The next morning, the bus rolled into South Dakota and into the local city's airport. Everyone unloaded, and they went onto a private plane bound for Orlando International.
Malia was seated next to Kevin, and was trying to help him finish a song he had been working on forever. "So..wait..hum the melody again Kev..," She said studying the words he had written on a peice of paper.
He did so and she smiled slightly before pointing to a phrase, "Take that out and it'll sound better..I think."
He looked at it before erasing the phrase and reading over the words again; his lips moving slightly with the words. He nodded and grinned at her, "Sounds a whole lot better, thanks Malia."
"No problem..It just flows better without it."
"Yeah it does, cool. Thanks, I really appreciate it."
"No problem at all Kev."
Once the plane landed, everyone was dispersed to the baggage claim to get their things. Everyone was to be at Kevin's house in Orlando the next day for the barbecue by 6 p.m. Malia followed Nick out of the airport and towards his car that had been left by his friend, Matt. He opened the door for her and took her bags from her, "Let me."
"Thanks Nicky."
"No problemo. I am so ready to go home, aren't you?"
She nodded as he hopped in the driver's seat and started the car. "Oh yes, I can't wait to sleep in my own bed!"
Nick smiled, "I know..you stayin' over tomorrow night?"
"Of course..Matt coming?"
He nodded as he pulled out of the airport lot and onto the main road. "Yep..him and Kristy. And I think Brent and Trace may come but I'm not sure. He should call some time...want me to drop you off at your place first?"
"If you don't mind."
"Not at all."
Once in Tampa, Nick drove to the condo that Malia had just leased a few months ago. She hopped out and waited for him to pop the back open so she could get her things. He grabbed one suitcase and she grabbed the duffle bag and backpack and they walked towards her condo. She unlocked the door and swung the door open before smiling, it felt good to be home.
Nick followed her to the back room that was her bedroom and put the suitcase down. She turned around and smiled, "It feels so good to be home.."
"It does..your mom and brother coming tomorrow?"
She shook her head, "Nope..mom is going to Miami and brother be going to dad's in New York."
"Ohhh..that's too bad."
"Yeah but that's okay. Anyone in your family going?"
"Yep..Aaron and BJ are as far as I know, as is my mom."
"Ohhh that's cool."
"Yeah..well, I better get going. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
She nodded and walked with him to the front door, "Yeah, that's cool."
"Do you want to drive or what?"
"Well, how about you get everyone together at your place and I'll drive over there and pick everyone up. I SO want to drive."
Nick grinned, "Cool."
Malia smiled, "Call me tomorrow whenever ok?"
He nodded and leaned down to hug her, "Will do, see ya later!"
"Bye Nick!"
Malia savored her first night back in her own place. The tv was on MTV and the series, 2Gether, was playing. She was in her own kitchen, cooking her own food and wearing her most comfortable clothing she ever owned; comfy gray baggy pants, and a white tank top. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail, wisps flying out every which way and there was no trace of make-up on her. For that; she was estatic.
She was eating her Ramen noodles and chips when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey girl, whatcha doing?"
She smiled, "Hey Nicky, watching tv, you?"
"Playin' on the computer and eating dinner."
"Sounds like fun to me."
"Oh it is...having fun yourself?"
Malia grinned, "Yep..I have never felt this relaxed in my WHOLE entire life."
He laughed, "I know how you feel. Lemme guess what you're doing..okay?"
"Okay..," She replied knowing he'd get it right, he had this sixth sense about things like that for some odd reason.
Nick got more comfortable and held the phone on his shoulder. "Okay..you're wearing those gray pants you always have and that tank top that looks like a wife-beater.."
"Yep."
"Okay..you have no make-up, no hair products, no shoes or socks."
"Right."
"You're sitting on that comfy couch in the living room, eating something and drinking coke."
"Yep..right as always."
"Now do me."
Malia began to laugh, "Nick...that could SO be taken SO many ways."
He began to laugh, "It did, huh? Come on...guess."
"Okay, okay. You're at the computer desk, Mountain Dew in hand. You're wearing khaki pants, the bottoms rolled up a little cause you know you went to the beach. You have on a wife-beater cause you know you're obsessed over those things now. You have no hair products, no shoes or socks..right?"
"Very good...do you realize we do this every time one of us comes home?"
She smiled, "It's a ritual."
"Yep..okay, well, I'm gonna get off here and go to bed..talk to you later?"
"You know it.."
"Bye Lia."
"Bye Nicky, sweet dreams."
"You too."
She hung up the phone and went to put her dishes in the sink and turn off everything. It was nearing 1 a.m. and she had a long, busy, fun day ahead of her and she knew she needed some kind of sleep. She turned off the tv and the rest of the lights and headed off to bed.
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