Written by : Nikki .
Kevin looked down to the pictures that lay on his chest, lap....the table and the floor. He gently picked one off of his chest and gazed at it. It was of two children, a boy and a girl, who were building a sand castle. They were squinting up at the camera with big, proud grins on their faces. The little girl looked adorable with her nose covered in bright blue sunscreen. It made Kevin smile. He then picked one up off of the floor. It was of the rock outcropping by the vacation house, the ones he'd seen her on yesterday. The photo took Kevin's breath away. It had the perfect blend of the sky, the waves and the rocks. He began to get a sinking feeling in his stomach. Wrinkling his brow, he gathered up the remaining pictures from where they lay. Looking at them one by one, he sighed. There were few of the group, compared to the total of pictures that had been taken. None of them were of them in compromising situations. The ones of A.J., Nick, Bri and Howie were of them playing their game of tag football. And the ones of himself were of him sitting on the beach alone, staring out at the water. He shut his eyes, and it was if someone knocked the wind out of him.
"Kevin, you are such an ass," he muttered to himself.
Opening his eyes, he looked across the room in search of the one person who, more than likely, never wanted to speak to him again. He saw her by the steps surrounded by not only her friends, but his as well. She was still angry. He could see Jacqueline trying to calm her down. Brian, Nick and Howie had formed a line to keep her from bolting down the steps. Positive he was about to enter the line of fire, Kevin stood and approached the group.
"I DON'T WANT to calm down, Jacquie!"
Jaqs sighed. She didn't think she'd ever seen Nikki so livid, she just couldn't get her to calm down.
All Nikki wanted to do was leave...and no one was letting her.
"Can I talk to you?"
Brian could se the look that appeared on Nikki's face when she heard Kevin's voice behind her, and knew his cousin was still in for a beating.
Kevin could see Nikki's back go rigid, but he wasn't expecting the fire in her eyes when she spun around.
"I don't think WE have anything else to say to each other."
Kevin should have expected the venom, he looked around crowd, "Could you guys leave us alone for a minute?"
Nick looked over to Lissa and Fayth, "Is that safe?" When he caught the look Kevin threw in his direction, Nick cringed.
"Do you feel the need to accuse me or one of my friends of something else horrendous?" Nikki asked sarcastically.
Holding out the envelope full of pictures, Kevin said, "I'd like to say I'm sorry....Please?"
Something in the tone of his voice made her pause, her anger slightly fading. And with the single "Please", Nikki gave in.
She turned to her friends, "It's okay......"
Brian laid his hand on Nikki's back, "You promise you won't kill him...we need him, you know?"
Nikki chuckled, "Scout's Honor."
"Who feels like a game of 9-ball?" Jacquie asked.
Chants of "me" could be heard as they walked over to the pool tables.
As she passed, Alexis whispered,"You won't sneak out on us will you, Tricks?"
Nikki could tell the girl was concerned and gave her a quick hug, "No Lex..thanks."
"No problem."
Nikki watched her join the others before she made herself meet Kevin's eyes.
"Will you sit with me?" Kevin asked her softly.
Taking the envelope from his hands, Nikki nodded. They walked back to the table they had recently vacated, Kevin made sure to seat Nikki next to him.
When they were seated, Kevin bowed his head and whispered, "I feel like such an idiot."
"What was that? I didn't hear you."
He raised his head to see Nikki grinning at him. Kevin grinned back, the weight lifting from his shoulders. "I can't tell you how sorry I am. It wouldn't surprise me if you never wanted to speak to me again."
Nikki went to say something but Kevin held up a hand to stop her. "I looked at the pictures...you're not a photographer, are you?"
Nikki shook her head no.
Kevin's head dropped in embarrassment once more. Nikki reached over and touched him on the knee so he'd look up.
"It's okay, Kevin."
"No, it's not," he said vehemently. "My behavior was inexcusable. It's just....some things have been happening in my private life...and they've been made public and...."
"And you thought I had taken the pictures to give to Jacquie and that she was going to use them and mention your personal life in her article?" Nikki asked, a hint of the anger returning.
"Oh god, you are mad."
Nikki sighed, " I'm not....really. It's like I said, if you had taken the time to talk to me and Jaqs, you'd know that neither of us would do something like that."
Green eyes looked at her hopefully, "Do you think we could start over?"
What was it about him, that made her want to give in?? Nikki cocked her head and smiled, "I think that could be arranged." She held out her hand, "Nicole Christianson."
Kevin laughed and took her hand in his own, "Kevin Richardson."
Lissa watched the scene at the table unfold. When her friend and Kevin finally shook hands she let out a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Fayth walked up behind her, "Hurricane Nikki blow over?"
"Yeah," Lissa replied, "You know Tricks, first to get angry, but the biggest sap in the bunch."
Jacquie joined the two girls, with A.J. right behind, "No kidding."
"Do you think it's safe to join them?" he asked, glancing at the three girls.
Jaqs nodded, "Oh yeah...if she was going to kill him, he'd be dead by now."
A.J. called Brian, Nick, Howie and Alexis over and they walked back to the table.
Kevin was very cordial, and made a real effort to get to know all of the girls, taking time to chat with each one separately. Especially Jacquie and Nikki. He charmed them all...even Lissa who said that she was totally unaffected by him.
At the end of the night, the group of ten stood outside chatting in the parking lot. The boys were waiting for their ride and the girls told them they wouldn't leave them all alone.
"We wouldn't want you to be mobbed by a pack of wild teenyboppers," Fayth had snickered.
"What do you all have planned for tomorrow?" Brain asked, giving Fayth a little nudge with his elbow.
Fayth giggled and pushed him back.
Nick scowled, "Quit having fun without me, B!" He gave Lissa a shove.
Lissa replied with a smack across the arm, as hard as she could.
"HEY!!??"
Jacquie rolled her eyes, "Before we were so rudely interrupted by the residents of Sesame Street, we were discussing plans for tomorrow."
Howie cracked up laughing so hard tears sprang to his eyes, "Sesame Street......"
Fayth's grin disappeared, "I didn't think it was that funny."
"Hey Frick, does that mean that you and me are Bert and Ernie?"
Lissa turned to look at Nick. Raising an eyebrow and with a boatfull of sarcasm she said, "Since you're blonde, it would be Ernie and Rubber Duckie."
Everyone but Nick laughed at that one.
"I don't get it," he said.
Lissa could tell he was thinking it over. "Blonde.... Rubber Duckie.... The color yellow....... Water.... Anything ringing a bell here, Nick?" she said, tapping him on the head.
"Very funny," Nick grumbled.
"Why don't you guys come over to the house tomorrow?," A.J. asked the girls. "That cool with you guys?" he addressed his friends.
"S'all right with me," Brian said.
"Cool," this from Howie.
"That's fine," said Kevin, glancing to see what Nikki's expression was.
"Yeah, whatever," Nick muttered, still brooding over Lissa's comment about being blonde.
Nine pairs of eyes then focused on Nikki. "What?" she asked, looking at each individual quizzically.
"Can we go?" Fayth pleaded.
Nikki laughed, "Why are you asking me, Brat?"
"It's your vacation, Tricks. We'll do whatever you feel like doing," Jacquie answered.
Nikki caught the expectant looks from her friends and the boys...was that a look of hope in Kevin's eyes? "Okay.......I guess were going."
"Come out whenever you want, we'll be there all day. Nikki knows the way," A.J. smiled, making reference to the night's big blowup.
A black limousine pulled up and the boys all piled in. As it started to out of the parking lot, the girls watched the rear windows roll down. All at once, Nick popped his head out of one window, Brian the other. And then A.J. appeared in the sunroof. Brain let loose with his "Everybody" howl, Nick did a horribly off-key rendition of the Tarzan yell, and A.J.? Well, A.J. was "King of the World." As they disappeared down the street, the girls could hear them yelling, "See you tomorrow."
[ Chapter Nine ]
