It backfired. All of it.
AJ had the pedal of his car planted on the floor as he sped on the freeway. He was so angry he didn't know what to do. It backfired, he still couldn't believe it. All the planning and scheming was worthless and wasted. All the time and effort AJ'd spent to end Nick and Jenna's relationship. It was all for nothing. Nick wouldn't even drink a beer with him anymore. He wouldn't go out, he wouldn't do anything. He said Jenna was too important to him, and for the past three weeks he'd stuck to it.
She hadn't broken up with him.
Jenna told him Nick had promised to give everything up, and that she believed him. He didn't know who was more stupid. Jenna for believing Nick, or himself for thinking his stupid plan would work.
AJ threw the square glass bottle of Jack Daniels out the window of the car after finishing it off. Turning up the heavy rock beats that reverberated from his over-priced car stereo. He didn't give a shit if he died, he was already living in the deepest pits of hell. He'd corrupted Nick to an unforgivable level, getting him high, drunk and laid, sometimes all at the same time. All for Jenna, and she'd still forgiven everything Nick had done. She'd given Nick yet another chance. She had never given AJ another chance, not one. It wasn't fair.
AJ didn't think he could take much more. Whatever life he had left in him was slowly being eaten away by the knowledge that he might never have her back. As he sped past the bright lights along the freeway at a speed he didn't even want to know, he imagined sitting in the audience at her wedding to Nick, seeing them together for the rest of his life. Growing old alone and unhappy all because Nick had been in her path on the day of the launch party. He couldn't help but hate him for it.
Bright flashing lights snapped him out of his trance and he swore loudly to himself as he noticed the police car in his rearview mirror, coming closer and closer to him as he slowed down.
"Fuck!" He shouted, popping several pieces of gum in his mouth as he pulled onto the shoulder, turning his music off. His hands shook nervously on the wheel, as he watched out his rear-view mirror. The last thing I need is to be all over the news for drinking and driving, he thought to himself. A sigh of relief coursed through his veins as the police car passed him on the highway. He rested his head on the wheel for a moment before opening the car door and reliving the bottle of JD he'd drunk into the ditch.
His hands still shook as he got back in his car, sitting for a moment on the shoulder of the road. He wanted to scream and cry and yell at everything and everyone. Once more, he thought to himself. I'll just try one more time and if it doesn't work I'll give up.
AJ pulled back out into what little traffic was on the road so late at night, precariously driving back home, this time driving the speed limit.
A few weeks passed before AJ was given the only chance he'd have to put what he hoped would be the final wedge between Nick and Jenna. He hadn't spoken to her in a few days because she was away visiting family, but she had called him late last night so he could help with her surprise to Nick. She was coming home early.
In fact she was coming home in a few hours. Right in the middle of the big party AJ had convinced Nick to have. The party he had assured Nick Jenna wouldn't find out about since she would only be home next week. He wasn't sure why Nick agreed to the party, but he knew with Jenna out of town for so long that Nick would be vulnerable and he preyed on him like a buzzard to a carcass.
Nick's house was packed with people, mainly people AJ didn't know, but it didn't make any difference. He wasn't in a party mood, but he'd play along for a little while.
As he danced with someone who's name he'd already forgotten, AJ watched Nick sitting outside talking to Howie's wife Christine. He was surprised to see her talking to Nick. As far as AJ knew they didn't really know each other all that well, but with Howie out of town she had to talk to someone.
AJ walked away from the girl he was dancing with, not even bothering to say anything to her. Something about the way Nick and Christine were leaned in towards each other bothered him. He'd seen that look in Nick before. He'd practically taught Nick that look, but even he wasn't morally decrepit enough to sleep with Howie's wife.
He watched as they both finished drink after drink, laughing, smiling and touching each other as they talked. He wanted to stop it, to get her away from Nick before something bad happened. He was fully aware of the person he had turned Nick into. But something held him back. Something kept him in the house watching what was unfolding like an accident, his morality and his mind screaming different things at him.
Can I do that to Howie?
Jenna will come back to you.
Howie will be crushed, and you could have stopped it.
You have no control over what Nick and Christine do.
Who do
you love more? Howie or Jenna?
It was one thing to introduce Nick to random one night stands, but to consciously let him cheat on Jenna with someone they both knew was something even AJ couldn't do. He had intended to separate them and introduce Nick to someone else, but by the time he decided to go out and stop it, Nick and Christine had disappeared. AJ felt sick to his stomach thinking about Christine cheating on Howie. This wasn't his fault. It was Nick's. How could Nick do that to Howie? Maybe they aren't together, maybe they aren't...
AJ shook the thoughts out of his head and looked down at his watch. He had to go, Jenna would be at the airport soon, and he needed to be there when she got home. For the first time in months AJ didn't want Jenna to find out about Nick's newest conquest and he fully intended to keep her occupied for as long as possible. This was one affair Jenna shouldn't know about. This was one affair AJ wished he didn't know about.
As he glanced back towards where Nick and Christine sat, a small glint in the distance caught his eye. He looked out towards the water where Nick's boat was docked, and where the cabin lights were now illuminated. AJ shook his head, the sick feeling still inside him, and left the house and the party without a word to anyone. He had to go get Jenna.