"Well I guess Ohniece can breath a sigh of relief now. Since we "talked", she can move on to butting her nose into someone else's life," Christel said light heartedly.
"She does do that a lot doesn't she?"
"Please, you don't know the half of it. When we were in high school she called me and had A'Liya. . . you remember her. . . you met her at my high school graduation party. Anyway she called me and had us on three way and tried to get me to talk about the fight I had with her. Of course, I didn't know A'Liya was on the phone but when I found out. . . I quickly added Ohniece to my black list after I hung up on her."
"Well when I told her that I had feelings for AJ she tried to convince me to call him. I was like uumm no, especially after what happened the last time I called him."
"Ummm how long have you had feelings for AJ?" Christel asked suddenly. Chinita looked flustered. She couldn't look Christel in the eye and didn't know how she was going to take the news. Since they had sort of made up she wasn't about to start another fight.
"I think maybe. . . bout as long as Kevin has had feelings for you," she finally said.
"Wow that long, huh? Why didn't you ever say something?" Christel asked.
"How exactly would I explain it to you Christel? �Uuumm hey Christel I have a crush on your boyfriend. You think you can find it in your heart to give him to me?' You would have laughed in my face," she stated.
"You're probably right. So are you going to pursue these feelings?" Christel asked trying to sound nonchalant.
"I seriously doubt it," she stated flatly.
"Why not? You like him don't you?"
"Yeah but after what he said to me I'm not talking to him again or at least not till he apologizes."
"I know about what he said to you. . . I talked to him and he told me. I'm sure he's sorry, Chinita."
"Well he has to tell me that."
Suddenly the elevator jerked upward. Christel grabbed the railing for support as Chinita screamed and grabbed her left arm in a death grip.
"Ok Chinita. . . you don't have to rip my arm off. Get a grip. . . uuuhh I mean calm down," she said.
"I'm calm. I'm fine," she replied.
"If you're so calm then can I have my arm back?" she asked.
"Sure," she retorted dropping her arm as if it burned her. Christel rotated her arm and shoulder a few times.
"Just making sure you didn't pull it out of it's socket," she said. Since Chinita let go of her she transferred her death grip to the railing. Christel regarded her for a moment.
"You're really scared. Aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes I am! Me and elevators don't exactly go well together and it doesn't help that this one is stuck with me trapped in it! Plus now it's making strange movements and jerking and stuff, so that would make me terrified!" she exclaimed.
"Look, calm down ok. We're going to be fine. We're going to get out of here. . . soon. How come you weren't afraid before?"
"I was more angry than scared. Besides. . . why would I want you to know that I was afraid? A minute ago if I had acted like this you damn sure wouldn't have been sympathetic. Telling you that I was afraid would be like fueling the fires. Like I want to give you more ammunition to hit me with," she explained. The elevator jerked slightly and Chinita shrieked.
"Look just stay calm. . . take some calming breathes and I'll find out what's up," she said. Chinita nodded.
"Hey, what the hell was that?" Christel shouted to the maintenance man.
"I think I may have you ladies going in a moment," he yelled back.
"Oh really??? That's great!" Christel exclaimed. She could actually see there still being a possibility that she would be able to have dinner with Kevin.
"Ladies you may want to hold on to something steady," he replied as the elevator lurched again. They held tight to the rail as the elevator lurched one more time before continuing onward to the lobby.
"We're moving! We're moving!!" Chinita exclaimed. The maintenance man, an older man in his late forties who's jumpsuit bared the name Billy, climbed into the elevator and joined the celebration.
"Oh wow. . . Billy," Christel said reading his name from his jumpsuit. "I'm so happy I could kiss you. . . but I won't. I don't think my boyfriend would like that."
"That's ok ma'am, I'm married myself," he said.
"The least I can do is shake your hand," she replied.
"Me too," Chinita chimed in.
The elevator stopped at the lobby as the doors drew open the first thing Christel saw was a worried Kevin pacing back and forth and Howie leaned up against a wall with his eyes closed. He was apparently so deep in thought he hadn't noticed the doors open. Christel leaped out of the elevator, happy to be out of the small confined space.
"Kevin!" she exclaimed. He looked up just as she rushed into his arms. Chinita followed slowly behind.
"Hey sweetie! I'm so glad you're out of there. Are you ok?" he asked.
"God, I'm glad I'm outta there, too. I felt like a caged animal. Oh don't worry about me I'm fine," she said looking up at him.
"Oh please," Chinita said. Christel playfully stuck her tongue out at her. Kevin and Howie looked from Chinita to Christel and back again.
"What?" they said simultaneously.
"Uuuhhh when I last talked to you. . . you weren't exactly friends," Howie said.
"Well. . . we talked," Christel explained. Kevin cocked an eyebrow at her.
"You have to tell me what happened in that elevator," Kevin said.
"Later. Right now I'm hungry. I didn't get much lunch today. So let's go get something to eat," Christel said. "But can we take the stairs. I don't think I want to look at another elevator for awhile."
"Sure ok. You ready to go?" Kevin asked.
"Believe me I'm ready," she replied.
"Well I guess I'll see you two later," Chinita said.
"Yeah I'll see you later, Kevin. Bye Christel," Howie stated. Christel and Kevin waved goodbye as they headed for the stairwell.
Christel was at the wheel, she and Kevin were heading into town to a restaurant he knew of when he said,
"So are you going to tell me what happened with you and Chinita in the elevator?"
"What's to tell?" she asked keeping her eyes on the road. "I already told you, we talked."
"Yeah I know that but I want to know exactly how it happened. When Howie talked to Chinita he said that you were probably about to execute her," he replied.
"And I was, sort of. . . we got into a shoving match and everything just kinda came out. I said we talked. What more do you want me to say? I don't know how to explain it," she said shooting a glance at him.
"You're not going to go into detail are you?" he asked.
"If you really want me to, I will. I think what I said was enough, though. We talked. . . do you really need to know the details?"
"No I don't need to know the details. . . I just want to. Your mood has lifted since I last talked to you so, I guess I'll just take your word for it."
"Good. I'll explain everything later. Right now I'd rather have a nice leisure dinner with my boyfriend. I don't want to talk about being stuck in that elevator. Who I was stuck in there with or anything of the past problems I've had with that person or anyone else. All I want to focus on right now is you and me, sweetheart," she said shooting Kevin a dazzling smile.
"Well that sounds like a plan to me," he said returning the smile.
******
A few days later. . .
AJ was driving into town. He decided after he talked to Howie what he was going to do. He tried calling Chinita to try to apologize for what he said but he was never able to get a hold of her. He figured either she was working hard on her upcoming store opening or she was avoiding him; the latter seemed more likely.
He pulled up in front of Blue Ice Apparel and Accessories and parked right next to Chinita's car. He figured if she was going to avoid his call there was no way she could avoid his visit to her store. He came early so there wouldn't be many people in the store. He knew neither him nor Chinita needed a scene and he was sure that his visit would cause one.
"Hi, is Chinita here?" he asked the girl working at the cash register. She looked up at him and gasped.
"Oh. . . my. . . gosh," she muttered. "Do you know who you are? I-I-I mean you're him! You're . . . . I can't believe it's you right here. . . in front of me!" AJ smiled at her. Well this isn't so bad, he thought. Jessica, the assistant manager, came by the front desk.
"Nicole is something wrong? Oh hey AJ, you lookin' for Chinita?" she asked. Nicole looked from Jessica to AJ.
"Yeah I am actually where is she?"
"She's in her office. Ya know this is unlike you to come through the front door. What's up?"
"Well I was hoping to surprise Chinita and I came early so I wouldn't make a scene or anything."
"You want me to tell her you're here?"
"No, I'll just go on back there," he said heading towards the back of the store.
Nicole continued to look from one to the other. She knew there was a reason she'd come to love this job. If there were a guarantee that a Backstreet Boy would stopped by everyday she just might think about working more hours a week.
"Nicole, shouldn't you be getting back to work?" Jessica said.
"Oh uumm yeah. . . is that really who I think that is?" she asked keeping her eyes on AJ's back as he headed for the stockroom and Chinita's office.
"Yes, that's AJ McLean, one of the Backstreet Boys."
"Does he come here often? Are he and Chinita. . . together?"
"Not as much as you probably would like him to but he has come here before. As far as I know, no. . . they're not together. I think he's dating one of her friends. She comes in here often too though. He usually uses the backdoor so he won't have to deal with reactions like yours."
"OH! I must have looked like a complete idiot to him. He must have thought I was a nutcase or something."
"Nay, I think he found you amusing. . . at least you didn't scream the store down. Ok enough chit chat back to work."
AJ opened the door to the stockroom and peaked to make sure that she was in her office at the end of the hall and not working in the stockroom. He was immensely thankful that her office wasn't near the store so that this confrontation wouldn't disturb anyone. The one good thing about Chinita was that her temper wasn't as passionate as Christel's but when provoked she was definitely a force to be reckoned with. He had finally reached the door to her office and knocked rapidly.
"Hold on a minute," she said. He heard her moving around, shoving papers out of the way before coming to answer the door. AJ held his breath.
******
Chinita was in her office on the phone. So far everything for her new store's opening, which was scheduled to open in the next few months, was going along fine and on schedule. She had just talked to the contractors who told her that she could come and inspect the work for herself. All the banners had arrived at the main store last week. The only thing left was the actual merchandise and after having a long conversation with her distributer she had little doubt that it too would arrive on time.
She decided to surprise them and check on the progress later that day. There was precious little time for bullshit. If she wanted to make the deadline she set, she would have to make sure that her contractors and everyone else working to make this happen understood that. So a surprise visit would be good and keep them on their toes.
Right now she had to handle something that she had put off for a while and that was paperwork. It was tedious and boring in the extreme but, it had to be done. She had just started filing some of it when there was a knock at her door.
"Just a minute," she said stuffing the last folder into the cabinet. She went to answer the door and swung it open.
"Hi," AJ said.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I just came by to visit. That's no way to greet a guest." Chinita stared at him. She knew this had something to do with the 10 messages a night she had on her answering machine, all from him. She also noticed that he didn't use the backdoor as usual. In fact, as long as she could remember he has always used the backdoor. This was probably the first time he had ever used the front door since he started coming to the store.
"Look, AJ, whatever this is I'm sure it can wait till later. I have work to do. I'm opening a new store in a few months and I don't have time to get sidetracked. So can you �visit' some other time please?" she said.
"I'm not going till you talk to me," he said. Chinita went over her options. She could either talk to him and hear what he has to say or she could try to work with him sitting in her store and causing a scene.
"Ok but this better be quick," she said leading him into her office. "Close the door behind you." AJ followed her inside, closed the door behind him and took a seat in the chair opposite her desk. Chinita sat behind her desk.
"So what do you want?" she asked deciding to sign a few things while she listened to him.
"Well. . . . I want to apologize to you for what I said when you called me. I was upset that you left and you left without telling me and told Howie instead. That's probably no excuse for what I said to you but that's my story and I'm sticking to it."
"Apology accepted. Is that all?"
"What?"
"I said, apology accepted. Is that all? Are you done?"
"Uuhhh. . . no. I know you're just saying that to get me out of here. Why haven't you returned any of my calls?"
"I've been busy. . ." she replied.
"You haven't been that busy, Chinita." he told her.
"Excuse me? I have a store opening in a matter of months! I'm starting a whole different branch of my clothing line. So I'm opening a new store as well as starting a new line. . . do you have any idea of how much time and work that takes? I don't have the time to sit around my phone and wait for your call," she declared.
"I understand you have a lot going on here but it's not like you couldn't take a minute. . . five at the most to call me back even to leave a message on my answering machine and say �What's up? or �I got your call'. I mean something," he said. Chinita started busying herself around her office. She went back to filing some of her papers.
"Are you even listening to me?" AJ asked.
"Yeah, I hear you. Look what exactly is this about? I really do want to get back to work. You apologized for what you said, I accepted your apology and I forgive you. What more do you have to say?" she asked slamming one of her file cabinets closed. AJ took a deep breathe and decided to just plunge on in head first and worry about the consequences later.
"I talked to Howie the other day. He pointed something out to me that I never noticed before but I guess was always there. . .," he trailed off. Chinita stopped what she was doing and turned toward him.
"What. . . what did Howie tell you?" she asked hesitantly.
"He told me that. . . you have. . . feelings for me." Chinita tried to mask her expression with nonchalance and failed miserably. They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity.
"Dammit! Does no one know how to keep a secret anymore?" she stated turning away from him.
"So. . . I guess it's true," he said.
"Yes it's true!" she exclaimed. "I hope everyone's happy now! The secret is out!"
"How come you never said anything?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she muttered to herself. "Well let's see. . . how exactly was I supposed to tell you? You were with Christel and I'm not into being a home-wrecker or �the other woman'," she said to AJ.
"You could have said something. You didn't say anything when we were in Sweden," he said.
"For what? You were with Christel, remember? It's not like you have any feelings toward me aside from friendship. Anyway, the situation in Sweden was so tense I didn't think it would be a good time or place to start a relationship," she threw over her shoulder.
"Chinita. . ." AJ started. He didn't know what to say next. He knew of her feelings for him but she didn't know his for her. They stood in uncomfortable silence, Chinita's emotions and thoughts going in every direction as she stared at nothing in particular and AJ trying to figure out how he should tell Chinita of his feelings for her. Suddenly the quiet in the room was interrupted by the phone ringing. Chinita turned and stared at the phone for a minute.
"I should get that," she murmured. Reaching out and picking up the phone she took a steadying breathe before she replied, "Hello?"
"Hi Chinita. . . this is Ohniece. You're not still mad at me are you?" she asked. It took Chinita another minute to digest what the person on the other end had just said to her. She couldn't believe that a surprise visit from AJ was affecting her like this.
"No Ohniece, I'm not mad at you anymore. Just mildly annoyed because you called me at work. . . and I'm kinda busy," she lied. She wasn't mad at her anymore but she could hardly say she was annoyed by her call. At the moment she saw it as a blessing. Chinita dropped down into her chair and swivelled it around so she wouldn't have to face AJ.
"OH that's good," Ohniece said sighing a sigh of relief. "I was afraid to call because I thought you were still mad at me."
"No, I'm not mad at you. Let me guess why you're calling. . . you heard about what happened with me and Christel."
"Something happened with you and Christel?" Ohniece asked feigning ignorance.
"Oh come on Ohniece, I know you know what happened. Otherwise, you wouldn't be calling me now," she told her.
"OK I'll admit. . . I know. I called Christel the other day and she told me about it. I didn't even have to badger. . . eerr I mean question her about it. She just told me," she said.
"Wow that must have been a first for you Niecey," Chinita said trying to drag out the conversation.
"Ha. . . ha. . . ha very funny Chinita. Anyway. . . I just wanted to say how happy I am that you and her finally talked things out. I wish you and her had listened to me before. I mean I told both of you to talk it out but you're both so stubborn you wouldn't listen to me." she said. Ordinarily, Chinita would have told her to get to the point but she was quite happy making AJ wait.
"SO. . . I wanted to invite you and Christel out to lunch with me or something."
"OK sure when?" Chinita asked.
"Hhhmmm. . . I'm not sure. Christel said she wasn't free this weekend. So maybe next weekend or something." she replied.
"Ok well that's good for me I guess. I'm pretty much booked all weekend myself." she told her.
"Wait, next weekend I'm going to my cousin's wedding," Ohniece said.
"We've got to figure this out." Chinita said.
"Well I can call you tonight when you get home. Right now I have work to do."
"No, we can decide now. In fact, I can call Christel on conference and we can decide."
"Christel's not at her desk, she's in a meeting. I'll just call you and her when we all get home." Chinita could see her distraction slipping away.
"Ok. . . I'll talk to you later, Ohniece," Chinita said reluctanly.
"Alright girl bye," Ohniece replied. They hung up. Chinita took a moment to prepare herself for when she turned to face AJ.
"What happened with you and Christel?" he asked.
"Well the short version is we got stuck in an elevator and we made up," she said.
"Wow really? How did that happen?" he asked.
"We basically exhausted each other to point of being civil and talked things out," she said hoping he would take that as a good enough explanation and move on. The phone rang again.
"Hello, Blue Ice Apparel and Accessories, Chinita here state your business," she said remembering her usual greeting.
"Hi Chinita, this is Jane Micheals. I have a few questions about some of the merchandise you requested. Got a minute?"
"Yeah sure, hold on please," she said. She pushed the hold button and set the phone in it's cradle. "I really should take that, AJ. So if you're done I think you should go," she said.
"Oh uuuuuhhh. . . yeah I guess I am done," he said standing to leave. Chinita walked him to the door.
"Before you go make sure there aren't too many people out in the store. If there are a lot of people I'll just let out through the backdoor," she said. AJ opened the door and stepped back into the stock room. Damn, he thought, I didn't get anything accomplished in there. AJ went out into the store without any problems and left.
*****
Christel was at home. She had missed being at home just hanging out and not doing anything in particular. Since it was a Saturday she was going to take every opportunity to do absolutely nothing! She sat on her sofa with the cat in her lap stroking it as she watched TV.
"I gotta think of something to name you," she said to the cat. She lifted the cat and stared into it's green eyes for a moment.
"How about. . . Sassy?" she said. In reply the cat swung out at her. She placed her back in her lap.
"Nah, I don't like that either. . . I'll think of something. . . eventually," she said. The phone rang and Christel set the cat down on the floor to answer it.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hey Christel are you busy?"
"AJ? No, I'm not busy what's up?"
"Well, I think I have a way of telling Chinita how I feel about her," he said.
"You still haven't told her yet? I thought you went over to the store and talked to her," she said.
"I went over there and I apologized for what I said when I was in Sweden. I didn't get the chance to tell her how I felt. She knows that I know that she has feelings for me though," he told her.
"You didn't get the chance or you didn't get the nerve?"
"A little of both."
"Ok so what do you want me to do? Tell her for you?"
"No I have an idea. When I was there with her Ohniece called and she mentioned something about ya'll going out to lunch sometime soon."
"Yeah we're supposed to go out next weekend, I think. So, what does that have to do with anything?" Christel said. She knew AJ was getting at something but she couldn't pinpoint just what that was. He continued to talk and pitch his idea as she listened.
"Let me get this straight," she started. "You want me to get Ohniece to take us back to the same place that you and I met then you're going to come up to us the way you did back then except you're going to go over to Chinita?"
"Yeah pretty much. I don't know how to tell her in private, it's just too uncomfortable," he said.
"And doing it in public with us sitting there watching isn't?" she asked.
"Surprisingly no," he replied.
"AJ are you sure this is wise? I mean once you tell her won't you two need to talk? I don't think in a mall food court is a good place to have a deep meaningful conversation."
"We'll talk. I just want to get it out there that I have feelings for her."
"I don't see why you don't just. . . ooohh I don't know tell her. Just go over to her house, knock on her door and say "Chinita I like you." Just tell her straight up. All this planning and scheming is not necessary. If I have to, I'll drive you to her house and knock on the door for you. I'm tired of this. I am so over you and her getting together so there is nothing holding either of you back except yourselves. You know she has feelings for you, so most of the anxiety is over on your part. How do you think she feels right now since you didn't return the feelings when you told her you knew about her feelings? She may not have shown how hurt she was but, I know it hurt her AJ. So stop bullshittin' and just TELL HER!! If you don't I will. Believe me I have no problem doing it either," Christel said losing her temper. AJ was speechless. "In fact come over here. . . now. We're going to settle this once and for all," she said.
"What now?" he asked.
"Did I stutter?"
"Ok I'll be there in a minute."
"No wait I'll just come over there and get you. Where are you right now?"
"I'm at home."
"I'm going to come get you and take you to Chinita and you're going to tell her how you feel about her. Is that understood?"
"Yes ma'am," he said feeling as though he were having a conversation with his mother.
"Good. See you when I get there," she said and hung up. Christel jumped up from the sofa and went up to her room to put her sneakers on. I can't believe this, she thought. Here I am on my day off, trying to chill and relax by myself and now I have to get those two blockheads together. She pulled her sneakers on, grabbed her purse from where it hung on the doorknob to her room and headed back downstairs. She found her car keys on the kitchen counter and scooped her cat up.
"Be good I'll be back," she said to the cat as she patted her head and sat her down in the livingroom. She was out the door in a flash. Christel ran a hand through her hair as she started the engine. She pulled her sunglasses out of her purse and slipped them on as she drove to AJ's house. To say Christel was mildly annoyed would have been an understatement she was completely exasperated by AJ and Chinita's shit. This is sooo freakin' high school, she thought. She could see her plans of doing nothing go right out the window. She pulled up to AJ's house, honked the horn once and waited. AJ came out almost immediately. Christel leaned over and unlocked the passenger door. He climbed in next to her. She pulled off from the curb at once.
"You're serious about this aren't you?" he asked.
"Serious as a heart-attack," she told him.
"I'm surprised you aren't out with Kevin."
"He has work to do today and I didn't want to distract him. We're not joined at the hip."
"Could have fooled me," he replied jokingly. Christel shot him a quick smile.
"You're not going to chicken out on me at the last minute are you?" she asked.
"No I don't think so," he assured her. "Do you know where Chinita is today?"
"I think she's at home but if she's not there I can only assume she's at one of the stores."
"But the one on the beach isn't open yet."
"That doesn't mean she won't be there overseeing it's progress." AJ looked at her skeptically. "Look if it makes you feel better I'll call her now. Ok?"
"Yeah go ahead. I just want to make sure she's home."
"I'm sure you do. Reach into my bag, get my cell phone and dial her number for me please," she said looking for a place to pull over. She pulled off onto a side street and pulled over.
"It's ringing," he said handing her the phone.
"Hello?" Chinita said.
"Hey girl! Good you're home. I'm in your neighborhood want some company?" Christel asked.
"Sure I'm not doing anything today. . . for once. I'm actually kinda bored. Come on over."
"Alright I'm on my way."
"See ya when you get here."
"Alright then, bye," she said then hung up. To AJ she said, "She's home so here we go."
A little while later, they pulled up in front of Chinita's house. Christel shut off the engine and climbed out of the car. AJ didn't move for a moment. Christel came around to the passenger side and asked,
"Going chicken shit on me?"
"No," he said and threw the car door open.
"Good, come on let's go." They climbed the steps to her house and Christel stepped forward and knocked on the door.
"Just a minute," Chinita called from within the house. She came to the door and swung it open.
"Hi!" Christel exclaimed. "AJ here, has something to say to you. Can we come in?" Chinita looked shocked for a moment.
"Uuhh sure. Come on in," she said recovering from the initial shock of seeing AJ and Christel on her doorstep. They went in and Christel sat on the sofa. AJ remained standing looking from Christel to Chinita, who was still standing in the doorway.
"Alright AJ hit it," Christel said. AJ stared at her for a moment and turned to Chinita. For a while he didn't say anything.
"Well go on," Christel urged him
"Alright!" he exclaimed. "Would you stop rushing me!"
"Sorry." He turned back to Chinita.
"Uuuhh remember when I told you that Howie told me that you have feelings for me?" he asked timidly.
"Uumm yeah I do considering it was earlier this week," she replied shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously.
"Well. . . I have feelings for you too," he said.
"Finally, it's out! Now I can be at peace and now I'm going home. Have fun talking kids," she said and with that she went to the door and let herself out. They both stared after her.
Chinita thought she was shocked when they appeared on her doorstep. She was completely astounded by AJ's admission that he had feelings for her. On top of that Christel basically dragged him over there to tell her this. She was pushing them together. AJ's ex-girlfriend was pushing them together. She didn't know what to expect next.
"Ok. . . I really don't know what to say now," Chinita said crossing the room to her favorite chair, which sat opposite the sofa.
"You don't have to say anything, just listen to me for a moment," he said. Chinita looked up at him and nodded. "I don't know when it happened. I just know that it happened and I can't change the way I feel about you. I guess that expression �friends make the best lovers' is true, I mean look at Kevin and Christel. They're all in love and stuff. I mean why can't you and I have that?"
"Whoa! Wait just one minute there buddy. I don't think our relationship, if there is one, will be like Christel and Kevin's. We're not the same kind of people so it won't be exactly the same. Besides, who says I'm ready for a relationship like that? Christel and Kevin are practically married. I'm not ready for any kind of serious commitment and neither are you," she said.
"Ok we may not have a relationship just like Kevin and Christel but we can try to have a relationship."
"AJ if we go down the path I think you want us to go. . . I think we need to take it a bit slow. You just got out of a relationship. . . I don't want to be rebound girl."
"You won't be rebound girl. I think that title went to Vala. . ." he trailed off.
"That's another thing you cheated on your last girlfriend, my friend. Who's to say you won't do the same thing to me?"
"I won't-" he started before Chinita held her hand up for him to be quiet.
"I don't know that. . . which is exactly why I don't think we should be rushing into things. I know you and Christel's relationship was different but you hurt her. . . you both hurt each other and I don't want to get hurt." AJ went to stand before her. She looked up at him. He kneeled before her and removed his sunglasses to look into her eyes.
"I promise I won't hurt you. We won't hurt each other. If you want to take it slow. . . we'll take it slow. You can set the pace to whatever you want it to be and I'll follow your lead. If you want to just stay friends then we'll stay friends. Whenever you want to move to the next level I'll be ready. I want to be with you Chinita and if I have to wait that's something I'm willing to do."
Chinita had to look away. Those big brown eyes of his could make a girl promise anything and everything to him. She had to get her thoughts together before she could say anything to him.
"I don't know what to say," she replied smiling timidly at him. "I do have feelings for you AJ, I do. I'm just afraid of being hurt and if I get hurt by you I don't think I could handle it. We've been good friends. Are you sure we want to take it further than that?"
"I don't see why not. We could give it a try," he said. Chinita found it hard to look away from his imploring gaze.
"Yeah we could," she said quietly. Then, "I guess I'm supposed to give you a ride home." AJ smiled up at her and pulled her to him for a hug.