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* Chapter 42 *

Nick watched the road carefully as I gave him directions on where to go. I was still feeling hurt and disgusted about the things that had happened earlier and felt that I still needed to blow off some steam.

"Wait a minute...pull into this parking lot," I instructed as we approached one of the ‘sports parks’ that was in the area.

"Why are we stopping here?"

"Because this is where I wanna go," I said stubbornly while Nick put the truck in park and turned the ignition off.

I hopped out and waited for him to lock the doors before he followed me.

"Besides...they have pretty good food at these places. It’s better than your average ‘sports park’."

I sounded like a commercial.

"You sound like a promotional add!" Nick laughed.

"Hey...you forget...that’s what I do for a living!" I teased back.

He looked relieved that I sounded like my old self again, even if it was just to make him feel better. He followed me up to one of the little walk-up type booths where food was sold.

"How bouts you tell me what you want. I’ll order and you can get us a table...preferably shady," I suggested.

"Ok. Hmmm...I guess I’ll have a cheeseburger...extra cheese...an order of fries, and a Mt. Dew to drink."

"Got it. I’ll be right there," I called out to him as he walked away.

When I turned to the booth, a nice older woman greeted me with a smile.

"What can I get for you?" she asked warmly.

"Mmmm. He *pointing over my shoulder in Nick’s direction* wants a cheeseburger with extra cheese, an order of fries, and a large Mt. Dew...Ummm...Make that two Mt. Dew’s."

"Coming right up," she replied with a smile before she turned to a worker behind her and relayed the order to him.

I waited patiently at the window because there wasn’t anyone else behind me. After a few seconds I turned around and propped my elbows up on the ledge of the booth window and watched as Nick happily signed an autograph for a girl that was only about 5 years old.

"He seems like a nice young man," the woman spoke up, referring to Nick.

"Yes, he is," I replied with a smile.

"You’re very lucky," she said after I turned around to face her again.

"Oh...uh...we’re not together. He’s just a friend," I told her.

The woman gave me an understanding smile before she turned around to pick up our finished order.

"Here you are," she said while she put Nick’s food in front of me. "You two have a great day!"

"Thanks! You too!" I replied with a smile before I wandered off to the table that Nick had chosen.

Nick gave me a cheesy grin as I walked up to the table and set his food down in front of him. I took the seat across from him and sipped on my Mt. Dew as he took a bite of his burger.

"Where’s yours?" he asked as he picked up a few fries and dunked them into his pile of ketchup.

I shrugged my shoulders and took another sip of my drink. "I didn’t get anything."

"What do you mean you didn’t get anything?"

"I’m not hungry," I replied as I played with my straw.

"Here...have some of mine," he said, trying to give me a piece of his cheeseburger.

"I said I’m not hungry ok? Dang it! I’M NOT HUNGRY!!!!!"

I stood up angrily, threw my half-empty drink in a trash can, and made my way to one of the ticket selling booths and slapped a five down on the countertop.

"Five minutes...cage number 7," the man said as he handed me an aluminum bat.

"Thanks," I hissed before I walked off.

It was a warm day so I decided to wear a pair of shorts and an old white ‘cowgirl’ T-shirt that I borrowed from my sister. The warm rays from the sun peaked through the leafy treetops that hung over the batting cages. I shut the cage door behind me before I stepped up to the plate. When the first ball came hurling towards me, I swung and watched it sail back into the net beyond the pitching machine. I swung and swung and swung until my arms started aching.

"You could play for a living with a hit like that."

I turned my eyes for a split second and saw Nick standing outside the cage door leaning against the chain-linked fencing that protected him from getting hurt.

"When you’re pretending it’s someone’s head it’s not that hard..."

He didn’t say anything to that.

"And no...Its not yours."

He let his breath out in relief as I swung again. The ball clipped the tip of the bat and went backwards, smashing into the cage by where Nick was standing with a loud crash.

"Geez! Don’t try to kill me," Nick whined as I waited for the next ball to come my way.

"Then don’t stand right there," I replied. "Besides, I’ve only got like another minute or so."

He just watched as I took my last swings and then stepped out of the cage carrying the bat in my right hand.

"I feel much, much better now," I said before I walked over to the booth and gave back the bat.

The hair around my forehead was wet with sweat. I pulled my hair out of the elastic and combed through it a few times with my fingers before I put it up into a ponytail again.

"Ready?" Nick asked when I stood up from tying my shoe.

"Yeah. Let’s go," I replied.

We walked out to my truck and I waited on the passenger side while he tried to figure out which key it was again.

"Give me those...goofball," I teased him as I grabbed the key ring that was full of keys and opened the doors. "I think I can drive now."

I hopped in and waited for him to do the same. He fastened his seatbelt and watched as I started the car and then turned the radio off.

"There’s a CD in the glove box. Could you get it for me please?" I asked as we drove through the mostly empty parking lot.

He handed it to me and I shoved it into the CD player, put it on random and pushed pause. I waited patiently as it queued up the first song.

"What’s on the CD?" Nick asked.

I didn’t exactly answer because I knew he’d answer his own question within minutes. We were on our way home by the time I pushed play.

I guess you didn’t understand just what we had. Either that or you were just too afraid. Why’d you have to go and leave me cryin’ all alone on this cold lonely night? I needed you here with me, but you had other things in mind. Guess that’s what I get for falling like a fool.

Meg’s voice sang through the speakers as I watched the road ahead.

"It’s called ‘Like a Fool’ and it’s one of the songs that’s on her CD. I sang back-ups on this song...I never really thought that anyone could...ya know...hurt someone so much. And I certainly didn’t think it’d happen to me," I explained sadly as the music continued to play. "Oh goll...I’m sorry. I don’t want you to get all protective of me or anything...I just wish things weren’t so full of chaos right now."

"It’s ok. No one should have to keep their emotions bottled up inside. God gave us emotions so we could show them," he said in a reassuring voice. "I know that things are kind of a mess right now, but you have to believe me...things ARE going to be JUST fine."

I gave him a half smile just as the song ended. We didn’t have a chance to listen to another song because we pulled into the parking garage at my building.

"I sure hope you’re right. I don’t think I could handle you guys leaving on such bad terms..." I said before I was interrupted by my ringing cell phone that sat on the dashboard.

Nick picked it up and answered it happily.

"Liz Holder’s answering service. This is Nick. May I help you?" he said into the phone.

I laughed at his silliness.

"Yeah...hang on...she’s right here," he said before he handed me the phone. "Meg..."

"Thanks." I took the phone from his hand. "Hey Meg. *pause* Yeah. We were just gonna head up there. *pause* She’s flying in?!? Yay! *pause* Mmm hmm. What time’s her flight? *pause* Okies. You’re coming with right? *pause* Good! I’ll send Nick up then. See ya in a few," I said before I hung up the phone.

I was all smiles as Nick looked at me, wondering what was going on.

"Sorry Nilo, but you’ve got to go now. Meg and I are leaving for a little ‘girl’s outing’. No boys allowed," I told him.

He pouted a little. "But I’m not a boy...so can I come too?"

"No boys...or men...Sorry!" I replied with a sympathetic smile. "Maybe next time."

"Hmph..." he pouted some more.

"We’ll only be gone for about an hour...when we get back, we’ll just have to make sure that the basketball court’s in good working order," I said with a smile.

"Ok...but only if you promise to play when ya get back."

"I promise...cross my heart, hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye," I said as I made an ‘x’ over my heart. "Now GO!!!!"

I shooed him out the door when I saw Meg walking into the garage towards my truck.

"Bye," he said as he slid out of the seat.

I rolled my eyes.

"Bye," I told him before he shut the door.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~ About 20 Minutes Later ~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"I’m happy that Arti will be here with us," Meg said happily as we drove down the road towards the airport.

"You’re telling me..." I said as I rolled my eyes at her comment. "You and her will be the ones keeping me from doing something totally stupid and irrational."

She laughed a little at my expense.

"I know it sounds funny, but I’m serious. I don’t think you have any idea how hurt... No...disappointed... No...depressed? No...well...hurt...I’m extremely hurt. How could he do that to me? Things were going so well."

I stared ahead as we pulled up to the tollbooths for the incoming airport traffic. I rolled down my window and pulled a ticket out of the machine.

"Things will work out like they are supposed to. These next couple of days are going to be one big party!!!!" she exclaimed as we pulled into the short term parking.

Arti was already waiting at the curb with her bags sitting on the sidewalk beside her.

"There she is!" Meg yelled in delight.

I pulled the truck up the curb in front of where she was standing. Meg hopped out before I even had a chance to stop completely.

"Hope ya don’t mind...you’ll have to ride back here ‘til we get to my place," I said as I picked up a few of her bags and carried them to the back of my truck.

I lifted the back window to reveal the carpeted inside underneath the cover. It had benches built into the sides and the floor was covered with padded panels so it was rather comfortable to ride in.

"It’s only like a 25 minute drive," I said after she climbed in.

Meg and I put the rest of her bags in the back with her before I closed the lid and went to the cab. The ride home was a fun one. Meg opened the window between the two sections of the truck so we could talk to each other on the way.

"I love it here in the states!" Arti exclaimed happily. "I’m gonna move here one of these days!"

"Hopefully sooner rather than later?!" I hinted.

"Hopefully!" she answered with a smile.

When we got to my place, we each carried a bag or two and headed up to the third floor. I put a finger up to my lips to silence the girls as we walked down the hall to my door. They were quiet as I slowly turned the handle and peered in. Music was blaring from the speakers and all five guys were spread throughout the living room area doing Tae Bo along with the tape that was playing in the VCR. I pushed the door open a little bit further so Meg and Arti could see.

"AAaahHHhaaAAaahhhh HAhaHAhaHAha!!!!" I laughed when I couldn’t contain it anymore.

I fell to the floor and laughed until my head and stomach hurt. Arti and Meg were obviously amused as well because Arti was doubled over in laughter trying to catch her breath and Meg almost choked on the gum that she was chewing a few seconds before. I closed my eyes as I lay on my back on the hard wood floor inside the door, laughing like a crazy woman.

"What’s so funny?"

I opened my eyes to see Nick standing over me with a fake hurt expression on his face.

"You...you guys...you guys were doing...doing Tae Bo..." I said in-between laughs and breaths.

"So..." he said.

"It’s funny!!!!!" I replied as I sat up. "Where’d you find that tape anyway? I’ve been searching for it for months!"

I stood up and picked up a few of Arti’s bags before I walked over and set them by the couch.

"Well...Nick was snoo..." Kev started to say when Nick shot him a death glare.

"Snooping. You were snooping weren’t ya?" I asked, seeing the ashamed look on Nick’s face.

"I was looking for the basketball..." he lied with a questioning smile.

"Nice try genius...It’s over there," I said as I pointed to the ball that was sitting in a chair on the balcony.

I walked a few steps.

"Howie..." I said with a smile as I walked past him. "Kev..." I did the same as I passed him too.

I gave Bri a smile as I headed towards my room.

"Grab the ball Nick. I’ll be back in a sec and then we can go play," I told him with a smile.

I went into my room, closed the door, and changed into a light purple sleeveless shirt. I took my hair out of its messy ponytail and brushed it back up into a high ponytail. I changed my Doc’s into some black high-top sneakers. When I couldn’t find my chap-stic, I finally resorted to putting some shiny lip-gloss on my lips.

"Let’s get ready to ruuuuuummmmmblllllle," I said after I walked out my bedroom door again.

Howie, Meg, and Arti were sitting on the couch watching something on TV. AJ was sitting at my computer desk doing who knows what. Bri was goofing off with Nick, who was twirling the basketball around on his finger. I snatched the ball from Nick’s finger and headed to the door.

"Food’s in the kitchen if y’all get hungry. Otherwise, order out. We’ll be back sometime before tomorrow morning," I teased before Nick and I walked out the door.

We were almost to the elevator when my apartment door opened. Bri and AJ walked out and noticed that we hadn’t gotten far.

"Mind if we join ya?" Bri asked.

"No..." Nick called out before I could say anything.

He gave me a stern look after we walked in the elevator. The court was behind the building, set in the small field of grass. The three surrounding buildings all shared the court and the playground that was about 100 feet away from the cement basketball court. I was relieved to find that it was unoccupied when we stepped out the back entrance to the lobby of the building.

Nick and Bri were arguing about who should be on whose team so I walked out and began shooting some hoops. They walked to the edge of the court after a few minutes and watched me shoot a few times.

"What?!?" I hollered.

"Nuthin’," Nick and Bri replied in unison as all three of them walked out to where I was standing on the court waiting for them.