Howie paced in front of the door waiting for AJ to answer. He'd been there for ten minutes now waiting. He knew AJ was home, both of his vehicles were there. Why he didn't answer the door, Howie didn't have a clue. "It's about fucking time," he muttered as AJ stuck his head out the door.
"Howie. What are you doing here?" AJ asked looking at his friend. Seeing the look of unmasked hatred on Howie's face took him by surprise. He almost didn't recognize him; his face was distorted by rage.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Howie asked as he stepped in the house and AJ shut the door.
"What do you mean? I'm letting you in," AJ said pointing at the door.
"You know damn well that is not what I'm talking about. How could you? After you promised me. After you sat there and promised me you wouldn't do it." Howie's eyes flashed.
"What are you talking about?" AJ shouted trying to get Howie's attention.
"You fucking slept with her and then left her for Miranda," Howie shouted back. He stood looking at AJ, his fists at his side, clenching and unclenching.
"I didn't leave her for Miranda. Miranda left me. Before Kyndall even came over." AJ walked over to the couch and sat down. "Don't you think I feel like shit for what happened?"
"Ya know what? I really don't care how you feel about anything," Howie said looking at AJ. "You obviously don't give a fuck what anyone else thinks or feels."
"That is unfair," AJ exclaimed. "I care more than you think about what Kyndall's going through. I've been trying to talk to her all day, but Catlyn won't let me. I've called her a million times, but Cat keeps hanging up on me."
"Good for her. You don't deserve to talk to her AJ. You don't deserve anything from her. Haven't you put her through enough? Don't you think you should leave her alone. Let her get on with her life?" Howie asked.
"What?" AJ looked at him in shock. "I'm supposed to just turn my back and walk away from the woman I love? I'm supposed to just walk away without trying to do something about what I've lost?"
Howie looked at AJ in disgust. "Man, you don't even care about the hell you've put her through. You don't even know." He shook his head. "You just keep running back to Miranda, regardless of everything that Kyndall has given you. You've been blessed with the best of everything this world has to offer, yet you turn your back on it the minute Miranda comes into the picture. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
AJ stood up and walked over to where Howie was standing. Getting in his face, AJ yelled loudly, poking his finger into Howie's chest, "Don't fucking judge me on something you have no fucking clue about." AJ glared at Howie. "I was in shock okay. Miranda left without saying goodbye. I've fucking given her everything I've had for four fucking years and one day she's gone. Just poof! Vanished. What the hell was I supposed to do? Throw a party. Forgive me for being overcome by regret at the fact that I spent the last four years of my life living a lie. That's a lot of fucking time to have wasted."
"Awww…poor AJ. Waking up to realize he'd been living with a dead-end romance," Howie rolled his eyes and stepping back. "Dude, I have no sympathy for you. You had heaven in your hands and you let it go."
"I didn't realize that until last night after she left," AJ sighed. His eyes filled with tears and he had to turn away so Howie didn't see him.
"Man, you're pathetic. I can't believe even you would do something like this. I'm outta here," Howie said standing up and walking towards the door. Before he walked out, he turned and looked at AJ who was sitting with his head in his hands, staring at the floor. "Just stay away from her. You can at least respect her that much. If you love her in anyway, you'll at least do that for her," he said before walking out the door.
AJ sat in the stillness of the empty house, staring at nothing. He could almost hear the sound of his heart breaking inside his chest. He could feel the pain of his loss welling up inside him. The tears fell without anything bothering to hold them back. His world was falling apart around him, the walls closing in. He couldn't take living with his mistake for the rest of his life. HE couldn't live without trying to get her back. No matter what it cost him. "I can't leave her alone," AJ said sadly closing his eyes. "It's not a matter of respect. It's a matter of my sanity. I need her." He got up slowly and walked to the phone, dialing the number, praying that Kyndall rather than Catlyn answered.
