"NO!!" Brian shrieked. "You can NOT do that!"
"Yes, yes I can. Know why? Because _I_ am a GOD!!" AJ grinned.
"Dammit man. It's WRONG!"
"HAHA!" AJ grinned and handed the Nintendo controller to Nick. "Your turn to kick his sorry ass."
Brian laughed. "HIM? Kick MY ass? Yeah RIGHT!!"
"Is that a challenge I hear?" Nick asked getting up from the couch where he and Alesha were sitting reading comics. She looked up and smiled. Shaking her head, she watched Nick and Brian play basketball. Nick lost the first game.
"Just warming up," he said grinning.
"Shoulda picked the Heat," Alesha mumbled looking back at her comic book.
"The HEAT?!? The Bull's would kick their ass any day!"
"Oh really?" she asked raising an eyebrow. She sat her book down, slid off the couch, and crawled next to Brian. "Do you mind?"
He grinned. "This should be interesting," he said handing her the controller.
Alesha quickly chose the Miami Heat, and she and Nick began the game.
"QUIT!"
"Dammit."
"Gotcha."
"Haha."
"NOOOO."
"Grrr..."
"And ONE!!"
"Dammit, that was a FOUL!"
"HAHA! As I said," Alesha grinned and kissed him, "shoulda picked the Heat." She handed the controller back to Brian and crawled back over to the couch leaving Nick staring after her.
"Did you see that?" Nick asked amazed.
Brian laughed. "Yeah, she wiped the floor with you."
"I love that woman," Nick said turning back to the TV. Brian looked at him funny, shrugged, and turned towards the screen. He started laughing as Nick picked the Heat.
"What the hell, Agee?" Alesha asked annoyed. He was reading over her shoulder.
"Why do you read that crap?" he asked.
"It's not crap."
"You're a girl. Aren't you suppose to be reading romance novels or fashion magazines or something?"
Alesha glared at him. "Just because I'm a girl, I shouldn't be reading comics?" He nodded. She gave him a disgusted look. "Whatever," she said turning around as the front door opened. "LORI!! Hey chickie."
AJ grinned and looked up. His face fell when he seen Kevin with his arm around her. He bopped Alesha lightly on the head, glaring at her. "What?!?" she asked.
"You. Now. Come on," he said. He walked down the hall into the poolroom. Alesha sighed and followed. He slammed the door shut, and said through clenched teeth, "What the FUCK is she doing with him?!?"
"I don't know AJ. Go ask her," Alesha said glaring at him.
"YOU were suppose to be hooking ME up with her. Not running around behind my back setting her up with Kevin."
"AJ. Lori is 25 years old. She can do whatever the fuck she pleases. I do not, nor do I want to, control her life. I did not set her up with Kevin. They did that on their own. I wasn't about to jump in the middle of it and say, 'Oh by the way Lori. You can't have Kevin. You have to be with AJ.'."
"Why the hell not?" he asked almost whining.
"Because if you had gotten off your slow ass and made the first move, maybe you would've had the chance. But being that Kevin called her the day after he met her, I'd say he was a little more interested."
AJ sighed and threw himself on the couch dramatically. "I'm sorry, Lesh. I didn't mean to yell at you. I shouldn't be surprised. I'm an obnoxious asshole. She deserves someone better."
Alesha laughed. "Oh stop."
"Do my misfortunes amuse you?"
"No, you amuse me. Come on," she said dragging him off the couch.
"AJ!!!!!!!" Brian yelled. "PHONE!!!!"
"Got it!!" he called and ran into his room.
Alesha started to walk out of the room, and tripped over a pillow that AJ had flung onto the floor. A pair of strong arms caught her as she stumbled out of the room. She looked up into two deep brown eyes full of concern. "Heyhey," Howie said smiling.
"Hey! When did you get here?" she asked softly.
"A few minutes ago." Realizing that he was still holding her, he slowly let go.
"Sorry about that," she said.
He smiled and winked. "Don't worry about it."
"What have you been up to?" she asked.
"Oh...visiting family. Hanging out with AJ," his eyes locked with hers and her heart started racing. "How have you been?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Hanging out with Nick. Never a dull moment."
He nodded. "So what are you doing in here?"
She sighed. "AJ was yelling at me."
Once again his eyes filled with concern. "Why would he yell at you?"
"Because Lori's with Kevin."
Confused, he asked. "And that's your fault?"
Alesha looked at him and said, "It's AJ."
"True. So what are --"
"Hey D!!! What're ya doing with my woman?" Nick asked coming up behind him.
"Ahahah!!" AJ said jumping out of his room. He twirled around and walked off singing.
o~/It's all ending/I gotta stop pretending who we are/You and me/I can see us dying/Are we?/~o
Alesha looked after him her eyes wide with fright. "Ummm...yeah..." she said making a face.
Howie laughed. "Strange person."
"Leshangel, I'm bored," Nick whined laying his head on her shoulder.
"What do you want me to do about it?" she asked patting him on the head.
"Entertain me," he said grinning wickedly.
"On that note, I'm going," Howie said winking at Alesha and walking away.
"Let's go bowling," Nick said.
She wrinkled her nose. "Ewww. I hate bowling."
"Me too," he said making a face.
"How about some basketball?" she asked.
His face lit up. "Really?"
She laughed. "Yeah."
"Cool. Bri, too?"
"Whatever," she said smiling as Nick ran off.
Soon Alesha, AJ, Nick and Brian were deeply involved in a game of ball. Alesha and Nick were on a team against AJ and Brian.
"Off," AJ said missing his shot.
"Way off," Nick grinned.
"And one," Brian said as Nick failed in his attempt to block his shot.
"Nothing but ball, BRok," Nick said. Brian grinned and shrugged.
"YES!!" Alesha grinned as she made a 3-pointer.
"That was swoosh, too. HAHA!" Nick said. He jumped to make a rebound and fell right on his butt. He laid back and said, "I'm done.".
Alesha walked over and stood above him, looking down. "Get up lazy butt. We aren't done."
He smiled up at her, squinting at the sun. He raised his arms for her to help him up, but instead of moving, he pulled her down on him. He kissed her softly. "I love you."
Laughing she got up. "Freak," she said kicking him softly in the side.
"Broken ribs, guys. Can't continue," Nick said getting up and holding his side.
