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Chapter 17: Never




AJ walked into Anna’s room to find her still asleep. He walked over to her bedside and sat vigil over her. He felt like he was protecting her from all of the bad things that were happening to her. So, even if she didn’t know it, he would always be there for her. He promised her sleeping form that he would never leave her. No matter what he’s done in the past, she’s always been there to pick him back up after he’s fallen. Now, it was his turn to repay her of all those times when she was his angel in disguise.


He sat thinking about the way they had met.


FLASHBACK


AJ walked into the conference room late as usual. It looked as though all of the other band members were there already. AJ quickly took the empty seat across from the only person he knew there. Howie. Next to Howie there was a blonde that looked like, yes it must be, he thought. It was Nick. Him and Howie had met up with Nick at auditions. Glad to know that he’ll be with us, AJ thought. To AJ’s right, there was another blonde that looked shorter than himself. AJ couldn’t remember ever seeing this man in his life. On AJ’s left, was Kevin. They had met one time before at auditions. AJ immediately took a liking to Kevin. Kevin seemed like the type of person that he could turn to. AJ then noticed a beautiful girl, about his age, sitting next to Kevin. She looked a lot like Kevin, so AJ figured that she must be related to him.


By the end of the meeting, AJ had learned the name of the man that sat next to him. Brian. He seemed like he would be fun to hang around with. Enough with the band members, AJ thought, on with the women. He looked around the room to find Kevin talking to the girl he was sitting next to before.


AJ sauntered up to them and said, “ Hey, Kevin. Are you going to introduce us or what?”


Kevin sighed and said, “ AJ, this is my sister, Anna. Ann, this is AJ one of the band members.”


AJ held out his hand and said, “ Nice to meet you.”


“ You too.” She said being shy.


“ Anna is about your age, AJ. I think you two would get along. She loves to talk, AJ. Watch out. I’m going to leave you two together so I can go talk to management.”
Kevin said before he walked away.


They walked over to the table and sat down.


AJ said, “ So, how old are you?”


“ 15. I’ll be 16 in a few months.”


“ Cool, me too. Umm. You want to go take a walk or something?”


“ Sure.” She said as she followed AJ out the back door and into the gardens that surrounded the building.


They talked all afternoon and they eventually became inseparable over the years. Kevin was right. They were alike. Sometimes, though, they were too alike.


END FLASHBACK




AJ was brought out of his trance by the sound of whimpering. He noticed that it was Anna and he was right by her side whispering words of comfort to her. She finally settled back down into a peaceful sleep.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


The next morning Anna and Kevin were released from the hospital. It was decided that AJ would stay at Kevin’s house to take care of both of them. AJ still didn’t feel comfortable around Anna yet. Kevin told him the same thing that Howie had told him. He was supposed to act normal around her and she would eventually come around. Anna still didn’t remember much. Basically what she remembered was from her past. She really didn’t have any memories of the last year of her life.


AJ’s room was across the hall from Kevin’s, and right next to Anna’s. Sometimes AJ would sneak into her room to watch her sleep. He would often think about what it was like before all hell broke loose. He often wondered what would have happened had it not been for the accident.


Sometimes, she’d say that she remembered things, but AJ knew that she really had no clue. It was almost as if she was protecting him. Protecting him from heartache. Sometimes he thought that she really did have feelings for Nick, and other times she was flirting with AJ. That was just her nature though.


The thing that really bothered him was the fact that they were so similar in character. It completely tore him up inside knowing that she would never be the same she was before. Nothing would be the same it used to be. She used to be wild and crazy just like him.


“ AJ, are you okay?” Kevin asked looked at him from over top of his book.


AJ focused on Kevin and said, “ Yeah, I guess.”


Kevin sighed, put his book down, and said, “ What’s the problem?”


AJ shrugged and said, “ Nothing much. I was just thinking about things and the way they used to be.”


Kevin furrowed his brow and said, “ The way it used to be?”


“ Kev, if you guys hadn’t gotten into the accident, do you think that we’d be together right now?”


“ I think that you guys would still be fighting.”


“ Not going out? Come on, Kev. The fight wasn’t that bad.” AJ said trying to convince himself.


“ All things happen for a reason.” Kevin said ignoring AJ’s last comment.


“ But, I’d rather be fighting with the real Anna, than walking around eggshells with this one.”


“ Who said you have to walk on eggshells around her? You’re supposed to be helping her get back to normal. Anna is the same person she was before, you do know that don’t you?”


“ She’s never going to be normal again. She’ll never be the way she used to be. I miss her, Kevin. I really do, but I’ve given up all hope that she’ll ever be back to her old self.”


“ Don’t you ever say that in this house again, AJ.” Kevin yelled getting really frustrated with AJ.


They heard crying by the door, and they both turned around to see what it was. Anna was standing there with tears streaming down her face. She had obviously heard their whole conversation. As soon as she saw the look her way, she turned around and ran as fast as she could up to her room.


Kevin turned to AJ and said, “ You have to go get her. I can’t run after her. You have to do it.”


AJ just looked back and forth between Kevin and the way that Anna had gone. He finally got the courage to go up to Anna’s room.