| Chapter Twenty-three "Thanks. Hey Howie, can I ask you something?" "Sure anything." "Do all of you feel the same way about me as AJ does?" "What do you mean? How does AJ feel about you?" He asked looking confused. "He thinks I'm too young to have made it on talent alone. He thinks I slept my way to the top." I stated sobbing again. "He what? He said that to you?? I'm gonna kick his ass." Howie turned and headed back down the stairs. I chased after him. "Howie, don't..." I said but I was too late, he was up in AJ's face before I was half way down the stairs. "Where the FUCK do you get off?" He yelled at him. "What the hell are you doing Howie?" Kevin asked pulling him back from AJ. "This prick just told Tiffany that he thinks she slept her way to the top." Howie stated turning to look at Kevin. Kevin turned to AJ then to me. "Is this true?" I waved my hand to AJ and he looked away from Kevin. "AJ did you say that?" "Yeah I did." AJ said finally looking at Kevin. "Look you don't need to do this, it is between AJ and me. We can work something out I'm sure." "AJ?" Kevin questioned. "Yeah we can figure something out." AJ shrugged. Howie advanced on AJ again and pulled him into the backyard. I could see them yelling at each other but didn't know what they were saying. "Tiff, are you ok?" Kevin asked, looking concerned. "Yeah I'm fine, I'm sorry, I didn't think Howie would blow up like that." I said slumping into a chair. "Howie is very defensive when someone talks like that to a woman." Brian said smiling. "It's one of the things fans love about him, his whole knight in shining armor thing." "Why does AJ hate me?" I asked looking around the room. "I'm not sure really, he just came off of a really messy break up. Maybe he was just taking his frustration out on you." Nick sighed shaking his head. "Well, when he and Howie come in could you ask AJ to come to my office so we can talk?" "Sure, no problem." I went into my office and started up my fireplace. I started a pot of coffe and sat on the couch facing the fire. I heard the door open and didn't turn to see who it was. "Mind if I sit down?" AJ asked from behind me. "No, not at all, would you like some coffee?" "Yeah, I can get it, thanks." He sounded different, defeated, sad maybe. I couldn't quite decide. "Look, Tiffany, I'm really sorry about the way I acted earlier. I had no right to take out my frustrations on you. I really don't think those things about you, I was just spouting off and I didn't expect you to fight back." "I just don't understand why you said what you did unless you really feel that way." I whispered looking at him, trying not to cry. "I promise you I don't feel that way, how could I? I don't even know you, and I didn't give myself a chance to get to know you. I would like to get to know you though." He sat next to me and looked into the fire. "I just came out of a relationship and the girl I was dating was using me to get ahead. That is the only reason I said that to you, I just wish I had the nerve to say it to her when she left." |