Competition



Nick sat on the bus watching AJ and Michelle outside. They were both in McDonald’s. But he had pulled her outside to talk. And he wondered what they were discussing. They were too far away to hear through he crack in the window, so he tried to read their facial expressions. So far, nothing.

“Muffin, I don’t care what Nick wants right now. You know there’s something between us. And I just can’t ignore that.” He ran his fingers through her hair and stopped at the nape of her neck.

“I can’t either. But he just told me that he still loves me, Chez. I can’t ignore that either. I’m just as angry with him as you are, but he’s still my friend. And...” AJ put his finger to her lips to silence her.

“Don’t think about him right now. Let’s just focus on us.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. And they kissed. AJ letting his hands wander all over her back and even inching towards hips and butt.

Nick turned away, he couldn’t watch that. For so long he felt like Michelle was his. Someone he could always fall back on. He knew it was wrong to feel that way. And it was wrong to think of her as someone who would wait around for him forever. But he had, and now the reality of the situation was torturing him.

“I’m going home. I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay on with you guys.” Michelle said after they broke the kiss. AJ didn’t protest. It would be easier for everyone if she went home. That way he and Nick wouldn’t have so much tension between them.

“I’ll call you every day. Three times a day!” AJ whispered into her ear as he held her. Nick felt nauseated knowing that they were in each other arms, so he went to his bunk. But on the way there, he passed Michelle’s. His leg grazed her bag just enough for it to fall into the aisle. Nick turned to pick it up when he noticed some pictures on the floor near the bag. They had fallen out. He picked them all up to stack them together again and put them back in the bag. But then he saw what they were pictures of.

He saw Michelle in the nude. Her private parts covered with sheets. She was posing and looked so beautiful. Then he saw pictures of AJ. Shirtless. Then one of him completely naked from behind. Nick quickly stuffed the pictures back into her bag and threw the bag on her bunk bed.

As he laid down on his bed, curtains closed, he felt like crying. Like throwing up. Like killing AJ. What were they doing? Taking pictures of each other like that! Had they already slept together? Probably more than once. He really felt sick then.

He heard everyone return to the bus. And he saw the shadows of AJ and Michelle go towards the back of the bus. When he heard Brian walking by, he stuck his hand out of the curtain and stopped him.

“What’s up?” Brian asked, leaning against the bunk. His face near the curtain.

“I accidently knocked Shell’s bag over and some pictures came out. They were pictures of her and AJ, naked.” Nick whispered, pulling the curtain to the side just a little.

“Together???” Brian asked back, whispering too.

“No! Some of her and some of him.” Nick replied.

“So you think they’re sleeping together?” Brian asked. But despite they’re whispering, Kevin heard everything. He got up from his seat and jumped in the conversation.

“No, they’re not sleeping together. AJ told me everything about it. She wanted to take some pictures of him with that new camera. Some for her class. He told me that at first it started out innocent, her snapping a couple photos of his tattoos and stuff.” Kevin was right. Nick did see plain pictures of AJ’s tattoos before he saw AJ’s butt. Which he wished he could erase from his memory.

“Then he said it got kinda heavy. He took pictures of her undressed and stuff. And then she took pictures of him undressed. Just for fun. But only the tattoo pictures are going to her class.” Kevin explained.

“You’re telling me they got all naked and shit just to play with a camera?” Nick asked.

“Yep. Contrary to popular opinion, AJ isn’t always about sex.” Kevin said, clearing things up. Nick felt a bit of relief. At least the thought of Michelle in his embrace in an intimate fashion wouldn’t haunt his thoughts.

But little did he know that Michelle was planning to go back to Florida from Kentucky (where they were at the time) as soon as she could.

Two days had passed. Nick hadn’t said much of anything to Michelle during this time. He kept his distance. And he ignored her when she was with AJ. He had done a complete 180. And Michelle only had one problem with this. She wished they could just go back to being good friends again.

Because Nick had become so distant, she didn’t bother to tell him that she was going. Instead she just caught a taxi cab to the airport with AJ and he saw her off. Promising to visit as soon as this leg of the tour ended.

Nick had to find out the hard way. When suddenly all of her things were gone and she was nowhere to be found.

“Where’s Michelle?” He asked AJ, hoping that he would know. AJ looked up at him, half smiling.

“She’s gone. Back to Florida.” AJ responded. Nick turned and started towards his bunk but then...

“Don’t bother to call her. She won’t talk to you. She’s angry with you right now.” Nick spun around.

“Oh and just how would you know that???” AJ took off his sunglasses and started at his friend.

“I know everything about her. She is my girlfriend.” Nick made fists with both his hands. And it took every bit of good in him to keep him from running up to AJ and punching him in the face. Instead he just went to the front of the bus and played video games. Letting his aggression out through the characters of one of his fighting games.

Brian cut his eyes at AJ, scolding him for teasing Nick that way. “You know he’s taking this hard. Why don’t you just lay off of him?”

“He started this shit! Me and Shell were just fine until he started getting all jealous. I’m sorry, but that spoiled brat gets to me sometimes!” Brian just dropped his head.

“Maybe both of you should just back away from Michelle. She’s a wonderful girl, but she brings out the worst in you two!” AJ just couldn’t do that. He felt addicted to her, like a drug. He had to hear her voice everyday to feel complete. Stay away from her? Impossible.

“Sorry. But that’s out of the question. In fact, I should be calling her right about now.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and speed dialed her number. They talked for quite a while. Even after Nick had finished playing his games. He had just turned the PS2 off when the bus grew silent. His video game had been the only sound on the bus. He could hear AJ in the back on the phone.

“I love you too, Muffin. Alright, bye.” He heard AJ say. And again, his anger grew.

“This just can’t be going on. AJ and I have never fought over a girl before. And why am I so hung up over Michelle anyway. We broke up because things weren’t right between us in the first place. And here I am, stressing myself out over a girl I know I’m not compatible with. I must be kidding myself.” Nick thought silently. Then he looked around the corner at AJ who was sprawled across the booth seat with his cell phone still in his hand. He had a satisfied look on his face, and it irked Nick to high heavens.

“I’m not kidding myself. She’s worth fighting for. And he’s not worth her.” Nick had made his final decision. He wasn’t going to give up on Michelle.




Chapter 6 ~ Contents Page ~ Stories ~ Home Page