He didn't respond cause he wasn't really listening thinking about something so she decided to remain quiet. When they pulled into her driveway he helped her carry her things up to her room. Her step dad watching them the whole time after they were done she walked him back to his car she stood against the car him standing over her said "If your step dad you know get out of hand you know you can come back to my place."
"I know, I have to go I'll see you take care of yourself okay."
"I had fun this week."
"So did I"
"I have to go I'll see you okay."
"Call me"
"I will, I promise I'll call to make sure you're okay, you seem so sad but it'll be okay."
They hugged each other and slowly pulled apart and he couldn't help himself as he kissed her lips for the first time and her she couldn't even speak when her mother called inside she quickly kissed him back and he watched her race off to her place and go inside and he climbed into his car and left.
He didn't realize how much he missed her until he got home and the place was so quiet and no one ran to the door to greet him. He could still smell her scent on his bed as saw how clean it was. He walked by the guest room now empty and he couldn't take it he decided to call a friend a female friend.
Yet at home she was miserable at home with her step dad going off on her every second he got. But she was happy to see her sister which made it all worth it. But when it was time for her to leave all of a sudden she didn't want too. As she walked onto her flight she wished that he would come and stop her and he would tell her how much he loved her and they would be together and she would stay just to be with him. Now she wished that they would have really kissed that day by his car but it was to late now.
AJ knew she was gone back to California and he couldn't grip it, he even hated to hang out at his place so he hung out at Howie's place where he was now in the guest room watching TV when the little puppy ran in and Nancy right behind it, she picked the small cubby puppy up in her arms he couldn't help but laugh because she looked so adorable and she dropped the puppy and laughed as she came and sat next to him asking "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing What are you laughing at?"
"You, cause you were laughing"
They were talking when Debra came into the room "Is she bothering you?"
"No, now that I think about it Debra you would make a good Hooters girl also, go throw on a tank top."
She left the room yelling for Howie to come here when Nancy asked "What's a Hooters girl?"
"Nothing I was just joking and don't say that it is not good."
"Okay, I'm going to go find Buddy."
She climbed off the bed and ran out the room when Debra walked back into the room having changed into socks, gray pants and shirt and he looked up "Do you have a tank top on under that shirt cause if you do I have money."
"I came to ask you if you had any suggestions for dinner."
"You strip for dinner too, well I want you to wear-" She punched him in the arm "Ouch are you crazy?"
She made a really dumb sound and she grabbed him by the neck and lead him into the living room Howie had just walked into the room and she tighten her grip and he fell in pain her still holding him as she said "Tell him he can no longer talk to your now fianc�e like that. With the strip jokes and all that crap?"
He was surprised as he said "Fianc�e? You two ... You're marrying a stripper?" she tightened her grip "I mean Debra"
"Yeah not any time soon but yeah."
"Well I don't care I can't stop with the jokes."
"There will be one less member in that group if he doesn't stop."
She threw him to the floor and then left out the room and he got up rubbing his neck "Don't ever mess with her she has a tight grip."
"You really should leave her alone, she's already mad cause we go on tour next week."
With that AJ ran upstairs where she had went looking for her and he saw her in Nancy's play room putting things away he stood at the door not expecting she knew he was there as she blurted out "I know you are there, come here."
He did as told "What's wrong with you I hope it wasn't what I said."
"I wish I would let the silly little stuff you say get to me but what's wrong with you you have been her all week."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"No, it's fun having you here sometimes, but really I miss you guys when you are gone."
"That gives you time to go caught up with some of your old strip buddies, you all can have a strippers reunion, see who can still work the poles. Let me ask you something I heard that strippers can get-" She got up and walked off and he followed "No really listen." As they both disappeared out the door.
The guys went back on the road and it really hit AJ how lonely it was with everyone else with a steady girlfriend except him. It also made him realize he wanted Claudia in his life and that he actually needed her. He mostly hung out with Nancy not really wanting to get into the whole thing knowing that they would be able to drag it out of him. And he was also a little depressed about it and that wasn't him and this went on for 5 months. When they got back to their home airport about to go home he decided to get on a plane to California he didn't know what he was going to say to her but he knew he would think of something.