"Are you sure about this?" Alesha asked as Nick climbed into the passenger seat of her car. "It is almost an eight hour trip."
"Yeah," he said. "As long as…" he pulled the seat lever, smiling as it fell all the way back. Reclining, he grinned at her. "Oh yeah. It's all good," he said placing his hand on her leg. "Wanna join me?"
"Oh sure," she said. "Then who's gonna drive."
"Oh yeah," he said grinning sheepishly. "I suppose…" he sighed. "I'll just go over here and sleep the trip away. Alone. In my corner."
"Whatever, goof," Alesha said handing him the CD case and starting the car.
"Well, I'll just remember this the next time we're alone together," he mumbled. "Hmmm…" he said righting the seat and flipping through the case. "Darlin, what is this?" he asked pointing at the case.
Alesha glanced over. "George Strait," she grinned.
"Country?" he asked arching a brow.
"Yup," she said laughing at his disapproving gaze. "I AM from Oklahoma," she pointed out.
"Oh yeah. Lil miss HICK herself," he teased.
"Pick a CD and shut up," she reached over and pulled his hat down over his eyes.
"Hey!" he grumbled, turning it around backwards. "Metallica, KoRn, Godsmack, Me, NEWKIDS?" he said looking at her. Shaking his head, he scanned the next couple of pages. "What is THIS?" horrified at the disc that was in front of him.
Looking over quickly Alesha started laughing. "One of my all time favorite CDs, Nickums. In fact," she said reaching for it, "I think I wanna listen to it right now."
"Oh hell no," he said smacking her hand away. "You put that godawful noise in the player and I'm walking my ass to St. Louis."
Alesha grinned. "I'm just teasing. I only bought the stupid thing for one song."
"Which song?" he asked giving the CD an evil eye.
"'God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You'," she replied. "Other than that, I don't like em at all."
"That's only cuz you learned what REAL music is," he grinned and nodded his head.
"Whatever," she said. "Pick a CD. I need music."
Smiling to himself, he continued his inventory of her music selection."No Doubt, KoRn, Me, Me, Me, Metallica, Green Day. Green Day? Cool," he pulled out Dookie and put it in the player. He flipped it to number seven and started bouncing around and singing.
o~/Do you have the time/To listen to me whine (Alesha: No)/About nothing and everything all at once (Alesha: Typical)/I am one of those/Melodramatic fools (Alesha: You've no idea)/Neurotic to the bone/No doubt about it/Sometimes I give myself the creeps (Alesha: Me too)/Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me/It all keeps adding up/I think I'm cracking up (Alesha: Ya think?)/Am I just paranoid (Alesha: Prolly)/Am I just stoned/~o
Turning the stereo down he looked at her. "Did you notice anything weird between AJ and Lori?"
Looking at him, forgetting she was driving, she stared. "AJ…and…Lori?" Alesha asked slowly. "Why?" Turning her attention back to the road, she righted the car as it was slowly making its way into the ditch.
Arching a brow, he shrugged looking through the CDs again. "There seems to be something going on. Not that it's really any of MY business," he glanced over at Alesha who seemed deep in thought. "I'm right aren't I?"
Alesha nodded slowly then shook her head. "But…how did…"
"I'm not really as dumb as people think I am," he said changing CDs. "I do pay attention. I just don't talk about it a lot because most of what is going on isn't really worth my time. Most of it isn't even really any of my affair. Besides," he grinned. "If people knew I was catching on to stuff, I couldn't get away with most of what I do." Alesha giggled at him. Settling back in his seat as Bryan Adams played quietly from the stereo he asked, "So, what's up?"
"The night they were locked in his room," Alesha started slowly. "They finished something they had started back in St. Petersburg."
"Hmm…" he said deep in thought."And what was that?"
"Well, apparently, Lori was worried about never seeing Kevin again. And she was also worried about us," she smiled over at him. "So, she was down in the lounge just hanging out. I think Kevin was asleep or something..."
"Prolly with Carrie," he mumbled.
"What?" Alesha asked glancing over at him.
Shaking his head, he waved his hand. "Nothing. I'll tell you in a minute."
Giving him a look, she continued. "Anywho, AJ found her down there and took her out to a club. They drank some and went back to his room," trying not laugh as Nick was shaking his head and making "tsktsk" noises, she finished. "But before anything really happened, Lori ran from the room."
"That explains that chick he brought to dinner."
Alesha nodded. "Ate her up that he was with someone else."
"And what do you think about all this?"
Alesha shrugged. "It's her life, her decision. I'm just here to comfort her if she screws up, to congratulate her when she wins, or to cheer her along when it gets rough. I just want her happy."
"Hmm…" he repeated. They rode in silence for a while. Nick singing along softly to the music.
Realizing he had forgotten his earlier statement, she looked over at him. "So...what's this about Carrie?" Alesha asked.
He looked startled for a second. "Oh yeah," he smiled. "Well, Carrie has been around as long as the group. Her and Kevin are friends from when he was working at Disney, if I remember correctly," Nick said. "Her and AJ kind of hooked up from the beginning. They tried dating seriously, but they were too busy fighting and arguing to make it work." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat. "Kevin has always had a thing for her though. She and him have hooked up occassionally. Nothing serious, and not a lot. Just the casual fling, I guess. No one is suppose to know about it. Least of all AJ. But I happened up her leaving his room one night," he shook his head. "She didn't see me or anything." He shrugged. "Doesn't matter much to me. She's cool and all. It's Kevin and AJ's life, not mine."
"Wow," Alesha said softly. "And Lori was feeling guilty about her and AJ."
"She shouldn't. I mean, I can tell that AJ cares about her. There's something in the way that he acts around her that is NEVER there when he's around any other chick," Nick mumbled.
"Hmmm..." Alesha said softly, her mind drifting off into deep thoughts. Alesha glanced over and seen him sleeping. She smiled softly. Flipping the CD to number eight she sang along softly.
o~/Rescue me/From the mire/Whisper words/Of desire/Rescue me/Darling rescue me/With your arms/Open wide/Want you here/By my side/Come to me/Darling rescue me/When this world's closing in/There's no need to pretend/Set me free/Darling rescue me/Oh/I don't wanna let you go/So I'm standing/In your way/I never needed anyone/Like I'm needing you today/Do I have to say the words/Do I have to tell the truth/Do I have to shout it out/Do I have to say a prayer/Must I prove to you/How good we are together/Do I have to say the words/Rescue me/From despair/Tell me you/Will be there/Help me please/Darling rescue me/Every dream that we share/Every cross that we bear/Can't you see/Darling rescue me/Yeah/I don't wanna let you go/So I'm standing/In your way/I never needed anyone/Like I'm needing you today/Do I have to say the words/Do I have to tell the truth/Do I have to shout it out/Do I have to say a prayer/Must I prove to you/How good we are together/Do I have to say the words/Yeah/ Do I have to say the words/Do I have to tell the truth/Do I have to shout it out/Do I have to say a prayer/Must I prove to you/How good we are together/Do I have to say the words/So good together/Come to me sweet sweet darling/Rescue me/Set me free/Set me free babe/~o
