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Chapter 6
Kris woke up the next morning to warm, tattooed arms around her waist, incredibly confused. Slowly, the previous night came back in bits and pieces. Brian, coming home and surprising Na, the guys.. Kris opened her eyes and realized she was curled up with AJ on the couch, where they'd fallen asleep watching movies. The smell of coffee wafted under Kris' nose, urging her to get up. Na came in, smirking at the two on the couch, bearing two big mugs of coffee.
"Mmm, Na you are an angel," Kris murmured, carefully taking her cup from Na.
"Is he awake?" Kris mouthed, indicating AJ. Na shook her head and left the room, leaving AJ's mug on the coffee table. Kris rolled over and took in AJ's warm, bare chest, messy (blue!) hair and peaceful expression. She just watched him for a moment.
"Open your eyes, lazybones, you're awake!" AJ opened one eye, then peered at her from both of his deep brown ones.
"Dang, you're good! Good morning gorgeous, how did you sleep last night?" AJ asked, a sparkle in his eyes.
"Just fine, Bone. Here's your coffee," Kris said, handing him his cup.
"Hey, where ya going?" he called as she got up and walked towards the bathroom. Kris glanced over her shoulder at him, then smiled at his puppy dog look.
"To take a shower, if it's okay with you, Bone," Kris teased, then walked in and closed the door behind her.
"Man,
what am I doing?" AJ moaned, smacking himself on the head as he realized
he was falling hard for Kris. *
Kris came out of the bathroom to find her apartment empty, or so she thought.
"Yo, where is everybody?" she called after she'd changed. AJ stepped out of the kitchen, smiling.
"They went out for breakfast or something. Na said she'd call later. I've gotta go, but do you wanna do something tonight?" He actually looked nervous and Kris thought it was cute.
"I'd
love to, see ya later Bone!" She gave him a hug and the spark she still
felt for him scared her as she watched him go. *
Na had to work, but she promised Kris up and down that they would do something
the next day. This left Kris with several hours before she had anything to do,
so she decided to go somewhere she could just stop and think. *
Around 2 or so, Kris found herself at the top of a cliff, actually on AJ's property,
that had a beautiful beach, and a view as far as the eye could see of the ocean
and blue waves crashing onto the crystal sands below. Delighted, Kris made her
way down to the beach, a soft wind caressing her bare arms and ruffling her
pony tailed hair. Seating herself in a shady place not too far from the water,
Kris pulled out a small, battered sketchbook and a pencil. She took a deep breath
and started drawing. *
Kris had been soaking up the warm Florida rays when a huge bucket of cold water
was poured on her.
"Aahh, AJ!" Kris screamed, jumping up and completely soaked. Wiping the salt water out of her eyes, Kris started laughing and was joined by a familiar voice, one she'd never thought she'd hear again so happy.
"Brian?" she gasped, his bright blue eyes smiling at her from less than three feet away. She started to back away, but he said quietly, "Wait, please Kris. I want to sit down and talk to you, just us." Kris looked in his pleading eyes, then relented.
"All right, B-Rok, we can talk." He led Kris to where she had been drawing, on a blanket in the shade. She tossed her sketchbook on the sand by her stuff, then looked at the tan, shirtless man sitting across from her, the one who had so confused her life. Brian sighed, then started slowly.
"Kris, I'm sorry for everything. You were right, I never should've left that day at the hospital, I should've listened to you and what you had to say. I don't blame you for leaving, and sure as heck don't blame you for being mad, but why for so long Kris? Everyone missed you so much, not just me, and no one had a clue where you went to." Kris smiled weakly at him, trying to figure out how to explain what she had to say and how to say it.
"Brian, I was hurt when you left me but I'd already made up my mind to go when you apologized. I was so unhappy and nothing but you could've helped. If you had come one day earlier.. I may not have ever left, I'm not sure. I left.. well, being in Orlando was like living in hell. You read my letter, you know what I'm talking about. So I bolted, told myself it would be all right. The Chris found me, and we aren't a couple, we kinda broke up before I left. I don't think he wanted to be hurt," Kris murmured, more to herself than Brian, who was watching her intently.
"Kris, can we please be friends again? I can't stand being mad at you, but I think we both need sometime before there's talk about relationship. Leighanne, well, we broke up yesterday, which was why I was so rude," Brian explained, his eyes filling with tears.
"Oh, I'm sorry B-Rok! And yes, I'm willing to start over, be friends. Hey, you don't need her, anyway! Who says you need a girlfriend to have fun?" Kris prodded, jumping to her feet. Brian looked up and smiled, but necessarily at her.
"Um, Kris," he said, pointing behind her, but she just gave him a confused look.
"What ? Is there-?" she started, then was cut off as three sets of strong hands grabbed her and picked her up.
"Shall we toss her into the water?" a deep voice suggested, followed by laughter as Kris struggled, screaming, "Kevin, not funny! Howie D., Nick, put me down right now!" they just laughed as the waves crashed around their feet, the water warm from the hot Florida sun.
"Ok, on 3 guys! 1..2..3!" Kevin yelled, and they tossed her into the water. Kris came up sputtering water, and swearing.
"I'm gonna get you, just watch!" Brian watched, laughing as they dunked Kris. He was happy they were friends again, there was always time to become more.. Brian leaned back and noticed her sketchbook laying there. He picked it up and gasped at the pics. They were excellent. There were some of the guys, of people he didn't recognize, one of Na and Nick, some colored in ones of the ocean that seemed to capture it's very essence.
"Wow,"
he thought, then ran out to join in the huge water fight against Kris, 3 to
1, and she was winning. *
Kris hugged Brian and whispered in his ear, "I'm so happy we're friends
again." Brian grinned at her and felt happier than he had in a long time.
"Same here, babe. You just made me the happiest guy in the world. What the!?" Brian cried. Kris' beeper had gone off right next to his stomach, but it was on vibrating mode and scared the crap out of Brian.
"Oops, sorry, that's my beeper," Kris said, then pulled it off to look at it. She smiled and pulled out her cell phone, punching in a few numbers. She winked at Brian, who was watching her quietly.
"Hey, it's me. Yeah, we were at the beach. Yup, it's all okay now. I've gotta get a shower. Um, I'm still at the beach, how about you pick me up in an hour? 6 sounds good. Okay hon, talk to ya later. Bye!" Brian looked at her with curious eyes, then teased, "Ooh, Kris got a hot date tonight?" Kris gave him a look, then smiled.
"Hardly! I'm going out with AJ, but he won't tell me where," she whined, wondering where he would possibly take her.
"Probably McDonald's!" Brian teased, though he flinched momentarily, telling himself they were just friends and Kris could go out with whoever she pleased. Even AJ.
"Hey cool, have fun! I'll call you tomorrow. I think we have an interview at 10, but that's not a prob," Brian said, thinking. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him again, saying, "I gotta go now, but I'll talk to ya later hon." Brian just watched her go, then went back down to the beach and a small rectangle, half covered in sand caught his eye. It was Kris' sketchbook. Brian brushed it off and took it with him, smiling and whistling the whole way home. *
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