely followed by Nick, “I figured you might need a hand.”
I avoid looking at him. “Thanks.”
He shrugs awkwardly. “No sweat.”
I move around the kitchen in silence and he watches me for a while.
“Hey, ‘bout yesterday? I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “Ok.”
“So?” he looks at me.
“What?” I pour the drinks.
“This is kinda the place where you apologise right back.”
I knew he was right but the madly stubborn part of me just didn’t want to admit it. Instead I hand him two glasses, “These are AJ’s and Ali’s.”
He stares at me. “Sorry but I didn’t catch that apology…”
I look at him. “I didn’t say it.”
“Fine.”
He stomps into the lounge and I sigh. The guy had apologised and I was the one acting all immature now. Plus, he WAS cute. He comes back and picks up two glasses.
“Whose are these?”
“Yours and Brian’s,” I put a hand on his arm just as he’s about to stomp off again. “Nick, I’m sorry. ‘K?”
He looks at me for a while. Just when I start to think that he hasn’t heard me or that he wants me to assume the begging position, his face breaks into a huge smile. I catch my breath. Damn, that smile should come with a health warning.
He puts the glasses down and holds his hand out to me, “Hi, I’m Nick.”
I laugh. “I’m Jade.”
“Good to meet,” he grins and picks the glasses up again.
I follow him into the lounge, trying not to pay TOO much attention to his butt. I glance at AJ who has stretched out in the fluffy black chair that he had convinced me and Ali to splash out on. It may look tacky but damn, it was comfortable. I quickly scope out the room for another seat before AJ notices me and pulls me back into his lap. Nick has returned to his seat on the couch next to Ali. Brian is on her other side. Nick notices me hovering and reaches out a long arm to pull me down next to him. I smile gratefully and glance past him at Ali. For probably the first time in my life I was glad we owned the world’s biggest pink sofa.