Stephanie stepped out of the dressing room and smiled as Nick’s mouth dropped open, “What do ya think?”
“It looks…you look….wow, that’s nice.” Nick stammered.
A.J. pulled his glasses down and looked over the rim at Stephanie, “It looks nice.”
She smiled at him, it was the only nice thing he had said to her all day long. The smile only lasted a few seconds before it vanished when she turned and saw Jessie. She was wearing the exact same thing. She glared at A.J., she knew he had done it, but he only smiled. Stephanie walked passed Jessie mumbling, “Nice dress.”
**
They had been shopping for 3 hours, and Stephanie was starting to get really mad. A.J. had done anything he could think of to make her mad, and it was working. Now, they were in Armani Exchange. “What do you think about this?” A.J. asked turning to Stephanie like he had done so many times before.
“I wouldn’t know, why don’t you ask Jessie.” Stephanie growled
“Oh, go cry to Nick.” A.J. spat at her.
It was the worst thing he could have said. She turned around and slapped him, “Maybe I will.”
**
“What’s wrong?” Nick asked when he found Stephanie. He could tell she had been crying
“Nothing.” She mumbled. She saw A.J. laughing with Jessie on the other side of the store. Just when he turned their way Stephanie leaned up and kissed Nick, long enough to be sure that A.J. had seen them.
**
A.J. turned just in time to see Stephanie wrap her arms around Nick and kiss him, and it wasn’t a short kiss at all. Anger shot thru his veins, “That little bitch.” He mumbled under his breath.
Jessie turned and looked over in the direction of Nick and Stephanie, “Something wrong?”
A.J. tried to keep the anger out of his expression, “Nothing’s wrong babe, nothing at all.”
**
Stephanie pulled away and Nick just stared at her, “Sorry.” She said pulling away.
“Why?”
She sighed, “Nick, I took advantage of you today, and I shouldn’t have.”
Nick tried to keep the hurt out of his eyes, but couldn’t, “That’s okay.”
“No it’s not. Carter, you’re like my best friend other than Megan, and I would never do anything to hurt you on purpose.”
Nick nodded, “I know.”
“You’re like my big brother, nothing more, nothing less. I know deep down you feel the same way. You can’t make anything more than it really is.”
Nick nodded, “I know, but when did you get so smart?”
Stephanie laughed, “I just love ya, like a bro that is.”
Nick smiled and dropped his arm around her shoulder, “Well, unfortunately, I love ya like a lil sis. I do have a question though.”
“What would that be?”
“Why are you and A.J. doing this?”
“I don’t know Nick, I really don’t know.”
The drive back to Brian’s house was made in silence. Neither A.J. nor Stephanie said a word to each other.
**
Stephanie sat on the couch in Brian’s living room and flipped thru the TV channels. She finally settled on an old love story on AMC. She hugged a pillow tight and watched, as one tear made its way down her cheek. After what seemed like hours she threw the pillow at the TV, “Oh A.J. I HATE YOU SO MUCH!!”
Nick walked in at the sound of Stephanie’s angry voice, “Stepha….” He trailed off at the sight of tears. He walked over and sat down next to her, “It’ll be all right.” He said softly as she turned and cried on his shoulder.
“No, it won’t. I’ve ruined it all, with no thanks to him.”
Nick sighed as he smoothed her hair out of her face, “Why don’t you go talk to him.”
“No, it won’t work.”
Nick’s only answer to the problem was to just go and talk to A.J. himself.
