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He hated the repetitiveness this week was becoming for him as A.J. rose and realized that hey would be doing the same thing today he did yesterday. Pulling on his clothes he made his way downstairs and sat outside waiting for breakfast or to be asked to help with breakfast. He looked across the way at the bus sitting outside the mechanic shop. Curious as to what work actually had been done, he made his way over.

Whispered voices caught his attention and he slowed, making sure the bus blocked him from whoever was talking.

“There wasn’t enough wrong with the bus John.” A male voice spoke. “So I took the liberty to destroy a few more engine parts.”

“Good,” He heard John reply before footsteps behind him startled him.

“You don’t want to get caught here after hearing that.” Allison whispered. She quietly pulled A.J. away from the repair shop, away from the hotel, back towards the way the boys had entered the town.

“What was the meaning of that?” A.J. shouted his question, though he did not intend to shout at Allison.

Allison sighed. “They’ve been doing that for years, as long as the town has been in existence they’ve been stranding traveler’s here.”

“But why?” He brought his voice back down to a normal level, afraid that John and the mechanic or someone else might hear him if he continued to shout in anger.

“For population…. You see…”

“A.J. it’s time to eat and Shelby said if you don’t get here soon you’ll be stuck with dish duty again.” Nick yelled out the door of the hotel.

Allison scurried off before A.J. could turn around and ask her more about what she started to confide in him. The way the people of this town had been acting was really getting tired, he hated to admit it, but Allison’s behavior was one of the strangest. She seemed into him, then ignored him. She wanted to confide in him, then would run off when anyone else approached. He needed some time alone with her away from everyone to find out what exactly was going on with her and with this town, and John, stranding them on purpose? Hadn’t he said something about that the other night? Was Allison around when he said it? Was she playing off his fears to get something from him? He shook his head the thoughts running through his mind were confusing him greatly and it was only eight in the morning.

When he sat to breakfast there were a few more faces at the table. A.J. recognized a girl that had been hanging on Nick the last few days and the girl that was constantly talking to him in the evenings. He smiled slightly and sat down. The girls started talking amongst themselves almost immediately trying to include both him and Nick in the conversation. He noticed he was not the only one trying to keep food in his mouth constantly so he would not have to talk.

Shelby spoke towards the end of the meal. “A.J., why don’t you and Lisa head outside and go for a stroll.” Her eyes twinkled as she spoke, and realization struck him. Lisa was Shelby’s daughter and there were some hidden intentions behind her voice. Perhaps Shelby thought that since someone who was rich and famous came into the town, now would be a good time to try and get her daughter hooked up with one of them. A.J. shook his head to himself, but out of politeness went outside with Lisa and started to walk towards the lake he first saw with Allison.

“So…A.J., has our town started to grow on you?”

He could not give his true impression, that the town was boring and that he never wanted to come back once he got away, he wanted to be nice so he simply stated. “I’m having more fun then I thought I would.” It wasn’t a total lie, he did have fun at the dinners and his time with Allison he found quite pleasurable.

“I’m glad.” He caught Lisa’s face which had now turned a crimson pink.

They were quiet until they reached the lake where they managed to find a tree giving off some shade and they sat down underneath. A.J. leaned against the tree and considered pulling out one of his last few cigarettes but decided against having one now, he felt he would need a stress relief later.

Lisa was practically sitting on top of A.J. under the tree, he face looking down at her hands. Now she’s shy? A.J. wondered to himself, she was so talkative at breakfast and when he had been helping her yesterday. He soon found out the reason as Lisa turned and threw herself on top of him pressing her lips against his. He grabbed her arms and tried to move her away, but she was a bit stronger then he first anticipated and he had to use more force to get her off of him.

“What are you doing?” A.J. asked the young girl.

“I like you, I thought you…” tears were starting to form in her eyes. A.J. looked at the girl then out towards the water.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, it’s just well. I’ll be leaving here and you live here. It’s best not to get involved.” He couldn’t believe the words were coming out is mouth. Usually that’s what he liked best about being on the road, he would get a girl, have a girl and then never have to see her again.

With tears streaming down her face, Lisa stood up and turned on him with anger. “You think you’re leaving?” she laughed and turned back towards town leaving A.J. to conclude that he was correct, he and the guys were stranded in this town, purposely.