The Boy:

I woke to a curtsey call from some bubbly young girl

“Mr. McLean?”

“Yeah,” I said half asleep

“This is your curtsey call you asked for to remind you that you have…”

“Oh yeah thanks,” I said and I hung up the phone before I would hear that cheerful voice again. My head was pounding. I turned to see what time it was, the clock read 1:34pm. I sat up, but when I did the room started to spin. There was an empty bottle of Jack on the coffee table sitting next to a mirror with white powder and a razor on top. My two lovers kept me company last night, the only things I can count on anymore; Jack and Coke. The best lovers I’ve ever had. A red light was flashing on the phone; I pushed the button and a voice said

“You have two unheard messages,”

“AJ man, are you there? Call us when you wake up,” I heard Nick’s voice say

The second message;

“Man, its 12:30 we’re going to have to do the interview without you.”

“Sorry guys,” I said as I stood up out of bed and walked over to the coffee table. I dropped to my knees. I needed just a little to get me going. I leaned my head down to the mirror and snorted. I sat back, and leaning up against the couch, I sniffed hard and rubbed my thumb and index finger over my nostrils and then rubbed the back of my hand against my nose. I closed my eyes and felt it go threw me. It’s like it hits a little trigger in your brain. Like a light switch, if there were ever a drug that gave you power it was this one. I sat up and moved my head back and forth. I had to get out of this hotel. I had to get away. My coat was lying on the chair next to me. I grabbed it.

“Where are my sunglasses,” I mumbled to myself as I rummaged throw my stuff. I finally found them in my jacket pocket. I opened my hotel room door and looked back at the empty shell I was leaving. As the door shut the “Do Not Disturb;” sign swung back and forth.

I didn’t know where I was going, but I figured wherever, the subway would get me there. I paid my fees and got on the subway. I had the choice to sit next to some teen with his headphones on full blast, or an old woman knitting what looked like baby booties. I deiced to stand. The doors were about to close when a slender hand separated them.

A beautiful girl pushed her way in; she looked like an Angel. She was slender with beautiful blonde hair flowing down her back; she was with another man. She caught my eye as she walked by and smiled at me. But I could tell that she could see from my face that I was fucking high. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her boyfriend was talking a hundred miles an hour on his cell phone. His hand was resting softly around her waist. I would have done anything just to be his hand. She seemed sad; we would have had something in common. She caught my eye again, she made a movement with her mouth and what she seemed to be saying was “hi” I made the same silent movement back “hi”. her boyfriend finally stopped talking and whispered something in her ear. The next stop was theirs. They made their way to the doors and she looked at me this time, and said out loud,

“Bye,”

“Bye,” I said back as the doors closed and they made their way down the plat form.


The Girl:

I woke today in a Manhattan apartment, its Lenny’s apartment. Mine isn’t quite as nice. Lenny’s my manger/boyfriend I’ve been seeing him for the past five years, straight out of High School. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I wanted to be a singer or an actress or both. Moved to New York with a couple hundred and a bus ticket, I got a job busing tables in some diner in the Bronx’s; Lenny saw me and said I had the makings of a star. I believed him; he has gotten me some high paying gigs. Sometimes I think Lenny sees things in me that aren’t really there. He’s lying next to me asleep. Told me he’s got some gig tonight and is going to take me to it. Some producer’s house, the Backstreet Boys are going to be there… Oh great I thought, I had never even listened to the group but tonight I was going to meet them. I asked Lenny what the point of me meeting them was. He said I was going to sing for them, and if they liked me the producer was going to consider producing me.

“No more late night shows at those cheesy night clubs Meg, this time you could be a star!” Lenny told me.

Lenny had been telling me this for the past five years. I was starting to think I was just Lenny’s star, but I agreed to do it. What’s the worse that could happen? It’s not like I’d never been turned down before. Lenny put his arms around me.

“What’s wrong Meg?” he said kissing my shoulder

“Nothing Babe, just a little tired, I had a long shift last night.”

“Meg, why don’t you just move in with me? I’ll support you; you won’t have to work at that shit hole anymore.”

“It’s not a shit hole Lenny, It’s a five star restaurant, and I’m the favorite waitress, plus on a good night I can make four hundred bucks in tips,” I said turning to face him.

“Fine then my love, what time is it?”

“Its 1:00.”

“Man, how long have I been out?”

“Sense… well for awhile, did you have a long night?” I asked mischievously

He turned on his back with a smile on his face, “You should know, you were riding me hard!” he laughed

“You jerk!” I said hitting him with a pillow

“I’m starving, how about we go get some lunch, huh?”

Lenny wanted to take a cab but I thought the subway would be faster, we got to the subway and Lenny had to dig through his pockets to find the right amount of change. We were running a little late and it seems the crowds move the slowest when you need to get somewhere. Lenny’s phone rang; it was the producer asking questions that I didn’t feel like answering. But fortunately Lenny did.

The subway doors were closing so I had to run and stick my arm through them. It almost chopped off my arm but we got in. I’ve always loved riding the subway, Lenny hates it but not me, and you can always find the most different people riding it. When the doors opened I saw a man, he was very handsome, he had what looked like brown hair covered up with a ski cap, he looked very sad, and lonesome. And it might have been my imagination but he looked a little drugged out, I walked past him and smiled. He didn’t smile back but seemed to watch me the whole time. Lenny might have been upset, but if I liked steak or lobster was obviously more interesting. I leaned up against Lenny and he put his hand around my waist, Lenny sometimes likes to let everyone know that I’m his. I looked up again and saw the man looking at me, there was just something about him that drew me to him, and I said “Hi” silently under my breath. He made the motion back to me. Then Lenny hung up the phone and whispered in my ear

“You’re going to shine tonight! Here’s our stop.”

As I walked past him again, I said “bye,” he didn’t say anything back, but I could feel him watching me. I wondered who he was. But I guess we all wonder who strangers are on a subway...

A doorman opened the doors for me as I walked into the Plaza. It was a beautiful place the Plaza, theirs a rich couple from France checking in at the reception desk, he’s wearing an Armani suite, and his wife has the biggest diamond ring I’ve ever seen on her finger. That little receptionist with the bubbly voice is trying her best to speak French, she saw me walk past from the corner of her eye

“Oh Mr. Mclean, Mr. Mclean,” she yelled from her desk.

I turned around on my heels. “Yeah?”

“You have a message,” she said with her annoyingly happy voice.

“From who?”

“A Mr. Kevin Richardson, he came by looking for you, he told me to give you this and to tell you to call him as soon as you get back,” she said handing my a piece of paper.

“Thank you,” I said taking it from her and walking away.

I got back to my room. It was just the way I left it, dark and depressing. I threw my jacket on the back of the chair and read the note Kevin had left for me.

“Call us when you get back, we have a meeting tonight and you have to be there.”

“Oh shit!” I said to myself. The last thing I wanted to do was go to some damn party. I walked over to the bed and threw myself on it. I picked up the phone and dialed the number he left me.

It rang four times then a woman’s voice answered.

“Hello,” she said

“Hello, is this Kristin? It’s AJ.”

“Oh hey, we’ve been waiting for your call all day, let me get Kev for you,”

“It’s AJ,” I heard her say as she handed the phone to Kevin, “Hey man, how are you?” Kevin asked

“I’m alive, what’s this about a party?”

“Oh it’s a producer; he wants our opinion on some young singer.”

“Oh, that sounds thrilling, do I have to go?”

“YES!”

“Fine what time do I have to be there?”

“6:30, no later AJ, you have already stood us up once today, don’t make us look bad again.”

“Yeah, yeah I’ll be there,” I said and then hung up the phone. The clock read 4:54pm I had a little time left, I closed my eyes, but all I saw was that beautiful girl from the subway. I saw her leaning up against me; I saw my hand wrapped around her waist.

“Snap out of it Alex!” I told myself, sleeping obviously wasn’t going to be the answer, so I deiced I’d take a shower. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I don’t know who’s going to get me, but you just never know. I turned on the water, there were nicely shaped bars of soup sitting on the sink, along with some fancy shampoo. I took off my clothes and stepped in the shower.
_____________________________________________________________

Lenny dropped me off at my apartment. It was in the heart of New York City. And it had been around for the turn of the century too I’m sure. There was no fancy doorman that opened the door for me, or any security at all for that matter. The best I got was Guss, he was a fat Irishman who sat in his little booth and watched soccer all daylong, or as I was corrected, “It’s called football lass,”

“Hello Guss,” I said as I walked past him.

“Ello lass,” he said without looking up at me.

“Is your team winning?”

“Aye, those bloody rotten rascals!”

My apartment was three flights up, there was no elevator and so you had to walk these steep stairs, the walls in the halls were a mix between green and yellow, and the hallway always smelled like Pines Sole, at least Guss kept it clean. I got to my door, Apartment 69 it read. You had to jiggle the lock a little to get the door open. I walked into my one bedroom apartment. It wasn’t actually as bad as it could be. There was a flashing red light on my answering machine. I pushed it.

“Hello Meg, we see you haven’t come home today. And if you were wondering its Izzy, oh and Nic’s here too! Hey Meg, so um… call us when you have the time, bye!”

Izzy and Nicola were my two best fiends. I’d probably had a nervous breakdown by now if it hadn’t been for the two of them. I dialed their number.

“Hello,” Nic answered the phone.

“Hey! Yeah, so can you guys come over?”

“What happened?” Nic asked startled

“Oh nothing serious, I just have a party to go to tonight and I might need you two.”

“Ok well give us about fifteen minutes and will be there!”

I hung up the phone and threw myself on the couch. “Oh god I don’t want to do this,” I said into the pillow. “What am I going to wear?”

I walked into my bedroom and opened the closet. Most of my paycheck went for clothes I believe. I might have a crappy apartment but I had the wardrobe of a Queen. I found my black leather jacket, and it reminded me of the man I had seen on the subway, he had been wearing a black leather jacket. He almost looked familiar, like I had seen him before. It could be possible, maybe that’s why he kept looking at me, and maybe he recognized me too…

I heard a tap, tap on my door. I opened it to see two beautiful girls smiling at me.

“Have no fear Izzy and Nic are here!” Izzy said as she strolled in the door.

“I don’t know if I should be happy or scared by that remark,” I said laughing as I closing the door behind them.

“So what kind of party is this?” Nic said leaning up against the doorjamb in my room

“It’s the kind I don’t want to go to,” I said throwing myself on the bed,

“Oh come on! Yes you do, now what are you going to wear,” Izzy said pulling me up by the arms.

“I don’t know, you pick,”

“Do I look like your personal servant?”

“Yep, now while you’re at it, feed me some grapes.”

“Oh fine then!” Izzy said as she opened the closet doors, “Jesus Meg, where did you get all these clothes?” she asked rummaging threw them.

“I don’t know, I bought them I guess,”

“No really?” she said rolling her eyes at me, “how about this one?” she said pulling out a slinky red dress.

“Naw, it’s a little to skanky,” Nic said from the doorway

I nodded my head in agreement.

“Alright then, how about this one?” she pulled out a short black strapless dress.

“I like it!” Nic said coming and sitting next to me on the bed.

“It works for me,” I said lying back down.

“Well, am I going to have to dress you too?” Izzy said standing over me.

“You just might!” I laughed, “I’m getting up, jeeze.”

I pulled off my shirt and took off my pants and slid the little black dress over my head.

“How do I look?” I said standing in front of the mirror straightening out my dress.

“Perfect!” they said in unison.

“Now, what should we do with your hair?” Izzy asked

“Put it up,” I said turning to her.

“Alright, get your little ass in here,” she said grabbing me by the hand and leading me in the bathroom.

She sat me in a chair in front of the mirror and started working away.

“So, who’s going to be at this party Meg?” Nic said jumping up on the sink.

“The Backstreet Guys or Men or something like that,”

“THE BACKSTREET BOYS?!” Izzy said with hair pins in her mouth.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Oh my god Meg, you know how exciting that is? I love the Backstreet Boys!” Nic said

“Really, what do they sing?”

“Oh Meg, where have you been, under a rock?” Izzy said twisting my hair in ever direction.

“I’ve heard of them, I just never paid much attention to them.”

“They sing great songs! Like The Shape of My Heart, Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely, and lots of other great ones!” Nic said kicking her heels against the sink.

“Come on Nic; let’s bust out a tune for our Meg,” Izzy said smirking

“Oh no, please spare me!” I laughed

“Fine then!” Izzy said hitting me softly with the brush

“Oh my god Izzy! My hair looks beautiful!” I said turning my head from side to side.

“I know, I’m good!” she said laughing,

There was a knock at the door,

“That’s probably Lenny; will you get it for me Nic?”

Lenny walked into the bathroom, he looked like a model for Ralph Lauren, you know how their always tall, dark and handsome. He reeked with elegance

“You look beautiful, are you ready?” he asked reaching out for my hand

“As ready as I’m ever going to be.” I said taking it.
_____________________________________________________________

By the time I got all cleaned up, it was already 6:00pm, “Oh god, Kevin’s going to have my head,” I thought. I rushed around looking for my shoes, I grabbed my jacket and I was out the door.

When I stepped outside it was poring! And of course my luck I didn’t have an umbrella. There was an elderly woman selling umbrellas for 10$ outside the hotel. I thought the price to be outrageous for an umbrella, but as they say, desperate times call for expensive measures. I bought an umbrella and tried to hail a taxi. One finally stopped for me, and I gave him the address. The producer’s house was in Westchester. By the time I got there it was ten minutes after 7:00. The producer didn’t live in a house; he lived in a fucking mansion! It was gated and I had to ring a little button for them to let me in. I gave the taxi driver a couple hundred to stay in the neighborhood. Then I went to the front door and rang the bell. A little French maid without the sexy outfit opened the door. She was a pretty little thing with a French accent, and a thought came to mind as I looked at her, maybe a little later I’d introduce her to the sexy outfit.

“Oh Monsieur Mclean, we have been waiting for you,” She said stepping to the side for me to enter.

I could hear the guy’s voices as I walked into the sitting room they were all gathered around the fireplace.

“I’m extremely sorry, the traffic was horrible,” I said shaking the producer’s hand

“Ah, here he is, see I told you he’d show. AJ I’d like to introduce you to Meg, she’s the young girl we’ve been hearing so much about,” The Producer said as he walked me toward the girl,

“Meg dear, this is AJ McLean,” When the girl turned around I saw what I’d thought I’d never see again, it was the beautiful girl I had seen on the subway this afternoon.

“Oh my god,” I said stunned

When she finally registered my face, she dropped her glass of wine, “It’s you…” she said starring at me.

They stood there looking at each other. The little maid girl ran to Meg’s side to clean up the wine that had spilled on the floor.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, it must have just slipped out of my hands,” Meg said leaning down to help her clean it up.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, it brings good luck to spill wine,” the maid said winking at Meg.

“Do you two know each other?” The producer asked looking at them suspiciously.

Meg was about to say something when AJ interrupted, “No, No she just reminded me of someone.” he said reaching for Meg’s hand to shake. “It’s very nice to meet you,” he said shaking her hand softly.

“Yes, it’s very nice meeting you too, Mr. McLean,” Meg said smiling.

“Well now that we’re all here, let’s eat,” the producer said leading the way to his dining room.

They all had place settings, the producer sat at the head of the table, and Meg was to sit next to him, Lenny on her other side, and AJ sat across.

There was talk and laughter going on, and every once in awhile Meg and AJ would join in. but most of the time they spent looking at each other. After everyone had eaten Meg asked to be excused. She needed a little time to practice before she performed for them, she said.

It had stopped raining so she went out on the porch to have a cigarette. AJ watched her get up from the table; she had left her coat on the chair in the sitting room.

“Excuse me, she seemed to forget her coat, she’ll need that,” he said as he stood from the table and walked into the sitting room. He grabbed her leather coat, and then checked his reflection in the mirror above the fireplace.

He stepped outside and closed the door silently behind him so not to startle her. He walked over to her and saw that she was already wearing a coat.

“Oh, I guess you won’t need this,” he said gesturing to her coat.

“What?” she said turning to face him, “Oh no, Lenny’s is a little warmer, mine is basically just for pretty… Thank you though,” she said smiling at him. She tried striking a match but it wouldn’t light.

“Here let me help you,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulling out a lighter. He leaned down and lit her cigarette.

“Thank you,” she said exhaling smoke. “I’m trying to quit,” she said gesturing to her cigarette.

“Oh, don’t worry I’ve been saying I’m quitting sense I started,” he said as he lit his own.

“The bad habits we get into, we try to console ourselves by saying ‘we’re not addicted’ or that ‘we’re quitting’, I think we just say it so we don’t have to deal with the fact of what we’re doing,” she said looking at her cigarette.

“That’s probably the best way anyone has ever explained it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry; I tend to get philosophical when I’m nervous, but thank you.” She said laughing.

“Don’t be nervous, I’m sure you’re going to be great!” he said leaning over the railing.

“Thanks, but I’m not nervous about singing.” She said looking over her shoulder at him. “You were the man on the subway weren’t you? I thought you looked familiar.”

“What?” he said startled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said coldly as he turning away from her.

“Oh.” She said startled, “Well I’m sorry, just ignore that, I must have gotten you confused with someone else,” she said turning red with embarrassment. “Well I better get back in,” she said turning around and walking to the door.

“Wait,” AJ said turning fast on his heels.

Meg stopped and turned around to look at him.

“Good luck Meg,” he said smiling at her

“Thank you,” she said opening the door.
___________________________________________________________________
Meg had put on a good performance, they had all seemed to like her, and they told her they’d call her in a few days. The guys invited her to go into the studio with them for a demo. They said it would be fun and totally on them. Meg accepted with enthusiasm. And then they all retired around midnight.

On the way back to the city, Meg thought about AJ, how she could have sworn he was the man on the subway. And why had he said, “oh my god,” if he didn’t recognize her. Maybe it wasn’t him, maybe he was telling the truth. About how she just reminding him of someone else, maybe she just wanted to believe it was him. Because then it would be easier, easier to put a name to a face. To learn about the person, maybe he looked nothing like the man on the subway; maybe it was just her imagination.

“Meg,” Lenny said tapping me on the shoulder. “Meg, are you alright?”

“What? Oh yeah, I’m fine, just tired I guess,” I said trying to smile at him.

“You were fabulous tonight,” he said kissing me on top of the head.

“Thanks Lenny… thanks for everything!” I said kissing him on the lips.

“I’d bring down the sun and the moon for you,” he said returning my kiss.

“How about you spend the night with me, huh?”

“I thought you said you were tired?” he said kissing my neck.

“Um, that was before,” I said closing my eyes.

“Look we’re here,” he said opening the cab door.

He paid the taxi driver and we went in, Guss was leaned back in his chair fast asleep while the soccer game bleared on the TV.

“Shh… You don’t want to wake an Irishman,” Lenny whispered into my ear.

We got to my apartment, and before we were in the door Lenny had slowly unzipped my dress and it fell to the floor; and then he took me to bed.

“Meg,” Lenny said while kissing my neck.

“Yeah,” I said memorized by the touch of his hands across my body.

“Why’d you drop your wine glass and say, “it’s you” when AJ walked in?”

“It had slipped out of my hand, and I said “it’s you” because we were expecting him… now do you want to talk, or get to business,” I said pulling him down on top of me with the chain that he wore around his neck.
___________________________________________________________________
I got back to my hotel room. I had hidden my two lovers in the drawer by my bed, and asked that the room serves come and clean my room while I was gone. There were clean towels in the bathroom and a mint on my pillow. I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed. I had had a long day. I had tried to keep it from my mind on the way home, or back to my hotel room I should say. Why I had a told Meg I wasn’t the man on the subway? She obviously remembered me, I could have told her, the opportunity was right there! But I had decided to lie, why? What was there to loose? God there probably would have been more to gain!

“You’re such a fucking idiot!” I said to myself. The thinks you do Alex, the things you do. What a coincidence though, in New York City with the population of 8,008,278 Million, and the one girl that took my breath away this afternoon I had dinner with tonight. It was almost better when she was a fantasy, at least then I knew I’d never be with her, never see her. But now, it’s all changed. I needed to stop thinking about it all. I needed to get it out of my head. I pulled open the drawer next to my bed and pored myself a drink…

I hit the alarm clock, instead of going off with some annoying BEEP; I have it go off to really bad old country music. I sat up and stretched my arms up over my head. I turned to were Lenny would be laying, but instead of finding him, I found a note.

“Meg-
You looked like an angel. I couldn’t find it in me to wake you, sorry I couldn’t stay. Call me later... Love you!

Lenny,

P.S. don’t forget about your meeting at the studio today with the guys!”

I laid the note next to my bed and got up. I heard Betsy’s bell on her collar swing back and forth. She came and rubbed against my leg

“Hey my Betsy, did mean ol’ Aunt Izzy lock you in the bathroom,” I said picking up the cat and walking into the kitchen. There was a note stuck onto the refrigerator, I pulled it off and read it out-loud,

“You’re going to have to buy more vodka, Izzy and I kinda drank it all!”

“Remind me to take the key away from them,” I said to the cat shaking my head and putting her on the floor. My refrigerator was basically empty, except for a half gallon of milk and some leftover Chinese food. I found a box of Golden Graham cereal and I curled myself up on the couch and turned on the TV. I got a total of 7 channels, and 5 of them were a combination of Spanish or Christian. I ended up watching some passionate Spanish novella; I didn’t understand what they were saying. But whatever it was, it was sexy!

After Un Crimen Pasional was over, it was time to start getting ready. We weren’t going to do my demo album today; they were just going to show me around the studio.

It looked cold and rainy outside so I deiced on jeans and a sweater.

I grabbed my scarf on the way out and wrapped it around my neck. The hallway of the apartment building was colder then usual. I heard Guss banging on something in the boiler room.

“Is everything alright Guss?” I said poking my head in

“Aye, this bloody boilers going out again,”

“Oh, well anything I can help you with?”

“Nay, ye pretty lassie got better things to do,” he said standing up and whipping his forehead.


When I got to the studio the guys hadn’t shown up yet, so I sat in the waiting room.
For a music recording studio they had really bad music playing. I flipped threw some old magazines, “Are Brad and Jen having marital problems?” read the cover of a magazine I picked up.

“Um, I’d say yes they were,” I said throwing it on the chair next to me. I sat there for around thirty minutes, they had a little fountain running somewhere because you could hear water running. Before I knew it another thirty minutes had pasted. I had had enough, I guessed they obviously weren’t going to come, and I had better things to do, well maybe I didn’t but I couldn’t stand sitting here waiting anymore. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. I wasn’t paying attention and ran right into a man.

“Oh I’m sorry, excuse me”, I said looking up at him

“Well, where are you going?” he said smiling back at me, “Sorry, the guys ran into a problem, I guess you’re just going to get me for the day,” AJ said smiling down at me. _________________________________________________________________



I woke up to a pair of eyes glaring down at me.

“JESUS!” I said jumping a foot off my bed.

“No, but I do hear I look a little like him,” He said with a smirk on his face

“How’d you get in here Kevin?” I said sitting up rubbing the back of my head that I had hit against the headboard.

“That receptionist is a sweetheart, I told her you had stayed in my hotel room because you lost your keys, and all she needed from me was your birth date and full name. It’s a good think I remembered.” he said pulling up the chair next to the bed and sat in it.

“There was a reason I never liked that girl.”

“What are you doing AJ?” he said looking at me serious now

“Well, I was sleeping,”

“I’m not talking about that, and you know it,”

“Kev…”

“AJ, what’s this?” he asked holding up a baggy of coke

“Kevin, it’s not what you think,” I said grabbing for it

“No? Because I think it’s exactly what I think. I thought this was over?” he said sitting back in his chair.

“It is... it was. It was just a mishap, I haven’t even…”

“Alex, don’t you dare lie to me! This is why you’ve been late the past week; I knew something was going on. I wanted it to be something else. But always trust your gut feelings”

“I won’t do it again…”

“Like hell you won’t! I’m taking it all.” He said getting up and grabbing the bottle of jack

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting rid of it!” he said walking into the bathroom

I got up and went into the bathroom. Kevin opened the bottle of Jack and emptied it into the toilet, and then ripped the bag of coke and dumped it in as well.

“Say good-bye AJ,” Kevin said between his teeth.

I turned my head to look away,

“That’s what I thought,” he said flushing the toilet.

He walked past and didn’t look at me. I stood in the bathroom doorway watching Kevin circle the room.

“Is that all of it?” he said knocking over the coffee table. “Well AJ? Is there anymore?” he said gritting his teeth

“NO! Ok no there isn’t, are you happy!” I shouted

“No, no AJ I’m not happy! You never seem to change, how many times does this have to happen before you learn?” there was a long silent pause, then he continued “I’m giving you an assignment.”

“What am, I six?” I asked dryly

“No, if you were six I would have more control over what you do, and I’d be able to watch your every move. But sense I can’t I’m leaving it up to trust.”

“Ok, then what do you want me to do?”

“You know the girl you met last night? I want you to train her, not to much, just show her the ways, give her some tips. Go into the studio with her. It will be therapeutic for you, teaching someone else, helping someone else. Do this for me, and stay clean. If you can stay clean for the next two weeks, I won’t tell the guys. If you don’t I’m telling them about it all. And I promise we will kick you out! It’s time to stop babying you. You need to make a decision of what you want to do with your life.”

“I don’t think I can,” I said shaking my head

“WHAT? Why?” he exclaimed

“No, I mean I can’t help that girl… its complicated.”

“Well that’s to bad AJ, because you’re going to, now she’s going to be at the studio today, I want you to go, show her how things work tell her stories just do something.”

He walked to the door, and looked back at me, “I’m watching you AJ, don’t screw your life up anymore,” and he shut the door behind him.

I sat there in my disheveled hotel suite. I probably would have cried if I hadn’t been so damn angry! Who does he think he is? The truth was I was going to have to do what he wanted, whether I liked it or not. Why of all the people in the world, why that girl? If I were a suspicious person I’d start thinking it was a conspiracy. But more likely it was just my bad ass luck! Most people would be thrilled, like it was a sign from god or something. I found it to be annoying, if god wants to tell me something why doesn’t he just say something? Why send out signs that I don’t know how to read…
____________________________________________________________________

“Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, James Taylor, Backstreet Boys, Madonna, and BARBRA STREISAND!” Meg exclaimed looking down the halls of everyone who had recorded in the studio.

“Are you a fan?” AJ said with a smirk

“Yeah, I am!” Meg laughed

“And, we’re probably the only ones you don’t know on the wall.”

“I know you guys!” She said turning to face him

“Sure, that’s why you had no clue who any of us were last night.”

“Yes, I did,” she protested

“What songs do we sing?”

“You sing…” Meg scratched the back of her head for a moment, “The Shape of My Heart and Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely and other great ones!” Meg said reciting every word Nic had told her the day before.

“Oh, were those the first two that came up on Google?” he asked laughing

“No, though the Internet would have probably been more efficient,” Meg said smiling

“Ah! That’s funny, well it’s actually refreshing, and I’m just a guy to you. That’s kinda cool, this hasn’t happened to me in a long time.”

“Well, then you can stop making me feel bad for not knowing you then.”

“Um, sorry that’s never going to happen!” he said laughing and opening the studio doors.
______________________________________________________________________


“What’s this?” Meg asked

“It’s an amplifier,” AJ said leaning up against the table

“Oh, and what’s all this other stuff?”

“It’s mixers. I’m not quite sure how it all works together but I’m pretty sure you press this button— ‘BEEEEEEP,” Meg covered her ears from the loud shrieks while AJ scrambled trying to turn it off.

“There!” he said hitting the red button to the left.

“Glad to know you know what you’re doing.” Meg said rubbing her ears

“Sorry about that,” he grinned

“How long have you been doing this?”

“Pressing wrong buttons?” he said with a mischievous grin

“No, I mean singing, professionally anyway,” she said running her fingers down the amplifier

“Sense I was 14. That’s when the guys and I got together,”

“WOW! Are you the youngest?”

“No, Nick’s the youngest. He was only 12.”

“Jeeze, I was trying to win a kiss from Johnny McKenzie when I was 12 and 14.”

“And did you ever win that kiss?” AJ chuckled

“You have no idea!” she said laughing

“What a lucky guy.”

Meg looked over at AJ. And they held each others eyes. Trying to change the subject AJ continued rambling on about this thing and that.

“And we usually sing the same song about a 100 times until we get it perfect!” he said leading her into the recording room

“Wow, have you ever just said ‘it’s good enough!’?”

“Oh, if you only knew,” he said shaking his head

“Ever sense I’ve been little I’ve dreamed of this. When I was about nine I’d sing Madonna songs in front of my mirror with my hairbrush as my microphone!”

AJ laughed. “Let me guess Like a Virgin?”

“No, actually Holiday my mother never let me listen to Like a Virgin she said it wasn’t for little girls ears,” Meg said laughing

“Personally I liked Holiday better!” he said winking at her.

“Speaking of songs, what was it again that I’m supposed to sing for this demo thing?”

“Well, actually it’s whatever you want to sing, it’s up to you,”

“Hmm”

“What?”

“What do I want to sing to start with?”

“That’s for you to know and me to find out. Well there’s nothing more for me to show you today, this is practically it!” he said pulling open the door.

“Well… then I guess this is it,” she said brushing her foot across the floor

“Are you hungry?”

“Are you offering?”

“Well if you’d like me to I will!” he said laughing

“Then sure, I’m hungry,” she said walking past him as he held the door open.

________________________________________________________________________

“So, were do you want to eat?” he said trying to hail a cab

“Um, whatever,” she shrugged

“Well, you’re from here I’m not so you tell me where you wanna eat?”

“Well as I can see, you’re not from here cause you’re hailing a cab all wrong!” she said laughing and sticking her fingers in her mouth, she let out a loud whistle and in a matter of two seconds a cab pulled up next to them.

“Now, let me take you to the best Italian place in the world!” she said opening the cab door

“How did you do that? How’d they even hear you?”

“I don’t know they got like whistle radar!” she said laughing

“I doubt it; I think they got pretty girl radar,” he said grinning to himself, “where are we going again?”

“There’s this Italian place in Little Italy, they make the best Italian food in the world!”

The cab dropped them off at a little restaurant between a deli and a bakery. There were little tables outside with red and white table cloths. In the restaurant it looked like a scene from an old Mafia movie, the tables were covered with the same table cloths as the ones outside; there were bottles of olive oil and bread on ever table. Behind the counter there was a little fat Italian lady, with coal black hair and beautiful olive skin. She was yelling in Italian to the guys in the back, and when she saw Meg, her face lit up

“Meg, la mia bella come la sono?” she said holding her face between her hands

“Sono bella, we’ve come to eat your fabulous special,” Said Meg.

“Tony, buono, buono due digiuno speciale,” she said yelling over at her son in the back and pointed them to a table in the corner.

“What did she say?” AJ asked

“Oh she asked me how I was, and then I told her that we came for the special,” she said folding her napkin over her lap

“That’s all she said?” he said lifting his eyebrow

“Well basically, then there was some yelling at Tony to hurry up with the order!” she said laughing

“Were did you learn to speak like that?”

“I don’t remember I’ve been talking Italian sense I was a little girl, my grandmother was from Italy. She never learned to speak proper English, but some how she always knew what we we’re saying! Mrs. Viscardi knew my grandmother, my grandmother practically raised her. She was an orphan sent over to America. My grandmother met her over there and came to New York with her. Mrs. Vicardi was only six at the time and my grandmother was in her teens. Anyway that’s the story.”

“Oh, so are you from New York?”

“No, my mother is and her family but I was born and raised in North Carolina. My dad comes from old southern money, he’s also a lawyer. He met my mother when he came to New York one spring and then they ran off together. I’d spend the summers with my grandmother; I always loved New York so when I turned eighteen I packed my bags and moved.”

“Is your grandmother still alive”? AJ asked breaking off a piece of bread

“No, she died the year I came here. I’ve been alone in the city ever sense.”

The little Italian woman came wobbling to their table with two huge bowls of spaghetti

“Mangiare, Mangiare,” Mrs. Viscardi said as she set them down

“What does that mean,” AJ asked leaning into the table

“It means eat!” Meg said reaching for her fork
________________________________________________________________________

"My lord! That was delicious!" he said leaning back in his chair

"Mmm,"

"I feel like a need to run a marathon after all that!"

"Better yet I know were a race track is!" she said leaning back in her chair

"So what do you do for a living Meg?" he said pushing his plate to the side for Mrs. Viscardi to pickup.

"Well, it depends on what day of the week it is. From Thursday to Monday I'm a waitress at a five star restaurant, and then on Tuesday and Wednesday I usually help out my friends with their store, or do nothing at all."

"When do you sing?"

"In the shower," she said dryly, "whenever I get a gig, sometimes I can go months without one, but then there are times when one gig can pay for a whole month of living."

"Sounds like a real life to me."

"Ha! I don't know if it's a real life, but it's my life."

"I wish I had that."

"You wish you lived paycheck to paycheck and in a rundown apartment with a land lord named Guss with two S's? What did you smoke this morning?" she said eyeing him

"Yes, that's what I'd like I guess, I've never had that. I’ve never been a regular Joe; I've never had to… struggle, I guess is what I'm trying to say."

"Then you're lucky."

"Really, God my life isn't reality; I can't just walk into McDonalds without a team of bodyguards. Sometimes it seems I can't even take a piss without someone looking over my shoulder. It starts getting you. You're not you anymore, you're what they want you to be, and you’re what they think you should be. You tend to lose yourself."

"Is that what happened to you? Who's the real AJ?" she said pouring wine into her glass

"It's been so long; I can't even remember who I am."

"Then I guess we have to help you find yourself."

"We?" he said looking up at her

"Oh, I mean you." she said turning a shade of pink

"We didn't sound that bad to me."

Meg started to laugh; "We've known each other all of five minutes,"

"Well in that case, it's been the best five minutes of my life so far,” he said with his lips curled up.

"Wow, I didn't realize I was that good! Give me a week and you'll be a changed man," she said winking at him

"Is that a promise?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Meg arched her brow, "What do you mean?"

"Meg, I've never met anyone like you, you don't know me, so there for you can't expect anything from me and then be let down when it's not me. I'll make you a deal; I'll help you with your demo, whatever you want I'll do if you give me a week."

"You're not an ax murderer are you?" she said slanting her eyes

"No, I might be a lot of things but that's not one of them!" he said laughing

"Alright, on one condition,"

"Shoot."

"You have to sing to me."

"What?" he said with a confused look on his face

"There will come a day when I ask you to sing to me, and I have to warn you it may be in the middle of Central Park, but whenever, wherever you have to!"

"Then it's a deal,” he said smirking

"It's a deal,” she said reaching out for his hand to shake. "Now I hate to run this party short. But I have to go to work," she said standing up from her chair and wrapping her scarf around her neck

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she said picking up her purse

"Of course, when do you want to meet?" he said helping her with her coat.

"Afternoon, I have something to do with a friend, but after that I'm free."

"Then it's a date."

I woke to someone pulling open the curtains in my bedroom,

“Close those things!” I said putting a pillow over my head

“Come on, wakey, wakey!” she said pulling off my covers

“Isabel, remind me to take the keys away from you!”

“Um, NEVER!” she said laughing

“Why are you so chipper today? What are you on, speed?”

“No, its called crack darling; now get up!”

“Why it’s only 9:30,” I said wiping the sleep out of my eyes

“Yes, but by the time we get you dressed and ready it’ll be 10:30 then we won’t get to Brooklyn until 11:00 then we’ll only…” before she had time to finish I cut her off

“Really, Izzy that’s way to much math this early in the morning for me,” I said sitting up

“Well you get the point.”

“Clear as daylight,” I said getting up and walking into the kitchen

“So how’d your thing go the other night? You know the meeting with the Backstreet Boys,” she said following me

“Um, it was fine.”

“Fine, that’s all?” she said lifting her brow

“I’m going to do a demo CD thingy, the Backstreet Boys are picking up the bill,” I said plopping down on a stool

“Really, that’s awesome Meg!”

“Yeah, I thought so.”

She started rummaging threw all my cabinets looking for something to eat, “You really don’t have anything to eat in this apartment do you?”

“Not really.”

“Hmmm… Hey what’s up with Guss?” she said turning to face me

“Why?”

“Well, the past couple times I’ve seen him, he starts… Flirting with me?”

I started laughing, “That’s because you told him you loved him.”

“I DID NOT!”

“Yes you did!”

“When?”

“Remember that night I got you so damn drunk and I brought you back to my place, and when you walked in the door you were all like ‘I love you Guss” I said laughing hysterically

“I didn’t!”

“You did!”

“Oh god, that’s embarrassing,” she said shaking her head

“I thought it was funny myself.”

“Yeah, well you would! Now go get dressed so we can go!” she said pointing her finger to my bedroom


the city was buzzing, everyone’s in a hurry to get somewhere. Mothers have their children all bundled up and ready for school, men have there brief cases in one hand and a cell phone in the other talking about the portfolio for next week. I looked around and it seemed everyone had a purpose, something to do, somewhere to be. Me on the other hand what was my purpose? I had somewhere to be, but it wasn’t my purpose it was Izzy’s. Izzy was a photographer and was looking for a studio. She had found a man who wanted to use some of her photographs for an exhibit. I’d promised her I’d go with her. She was a beautiful photographer; she could capture the most intimate and private nature without even trying. She could take a picture of a mountain and it would seem sacred and sad. Everything about Izzy was sacred and beautiful, she had a smile that would brighten anyone’s day, and her laugh was the most innocent thing you’d ever hear.


She walked ahead of me, talking like a chatty Cathy; she finally turned around to see if I was still even behind her.

“Meg, are you listening?”

“Yeah, kinda sorta,” I replied softly

“What are you thinking about?”

“I was just thinking about how much I love you!”

“Oh Meg, how many times do I have to tell you? I’m never going to sleep with you!” she said laughing

“Hey, it was worth a shot!” I said looping my arm through hers.

we walked into a beautiful Brooklyn apartment studio, the whole apartment was windows, the floors were wood, and art hung on every inch of wall space. Photographs, sculptors, paintings you name it, it was here. I saw Izzy start to gnaw on her bottom lip.

“It’s ok Izz,” I whispered into her ear

A man dressed in Armani walked out of the back room, he was tall and thin. His hair was light brown and he had beautiful hazel eyes. He would have walked right passed us if he hadn’t seen Izzy,

“Excuse me,” he said walking over towards Izzy, “May I help you?”

“Oh, yeah I have an appointment with a-- Roger Jones?” she said reading off a piece of paper.

“Oh well then you’re in luck I’m Roger Jones.” he said reaching out his hand

“Oh, hello I’m Isabel Williams,” she said shaking his hand, “Oh and this is my friend Meg Anderson.” She said gesturing towards me

“It’s very nice meeting you both; I’ve been waiting for you Ms. Williams, do you have some of your photographs with you?”

“Yes,” she replied

“Wonderful, Ms. Anderson it will take us a while, feel free to look around and if you need anything feel free to ask Jessica,” he said gesturing to the little brunette that sat behind a desk in the corner. “Shall we?” he said gesturing to his office

“Will you be ok Meg?” Izzy asked turning towards me

“Yes, I’ll be fine you go ahead.”

I stood in the center of the room. A painting had caught my eye when we walked in. it was a water color, it was a girl sitting on the edge of a water fountain. She was gazing into it as if looking for something more then her reflection. Her hair was blonde, and it was blowing in the wind, she had a flower behind her left ear. Her eyes were troubled, as if she had to make a decision that would change her life forever… Or maybe her dog died for all I knew, it was a painting. I told myself, stop analyzing it. I glimpsed over at the clock on the wall and it read 11:45. I had promised AJ I would met him soon, and who knew how long this was going to take, so I deiced I’d just leave. I asked the receptionist behind the desk if she could tell Izzy I had left and out the door I went.
________________________________________________________________________
I had deiced to go to the coffee shop early, Meg had said she had something to do, and well I had nothing to do so I thought I’d do nothing at the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet. For the first time in the past few months I actually woke up at a decent time-- and without anyone doing it for me for that matter. I stirred my coffee and watched as the cream made a white swirl.

Sitting in the window seat were two lovers holding hands. And across from them were a married couple, he was reading the news paper and she a book, every once in awhile she’d rub her high heeled foot across his pant leg, very discretely.

“Is this seat taken?” I heard a voice say

“Oh I’m waiting for….. You,” I said looking up realizing it was her, “You’re early.”

“Yeah, my friend didn’t need me anymore,” she said pulling out the chair and sitting down

“Can I get you anything?” asked a waitress that came out of nowhere

“Oh, I’ll have a latté,” she said taking off her coat

“So,” I said playing with my straw

“So,” she said looking at me, “How are you today?”

“Fine, you?”

“Fine…” there was a long pause then Meg continued “if this is all we’re going to say it’s going to make a really long day!” she said laughing

“Then I guess we should find more to talk about. What did you do with your friend today, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“I went with her to put some of her photographs in an exhibit, she’s a photographer.”

“Really, is she good?”

“She’s excellent!”

Then silence, I watched her as she twirled a blonde strand of hair around her finger at the base of her neck, her eyes would drift from here to there. She was wearing a blouse that showed off her neck, she had a long neck and collar bones that stuck out when she hunched her shoulders, she’d catch my eye watching her and she’d lower her head with a crocked smile. We sat there for what seemed like hours, just looking at each other, watching each other. Finally she broke her silence.

“Are we going to sit here in awkward silence forever?”

“Was it awkward? I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault. How about we get out of here?”

“I’m up for anything.”

“Good,” she said grabbing her coat and laid a twenty on the table, “It’s on me today!” she said winking at me.


We ended up in a park, it was the end of March, and spring was almost here. The trees were almost starting to bud. The breeze was crisp, Meg wrapper her arms around her and shivered.

“Would you like my coat?” I asked

“Oh no, I’m fine,” she said smiling at me, “but thank you.”

“Are you sure? You seem cold.”

“Yes, I’m fine. I’ve been meaning to ask you, what does AJ stand for?”

“Alexander James.”

“That’s a beautiful name!”

“Thanks.” I said laughing

“I’m serious, why do you call yourself AJ?”

“I don’t know, I guess it just fit my character,” I said shrugging

“So are you trying to say it’s more of a bad boy name then Alexander?”

“Yeah basically!” I said laughing “And Meg? What’s that short for?”

“Margaret.”

“Margaret?”

“Yep, it doesn’t seem like me does it?”

“Not really.”

“Yeah, that’s why I don’t go by it; I’ve always gone by Meg. Where are you from?”

“Florida, Orlando to be exact.”

“Cool, I bet it’s never cold like this there,” she said holding herself tighter

“No, I can’t say it is; where in North Carolina are you from?”

“Charlotte,”

“Oh yeah, it’s pretty there.”

“Have you been?”

“Yes, on tour anyway.”

“Well I’m not actually from Charlotte, but from a little town outside of Charlotte.”

“Does your family still live there?”

“Yes, my parents do and so does my brother, he’s actually the District Attorney There.” she said stopping by a bench and sitting down.

“Really, wow that’s something.” I said sitting down next to her.

“Yeah, he’s a real prodigal son,” she said rolling her eyes

“Are you close to your family?”

“Not really, my parents think I’ve screwed up my life. They wanted me to be a doctor. Let’s just say I’m not the child that gets talked about at the Country Club,”

“I’m sorry,” I said putting my hand on her knee

“And you? Are you close to your family?”

“My mom, my dad left when I was four. My mother and grandparents raised me.”

“People should only be able to have kids if they have a license for them.”

“Ha! Is that right?”

“Yes, when I’m queen of the world there’ll be some changes!”

“Queen of the world? You’re going all out!” I said laughing

“You better believe it!”

“So my highness, what shall we do now?”

“Um, I don’t know you pick.”

“How would you like miniature golf?”

“Miniature golf, in this weather?” She said laughing.

“Why not?” I said standing up and reached my hand out for hers

“Why not,” she said taking it
___________________________________________________________________________

“What color ball do you want?” asked the guy behind the counter

“I’ll take the pink one,” Meg said pointing at the hot pink ball

“Oh come on! That’s such a girlie ball!” AJ said poking fun at her

“Ha-ha,” she said stinking out her tongue

“And for you sir, what color would you like?” the guy behind the counter asked while trying to suppress the urge to laugh.

“Um, the yellow one,”

“The yellow one? And you wanted to call me girlie,” she said rolling her eyes

“What? Yellow is not a girlie color!”

“Sure that’s what all guys say when they pick out something girlie,” she said bumping her hip against his.

“Whatever! Now you wanna go first?”

“Um, I don’t care.”

“Well a gentleman always let’s the lady go first,” he said in a lowered gesture

“Well, in that case I guess I’ll let you go first then!”

“I think I liked you better when you didn’t speak,” he said shaking his head

“That’s what they always say,” she said leaning up against her golf club, “Now you wanna make this interesting?”

“That depends, how interesting?”

“For every time you score, I’ll tell you something about myself, but every time you miss you tell me something about yourself and visa-versa. You game?”

“Oh yeah I’m game!” he said while easing up to his golf ball. He softly hit the ball and it went straight into the hole.

“Aw, Your turn!” he said grinning

“That was a lucky shot!”

“Yeah, whatever; so tell me something?”

“My middle name is Velma,” she said as she laid her ball down

“Margaret Velma is up to the tee, but will she be able to make the shot?” he said in an announcer’s voice

“Ugh, don’t call me that if you want to see tomorrow,” she said hitting the ball. It went straight until it was about two inches from the hole then it swerved left.

“Ouch!” AJ said smirking

“I think I need a replay, you distracted me!”

“Sorry darling it doesn’t work like that!”

“You suck you know that? Fine, I have the whole collection of Care Bears.”

“Aw, now that’s cute!” he smirked

“Would you please go, and try and miss will you?”

AJ eased himself up to his ball again, he slowly bent his legs a couple times then hit the ball, it went passed the little pond that was in the center and went right into the hole

“Now let’s see you do that!” he said amused by himself

“Next time I get to pick what we do,” she said underneath her breath

“Hmm, excuse me aren’t you supposed to say something about yourself?” he said leaning up against his golf club

“I hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” she said while trying to mimic AJ’s moves, when she hit her ball, it flew over the pound and landed straight in the hole

“Ha! Go me, go me,” she said moving her arms in a circle

“It’s about god damn time! And how can you hate PB and J’s? That’s just un-American!”

“Um, yes and I believe it’s your turn,” she said smirking back at him

“I’ve dyed my hair almost every color!” he said laying his ball down

“Every color huh? Wow I didn’t even know you had hair, you know with you always wearing that hat and all!” she said sarcastically

“Oh yeah? Well just for that I’m not going to wear my hat at all today!” he said taking it off and throwing it to the side, his hair looked like he had just woken up, it was sticking up in ever direction. Meg started giggling

“What?” he said looking around

“Your hair, it’s a little messy!” she said putting her fingers up to her mouth

“Oh,” he said turning a shade of pink and smoothing it down with his hand

“Here let me help you,” she said laughing and walking over towards him, she softly ran her fingers threw it and smoothed it out,

“There,” she said stepping back to take a look at her masterpiece

“Does it look better?” he said lifting his golf club up to see if he could see his reflection

“Well as good as it’s going to anyway,” she said winking at him, “Come on it’s your turn.”

For the first times sense they started playing AJ missed the hole altogether when he hit the ball.

“Damn!” he said shaking his head

“What happened? You lose your mojo? She said smirking

“If I did it’s your fault! You made me take off my hat,” he said picking his hat up with his foot

“And what, you got power in that hat or something?” she said slating her eyes

“Maybe, Maybe not, maybe my powers in my hair,” he said winking at her

“Oh, alright Samson,” she said smirking, “tell me something, the rules are still intact.”

“I can play the bass guitar, drums and piano.”

“Really, my goodness, I can hardly play the piano,” she said hitting the ball.

“Um, that looks like a miss to me,” he said watching the ball shoot across the hole

“This game is starting to irritate me!”

“It’s that pink ball, its bad luck,” he said smirking

“Sure,” she rolled her eyes “let’s see, my favorite movie is The Godfather.”

“The Godfather, jeeze I’d never taken you to be so hardcore. You looked more like a Notebook girl.”

“Oh, I am a Notebook girl! Love that movie, but come on, the Godfather makes me an offer I can’t refuse!”

AJ started laughing, “You’re something else I tell you! Now this is the last shot, who ever make's it in the clowns mouth wins the whole game!”

“So it’s a winner takes all kinda deal?” Meg said laughing

“Yes,” he said over his shoulder

“Then let the best man win!”

________________________________________________________________________
“Ah that was fun!” Meg said stretching her arms over her head.

“Yeah, I can’t believe you actually won!”

“Well that’s what you get for saying ‘winner takes all’” she said laughing

“Yeah, well I never thought you’d actually make it in the clown’s mouth.”

“Well then, that’s what you get for underestimating me!”

“I guess so,” he said grinning

“What time is it?” she said realizing it was getting late

“It’s 7:30, why?”

“Oh nothing I just better be getting home, what are you doing tomorrow?” she asked

“Let’s see, my schedule is full of nothing!”

“Awesome!”

“It’s awesome that I don’t have a life?” he said smirking at her

“No, I mean it’s cool ‘because I have nothing to do either, you wanna meet tomorrow say around 11:00am?”

“Sure, where do you wanna meet?”

“Um, where are you staying?”

“The Plaza Hotel.”

“Good, how about I’ll come and get you?” she said hailing for a cab

“That’s fine I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he said opening the cab door for her

Chapter Six


The next morning Meg got up early, hoping to get a good head start, she was actually more excited to spend a whole day with AJ then she had expected. She felt different around him, like she could be herself. She didn’t have to be perfect; all she had to be was Meg.

She opened her closet doors looking for something to wear; she had been so preoccupied making noise that she hadn’t heard the door open.

“What am I going to wear!” she said throwing clothes in every direction.

“Well that depends. Where are you going?” she heard a voice say behind her.

“Jesus,” she said jumping to the sound of his voice and falling in her rack of shoes, “What are you doing here Lenny?!” she asked placing her hand over her heart.

“I stopped by to see if you were alright?” he said smirking, “Did I scare you?”

“No, I usually jump and say “Jesus” for no reason!” she said sarcastically.

“Sorry,” he said showing off his beautiful white teeth.

“You’re forgiven,” she said reaching for his hand to help her up, “But what are you doing here?”

“I was worried about you, I didn’t hear from you at all yesterday, or the day before.”

“Oh, I’m sorry; I’ve been with AJ the past two days.”

“Who?” he asked arching his brow.

“Oh, from the Backstreet Boys, remember him? He’s kinda tall, has brown eyes, tattoos. He’s going to be the one that helps me with the demo.”

“Oh yes, he seemed… I don’t know how to put this… unreliable.”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Lenny,” she said straightening out her bed.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong Meg, I’m not saying anything, I just hope he’s respectable, and takes this serious.”

“Yes Lenny, he’s respectable,” she said shaking her head.


“You should bring him to Isabel’s exhibit tomorrow night,” he said leaning up against the doorjamb.

“I don’t know if he’d have time for that,” she said wryly.

“You’re persuasive Meg, talk him into it. Plus it’ll probably be the only time I’ll get to meet him, I have to go up to Vermont day after tomorrow, and I’ll be gone for a week.”

“Why do you have to go to Vermont?”

“I have some family business up there.”

“Oh, well I’ll talk to him, but I can’t promise anything.” she said while pulling on her jeans.

“You do that,” he said watching her, “here let me help you,” he said walking over towards her and lifting off her t-shirt.

“I’m supposed to be getting dressed not undressed,” she said giggling.

“I can help you with both,” he said kissing her neck.

“Really Lenny, I have to go,” she said as if trying to convince herself,

“Alright,” he said holding onto her waist, “I probably won’t see you tonight,”

“Why?”

“I have some work to do in Jersey, but I’ll be back in time tomorrow for Isabel’s exhibition,” he said leaning down and kissing her head. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning, okay?”
_______________________________________________________________

AJ walked back and forth in his hotel room. Meg had promised him she’d be there at eleven, and it was already eleven-forty-five.

“What if she deiced not to come?” he said to himself. He’d started craving her; he craved the way she made him feel, the way she made everything disappear, when he closed his eyes he saw her face, the way she’d always brush away the curl that hung in her eye, the way her lip would curl up when she laughed. He’d only known her three days and four nights, and was already addicted to her.

He heard a soft rap on the door, “AJ, are you there? It’s Meg,” the voice said

He smoothed down his clothes and checked his hair in the mirror one more time before opening the door.

“Hello,” he said swinging the door open.

“Hi,” she giggled, “sorry I’m late, I had a visitor,” she said walking into his suite.

“Oh, no problem I didn’t even notice you were late,” he said trying to sound nonchalant.

“This place is beautiful, God, my apartment isn’t even as big as this room!” she said looking around.

“Well, only the best!” he said dryly.

“What do you want to do today?” she asked running her hand across the chair.

“It’s up to you, remember you said next time you pick.”

“Yes, well actually I was wondering if we could go to the studio?”

“Oh, yeah that’s what we’re supposed to be doing, huh?” he said rubbing the back of his head.

“Well if you’d like…”

“No, no that’s fine! Let’s go,” he said grabbing his coat.
___________________________________________________________________
“AAAA” Meg sang in a high note

“OK, we need to work a little more on that!” AJ said laughing

“Don’t laugh! I’ve never done these bar thingy’s, I just sing.”

“Really? You never practice?”

“Yes, I practice every time I sing, just in a different way.”

“Well then, you tell me how you do it?”

“I sing…well it’s kinda embarrassing,” she said putting her head down.

“What? I promise I won’t laugh.”

“I like to sing, ‘All I Ask of You’ from the Phantom of the Opera.”

“Really, why?”

“Because, the way it’s sung, there’s high notes and low notes and it works my range.”

“Aw, I see. Why would you think I’d laugh at that?”

“I don’t know I’m usually kind of private with my backstage rituals.” she said laughing.

“I have some of those too.” he said reassuring.

“Like what?”

“I can’t say,” he said shaking his head.

“I told you mine!”

“Yes, but mine are more embarrassing.”

“Come on! Just tell me!” she said hitting her hip against his.

“I like to listen to children’s songs before a show.” Meg saw as the tops of his ears turned red.

“No!” she said laughing.

“Yes, but don’t tell a soul! Or I will have to kill you!” he said laughing.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she said winking at him.

“Well that’s good then.”

“If you want we can take a break?” she said leaning over his shoulder, her breath on his neck made his heart skip a beat. It took everything he had not to turn around and throw her down on the table next to them.

“Sure let’s take a break then,” he said moving away from her.
________________________________________________________________________

“Close your eyes,” Meg said leading AJ by the hand.

“Where is it again that we’re going?” he asked grinning, “You’re not going to take me to Jersey and have me whacked are you?”

“Now if I were would I tell?” she said laughing, “Watch your step here,” she said leading him into a beautiful dance studio.

“Open your eyes!” she said lifting up the blinds and letting light in.

“My god! It’s beautiful!” he said turning in a circle to see all around him, “what are we doing here?”

“Well, this is what I choose,” She said grinning.

“I don’t understand?” he said lifting his brow.

“You asked me what I wanted to do, remember, you said I’d get to pick.”

“Yeah, I thought you picked the music studio?”

“I did… But I also picked this! Do you know how to dance?”

“Yeah,”

“So do I, I do it when I’m stressed or nervous, it relaxes me,”

“Ah,” he said looking around, “And what was it again that we’re doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re going to dance with me!”

“Ha! You gotta be kidding?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“I sure hope so,” he said grimacing.

“Don’t give me that look! Do you know the Rumba?”

“The Rumba? I can’t say I do.”

“Well then I’ll teach you! First you have to have your body as close to the other person as possible,” she said grabbing his hand and leaning her body up against his. “You hold on to them like you’re never going to let them go, and when you let go of them act as though she’s ripping out your heart as well,”

“And what else,” he said gulping.

“Everything about it is sexual, the way she moves, it’s like she’s taking off her clothes, and you shouldn’t be watching but you can’t help yourself.”

“And then a cold shower, right?” he said trying to follow her footwork.

“And bring her back into you, like your going to have your way with her right here right now.” She spun away from him then spun back.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” he asked dryly.

“HA!” she laughed.

“Well that makes a man feel all warm and fuzzy inside when a girl laughs at him.”

“Well the truth is, when I was at work last night I was telling my friend about you, and she told me that you were a GREAT dancer! And calculating the last time I had a good dance partner, I was drunk!” she said laughing.

“And so,”

“And so, I wanna take you dancing, or you take me dancing so to speak. Anyway there’s this place, and it’s a Latin dance club: And I haven’t been there in forever! And I’d like to go with you,” she grinned.

“Oh I see; this was all an alternative motive to get my hot bod out on the dance floor!”

“Basically!” she said laughing.

“Well, then shall we?” he said reaching out for her hand.

________________________________________________________________________

“Wow! I thought you said you couldn’t do the Rumba? That was just…wow!” Meg said sitting down from exhaustion.

“Well I’m usually not a braggart,” he said lying down on the floor, “I have a question, is it normal for me not to be able to feel my legs?”

“Extremely,” she said laughing.

“Where’d you learn how to dance?”

“Rio de Janeiro, my family and I went on a vacation there one summer. And I saw this man teaching classes. I asked my mom if I could take one. She said yeah and that’s where I learned to dance… and a whole lot more!” she said giggling.

“What do you mean?” he said leaning up on his elbows.

“Let’s just say he taught me all the sexual ways of Rumba!”

“HA!” he said laughing, “I see, how old were you?”

“sixteen,”

‘How old was he?”

“twenty-eight,” she said laughing.

“Jeeze! What was he like?”

“Jeeze AJ, I didn’t realize you were into details!” she said laughing.

‘Well that’s more or less true but not those details. What did he look like?”

“He was tall and handsome, with dark hair, dark skin, built like Adonis. And spoke with a Spanish accent. His name was Reynaldo,” she said closing her eyes in reminiscences.

AJ eyed himself up and down, “Now I see why you picked such a good lookin’ guy like me!”

“Um, that must mean I have good taste!” she said winking at him.

“Or that I’m tasty… either way it works!” he said laughing.

“How about we meet tonight at the club? Say around 7ish I’ll give you directions,” Meg said standing up.
___________________________________________________________________________
AJ stood on the side of the street looking at the building with the address Meg had given him. There were woman with flashy dresses and men with tight shirts walking into the club. Above the door in neon lights flashed, “Los Noche Vida”.

When AJ walked in it was crowned with people, the band was singing in Spanish and dancers were everywhere! He watched them from the bar; he watched them dance the Salsa. They all started with one partner, but by the end of the song they’d danced with everyone on the dance floor.

A beautiful woman walked over towards him; she was wearing a tight little yellow dress with a yellow flower behind her ear.

“Would you like to dance?” she asked with a thick Spanish accent.

“Oh, I’m waiting for someone,”

“I don’t see anyone here.” She said rubbing her hands across his chest.

“That’s because she’s right there,” he said pushing her hands off his chest and pointing to Meg.

Meg walked in with a short red dress on that swung back and forth when she walked, she had legs for miles and every man in the club turned to look at her. Her hair was up and curls cascaded down around her face. When she saw AJ her face lit up.

“Sorry I’m late; I hope you haven’t been waiting long?” she said with that beautiful smile that made AJ’s heart melt.

“No, no not at all,” he said smiling back at her.

“Would you like a drink?” she said gesturing to the bar.

“Oh, I really shouldn’t,” he said clearing his throat.

“Oh… okay how about a virgin Bloody Mary then?” she said lifting up two fingers to the bartender before AJ could answer.

“I guess I don’t have much of a choice in the matter,” he said underneath his breath, “do you come here much?” he said trying to yell over the music.

“Huh?” she yelled back at him.

“I said do you come here much?” he yelled louder

“Oh, no not that often,” she said smiling back.

“Your boyfriend Kenny or Benny whatever his name is; does he not dance?”

“Lenny? Oh no. He thinks he can dance but he really can’t,” she said grabbing the drinks and headed for a little table.

“And where does Lenny think you are now?” he said sitting down.

“What?” she said looking up at him.

“Lenny, your boyfriend; does he approve of you being at a night club dancing with me?”

“He doesn’t know… He’s in Jersey anyway,” she said clearing her throat.

“Oh.” He said taking a drink.
___________________________________________________________________________


“Oh my god that was fun!” Meg said stumbling out of the club.

“I haven’t sweated so hard in years!” AJ said grinning.

“I know, jeeze, don’t these people know what a dance break is?! And what was up with Miss Yellow Gardenia?”

“I don’t know but she kept grabbing my ass!” AJ said shaking his head.

“I think she was trying to grab more then your ass!”

“I think I noticed that,” he said laughing, “Should we hail a cab?”

“Nay, I only live a couple blocks from here; and I think I need some air anyway. You wanna walk me home?”

“Well of course, like I’m going to let you walk these streets alone.”

“What? You don’t think these streets are safe?” she said laughing and stumbling.

“Are you drunk?”

“I only had one drink. I’m not that much of a light weight!”

“I knew you’d spiked one of those Virgin Mary’s,” AJ said shaking his head.

“So Mary lied once about being a virgin, what are you the virgin police?” she said laughing.

“You are a light weight!” he said smirking.

“Will you carry me?” she asked stopping abruptly.

“Carry you? Why?”

“Because my feet are killing me!”

“This was your idea to walk, remember?”

“Yeah, fresh air, now I want to be carried on your back.”

“Oh fine!” he said leaning down for her to crawl up on his back, “How far is it from your apartment?” he said pushing her butt up.

“See those greenish apartments up ahead? That’s where I live,” she said wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I think it’s going to rain,” AJ said feeling raindrops on his head.

“Yay! I love the rain.”

“Well I don’t love the rain when there’s a monkey on my back!”

“Oh don’t be such a baby, Monkey Boy!”

“How’d you…. Oh never mind,” he said shaking his head and smirking to himself.

“Um, I think it’s raining!” Meg said opening her mouth to catch the raindrops.

“Oh crap!”

“Let me down and we can run,” Meg said trying to get down.

When AJ let her down she grabbed his hand and they ran to her apartment building. AJ rushed to open the door and when he looked back Meg was standing there with her arms stretched out.

“What are you doing?” he yelled over the rain.

“I’m standing in the rain! Come and stand with me!” she yelled back.

“You’re going to catch pneumonia!”

‘What are you, my grandmother? Loosen up!”

“You will be the death of me Margaret Velma Anderson!” He yelled, walking over towards her.

“I will if you keep calling my by my full freakin’ name!” she said laughing.

“What are we doing?”

“We’re standing in the rain Einstein,” she said laughing.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said more serious now. They stood there for a moment in silence, and then Meg looked up at him.

“Would you like to come inside?”