Brian looked a the person in the doorway, "Oh shit...I...this is not what it looks like," he finally got out.
"Really? So I assume you tripped and fell on her lips?" A.J. asked sarcastically.
"Look, Bone, it wasn't like that. I wanted to see if I had feelings for her, so I --"
"So you what? Kissed her? Don't tell me, that was all your brain could come up with? You wanted to see if you had feelings for her and the best way to do that was kiss her?" he asked and stepped further into the kitchen so Annie couldn't hear him.
"No, I told you it's not like that! But it's OK, because I don't feel anything for her."
"And I guess that makes it all better, right? What are you going to tell the woman in the other room, Brian? The woman who's you're fiance, the one would had your child? What are going to tell her? That you kissed her best friend fully aware to see if you had feelings for her? Which you shouldn't have feelings for her in the first place! She's like a sister to me and I don't want to see her get hurt. I'm not going to tell her, only because she'll be devastated that her supposedly faithful boyfriend is going around kissing people to see if he has feelings for them. I'm telling you Brian, if you hurt her I'll come after you, don't think I won't. I'll break both your legs and anything else you have to break," By the time A.J. was finished he was right in Brian's face.
Brian didn't say anything as A.J. stalked out of the kitchen back into the living room.
Lina and Brian just sat there, not saying a word. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"What was that?" Lina asked, breaking the silence.
"Truthfully? What I said. I thought I had feelings for you, but I guess I wasn't thinking straight when I kissed you. I'm really sorry about that," he apologized.
"It's OK, but I feel horrible for kissing you. Annie's my best friend and I would never do that to her."
"I'm scum. No, I'm lower than scum. Damnit! Why do I have to be so damn spontaneous? What the hell is my problem? I have a wonderful girl, willing to marry me! And I go and kiss her best friend. God I hope this doesn't screw things up," he said and sighed, "We can't tell her. That's the only way, just don't let her know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hey, did you find out what was keeping Brian so long?" Annie asked seeing A.J. come back.
"Yeah, he's kissing Lina," he mumbled.
"What?"
A.J. looked at her. 'She's so innocent. She doesn't even know what her bastard of a boy friend is doing.'
"A.J? Hello? I asked you what you said," Annie snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"What?" he asked, coming out of his thoughts.
"Geez, what's up with you?" she looked at him strangely.
"Nothing, I'm fine," he said and got up.
"Now where are you going?"
"I'm going to get a smoke, I'll be right outside," he grabbed his jacket then left.
"Weird," she thought out loud.
Brain sat next to her on the couch and Lina sat in one of the recliners.
"Where's A.J.?" Brian asked, noticing it was a little too quiet.
"He went to get a smoke, " she turned to face him, "Do you know what's up with A.J.? I mean he's acting weird."
Brian tensed up, "Why would I know what's wrong? Should I always know what's wrong with him? I don't keep tabs on him, you know," he said, getting defensive.
"Whoa! Somebody's got PMS," she laughed, "I just asking a question, no need to bite my head off!"
He sighed, "Look, I'm sorry, just a bad night," he said and snuggled close to her.
Annie put her hands over his arms and tried to concentrate on the movie, 'What the hell does he mean, 'bad night'? What was so bad about tonight? All we're doing is watching a movie. What happened in that kitchen?' she thought and looked in the chair across from her where Lina was sitting. 'When did she get back? Furthermore, where did she go?'
Lina stared at the floor, 'Oh Lord, what did I do? Annie will never forgive me if she found out that Brian kissed me. Or did I kiss him? Is it bad that I kissed back? Yes, it is! I have the hots for my best friends fiance!' Lina leaned back and closed her eyes, 'He made it clear that he has no feelings for me, but what if I have feelings for him? Ugh! I'm so freakin' confused now!'
Brian hugged Annie tighter and she looked back at him and smiled. 'How could I do that to this beautiful woman! Geez, I'm going to burn in hell. She doesn't deserve me, but I love her. I truly, honestly do. I had to kiss Lina or else I would've never known if I liked her, I hope she doesn't get the wrong idea. I know I said I didn't have feelings for her, but I felt her kiss back. Didn't I? Nah, maybe it was just my imagination.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A.J. took a long drag from his cigarette and sighed leaning on the railing.
"Jesus, what did Brian do? Well, if he thinks for one-second I'm going to let him have a relationship with Lina, nonetheless, behind Annie's back, he's got another thing coming. What the hell was he thinking? 'I did it to see if I had for feelings for her'," A.J. quoted Brian, "That is one screwed up man. How could he kiss Lina like that? I should've killed the bastard right then and there. If this gets out, I don't want to see what's it's going to do to Annie."
"What did you say?" A voice filled with hurt, pain, and jealousy asked from behind him.