Chapter 4
~~ A.J'z Room~~
The closing of a door waz heard and A.J looked up slowly and painfully.
"What have I done?" he whispered softly to himself.
A.J slowly hauled himself off of the ruffled bed and turned around to look at it. The eventz that happened in it waz both beautiful and regretful. His and Annie'z first time...and maybe because of what he did a few minutez ago.....their last. The night waz chilly..and bitz of frost lined his hotel window...he stared out at it blankly. People rushed in and out.
"God..what did I do?..." A.j asked himself for the millionth time while sadly closing his eyez......
~~ Back at the Club~~
"I wonder how they're takin it.." Adri sighed as she and Brian walked hand in hand to tha Navigator.
"I dunno...but they both looked awful.." Brian commented. Adri stopped abruptly and looked up at Brian who also stopped.
"Hunny...u don't think they would break-up...do u?" Adri asked hesitantly.
She knew that Annie and A.J went thru pure hell to be with each other....and both were very stubborn. So in a situation like this...it would most likely end nastily. Brian smiled down at his girlfriend solemnly..
"Who know baby....with those two...anything could happen.." he answered while dragging Adri closer towardz the car.
When Adri waz finally let go out of Brian'z grip..De and the rest were making their way towardz her and Brian.
"Shouldn't we wait for Annie and Bone?" De asked while reaching for Kevin'z hand. Kevin grinned at her gesture and quickly reached for her hand too. Adri nodded..
"They're gone already..." she replied sadly. Everyone gave her a confused look except Brian.
"Boner saw Annie leave with another guy...but I think there'z more to it than it seemz..." Brian stated trying to defend Annie.
He knew Annie wasn't that kind of person..she would never hurt A.J on purpose. Everybody agreed to go back to the hotel swiftly to see if everything waz ok with Annie and A.J.
"I hope A.J'z still alive..." De giggled quietly.
"Why'z that De?" Howie asked while evryone waited for her to respond.
Nhi smiled evily and laughed..."Annie is a 5th degree in Tae Kwon Do...there'z no saying what she'z capable of.."
Everyone laughed at that and continued on their way to the hotel.
~~ Annie~~
I walked slowly into the airport terminal. I didn't how to feel...whether to cry or be angry. I can't believe he would do such a thing to me. I sighed heavily as my flight waz called. I might as well go back home and try to cope.
Luckliy...I got a window seat. The middle age woman next to me waz silently reading her book. I tried my best to not cry or do anything harsh to disturb her...but I let a huge sigh of emotion. That obviously startled the woman so I quickly apologized.
"I'm so sorry..." I smiled sadly. The lady smiled....
"It'z ok hun...I noticed u were a little troubled....mind telling me about it?" she asked. I kinda gave her a nervous look. Besidez..I barely knew this woman. She laughed lightly when she sensed my discomfort....
"Sweetie..don't worry..I waz just hoping by you talking..it would make u feel better....u don't hafta if u wish against it.." she commented. I nodded..
"No..it'z ok...I just...had a really tough nite.." I heaved while sitting back into my First Class seat.
"Ooohh..I see...well..it can't be that bad..ur a beautiful young woman and u seem to have a gud head on ur shoulderz...." tha lady smiled.
I blushed at her comment and looked out my window. I soon fell asleep after that...I felt a pillow being slipped under my head and a blanket cover me so I slowly fluttered open my eyez. I waz greeted by a warm smile and a motion for me to go back to sleep.
"Thank u.." I whispered to the lady and soon returned to my restless slumber.....
~~A.J~~
I must of cried alot that last couple of minutez cause when I looked into the bathroom mirror..I couldn't even recognize myself. My eyez were red..and puffiness surrounded them.
I groaned out in sadness and walked back into the bedroom...hoping I would find Annie there so I could just think that it waz all a bad dream. That'z what it seemz to be...just a really horrible dream.
I literally dragged myself to the T.V room and sat in my boxerz flipping channelz. Usually Annie would be in my armz and trying to steal the remote from to watch Tellie Tubbiez or sumpthin...but I waz there all alone and by myself. I couldn't take it anymore....I burst into a fit of sobz and held my head in my handz.
"How am I gonna go on?" I asked myself between sniffz and tearz.
Suddenly there waz a knock at the door and I quickly wipped away my tearz to go answer it. I didn't wanna THAT shitty while I answered it so I straightened myself out and hoped it wouldn't be some crazed fan that found out I waz stayin here.
"Hey Bone..how'z it goin Boo?" De asked while I held the door open.
I gave her a weak grin and motioned for her to come in. I stalked back to the couch and slouched down on it...staring at tha T.V blankly. She walked over and sat on the arm of the couch and looked me over carefully.
"You A.J...u can talk to me anytime.." she commented while looking around my room suspiciously.
"She'z not here..." I said without any expression. De cocked her head to one side..
"What do u mean she'z not here?..Where tha hell is she?" she asked curiously. I looked over at her and stared her straight in the eyez....
"She'z gone De...she packed her thingz and said she never wanted to see me again.." I sobbed.
De shook her head sadly and walked over to comfort me. I sobbed more and more in her armz. She gently ran her handz over my head and whispered caring wordz. I sat up and De tried to smile sympethatically......
"Tell me what happened..." De suggested.
I nodded and told her the whole incident. I finished explaining the situation and De'z eyez were wide as golf ballz.
"No wonder she left....." De sighed aloud.
"Well thanx De...that made me feel a whole lot better.." I chuckled sarcastically. De smiled and reached over to pat me on the hand....
"I'll try to talk to her for you....but knowing Annie..." De sighed.."I can't guarantee she'll come around..."
I nodded and thanked her. De left shortly after that and I finally gathered whatever composure I had left and went to shower. I looked around for my towel and found it near the condom package. I winced at the memory and quickly tossed it into the garbage. I shook my head in disappointment in myself and made my way to the bathroom.
~~ Annie~~
I walked out the airport and breathed in deeply.
" Home sweet home.." I grinned.
I grabbed my bagz and hailed a cab since my parentz didn't know I'd be back so soon. I told them that I'd be spending more time with A.J. I closed my eyez forcefully at the thought of his name. I have to forget about him. I knew it waz just too good to be true. I let him in my life and I get fucked..emotionally. Love just isn't pleasant to me anymore.
I paid the cab driver and entered the gate code of my home. I reached the front door and unlocked it.
"Madame!!!" I heard Manley shriek in suprise.
I turned towardz the staircase and dropped my bagz while running to hug him. After we broke apart..
"I didn't expect u to be home so soon Madame..I could picked u up some McDonald'z.." Manley joked.
"Hahaha..No need for all that Manley...it'z just good to be home.." I smiled.
Manley nodded politely and took my bagz to my room. I jogged to the kitchen and raided the fridge. I heard Manley enter and asked, " Manley?..Where'z mom and dad?"
Manley joined me in the fridge and smiled..
"Ur mother'z in a meeting in New york and will return late tommorow. But ur father'z out golfing with his coworkerz at Davis Course. " he replied while grabbing some thingz to cook up dinner.
I nodded knowingly and told Manley that I waz going to go driving for awhile. Manley agreed but told me to come home for dinner. I thanked him and jumped into my car.
"Ahhh.....my baby..." I sighed while kissing the steering wheel. I revved her up and made my way out the front gate.
" Where ta go, where ta go.." I asked myself while stopping at a red light. I sped up when it turned green while steering with one hand. Tha wind waz breezy and cool...unusual for a summer afternoon. I cruised the streetz...just taking in all the nice scenery that I took for granted when I drove around the area before.
It'z funny how u notice thingz when u don't have much on ur mind. My peacefullness was broken by the ringing of my cell. I looked the lil window of my phone and it read : McLean, A ; (512) 490-8852.
I sighed and left it to ring. I couldn't face him rite now...maybe never. I just didn't wanna hear his excusez and wordz. I waz afraid I'll fall for him again.
The ringing dragged on and on..but soon it stopped. I closed my eyez in relief and pulled into a Starbuck'z.
~~ A.J~~
I groaned in fustration and clicked my cell.
"Why can't she just let me talk to her?" I sighed while everyone looked at me with a hint of sadness.
They decided to just crash my shitty grieving party and "Cheer" me up. They weren't doing a very gud job. Once and every now and then I would catch some of them kissing or snuggling. It hurt me to see that..and even more when I knew I didn't have Annie there to do that with anymore.
"I'll be down in the lobby guyz..." I softly grumbled and made my way out the door.
Everything waz silent except the friction of my baggy blue sweatz colliding with each other. I just didn't feel like dressing up since I waz in a slumpy mood. Just tha same ole' sleevless DaDa b-ball shirt and my baggy sweatz for a match. I threw a beanie on and hoped not too many fanz would approach me. I didn't wanna seem too down towardz them. Luckily I made it down the hotel without anyone recognizing me and sat in a empty booth.
"Hi..would u like anything to drink?" a waitress asked. I looked up to see a pair of peering blue eyez looking down at me. I smiled..
"Yup..can I get a coffee please?" I asked.
She nodded and smiled before leaving. I laughed lightly and shook my head at how she waz flirting with me. This is what I don't get..I am hounded over by so many gurlz...yet I'm sobbing over just one. But Annie waz so much worth it.....she'z different. She made me feel human and loved me for who I am. And I used my fame against her. I had sex with a gurl I barely knew. I knew she only made a move on me because I waz A.J McLean of the Backstreet Boyz but I waz just too stupid to actually try to talk it out with Annie. So one thing led to another..we had sex.
"Here ya go.." tha waitress smiled while setting my drink down.
"Thanx.." I grinned.
She nodded and skipped back behind the bar. I sipped silently and watched as people came and went thru the lobby. I waz approached by a couple of gurlz and I signed their paperz and took picturez. I felt a bit better after that. Fanz r alwayz able to cheer u up no matter what.
I continued to sit there and sulk until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see who it waz and waz greeted with tha smile of Train.
"Hey Train..sit.." I smiled while motioning to a seat across from me. He shook his head in decline...
"Nah..I'm not in tha mood...Bone..I just came to call u to bed man..we catch a flight at 7 tommorow. U need sleep" he suggested. I knew he waz right so I paid for my coffee and followed him into the elevator.
~~Annie~~
" Thanx.." I smiled while the waitress set down my Mocha. She nodded and made her way back into the cafe.
I gulped it down slowly. Letting every drop coat my throat with a sweet sensation. I set it back down and watched as carz zoomed by.
Houston waz a busy city..had nuthin but busy people in it. And soon I'll be one of them. As soon as school let back in..I'd be in my second year of college. I'm pretty excited..but at the same time a little scared. At least the business would be keeping my mind off of HIM.
I sighed and finished my mocha..I'd hafta be getting back home soon...Manley waz probably preparing sumpthin really gud......
~~ The next Morning~~
A.J stirred awake and hit the snooze button on the alarm clock. He reached over to the other side of the bed and felt around. He closed his eyez slowly when the eventz of the past nite came flooding back to him.
"Shit.." he moaned.
"A.J?..get up!!" Nick yelled thru the door.
"I'm up..I'm up...." A.J sighed groggily and made his way to get dressed.
As he waz done packing and all..A.J made his way down to the familiar lobby and join everyone else who waz probably waiting for him.
"Hey sleepyhead..how ya doing?" Nhi asked him as he walked out of the elevator.
"Fine..not great but...I'm breathing " A.J answered with a meak smile. Nhi grinned and hugged him.
"It'z alright Boner....u guyz were meant for each other...couplez go thru this kinda stuff all tha time...right hunny?" she commented while asking Howie.
Howie looked up from his luggage and smiled. A.J thanked them for being understanding..but he just wasn't able to be as cheery as everyone else.