AJ had been regarding her since he spotted her waiting for the elevator. She didn't look particularly happy, in fact she looked extremely distraught.
"What's wrong with you? I thought the lovebirds were always happy," he said as they boarded the empty elevator. Christel didn't want to, but she couldn't help the tears that fell and AJ was quick to notice too.
"Whoa, Christel I'm sorry. What's wrong? What happened?" he asked alarmed.
"Nothing," she muttered sniffing. "What do you care?"
"Christel you're lying. Tell me what's wrong," he said looking at her intently. Christel struggled with herself. Why in God's name should I tell him what's going on after the way he's treated me?, she thought.
"If you must know, Kevin and I had a fight," she sobbed.
"No offense but that's nothing new. You two have fought before, even before you were. . . together," he said.
"I know but this time was different. He doesn't think I love him. How could he not know that I do?" she said weeping into her hands. AJ had no idea that it was that serious between them and at the same time it didn't really bother him. He was shocked but he wasn't bothered, not at all. He patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Christel turned her face to look at him and saw only tenderness, when she expected jealousy or anger.
"Christel. . . we need to talk," AJ replied. Christel just looked at him and nodded. AJ escorted her to the roof of the hotel where the pool was so they could talk in private.
"Why up here?" she asked.
"Well the lobby is crawling with fans, I don't feel like putting a disguise together so we can go to a restaurant, Chinita is in my room and Kevin is in your room. Do you have a better idea? Besides this opens out to a patio, follow me," he said grabbing Christel by the hand. She followed him out to the patio and sat down on one of the chairs provided.
"I don't remember even seeing this thing when me and Kevin. . ." she trailed off. "How did you know about it?"
"I come up here to smoke sometimes."
"You told me you quit."
"Well I didn't."
"You know you should especially since you're a singer, AJ. That shit can mess up your voice and kill you."
"Christel, you're trying to avoid the subject."
"I'm not avoiding anything," she replied.
"Yes you are, now Christel talk to me. I had no idea that you and Kevin were that. . . serious. Tell me what happened," AJ said. Christel couldn't help but shoot him a funny look.
"AJ what's going on with you? I mean one minute you nearly try to tear my arm off and the next you're all tender and caring," she said.
"Well I did say I was sorry for what I did to your arm," he replied.
"Yeah but AJ we've been at each other's throats since I got here and even before I got here. You can't possibly have me to believe that you just woke up today and thought, �Oh! I think I need to make up with Christel.' So what's really going on?" she asked looking at him suspiciously.
"I just realized something," he said.
"And what's that?" she asked blandly.
"You and Kevin are meant to be together," he said. Christel just looked at him blankly.
"AJ. . . are you feeling ok?" she asked.
"Yeah I'm fine. I just realized it when you said you loved him. I mean, it didn't bother me. . . at all. I thought it would, but it didn't," he replied. Christel didn't know what to say to this revelation. "Christel me and you were good, but I see the way you and Kevin look at each other. You never looked at me like that, not that I'm complaining. . . I can't rule your heart. Maybe you and Kevin were always meant to be together. . . well that's not for me to say."
"You're quite observant, too bad you didn't get that way till after we broke up. Maybe you would have noticed how unhappy I was with the way our relationship was going. Well. . . sorry I can't say the same about you and Chinita," she remarked snidely.
"May I ask why?" he asked.
"First of all she's doing a disservice to me and our friendship. I mean you're the cheating boyfriend and. . . she's supposed to hate you as much as I do. But what does she do? She runs off to Sweden to comfort you and lend you some of her support. What kind of friend is that?"
"Christel, we didn't do anything," AJ told her.
"That's not what's really bothering me AJ. She was supposed to be supporting me! She's my best friend and she wasn't even on my side. I know I had Brian, Niecey and I kinda had Howie and Nick backing me up but not my best friend. That's usually the first person you turn to and I did. She was the first person who knew about me and Kevin. . . about everything," Christel said as new tears streamed down her face. "She was supposed to be on my side." AJ looked at Christel seeing her through a new light. He thought she was jealous about him and Chinita possibly getting together but now he saw that it went a little deeper than that. She wasn't jealous at all, she was hurt.
"Christel I never meant to pit you two against each other," AJ said simply.
"Secondly," she continued as if AJ hadn't uttered a word. "Why is she trying to get with you after you cheated on me? She should be worried that you may do the same thing to her. I mean, if it happened to me why wouldn't it happen to her, too."
"Christel, me and Chinita aren't together," AJ said.
"You may not be together now but, you'll hook up sometime. I see the way you look at each other. See I'm very observant too and I'm not stupid, AJ," she replied. AJ didn't have any words. If she could see it written all over my face than I wonder if it was that obvious to the other guys, he thought. "I guess your silence is answer enough. Do you like her AJ and be honest?"
"Uh. . . uh. . . uh. . .," he stammered.
"AJ cut the bullshit and just tell me. I can take it. I won't get all hysterical on you. Ok?"
"I-I-I do have feelings for her," he replied finally.
"I knew it, can't say I agree with it, but I always knew it. See AJ, you can't hide much from me."
"Apparently not. The thing is I'm not sure what my feelings for Chinita are. . . exactly," he said as Christel nodded thoughtfully. "You really love Kevin don't you?"
"Uuummm. . . yeah I do. It's funny sometimes I wonder if it were there all the time or if it's something new that I never saw in him. I know I definitely cherished him as a friend but now he's so much more than a friend," she said avoiding eye contact.
"Go and tell him how you feel. Don't stay mad at him. That won't accomplish anything, you both are stubborn as two rutting bulls," he said.
"I'll think about it. As for you, if you plan to make a move on Chinita do it but, if you hurt her I will come after you," she replied. AJ laughed a little.
"I thought you hated her."
"No. . . I just hate the things she's done."
"She's going home soon," he said.
"Oh. . . then I guess you need to hurry," Christel said staring at her hands. AJ lifted her face to look her in the eye.
"Christel are you sure?" he asked. She nodded. "I don't know how to approach it."
"All I can tell you to do is to just tell her," she said. "Maybe we should head back inside before someone sends out a search party."
"Yeah you're right," AJ said standing. Christel stood up beside him, turned to him, and gave him a grateful hug saying,
"Thank you for talking to me and I'm sorry for being such a bitch lately. We should have sat down and talked a loooonnng time ago. I'm glad we finally did, though. Maybe we can try and be friends?"
"We could try. It's ok, though, I'm glad we talked too. I'm sorry I wasn't being as cooperative as I could have been either," AJ said. Then, "You and Chinita really need to talk."
"Maybe some other time. I can't take but so many emotional outbursts in one day. Oh and AJ, you and Kevin also need to talk. I could have sworn I said that in those letters I gave you both. Men. . . they never listen," she replied. Together they left the patio. While in the elevator AJ turned to her,
"How is your. . . uuummm. . . arm?" he asked.
"Oh it's fine it was just a little bruised and sore. I think it was mostly due to your rings," she replied rubbing her arm.
"Don't make excuses for me. I should have never did that to you and I am truly sorry that I did," he said.
"AJ it's ok besides, it served as kind of a wake up call," she replied. The elevator landed on their floor and they parted ways heading for their rooms.
When AJ got to his room he saw that Chinita was gone leaving a note that said she went to get something to eat with Howie. He sighed a sigh of relief. While he planned on taking Christel's advice about just going to her and telling her his feelings he was glad he didn't have to do it right then and there.
When Christel returned to her room she found Kevin lying across the bed reading.
"Where were you? Carlos told me that you and AJ went out alone," he said coming up off the bed.
"Having your lackeys spy on me Kevin?" she asked.
"No, he just came in here and told me. I did ask him to try and keep an eye on you for me, though, after the incident at the studio. I don't want anything to happen to you. So where did you go?"
"Me and AJ went up to the patio and talked."
"You and AJ?" he asked incredulous. "What patio? Christel you didn't throw him off the patio did you?"
"Yes me and AJ, no I didn't throw him off the patio. The pool upstairs leads out on to a patio," she replied. "We just talked. Something we should have done some time ago." Kevin looked at her perplexed.
"Is everything ok?" he asked.
"Yeah sure everything's fine. . . with me," she replied plopping down on the foot of the bed. Kevin looked at her, he could tell that something wasn't right but he couldn't put his finger on it. He did notice that she didn't say anything about what he said to her earlier that morning. He wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing. He was slightly disappointed that she hadn't said she loved him back. Maybe she needs time, he thought. The phone rang breaking Kevin from his thoughts. Christel got to it first and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Yes he is," she said into the receiver. Then to Kevin, "It's for you."
"Who is it?"
"May I ask who's calling?" She looked over at Kevin holding out the phone to him saying, "He says he's one of your lawyers and it's urgent." Kevin took the phone and sat down on the sofa. Christel couldn't help but regard him thoughtfully. He had turned his full attention to the person on the phone and his eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. She didn't know what she was going to do about their present situation. She didn't want their relationship to turn into what her and AJ's did. They had just had a disagreement and didn't address it, she and AJ were famous for that. She would have to find some way for him to realize her true feelings for him. How, was the only question?
"What the fuck is he thinking?" Kevin yelled making Christel jump. She had almost never heard Kevin yell so loudly since she met him. She continued to watch him. As his demeanor changed the person on the other end of the phone apparently was trying to calm him down.
"Alright, yeah I'll be there," Kevin said before hanging up the phone. Christel sat staring at Kevin as he laid his head on a pillow of the sofa and groaned low.
"Uuumm. . . dare I ask what was that all about?" she said.
"We have a meeting with our lawyers this afternoon," he said grimly not lifting his head.
"Why? Oh does this have something to do with Lucifer. . . I mean Lou Pearlman?" she asked. Kevin nodded. "You're still going through that?"
"Yes," Kevin said sadly. Christel went over to sit beside him laying her hand on his shoulder.
"Kevin it's ok," she said softly. Kevin turned to her and pulled her into his arms. They just sat holding each other for a long while. "Kevin, you want to go down and get some breakfast?"
"Breakfast? It's almost time for lunch," he replied.
"Well lunch then. Do you want to get something to eat?" she asked stroking his cheek.
"Yeah give me a minute," he said getting up and going to the bathroom. Christel sat back on the sofa and looked down at her shirt. There were a few wet spots where Kevin's head had been buried against her. She knew how much this was affecting him and it bothered her that he was letting that fat bastard do this to him. She also knew that Lou jumped into Kevin's life at a critical time. He was the only male figure Kevin had to look up to after his father died, after all. She could identify with him to some extent. While Kevin and his father had a great relationship her and her father had anything but. She was closer to her grandfather who died when she was fourteen sending her into a deep depression, that she only barely pulled herself out of, no thanks to her father. She shook herself from the memories of her adolescence when Kevin came out of the bathroom.
"You ready to go?" she asked shooting him her best smile.
"Yeah but I have an idea. Let's go out to eat and I don't mean out to the caf� downstairs," he said.
"We're just going for lunch. Are you sure you want to go out there? Carlos said the lobby had a few lingering fans in it.
"Yeah I know about the fans in the lobby. I think we can shake them besides, I'm hungry and I know you're tired only seeing this hotel room, the studio and wherever we do a photo shoot. Plus I know a place where we can go eat and not be bothered," he said.
"Ok, I'm game. I'll go with you but if we get attacked by a mob of screaming girls it's all your fault mister," she said climbing out of her seat on the sofa.
"Well I am going to take Carlos with us. Before we go I have to call the guys and tell them about the meeting we have. Then I gottta call Carlos and ask him if he can go with us," Kevin said. Kevin picked up the phone and dialed Brian's room first. While Christel climbed onto the bed grabbing the remote and flipping the TV on.
"Hey Brian, this is Kevin," he said in to the receiver.
"Hey Kevin what's up? Did you have a nice night?" he asked slyly.
"Yeah I had a nice night Brian but listen this is serious. I just got a call from our lawyers and they want to talk to us," Kevin said grimly.
"Ok when do they want to talk to us?" Brian asked all jokes aside.
"Sometime this afternoon about 2pm I think," Kevin said.
"Well I think we should meet before we go in there and talk to them. The five of us, so we can form a plan as to how we're going to go about this whole thing," Brian said.
"Yeah I know what you mean. When do you want to meet?"
"Right now before we to talk to the lawyers. Is that all right with you Kevin?"
"Oh well I was supposed to. . ." he trailed off shooting Christel a glance. She was too involved in the TV to hear the conversation between Kevin and Brian.
"Kevin?"
"Yeah it's ok with me. I was supposed to go. . . oh nevermind. Yeah I'll be there, just let me call the other guys."
"All of the other guys?"
"Uuummm. . . yeah isn't that what I said?"
"You're going to call AJ too?"
"Yes Brian I'm going to call AJ, too. This is business and any problems I may be having with AJ I have to put aside for now because this is a little more important," Kevin said. "In fact AJ will be the next person I call, just to get it over with."
"Ok, I was just asking in case you wanted me to call him for you but, if you want to than by all means go ahead and do it," Brian replied.
"Ok I'm going to call the guys and tell them we're having a meeting in your room right now. See ya when I get there," Kevin said preparing to hang up.
"Alright, Kev see ya in a minute," Brian replied before hanging up. Kevin sighed to himself. Now I have to call AJ, he thought, Why didn't I just let Brian call him. Well I better just get this over with. Kevin picked up the phone and quickly dialed AJ's room. The phone rang a few times before someone picked up.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hello?" It was Chinita.
"Oh uuhh. . . Chinita, is AJ there?" he asked.
"Yes he is. He's right here," she replied handing AJ the phone.
"Hello AJ here," he said.
"Uuuhhh. . . listen AJ this is Kevin. We're having a meeting in Brian's room right now and we need everyone there," he said in somewhat of a rush.
"Uuuhhh. . . ok. What is this meeting about?" AJ asked a little shocked that Kevin was calling him.
"You'll see when we get there," Kevin replied.
"Uuhh. . . ok I'll be there but, uuummm. . . Kevin you think I could talk to you afterward?" AJ stammered.
"Yeah. . . sure. . . whatever AJ just make sure you're at the meeting," Kevin warned.
"Ok Kevin I'll be there," he replied.
"Alright see ya there," Kevin said hanging up. He looked over at Christel wondering what AJ could possibly want to talk to him about. Did it have something to do with whatever Christel and he had talked about earlier? He would have to find out. He turned to Christel, since he would be meeting with the guys and then right after that he would have to meet with the lawyers, he knew that he wouldn't be able to take Christel out to lunch.
"Christel," he said
"Yes Kevin," she replied.
"I don't think I'll be able to take you out to lunch today. I have to meet with the guys and I know that's gonna take awhile and then I have to meet with the lawyers. So. . . we may have to postpone our lunch. I know I promised you that we. . ." he said beginning to ramble.
"It's ok Kevin. . . it's ok. We can go out to lunch another time besides, this is business Kevin and it's a little more important than going out to lunch," she replied.
"Well it could be awhile. While I'm on the phone do you want me to call room service and order you something?" he asked.
"No, Kevin, I'm ok," she answered.
"Christel are you sure? I really don't feel right about leaving you here alone," he replied.
"It's ok Kevin. I'll get myself something to eat and find something to do. Maybe I can drag Carlos out with me somewhere or something," she replied. Kevin looked at her skeptically.
"Ok well, I'm just gonna finish up here and then I'm going to Brian's room," Kevin announced.
"Ok Kevin." Kevin continued rounding up the fellas while Christel sat on the bed watching TV and trying to come up with something to do with the remainder of the day. She didn't feel like swimming, she didn't want to shop, she didn't know where a movie theater could be and there was absolutely nothing on TV. She decided maybe she could call Carlos and figure something out.
"Christel, I'm going now. I don't know when I'll be back. So I'll see you later honey," he said hanging up the phone and leaning over to kiss her forehead.
"Ok Kevin and don't worry about me, I'll find something to do," she replied. Kevin smiled at her before turning and heading off to Brian's room.
Christel scrambled up from the bed thinking, Ok I have to find something to do. Although she knew she should she simply would not, could not, talk to Chinita. She would put that off till another day, by all means. After much thought she decided to call Carlos to see if he could give her an idea on what she could do. Luckily, Kevin left his number by the phone, she thought to herself. She opened the night stand drawer and pulled out the paper that had all the bodyguards' room and phone numbers.
"Hello, Carlos?" she said when someone answered his phone.
"Yes, Christel? Do you need something?" he asked.
"Yeah actually, see Kevin went to a meeting and I'm left here alone with nothing to do and I was wondering. . . ," she said but was cut off when she heard a loud excited yell from his end of the line. "Uuummm. . . Carlos am I interrupting something?"
"Oh me and the other bodyguards are playing poker. Hey you wanna come down and join us?"
"Yeah sure. . . why not? Playing poker huh? Shouldn't someone be on post in the hall?"
"We only need 4 to play poker the others are on post. Besides all the guys are having their meeting and then they have another meeting, they should be ok for awhile," he said.
"Ok I'll come down then but poker really isn't my game I'm more of a spades type of girl," she replied jokingly.
"Well maybe I can convince the guys to play that later," he said.
"Ok well I'm on my way," she countered.
"Ok see ya when you get here," he stated.
"Ok," she said as they hung up. Christel slipped her shoes on and headed out the door and to the end of the hall to Carlos' room.
******
"Ok guys what are we saying here?" Kevin asked in frustration. He was sitting on the sofa with Howie, Brian sat at the foot of his bed, AJ was in the armchair and Nick sat in Indian style on the floor.
"Are we saying we're gonna let him win this? Are we going to just forgo the group and forget all we've accomplished, still want to accomplish and not to mention our dreams?" he continued. No one answered.
"All we're saying Kevin, is that maybe we should just stop this while we can before it gets too big for us to handle," Howie said quietly.
"You can't be serious," Kevin said. "We can't just let him get away with this. When we go in there to talk to those lawyers we have to be unified in this otherwise, we will definitely fall."
"I'm with Kevin," AJ muttered. Kevin shot him a glance.
"Me too," Nick said. Everyone looked at Brian.
"Well y'all know where I stand on this," he retorted. Everyone then turned their gaze on Howie.
"Guys I wasn't saying that I wanted to abandon the group I'm saying that maybe we should just let Lou have it," he said.
"NO! I'm not going to let him win," Kevin almost yelled. "Who's with me?"
"I'm with you," Brian said.
"Me too," AJ retorted.
"Me three," Nick said.
"Well Howie, are we all together on this?"
"Hhhhmmm. . . yeah I'm with you guys. I mean I've trusted y'all for this long. . . no point in stopping now."
******
"Hahaha we won again," Christel exclaimed as she and Carlos high fived. They had been playing spades for the last hour. Christel and Carlos were partners as they played against Marcus and Nelson, AJ and Howie's bodyguards. The other bodyguards went on post.
"She's good," muttered Nelson.
"Hey how about we liven things up a bit," Christel declared.
"What do you mean?" Marcus asked.
"I say we put some money down on the next game," she retorted mischievously. The three guys looked from one to the other and back again before agreeing.
"Alright boys let's play," Christel said shuffling and dealing the cards. All three guys had the sinking feeling that they were in a little over their heads.
******
The guys were coming out of the meeting with the lawyers all feeling drained. They went in united and at one point were united in trying to kill one of the smart ass lawyers before Howie stopped them. In any case, they were all drained when they left the boardroom the hotel provided.
"I hope we don't ever have a meeting like that again," Nick said to Brian as they went down the hall to the elevator.
"Yeah I known what you mean," Brian replied. Kevin was equally drained and only wanted to climb into bed and go to sleep. AJ ran up to Kevin and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey Kev, can I talk to you?" he asked.
"Look AJ, I'm not in the mood right now. All I want to do is go to bed. Can we talk later?" Kevin said wearily.
"Kevin I really need to talk to you, please. It's important," AJ said pulling off his glasses and looking Kevin in the eye. Kevin sighed inwardly.