CHAPTER 2
"J!!" Brian yelled across the lobby the next morning as AJ came walking in the doors of the hotel. AJ grinned. "Hey guys!" He walked over, pulling up a chair beside Howie at the table where everyone was eating breakfast. "How was your trip?" Kevin asked, laughing as AJ responded with an evil grin and raised eyebrow. "Completely rejuvinted?" Nick asked laughing. AJ nodded vigorously. "You better belive it Nicky, my boy! You better believe it!" "Well, good." Howie smiled. "Cause we have concert after concert for the next few days." AJ gave him the thumbs up sign. "I know, D. I'm excited. I cant wait to get back up there..." AJ grinned excitedly, the sleepiness gone from everywhere except his eyes...
"Am I- your fire? You're one, desire- Yes I know, its too late- but I want it that way.. tell me why..." AJ sang, putting his heart and soul into every word. He smiled, looking out into the crowd. Then his heart stopped. There she was. Right where she had been in the dream... He quit singing, blanking out on all the words. Brian looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. AJ didnt even acknowledge him. There she stood, swaying slightly, a light smile playing on her red lips... Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the lights on the stage, glowing green, then pink, then deep purple and blue... Kevin was singing, the harmony part was coming up. "Now I can see that we're falling apart. From the way that it used to be- yeah...AJ turned to face Kevin... No matter the distance, I want you to know. That deep down inside of meeee..." AJ turned back... She was gone. He resisted the urge to mumble a few choice words and turned his attention back to the songs...
"I wanna go clubbing and I wanna go now." AJ insisted in an urgent tone. The guys looked at him in shock. They were worn out. "Come on, Howie? Nick? Guys- come on!!" Nick noticed the need in AJ's voice. There was another reason AJ wanted to go out besides just to dance. "Hey Bone, I'll go." Nick piped up, picking up his leather jacket and heading towards the door. "Any more takers?" AJ asked. No one responded. He shrugged, grabbed the tan suede jacket he had set on the bed and walked out the door, followed closely by Nick. "Ok- whats the deal, man?" Nick asked once they climbed in the cab. AJ looked out the window, watching the other cars drive by.
"She was there tonite." AJ muttered. His warm breath causing a little cloud against the cool window. The streets were slick with autumn rain and the wind blew the trees lining the streets stubbornly. "Who was?" Nick asked, glancing out the windshield, watching the taillights of other cars blur then become clear as the windshield wipers ran back and forth. "The girl..." AJ said in the same quiet voice, watching the cloud of his breath increase with each word, then shrink and disappear. Nick's attention snapped from the windshield wipers and taillights to AJ's problem. "The one in the dreams you were having?" Nick asked. "I thought everything was straightened out when you went and saw Amanda..." "Hahahah!" AJ's deep laugh exploded from his mouth. "Straighten stuff out? With Amanda ? Are you joking?! She only wants to know if I bought her anything!" "Did you?" Nick asked, getting off topic as usual. "Thats not the point Nikolas!" AJ replied in frustration, absently drawing little pictures in the clouds his breath continued to make on the window. "The point is that Amanda doesnt care if I'm having problems or not and I cant get this dream girl out of my head and now I've seen her and its like-"
"We're here." The cab driver said in a thick voice. AJ stopped mid-sentence, climbed out of the taxi, paid the driver and walked in the club with Nick in tow. The bright lights, crowd of people and loud music helped AJ not think as much. Nick noticed the change in mood almost immediately. AJ's eyes scanned the room. He looked at the bar... she wasnt there. This was the club from his dream, but she wasnt here. "Maybe she wasnt at the concert either..." Nick said in AJ's ear, reading his thoughts. AJ shook his head in dismay. He was so sure she would be here... "Excuse me?" A woman's voice asked from behind as she tapped him on the shoulder. AJ turned around.
There she was! "Excellent show..." AJ stood there dumbfounded, mouth gaping open at her. Nick coughed loudly as he elbowed AJ in the ribs non-subtly. "Um, oh , ahem, thanks..." AJ said disjointedly. "Yeah, thanks." She smiled and his heart raced. She mumbled a quiet 'excuse me' as she squeezed past him on her way to the bar. AJ stood there as if his feet were glued to the floor. "Geez, Bone. Never seen you freeze up infront of a woman before." Nick teased as AJ continued to stare after her. She climbed up gracefully onto a bar stool and ordered a drink. When it arrived, she took a sip before turning her head back towards AJ. He was still watching. She smiled. AJ saw the smile, the dream came back.
"Yo- AJ, look at her..." Nick said, noticing a sexy red head walking by. AJ refused to look away. He made his way carefully through the crowd, closer and closer to her. Just then 3 girls ran up and asked for autographs. He could squeeze past. He signed rapidly and when he looked up... she was gone. He sighed, then kicked the foot of the stool in anger. Nick walked up. "Whats up, man?" He sked, looking around for the girl. "It happened, Nick." AJ said in continued disbelief. "She was right here... her drink is still here, well- ok, her glass is here, and her cigarette butt is here, but she is gone." Nick inhaled deeply, then exhaled a long sigh. "Lets head on back, now J. You've had enough excitement for one night." Nick put his arm around AJ and led him out of the club, with him mumbling 'she was right there...' the whole way back.
