Chapter 29
Kevin finally finished, and let go of AJ, breathing deeply. They were all expecting AJ to have shouted back at them, possibly even taken a swing at Kevin. They weren't expecting him to slump down on the floor with tears in his eyes. Brian moved over to Kevin and gently pulled him away. Kevin went willingly, the fight all drained out of him. Nick moved over to AJ and sat on the floor with him.
"How long?" AJ asked softly.
"Huh?"
"How long has he loved me?"
"I don't know Bone. He just always has."
"Why didn't he tell me?" He whispered, more to himself than to Nick. Brian came and kneeled down in front of him.
"He was scared he would lose you."
"He wouldn't have. I could never…" AJ stopped as a single tear rolled down his cheek.
"Where's Leona? I'll go find her." Brian offered, thinking that AJ needed her, even if he did hate her himself.
"California."
That got all their attention.
"What!" they all chorused.
"I told her to fuck off."
"But, but I saw…" Rok stuttered.
"What Rok?" AJ asked.
"I saw you kissing."
"I didn't…" AJ stopped as he remembered.
"Fuck. I didn't kiss her. She kissed me, she fucking grabbed me and planted one on me. I pushed her off and told her that if she thought that would work she was more stupid than I thought. There was no way that I was gonna take her back. The only reason I agreed to see her is 'cause she was already here and I knew she would make a scene if I didn't agree to it. Fuck."
The others were stunned. If AJ didn't get back with Leona, then why was he so happy?
"But when you got here. You were so happy. We thought…"
"Yeah. Well you thought wrong. Fuck." He paused. "Shit. Howie thinks I'm back with her?"
"Yes. And he thinks you kissed her too." Nick told him.
"Why the fuck did you tell him that?" He shouted at Brian.
"I didn't. He must've overheard it."
"Jesus. This just gets better and better doesn't it. Where is he?"
"On his bus." Kevin replied.
"Great." AJ said as he jumped up and ran from the room.
Kevin went to head after him, but ran into Marcus as he appeared in the doorway.
"Has he told him yet?" He asked.
"Has who told who what?" Kevin asked, confused.
"That's a no then."
"Huh?"
"If he'd already told Howie then I think you'd know about it."
"Told Howie what?" Nick asked, not following.
Marcus sighed. Sometimes these boys could be so dense.
"The 3 magic words that we've been waiting to hear him say for ohh, the last 9 YEARS or so."
"What?" Brian asked. Now completely and utterly baffled.
"Fucking shit." Nick said. The others looked at him. The colour had completely drained from his face, and he was staring wide-eyed at Marcus.
"He's in love with Howie?!?" Nick asked.
Marcus nodded, relieved that somebody had finally got it before he's had to spell it out to them.
"He's spent most of the day dragging me around this city whilst he thought things through. I swear, we must've been through this whole city twice. I mean Jesus; normal people think things through sitting down, not whilst wondering through the streets of Outer Buttfuck or wherever the hell we are."
Brian slumped down on the sofa. Shit. AJ loved Howie, but after everything that had happened today, would Howie even listen to him? Marcus looked at their shocked faces, and misunderstood them.
"I thought you'd be happy for them. Took 'em long enough. 'Spose we'd better thank Leona. I think it was her coming back and trying to get back into his pants like that which made him realise what he already had. Y'all shoulda stuck around for that, he really ripped her a new one. Man, I coulda sold tickets." He laughed as he looked at his watch.
"Y'all better get ready, the busses are heading out in 5. You want me to take AJ's stuff?" he asked.
"Huh? No. I got it." Kevin replied.
"'Kay, well, get your shit together, I'll come back for ya." Marcus said as he left.
Brian ran a hand through his hair, still in shock.
"Oh Fuck."
"That about covers it." Nick agreed, slumping down on the sofa next to Brian.
"What are we gonna do now?" Brian asked, more to himself than the others.
"Nothing." Kevin replied.
"Huh? Whaddya mean nothing. We can't. We gotta fix this. I gotta fix this." Brian yelled, jumping up from the sofa, fire in his eyes.
Kevin held his hand up to stop him.
"There's nothing we can do. They gotta sort this one out for themselves." He told them.
"But what if Howie won't listen?" Brian asked sadly.
"He won't have a choice." Nick replied. "C'mon guys, grab your stuff, we're outta here."
"What are you up to Nick?" Kevin asked worriedly.
"You'll see." Nick grinned as he grabbed his and AJ's stuff and left the room. The cousins shared a worried look before grabbing their stuff and following. Anxious to find out what Nick was up to.