~* Chapter Four *~

    Nick nervously ran a hand through his already rumpled hair and glanced 
down at his watch. Twelve fifteen. He sighed. Fifteen more minutes and he’d 
be taking April with him to the movies. But there was only one problem. There 
was no April. Kevin had informed him earlier that April had gone to the 
library to drop off some books and pick up new ones.
    “Where is she?” he muttered softly to himself. He leaned against the 
couch and crossed his arms, his mouth pulling down into a thoughtful frown. 
He wondered how he should approach her with his announcement. He tried out a 
few phrases as he sat, waiting.
    April, I have something to tell you. I love you...no that won’t work. 
    Nick’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought of another approach. 
    April, I love you. I’ve been wanting to tell you for forever. Will you 
please go out with me?
    Nick made a face. Too lame.
    April, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you...I love you.
    Nick made another face. He sighed to himself. “I’m bad at this.”
    “How can anyone be bad at talking to themselves? Is that possible?”
    Nick glanced up, startled, only to meet AJ’s amused brown eyes. He 
frowned up at him.
    AJ rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “You’re still not mad 
at me for setting April up to go to your room so you can tell her, are you? 
For God’s sakes, I was trying to help you!” he cried when Nick nodded. 
    “Next time,” Nick began. “Don’t bother helping me. All you’ll do
is ca
use trouble.”
    “Whatever,” AJ darkly replied, turning and stalking off towards the 
kitchen.
    Suddenly, the front door opened and slammed. Nick turned around and found 
April hurrying towards him, her face flushed.
    “Nick,” she gasped softly as she reached him. “I’m so sorry, I
couldn’t 
choose between these two books that I wanted, and finally,” she breathed 
heavily, trying to catch her breath. “I borrowed both.” She smiled faintly 
at Nick, who grinned in amusement.
    “That’s all right, April, you’re not late,” he laughed as he stood
up 
to his full height of 6’2” and gazed down at her. “Ready to go?”
    April smiled up at him and placed her books down on the living room 
table. “Yeah, let’s go.” As they turned to head for the front door, AJ and 
Brian stuck their heads out the kitchen.
    “Have fun!” they teasingly sang, laughing.
    “Shut up, you dorks,” April laughed, rolling her eyes up at Nick and 
laughed with her. 
    As Nick and April left, Brian turned to AJ and grinned knowingly. “You 
think he’ll tell her?”
    AJ rolled his eyes. “Nick? Please, it’ll take him until the next 
millenium to tell her how he finally feels.” With that, he turned and walked 
back into the kitchen.
    Brian paused at the doorway as he contemplated this. “Hey, that’s
true.”

    “Ten fifty, please.”
    As Nick handed over the money and got the tickets, April turned to him. 
“I’ll get the popcorn and you get the seats.”
    “No, no, I’ll get the food and you get the seats.”
    April looked up at Nick. “No, let me do it.”
    “No, me.”
    “No, me.”
    “No, me.”
    “Excuse me, both of you get the food, get the seats and move out of the 
damn way!” a middle-aged man demanded behind them, his tone, angry.
    Both Nick and April turned red and hastily moved to the side while a 
group of people herded past them, some turning to give them dark looks.
    April chuckled. “Well, we deserved that.”
    “You can say that again.”
    “Well, we deserved that.”
    Nick rolled his eyes as April started laughing, leading the way to the 
food area. “Smart-ass,” he muttered, giving April a playful kick on the leg.
    “Ow!” April cried, turning and punching Nick in the stomach, smiling in 
satisfaction at the sound of the air getting knocked out of him. 
    “You hit like a girl,” Nick mumbled, his voice strained as he shielded 
his stomach with his arm.
    “I am a girl, idiot.”
    Nick drew up nonchalantly. “So?”
    The woman, who had been standing behind the register, watched them with 
growing impatience. “Is there something that you two want?” 
    “Oh, um,” April stammered, blushing lightly. “Two large popcorns and
two 
medium cokes, please.”
    The woman turned to fill their orders, shaking her head and mumbling 
under her breath as she did so.
    Nick nudged April aside and whispered. “You see the kind of trouble 
you’re always getting us into?”
    “Me?!” April cried, turning to him. “Excuse me, you started it!”
    “Did not.”
    “Did too.”
    “Did not.”
    “Did too.”
    “Will you two shut up and move along?”
    Both turned to see the woman holding out their orders to them, an angry 
glare on her face. 
    “Yes, ma’am,” Nick hastily mumbled, handing her some money and taking 
their orders. “Keep the change,” he called over his shoulder as he pushed 
April towards the theater door.
    “God, we are going to get kicked out before the movie even starts,” 
April said, shaking her head.
    “Don’t I know it.” As April turned to comment on his remark, Nick 
quickly interrupted her. “Shut up.”
    April turned away, laughing as Nick lead her to a couple of seats near 
the end of one aisle. They sat there talking, while waiting for the movie to 
come up.
    “So Nick,” April casually said, placing her feet up on the seat in front 
of her and leaning back. “How come you don’t have a girlfriend?”
    Nick shrugged and shoved a fistful of popcorn into his mouth. 
    April rolled her eyes. “Well, don’t you like anyone?”
    At that, Nick momentarily froze before resuming his eating. He swallowed 
hard and shrugged again. “Maybe.”
    “Really? Do I know her?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Well, do the other guys know her?’
    “Maybe.”
    “Is it even a girl?”
    Nick laughed. “Maybe.”
    April laughed and tossed a popcorn at his head. “You’re so weird.”
    Suddenly, the lights went out and the screen turned on.
    “Woohoo! The movie’s starting!” someone yelled from behind him.
    Nick turned. “Hey buddy! Shut up!”
    “Shh Nick!” April elbowed Nick in the side, laughing under her breath.