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Chapter 40
"Wow, Destiny, you're really good!" I confessed, sitting next to her in the shade.
"Oops, did I forget to mention I was the starter on the number one women's basketball team in the country?" she asked, an innocent look on her face as she flashed me one of her gorgeous smiles.
"Yeah, I would say so," I muttered, feeling a little stupid, but how could I have known?
"Hey, you wanna go to lunch with me? I know this awesome little restaurant," she offered, her green eyes glowing.
"Well, I don't know." I was hesitant, because as nice as this woman was, it didn't feel right. She wasn't my Star.
"Aww, c'mon. I'll even pick up the tab!" I felt my reservations slipping away, and I wondered if Destiny even knew who I was. Probably, unless she never listened to the radio or went anywhere at all. Besides, Kris and I weren't together anymore, why not?
"All right, how can I pass up an offer like that?"
"Great! I know just the place!" *
*3d
POV*
"Ooh, Alex, let's eat here! I have never seen such a darlin' looking little restaurant!" Kris exclaimed, jumping up and down as she pointed happily. AJ suppressed a laugh.
"All right, Krissy, we can eat there! I swear if I didn't know otherwise, I'd say you're from Kentucky with Kevin and Brian!" Kris turned back to face him, her eyes laughing as she stuck out her tongue at him. "Hey, that an offer?" AJ questioned, pulling Kris close, his eyes flashing.
"In your dreams!" Kris laughed, pushing him away.
"Ouch,
dissed by my best friend!" AJ moaned, watching her cross the street. If
some of Brian's accent had rubbed off on her, than some of AJ's flashy style
had, too. Kris was wearing a flowery top with a square neck and little sleeves.
What was so unique about it was there was no back to it, just crisscrosses from
side to side that tied at the bottom. Shaking his head, AJ ran to catch up with
Kris, a grin on her face as she quietly waited for him. *
Kris grabbed AJ's hand and pulled him into the dim restaurant, a wave of smells
hitting his nose and making his stomach growl. AJ took off his sunglasses and
was immediately sorry.
"Brian."
AJ almost missed what Kris had said. In fact, he wasn't sure until he saw the
look of utter disbelief and total agony in her expressive blue eyes. *
*Kris' POV*
I saw Brian sitting with a gorgeous woman, completely forgetting about AJ for
a second. Though my heart was aching, I had to hold my head high. Grin and bear
it, Liam always told me. Suddenly, the woman got up and I caught a good glimpse
of her face. Where had I seen her before? Then, as if he felt my presence, Brian
turned towards us.
"Kris, are you okay?" I dimly heard AJ ask me. Through my blurry vision, I half smiled and told him I was fine. I almost turned and left but for a shocked, blue gaze that caught mine.
"Why?" I felt myself mouth, almost as if my body had a mind of its own. Brian's eyes widened, I think surprised that I was ever talking to him. He started to mouth something back, but the woman was back and he gave me a helpless shrug.
"C'mon, AJ. Let's eat!" I said, forcing cheer into my voice as a waiter approached us.
"But-"
"Now!"
I jerked his hand, ignoring Brian's pleading gaze as AJ placed a gentle hand
on my back and led me away. *
I was sitting there, chattering to AJ, who was looking at me strangely. I just
ignored him.
"Quit it," AJ suddenly demanded, startling me.
"What?!" I asked harshly, annoyed. He leaned close, his low voice rasping in my ear.
"Pretending that your heart isn't being torn apart by seeing your man and another woman together." I avoided his eyes, knowing he was right.
"Why should I care, Alex? He's so obviously moved on-"
"Krissy, I think you're more blind than Brian is! He's been staring at you ever since we stepped in the door! You've been doing the same thing!" I avoided his intense eyes, once again knowing he was right. I could feel Brian's eyes on me this very moment, and a glance at him only affirmed it. I was shocked by the pain I saw there in his eyes, but even more so when he mouthed across the dim room, "I'm sorry." He paused, when the woman glanced away, and the mouthed, "I love you."
"Alex, I want to forgive him so badly, I really do. But what about-" I vaguely gestured toward the woman's direction.
"There's only
one way to find out, Krissy. Let your heart guide you." Planting a kiss
on my cheek, AJ popped on his sunglasses again, slipped out of his seat, and
with a slight nod to Brian, was gone. *
Let my heart guide me? Leave it to AJ to be cryptic the moment I need some clear
advice, I though as I watched the sun set on the far horizon. The gentle sounds
of the waves on the beach calmed and helped me think, as it always had, ever
since I had met the guys. I knew AJ was having a party at the house, I'd watched
them all go by in their cars, one by one, except Brian. Follow my heart? I sighed,
skipping rocks across the darkening waters.
My heart was so confused, it was no help right now. Yes, I'd lied to Brian,
about my past, the letters and he reacted quite properly, I think, I was ready
to forgive him and the club, if he would forgive me. Then when he got drunk,
my emotions just took hold. I was regretting all of it, whether it showed or
not. Once more, I'd been ready to forgive, but that woman was too much. I had
seen her before, but where? The memory was hiding just beyond my reach, taunting
me and slowly driving me nuts. As I sat there, I comprehended what everyone,
especially AJ, had been trying to tell us and had known all along. We were meant
to be together.
All at once, everything clicked together, like a completed puzzle, and a smile
crept across my face. I leaped up from the sand as the last rays of the sun
dies on the shimmering water. Even if we couldn't be together, as painful as
the would be, I wanted to be his friend again. I just prayed as I hopped in
my car that I wasn't too late. As I pulled out and zoomed down the road, I said
out loud to the sky, "Thank you, Alex. You were right!" *
*AJ's POV*
I watched Krissy's BMW race down the road, and couldn't help but smile as her voice spoke softly to me.
"You're welcome, Krissy. I knew you'd understand it eventually."
"Where's she going, Bone?" I turned to face Howie, the smile still lingering as I replied happily,
"Wherever her heart leads her, D. Wherever it leads her." I tried to ignore the twinge of warning going off in my head, figuring it wasn't that important. *
*Kris' POV*
I couldn't believe the way my heart was soaring as I sped towards Brian's house. I never knew I was that unhappy and miserable without him. I pulled into their driveway, noting that Kevin's car was gone. Cora hadn't mentioned doing anything with Kevin today, but I thought I had seen his car pass the beach towards AJ's house. I pushed those thought away as I knocked loudly on the front door. I pulled out my key, but found the knob turned easily in my hand. Maybe Brian was home.
"Brian? You here?" I called, slamming the door closed behind me. The silence around me echoed with my footsteps, and not much else.
"B-Rok?" I tried again, feeling my happiness slip away and I realized how stupid I was acting. Like Brian was just going to welcome me home with open arms. Yeah right.
"Hey, Kris!" Oh, sh*t, I thought, spinning around to face the speaker. *
*Third Person POV*
Kevin leaned against the kitchen counter, quietly sipping his cold beer and watching the huge party, which AJ had suddenly decided to have, escalate. There were people everywhere, half of which he didn't even recognize, and music playing so loudly throughout the house that it hurt Kevin's eardrums.
"Too much for you, too?" Kevin smiled as Nina approached, a bright smile on her face. Na's hair was pulled back carelessly and she was wearing a bright red tank top and black capris, her feet bare.
"I appreciate my hearing more than AJ does," Kevin laughed, pointing. AJ was grinding with a cute brunette, right in front of the huge speakers of his awesome sound system.
"What are you grinning so much about?" Kevin asked, curious.
"Well, I just talked to Howie. He says Kris left right before the party, to go talk to Brian." Nina's eyes flashed with excitement. She couldn't stay upset with her best friend and felt the whole thing with Josh wasn't Kris' fault. Kevin frowned, thinking hard for a second.
"But,
Brian isn't home. He was going to record something at the studio." *
A streak of panic flashed through AJ's body and it took him a moment to recognize
it for what it was.
"Something wrong, Bone?" a voice purred in his ear. The girl he was dancing with, Renee or Rachel or something like that, was still rubbing her sleek body against him and AJ was suddenly anxious.
"Excuse
me for a sec," AJ said quickly, gone before he saw the girl shrug and look
for someone else to dance with. AJ glimpsed Kevin and Nina in the kitchen. Cora,
catching the look on AJ's face as he passed her, followed and heard him ask
in an urgent voice, "Kevin, is Brian home right now?" *
Kris tensed as the brown haired woman casually walked towards her. She studied
her face for a moment and Kris finally recognized the woman for who she was.
"Destiny?" The woman smiled.
"Of course, Kris. I thought for a moment you didn't recognize me." A series of pictures flashed through Kris' shocked mind. Jason, the scared look in his drunken eyes as he begged her not to open the door. Finding Josh and a blond in bed. The same woman in front of her now.
"Nice hair, Destiny. What does Josh think of it?" Destiny played with a strand of hair, a smile crossing her face at the mention of Josh's name.
"Thanks, Kris! He loves it." Kris put a big, fake smile on her face, mocking Destiny.
"It wasn't a compliment, Destiny. Why the h*ll are you here?" Kevin noticed Destiny was blocking her way out, so she casually backed up towards the kitchen, her senses screaming this wasn't right, something dangerous was going on.
"Don't even think about it, Kris. I jammed all the locks. No one is going to save you this time." Kris turned, facing Destiny again. She was pointing straight at Kris with a small pistol, her eyes shining like a madman's in the dim twilight. Streaks of red from the setting sun crisscrossed through the hall, and as Destiny stepped closer, a deadly levelness with which she held the gun, Kris realized she was going to die. *
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