Chapter 4
7 Months later...
�Ding!�
�Coming� AJ said as he rushed toward the door. �Hey Dude, let me just get my jacket and we can go okay.� He told Brian as he came into the house. �Yeah, it�s okay I don�t think anyone expected you to be actually on time. Your late for everything.� Brian said smiling. �Hey, I resent that. I�m not late for everything.�
�Sure your not.�
�Hey, I�m surprised you came all the way to LA for this party. You could have just sent a card or something.�
�Yeah well, the guy�s been good to us. Helping us with our management, not charging us an arm and a leg. He�s a good guy, not to mention a great lawyer. Besides, I figured a couple of days away from home wouldn�t be that bad. Were not scheduled to go back in to record for 7 months, so that gives me a while to be home.�
�Yeah, I�m so glad we got this long extended vacation. It�s nice to take almost a year off from the business.�
�Just another thing to thank Barry for.� Brain said lounging around in AJ�s den. �So hey, are Howie and Nick coming to this thing too? I haven�t heard from them in a while. � AJ asked as he fixed his suite.
�Naw, just me, you, and Kev. Howie�s in Florida, doing whatever Howie dose down there, and Nick...humm, I don�t know what Nick is doing.�
�I haven�t heard from him in a while either.�
� Last time I heard from him he was racing boats with his dad down in Florida. I imagine he�s just taking a load off now.�
�Yeah, well I�m ready to go. How I look?�
�Actually, normal. Didn�t know you could do that. With the tux and regular hair and everything, no one could ever tell you�re a crazy man under there.� Brian laughed. �Yeah, well I�m a master of many disguises.� He said smiling grabbing his keys. �Let�s hit the road.� They both started for the door.
Barry Woods was having a birthday party and all the Backsrteet Boys had been invited. It was a black tie affair and it was being held at a very expensive hotel. The thing that made the party special was that it wasn�t only, just a birthday party. It was also a going away party. Barry was retiring in three months and he had decided he didn�t want a long goodbye party. Putting his retirement party and birthday party together seemed to be a good idea to him.
When AJ and Brian arrived, the first thing they noticed was how expensive everything looked. �Woah, spare no expense.� Brain mumbled as he walked in the room. �Dang Rok, I think the ceiling might even be made of gold.� AJ said looking up. �No wonder he�s retiring. He probably has enough money to last him three lifetimes.� Brain said as he continued walking. �Hey, there�s Kevin.� AJ nudged Brain as he began to walk over to the table.
�They took a seat, greeting Kevin as they sat. �So how long you been here?� Brain asked him. �Not too long. You guys see Barry yet?� He inquired. �No, we just walked in.� Brain replied. �He�s over there, talking to some people.� Kevin pointed. �Oh, so why you here by yourself? Where�s Luara?� AJ asked him. �She went to visit her mother. She�ll be back next week. I thought you were going to bring Leighanne Brian.� Kevin said looking over at his cousin. �We couldn�t find a babysitter on such short notice, and since she didn�t really know Barry anyway, she said I should just come alone.� He told him.
�Oh, AJ what happened to that Suzie girl? I thought you two were hitting it off. I thought you would have brought her.� Kevin said looking over at the younger man. �Suzie...she�s cool. I mean she�s kind of...she seems flaky.� AJ said as a waitress offered them a glass of champagne. He took one off the tray and sat it on the table.
�Flaky? You didn�t invite her to the party because she was flaky? What�s up with you? I thought those were the kind of girls you liked anyway.� Brain said looking over at him. �I�m not trying to be picky, she was just...just..�
�Not Serenity.� Kevin finished his sentence. �That�s not what I was going to say at all Kev.� AJ shot him a look. �Oh, your still not over her?� Brain asked sighing. �Yeah, believe me, I�ve been over her. How can I not be? I haven�t seen or even talked to the girl in over seven months. I don�t even know where she is. She�s like all the other ex-girlfriends, over and done.�
�So why no new girlfriends?� Kevin asked looking at him suspiciously. �Haven�t found anyone I like. Besides, I�m thinking maybe I need to just rest for a while. Don�t need a girl to make me complete or anything.� He said taking a gulp of his champagne. �A rest? I cant believe I just heard AJ McLean just say he needs to take a rest from girls. What has happened to you? Who are you, and what have you done with the real AJ?� Brain said looking at him wide eyed. �What? I can�t be on my own?� He asked rolling his eyes.
�This, coming from a man who had four different girlfriends in one month.� Brain said snickering. AJ just rolled his eyes and drank the rest of his champagne. �So she really did a number on you...hu?� Brain asked looking serious now. AJ just shook his head and looked at his empty champagne glass. �Maybe you shouldn�t have come to the party. She might show, seeing how this is for her father, and all.� Kevin said looking over at AJ.
�Naw, she won�t come. She hates things like this. She didn�t even go to her father�s last birthday party. She thinks their to showy and boring. Besides, I don�t care if she does come. I�m as much entitled to be here as she is. I was invited, I�m not going to let her chase me away. It doesn�t matter anyway, because she doesn�t bother me. I told you, I�m over her. She could walk through that front door right now and it wouldn�t shake me a bit.� AJ said, calling one of the waitresses over so he could get another glass of champagne.
�Umm, hum� Brain said rolling his eyes. Five minutes passed before AJ decided to get up and dance. He walked over to one of the ladies standing by the dance floor and asked her to dance. �Sure.� The tall women said as she grabbed his hand. AJ wasn�t sure if he remembered how to waltz, but he sure was going to try. �So what�s your name?� He asked the tall, light blond. �Sarah.� She said smiling back at him.
Her light blue eyes sparkled as she looked at him. �I saw you sitting over there with your friends. You guys didn�t bring any dates?� She asked him still smiling. �Naw, well their married. There wives just couldn�t make it. I�m single though.� He said twirling her around as the song ended. �Want to keep on dancing?� Sarah asked him. �Yeah, sure.� He told her as he loosened his collar.
A new song then began to play. �I like this song, can�t believe there finally playing something I know.� She said looking around as AJ pulled her close. �This is a remake of that old song...can�t remember the name of it. This one is called Don�t want to cry no more though. It�s by that new guy...Frankie J.� She said as they slow danced. �Yeah.� He nodded as they continued to dance.
�I�m here alone too.� She told him as they rocked back and fourth.
�Yeah?�
�Yeah, me and my boyfriend just broke up two weeks ago. So I ended up coming with some friends. They were trying to get me out of the house.� She told him as her head fell upon his shoulder. �Yeah, I know that feeling.� AJ said as he moved with the music. �I guess this song doesn�t help much either. It�s kind of depressing when you just broke up with someone. I never really noticed before now.� She said as she let a chuckle escape her mouth.
AJ listened to the words as they danced. They kind of reminded him of Serenity. Then he quickly tried to push the thought away. He couldn�t keep letting things remind him of her. He had to get on with his life and let her go. Kevin and Brain were right. A small piece of him still wanted her, still missed her. Even though the pain wasn�t as scorching as it had been before, it was still there. And a little part of him still ached from it. The rest of him was numb though. It was easier to feel nothing at all then feel what he had felt before.
�What�s your name?� Sarah asked, bringing his mind back. �AJ.� He said listening to the words of the song. �Oh� She said as her eyes closed again, her arms tightening around him. AJ then closed his own eyes falling into the music. He listened intensely to the instrumental bridge of the song. He loved the pretty melody of the piano. His eyes slowly opened and they widened with the sight he took in. He felt as though he couldn�t breath for a moment and his heart seemed to skip a beat for a second. There she was, half way across the room, but still he knew her. It was Serenity.