She stood in the doorway looking at the face of a shocked and confused Kevin.
"Christel what are you talking about?" he asked grabbing her hand and pulling her into the room.
"Kevin ever since we've been here what have I done?" she asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Christel," he said.
"All I've done since I've been here is bitch and moan about Chinita and AJ, when I should have been worrying about where our relationship is going. You know the day after we first slept together I felt slightly guilty for what I had done. I remembered how just the day before I was saying how we didn't sleep together and then I went and did it but then I thought, �AJ and me are over with. I don't care what he does and he shouldn't care about what I'm doing.' Then this thing with him and Chinita consumes me when it could be just a figment of my imagination. I'm sorry Kevin; I was wrong for putting you on the back burner of things when you were the reason I came here in the first place," she said. Kevin sat in a chair and just looked at her.
"Christel it's ok. It really hasn't been as bad as you're making it out to be. Anyway Chinita and AJ are wrong in this as well. Do you plan on talking to them too?" Kevin said.
"No. While I am sorry for paying more attention to them then to us, I'm not accepting them either," she said. "Instead of having something to say to Chinita all the time, I'm just going to ignore them."
"Is this because of what I said at the pool?" he asked.
"That, the bruise on my arm, the way I am quite possibly losing my best friend and the way I could be the cause of you losing one of yours. It just shows that this has gone too far for too long," she replied on the verge of tears. Kevin came up to her and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him close just being happy with being held.
"It's ok sweetie. We'll get passed this. One day things will be back to normal," Kevin said hardly believing it himself.
******
Meanwhile in AJ and Chinita's room. . .
"AJ I'm fine! I don't need another pillow yes I'm comfortable, I have the remote right here, I'm not thirsty and I'm not hungry!" she exclaimed from her position on the bed.
"Hey, I'm just making sure you have everything you need. No need to get all bitchy," he replied.
"Bitchy? Bitchy? Who are you calling bitchy? It's bad enough that I can't walk now you expect me to sit here and let you insult me?"
"Chinita I'm just tryin' to help and make sure you have everything you need."
"And for the last time, I DO!" she exclaimed. "AJ you don't have to treat me like some sickly little kid that can't do anything for herself. It's just a sprained ankle nothing major."
"I know it's just that I. . ." he trailed off. He didn't know what he was about to say and that worried him for some reason. Chinita had stopped paying any attention to him, she had turned the TV on and was flipping channels.
"Besides weren't you supposed to be going out with Howie tonight?" she asked.
"Yeah I was but, I'm not going to go now, not with you sitting here barely walking," he replied. Chinita just starred at him.
"AJ, get out!"
"What? I'm not going no where," he replied.
"Oh yes you are! You are going to go out with Howie. I don't need you here making a fuss over me. Like I said I'm not a child," she wanted to scream but managed to hold her temper in check.
"No I'm not! What if you need something? I can't just leave you here alone," he said.
"I'm hardly alone Brian and Nick aren't too far away as well as five huge guys that are willing to take a bullet for any one of you and if I really need help I can call Kev," she replied. AJ noticed how she didn't mention Christel her best friend since Junior High School but didn't say anything.
"I'm not going anywhere, not tonight," he said. Chinita made a move to get up out of bed and AJ rushed to her side.
"What are you doing? Do you need my help?" he asked.
"AJ, damn, would you get a fuckin' grip! If you must know, I'm going to the bathroom and no I don't need your help," she said pushing him aside. She got up and made her way to the bathroom. AJ sat down heavily in the chair. He needed to think. At first Chinita was there for his support and to be a good friend when he was running low on friends. Now he was feeling something more for her and he had been avoiding this for some time now. He knew he had to admit it to himself of how he felt towards Chinita. When he heard what Christel said to her and then confronted her about it he had lost all control. He had never been that angry with Christel before and it scared him. He was dangerously angry with her at the time so much that he almost got violent and he was supposed to be breaking her and Kev up so he could get back with her. Now that idea held no appeal at all. Now a relationship with Chinita held his interest but that was crazy. He was just having feelings for her because she was there for him when no one else would be. It was just one of those doctor-patient type things, where the patient falls in love with the doctor, that's all it was. �Or was it?' a little voice in the back of his mind said. Just then Chinita emerged from the bathroom.
She was deeply in thought. She only went into the bathroom to get away from AJ and his �bedside manner' for a minute. She had been thinking about this for some time and she had come to the conclusion that it was time for her to leave. A little voice replied, �You shouldn't have come in the first place.' She quickly shoved that thought aside. She had come in support of a friend. Even if that friend did betray another friend, she thought. The problem was that now feelings were getting involved, feelings that she had been hiding for almost a year, feelings that she knew could be deeply hurt. She felt deeply attracted to AJ, most girls did, except in her case there was something different about that attraction. Most girls just saw AJ for the sexual magnet he exemplified on stage and sometimes off, while she saw him as the person he really was. If she were to be honest to herself, she would see that she really wanted to explore that personality of his. She was smart enough to know that if she tried to start anything with AJ in the end her feelings would be hurt and not necessarily from just him.
"I'm going to hang out with Nick. Why don't you go out with Howie, you'll have fun. There is no need for you to be here," Chinita said suddenly.
"Why do you want to go hang out with Nick?" AJ asked.
"That fool said he could beat me in Mario Cart so I'm going to go rise to the challenge. Little does Nicky know that I am so good at Mario Cart that Nintendo is considering naming a course after me," she replied.
"Uhhh. . . ok do you need me to help you to his room?"
"No, and when I come back you better not be here either."
******
The next morning. . .
Christel awoke alone in the massive bed she shared with Kevin. She sat up and glanced around the room. Where the hell could he have gone this early, she thought. Kevin decided to walk in just then.
"You always pop up when I'm thinking about you. It's like I conjured you up from somewhere. Where have you been?" she said watching him stride over to the bed.
"I went to the gym. I didn't want to wake you," he replied kissing her �good morning'. "I'm going to take a shower after that you want to go down for breakfast?"
"Yeah, I've been craving some of those eggs I had last time all week," she replied.
"Ok just let me get washed up," he remarked.
"Can I join you?" she asked seductively.
"No because then you won't get your eggs," he retorted.
"You said you were going to make me purr before the week is out and it's Thursday," she said.
"I know and I also know when the time is right," he said heading into the bathroom. Christel curled up in the bed and tried not to envision Kevin in the shower with the hot water rippling down his body, the steam rising up off his muscle toned skin, and his hair clinging damply to him. She couldn't stop the images that assailed her causing her mouth to go dry. She knew that while Kevin's shower might be hot when she jumped into the shower hers would definitely be cold.
******
"Do you want anything else Chinita?" AJ asked for the millionth time.
"NO AJ I'm fine," she almost yelled. Then, "Actually, I would love some more juice and a bagel with cream cheese, please."
"Ok I'll be right back," he replied. When she was sure he was gone Chinita turned to Howie who was seated on her left.
"Howie I need to talk to you," she said urgently.
"Ok. . . now?" he asked wondering at the urgency in his voice.
"Whenever I can shake my personal nurse," she said as she noticed AJ returning to the table they shared with Nick, Brian and Howie.
"Ok I'll be in my room," he said.
"Ok I'll come by sometime," she said just as AJ sat down placing her bagel on her plate and setting her juice down in front of her.
"I brought you a straw, too," he said.
"Thank you, AJ." Chinita had just taken a bite out of her bagel when she saw Kevin and Christel headed in their direction. She really wasn't in the mood for whatever insult Christel had today. Between Christel's insults and AJ's constant hovering she was about to go crazy.
"Good morning everyone," Kevin said.
"Good morning," they all mumbled. Kevin and Christel took their seats and Chinita couldn't help but think it was just a matter of time before she would start in on her. Brian signaled for the waitress to come back and take their orders. Once they had their food everyone settled into a comfortable conversation. She couldn't help but note that Christel barely spared her a glance.
"Well, I'm ready to go," Chinita said.
"Ok, want me to help you?" Howie said rising from his seat. Chinita nodded. He helped her from her seat and handed her the crutches.
"I can help," AJ said.
"No, AJ it's ok Howie will do," she replied.
"Well, we'll see y'all later," he said.
"Yeah bye," she said looking at the group and throwing AJ a glance, who just glared back at her. Together they made their way from the caf�.
"So how have you two been?" Brian asked.
"Fine," Christel replied quickly. A little too quickly, causing Brian to send her a questioning glance. AJ rose from his seat excusing himself and left the caf�. There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind that it was in pursuit of Chinita and Howie.
"So what's on the schedule for today guys?" she asked taking a bite out of her English muffin and hoping to change the subject.
"Well I think we have an interview sometime today and then back to the studio. We're going to be recording a song this time," Brian said.
"You mean to tell me you weren't recording before?" she asked.
"No we were laying down track and stuff," he replied. Christel looked at him like he was talking Japanese.
"This is such a tedious process! Care to explain exactly how this works to me, please? Clearly I am mistaken," Christel said. Brian began to explain how putting an album together works exactly all of which only made Christel's head swim with confusion.
"You're not even going to be finished with the album when you leave here?" she asked incredulous.
"Nope, we have to go to New York and Orlando to record a few more things and put on the finishing touches. I still have to record the song I wrote. So the 5-6 months that we aren't home isn't entirely spent in Sweden. I'm surprised Kevin didn't explain this to you," Brian said.
"I'm beginning to see why not," she said glaring at Kevin who seemed utterly interested in his pancakes at that moment.
"I mean damn! And people have the nerve to criticize you guys," she said. Nick who had been uncharacteristically quiet for the moment decided to speak up.
"Christel can you play Mario Cart?"
"Huh? Uuhh. . . yeah I know how to play. Why?"
"Well, I challenged Chinita to a game last night and she. . . she beat my ass," he replied.
"Is that why you're so quiet this morning?" Brian asked.
"So you want me to play you so you can win and gain your self esteem back?" Christel asked.
"No, I just don't want to play her, anymore," he said.
"Yeah right," Christel replied.
"What time is this interview?" Kevin asked.
"It's at 2 o'clock and then from the interview we go straight to the studio," Brian replied.
"Still working with Max huh?" Christel asked.
"Yep," Nick replied.
"Oh, his work is very. . . consistent," she said.
"What do you mean by that?" Nick asked.
"Nothing," she said airily. They all just gave her a weird look and continued eating their breakfast.
"So y'all basically have the day free until about 2pm right?" Christel asked.
"Yeah something like that," Brian replied.
"Sounds like someone is forming a plan for your day over there Kevvy," Nick replied.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Christel said innocently. Christel was lying and doing a pretty good job of it. She knew what she had going through her head. Let's see it's about 11 o'clock now, that means I have about three hours to get Kevin upstairs and into that bed, she thought feverishly. A little voice inside of her said, Jesus girl what are you going to do rape him? She couldn't say the thought hadn't crossed her mind on those nights he stayed late working in the studio.
"Well I'm done eating," Christel replied.
"That was good," Nick replied as they all stood ready to leave.
"You'll eat anything, Nick," Brian taunted.
"That's not true," he said.
******
Chinita and Howie had just stepped off the elevator and were heading down the hall to his room.
"Ok what's wrong? I can tell that something's bothering you," Howie said.
"Something is bothering me," she replied. Neither noticed AJ get off the elevator and follow behind them. "Howie you seem like someone I can talk to and I know I can't tell AJ this, not now. I'm not even going to try and talk to Nick; he's still pissed because I beat his ass at Mario Cart. Brian. . . no. Christel. . . well I think we all know why I can't talk to her. Kevin seems cool with me but he's too close to her so that'll never work."
What can't she talk to me about? AJ thought standing a safe distance away so he could hear and not be seen.
"Chinita what is it?" Howie asked as he opened the door to his room and let her in. Chinita sat in the armchair while Howie sat across from her on the bed. "Do you want to put your foot up?" he asked.
"No I'll be fine just like this," she replied.
"Well what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I-I-I think I need to go home. I mean this whole thing with Christel is only getting worse before it gets better. I probably shouldn't have come in the first place. Now, I've gone and injured myself and AJ is hovering around me like I'm going to break into little pieces at any moment," she said in a rush.
"Chinita slow down. So you think you should go home? Why, specifically do you want to go home? Is it wise for you to travel in this condition?" Howie said trying to comfort her.
"Well, I just think I need time to think about. . . everything. I talked to my doctor about traveling and he said I should be able to by next week. To be quite truthful with you Howie and since I know you wouldn't tell anyone. . . I think I've developed. . . feelings for AJ or maybe they were always there and I never noticed them. I don't know but being here with AJ hovering all over me and Christel plotting to kill me isn't going to help me think at all," she said.
"You have feelings for AJ. Somehow I'm not surprised," he commented. Chinita fell silent. "So what are you going to do? Are you going home for sure?"
"That's the thing Howie, I don't know," she replied.
"Well I want you to tell me the minute you do decide. You have my cell phone number don't hesitate to use it," he said.
"Ok you'll be the first to know, Howie," she promised.
******
"You have until 2 o'clock to do absolutely nothing. Let's do something," Christel pleaded as she boarded the elevator with Kevin.
"Something like what?" Kevin asked amused.
"Oh I don't know we could play cat and mouse. . . I'll be the cat," she said provocatively.
"I'm not really up to playing cat and mouse right now," he replied.
"Why not?" Christel asked.
"Because if we started our little game now we wouldn't be done by 2 o'clock," he said into her ear. Christel couldn't help but shudder, his tone was nothing but sexual. The elevator came to their floor and they got off. Walking down the hall Christel noticed AJ lurking around by their room.
"Spying on someone?" she asked coming up behind him.
"Not you. I'm waiting for Chinita, she's in there talking to Howie," he said.
"Yeah well do you have to do it by our room," Kevin asked shooting daggers in AJ's direction. He was still mad over the bruise he left on Christel's arm which, while it was going away was still a little sore.
"What's your problem?" AJ asked him.
"My problem is what you did to Christel," he retorted.
"What are you talking about? You have her now isn't that what you wanted?"
"I'm not talking about that," he said.
"Oh am I supposed to read your mind? I don't know what you're talking about, Kevin," AJ said.
"Kevin it's ok can we just go into our room and relax," Christel said not liking where the conversation was going. She knew AJ didn't mean to hurt her the way he did and he didn't need to know just what he did to her arm. To cover the bruise she was wearing a big baggy T-shirt.
"No, Christel if you won't let me beat the shit out of him for what he did at least let me show him what he did," he said as he grabbed Christel and raised the sleeve on her T-shirt. AJ looked at her arm and cringed. He knew he had hurt her arm she told him so herself but he didn't know he bruised her and that he was sorry for.
"Uuuhhh. . . Christel I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. . . I'm really sorry for that. I didn't know I left a bruise on you. You know I would never do something like that," he apologized.
"It's ok I know you didn't mean it," she said lamely. The door to Howie's room opened and Chinita with the aid of Howie stepped into the hall. Kevin hadn't dropped Christel's sleeve yet and they both regarded them curiously.
"Whoa hey guys," Howie said. "Christel, what's going on with your arm?" Chinita, who had been regarding AJ curiously, looked at Christel's arm. She couldn't help but stare at the bruise on Christel's arm. Where did that come from, she thought, Did Kevin do that to her?
"Nothing Howie, just had a little accident," she said pulling the sleeve to her shirt down. Howie shot her a weird glance but said nothing more. Chinita couldn't tear her gaze away from Christel's arm. Was Kevin abusing her, she thought? She couldn't even see Kevin as being capable of something like that; of course most guys who were abusive did give off the perfect man appeal.
"Chinita, do you need me to help you to the room?" AJ asked shaking her from her thoughts.
"No I got it," she replied as she headed down the hall.
"Come on Christel," Kevin said suddenly heading down the hall with Christel trailing after him.
"What was that all about?" Howie asked turning to AJ.
"Nothing man. . . nothing," he replied.
"Don't nothing me Alex," Howie said knowing he was one of few people who could call AJ Alex. "When me and Chinita came out here we stepped in the middle of a battlefield. What happened and what's with Christel's arm?"
"I did that," AJ said simply.
"You did what AJ?"
"I made the bruise on her arm. I didn't mean to it was an accident."
"What?! What the hell did you do to her? Damn AJ no wonder Kevin looked like he was restraining himself from murdering you."
"I know," he said.
"Well tell me what happened. Come in my room," Howie replied. Howie opened the door to his room and proceeded him inside.
"Kevin why the hell did you find it necessary to show the bruise to him? That whole little thing in the hall didn't even need to happen," Christel said once she got the door closed securely. She wasn't quite upset just highly annoyed that Kevin would do that. She didn't think that AJ needed to know about the bruise. She knew he didn't mean it. He wasn't aware of how hard he was holding her arm.
"Christel, I thought he should know what he did to you. I mean I don't care if it were an accident or not he shouldn't have handled you like that," Kevin said.
"Well if I wanted him to know I would have told him but I didn't think he needed to know," she replied. Kevin stood up behind her and pulled her to the bed where he pulled her onto his lap.
"I'm sorry sweetie. I was just so upset when I saw him and I knew you wouldn't let me kill him that I let my anger get the better of me," he replied. Christel kissed him on his nose and hoped up from his lap.
"Where are you going?" Kevin asked.
"Shopping," she replied.
"Shopping now? For what?" he asked.
"It's a surprise. Besides I haven't got any good shopping in since I've been here," she retorted.
"Are you going alone?"
"Nope I'm taking Carlos."
"But Carlos is my bodyguard and we have an interview at 2."
"I know you'll just have to take a �stand by' bodyguard. Don't you think I need some protection?" she said as she grabbed her purse.
"When did you decide to go shopping?" he asked.
"Oh just a minute ago. I'll just go find Carlos and inform him that he's going with me. See ya later hon," she said as she went out the door. Kevin was left in the room with nothing to do but plot how his and Christel's evening was going to go Friday night.
******
Later that afternoon. . .
The guys were at the studio and had begun recording.
"Ok guys we need to take that again," said the studio manager.
"Hey Brian why do you always do that?" Nick asked taking a sip of his water.
"Do what?" Brian asked.
"Punch the air like that when you sing. I mean I see you do it in videos and on stage but I always thought that was just for the audience to see but we're in the recording studio and no one is around to see you do that and yet you still do it," Nick remarked.
"I don't know, force of habit. I guess," he retorted.
"Yeah ok just don't let your force of habit hit me in the face," Nick replied laughing. Brian punched him in the arm playfully.
"Ok guys we're ready. From the top," the studio manager said. The guys all started to sing the chorus of the song. When they were done the producer said,
"Great! That was wonderful guys we're going to take a quick break." The guys all clamored out of the booth. Howie's cell started ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Howie? This is Chinita," she said into the phone.
"Oh hey Chinita," he said distancing himself from the rest of the group. "Made your decision, yet?"
"Yeah and I think it's time I go home. I need to," she said.
******
Kevin and Brian were sitting together and talking when Brian asked,
"What's with you and AJ?"
"What do you mean?"
"Yesterday you two were almost buddies and then today you're shooting him dirty looks and stuff. So I'm asking you what's with you and AJ?"
"Well he left a bruise on Christel's arm."
"He did what?!" Brian exclaimed. "When? How?"
"Yesterday when we came back from the photo shoot he was mad about the way she acted towards Chinita so he stopped her by grabbing her arm and wouldn't let go until she believed that he and Chinita didn't sleep together. Needless to say she didn't believe him so he squeezed her arm a little harder than he probably needed to," he said grimly. Brian didn't know what to say he was truly shocked. He never thought AJ had it in him to try and hurt Christel or any woman for that matter, least of all, not physically.
"What did you do?" Brian asked.
"Nothing. Christel doesn't want anymore fighting between the two of us but I did tell him what he did and I showed him, too," Kevin replied matter of factly.
"What do you mean you showed him?" Brian asked slightly confused.
"Well today me and Christel caught him in the hall and I told him what he did and grabbed Christel's arm and showed him," he replied.
"Oh."
******
"Ok well Chinita when do you plan to leave?" Howie asked.
"Sunday afternoon, I'm going to tell him. . . I don't know when I'm going to tell him," she said.
"You should tell him as soon as possible," Howie cautioned.
"Ok I'll tell him once I get up the courage to tell him," she replied.
"Ok, well I gotta go Chinita. I'll talk to you later."
"Ok I'll keep in touch Howie," she said as they hung up.
******
"Hey Brian you think you could do me a favor?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah sure Kev what do you want?" Brian replied.
"Well you think you can keep Christel busy sometime tomorrow night?"
"How am I supposed to keep her busy? What are you planning?"
"Well. . . don't worry about it just do that for me please."
"Hhhmmm. . . but where am I supposed to take her? What am I supposed to do with her?"
"I know you'll think of something," Kevin retorted.
"You're lucky you're my cousin and I love you. How long do you need her out of the room?" Brian inquired.
"Keep her out till about midnight," Kevin said.
"Ooohhh midnight, the bewitching hour. You do have something planned don't you?" Brian declared.
"Yeah something," Kevin said.