It took a lot of persuasion, but eventually AJ convinced Kayla to move in with him officially. She had spent all her time at his place since she and Nick broke up, sleeping on his couch, even though he had a plethora of rooms for her to stay in. Finally though she took a room as her own, and moved out of the apartment she so seldom stayed in. He knew she was having a hard time trusting anyone, and to move in with him was a scary step, even though they were just friends. But AJ wanted to take care of her more than anything, to make sure she was going to be all right after everything Nick had put her through, everything he himself had put her through. He was hurting too, Jenna still hadn't contacted him, and he needed Kayla as much as he imagined she needed him. Even with Kayla around, he was still completely lost without Jenna in his life, she was all he could think of, and his life seemed so lonely without her. Every night he woke up in a cold sweat dreaming about her, and he wasn't the only one. Kayla had been having nightmares night after night as well, and they just got worse after she had gone to Nick's one day to pick up whatever things she had left at his apartment. He didn't know what she had seen, or heard that triggered them, but he couldn't have been more worried, and more riddled with guilt.
Kayla of course, with her stubborn ways, had refused to talk about anything since the night she had broken down at the hotel. And he had been trying to avoid Nick at all costs. Worried about what he would say to him, worried more about seeing Jenna. He was especially worried knowing Nick was in town, and that Jenna was working and living in Orlando now. Not that he didn't want to see her, it was just scary to face the person that consumed his life, knowing she didn't feel the same way. So, to cope, he and Kayla had become shut ins, which was both helpful and hurtful to them. In the happy world they had created in his house their friendship had returned to what it used to be. Laughter, happiness and fun surrounded them, but beneath it all they were both miserable. Wallowing seperately in their own self-pity underneath one roof, and pretending they were happy. It was killing both of them, and AJ knew it.
Now with things suddenly bringing Nick and AJ in proximity of each other, he didn't know how he was going to deal with the intricate web of deceit he had built. It was common for all of them to bring their wives or girlfriends with them when they were recording, or working on anything, and he knew sooner or later his path would cross with Jenna's. The other three guys seemed so intrigued by the fact that Nick and Jenna were back together, but AJ kept as far away from it as possible. He knew why Jenna was back, and what had happened with Kayla - he created the whole thing.
AJ stretched his arms behind his head as he lay in his bed, two many thoughts ran through his mind to sleep in this morning, but he couldn't imagine getting out of bed either. He could hear Kayla awake somewhere in the house, but all his thoughts had turned to guilt again and he wasn't ready to face her yet this morning. He shut his eyes and tried to think of anything at all that would allow his mind to shut itself off.
AJ awoke when his door opened, he wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or not. His eyes met Kayla's as she sat down on his bed, her hand coming to her face, and her lip quivering beneath it.
"Kay, what's wrong." He asked, tears immediately filled her eyes. "What is it?" He asked, hia hand rubbing her back.
"Oh god, I didn't think I'd react like this." He could feel the way her body trembled. "I thought I was strong, I thought I could take seeing him. But I can't."
"Where did you see him?" AJ asked, knowing the 'him' she spoke of. He assumed she had seen a picture of him, or seen an old interview on television, he never expected to hear that he was downstairs in this very house. When Kayla told him, he felt the impending aneurysm he was going to have.
"He wants to talk to you." Kayla sputtered.
"I'm sorry Kayla."
"What for?" She asked.
"For all of this. Him, you, everything." AJ said, lowering his gaze to the blankets on the bed.
"AJ, you don't understand. I can't breathe right now, and it fucking kills me that he is doing this to me." She cried, curling into his lap. "Why can't you just stop loving someone as easy as you can walk away from them."
"I don't know why Kay. Trust me, I wish I knew." He let her lay there until her tears subsided, 'Nick can wait.' he thought.
AJ stared at Nick with hostility as he came down the stairs. Kayla stayed in his room crying silently to herself on his bed. "What are you doing here so early?" He said as he went into the kitchen, putting on a pot of coffee to wake himself up.
"What is she doing here?" Nick said to him.
"She's living here." He said vaguely, sitting down at the table with his coffee.
Nick sat down next to him. "Why is she living here? What the hell is going on?"
"What do you think is going on?" AJ was trying to annoy him, hoping he'd just get sick of the questions.
"Seriously AJ, what's up? Why is she here?" It wasn't working.
"Why do you think she's here?"
"Don't be fucking evasive with me AJ." Nick yelled. "Why is my ex-girlfriend living at your house?"
"Why do you care so much Nick? You tossed her to the curb, remember?"
"Did you tell Jenna I wasn't seeing anyone so you could have Kayla? Is that it?"
"I never said anything to Jenna."
"Oh yeah, cause I'm sure she pulled that whole conversation from her ass. Kayla probably did the same thing when she told me you said I'd end up hurting her."
"No, I told Kayla to stay away from you." He was growing angrier and angrier.
"Why?"
"Well just look at what you did to her. I knew you'd do it, so I warned her. Too bad she didn't take my advice to heart."
"I can't believe you'd do this to me. I thought you were my friend AJ."
"You aren't my only friend Nick."
"Are you sleeping with her?"
"That's none of your business." He replied flatly. "Your involvement in Kayla's life ended when you ripped out her heart. Fine. I'm not sleeping with her. She's looking for work in Orlando so I'm letting her stay with me for awhile. We're just friends. We have been for a long time."
"How long?"
"None of your business."
Nick stood up and turned to walk out of the kitchen. "Stay out of my life AJ." He shot before leaving.
AJ breathed a sigh of relief when Nick walked out the door. His heart raced, and his palms were sweating like crazy. He was just glad Nick hadn't noticed how agitated his presence had made him. He went up stairs as soon as he had calmed down a bit, searching for Kayla. She was still sitting in his room, her knees drawn to her chest on the bed, rocking lightly. She looked like she hadn't moved one bit since he left.
"You okay?" He asked, sitting down next to her.
"Not really." She muttered. "AJ, what did Nick mean when he said you told Jenna he wasn't seeing anyone? Did you talk to her?"
"I don't know what Nick was talking about Kay. I think he was just trying to make me the bad one in his mind." He comforted, playing off Nick's comments, wondering how much she had heard. "He thinks we're sleeping together though. Seemed pretty pissed about it."
"Good." She stated. "I hope it keeps him awake at night."
"Nice to see your vengeful side is back!"
"I don't want vengeance. I don't want anything to do with him." Kayla stated laying her head down on his shoulder. "But, AJ, now that he knows I'm here, I can't stay. I can just see him coming over to try and make friends. I can't handle that."
"He won't keep coming over Kay, I promise. Don't leave because of him." AJ pleaded, he couldn't bear to lose her too.
"It's not because of him, really it isn't. I can't keep running from him, I need to just move ahead with my own life, and cope with it all. As much as I've loved living here, being with you, we both know I've been hiding. We've both been hiding from our demons, and seeing him just made me realize it." She sighed.
"What makes you think I'm hiding from demons?" He asked, wondering just how much she really knew.
"Please." She said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "I've know you long enough to know that something is weighing on your heart or your mind AJ, it takes someone who's living it to recognize it. And it's okay that you don't want to talk about it with me."
"Someday." He nodded, taking ahold of her hand.
"I've been meaning to go visit my brother in Texas." Kayla stated. "I think now would be a perfect time, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do." He said. Kayla was right about everything, and though he loved having Kayla there, with Jenna telling Nick things, he knew this was going to blow up in his face sooner or later, and he'd just rather Kayla be gone when it happened. She'd already been hurt enough by all of this. "We should do something before you go though!"
"What's that?"
"Well if
he thinks we're sleeping together, we might as well make it true.
No harm no foul right?" Kayla laughed and rolled her eyes at him.
At least I can still give her a smile, he thought.