Aj awoke the next afternoon, saw Trelyn asleep and smiled. He carefully got up so he wouldn't wake her up. He put on some pants and started downstairs. He passes my room stopped, and went back. Whenever I slept, the bedroom door was closed and I never got up before AJ. AJ rushed back to the bedrrom and woke Trelyn up. She slowly opened her eyes. "What is it AJ? I was sleeping you know." "Autumn didn't come home last night." Trelyn jumped up. "AJ, are you sure? I mean she could have got up and went out." "Since when has she got up before me?" AJ asked. "Well, I wouldn't worry about it. I say she is with someone responsible." AJ picked up the phone and called Nick. "Before I left, I told Nick that if he saw her to bring her home. I bet you anything..." AJ didn't get to finsih because Nick had picked up the phone. "Hello." "Yeah Nick, it's AJ. Is Autumn there by any chance?" "No. She left with Howie last night. She was awfully wasted man. But Howie..." AJ had hung up before Nick could finish what he was saying. AJ quickly got dressed. "Now where are you going?" trelyn asked. "To Howie's to get Autumn." Meanwhile at Howie's, I was begining to wake up. I looked over in a chair and saw Howie fast asleep. I carefully got up and felt my head booming. "Ooohhh," I said quietly trying not to wake up Howie. Well, no luck. He opened his eyes and saw me sitting up. "Well good afternnon Autumn." I held on to my head and felt dizzy. "Hey Howie. I need something to drink. My mouth is just so dry. How can I be thirsty after all that drinking last night?" Howie laughed at me for saying that. "Oh, not so loud please." I said. I suddenly felt sick. "Howie, where is the bathroom?" he told me and I quickly ran to it and stayed in there for a good while. When I came out, I heard a knock on the door then heard AJ's loud voice. "Howie, where is Autumn? I'm taking her home." I emerged and AJ hugged me. "AJ, careful. I just threw up." AJ looked at Howie. "So why didn't you bring her home last night?" "hey man, I tried calling you but you wouldn't answer the phone. Besides, if your homones had been in check you would have took Autumn home when you and Tre went back, but no. Instead you leave your sister wasted at my club. You know how lucky she was that I brought her back here and she didn't leave with a stranger!" AJ had nothing to say to that. "Autumn, you ready?" "No. But I take I have no choice?" I started out the door and AJ opened it for me and went out before me. I looked back at Howie. "Thanks D." I smiled and then followed AJ to the car. We got in and took off. "Autumn, you know how worried I was? I got scared." "AJ, I was with Howie. it isn't like I ended up in bed with him." "Well, I hate to tell you this but you aren't going out tonight. You are staying in while Trelyn and I go out." "WHAT! AJ YOU CAN"T DO THAT!" I was yelling in spite of still having a hangover. "Yes I can. As long as you are under my roof I can and will do it just for your safety." For the rest of the drive, I didn't talk to AJ.
When we pulled up to his house I went right up to the shower and then locked myself in my room and listened to some CDs. AJ had no right to yell at Howie and treat him like he done something wrong with me. Howie was just being a friend and gentleman to me. I closed my eyes and invisioned Howie. I got up and decided to go talk to Trelyn. I found her in the bedroom. "Hey, can I talk to you. I am needing some advice." "Yeah. What you need to know?" I had to find the words on how to ask this. "Okay, there is this guy I really really like but I don't know how to approach him or anything." Trelyn gives me this look and then sits down on the bed. "Well, girl why don't you just come out and tell him you like him?" I sat down next to her. "Tre, it isn't that easy. There would be, and are, complications to it. And don't ask what kind because I can't really describe it." "Wait," Trelyn asked me, "Why would you have this problem? I bet as beautiful as you are, you have had many boyfriends!" "Nope. I haven't. I have been waiting for just the right guy to come into my life. I mean, I haven't even kissed anyone either. I am just...innocent." Trelyn let out a big sigh. "Well, AJ would be proud of that. But all I can suggest is that you spend more time with the guy so he knows you are into him and availible. That is all I can think of." I hug Trelyn and thank her for her advice. I knew she had to get ready so I went to my room and watched t.v. I heard AJ come back from where ever he went and I know that the two of them were ready to get ready for their night out. They rarely had a night out together. I was really getting into a movie when I heard a slight knock on my door. I rolled over and saw AJ. "Sis, which hat should I wear? The dark brown one or the black one?" I looked for a while and told him to wear the black. "Thanks sis." I rolled back over. "Autumn, come on don't be mad at me. Put yourself in my place. What would you do?" I rolled back over. "I would let me go out as I had planned. You expect me to stay here with JD and dogsit all night?" AJ came over and sat on the bed. "No. I invited Nick over to hang out with you." I sat up. "AJ, you mean I have to spend the evening with Nick? I think I'd rather dogsit." Trelyn was making her way to my room to get AJ but stopped to listen to us. "So, what is suddenly wrong with Nick? I thought you had fun with him." "AJ," I started, "I do but if he is here I will have to listen to him talk about his new video games and I will be afraid to walk through the house in fear of being pranked. Now, if Howie was here I would have fun actually talking about something." Trelyn was still listening and it hit her that I was asking advice on Howie, not Nick. She walked in the room. "AJ, you almost ready? What seems to be the problem?" I sighed. "I want Howie and Nick over here to hang with." Just then the phone rang. I answered it. "Hello? Yeah. Yeah. Hey it is no problem. Okay. Later Nick." I looked over at AJ and Trelyn. "Nick had to cancel. His family is going out tonight for dinner. So I guess I will be all by myself. Well, actually JD will be here." I looked at AJ with the sad puppy face, a look I had mastered from him. He asked for the phone and he called Howie and walked out of the room. I looked over at Trelyn. "WOW! You look great girl." "Thanks. Too bad Nick cancelled, huh? But I guess you and Howie will have fun." I grinned. "Yeah, maybe we can. SO how long are the two of you going to be out?" "I dunno. It is almost 7:30 now. I say around midnight. Why you ask?" "I might be in bed by then, who knows. I was just wondering in case I decided to throw a wild party." Trelyn laughed. AJ came back and handed me the phone. "Howie is on the way. Baby, we better get going." They walked out of the room and I was behind them and followed them to the door. "Sis, you behave and remember what I said." "Yes sir." I said. AJ hugged me and gave me a kiss on my cheek and Trelyn hugged me. "Don't wait up. We might be late." AJ said. "She won't." Trelyn told him. "Yeah, I might turn in early. You better get going." They took off in one of the many cars AJ had.
I grinned and ran up to my room and changed. Little did AJ know I was going out to have fun. I fixed it to make it look like I was in my bed asleep and I shut the door. I began down the steps when I heard a knock on the door. I ran over and answered it and sure enough it was Howie. "Hey Autumn." "Hey. You ready to go out and go clubbing?" Howie looked at me like I was crazy. "But AJ will get mad about you leaving." "He won't know. I have done PLENTY of sneaking out and when AJ notices my door shut, he will think I am asleep and he will be too tired or into Tre to look in on me." We existed the house and went to Howie's corvette. We went to many different clubs and ended up at Tabu at around 11:30. I was out on the dance floor, dancing alone and Howie joined me when the new Jennifer Lopez song "Play" came on. I happened to pier up and I noticed AJ. "Oh NO! AJ and Tre are here! I can't let them see me!" Howie saw the concern on my face and acted fast. He took my hand and lead me through a crowd and we got out without being seen. "Howie, thanks. I was sure a scene would start in there." "Well, I don't want that to happen Autumn." I smiled.Howie looked down, grinned, and looked back over at me. "Hey, I know what we could do for fun. I know this place that is about an hour drive from here. Want to go there?" I had no idea where it was but I hadn't been out of Orlando since I arrived. I nodded and we rode out to a town called Port St. John. We arrived at this bar and Howie told me it was a karoke place. We went in and immediately had someone there greeting us. "Howie! How are you? You want the normal table?" Howie answered. "Yeah and how about some drinks? Get me the ususal and get Jack Daniels Hurricane Punch for my friend here." The guy looked at me and smiled. "Howie, you are going to introduce me to this radiant, beautiful woman right?" I laughed because never had I been called radiant by anyone in my life. Beautiful yes. "Oh, this is Autumn. She's AJ's sister." "AJ has a sister?" "Well, he just found out about her a few months ago. Autumn, this is Valentino." I extended my hand and Valention kissed it. "Beautiful name. It fits you so well." Valentino lead us to the table and said our drinks would be there soon. "So Autumn, what are you going to sing tonight? We have every type of music you can think of." I looked at him. "I am sorry, but I don't sing." Howie smiled. "Come on Autumn, you have to sing one song. I have heard you sing and think you have a beautiful voice." I was looking deep into Howie's eyes and then found myself saying I would sing. Valentino pulled me up to the stage before I could realize what I was doing. He asked me to pick a song. I looked and saw "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye so I decided to sing it. After I finished everyone stood and cheered. I looked back at Howie and he was one of the ones standing and cheering. We stayed at the bar until about 2am. When we walked outside it was still warm and the moon was out, full and light blue. I let out a slight sigh. "Autumn, are you already tired? I can go on and take you back home." "No Howie, it is just I don't want to go back right now. I am having too much fun. Yet, there is nothing else to do." Howie smiled. "Well, there is one more thing we can do. Autumn, have you ever walked on the beach this time of night?" I looked over and replied. "I can't say that I have." "Well, would you like to do that?" "Sure, why not." We walked across the street and over to the beach and I found it totally beautiful. Howie and I walked a good while and talked about anything we could. We talked about family, friends, our dreams, and even Germany. Howie told me that they had a hard time with the language and I laughed saying I had no problem at all. I told him a funny story. "See," I told him, "We lived in this house with five other families and this one guy had the habit of pouring himself a coffee mug full of vodka first thing in the winter mornings. Well, one morning I woke up and asked my mother to put some Orange Juice in a cup for me and she put it right by that one guy's mug and we got our drinks switched. I had to stay home for the rest of the day from class because I just gulpped it back then got sick!" Howie laughed hard about that. "And you didn't think it tasted a bit funny?" "Howie, you got to understand...I am not a morning person and I was half asleep when I drunk it." "Yeah but I bet that woke you up!" We walked more and I kept telling him stories. In the meantime, Howie got to thinking to himself. 'Funny how I have never eally noticed Autumn before. She has a warm personality, a wild sense of humor, a beautiful smile....her eyes sparkle like emeralds and I really find it irresitable how she brushes her hair away from her face.' I stopped talking and looked over at Howie. "Howie?" "Huh?" I noticed this far off look on his face. "You okay? Something wrong?" Howie turned and looked me right in the eye. "Autumn, I've never been better." Howie looked at his watch. "Wow, it is almost 2:30. I better get you back." I was amazed that it was only 2:30 beause it felt like we had just started talking to each other. "Yeah. I am getting tired." We walked back and crossed the street and got into the car. The ride back was fast and silent. At around 3:18, Howie pulled up in front of AJ's. As I got ready to get out of the car, I looked at Howie. "Autumn, I had fun tonight." "So did I Howie. Thanks for taking me out instead of leaving me cooped up in the cell." "Before I leave, why don't I make sure you get into the house okay?" I began to think that was sweet of Howie. "Only if you want to Howie." I reached over to open the door and Howie stopped me by touching my shoulder. I turned and we gazed into each other's eyes for what seemed to be forever. "Autumn..." "Yeah Howie?" Howie began to think how nice it would be to touch my face and my lips then kiss me but instead could only hear AJ screaming at him for thinking that thought. "You better go Autumn." 'Damn,' I thought. I felt that he was about to kiss me but for some reason changed his mind. Maybe it was me. I wasn't sure. I opened the car door and approached the house. I placed the key in the door and turned the lock. I looked back and smiled at Howie and then entered the dark house. I smiled, thinking I had once agian pulled off sneaking out like i had back in Germany and in North Carolina. Well, that proved wrong when the lights came on and I was like a deer caught in a pair of headlights. Before me stood AJ in a pair of boxer shorts. He looked at me then told me to wait, not move. I did as I was told for once by AJ. He approached my room and threw the covers off the bed to see pillows. he stormed back downstairs. "Autumn, I can't believe you went out. I trusted you." I rolled my eyes. "AJ, you sound like Jack." "How in the hell am I suppose to sound Autumn?" "MAYBE less like my dad and more like my brother." I didn't want to get too loud because I didn't want to wake Trelyn up. "It is almost 3:30 for crying out loud. I should really get on Howie about taking you out. He KNEW you were to stay here." "AJ, I told him I was wanting to go out. If you blame anyone, blame me." "Oh damn right I am blaming you. I try being fair with you..." "FAIR? No..you are trying to be a dictator AJ. You threw me into all this stuff that I didn't want. You THINK I wanted to shown to the world? I mean, I want privacy unlike you." Ouch..I really didn't mean to say that but i had out of anger. "Sis, I only wanted what was best for you." "AJ, don't sis me. You are my BROTHER, not my FATHER." "Aren't I better than our father? I mean, the guy left us." "YEAH BUT HE DIDN'T CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE AJ!" Okay now AJ was pissed. "I have never...Autumn..get out of my house. Right now. Get out. Go stay with dad and see how he treats you. You will think I was fair. I don't want this attitude in MY house." "YOU are the one with the attitude." I grabbed a set of AJ's car keys and he didn't stop me. "I'll send your stuff over there tomorow through Nick. I'll never have to worry about you doing something fucked up again." As I went out the door, I turned around and gave my brother a hard, cold glare. "Alexander James, you'll never have to see or EVER worry about me again as long as we both can help it." With that I slammed the door and got in a car. I left, never looking back at the house.
It was about 6am when the phone began to ring wildly. AJ tried to ignore it. "Tre, can you get that?" he said tiringly. Phone continued to ring. AJ rolled over. "Yeah." "Is this Alex McLean?" "Yes it is." "Yes this is nurse Pamela Park. We have a Miss Autumn McLean here." AJ jumped up, now fully awake. "Autumn?! Is she okay?" "She is doing okay but we need you to come down to the hospital if you want the full story." "Look, I really don't care about the story. All I want to know is my sister's condition." "She is in stable condition." AJ thanked the nurse then soon jumped up, getting dressed. "Tre, baby. Wake up." "AJ, let me sleep. I am tired." AJ was still throwing things on. "Sweetie, Autumn is in the hospital." Trelyn jumped up and then Trelyn was the one running around, throwing clothes on. As they ran out, AJ told Trelyn to drive while he called not only the guys, but Bob and the Monroe's. About four minutes later, they were at the hospital and AJ ran right over to where the nurse's were. "Yeah, I was told my sister was here." AJ filled the nurses in as Brian and Kevin came into the waiting area and sat down by Trelyn. "So, is she okay? What exactly happened?" Brian asked. Trelyn shook her head. "I don't know." They all watched AJ come over and sit down. He let out a deep sigh. " I can't see her until the doctor sees me. But I know what happened, and I want to wait for Nick and Howie to show up before I tell." AJ was shook up and couldn't sit still. "Baby, you want something to drink? Bri? Kevin?" Trelyn asked. They all replied no but Trelyn was needing something. She walked over to the machine, got a Pepsi, and turned back around in time to see Nick and Howie coming in. Howie spotted Trelyn and went over to her. "Is Autumn okay?" Trelyn shrugged her shoulders. "We haven't heard yet. AJ was waiting on you two before he told what he heard. He knows how the accident happened." The two headed back and AJ began to tell what the nurse had told him. I had stopped at a red light and when the light changed, I started off only to be hit in the side by a drunk driver. Luckily, someone was jogging and had his cell phone and called 911. For about an hour, everyone sat around before the doctor showed up. "Autumn is going in and out of consciousness. She has a few cuts on her face and her left eye is swollen shut. Other than that she is okay. You may see her, but one by one." AJ thanked the doctor and everyone headed for the elevators and all were silent as they entered. AJ hit the number 9 button and they remained silent. AJ was the first to step out followed by Trelyn, Howie, Brian, Kevin, and Nick. "AJ, do we need to ask what room she's in?" Brian asked. "Nope. the docotor said she is in room 913. AJ turned the corner and they were soon at the door. AJ took a deep breath and opened the door. The sun was begining to rise and some light peeked into my white bare room. AJ was glad to see I had a private room. He took off his sunglasses and looked at me. He refused to believe I was in that bed, hooked to machines and a messed up face. All the grief had caught up to AJ and he began to cry as he sat down on my bed and took my hand. "Sis....I love you. I didn't mean anything by what I said. I only acted the way I did was because I love you and we never spend any time together. You were always with one of the guys and never me. You are my baby sister and I love you and I can't promise that I won't act like a jerk again, but I am going to be so overbearing...." he stopped to look at me. He wiped away his tears because he wanted the others to see me. "Autumn, the guys and Tre are coming in. They want you to get better soon and so do I. Please do that for us?" AJ got up and walked out. He couldn't bear to see me in that condition. As AJ walked out, he placed his sunglasses back on and saw a nurse talking to the guys and Tre. "Well, two of you can go in once if you want. I am her nurse and I don't care." Tre smiled. The nurse looked over at AJ. "Is she awake yet? I know she has been coming and going since she came in." AJ shook his head. He sat down next to Tre and she took his hand. "AJ, she's going to be fine. She will wake up soon and be more than happy to see you." "You think so? I mean after what happened...." Howie looked over at AJ. "Autumn loves you man. She idolizes you. So you got into it...she can look past that." AJ looked at Howie. "Thanks man. So who is going in next?" Brian stood up. "Kevin and I if that is ok." AJ nodded and the guys entered my room. They stopped and stood staring at me and took my hands and began to say a prayer for me. They said Amen and turned to leave because they too were crying. "Funny," Brian said. "She's AJ's sister by blood but we ave been around her so much, we are also like brothers to her." "Yeah. She is one cool gal." Kevin said. They exited and sat down. Nick stood up and asked if he could go in alone. AJ said it was okay and Nick soon came into my room. Like the other before him, he stood looking at me. He pulled a chair over next to my bed and took my hand. "Autumn, we are all here for you. You know you have us worried. So you have to wake up now and tell AJ what you said you were going to tell him when you called me on that payphone." Nick looked down. "If Aj hadn't lost his temper, you wouldn't be here right now. Autumn, I swear that AJ will never hurt you again." He picked up my hand and kissed it before getting out of my room. As the door shut, I opened my good eye and stared at the door. I whispered "AJ" before my eye shut again. Nick walked past the gang and over to an area to be by himself. He wantred to say something to AJ but not at this time because they were in the hospital. Howie looked over at Trelyn and asked her if she wanted to go in there with him. She nodded and just as she was getting up, AJ pulled her down and whispered, "She looks awful. It doesn't look like her. I am just telling you so you don't freak out." Trelyn slipped away from AJ and went over to the door were Howie was. They opened the door as the sun shined bright into the room now. "Well, I now that she hates the sunlight waking her up. But in this case, we need that." Howie looked down at me. "Come on Autumn open them beautiful green eyes and talk to us." Trelyn picked up on Howie's tone and looked at him, somewhat in shock. "Autumn, please open your eyes." Well, my eyes never opened and Trelyn and Howie stood looking at me. Both were silent and walked out of the room. It stayed this way almost all day long. At around noon, AJ's stomach began to growl. "I am so hungry I could eat my sunglasses right now." Kevin smiled. "Well, Brian and I were going to get us something to eat. You and everyone else is welcome to join us." "Someone needs to be here if Autumn comes to. I think I'll pass. The rest of you can go." "Hey sweetie," Trelyn started," I am not that hungry. I'll stay here and I will call you when she wakes up." AJ grinned. "Okay. Nick, Howie you two coming with us?" Howie loked up from the magizine he was reading. "I'm not hungry. I'll just stay here with Tre. I know she'll need the company." Nick sttod up. "Yeah I want to go along if AJ is going." Trelyn kissed AJ and watched them head into the elevator and out of sight. Trelyn looked at Howie. "Well, since AJ left, I bet Autumn will wake up now." Howie smiled. "Yeah. AJ is taking this better than I thought. I thought that he would just be....a little more worried." Trelyn laughed. "Well, he knows Autumn is okay and has no real serious injuries. He has faith that she will come to soon." Howie looked down and back up at Trelyn. "Well yeah we are hoping that." "Yeah, but is someone hoping that as much as AJ?" "Maybe." Howie felt the need to tell someone how he ws feeling because he sure couldn't tell me at that point. "Trelyn, Autumn is something else. I mean, in the beginning I didn't think anything of her, just as AJ's little sister. Now, man that has all changed. I see this beautiful girl. And yet, I can't tell her this because she is in there. I want to tell her at just the right time." Trelyn sat listening. "Tre, I was so close to kissing her last night and telling her she was all I ever wanted. But I heard AJ in my head and didn't kiss her. I see how protective he is of her and I can't blame him. But if he ever saw Autumn and I together, I would hate to think how he would react." "Well, you have that right Howie. But I say that you can find the right time to tell her and you will. I wouldn't worry about AJ. Sure you two are close, but I don't think he will react that bad if you and Autumn were to hook up." Howie got up. "Hey, I am going to go walk around. I'll be back." Trelyn said okay and thought how I would react to Howie showing an interest in me.
Meanwhile, in the car coming back from McDonald's AJ keep staring at his cell phone, like it was going to ring at any moment. Nick was staring a hole into AJ. He wanted to say something back earlier, but couldn't. The guys pulled onto a road that lead to a park and ate their food. Brian sat for a while and started laughing. "What's so funny?" Kevin asked. "Remember the last time all of us went to a park and ate? We had the radio on and "Everybody" came on and AJ and Autumn began screaming it word for word?" AJ laughed. "Yeah. Then we got singing "Break Stuff". That was fun. You guys looked at her weird when he picked up that plastic coke bottle and threw it." AJ looked over at Nick. "Nick? What's wrong? You look like you have something on your mind and you want to get it out?" Well, Nick looked at AJ. "Yeah, I do. Autumn wouldn't be in the hospital if it hadn't been for you." Kevin put his food down. "Nick, don't say that. Change the subject." "No...no I am not. it is AJ's fault, not Autumn's. If AJ hadn't been so overbearing Autumn would have been safe and sound." Well, Aj got up. "You think I planned to do all of that on purpose? No I didin't Nick. Who the hell do you think you are to assume something you don't know about? Had it been your sister, would you react the same way? I say you would. I admit yelling at her was wrong." Nick looked down. "She called me before the accident Alex. Know what she told me? She said she was wrong about you and that she wanted to get out of that house because it was a nightmare for her. You were too damn overbearing. Maybe she got out the wrong way. She said she was wrong to look up to you all those years. She also said that Brian, Kevin, or myself would be a better brother than you. And I believe that myself." Well, that was enough to piss AJ off because he couldn't hear me saying that. He ran over and hit Nick right in the eye. Nick fell to the ground then jumped up, hitting AJ in the lip. Brian and Kevin got between them. "Guys, stop it!" brian yelled. "Yeah. Autumn wouldn't want you two fighting. Just stop it."Kevin said. Nick pulled away from Brian and began to walk away. Brain soon followed him. Kevin remained with Aj, whose lip was bleeding. "AJ, overlook him. You know he is gaga over Autumn and is just as upset as you are." "Well, he had no right to critize me and say Autumn said that. Autumn loves me." "Yeah man she does." AJ got a napkin and began to wipe the blood away. "Nick, what has come over you?" Brian asked, catching up to Nick. "I am just so mad at Aj. Putting restrictions on Autumn. She isn't her dad." Brian looked over at Nick. "Yeah that is true. But you shouldn't had hit AJ or said that Autumn said something that she didn't." "Brian, she said that. But she was mad. I know she didn't mean that." "And did you mean to say it was Aj's fault? Come on man, you know that isn't true and that Aj doesn't need to hear that right now. Things happen for a reason. Maybe God done something to bring Autumn and AJ closer, to realize that they are lucky to have each other." Nick looked over in the distance and saw Aj. he walked back over and apologized to AJ. The two hugged and made up. The group soon rode back to the hospital to check on me.When the guys got back, Howie was standing by the door to my room. "hey Howie. Did Autumn happen to wake up?" AJ asked, looking for Howie to say yes. Instead, Howie shook his head no. "Hey, what happened to your lip and Nick's eye?" AJ grinned. "Long story man. Where is Tre?" "She went outside with your dad. He came by to see Autumn for a while. He asked where you were and I told him. Said he was sorry to miss you. He wants us to call when Autumn wakes up." The conversation was broken up by the doctor and a nurse coming out of my room. "Doc, how is she?" The doctor looked at AJ. "No change in anything."
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