Chapter 5
~~Annie~~
I waz sleeping silently and somewhat peaceful until I heard a small knock on my door. I shifted my vision and view to where it waz coming from. My dad smiled to me as he made his way to sit on my bed.
"Wakey Wakey, caramia..." he whispered.( He'z italian...lol).
"Mornin pappi...have fun golfing yesterday..?" I asked while yawning.
He nodded..."I won against ur uncle..hahaha..he waz pretty bummed after that.."
I chuckled and noticed him looking at me intently. I fell silent..and so did he.
"Hunny?..Did something happen between u and A.J?" my dad finally asked.
I heaved a sigh...damn..do parentz have radars that tellz them our feelingz or sumpthin?
"Yea..I guess so daddy.....I just thought we needed some time apart...." I said with no feeling at all. I guess I waz still pissed. He shook his head in skeptism...
"Baby...I don't buy that. You we're so excited to go see him for a couple of weekz...now ur just so solemn whenever we talk about him." he commented. I knew he waz right..I hate it when that happenz.
"And...I think there'z more to it then ur telling me." he added.
I smiled weakly and spilled my gutz to him about A.J'z and my situation. After explaining..I rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. My dad looked at me sadly and followed.
"I'm sorry to hear that love...but it waz all a mistake...u should at least let him explain.." my dad reasoned while perched in my bathroom doorway.
"There'z nothing to explain daddy...he cheated on me without even talking to me about whatever bothered him first.....and that makes him an ass..." I suggested while drying off my face. My dad hugged me breifly and nodded in agreement.
"I thought he waz a gud kid..and still do...but if u don't care for him anymore hunny...I'm not forcing u into doing anything u don't want to..." he stated while walking away. I smiled at him thankfully and went to go get dressed.
As I bopped downstairz..I saw my dad with his feet on top of his desk discussing something on the phone with his assistant. I waved to him quickly and he smiled.
"Morning Manley!!" I cheerfully greeted while pecking him on the cheek. Manley chuckled and examined me from head to toe.
I looked down at my attire and shrugged. I wasn't tacky so who carez. I decided to throw on a white A/X tanktop and my black super-flared Bannana Republic sweatz that were like tear-awayz with the snapz down the legz. [Authorz Note: About the super-flared sweatz..u can't really buy them like that...u can take them to Alteration shopz and hopefully they can flare them for u...]
"You're happy today madame...mind sharing the good newz?" Manley smiled while chopping chocolate chunkz for the chocolate-chip pancakez.
"Oooohhh...nothing...I just feel really great today for some reason.." I answered in a sing-song voice. I saw Manley nodd and he went about preparing the pancakez.
"I'll help!!.." I suggested while mixing the pancake mix.
Today waz going to be a gud day. I smiled to myself and poured a batch of mix onto the hot pan.
~~ In the Airplane to Philladelphia~~
Everyone waz seated comfortably in First Class. A.J sat with his mom and another man who waz in the seat Annie waz supposed to be in. A.J wiped a tear away from that thought and looked over at his mom.
"Hunny?..I thought I waz going to meet this wonderful Annie you keep talking about.." Denise commented while looking up from the paperwork to her son. A.J winced at the thought of her name..
"We uh..kinda had a fight mom..she won't be touring with us.." A.J whispered sadly to his mother while fidgeting with his bubble jacket zipper. Denise looked at him skeptically...
"A fight huh?" she asked. A.J looked at her once more and nodded slowly with a depressed sigh.
"What about??" Denise probed on. A.J took in a deep breathe..
"We went clubbin last nite and evrything waz goin great...but then when I came back from the bathroom..I saw her leave with a guy. The thing waz..she thought he waz me cause she waz too drunk to really notice. Once she found out she beat tha hell out of him and went back to the club lookin for me." he stated. Denise sighed and nodded for him to go on.
"Well..I met a gurl and had sex to get back at Annie..but when I found out later at the hotel that she didn't have sex with him.....I waz really angry at myself. She found out about the other gurl...and I guess broke it off with me. " A.J finished while breaking into a sob. He removed his sunglassez and embraced his caring mother.
"Oh..sweetie I'm so sorry..." Denise sighed while rubbing her son'z back.
"You really loved her didn't u?" she asked him while he looked up at her.
"I still do..." A.J said with pain in his voice. "but I fucked up and she'z gone now...it waz all my fault mom.." A.J annonced while wipping his tearz. Denise nodded...
"But if she truly lovez u...she'll forgive u and understand that it waz a mistake." she reasoned while trying to comfort her fragile son.
"Yea mom..but how do I know if she still lovez me?...I mean..I tried to call her a million of timez..but she never return my pagez or callz." A.J sniffed. "As far as I'm concerned..she'z probably with another guy rite now." he added. Denise laughed...
"Aawww...c'mon hunny...do u really think that'z true?" she smiled. "I don't think she'z that kind of gurl." Denise commented.
"Yea ur rite ma....I'll talk to her soon." A.J sighed while looking out the window.
"Ok sweetheart...but don't wait til the last minute...she just might have forgotten about u.." Denise reasoned while going back to her paperwork.
A.J sat back in his seat and thought about what his mother said. She waz right. He had to talk to her before he lost her for good...that'z if he hasn't already. He sat in daze for the rest of the flight. They finally touched ground.
"Let'z go Alex.." Denise called out.
A.J nodded and grabbed his belongingz. As expected..the Boyz were awaited for by many fanz. They quickly greeted them and took a couple of picturez.
"Who'z that?" A blonde gurl asked Brian. Brian followed her gaze and knew she waz talking about Adri. Brian smiled at her brightly.
"That'z Adri...my girlfriend.." he simply stated while handing her back her notebook.
The girl gasped in surprise and somewhat jealousy along with other gurlz who over heard their exchange of wordz. The guyz were called for and hopped into their tourbus that waz waiting for them outside.
~~ The Bus~~
"Well..here we are ladiez...El autobus.." Howie annonuced playfully while making his way inside the luxoriuos tourbus.
"Dang..this place is bangin.." De exclaimed and the rest of the gurlz nodded in agreement.
A.J quietly made his way pass the crowd and set his stuff beside his usual bunk without saying a word. Everyone gave each other a knowing glance and some shook their headz in sdaness. Adri thought enuff waz enuff. She made her way towardz A.J and pushed him down on his bunk while plopping down next to him. A.J waz shocked at her actionz but obediently sat there and remained quiet.
"A.J!!!!! Talk to us boyyeee!!" Adri screamed while grabbing him ny the shoulderz and shaking him. A.J looked at her with wide eyez.....
"R u mad woman?" he grinned a lil.
"Ah ha!! I knew u were still alive!!" Adri laughed while letting him go.
"Bone..we know that this break up is hard for u to take...but give her time hun....she'll come around." she told him while wrapping her around his shoulder. A.J nodded and looked out to everyone else who were smiling at him hopefully.
"I'll try to be more cheerful from now on.." he sighed. " But it'z just hard..u guyz gotta understand.." A.J finished.
Everyone nodded. Nhi made her way to where Adri and he waz and smiled down at him..
"We do understand A.J...we just hate seeing u so down and sad. We bug u about it because we care." she stated. A.J looked up at her gratefully and smiled.
"Besidez..u guys were meant for each other. Ur so alike..it'z freaky." Nhi laughed. Everyone laughed at her comment.
"And if it'z any consolation at all A.J....she tellz me everytime that she'z madly in love with u.....u have nothing to worry about Bone....she'z really all for u..just give her time to cope. Annie doesn't like it when guyz pressure her while she'z sulking. She'd rather work it out herself." Nhi added while making her way towardz Howie. Adri nodded in agreement...
"Let her make the first move..when she doez...u'll really know that she'z ready to be with u again." she said while getting up to sit with Brian on the couch. A.J smiled at the thoughtfullness of his friendz.
"Thanx ya'll...but I'm just hoping that her first move will be soon...I'm dying here!!" he screamed. Everyone laughed at him and threw whatever they could get their handz on.
"Hey hey now....watch tha hair..hahaha," A.J laughed while trying to dodge the flying objectz. After everyone settled down a bit..
"I'm glad to see him laughing again..." Nick whispered to Cecilia. She nodded and pecked him on the lipz.
~~ Annie~~
I waz just chillin and watching the sprinklerz shoot out water when all of a sudden my phone rang. I grunted at the thought of it being A.J but sighed in relief when I read it waz just Adri.
"Yello!!" I yelled while laughing. I heard a giggle and talking in the back ground so I knew they were in the same room.
"Sup Sup cuz!!" Adri exclaimed. I heard Brian whisper in the background and smiled. I missed the guyz already..even A.J.
"Hey gurlie!!..waddup?" I smiled.
" Nuthin...just chillin in the tourbus with everyone else...we're on our way to the venue so the guyz can do their sound check." she stated. I sighed and wished I could be there..I waz so looking foward to tour with the guyz.
"That'z great cuz...tell the guyz I wish them luck tonite." I said. I heard her yell it out to the guyz and a chorus of "thanx" waz soon returned.
"They said thanx..haha" she laughed.
"I know..I heard." I grinned.
"So..how'z u and Brian?" I asked bitting my lip from the temptation to ask how A.J waz.
"We're cool....he sayz he misses ya by the way.." Adri laughed.
"Hahaha..tell him I miss him more.." I giggled.
"Okay..." Adri replied. I heard an " awwwww.." in the background and smiled.
"Oh..Annie?" Adri asked suddenly.
"Yea?" I replied. I knew she waz about to ask something that had to do with HIM. I kept bitting my lip in anticipation.
"Talk to A.J will ya?" she answered and before I had a chance to disapprove..a raspy and deep voice greeted me. A voice I knew too well.
"Hey Annie...." he said softly..it waz almost as if it waz whispered. I sighed deeply and grinned. I had to admit..it waz gud to hear his voice again.
"Hi A.J...how'z it goin?" I asked. I wanted to seem as casual as possible.
"I'm ok I guess...u?" he asked softly once again.
"I'm cool...just waitin for school to start..." I smiled.
"That'z great....." he started.
" I miss u.." he suddenly broke the silence. I waz stunned like hell. That waz totaly unexpected.
"I miss u too.." I whispered. Damn!!! I didn't mean to say that outloud. I could sense him smiling..I just knew he waz.
"Then why do u keep ignoring me?" he asked. His question stabbed like thunder in the dark rainy sky. The truth is i don't know why. My pride clouded my eyez once again.
"I dunno A.J....I just need time I guess. " I said clearly. I hope he didn't ask how much time. Cause I didn't know that answer either.
"But I miss u so much....I know I waz wrong..but I'll do anything to make it up to u.....I just want to see u....hold u..ki---" he trailed on.
"A.J!!" I interrupted. He fell silent.
"I'm sorry...but I miss that too..but understand that u hurt me. Let me explain something to u ok?" I asked.
"Ok..." he answered. I sigh quickly. This seemz too familiar.
"I loved u so much. And u betrayed me. I know u did it out of anger and that it meant nothing to u but...it did to me. I tried so hard in that hotel room last nite to forgive u...but I trusted u with all my heart and soul. I thought u were better than that. U could atleast come and talked to me about it before u jumped in tha sack with some hoe." I stated.
"Believe me..I put my trust in few..and I guess I gave it to u since the nite u asked me out. But..u just absolutley crushed me.....and erased all the trust I put in u. And I put alot. I mean immensable amounts of it in u. And well...look at where that got me now...." I trailed off.
During all this time...he waz silent. I guess he knew I waz right. Silence. More Silence. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to say something.
"A.J?" I whispered. I hope he waz still on the phone.
"Hmmm?" he answered back. I breathed a breath of relief.
"Nuthin...I just wanted to make sure u didn't hang up or anything...hahah" I chuckled. I heard him laugh lightly.
"A.J..I want u to know that no matter what happenz. I still care for u. But it will be awhile until I can fully trust u again. And...I don't want u to sit around and wait for me....u can date other galz if u wish." I knew that the last part waz so hard for me to say...but it waz only fair. I heard him sigh...
"I still care for u too.. and i realize that I hurt u beyond wordz. And I want u to know that ur tha best thing to me rite now. I love u more than life itself. I'll wait around..even tho I know I don't haft to. but understand sumpthin ok?" he asked.
I nodded while sniffing away my tearz. He waz just to perfect to be true. I love this man. I really do. I'll alwayz will. As if he knew I nodded..he continued.
"U can take all the time u need...because I want u back with me again. And if that meanz a month..a year...or even a decade. I'd wait Annie. " he sighed.
"I'd wait another lifetime if i had to." he finished.
"Oh Bhudda..A.J..u really mean that?" I asked while wipping away me stray tearz.
"With all my heart baby.....so do u think that we can still be together soon?" he asked with a lil anticipation in his voice.
"Of course Boo....really soon." I chuckled.
"Really?!!! U mean we're still togetha?!!!" he screamed..literally. I heard clapping and laughing in the back ground.
"Hahaha..yup..I wouldn't have it any other way." I smiled.
We chatted a lil longer and finally made planz to get back together. I guess I'm not pissed anymore. I just hope seeing him again and trusting him doesn't hurt anymore. I waz to fly out tomorrow to meet him in Georgia. I waz excited. I waz gonna go see my BOYFRIEND again. Yup..I said it...boyfriend.