Chapter Sixteen

  *****
                                                                
  Nick sighed angrily, frustrastion spreading as he silently cursed himself for falling
asleep in the den and leaving the door open.  Voices floated downstairs and through his
state of half-conciousness, he couldn’t distinguish the one other than AJ’s.
“ AJ!  Shut up!” He yelled upstairs, hoping he’d get the point but was met with laughter. 
Nick rolled over, trying to get comfortable on the couch again.  There was a moment of
silence before AJ’s voice filtered through, apparantly forgetting to keep quiet.
“ I said shut up!  Shut the door to the den!”  AJ footsteps were heard heading to the
door and stopped at the foot of the long stairs.
“ Why the hell are you asleep here?” He asked, ignoring Nick’s hand in response as he
went over and shut off the TV, then preceding to open the blinds to the sun.
“ What are you doing?” Nick’s hands shot up to cover his eyes and he groaned. 
“ I’m waking you up.  It’s nearly one,” 
“ And when did you take over the role of my mother?” Nick snapped.
“ When it interfered with my social life and how loud I talk...Besides, if you wanna
sleep, go up to your room,” 
“ Who’s over?” 
“ Who else would I dare to invite to this pigsty?” AJ asked over his shoulder as he
walked back upstairs.  Nick lay there for a few seconds, listening to AJ return to
whoever he was entertaining.
“ Hey, Marielle,” Nick greeted the brunette who’s back was to him.  AJ and Nat looked
up, confusion written on her face and amusement on his.
“ Oh...Sorry...I thought you were-...” Nick stammered gruffly and trailed off, unable to
meet her eye.
“ Someone called for you, Nick,” AJ interrupted before anyone could say anything.
“ Who?” 
“ I don’t know...Tina?...Tara?...I wrote it on my hand but I washed it off...” AJ mused
cheerfully, enjoying Nick’s uncomfort.
“ Gee, thanks, AJ, big help,” Nick muttered, running a hand through his hair when it
hit him that he looked like shit.
“ I’m going upstairs,” Nick left them and AJ looked at Natalie, barely supressing a
chuckle.
“ Don’t laugh,” She scolded, smiling herself.
“...So what do you say?  Wanna tease the press?” He asked, turning back to their earlier
conversation.
“ The beach?  Yeah, let’s go, I’ve got-”
“ If you say nothing better to do, I’m just gonna run upstairs and shoot myself,” She
laughed and stood up.
“ We have to run next door first though, I need my suit,” 
“ Damn, I was hoping you’d forget,”
“ We could always go to Europe,” 
“ Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all promise,” AJ smiled wickedly before glancing
upstairs.
“ Let’s invite Nicky-boy,” 
“ You’re horrible!  Besides, you know he won’t come,”  They walked to the stairs and
headed up.  AJ paused on Nick’s floor and knocked on the door.
“ Yo, Nick, we’re going to the beach, wanna come?” A muffled ‘no’ was his response and
AJ shrugged before they went up to his room.
“ Let me get my stuff,” He said as she took a seat on the  bed and he disappeared into
the closet.  He reappeared a minute later and they left the house...







 




 






Main Page

Table Of Contents