He picked up a bag of chips, just as he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder, catching him by surprise. "You scared me-" he said, turning around, ready to tell this stranger off, whoever it was, when he saw it was Annie.
"A.J, is that you? I couldn't tell under all those weird clothes at first..."
"Yeah, well.." he mumbled, "Sometimes these weird clothes can really help... I have to go now, anyway.."
"No, wait, please... I," she hesitated. "I'm sorry you had to hear me talking to Lauren last time-"
"Yeah and I'm sorry I did, too, now if you'll excuse me," he said, not wanting to talk about it.
"Let me finish, will you?" she said in an exasperated voice. "You're not making it any easier here and-"
"No, YOU listen to me," said A.J angrily. He didn't mean to sound like that but she was making it seem like he was the bad guy here. "You don't have to apologize because the way I see it, you are not interested in me, just interested in having your guilty conscious wiped for having insulted the idiotic guy with the bad rep-"
"A.J-" she pleaded.
"Oh, don't 'A.J' me now, you sound like my mother. Let me tell you that this guy with the bad reputation who is with every girl around, or so you put it, put his WHOLE heart in buying those roses, and writing that card, ESPECIALLY writing that card. BUT you probably think I have some sort of secretary who does all the work for me, even write cards to girls I find special..." Now A.J could feel tears coming up, and he was not going to let her see him cry, no way he wasn't... "So if you'll excuse me, I think we've said everything to each other.." and he turned around to leave before she could see him wiping his eyes furiously with his sleeve...
Annie stared after him, speechless, then she herself felt ready to cry. She was interested in him, he was wrong about that. After she had read the card he had sent her with the roses, she thought no one could be sweeter than that... and right now, she could see he was the most sensitive guy ever, too... She walked out of the supermarket, and kept on walking silently, not even caring where she heading, or that it was raining really hard. Maybe she could walk off the guilt she felt, drive out the memory of A.J's hurt, drive out the realization of how much he must despise her. And she deserved every bitter drop of his hate after what she did, she thought sadly, as one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
Nicole felt the rain brush against her skin as she ran out of the restaurant. She was soaking wet, yet it was almost as if she didn't feel it, or didn't care, for the image of Nick kissing Kim was still on her mind... she couldn't believe how he could have hurt her this way...
She kept on running, without any destination, just with the desire of going far away from him, from where it happened. "Nicole!" she heard, over the muffled sound of the rain, someone yell not very far from where she was. She ignored it and kept running, trying to drown out that voice...
"Wait!" this time she heard this closer to where she was, and then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and someone turn her around to him. It was Nick, who was just as wet as she was, looking out of breath. Right after he left the restaurant, he had gone looking for her, knowing she couldn't be very far outside. Now that he'd finally found her, he wished he could hold her in his arms, tell her he was sorry, that it was Kim who kissed him, that he never meant to hurt her...
Nicole tried to break free of his hold on her and yelled, "God, Nick, leave me alone!"
"No, please, wait! You have to listen to me, Nicole, please-" he pleaded.
"Listen to WHAT?" she screamed, with tears streaming down her already wet cheeks from the rain. "To how I should take kissing lessons from Kim? Or maybe that's the problem, I've been listening to you way too much!" she tried to push him away from her but he was too firm, and wouldn't let go. "Let go right now," she said trembling, through gritted teeth. "I told you I don't want to listen to a thing you have to say, especially not to any more of your lies..."
"No, Nicole, I won't let go, not until you listen to me!" he said through pleading tears. Shaking, he took a deep breath, then finished, "I didn't kiss her, Nicole, I know you won't believe me because you're hurt but Nicole, I love you and I would never intentionally hurt you.."
For a moment, there was silence, and Nick hoped it meant something good. But then, Nicole looked up at him, and giving him a bitter smile said, "You're right, Nick. I don't believe you..." and with that, she broke free of his hold for he was too shocked to hold on, he felt that he had already lost her. He watched as the only person he'd ever loved walked away from his life, under the miserable rain, and broke down crying. Only this time, he made no effort to wipe his tears away....
"Ryan Ann! It's been ages since I've last seen you in here!" said Brian smiling, to Rye who had just come in.
She grinned. "Yeah, since when is 'ages'-uh, what, three hours ago?" she replied, just as she sat down by his bed.
"Since I fell in love with you..." he said, turning serious, pulling her to his arms for a soft, warm kiss, which totally blew her away as usual. He drew back silently, with teasing eyes, noticing her disappointment because she wanted it to go on. "I have good news," he said happily.
"Yeah?" she asked, interested.
"Well, the doctor was here something like ten minutes ago and he has kicked me out of this hospital-well, at least until the day of surgery. I mean, he doesn't really see the point of leaving me here, whithering away-" he said dramatically, then finished, "so I am officially a normal human being again."
Rye didn't know what to say for a second, then she said, "That's great, really..."
"You don't look too happy for me...What's wrong?" asked Brian.
"It's not that-" she began.
"Wait, I know!" he interrupted. "You think I'm leaving for good, you think all this will be over, that I'll forget about you soon enough after leaving this place, and our little love story will be-history."
She looked at him in shock, then with a smile she admitted, "Well, maybe that has crossed my mind... along with other things, too. I guess I never wanted all this to end, I know it's stupid but I wanted you stay here for a really long time, just as long as I'd be able to see you all the time. But now, I guess reality hit me-hard-and I have to deal with you away, what all the time?"
"First of all, I want you to get into that really optimistic head of yours -sarcasm intended, no offense, though-" he said with a smile, as she lightly punched him in the arm. "Ow, ok, let me finish, where was I? Oh yeah, about your great view of everything... nah, let's skip that, and go straight to my favorite part," he said, smiling mischeviously, then said quickly, laughing, "What am I trying to say here again? Right, ok, so listen to me carefully Rye, you really need to hear this... I love you, I could spell that for you right now for you if you still don't get it. My love for you is real, not some passing by thing, not something I'm ever going to forget- Rye, I fell in love with you that first fateful night I met you, remember, when you so rudely woke me up?" he teased. Then turning serious again, he said, "Anyway, just because I am leaving this place, it does NOT mean I am leaving you."
Rye smiled. "Well, that really makes me feel better, I-I guess I shouldn't have been thinking all that, but hey you know me by now-"
"Oh boy, don't I..." he said grim and serious, then laughed when he saw her expression. "Ok, sorry, go on..."
"I don't know, I guess the thought of being away from you for so long, since we both lead totally different lives, Brian... you'd be in some part of the world while I am at school. I don't know, it's hard not to worry that you might forget about me, meet someone-"
"Now hold on there for a sec, don't tell me you want me to go through the I don't know how many commandments of why I love Ryan Ann?" he said smiling. "Or maybe it would convince you more if you just accepted my hand in marriage," he whispered softly.
Rye looked shocked, for it was the last thing she thought he'd say. She nervously asked, "Was that a proposal?"
"Yes, it was," he said, looking really serious. "Rye, I love you, ok, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you... is that so bad?"
"No, no it's not bad! Of course not, I think it's very romantic," she said, feeling tears well up in her eyes.
"Was that a yes?" he asked hopefully.
"Brian, I love you too, but marriage? Isn't that rushing into things, I still have to finish college and..."
"I'll be willing to wait for you, Rye, forever, just knowing that I'll marry you someday will make me happy. I want us to be together forever, and even if we'd be engaged, we wouldn't have to get the actual marriage thing done until whenever we're ready." He stopped, then taking a deep breath, he said, looking deep into her eyes, "Once again, I am going to repeat my question. Will you, Ryan ann, make me the happiest guy in the world and marry me someday?"
Her only answer was a passionate kiss, as she placed her lips and kissed him with all the love she was feeling at the moment. She couldn't think of speaking, after she heard him so sweetly propose to her, all she could think of was kissing him...
"Was that a yes?" he whispered in her ear, drawing back for a minute.
She laughed softly and whispered back, "Yes, yes, yes... I love you Brian, and I'd be more than glad to spend the rest of my life with you..." and with that, she put her arms around his neck as she kissed him, and he just as eagerly responded, with even more passion, that she wanted it to go on forever...
A.J kept thinking that maybe he had been a little-ok, make that very - hard on Annie when he saw her. As much as he was upset with her, he still couldn't make that love for her disappear for some reason. "And she thought I was an idiot who couldn't fall in love, a player..." he thought bitterly. He had no idea what he was doing, but he was heading towards the hospital. When he finally reached the entrance, he stopped, finally realizing where he was. Should he, he thought, waste his time and actually go in there? After what she did to him? But I'm not going to see her, I'm going to uh, see Brian, he thought, trying to convince himself...
He went in, and from where he was standing he could see people walking back and forth, some in a hurry, others not. But from a distance, he saw her; she was standing by the reception area, obviously staring off into space.
He took a deep breath and started walking towards her, without any idea why or what he was going to say to her. He stopped right in front of her, clearing his voice, then said, "Hi.."
Annie slowly looked up, and with a sad smile said, "Hi, A.J. What are you doing here? Come to give me more reasons why I am an idiot? It's ok, go ahead, I deserve them..."
"No, uh actually, I came to apologize. I'm sorry but I guess I kind of went a little tiny bit overboard yesterday. I was in a bad mood, but I guess I thought you had to know how I was feeling, oh yeah, and that I also do have feelings..."
"I know that..." she said, her smile disappearing. "I guess because I didn't realize that sooner, I lost a chance with one of the sweetest and sensitive guys ever..."
"Me? Nah..." he said laughing modestly.
"Yeah, you are, you should show that side of yours more often," she said, smiling softly.
"Ok, if you insist, I'm all that-" he said laughing, then leaned over to whisper, "But don't tell anyone else, I'd still like to be known as the rebel, not the wimp."
"Ok, I won't," she whispered back. He was so close to her, she knew he still hated her, kind of, and she had lost her chance with him, yet she still couldn't resist leaning over to give him one little kiss....
Wow, thought A.J, as he kissed her back. Wait a sec, according to all the guys who had had broken hearts book, this girl didn't deserve him, she had not appreciated him sooner... but oh what the hell, he thought, not wanting to end the kiss, I'm only human....
I was such an idiot, thought Annie kissing furiously, to have let this great guy slip by so easily... he is so cute, so sweet, so funny.. and can we say a hell of a good kisser?
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