Chapter 22"I'm not drooling," Kevin said wiping his mouth.
"That's really believable," Toni said sarcastically as Kristin joined them.
"What's believable?" she asked.
"Nothing," Kevin said. Howie, Mandy, Kristen, and Jasmine entered the backyard joining everyone who was already there. Kristen went right up to AJ wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
"I guess that means it went really well recording your first single?" AJ asked.
"Yes, that's exactly what it means. The song we are singing is great."
"I think the video is going to be the best though," Mandy said.
"What kind of video is going to be made for it and what's the song about?" TJ asked.
"You guys will just have to see."
"Howie, do you know what it's all about?" AJ asked.
"Yes I do and you guys will just have to wait to see it. It's a good song."
"Yeah yeah, Kevin who's your date?" Kristen asked noticing the blonde girl standing next to Kevin.
"Oh sorry, this is my friend Kristin. I'd like you meet AJ's wife also Kristen, Mandy who is TJ's girlfriend, and Jasmine. The three of them are in a new group, Love's Angels."
"Wow that's great, congratulations," Kristin said.
"Thanks," Mandy, Kristen, and Jasmine said in unison.
"Come on Brian, let's hit the court again. I will win a game before the night is over," Nick said.
"I'll play ya," Kristen said. "Just let me go get changed."
"Hey this should be fun. I have no chance of losing against you," Nick said grabbing the basketball.
"Okay sure. Kevin can I go inside and change?"
"Go for it." Kristen grabbed her backpack then went inside to change into shorts, a spaghetti strapped shirt, sneakers, and put her hair up into a pony tail. She ran out onto the basketball court to play some one-on-one with Nick.
"Alright, the first one to ten baskets wins. I'm guessing that the score will be zero to ten considering you can't reach the basket," Nick said making fun of Kristen's shortness.
"If you say so," Kristen said as Nick checked the ball to her.
"She's gonna get her ass kicked," AJ said.
"How would you know that?" Toni asked.
"Come on Toni, she's your best friend just think about it. Nick's six feet tall and Kristen is like a total of two feet tall. Give or take an inch or two," AJ said as he got hit in the back of the head with the basketball. "Ow! What was that for?" AJ asked turning around to see Kristen staring at him.
"Nothing. Just trying to prove a point that even though I'm short I could kick your ass as well as Nick's," Kristen said grabbing the basketball again and joining Nick on the court to play some more.
"Yeap, she's got you whipped," Brian said and AJ just glared at him. About fifteen minutes passed and Kristen walked over to the pool deck where everyone was at with a slow walking Nick behind her.
"So how much did Nick beat you by?" AJ asked as Kristen sat down on his lap.
"Well I beat Nick by seven points," Kristen said with a smile as Nick slumped down into a chair next to Toni.
"Whoa Nicky got his ass beat by a girl," Brian said as he started busting up laughing.
"Why didn't you tell me that Kristen could play basketball?" Nick asked Toni.
"You never asked. For future reference she also plays volleyball."
"Have any other talents that I don't know about?" AJ asked. "You sing, dance, play basketball and play volleyball. I didn't even know you liked sports."
"I played volleyball and basketball in junior high and high school. Never came up to tell you though."
"Well, Kristin plays some volleyball too so why don't I get the volleyball net out that goes across the pool," Kevin suggested.
"I'm up for that," Mandy said. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go change into my swimsuit."
"I'll come with you," TJ said.
"No, Jasmine will. She hasn't changed yet either," Mandy said grabbing Jasmine's hand and pulling her up out of her chair.
"Alright, I guess we'll be right back," Jasmine said going into the house with Mandy. When they came back out everyone sat down around the pool deck and began talking and eating hamburgers and hot-dogs. About an hour after they finished everyone got undressed to their swimsuits underneath their clothes and Kevin set up the volleyball net that went across the pool and grabbed a volleyball.
"Since there's twelve of us we'll split up into two teams of six. How about guys against girls?" Kevin asked.
"How about mix it up. We can play with the girls on the guys shoulders," Jasmine suggested. "It would make it a lot easier since the girls wouldn't be in the water trying to hit the ball."
"Hey I like that idea better for Kristen," AJ said.
"Why? Because if I'm on your shoulder's I'll be able to reach the net?" Kristen asked sarcastically.
"You said it not me. But hey, I still love you," AJ said kissing her on the cheek.
"Okay great. Me, Kristen, and Jasmine will be on one team with our guys and Angela, Toni, and the other Kristin with their guys on the other team," Mandy said grabbing TJ's hand and pulling him to the pool with her.
"I guess we're going to be partners," Howie said going up to Jasmine. "So how about it?"
"Sounds good to me," Jasmine said going with him into the pool and getting on his shoulders. It was Kristen and AJ, Jasmine and Howie, and Mandy and TJ on one team while Toni and Nick, Kristin and Kevin, and Angela and Brian were on the other. Kristin was on top of Kevin's shoulders when she served the ball to the other side. AJ went up to the net so that Kristen could spike the ball back over. Instead of him allowing her to hit the ball back over he ended up throwing her into the net making it fall down as she hit the water.
"What the hell was up with that?" Kristen asked AJ as everyone was laughing.
"I'm sorry I didn't think you would be able to reach the ball so I figured I would lift you up a little," AJ said trying to hold back his laughter.
"Well you guys busted the net so so much for playing volleyball," Kevin said helping Kristin off his shoulders and picking the net up out of the water.
"AJ's sorry and he'll buy you a new one, won't you AJ?" Kristen asked.
"Hey I'll buy him a hundred new nets just to see you fly into it a couple times," Brian said busting up laughing.
"It wasn't funny Brian," Kristen said. Everyone messed around in the pool for about another hour before they all got out.
"I better get going," TJ said looking at his watch.
"Why? Where do you have to be?" Mandy asked.
"I have to get up early in the morning. We're leaving for Britney's tour tomorrow."
"What? You weren't supposed to leave for another week," Mandy said upset.
"Come on let's go talk about this in the house away from everyone," TJ said leading Mandy into the house.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were leaving early?"
"I'm sorry. You were so excited about the new group and recording the single I didn't want you to get upset about me leaving for a few months," TJ said wrapping his arms around Mandy.
"The tour doesn't even start for another week."
"I know but it's not my fault they are leaving early. I have to go. I'll try and call you tomorrow though," TJ said kissing Mandy then grabbing his stuff and leaving. Mandy went back into the backyard and sat down in a chair upset about TJ leaving.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Howie asked sitting down next to her.
"TJ decided that he wouldn't tell me that he had to leave a week early," Mandy said.
"So did he already leave?" Howie asked as Mandy slowly nodded her head yes as tears seeped out of her eyes. "I'm sorry," Howie said wrapping his arms around Mandy and giving her a hug.
"Three and a half months is a long time to be apart when you're in a relationship."
"I'd like to tell you that it gets easier but then I would be lying to you. It's something you just have to deal with. Especially when you, Kristen, and Jasmine make it big and start touring. Then you'll really have to deal with it."
"How do you and the other guys deal with it when you're away from your girlfriends while on tour?"
"Just four words for you Mandy. Very large phone bill."
"I bet. I guess I'll go home. I'll see you later," Mandy said getting up and leaving. Nick walked over to Howie and sat down in the seat Mandy left empty.
"You are so obvious you know that don't you?" Nick asked
"So obvious about what?"
"That you like Mandy. AJ told me you did and it's pretty obvious. Now that TJ is gone for a few months, now is your time to make your move on her."
"Nick, she's still dating TJ. How would you like it if Toni cheated on you while you were on tour?"
"We're not talking about me and Toni here. We're talking about you and Mandy. The guy lied to Mandy about leaving early. You actually think they are going to last?"
"Stop giving Howie bad advice," Toni said sitting down on Nick's lap. "Don't listen to him Howie. If you and Mandy are meant to be an item then fate will find a way for her and TJ to break up."
"See I like what you have to say better than what Nick says. When giving advice, use your brain Nicky," Howie said getting up and walking away. It was going on midnight before everyone started heading home. Everyone had left Kevin's place except for Kristin.
"You need some help cleaning things up?" she asked as Kevin was cleaning up the tables in the backyard throwing all the trash away.
"No, that's okay. I can do it. Cleaning helps me think," Kevin said.
"Well, I'm going to help you anyways," Kristin said as she started picking up paper plates. "I never told you why I came here to Orlando. Aren't you a little curious about it?"
"Didn't you just come here for a vacation?"
"Yeah a long vacation."
"What do you mean? You're not moving here are you?" Kevin asked and Kristin nodded her head yes. "That's great!" Kevin said wrapping his arms around Kristin and giving her a hug. "What made you decide to move here? Wait where are you staying till you get your own place?"
"I don't know. I was thinking of just staying at a hotel."
"That's ridiculous. You can just stay here in the guest room," Kevin said grabbing Kristin's hand and leading her into the house. He led her into the house and they sat down on the couch so that they could talk. "Now that you're staying here what made you decide to move here?"
"Truthfully?"
"Yeah."
"Kevin we've been friends for like seven years now. We kept in contact when I was still living here in Orlando when you were on tour or if I was on tour as a dancer. When I moved to Los Angeles we just sort of lost contact."
"Kristin, I'm really sorry about that but please understand that the group and I have made it really big this past year. I never meant to stop calling you, trust me on that."
"I'm not blaming you. Us not speaking was both our faults. I just missed talking to you and....seeing you too."
"You did?" Kevin asked surprised.
"Yeah, I did and I know you did too."
"How do you know?"
"Brian called me and told me."
"Knowing Brian I'm guessing that's not all he told you," Kevin said and Kristin shook her head no. "Well that's Brian for ya. What else did he say?" Kristin just looked Kevin straight in the eye and didn't say anything. Kevin knew then that Brian had told Kristin something along the line of him liking her more than just friends. He began to feel awkward and looked down to avoid Kristin's eye contact. He then realized that he and Kristin had been friends for seven years and not once had he lied to her and he wasn't about to start now lying about how he felt towards her. He looked her in the eye again then leaned over and met his lips with hers. He pulled away for a second and Kristin just looked at him with a smile on her face then leaned towards him and kissed him again. Kevin put his hands on Kristin's waist and pushed her back on the couch as he deepened the kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He began to slide his hands up Kristin's shirt when she stopped him.
"Let's just take it slow okay?" she asked.
"That would be fine," Kevin said sitting up.
"It's been a long day for me, I'll see you in the morning," Kristin said giving Kevin a peck on the lips then leaving towards the guest bedroom.
"I'm going to have to remember to thank Brian," Kevin said with a smile on his face when he heard the bedroom door close. He had finally kissed the one girl he wanted to for years and his cousin, the only person who knew about it, succeeded in helping him out.
