“J it's me, call me back when you get in, I miss ya. Bye,” Dani said.  AJ listened to the message and really wanted to talk to her.  He sighed and picked up the phone, punching in her numbers.  AJ listened to the other line ring until someone picked up.

     “Hello,” said the other voice on the line.

     “Ummm, hi, may I speak to Dani please?”

    “Who’s calling?”

    “This is her friend AJ,” he said politely.  He didn’t like the third degree he kept getting when he tried calling Dani.  He assumed this person was her mother because she seemed a little nicer than Lauren had been last time.

     “Just one moment please,” she said in a mild tone.  AJ heard her yell for Dani.  He also heard her say that it was someone named AJ.  AJ smiled a little as he could hear Dani coming to the phone.

     “I’m glad it’s you!” Dani said happily to AJ.  He smiled.

     “I’m glad that you’re glad it’s me!  What’s up?”  He fiddled with a lighter between his fingers.

     “AJ, you are the only person in my life that I trust right now,” Dani said.  AJ could sense something was wrong and could tell she was about to cry.

     “Hey doll, talk to me.  What’s goin’ on?”

     “Brian slept with my sister.”  AJ’s ears perked up.

     “What? When? Recently? Since you’ve been home? Holy shit!”  AJ played with the lighter a little more.

     “No, not recently.  Well, I mean, at least I don’t think so.  It happened the summer before I moved to Florida,” she said.  AJ’s eyes got bigger as he listened to Dani talk.  His heart sank for her because he knew how she felt about Brian.  “Brian said it was the reason he let me go.  God AJ, how am I supposed to deal with this?”  AJ bit the inside of his cheek so as not to say anything offensive.  He didn’t like Brian and he didn’t even know him.  “I feel like I’m being ripped apart,” she said.  AJ let out a breath.

     “Son of a bitch.  Do you need me? I can come up if you want me to,” he said sweetly.  He could hear Dani smile a little.  She took a breath.

     “AJ, you know you can’t afford it.  I’ll be okay, I guess.  I mean, I just can’t get past why they would do this to me.  Brian was my best friend, and we knew each other better than anyone.  And Lauren…Lauren was the ONLY person who knew how much I loved him.  I don’t understand why she’d do that to me,” she said.  She sniffled a little.  AJ furrowed his brow and sighed.  He didn’t know what to do or say.  He cleared his throat.

     “Man, I just don’t know what to say.  But, Dan, if you need me, I’ll do what I have to do to get there,” he said.

     “No AJ, please.  I’m fine.  All I’d do if you were here is bitch and moan, and I can do that over the phone,” she laughed.

    “How are you anyway?  The last time we talked you were thinkin’ about her again.”  AJ sunk a little further down in his bed.  He sighed.

     “Well…” he sighed.  There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

     “AJ, please don’t tell me she’s still getting to you,” Dani said.  AJ sighed again.

     “It’s not her so much…” he said quietly.

     “Darlin’, I’m not a mind reader, just tell me what’s up!”  Dani said.  AJ bit the inside of his cheek.  He didn’t want to have to go through all the humility he’d suffered through after Chrissy, but he needed to talk.

     “Okay, so, remember that girl that I was telling you about before? The one I sort of freaked out on? Well, we started hangin’ out and havin’ a good time with each other.  We were getting to be good friends and one night, we just sorta…well, ya know…one thing led to another…and…”

     “So, what’s the problem?” Dani said trying to fill the silence AJ left.

     “Well, so, you know, we did it and all.  Then, I start thinkin’ about Maria, and I fuckin’ freaked out.  Like, I woke up pretty happy and then started thinkin’ about her, the next thing I know, I’m throwin’ my clothes on as fast as possible and leaving.  I said like two words to her.  I feel like such a dipshit,” he said as embarrassment crept into his voice.

     “What did she say?”

     “I haven’t talked to her since then,” he said.  He heard Dani sigh.

     “J, do you know what we think when you don’t talk to us or call us?  We think we’ve been used!  Do you like the girl?”  AJ laid down on the bed and rubbed his eyes.

     “I care about her a lot.  She’s my friend.  I didn’t use her Dan, I swear,” he said.

     “AJ, you know I believe you.  But call her.  Go see her.  Do something!  Why do you let Maria do that to you?  Can’t you see how much she’s screwing up your life?”  AJ knew Dani was right, but it still didn’t make it any less painful when she said it.

     “I know.  I don’t know why I let her do this to me, but I do.  Maybe it’s just not my time to be seeing anyone else,” he said sadly.

     “It’s a little too late to be thinking that.  You slept with the girl, and if you care about her like you say you do, then you have to at least talk to her.  You have to do something,” Dani said.  AJ nodded his head in agreement.

     “I know I do.  I’m sure she hates me though,” he said.

     “She has the right to hate you AJ!”

     “I know! I know! I just don’t want her to, that’s all.  I liked being with her.  And, Dan, that night was fucking incredible.”  Dani laughs a little.

     “Like literally?”  AJ rolled his eyes.

     “You know what I mean!” He rolled his eyes at his friends joke. “ I just don’t wanna lose something that may or may not turn out to be anything.  She’s cool,” he said.

 AJ lit another cigarrette.

     “What’s her name?” Dani asked.

     “Chrissy,” AJ said as he exhaled.

     “Well, in my humble opinion, Chrissy sounds like she might be good for you.  Don’t fuck it up anymore than you already have.  And, I mean that in my “brutally honest cause I love you” kind of  way,” Dani chuckled.  AJ smiled a little.

     “Yeah, I know.  I’m gonna try and pull myself outta the shitter on this one, trust me,” he said.

     “Good!” Dani said.  She paused for a moment.  “ Why do our lives have to suck so much?”

     “They could be a lot worse Dan,” AJ said reassuringly.  He hoped that statement wasn’t true, but he always knew it could be.

     “My sister is sleeping with the person I’m in love with, please don’t tell me it can get worse than that!”  AJ laughed a little.

     “Okay, so maybe YOUR life sucks a whole hell of a lot!” he laughed.

     “Thanks!” Dani laughed.  “I’ll be sure to mention your support to my therapist!”

     “Hey girl, anything I can do to help,” he chuckled.

     “Believe me, you’ve helped,” Dani said.  AJ smiled.

     “I’m glad.  You helped me too,” he said.  He was feeling better about the situation.

     “I try. Look I gotta go, but call me later.  Lemme know about things with Chrissy,” she said.

     “Alright.  Later girl. Love you,” AJ said.

     “Love you too! Bye!” she said as she hung up the phone.  AJ hung up the phone and laid back down on his bed.  He thought about all that Chrissy had said and knew that she was right.  He did have to talk to Chrissy.  But, was it too late?  How could explain what he had done to her?  Only one way to find out McLean.  Go talk to her, he thought.  AJ knew he’d have to talk to her, but he was afraid of what she’d say or how she’d react.  AJ was also afraid of what he’d feel if Chrissy did reject him.  He didn’t know if he could go through pain like that again.  AJ didn’t understand why he was worried about being rejected by Chrissy, but he was, and he was afraid to lose her.