“Measure Of A Man”
Written by Sara (goneplatinum@live.com)
Copyright ” 2008
-------
“Dude, you are so never gonna get married.”
“What? W-why would you say that?” he asked defensively, his eyebrows knitted in confusion.
“Cause you are one of the most relationship-phobic people I’ve met in my life.” AJ chuckled as he sat back against the plush couch.
“And if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.” Brian laughed. He handed over a cold Coke to Nick and sat down next to AJ. “Just how many girlfriends have you gone through in the past… I don’t know, five years?”
“Rok, shut your hole, man,” AJ snapped, readjusting the knit cap that kept sliding back on his semi-bald head. He had a hard time taking the criticism, but could dish it out with no problem. Sarcasm was often his quickest form of retaliation.
“You are so four.” Brian shook his head, taking a sip of soda.
“I’m really failing to see your point here, but since I love you, I’ll let it slide. But just this once.” AJ grinned, flipping the edge of his glasses at his band mate. Brian rolled his eyes. He had to laugh.
“So, back to this whole not getting married thing… how do you know that she’s not ‘the one’?” Nick asked, gesturing towards the kitchen where his girlfriend of three years was busy avoiding the collective madness.
“Oh come on, dude. I’m just messing with you. It’s too easy,” AJ said, slapping Nick squarely on the back, “You and Jilly are the perfect couple, which frankly the thought makes me oh-so queasy.” He proceeded to puff out his cheeks, but the gesture soon turned into a snort when Nick threw him a dirty look.
The front door suddenly opened and a brown head appeared. “Hey, what’d I miss?” Howie asked.
“Believe me, you do not want to know.”
--------
He let out a low groan, collapsing in to the driver’s seat of his white Cadillac Escalade. Nick had spent the last few hours under the mercy of their new tour director, who had acted more like a drill sergeant, and now every muscle in his body screamed bloody murder.
Taking a right out of the parking lot, Nick let the sweet scent of the late summer sky fill his nostrils. It was the one consolation of working inside all day. With a sigh, he fumbled with the knob on the radio, and soon the sound of Steve Perry and Journey poured out of the sound system.
Suddenly his cell phone lit up. Nick turned the volume down for a moment, his eyes glancing down to the display. A smile played at the corners of his lips as he brought the phone up to his ear.
“Hey baby, what’cha up to?”
“Just leaving work. How did rehearsal go?” Jill asked.
“Man, it was brutal. Thank god it’s almost over though. Say, do you wanna grab a pizza on the way home? I could really go for a deep dish with extra cheese.”
She laughed. “Sure, I can do that. Got to be better than eating dry cereal for dinner again. Although if someone would go grocery shopping once in a while…”
“Hey, I do my share around the house, thank you very much,” Nick said, signaling to move into the fast lane.
There was silence, and for a moment Nick thought the call had dropped, when he heard her sigh. “Do you really want to go there, Nick?”
“What? I clean up after myself,” he said in defense. Sometimes, he thought with a shrug.
“I’m not your mother—“
“Thank god for small miracles,” he interjected with a laugh.
Jill scoffed loudly. “Are you in a bad mood or something?”
“No. Well, not really. I’m just… never mind.”
“No, come on. Tell me what’s going on. You’ve been so distant lately. It’s like you’re on a different planet.”
Jill sighed again. “I really don’t want to get in to this now.”
“Get into what? Baby, you need to tell me what the hell- -“
She abruptly cut him off, “Nick, no. Not now!”
Nick felt his pulse quicken. His hand tightened around the phone. “Well, when then?” he snarled, obviously annoyed.
“I’ll see you when I get home,” she said simply, and he heard a click as the dial tone droned on in his ear.
“Bitch.” He threw the silver phone down on to the passenger seat, the pure exhaustion he felt before now had been replaced with sheer anger. Stomping his foot down on the gas, the car enveloped deep in to rush hour traffic.
Story Notes:
Please read and review. Thanks! :)
(Warning: Contains Strong Language. Please be advised.) Edit: I was nominated in the Felix awards for Best Romance! Runner-up! :D
(Warning: Contains Strong Language. Please be advised.) Edit: I was nominated in the Felix awards for Best Romance! Runner-up! :D
