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Nick caressed Deanna’s hair lightly as he kissed her cheek. She smiled back at him. Nick leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were like the sun, shining on him through the rain. Was this what it meant to be truly happy? To have the sunlight shine on you even through a storm as rain pours down your cheeks… Nick took in a breath and closed his eyes briefly. Was this only a dream? She held him so tightly, if she let go, he feared he would break without the safety of her arms. He opened his eyes again and stared into her deep brown ones. He was supposed to be dating Paris. Was this wrong? It felt so right. Paris was never there for him. He called out to her when he needed her, but a sale at the mall was more important than him. No… No. This was not wrong. How could it be wrong when he could see heaven in her eyes?
Deanna smiled, “Nick?”
Nick leaned in and kissed her again. If this was Heaven, then he did not want to let go. He would never let her go. He wanted to be complete, within her always. Never alone, ever again.
Deanna pulled away slightly, “What’s the rush for?” She started giggling lightly.
Nick smiled. His blue eyes sparkled in the darkness. “Rush? That’s not in my vocabulary.”
Deanna shoved him lightly, “You pervert.”
Nick leaned in and kissed her again, “Thank you…”
Deanna started laughing again, “It’s not a compliment.”
Nick grinned and kissed her once more, “From you, I’ll take anything.”
They both laughed as Nick kissed her again. She would not escape him. Together, forever… Nick held her tightly against him and pulled her lips into his own. It was like breathing air, so natural, so vital, so…
There was a loud crash that shocked Nick from his pleasure. Nick pushed himself up abruptly and turned toward the door. The crashing sounded repeatedly, but it was muffled.
“OPEN THE HELL UP!” a muffled male voice exclaimed.
Nick blinked and stood up.
“What’s going on?” Deanna questioned.
Nick shook his head and walked toward the door.
“I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!” the voice yelled again and continued its pounding.
Nick opened the door slowly and stood in the frame. His eyes wandered the hall searching for the commotion. To his surprise, AJ frantically beat on the door to Ashley and Deanna’s room. Nick blinked again and reached his hand out, “Hey, AJ… What’s the racket for?”
AJ turned around quickly. He was also surprised to see Nick standing in the hallway in only his black boxers. “Weren’t you going to change?...”
“Wasn’t I what?” Nick blinked.
“You were going to change,” AJ stared at him blankly, then shook his head, “Nevermind. Have you seen Deanna?”
“Deanna who?” Nick lied.
AJ growled and walked over to Nick, he pushed him a little. “Don’t play stupid with me, Nick. You know who Deanna is. You’ve been eyeing her for the past two days.”
Nick crossed his arms, “Why do you need to know where she is?”
“Ashley wanted her,” AJ answered blankly then grab Nick’s shoulder, “Are you just going to avoid that comment?”
Nick shrugged, “Of course, seeing as I don’t know what you’re getting at.”
AJ growled again, “You know damn well what I’m getting at Nick. Did you forget that you have a girlfriend? Paris?”
Nick shoved AJ’s hand away, “Why do you care what I do with my life anyway?”
“If you wanted to cheat on Paris, I don’t really care. But that’s my cousin. If you strung her along…”
“You’d do what?” Nick smirked.
“You’re standing on thin ice Nick…” AJ grumbled.
Nick chuckled, “Tell me, I’m dying to know. What would you do to me?”
AJ shoved Nick against the door, “What does she see in an annoying brat like you? You’re an ass to all women.”
Nick smirked as AJ held him pinned against the door. AJ’s eyes narrowed as he let out a low growl. Nick was supposed to be AJ’s prey, but… Since when did the prey play with its predator? Nick’s eyes gleamed as his smirk turned into a low laugh. AJ gripped Nick’s shoulder tighter.
He growled, “I fail to see the humor.”
Nick continued to laugh for a brief moment. Then his eyes gleamed again as his smirk returned and his tone grew snitty, “You. I’m laughing at you.”
AJ’s eyes narrowed, “Is that so?”
Nick chuckled again, “Do you really think you can control them? Do you have any idea what they’re really after?”
“Two men they shouldn’t be,” AJ replied slightly agitated.
Nick’s smirk grew, “Who says that they shouldn’t be after me and Kevin, face it, we’re good looking.”
AJ growled again, “You’re only using her!?!”
Nick wriggled out from AJ’s grip and shoved him away from the door. Nick’s eyes narrowed as he stared AJ down. “You might think you’re their older brother and to some extent you’re mine… But don’t ever assume you know what I’m feeling.”
AJ blinked, “What?” Had Nick hit his head? He had just completed a polar reversal of his personality. A minute ago he had been the smirking prey, only playing with his head. Now he was agitated and the one ready to go against AJ. When had the prey become the predator?
Nick turned his head quickly and proceeded to go back in the room. “Just because I’m the youngest doesn’t’ mean anything. I can think for myself. I understand what I want.”
AJ pulled Nick back. “Fine, take what you want then. Now tell me where Deanna is.”
“AJ…”
The boys turned toward the door. Somewhere in the midst of their fighting, they had ended up against the wall a few feet from the door. Deanna lowered her head as they looked down at her. She scuffed her feet on the floor and refused to look up at either one.
AJ breathed a sigh of relief. “There you are. Ashley wanted you to go to her! Why did you leave in the first place!?! Why didn’t you open your door?!?!?!”
“I wasn’t in my room…” Deanna answered quietly.
“What did you say? I couldn’t’ hear…” AJ replied, losing his temper.
“I—” Deanna started.
Nick swallowed hard and took a breath, “She wasn’t in her room. She was…” Nick put his hand behind his head and looked at the ground as well, “…With me…”
AJ’s expression hardened as he turned back to Nick, “WITH YOU!?!” AJ grabbed Nick’s shoulder again. His free arm shook as he closed it into a fist. His rage flowed through his body into it, the potential power of it surged to overload.
Nick turned his head away and continued to look at the ground. “I was about to say something… You just pissed me off… I realized I don’t like Paris… No… I don’t love Paris… I wanted… I wanted something better…”
AJ growled as his fist continued to shake.
Nick looked up briefly, his blue eyes shook, “She believed in me, right from the start. I wanted… Someone who would always be with me! Someone I never had to let go!” Nick’s voice trembled as he spoke. The words became increasingly difficult.
AJ took in a breath as e put his fist down and turned his head. “You didn’t… Did you?”
Deanna wrung her hands nervously as she continued to look at the floor, “No… Not now… It’s only been two days…”
AJ gave her an annoyed look. “Oh… And when has that ever stopped you?”
Deanna shot him a dirty look and narrowed her eyes, “It would if I actually cared about the guy!” Deanna put her hand over her mouth. Hadn’t she told Nick that she couldn’t have cared about him yet? She lowered her head again.
Nick lowered his head and turned it away again.
AJ shook his head, “You can’t even get it together with each other. How do you expect to convince me?” AJ put his head in his hand, “Look, nevermind… We’ll talk about this later. Right now, Deanna, Ashley really wanted you to be with her. She’s in my room.”
Deanna nodded and started walking down the hall toward the aforementioned room.
Nick began to follow her when AJ stopped him with his hand. “Didn’t you want to change?”
Nick walked back into the room and grabbed his yellow shirt off the floor, he locked the door behind him.
“And what makes you think you’re coming anyway?” AJ questioned.
Nick’s eyes narrowed, “The rumors about this place are true. I’m not leaving her alone for a second!”
AJ rolled his eyes, “She’ll be with Ashley and Kevin and I.”
Nick shook his head, “No. She’ll be with me.”
“And why should she be with you?”
“Clearly the ghosts like to attack women. It’s safer if they’re with men.”
“And this has nothing to do with getting your jollies on?”
“Of course it does, but not right now!”
“Nick…” AJ growled.
“I mean… ummm…” Nick stammered, “I didn’t just say that did I?”
AJ nodded.
“Oh, well…” Nick began to laugh nervously, “You know I’m twenty-four… You can’t expect…”
They heard a shriek and looked up just in time to see Deanna fall through the door to AJ, Kevin, and Howie’s room. Nick and AJ dashed toward her. Nick picked her up as AJ’s eyes narrowed again. Another growl escaped his throat.
“And what are you two doing?!?!” He yelled. He threw up his hands in disgust, “You’re both prostitutes!”
Deanna had latched on to Nick. Nick held her tightly. Her warm pulse resting against his skin.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
Deanna shook her head, “The door was locked, then it wasn’t…”
Nick’s eyes grew wide. “They’re everywhere…”
Deanna nodded.
“Let’s go!” nick suggested.
Deanna nodded and clutched on to him tighter. AJ grabbed her arm tightly.
He growled, “No one’s going anywhere until we all have a talk…”
“Oh God!” Nick, Kevin, Ashley, and Deanna cried out.
AJ nodded sternly. “Even if we all die, I’m settling this here and now.”
Deanna narrowed her eyes, “I love your priorities, AJ…”
AJ crossed his arms, “It can’t be helped. You two better get in there now, or believe me, heads will roll.”
Nick scowled, “Yeah because we’ll all die in the middle of a huge discussion…”
“GET IN THE ROOM DAMNIT!”
Nick rose his hands and pushed Deanna lightly into the room. “Going, going…”
AJ followed the two of them inside.