Chapter Twenty-one

For the second morning in a row, the sleeping Nicole and Kevin were woken by a knock at the door. Nicole rolled off the bed and answered the door. She barely had her eyes open because of the light, but she could see the dark, sullen figure in front of her. "Oh, shit," Nicole mumbled.

"Yeah, that's right. 'Oh, shit.'" Kristen stood glaring at Nicole with her hands on her hips.

"Nic, who is it?" Kevin called from the bed, not moving from his sleeping position.

She responded, "Your significant other." Nicole and Kristin were still sharing the glares.

"Oh, shit," he jumped up and ran over to the door standing behind Nicole, using her as more space between him and Kristin. "Hi, honey." He plastered a smile across his face.

Nicole sighed deeply with agitation, and Kristin answered, "Don't 'hi, honey' me. What the hell is she doing in your room?"

"Well, I can explain. See-" Kristin began to cut him off when Nicole walked back into the room.

Kristin was about to ream out Kevin, yelling he didn't need to explain anything when Nicole emerged from the room, with shoes in hand. "What are you doing?" he asked of Nicole.

Nicole just shook her head and called back at him after she walked through the doorway, "Have fun." She waved back at him without looking back while she walked to her own room.

She stood in front of her door, then looked back at Kevin's door, watching him pull Kristin into the room. Sighing, she knocked on her own door for Maggie to let her in. A few moments went by and still no answer. She knocked again and continued until AJ opened up the door wearing a white wife beater and royal blue boxers. Nicole was stunned, and speechless. "Hey Nic. How'd last night go?" he asked suggestively of her and Kevin.

"First of all, last night was decent. Second, this morning is nightmarish. Third, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, well..." He looked back into the room and again at Nicole. "We're using your's and Kevin's practices of sleeping habits." He smiled slyly.

Sighing, she responded, "J. Can I come into my own room?"

"If you insist." He backed away to let Nicole into the room. She noticed Maggie sitting up in bed watching TV, still in her pajamas. "Wow, still in your jammies?" she spoke with a cocky tone, but she was only harassing her friend.

"Wow, still in the clothes from last night?" Maggie responded to Nicole's clothes in the same manner.

"Yeah, yeah. So, anyone seen Jes? I haven't." Nicole went around the room looking for her duffel bag.

"Nah," AJ said sitting down on the bed. "You wanna tell us what happened?"

"No. I gotta go find Jes then take a shower." Nicole tried to ignore Maggie and AJ's interest and wanted to get the day going. With Kristin back, she wanted to get out of the hotel before she had any confrontations. She went to her bag and pulled out some clothes and went to shower

While she was in the bathroom, Maggie turned to AJ, "You gotta find out."

"Why me? She's your best friend, you find out."

"AJ, if she's going to tell me, she won't right now. I didn't even hear about the Scott incident until you told me last night. Ask Kevin."

"Yeah, after this," he pointed to the bruise on his cheek, "I don't think he's going to talk much."

"He hit you. You're the one who shouldn't want to talk to him. I'm sure if you accept his apology, or forgive him, or whatever, he'll talk."

"Mags, you don't know Kevin. He hit me. That makes it my fault because I upset him enough to take the swing."

"That's ridiculous," she screeched.

"No, it's not ridiculous. It's Kevin. I can't talk to him."

"Get Brian to talk to him or something. Come on AJ. We gotta know what happened last night."

"Maggie, they’re adults. Why can't we just let this be?"

"Because, I know something is wrong with this. She always tells me everything. She has hid more from me this past week than ever. Well, besides surprises or something. I know there's something wrong here."

"Alright, I'll ask the others if they know anything." He saw slim hopes in her eyes, "But," her eyes dropped, "I'm not pushing anything. If she's upset about something, it's most likely because I told her to do something she shouldn't have last night. I'm not doing anything big here anymore." She began to interrupt to beg of him to do something. "You can do whatever you want. I'm out of this."

He paused looking at her disappointment. "We better get moving." He nudged at her, "Come on, we got a long day." She sat staring at him, begging with her eyes and her puppy dog face. "Don't do that to me. I'm not that strong," he asked of her expression. A slight smirk was creeping from the corner of her mouth. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I'll see ya later dear."

She hid away her smile and returned with the puppy dog-face, "You're leaving me?"

He chuckled, "Dear, I said I'd see ya later."

"Dear? You've been talking to Nicole too much. That's her word."

He chuckled again, "Yeah I guess I have. As I said before, 'I'll see ya later.'" He left the room and headed towards his. While he was entering his room he heard a voice call for him. "Hey, B. What's up?"

"I'd ask you the same. Seems like everyone's spending the night together?" AJ squinted at him and asked what he meant. "Kevin and Nicole. Again. You and Maggie?"

Brian raised his left eyebrow. They both suddenly turned when they heard a door slamming against a wall. Seeing Kristin walk out of Kevin's room, Brian uttered, "Oh, shit. Please tell me I was wrong when I said Kevin and Nicole spent the night together." He didn't even turn to AJ, but could tell he was ready to answer. "AJ?" He turned his head to see AJ's head shaking from the corner of his eye.

They watched her walk over to Nicole's door, pounding on it. AJ then spoke the popular comment for Kristin, "Oh, shit." The two guys stayed in their spot in the hall, not moving or speaking.

Maggie opened the door to see a blonde of tall stature, not more than two inches shorter than Nicole, with fire for eyes. Instantly she knew. Kristin. "Where is she?" Kristin spat.

"Hmm?" Maggie was not only not going to get Nicole for Kristin, but was ready to have fun.

"Who?"

"You know who." The anger was rampant.

"Um, no I don't. In fact, I don't even know who you are." Maggie leaned against the doors and crossed her arms. Fact is, Maggie knew both.

Brian and AJ were still watching Kristin ream out Maggie asking her where Nicole was and insisting she had to know who she was. Granted, Kristin still never mentioned Nicole's or her own name. AJ whispered to Brian, "We gotta get over there."

Brian responded in the same voice, "Yeah, I know. I can barely hear Maggie."

AJ pushed at Brian, "No dumbass. Maggie's gonna fear for her life if we don't save her soon."

"Ooo, save her. AJ to the rescue?" His eyes widened and were mocking AJ.

"Shut up man." AJ walked over to Kristin. "Hey girls. What's going on?" He had a friendly smile plastered across his face and Maggie began to smile seeing him look cute. He smirked at her when he saw her face.

Kristin spat at AJ, "Where is she?"

He looked as innocently as possible, shrugging his shoulders. Brian came from behind asking,

"Who?"

"You guys are all a bunch of geniuses here! You know who the fuck I'm looking for!" Her voice was now loud and booming.

AJ winced and jokingly poked at his ear with his finger. Brian called back at her, "Wow, you kiss Kevin with that mouth?" Maggie and AJ began to laugh, yet stifled it when Kristin glared at both of them. They quickly recovered from the laughs.

Kristin looked at Maggie and pointed her finger at her, "You better warn your little friend!" Maggie just shrugged her shoulders. She just didn't have anything to say. "She better start doing her real job around here, or else I'll have to help her find another." Beginning to walk away, she turned quickly to AJ and Brian, "And as for you two. Don't say a word to him!" She, of course, meant Kevin.

She walked - more like stormed - down the hallway and to the elevators. As soon as she entered it, Maggie spoke up from the silence. "Yeah, we aren't going to tell Kevin," in a sarcastic tone, then looked at the guys.

Brian looked seriously at Maggie, "We aren't."

"We aren't?" Maggie was confused. She knew this was the ticket to getting Kristin out of the picture.

"Nope."

"AJ?" she was nearly pleading with him.

"I told you," he looked at her sympathetically. "I'm not getting into this."

"AJ! She just threatened Nicole's job and you two wanna sit by and watch the show?" She couldn't believe these guys were going to sit back and do nothing. The guys looked away from Maggie, in opposite directions. She spoke softly, with disappointment; "I can't believe this. You guys are friends?" She continued looking at them, waiting for their gaze in return.

Brian looked at her long enough to respond, "We can’t get into Kevin’s business. I gotta get going." He turned to AJ; "I'll see ya guys later."

AJ stood where he was watching Brian walk away. "AJ," Maggie pleaded softer than before. He looked up at her with sorrow in his eyes, also seeing sorrow in hers. "AJ, she's my best friend. I can't just sit by and do nothing here."

"I'm sorry babe. I can't do anything from here on out. This is Kevin's thing." He leaned in, placing his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "He wouldn't believe it anyway." He rubbed her arm; "It'll all clear up. I'll see ya later." He walked back to his room and closed the door behind him.

Maggie mumbled back, "Yeah, great. Thanks."

Nicole came from the bathroom. "Ok, so I know I heard yelling about five minutes ago. And, I'm sure I heard Kristin's voice. Yet, you're standing in front of an empty doorway. What happen?" Nicole was dressed, dragging a towel through her hair.

Maggie just shook her head, then asked of her friend, "Just tell me what happened last night?" Her face looked upset and seemed to beg for information.

"What's wrong dear?" Nicole rung the towel around her own shoulders and placed her arms on

Maggie's shoulders. "What happened?"

"I don't know if you'd believe me."

"If it's with Kristin, I will." She smiled looking into Maggie's eyes searching for smile. It crept out.

"There ya go dear." She led Maggie over to the bed, and sat down. "Come on, I'll spill. Then you spill."