chapter two
"... and I thought everything was still perfect, but he pulled me to the side this morning, claiming we should be friends or something like that. He said he never meant to hurt me - but he hurt me more than anything or anybody ever has before". By this time, tears were in my eyes again. He spoke up:
" I’m not trying to make you feel worse, but this Josh guy sounds like a real jerk."
"He’s not," I insisted, "He’s such a caring guy - and I love him. It’s just he hurt me so bad and I don’t know what to do about it."
He squeezed my hand tighter and pulled his sunglasses off, revealing the most intense brown eyes I had even seen. He gazed into my eyes, "You still love him?"
I shook my head. "I really don’t know anymore - I’m just so confused."
I got lost in his eyes as he spoke to me again.
"Listen - I know I just moved here yesterday, and I don’t know much about you, but if you want my truthful opinion - I think that you should just try and forget about him. You are such a sweet, pretty , and wonderful girl - woman - , and you could have any guy you want. Don’t waste your time on guys like him - he’s not worth all your tears."
I blushed at his compliments. I thought about what he said, and realized he was probably right. "Oh maybe you’re right", I told him.
He put his arm around me and I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Of course I am," he said.
I closed my eyes, and he ran his fingers through my hair. *There is just something about this guy. I mean, we just met and I am already becoming so attracted to him. Why am I letting myself open up to him?*. I looked up at him. He smiled at me, then softly kissed my forehead. *Oh god - watch out Jen - I think you’re falling pretty hard for this guy.* I slowly pulled away from him.
"So," he said , "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Oh - you know - the basics . And anything else I should know."
"All right. Jennifer Baker - put people call me Jen. I’m an only child , an Aquarius , I love basketball, and I’m really into music. Most people tell me I’m smart - but I can get pretty crazy. Oh - and I live by myself. That’s about it."
He held his finger up, "Wait - you live by yourself?"
I nodded. "My parents were killed in a car crash about 4 months ago - since I was already 18, they considered me an adult and I inherited everything."
He gave me a concerned look, "That’s too bad - it must have been hard".
"Yeah - it was - but I was able to get through it".
There was an awkward silence that followed. I spoke up, "So, AJ McLean, you seem to know an awful lot about me - now what about you?"
"What do you want to know?"
"Anything and everything." I gave him a little smile
"Everything?". He raised his eyebrows and winked at me.
I grinned, "Well, almost everything!"
He took a deep breath. "I was born on a cold snowy day in January…"
"Please spare me!", I joked, "Cut to the chase already!"
He flashed me another smile. "OK - I was born January 9th , and my dad left when I was 3. I’m an only child, and I love to sing - been singing since I was 5. Me and four other guys are in a singing group - and I just transferred here yesterday from South Palm Beach so I can sing with them. And here I am. That’s pretty much it - I told you the other stuff earlier."
"Anything else I should know?"
"Only the fact that I have a reputation of being a wild and crazy kind of guy."
"That’s good - because I have a reputation of being a wild and crazy kind of girl".
He smiled at me, "You know - I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship."
"Yeah - we’re two of a kind". I smiled back at him.
*Damn - what is it about this guy? He’s funny, charming, cute…. - Stop it Jen. You just met him - he could be a psycho for all you know. Plus - what about Josh? You still love him right?* - yet Josh was about as far out of my mind as he could be.
"So - you said you sing. Are you any good?" I asked him.
He shrugged his shoulders, "I don’t know - people tell me I am, but I’m not so sure."
"Wanna sing something for me? - I’m sure you have an amazing voice."
"Nah - I’m really not that good" , he said , blushing.
"If you say so."
"Hey - what time is it?" , he asked.
I checked my watch. "Almost 12:00 - why? Have a date?"
A grin passed over his face. "Yeah - my stomach has a date with McDonalds."
"Fine with me - let’s go."
We hopped back into my car, and with the radio blasting we went to find McDees. On the way, ‘Wild Thing’ came over the radio. We both started singing at the top of our lungs, "WILD THING - YOU MAKE MY HEART SING - YOU MAKE EVERYTHING – GROOVY". We both looked over at each other and started laughing. I saw the McDees on the side of the road and pulled into the parking lot. I stepped out in front of him and started to walk in the door , when I looked back and saw him staring at me.
"Like what you see?" , I teasingly called.
He nodded and grinned, "Hell yeah."
With smiles on our faces , we walked into McDonalds and stepped up to order.
"I think I’ll just have a salad and some water."
He stepped up behind me, "I’ll have a double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, large coke, and an ice tea - no lemons."
"Quite a big appetite, haven’t we there, AJ?"
He nodded. "AJ Hungry," he said like a cave man.
"You are crazy."
"Hey - I warned you, didn’t I?"
I rolled my eyes and went and got some ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce. I brought them to the table where AJ was sitting. He gave me a strange look.
"You’re gonna put that on a salad?"
I shook my head.
"Nope - I just figured since you’re going to act like a caveman - you might need the face paint!"
His eyes got huge as I reached over and streaked ketchup across his face. I licked my finger, "mmmm - tasty!".
He looked around , then pounded his chest. "Ooga Booga!".
I cracked up laughing. He held one of his fingers up and dipped it in mustard.
"Me Tarzan - you Jane." He reached over and smeared it across my forehead.
We both doubled over in laughter.
We kept going at it until people started to stare at our ketchup and mustard covered faces. I pulled out my compact mirror and looked at myself. "Oh my god!".
I started laughing again. I held the mirror in front of AJ, and he laughed too.
"You know this is going to be hell to get off." I said to him.
"I think I could help you," he said and licked his lips.
"You are such a pig!"
"Oink oink baby!"
I stood up. "Well, I gotta clean this crap off my face before we take off - meet me outside."
He nodded, " Yeah alright - bye Jane!".
"Bye Tarzan!" I called back.
I wiped my face off and came outside. He was already waiting for me in the passengers’ side. I hopped in beside him, and he turned towards me.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked.
I shook my head, "It doesn’t matter."
"OK - let’s just drive then - show off this kicking’ car!"