Chp 12
AJ couldn't wait to get off the stage. He couldn't stop thinking about what he was feeling for Santara. He hadn't been this happy for a long time. His performance had greatly improved, and even Kevin's scolding today seemed like a tiny thing. He just couldn't figure out the best way to tell her how he was feeling. He knew shed panic. Just from her past actions, he knew she wasn't ready to hear he loved her. But AJ knew he did. There was no way around it. The concert ended, and AJ went straight to the shower. AJ could hear Santara's laughter as he dressed quickly. AJ went towards the laughing, and stood in the doorway, watching Santara laughing with Sarah. Nick was throwing things everywhere.
"What is going on?" AJ asked. He dodged a shoe as Nick threw it hastily.
"Those two." Nick stood up and pointed at Santara and Sarah accusingly. "Those two demons have stolen my Nintendo controllers." AJ smiled and looked at the two. Both of them were sitting there, smiling innocently.
"What?" Sarah asked and shrugged her shoulders. AJ turned his gaze to Santara. She smiled almost shyly at him.
"San...I know you know something about this...." AJ said. He was walking slowly towards her.
"No, I don't AJ"
AJ raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure..." He asked. Santara shook her head no. AJ looked back at Nick who was pouting. AJ got to her, and kissed her forehead.
"Now....are you really sure you know nothing?" AJ asked. He placed his hands at her sides.
"Positive." Santara replied. She smiled at him again, a slight glint in her eyes.
"Well, Nick......I don't know what to tell you.." AJ turned to Nick, and acted as if her were walking away from Santara. All of a sudden he attacked Santara by tickling her. "Now, tell us where you put the controllers.." AJ asked laughing. Santara was squirming trying to get away.
"I ...........can't...." She tried to talk in between the laughter. "Stop!"
"I am not going to stop until Nicky here knows where to find those controllers.."
"Ok...ok........Just stop so I can tell you." Santara managed. AJ stopped slowly and withdrew from beside her slightly. Santara hopped up and tried to run away. Nick was there to stop here. He grabbed her and held her arms behind her back.
"If you don't tell us now, I'm going to have everyone I know come tickle you.." AJ stated smiling. He reached and started tickling her stomach. She tried to wriggle away from him, but Nick held her firmly in place. She reached her fingers back and tried to tickle Nick. Nick started laughing and let her go slightly. Right before she got away he regained composure and held her tightly again.
"OK!!!!" Santara yelled as AJ started tickling her again. "They're in the bottom of Brian's bag." Nick let out a triumphant cry and ran towards the locker room.
"Why'd you tell?" Sarah huffed.
"I'm sorry!" Santara replied sheepishly. "I cant stand being tickled..." Sarah smiled but when AJ shot her a look, she got the hint and left them alone.
AJ walked towards a flushed but still laughing Santara.
"That wasn't very nice....to hide the poor kids things..." AJ remarked. Santara looked at him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"It was funny though....." She whispered as she kissed him deeply. They stayed like that, kissing each other softly for several minutes. "So, what are we going to do tonight?"
AJ smiled at her, his brain working on overtime. All he wanted to do was take her to bed and love her again and again. But, he knew she needed something more then that to believe him when he told her he loved her.
"I was thinking, why don't we go to a restaurant, just you and I. We can sit down and have candlelit dinner."
"That sounds wonderful." Santara responded. She kissed him again. AJ went and told everyone where he was going, and they left. They took a car and found a small cafe a little outside of London. They went inside, and sat. They talked about nothing, really. They had already talked about their childhood's, their jobs. AJ felt comfortable just talking about nothing, even the silence was comforting to him. Santara did most of the talking, as AJ watched her talk. She had small hand movements when she talked. When something was a very serious matter, her eyes would drop slightly. That only happened once, when AJ had mentioned their first night together in New York. Santara had looked down, but quickly changed the subject. Most of the time, she was happy. She had the kind of face where you knew when she was happy. Her eyes would sparkle slightly, and her speech would quicken. AJ tried to make dinner last as long as possible. He glanced at his watch as they left, they had been there almost 2 hours.
"Once we get to your place, lets go for a walk" AJ suggested.
"OK..." Santara agreed. They took the car to Santara's apartment. She ran inside to get a sweater, and AJ stood nervously on the street.
"Why are you nervous you big goon?" AJ muttered to himself. "Just take her on the walk. Then you bring her back here, tell her what you feel..."
"Are you talking to yourself?" Santara laughed as she reappeared. She had grabbed a dark red sweater and slipped on a pair of jeans instead of the dress she had been wearing earlier.
"Yes,...and you look amazing.." AJ complimented. He could see her blush.
"Thank you" she mumbled. She took his hand and wrapped hers tightly within his. They took off and walked for a long time. They talked about touring mostly. AJ told her about how the road was hard place to be alone. That's why the guys were always tugging along their girlfriends.
"I figured they just wanted to make sure you guys were behaving." Santara laughed.
AJ laughed too, and they began talking about the theater. By the time they returned to her apartment, it was almost 5 am. They walked into the dark apartment.
"Santara, can I ask you something..." AJ asked as she led him to her bedroom.
"What is that..." Santara asked. She sat him on her bed and took her sweater off. She leaned in to kiss him.
"Nevermind..." AJ mumbled. They finally got to sleep, just as the sun was rising.
Santara awoke slowly, stretching luxuriously. She looked over at AJ next to her and smiled. He had the pillow covering his head, the rest of him naked, on full show. Santara couldn't help but feel slight fear. She knew how she started to feel about him. Last night hadn't helped much against his case. Santara almost wished something would go bad, so they could part before she was completely head over heels for him. She stared at him, deep in sleep. She slowly took the pillow off of his head. AJ barley moved. She ran her hand up his chest, then caressed his cheek. She kissed him slowly. He finally woke up enough to deepen the kiss.
"Good morning" she said cheerfully.
"I could get used to being awoken like that.." AJ mumbled. He blinked his eyes sleepily. "What time is it?"
"Its 1"
"Already?"
"You had me up till 6 am, AJ." AJ grinned and grabbed her, pulling her on top of him.
"And you loved every second of it"
"How could I not, AJ?" Santara laughed. She kissed his neck. "Do you have another concert tonight?"
"Yes, Then we have about a week off. Then we have another date about an hour from here. The guys and I were planning on staying in London, at least for the week." Santara didn't respond. She got up and turned on the shower. She came out fully dressed.
"I'm going to make some lunch. You can use the shower if you like" Santara kissed him and went towards the kitchen. 'You're like a little child. Just because he's staying here a week doesn't mean he'll be spending it with you' She thought. She tried to push the thoughts out of her mind, and quickly made sandwiches. He was out of the shower quickly, and started to devour the meal she had fixed him.
"Hungry, were we?" Santara asked slightly amused.
"Just a little." AJ replied. He looked at her, sitting next to him. She seemed to be staring into space.
"Hey, San. I need to tell you something." AJ swallowed his soda quickly.
"OK." Santara came back from lala land and looked at him. AJ grabbed her hands and smiled.
"Well, First off, I have to tell you that I have had so much fun the past days."
'Oh, shit, he's dumping me.......' Santara thought. She closed her eyes breathed deeply.
"And, even though this is going to sound ridiculous, I think I love you. No, its not think. I know I love you."
Santara stared at him blankly. She had almost prepared the backlash to the dumping. But this was totally off guard.
"AJ......." Santara could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "That isn't possible." Santara said this even though she knew she felt the same. It was very possible.
"Santara, I have thought of nothing but you the past year. How could I not love you? I loved you in New York. I love you even more now."
AJ squeezed her hands in his. Santara sat dumbfounded, staring at him. She couldn't make her mouth move.
"Well, say something..." AJ said. He reached to her face, but Santara sprang up. She ran to the door, and ran from the apartment, leaving AJ sitting at her kitchen table, alone.
Chp 13
Chp 11
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