Chapter 14
~~ Ex Lax Pudding~~
AJ caught up with her just as she stepped outside.
"Leaving so soon?"
That took her by surprise, she wasn't expecting him to be standing right behind her.
"Uh, no. I'm ... I wasn't leaving," she stuttered hoping her nose hadn't grown any because of the lie, "I was just going out for some air."
"Okay. But, if you want people to actually fall for that, you should've left your purse on the table," he countered.
"Oh, Umm see, I was gonna smoke while I was out here," she came back quickly.
"Pretty good," he said with a smirk giving her a nod, "you're quick, but I'm faster. I'm gonna cut the shit here and get straight to the point."
"Oh so there is a point then," she said sarcastically.
"Yes Smartass, there is. Kevin is a prick. He's been one as long as I've known him. You kinda get used to it after a while. He was just doing what he thought was the right thing -"
She refused to allow him to finish. "Hold it right there, Mr. McLean, if you came out here to defend that asinine ... magisterial ... supercilious ... ass and his tumescent ego then you can save it I'm not in the mood!" He watched her rant and pace wearing an impressed smirk. He had no clue what the hell she was saying, most of the words were unfamiliar to him but it was obvious her opinion of Kevin wasn't a very good one.
When she was done he crossed his arms over his chest and quirked an eyebrow at her, "So if you didn't want D, to know about your little chat with Kev, how did you plan to explain your sudden departure? Playing Cinderella wasn't a good idea, babe."
She relented, "I hadn't really thought that far ahead. All I knew was I had to get as far away from him as possible before I broke his nose, and wiped that astricted smile off his face."
"Such violence. You probably oughta talk to someone about that. D, told me you busted his lip. Maybe I should warn Kev about your right hook," he said with mock seriousness.
"That was an accident, he scared me and--," she started to explain and then stopped,
"Wait just a fucking minute, he told you about that? Oh my GOD, he is so dead!" She could feel the heat rushing to her face.
AJ just tilted his head as if to say "You thought he wouldn't?"
"So you know all about that?"
"Not all, no. I kinda helped with the initial idea so he had to give me a generic rundown. He left out all the good parts but, judging from the way you're blushing, they must've been some hella good parts," he said smugly. She was mortified and relieved all at the same time. "Look, we oughta get back in there before Train starts to think I'm out here seducing you," he said after studying the play of emotions on her face.
"Knowing that fatuous shit, he probably thinks I'm the one doing the seducing. He all but called me Delilah," she replied bitterly.
"Jezebel maybe, but not Delilah; D cut his hair years ago," he said jokingly.
"You are one sick puppy, McLean," she said laughing.
"You can call me Alex, if you want. Seeing as Kev already has us in bed together. C'mon Jezebel, let's get back," he said, ushering her back into the club. During the walk back through the club he noticed a slight twitch in her eyebrow, every now and then it would just jump. She was definitely pissed he leaned in to ask her about it and decided on another question instead,
"So what exactly does 'astricted' mean?"
A smile slowly made it's way across her face and her eyebrow stopped twitching. "It means constipated," she said as nonchalantly as she could.
He laughed and was still doing so when they sat down with the others. This got her a very heated glare from Kevin. She ignored him and kissed Howie to show Kevin his glare hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Where did you go? I was looking for you and Kev said something about the bathroom or something but you didn't come from that direction," Howie asked.
"Just went out to get some air, it's kinda crowded in here," she said.
"Funny how you and Bone both decided to get air at the same time," Kevin remarked snidely.
"Yeah, well some of us don't have our head up our asses and require oxygen from time to time," was her biting reply. The reactions to her statement were mixed; a snickers from Nick and Brian, gasps from Leighanne and Kristin, a small smile from Cecelia, a shrug from Howie, and a full round of belly laughter from Polly, John and AJ.
AJ was unable to resist a remark, he waited until the laughter had died down a bit and said, "So it's been your head up your ass this whole time? Damn Kev, I guess I can cancel that order I made for you then."
"What the fuck are you talking about," Kevin asked, obviously fighting anger.
"I was having this special gourmet Ex-Lax pudding made for you. It was supposed to be a gift to help you with that problem of yours. Since, Ana here discovered that being astricted," he paused to shoot her a wide grin at the use of that word," wasn't the source of your problem I guess you won't be needing it."
He found immense pleasure in the way the fury slowly grew from just a redness around his neck, to a full fledged fire in Kevin's eyes.
"Well, my work here is done," Aadriana stated before grabbing Howie's hand and leading him to the dance floor. When he questioned what caused the tension between herself, AJ, and Kevin she shrugged and rolled her eyes. She then rubbed her nose to his effectively changing the subject. They danced bodies pressed close together and he began to kiss her.
Realizing they were being watched she reminded him to which he mumbled something about giving them something to talk about, she wasn't really sure since he hadn't lifted his mouth from her neck to say it. Back at the table the conversation was devoted solely to the absent couple.
"I've never seen him like that," Nick said obviously gawking.
"I'm just happy he's happy. And stop staring Nicky, it's rude," Cecelia said turning his attention to her.
"You don't even know him," Kevin pointed out nastily,
"Jesus, someone go break them up before he does something to embarrass all of us."
"You shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain Kev, what would your momma think," Brian said. To which he was promptly told to "shut the fuck up."
"It's a tough job but I don't have a problem doing it," AJ said rising to comply with Kevin's request.
"No," Brian said, jumping up quickly. He'd seen the look in his cousin's eyes when AJ got up, he didn't like what Kev was thinking and didn't want to make the situation any worse than it had to be.
"Leigh, you grab him, I'll get her," he said practically dragging her out of her chair. He walked over and cut in gracefully, while Leighanne swept Howie away before either of them could protest.
"What was that all about," Aadriana asked, glancing over Brian's shoulder to locate Howie. She only got a shrug in answer.
After the song ended Nick and Cece asked her to go with them to the bar, which she did. She was in deep conversation with the two when Howie came over his smile bright and his eyes glazed.
"Sweetie, you are beyond drunk," she said when he greeted her with a very intense albeit sloppy kiss,
"I dunno how you're even standing up. We'd better head out okay?"
"I'm not drunk... Really, I could walk a chalk line in a heartbeat. I'm just having a good time that's all." His words were starting to run together.
"Nicky, be a sweetheart and go tell Alex, we're ready woudja?"
"Yeah, but don't call me Nicky, okay," he said, staring her down.
"You gotta it stud. Nickolas, would you please be so kind as to fetch Alex, that we may be on our way," she asked again sweetly, her words heavily laced with sarcasm. He stared at her for a moment, shook his head, and went off to locate AJ, with Cece in tow. As soon as he was out of earshot Howie attempted to change her mind.
"I really don't wanna go yet. I'm having a good time, aren't you having a good time? C'mon let's stay a little while longer," he whined, then to accentuate his plea he poked out his lip in a full pout.
"Don't give me that pouting garbage, it doesn't become you. And yes, I'm was having a good time but now I think we could have a better time alone," she said leaving the invitation unissued. He didn't agree, nor did he disagree; he just looked at her and remained silent until AJ came.
"So, Y'all are ready to get to the after party, hunh?" AJ said, with a smirk that said he'd already made up his mind as to the answer.
"If you say so," she said rolling her eyes, " let's just get out of here before something awful happens." When she reached for Howie's hand he protested,
"Anee, we didn't say good-bye to everyone. It's rude to leave without saying good-bye." She recognized that it would be rude to just rush out and not say anything so she relented. When they reached the table, she was in the midst of wishing them all a good evening then she realized that Howie had disappeared.
"Alex, where'd he go?" "I dunno maybe he went to take a leak, I'll go check the bathroom," he said rushing off. 15 minutes later AJ returned with a protesting and obviously very drunk Howie in tow.
"I toldya I wasn' freddy to go yet," he grumbled.
"Where was he?" She asked ignoring Howie's complaints.
"Over at the bar with some assholes I won't name for fear of losing my dinner. It appears they were doing shots and this dumbass was on number nine," AJ said his voice was devoid of any amusement and his irritation was evident on his face.
"Wha? I was swinning," Howie slurred.
"Can I hit him? Somebody please lemme hit him," AJ said through clenched teeth.
Aadriana ignored them both. "I really had a great time tonight and it was nice meeting almost all of you," she said to the group at the table, pausing briefly when her eyes reached Kevin's, "but as you can see it's past time for us to leave. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Amidst the good-byes from everyone else, Kevin sat smirking. "I'll take him home if you want to stay," he offered with a pointed glance at AJ. No one else understood the implication.
"That's all right. I wouldn't dream of leaving him like this. In fact I can call us a cab if you wanna stay longer Alex," she said with saccharin drenched words.
"Naw. It's cool, all off a sudden I don't feel like being here ... wonder why that is? C'mon D, let's get you home," he said and after a brief glare at Kevin he put one arm around Howie and Aadriana took the other side.
From between the two of them Howie yelled, "Bye guys iss fin veal," as they ushered his staggering form out of the club.