One

Nicole walked down an empty hallway that led to the exit door. She had her black leather bag slung across her left shoulder to her right hip and she held onto it with her hands. Reminiscing her visit with Maggie, and the friendships forming among everyone, she zoned out the boys walking in front of her, about twenty feet ahead. The guys ran out the door to their busses, with AJ joining the band's ride for the time being. Jessica stood at the doorway waiting for Nicole. She saw the beam of happiness on Nic's face and frowned. "Jes, what's up?"

"I need to talk to you sweetie." She looked out the door and saw everyone settled on their bus. They both looked out into the pours of rain falling hard on the black tar-covered pavement. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?"

"Well, I just want to let you know, this is Management not me." Nicole's face became twisted while her mind was circling in wonder of this conversation. "That phone call I had earlier? Well, they called to let me know that...they have made a few decisions in the office. And I'm sorry dear, but they're cutting you from the tour." Nicole's face held the same look while her mind flew as fast as a speeding car on an open highway. The statement ran over in her head, 'They're cutting you from the tour. They're cutting you from the tour.'

Nicole looked out the door into the darkness that was only colored by the falling water. She turned back to Jessica, speaking softy and with a flat tone, "So, I'm fired?"

She heard not a noise. Not even her friend's response, but saw the lips form the words, 'I'm so sorry honey.' She turned her head again to the outside and saw the buses waiting. "You're stuff is still here, take the hotel for the night and rest in. I'll try to talk some things around and get you back here. I'm so sorry." She could see the pain in her friend's eyes, but didn't know how to heal them. Placing a hand on Nicole's shoulder, she leaned in for a kiss on the dry cheek. She slung her arm behind the neck, pulling in for a hug that had no emotion in return from Nicole.

Nicole stared into air as Jessica walked out the doorway and ran to the guy's bus. The door opened immediately and she hopped up the stairs. The group's bus was the first to pull out and Nicole turned her head when she heard the noises of the engines running. She watched the second bus begin to pull away.

On first instinct, she ran out into the pouring rain after that last bus. She pounded on the sides of it and yelled, "Alex! Alex!!" She knew he was on the bus and wanted to see him.

The bus driver began to press his foot to the brake gently, asking if anyone heard anything. The band and AJ all looked up from their positions wondering what he had heard. Faint calls and slight bangs were heard, "Alex, Alex."

Nicole stopped as the bus continued to stroll after the first one. She was soaked from head to toe with her hair streaming across her face. She crouched down towards the ground, her elbows on her upward knees and her face on her forearms. She sat in what seemed like a silence despite the thunder, or the rain hitting the pavement and the buses' engines. Suddenly the bus came to a stop about fifty feet in front of her. She still heard no sounds, until a voice yelled to her, "Nicole?!"

She shot her head up and saw AJ fifty feet before her as he came running at her. "Alex?" She stood up and he approached her.

"Dear, what's wrong? Why aren’t you on the bus?"

"I--I lost it." She was speaking in a loud mumble.

"Lost what? What are you doing out here?" He brought his hands up to her face as he worried about her and what was wrong.

He swiped pieces of soaked hair from her face as she spoke, "I lost the job. They're cutting me from the tour."

"Oh my God!" He pulled her in quickly for a deep hug. She threw her arms around his hips to his back and squeezed for his warmth and care. "Nickie, this can’t be happening," he spoke into her ear.

She didn't respond, staying in the same position until he pulled back. Placing his hands back on her cheeks he looked into her now green eyes. "Why does it feel like I'm losing my best friend?" She began to whimper, yet still no tears.

He smiled, "Honey, you are." Her eyes began to water, yet she now seemed solid in her demeanor. She smiled as her bottom lip began to quiver and he swiped under her eyes with his thumbs, continuing to rub her cheeks. "I'm gonna miss you so much now, you know that?"

"Alex, I don't know what I'm gonna do without you guys."

"Come here, babe," he pulled her head to his shoulder and stroked her head. He chuckled lightly, trying to cleanse the air. "What's with the Alex?"

She picked her head up and barely smiled, "I dunno, it just comes out, I guess." Nicole began to snicker through her grief.

A loud horn came from the buses and Tommy from the band yelled from the stairs of the bus's exit, "Hey, AJ. Let's get it moving on."

They both turned to the man and AJ waved him off, "I'll be there in a minute." Turning back to Nicole, he hugged her once more. "I'm gonna miss you."

She began to laugh; "You already said that. I'm gonna miss you, too." He rubbed her back firmly and she spoke up again. "I love you, J. You rub my back like my mom does when I'm upset." She pulled away and looked at him with care in her eyes. "Anyone who does that, I gotta love."

Smiling with what seemed like pride, he moved his hands to her shoulders and rubbed her arms up and down while he talked to her, "I love you, Nickie." She smiled, and despite her hatred for the name Nickie, she enjoyed his raspy voice saying it.

The arms around his waist tightened and she took a deep breath. For some reason, she found herself mumbling, "I love you."

AJ moved back a bit, bracketing her face in his hands with a gentle smile and his eyebrows creased in care. "Honey, this is so crazy. I’m gonna miss you. A whole lot."

With a soft laugh, a few tears broke from her eyes. "You’ve said that like ten times already."

His face sobered and he spoke seriously. "’Cause I will."

Honestly, she responded, "I will, too."

At the sound of her voice, AJ blinked for a minute, not sure on what he was thinking. But, then, he just leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. When he pulled back she remained silent and just stared into his brown eyes. Whatever moment it was, it was disrupted when honking of the tour bus continued once again. AJ glanced back at the bus then looked to Nicole. He motioned with a nod, "Come with."

Her eyes widened and she pulled a hand away from his body to swipe pieces of soaked blonde hair from her face. "What? Come where?"

He smiled at the response and reached out a hand to do just as what she had, moving pieces behind her ear, for some odd reason. "Come with, on the bus. What’s it gonna hurt?"

With a shrug, memories from the night before flooded her mind. And suddenly, Kevin was the only thing she could picture before her. She squirmed under AJ’s gaze, wanting to go with him, but at the same time thinking of someone else. How weird would that be? She had just spent three nights with Kevin, in as many days. And last night, they had really talked, heart to heart, mind to mind, even soul to soul. And in the end, Kevin had kissed her. Willingly, sweetly and she welcomed all the feelings he brought out in her.

Now, with the way AJ was staring her down, awaiting an answer, Nicole was lost on what to say or do. She could go with AJ. That didn’t sound like a horrible idea at all. She’d be with the person who was easily becoming her best friend and still see Kevin. But again, there was something she felt brewing at that exact moment.

And with AJ pulling on her hands, leading her to the bus while walking backwards wasn’t helping her decision. It was being made for her, forcing it on her. She had a strong feeling if she didn’t make a conscious choice on this, she’d feel something always pulling her back to that exact moment with doubt.

"AJ, I can’t just come with you."

"Why not?" he smiled brightly, still moving her along, still facing her.

"Because," and she had to pause to bring her thoughts together. "It’d be weird. I was just fired. Facing Jes after this? Not to mention the guys…"

Without another comment, he tugged on her hands, pulling her into his embrace. He laughed lightly then kissed at her mouth once again, just to silence her. "I love ya, Nickie. You’re too much."

They stopped their movements and she asked softly as she was confused as to why he was being so persuasive. "What?"

"Who’s gonna care? I’m one of the guys and I want you with us. Want you with me. You said you’re losing a best friend, well what about me? Aren’t I losing one then, too?"

Nicole seemed hesitant in her answer, "Well, yeah."

"Then, come."

He tugged one last time and they were nearing the bus. With a sigh, she climbed the stairs behind him as he announced they had a visitor for the ride. Everyone welcomed Nicole happily, not even sure on why she was riding with them, but pleasant all the same.

AJ sat her near the back, then walked away for a moment to get her something to drink. In that time, she stared out the window and heard cheers in the air that the ride was finally starting on their next stop. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The guys had a morning radio interview then AJ had something with a magazine based out of Wisconsin that would happen soon after the morning gig. Nicole knew that. Of course she did. She always was on top of things like that.

Which just irked her even more. Made her wonder even harder why she had been fired.

He plopped into the rounded booth of the kitchenette’s table and dropped a water bottle before her. She glanced his way, but was quiet. AJ nudged the bottle closer to her, "You okay?"

With a shrug, she leaned against the cushioned backing of the seat while he rung an arm behind her shoulders. His hand rubbed gently at her outside shoulder. "You’ll be okay." Nicole just nodded in some form of agreement.