"Don't put her to sleep then, ya dumbasses," Nick grumbled. "Can't you see she's afraid of sleeping?" he gestured at the TV. "Oh yeah baby. There she is. That's my girl," he grinned as Nancy walked onto the screen.
"Oh puhleese," Catlyn groaned. "Don't tell me you have a crush on Nancy. She has HUGE teeth," she pointed.
Nick laughed. "Jealous much?"
Catlyn stuck her tongue out at him, and then turned back to the TV. "Oooh, it's Joey. He's such a cutie," Catlyn grinned.
"Could ya'll shut up?" Crystal complained snuggling up to Nick.
They quieted down, settling back against their seats. "Dude," Brian exclaimed. "That tryke melted. What the hell?" he asked looking over at Howie and then at Nick. "That can't happen."
Nick laughed. "Haven't you seen this movie before?"
Brian shook his head, his eyes still wide. "No. I haven't. And now I know why. That is just messed up," he said shaking his head.
"Oh BRok. It's okay," Catlyn grinned at him.
"I'm as freaked as you are," Kyndall said smiling at him. "I haven't seen this either."
"He's eating her," he said loudly pointing at the screen. "Oh my god. I can't watch this anymore," he said.
"Aww…poor Bribear," Leighanne smiled kissing him on the head. "Does he want to go home?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I'm okay," he smiled at her.
Suddenly the doorbell rang causing them all to jump. "What the hell?" Nick asked looking around the room. "Who could that be?" Jumping up, he walked over to the door. Opening it, he was surprised to see AJ standing there. "Hey Bone," he said watching him walk past without a word.
Kyndall looked up to see AJ standing next to her. "Hey there," she said looking at him.
"Hey AJ," Catlyn said smiling.
"Where's Miranda?" Leighanne asked looking towards the front door.
Brian grinned. "Dumped her ass along side the road somewhere?"
"Brian!" Crystal said in shock.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"No. I didn't. She's at a club. I didn't want to stay, so I took a cab here," he said looking at Kyndall. "Could I talk to you for a second?" he asked.
"Umm…sure," she said looking over at Howie. He shrugged and looked towards Catlyn.
"Gonna watch the movie with -" Nick started to ask but AJ walked past him, Kyndall close behind. "Oookay," he said shrugging and walking back over to the couch. "Awww man," he whined. "I missed him stuffing her into the TV."
"What'cha need?" Kyndall asked as she and AJ made their way outside.
"This," he said leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. She was surprised at first, shocked by his sudden action, but she was soon responding. All the feelings she had pent up for so long came pouring out in that kiss. Pulling away slowly, AJ stumbled back looking at her. "I'm…I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just couldn't help myself."
"It…it's all right," she said softly, her fingers on her lips. "I just…don't understand why."
"Because I like you," he said reaching out and wrapping a strand of her hair around his fingers. "So soft," he murmured. Looking at her, his hand cupped her cheek gently. Moving closer, his face inches from hers, his lips almost touching hers. "I like you more than I should. More that I ever wanted to," he whispered, kissing her gently. His other hand came up to cup her other cheek, his hands framing her face. Moving them down slowly, he pulled her to him with one hand against the small of her back, the other locking itself in her hair.
Kyndall reached up and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. She knew that she shouldn't be doing this. She knew that she was just setting herself up to be hurt. But she was finally here, in his arms, kissing him, touching him, the way she had always wanted.
Slowly, his lips released hers, but his face buried itself in her shoulder. "I'm so lost," he said softly. "I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?" she asked pulling back enough to see his face. She could see the tears in his eyes as he looked at her. "I want to leave, I just don't know how. I'd like to be with you, I just don't know how. I've been with her so long that it just seems natural, comfortable, right," he said softly.
"Hey AJ," Howie called as he walked into the back yard. "Oh!" he said stopping in his tracks as he seen AJ move away from Kyndall quickly. "I'm…I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just wanted to tell ya that Miranda called. She needs you to come home. Something happened at the club."
AJ looked at Kyndall his eyes full of pain. "I'm…I'm sorry," he whispered as he jogged towards the house.
"Yeah. I'm sure you are," she said softly, wrapping her arms around herself and looking at Howie.
Kyndall walked over to the picnic table and sat down, burying her head in her arms. Howie walked over, putting his hand on her back, rubbing it back and forth. "What happened?" he asked softly.
"He kissed me," she mumbled into the table.
"What?"
Sighing, she turned her head towards Howie, still resting it on her arms. "He kissed me."
"Why?" he asked looking at her funny.
"Because he wanted to? I don't know," she said closing her eyes. A tear slid slowly down her cheek.
"Aww, sweetheart," he said wiping it away gently. "What did he say?"
"He…he told me that he liked me. A lot. More than he should," she turned away, her chin now resting on her arms as she looked across the yard. "He doesn't know what he should do. He's confused as to how to leave her, if he should leave her, if he really wants to be with me…so on and so on."
Howie nodded. "And what do you think?" he asked looking at her closely.
"That my heart has been completely ripped from my chest. There is this empty spot that only he can fill. I know that now…especially now. I can't stand the thought of not being with him," she sighed again. "When I was in his arms, it was right. The way it should be. The way I always dreamed it would be. And for a brief moment, that emptiness was gone."
"But then I had to come out and ruin it," Howie mumbled, feeling guilty.
"No. Real life once again butted in," she said smiling sadly at him. "I'm never going to have him. I should just face that fact. He's always going to be with her."
"You don't know that," he countered. "He kissed you didn't he?"
"I'm sure I'm not the first," she stated. "Besides, you see how quickly he caves in when she calls his name." Kyndall shook her head. "He's never going to be rid of her, and I'm not going to sit on the sidelines and wait hopelessly for it to happen," she said standing up and walking towards the house.
"Hey J," Brian called as AJ almost ran out of the house.
"What?" he asked stopping and looking at them.
"Where ya going? You didn't even say hi," Brian said looking at him funny. "You okay man?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," he said fidgeting with his rings. "Look, Miranda needs me."
"Yeah. Miranda, your GIRLFRIEND," Crystal said looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"I know who she is Crys, I don't need you reminding me."
"Why don't you stay and finish the movie," Nick said pointing at the TV.
"Nah, I really have to go," he said glancing towards the backdoor.
"What's your rush?" Leighanne asked. "You run in and you run out. What's up?"
"Nothing. I just have to go," he said looking around at them. His eyes settled on Catlyn who was quietly observing him from her corner. Their eyes locked for a few moments before AJ looked away.
"Oh come on AJ, it won't hurt you to finish the movie. I'm sure Miranda will still be waiting for ya when you get there," Catlyn said patting the floor next to her.
"Fine. Just til the end of the movie," he said walking over and sitting down.
"Don't you think you should call Randa?" Crystal asked glaring at Catlyn.
"Nah, she'll be okay," AJ mumbled turning his attention towards the movie. He slung his arm across the arm of the couch behind Catlyn's head, his other resting on his leg that was bent at the knee.
"Hey Catlyn," Kyndall said walking into the room. "Can we -" She stopped cold as she seen AJ sitting next to her friend. "I thought you were leaving."
Catlyn smiled softly. "I talked him into staying."
"What for?" Kyndall asked looking at her.
"That's what I was asking," Crystal said looking from Kyndall to Catlyn. "Miranda IS waiting for him to come home."
"I'm hanging out with my friends," AJ snapped. "IF she doesn't like that, then tough. Life sucks for us all sometimes."
Catlyn stifled a giggled behind the pillow she was holding. AJ patted the empty spot on the floor next to him, but Kyndall looked past him and sat down on the other side of the couch. AJ looked over at Howie who was just walking in. He just shook his head. AJ looked over at Kyndall a look of hurt, questioning, regret, and longing in his eyes.
