Chapter Fifteen: Swing Life Away

“So where are we going?” Bobbie asked as she came down with her sisters.

Angel shrugged in response and turned to look at Nick. “Probably Buzz since it’s open until 4.” He replied. “That and it was their favorite hangout in high school.” He added referring to Kellie, Lori, and Alyssa.

Bobbie smiled at her brother, “Hey I forgot to say thanks for letting me stay at your house while you’re on tour.”

He smiled back at her, “Hey we’re family, as dysfunctional our family is, us sane ones gotta stick together.”

“I know. I’m glad Leslie decided to come stay here too.”

He laughed, “I’m surprised that mom even let her get on a plane. Especially knowing that Aaron would be here.”

“Yeah but he left today to go do promotion in Europe.” Angel interjected.

Alyssa walked down the stairs seeing Nick sitting in between the two girls on the couch. “Hey you three.”

Nick looked up and smiled at her letting his eyes roam over her outfit which consisted of a short jean skirt, red spaghetti strap tank with lace trim, and red flip-flops. “Going casual I see.” He stated laughing a little under his breath.

Alyssa smiled a bit, “Official style of Arizona, jeans and flip-flops. Besides I don’t feel like wearing heels that are going to just pinch my feet all night.”

He stood up going over to her where she was standing, resisting the temptation to pull her to him and kiss her. He looked over at Bobbie and Angel who were giggling at the looks that he and Alyssa had been giving each other, “What?”

Angel got up going to the kitchen to contain her laughter as Bobbie was doing the same but as she passed by them she patted her brother on the shoulder, “Just kiss your girlfriend already will ya? The love struck looks are disgusting really.” She stated eliciting a shocked expression from Nick as he glanced over at Alyssa who was cracking up.

“Do they?....Did you?” He asked a little bit confused.

Alyssa laughed at him, “I didn’t say a word, B caught us and she told Angel.”

“Damn, we need to work on being sneakier don’t we?”

Later that night...

“Where’d Triple Trouble go?” Mary asked as they all sat in a giant booth at Buzz a local Arizona night club.

Nick smiled a little and pointed in the direction he’d been staring off at for the last ten minutes, “Over there.”

Mary spotted the three girls pretty easily laughing at how he had been staring at them. “I still can’t believe you two decided to come along.” Kristin remarked laughing.

Jamie chuckled a bit, “Well like I told my daughters if I’m going to go I’m going out with a bang, damnit! Besides you only live once right?” He replied he felt dizzy, sick even but that wasn’t going to stop him. True he was on incredibly strong pain killers but he still was sick, the cancer still ravaging through him. He needed to get out, true he never did much mostly due in part that his strength had been seriously waning the past few days. But he enjoyed the company of his family and friends, hell it even made him feel a little better knowing that they all cared.

As if on cue Alyssa came back over a little out of breath grabbing her drink downing it pausing only to catch her breath for a second before grabbing Nick, “Come on, dance with me.” He relented laughing a little getting up and going with her holding her hand. As they were about to leave Alyssa heard someone calling her name. She turned to see who it was and gasped as all the color fell from her face.

“Alyssa I’d thought I’d never see you here again!” The boy shouted excitedly pulling her into a hug.

Nick turned seeing who it was dropping his glass not caring that it shattered on the floor making everyone look up seeing a familiar face. “Jake, oh my God I barely recognized you, you look so much...like.”

“Like Collin I know mom says that all the time. But anyways how are you?” Jake asked.

“I’m doing alright, you remember Nick right?” Alyssa asked.

Jake smiled immediately, “Of course man, how’ve you been.”

“Alright and yourself?”

Jake sighed, “Going to ASU now pre-law, mom and dad are divorced. Things could be worse though. Anyways it was nice seeing you two.” He said before walking off.

Alyssa turned to Nick and led him over to the dance floor not even batting an eye. “That must have brought back some memories.” Kellie stated watching them as Alyssa moved them through the crowd and out of their sight.

“Who was that?” Leighanne asked.

Lori still a bit stunned turned to her, “That’s Collin’s younger brother Jake....God he looks just like him.”

“Collin?” Kevin asked.

Kellie sighed, “Ali’s high school sweetheart, he was killed by a drunk driver on his way to see her. She’s never really gotten over it. That was why she began to cut in the first place.”

Meanwhile finding a spot towards the middle of the dance floor Alyssa pulled him in close and kissing him. As they broke away he replied, “What’s with you tonight?”

“Is it a crime to want to dance with my boyfriend?” She shot back.

He thought a moment, “Well no, it isn’t.” She’d been acting a little weird as if going from one extreme to the other. First she was disinterested just a girl out with her friends, now clingy holding him close and out of everyone’s watchful gaze. He knew it had to do with seeing Jake. He’d grown up a lot since he’d since him last... which had been Collin’s funeral four years before. And now he could almost pass as a clone for him. Same dark hair and eyes, same voice...it was like seeing a ghost.

“Then what?”

He mulled over his options quickly and decided to drop it. “Nothing.”

After about four songs they decided to come back to the booth laughing because Alyssa nearly tripped over her own feet, a little drunk, from her previous beverages. They noticed everyone getting up as if to leave, “Where ya’ll going.” She stated giggling a bit, something alcohol always brought out of her.

“We’re all pretty tired honey, we’re gonna go home, but you two stay alright?” Jameson said smiling at his youngest daughter. He knew Nick would make sure she got home ok.

“Ok dad see ya in the morning.” Alyssa replied sitting down as the rest of them left.

“I’ll make sure she gets home ok.” Nick stated giving Jameson a quick hug.

Jamie patted him on the back, “Thanks for looking out for her.” He stated as he left following everyone out.

A few hours later...

Alyssa stumbled a little as she walked into the house giggling quite loudly. “Shhhh. You’re going to wake the dead.” Nick replied as he turned on a light.

Alyssa turned around smiling as she flopped down on the couch, “Sit with me?”

He looked at her strangely, “You’re drunk, come on let’s go to bed.” She jumped up and flung her arms around his neck and leaned up to kiss him. “Lissa stop.” He chided pulling her off of him. Getting a dejected look on her face she backed away and walked out to the patio and folded her arms over her chest. He followed her outside wondering what was wrong now. “Lissa what has gotten into to you?”

“Nothing.” She stated flatly. She thought a moment and then began to strip down to her underwear.

He looked at her as if she’d gone mad, “What the hell are you doing?” He asked as she got down to her strapless bra and matching boy short underwear and jumped into the pool.

She surfaced giggling a little, “Come on jump in the water’s great.”

“You are out of your mind…” He stated shaking his head.

She laughed a little, “Quite possibly, but I’m drunk and if you don’t get in I might drown!” She exclaimed going under the water.

“That’s not funny.” He shot back he waited a couple seconds, “Liss seriously that’s not funny…” When he didn’t get a response he began to strip down to his boxers and jumped in. Alyssa surfaced just as he did laughing at him. “That wasn’t very funny Alyssa.”

“It’s a little funny.” She said wrapping her arms around his neck.

He rolled his eyes, “Why can’t I stay mad at you?”

“Because you love me.” She replied smiling.

He looked at her a moment then down at the water, “Wish I could say the same thing about you.”

She rolled her eyes and pulled away from him, “Please don’t tell me that we’re back to that.”

He looked back up at her, “Well maybe if you let me know what your feelings are maybe I wouldn’t be so uncertain of where we’re at. It’s not fair. You get to know how I feel, and I don’t get that luxury?”

“What do you want me to do? Even if I knew I couldn’t tell you.”

“Bullshit, you do know, I see it in your eyes. Feel it when we’re together. Why can’t you just open up to me?”

She sighed trying to cool off her defensive side, “The last time that I opened up, and loved someone I lost them.”

“Yeah he died, four years ago…God why can’t you just get over it.”

Alyssa stared at him in shock, “How dare you say that… I loved him and…”

“And what? I’ve been here longer than he or anyone ever was, waiting for you to see what we have. I’ve loved you for so long, all I want is to know if you feel the same.” He explained.

Alyssa treaded water a minute, thinking about what he said, before looking at him. “I do feel the same way.” She said lowly just above a whisper.

He pulled her to him unsure of what he heard, “Say that again.”

She looked straight into his eyes seeing how serious he was. “I feel the same way that you do… I’ve felt that way God for so long now.” She paused sinking a little lower in the water and looked up before continuing, “But I can’t…I can’t lose you I wouldn’t survive it.”

He pushed a few strands of her wet hair behind her ears and cupped her face making her look at him, “I will never leave you. I won’t let anyone take you away from me I promise you that. You’re the one Liss, you always have been no one is going to take that away from us.” She stared at him as he pulled her into a kiss.

The next morning...

Alyssa rolled over noticing that Nick had gotten up before her she looked groggily over at her clock: 11:45. ‘Damn I slept a long time.’ She thought. She slowly got up throwing on some clothes and going downstairs immediately cringing at the loud high pitched laughter coming from the patio. Alyssa pulled her messy bed hair up into a loose bun with a hair tie she spied on the coffee table and made her way out to the deck.

“Well, well, well look who finally decided to get out of bed!” Mary exclaimed making everyone laugh and Alyssa cringe.

She pulled up a deck chair and flopped down on it shooting her mom a scowl. “Geez Ali wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” Lori joked.

Alyssa laughed even though it hurt, “No, got a bitch of a hangover.”

AJ laughed a little as he walked in and handed her a cup with a mysterious red concotion in it, “Drink it, trust me it helps.”

She looked at him wary of what was in the drink. But she took a large gulp figuring with his experience that he was probably right. As soon as she swallowed she got a disgusted look on her face, “What the fuck is in that?” She asked rather bluntly.

Nick laughed, “Trust me you don’t want to know. But it works.”

Alyssa glared at him, “You’re laughing at me?”

“Just remembering all those times when ‘someone’ had told me that getting drunk is stupid and only causes pain to yourself and possibly others.” Nick retorted.

Alyssa rolled her eyes, “Oh shut up.”

He laughed harder at her making her smack his arm. Kellie all of a sudden walked outside and flopped down into a chair with an obviously pissed off expression. “Honey what’s wrong?” Olivia asked concerned.

Kellie regained her composure and took off her engagement ring placing it on the table, “The wedding’s off.” She replied flatly.

At the mention of that statement Alyssa fully woke up and was immediately concerned, “Wait I thought everything was fine?”

“It hasn’t been for a long time. Especially now that he knows.” Kellie stated.

“Knows what?” Brian asked.

“Ali knows what I mean. But yeah he’s all pissed off because a certain someone sabotaged his relationship with you.” Kellie added staring at Nick when she said someone.

Alyssa got the idea and looked at Nick, “Is that true?” She asked looking obviously miffed.

“Uh...I wouldn’t say sabotaged so much as...”

“Home wrecker?” Lori added.

“Thanks Lori.” Nick replied sarcastically. Alyssa got a pissed off expression on her face and got up going into the house and up into her bedroom slamming the door. “Shit I’m in trouble...”Nick said getting up going after her.

When Nick had left the room, Brian asked, “So what does Michael know that pissed him off so much?”

Kellie was about to out Nick and Alyssa but Lori kicked her under the table, “OWW! Lori God!” She exclaimed but quickly shut up when Lori glared at her, “He found out that Nick had sabotaged the relationship and went crazy. I swear he’s still not over her.”

Brian looked at both girls suspiciously for a second before Kevin piped in, “So what are those two hiding?”

Kellie and Lori exchanged nervous glances, and replied in unison, “Nothing...” Each of them getting equally suspicious expressions from the guys. Lori continued, “Nothing that we can tell whatever it is it’s pretty secretive that we barely know what it is.”

“I heard it was something about Jamie’s birthday.” Leighanne chimed in trying to save the girls. Kristin shot her a weird look.

Meanwhile...

“Ali come on that was two years ago!” Nick exclaimed.

She glared at him, “That doesn’t matter, I came to you for advice, was all of that with your own agenda to get me? How can I trust you? You gave me advice that ruined a good relationship I had. How many other guys did you do this to? Did you do this to Collin?”

Nick sat down looking up at her, “God no! I liked Collin he treated you the way I do, with respect, you were so happy with him. I never lied to you I swear. All that advice true some of it was geared toward eventually splitting you two up, but it was honest. Every time you came to me you were unhappy, and I knew you’d be happy with me.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes, “Why did you do it?”

“You want the truth?” Nick asked and she nodded yes, “Because I was jealous as all hell, that’s why. Granted that doesn’t excuse what I did but I did it because I couldn’t stand to see you with him, or with anyone else for that matter. I’ve been that way ever since Collin died and you started to hurt yourself.”

Alyssa walked over to him standing in front of him as he pulled her to sit across his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder, “I...” She began making him look at her. “I...” She stammered trying to say what she wanted to say “I... can’t believe you did that.”

“You still pissed at me?”

“No but that doesn’t mean you are forgiven. We’ll just act like I’m not talking to you when we go out there.”

Nick rolled his eyes, “Ok when can we tell them? It’s getting really hard to keep it a secret anymore.”

Alyssa sighed, “I don’t care anymore, they can know but I don’t want to formally tell them, just let them figure it out.”

He laughed a little, “Not like it isn’t obvious.”