~*~AJ’s point of view~*~

I wish I could tell her

you’re one in a million

you’re going the distance, babe

you’re gonna work it out someday

“What do you think?” I asked Nick in the studio.

“You mean all three lines of it?” Nick raised his eyebrows.

“Hey, a starts a start. More than you’ve been coming up with lately,” I pointed out, playing that part again on the piano.

“I’m just kidding. Is that a verse? Doesn’t really sound like the right way to begin the song.”

I nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the chorus. But I can’t come up with the rest.”

“Sing the first part of it again,” Nick said.

I did. “You’re gonna work it out someday…”

“But you never even look my way!” Nick finished and then laughed.

“What was that?”

“Michelle turning you down a million times.”

“The song’s not about Michelle.”

“It is now!” Nick laughed again.

“Shut up,” I said. “Where are Brian and Howie? I thought we were only taking fifteen?”

He shrugged. “I’ll go find them.”

I waited until he left before I tried out his lyric again. I hated to admit it, but it wasn’t half bad. It just needed something else. Maybe more in between the two lines? I was still working on the chorus when everyone came back in, so I stopped playing. At least some lyrics were taking shape. I’d keep working on it and see what I came up with. It was definitely a song I wanted to figure out.

Things were getting hectic. The CD was taking shape. We were laying down vocals and deciding which voice we liked for each part. We were shooting for a fall release, so we were working some crazy hours. When we weren’t talking about the CD, we were discussing the tour. There was even a radio promo tour in the making. We wanted to make sure the stations would play our first single, whatever song that ended up being.

“Didn’t you go out with Michelle this weekend?” Brian asked.

I was at his house. I’d been invited over for dinner again, and Nick had tagged along. August and Carmen were in the kitchen. Apparently, Carmen had already planned to be over tonight and Brian had forgotten. Carmen hadn’t been thrilled to see Nick show up. Both were too stubborn to leave, though, so they were both employing the classic cold shoulder.

We’d been set to work clearing off the dining room table.

“Yeah… What is all this crap, Brian?” I asked. Usually the place was spotless. Today, there were some magazines and bills, among other things, lying on top of the table.

“We’ve been working so late, and I’ve been out of town off and on with you guys, I haven’t really been home for dinner much,” Brian shrugged. “But, anyway, how’d it go?” he pressed.

“Good,” I said, as August came in with some plates.

“You told me some other chick showed up…”

I smiled sheepishly. “Thanks Nick.”

“What ‘other chick’?” August asked.

“This girl I’d gone on a few dates with. Wasn’t a big deal. I told Michelle I’d gone out with her instead of Cheryl. So, no harm done.”

“Hm,” August thought for a second, and then went back into the kitchen.

“So,” Nick asked. “I never got to hear about the rest of the date. Did you two… you know.”

“You are such a male,” Carmen said, glaring at him, dumping some forks on the table and then leaving the room again.

“Thank-you!” Nick said.

“That wasn’t a compliment!” Carmen called.

“No…” I answered Nick’s question.

“No? Seriously?” Nick asked, wide-eyed.

“So?”

“So? How long have you known her? You’re really not one to take your time… She wasn’t interested, was she?” Nick asked.

“Wow, Nick. You’re so supportive,” Brian laughed, rolling his eyes.

“Actually, she invited me up. I mean, just because I haven’t seen her place. Didn’t mean anything, but I didn’t, I went home…”

“Are you feeling well, AJ?” Nick was still astonished. He felt my forehead in case I was delirious with fever.

I noticed August, who’d come back out to set the forks with each plate since none of us had bothered, was eying me thoughtfully again.

“What?”

“Oh,” she said innocently. “Nothing. Just thinking.” She smiled to herself and went back into the kitchen one last time to get the food.

“Have you talked to her since then?” Brian asked.

“No. I’ll call her tonight or stop by the coffee shop tomorrow.”

“You haven’t called?” Carmen came in and sat down in the seat furthest from Nick. “What is wrong with you?”

“I said I will…”

“Men,” she said.

“Is that all you ever contribute to conversations?” Nick asked her. “Just because you can’t find a guy, doesn’t mean you need to be so grouchy around everyone else.”

“Excuse me? Can’t find a guy? It’s certainly not hard to find a guy better than you!” Carmen shot back.

“Really? You were the one wanting to get back together just a little while ago… If I’m not so great, why are you begging for more?” Nick said smugly.

“You’re crazy, Carter. It was a temporary moment of insanity.”

“Good. A guy would have to be crazy to be able to handle you long-term.”

“Jerk,” she muttered, standing back up and storming off to the kitchen.

I faintly heard her mutter something to August. A minute later, she was grabbing her stuff and heading out the front door. I stood there, surprised, wishing the tension would go away. Usually, Carmen would have kept the sparring match going until Nick had run out of things to say.

August stood in the doorway, livid.

“What’s with her?” Nick asked. “She’s not usually that dramatic.”

“She’s had a horrible few days. She’s got stuff going on at work, and her great uncle died over the weekend…”

“Oh. I didn’t know…” Nick started to apologize, looking guilty.

August didn’t hear him. She’d already turned to Brian. “Which is why I invited her to dinner tonight. Something I mentioned to you when I called you on your lunch break today. She wasn’t expecting to see you, Nick. And you could’ve been nicer…”

“She started it,” he said, though he still looked sorry.

“Are we three years old now?” August looked tired. “Whatever. I’m not feeling well, so I’m not hungry. Food’s in there. Help yourself, and clean up afterwards. I’m not doing it.” With one final glance in Brian’s direction, she headed upstairs.

~*~Michelle’s point of view~*~

By Tuesday morning, I was exhausted. Saturday night, I hadn’t slept a wink. The two night’s since had only been slightly better. How had he found my number?

I was cancelling my cell phone service after work today and getting a different number. My only solace was that he, at least, wasn’t here. Just because he’d somehow managed to track down my telephone number, didn’t mean he knew where I lived.

Still, I’d put pepper spray in my purse. You could never be too careful.

“Michelle.”

I jumped, instantly looking behind me.

“Jeez, what’s with you?” Jack wanted to know.

I didn’t answer. He handed me a cloth to wipe down the tables with. I began doing so when I heard the door open.

“Hey, you,” AJ walked in.

“Hey,” I said. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him. The hug made me feel safe and protected.

“Aw, miss me?”

I was able to get a hold of myself and let go of him. “You wish.” I shouldn’t have missed him as much as I had. You won’t be able to hold his interest, I reminded myself.

AJ laughed, so used to my sarcasm by now that he didn’t even respond. “You want to catch a movie tonight?”

“You don’t call for three days, and now you expect me to be free tonight with almost no notice?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Isn’t it better that I deliver the invitation in person?” he laid on the charm with a smile.

“What movie?”

“You can pick.”

“I want popcorn.”

“Done.”

“And a soda.”

“You’re pushing it,” he said, then grinned. “Just kidding. I promise you can load up at the concession stand.”

“Alright then,” I said. It’d be good for me to get out of my apartment. I didn’t want to spend another night alone. I’d been having nightmares about Peter. I hadn’t seen him since I’d moved to Orlando, and I wanted to keep it that way. My address was unlisted. I didn’t belong to facebook or myspace, or any site he could use to track me down for that matter. I’d been nothing if not careful.

Why now, that I was finally finding some happiness, did he have to ruin it?

If it was him, I reminded myself. I got wrong numbers occasionally, just like everyone else. The same went for texts. Maybe it wasn’t meant for me.

Still, the haunting message had me uneasy.

“Are you okay?” AJ asked.

“Yeah,” I lied. “Long day,” I said, motioning around me, blaming my mood on work. “I’m glad you’re here to distract me.”

“Well,” he said apologetically, “I need to get back to the studio, actually. But I’ll pick you up… around five? I’ll call.”

“Oh, my cell died. I’m getting a new one, but I don’t know the number yet…”

“You know you can keep your same number, right?”

“Um, no. There’s a new plan that’s a great deal, so I have to change it. Anyways, see you at five.” I waved him off, feeling horrible for having lied to him.

Another scar Peter had left with me: the ability to lie quickly and convincingly. I’d become a pro, trying to explain the marks and bruises.

But I had a new life now. I shook all those thoughts out of my head. I had another date tonight. A car was in my not-so-distance future- I’d been picking up some extra shifts. Then, I wouldn’t be walking all over creation. I’d be able to hang out with August, Diana, and Carmen without needing a ride.

Yes, I decided, the text didn’t mean anything. I’d wasted several days being afraid. Now, I was going to go to the movies and relax.