The next morning the entire hotel seemed quiet. The sun drifted into Howie's room slowly as he turned over on his side to avoid the light. When he quickly realized that he was not on a bed his eyes flew open. He felt around to his left and touched the cool glass of an empty bottle and the soft carpeting. He moved his other hand and touched silky strands. He turned his head and saw Xanda curled up next to him, deep in sleep. He desperately tried to remember the night before and sighed with relief. They had fallen asleep, nothing more. But the bottle under his left hand reminded him about why they fell asleep on the ground. He effortlessly sat up and nudged Xanda softly. "Alexandra? Wake up." He whispered. "Why?" She groaned. "So we can see if AJ's okay." He whispered back. Xanda quickly sat up, her hair in a messy heap on top of her head. Howie was sent into instant quiet laughter. "Shut up, you don't look like a prom king yourself." She shot at him, pointing to his messy, curly hair that seemed to stand on end. "What's the word? Puerto Rican fro?" She giggled. Howie had to laugh along with Xanda. She was right. As the two continued to laugh in whispers a low groan could be heard from the bed behind them. "Oh man...what did I drink?" Came AJ's deep voice. "Everything." Howie and Xanda replied as they stood up. "Everything and then some." AJ said as he rubbed his throbbing head.

"How do you feel?" Howie asked as he and Xanda stood up and stretched. "I feel about as bad as you two look." AJ tried to joke. Xanda gave him a playful glare before a small smiled appeared on her lips. "Why are you two sleeping on the floor? Wait a minute, why are you two sleeping together, period." AJ shot at them. Howie shook his head before looking at Xanda. "Care to take this one?" He questioned. Xanda nodded and plopped herself on the bed. "Oh careful, babe!" AJ grimaced as his stomach bounced along with the bed. "First off, look around the room and tell me what you see." Xanda demanded as she pointed around. "Bottles. And a lot of them." AJ noted. "Well, you're a smart one. Of course there are bottles! Why wouldn't there be? You drank them all and that's why you're the way you are this morning. Howie and I were sleeping on the floor because that's where we fell asleep. We were taking turns watching you and checking your vital signs all night. You're a fuckin' moron! You drank yourself into oblivion! What the fuck were you thinking!?" She started to shout. Howie placed his hands at the temples of his throbbing forehead while AJ sat on the bed quietly listening to Xanda. "I don't even remember why." AJ mumbled as he dived into his past memories, trying to put two and two together. "You want to know why? THIS is why!" She shouted, holding up the magazine. "Xanda, I can explain that!" AJ interrupted. "No you can't. That's because Kevin already did. At this point, I don't want to talk about it. Ever! It happened, there's nothing you can do about it, let's move on." Xanda demanded. "But I want to talk about it..." "AJ! There's nothing to talk about. Kevin told me EVERYTHING and I'm okay with it. I just want to forget that that article was printed, please?" She pleaded with him. "Okay, fine." AJ agreed. "Good." Xanda whispered, quickly realizing that that was the first time she had seen him in over two months.

"I gotta go!" She stated as she stood up and booked it to the door. "Wait, Xanda!" "Where are you going?" AJ and Howie asked. "I've got things I need to do. Call me later." She hastily replied. "Um, okay. I love you." AJ said. "Yeah, okay. Bye." Xanda replied, closing the door behind her.

"Man, she's a confusing one." Howie joked. AJ was too sick to even care what was going on with Xanda. "D, I love ya man, but get out. I'm going back to sleep before I kill myself. This is the worst hangover I've ever had." AJ stated as he plopped himself down on his pillows. "You deserve it after all the crap you drank. You didn't even leave any vodka for me or Brian." Howie mumbled as he left the room.

"Brian!" AJ smacked his forehead. "Damn, I forgot that he said he was going to go visit Xanda for me last night." He mumbled as he fell asleep wondering how the little meeting between the two sworn enemies went.

****

"Oh hello, beautiful! How are you enjoying the sunshine?" Xanda cheerfully and loudly asked Brian as she stepped off the elevator. "Fuck off, Xanda." Brian mumbled while he slowly walked down the hallway. "Me? Fuck off? Haha, no babe! How did it go with those three underage girls?" Xanda laughed. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Brian demanded as he continued to walk down the hallway a few feet ahead of Xanda. "Oh, nothing! I'll let Nick tell you." Xanda replied as she waited with him at the door. "Why the fuck are you here? Don't you have someone else to torture?" Brian asked when he realized that she was waiting at the door. "For an innocent church boy, you sure swear a lot." Xanda giggled, knowing that it pissed Brian off. "I'm not innocent. I don't know where you got that information." Brian mumbled as he reached out to knock on the door. "Oh, countless interviews. You always come off as this squeaky clean church boy. It's hilarious, really. If only they knew how you really were..." Xanda trailed off with a large, satisfying grin on her face. "And how am I, Xanda? Huh? I'd like to hear what you have to say." Brian replied as he turned around to face her. "Oh, you know...you're an arrogant prick. You're egotistical and think you have everyone figured out after knowing them for five minutes. You're selfish and you don't seem to care about anyone's thoughts of feelings. If you did, you would respect AJ's decision to date me." Xanda explained. "You're a bitch! You have no fuckin' clue WHO I am! All that crap couldn't be further from the truth! First off, I DO respect AJ and I ACCEPT the decision he makes when it comes to dating. I am not egotistical, just around you because I know it drives you insane. And arrogant? Take a look in the mirror! You think you own everyone! And because of your 'painful past' you think everyone owes you something! It doesn't work that way so get over yourself!" Brian shouted back, ignoring the throbbing sensations that were happening in his head and stomach due to his massive hangover. "Whatever, Brian." Xanda replied quietly as she stood behind him. Brian had finally hit close to home.