Chapter 8

“Nick.” CJ said. He didn’t move so she tried again. “Nicky?” She shook him.

          “Waaaa?” He asked, grumpy to get up.

          “I can go home today and I want out now!” She said.

          “CJ!!” Melanie, Julie and Jenn called out.

          “MEL! JUL! JENN!” CJ screamed. “OMG! I missed you guys.” She said as she got gentle hugs.

          “Hm. Can't wait to get out, huh?” Jenn commented after looking at CJ. She already had her jeans and a sweatshirt on.

          “OMG! I feel like I have been here for months!”

          “It's so good to see you. They only allowed 3 people in at once. And then last night we got here too late.” Melanie said.

          “It’s alright guys. You are here now, right?” CJ said. The three girls nodded.

          “We were so worried. Nick wasn’t home, Jess and Brian weren’t home. NO ONE TOLD US HOW YOU WERE!” Julie screamed.

          “Sorry if I was worried about her and kept her company for hours last night and whenever.” Nick grunted. “Where are the guys?” He asked.

          “Outside.” Julie simply stated.

          “Great. CJ, let’s go sign you out so we can get you settled in my house.”

          “Your house? Nick’s house?” Melanie said.

          “Yea. He wants to take care of me.” CJ said.

          “I can take care of my girlfriend.” Nick said.

          All the girls got puzzled faces on, “GIRLFRIEND?” They said loudly.

          “Yup.” CJ said and smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:DING DONG:

          “UGH!!!” Brian screamed, throwing the covers back.

          “OWWWW!”

          “Sorry sweetie, I gotta get the door.” Brian said.

          “GO!! TELL THEM TO STOP RING THE DOORBELL! SOME PEOPLE NEED THEIR SLE...” Brian’s lips on hers interrupted Jess and the bed rose as he got up. “Good morning.” She muttered, a smile playing on her face. She heard her fiancé’s feet walk down the steps and she smiled to herself. Her eyes were closed as Brian said hello to Nick and the others. She sighed and got up to get dressed. When she was done, she looked at her finger, the ring. It was perfect, just like their relationship. She left the room and went down the stairs. She entered the kitchen, finding everyone dressed except her fiancé, who was in his boxers. “Morning everyone.” She politely said.

          Everyone responded by saying good morning. ”CJ!!!!!” Jess screamed when she noticed her standing with Nick, his arms around her. She ran to her best friend and hugged her. “I missed you.” She said. When they stopped embracing, Jess hugged everyone and walked back toward Brian.

“Jess and I have something to tell y’all.” Brian said, all in smiles. He took her in his arms and pulled her in front of him, mostly to stop his friends from staring at his boxers and partly to show his affections. Then he lifted her right hand up from its place around his hands. “We are engaged.” He said. By then, Jess and Brian were both smiling like little children. Everyone’s attention was on the ring, the diamond ring. Then they all reacted.

“OMG!!!!!!!” CJ screamed, running to the happy couple. She had a little trouble though; Nick wouldn’t let go of her. “Nick, let go. Down boy.” His arms were removed from her hips. CJ pounced on the couple, screaming. All the guys congratulated them, pats on the back from the guys to Brian and hugs from the girls. Hugs from both the guys and girls for Jess.

Chapter 9

“Bri?” Jess wandered around the house, calling his name. “Sweetie?” She walked into his practice room after hearing a few strands of the guitar being played. She leaned against the door hinge and listened as Brian tried to write a song. He began to play the chords of a song she remembered. It was one he had sang to her, totally making it up when she was sick in bed for a week. She quietly laughed as he played back a tape of that day, listening to himself sing lyrics. He was working on each line, one by one and changing the guitar chords. He kept working, as she quietly snuck up to him. He shut his eyes as she came into view in the mirror. She quickened her pace, clamping her hands over his eyes. He jumped in shock.

“Hello?” Brian asked, a smile growing on his face.

“Hey there, lover boy.” She said with a sexy accent, a grin playing on her face.

“I love you Jess.” He said.

“Why do you confuse me with your fiancé? I am not her!” She played along. She kept her hand over his eyes and walked around to the front of him. Jess picked up the guitar with one hand and placed it in the holder. He quickly handed her the pik and sighed. She sat on his lap, both legs on one side. She heard him grunt as she did. “You are looking fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine tonight, boy.” Jess said, flirtatiously running her hand up and down his shirt, so he could feel it on his chest.

That broke his game, “Baby…” Brian muttered.

“Shhhh.” She said as she put her lips on his neck. Brian’s hands roamed her body and she broke away. She sat back down, legs on both sides so her chest was to his chest. Her hand slipped away from his eyes and he began to kiss her wildly. His hands tugged at the bottom of her shirt, then found their way up it and began to caress her sides. Jess’s hands were in his hair, down his neck and touching his face. His hands took her jacket off, she still had a shirt on and Jess took Brian’s shirt off, kissing every part of his chest. She went back to kissing the side of his neck.

“Ehem.” A voice broke through the room. Jess’s head shot up in fright. Brian’s hands froze and his eyes enlarged as he looked into the mirror to see his best friends standing behind them.

Jess muttered, “O my god.” Her face turned bright red and started to get up but Brian’s hands were still on her body.

“EEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR!” Brian finally muttered, sighing deeply. “What are you guys doing here? I thought we were meeting later and you LEFT my house.” Brian let go of Jess and she ran and jumped on the couch, covering herself with the blanket. He stopped the tape player and stood up, facing his best friends. They were trying their hardest not to laugh. “Get out of my house please.” He calmly said. “I’ll see you tonight.” The guys didn’t move. “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!” He screamed and they all darted out of the room. He heard four pairs of feet hitting the floor at different times and then Nick scream out in pain as he hit the wall at a turn he always slams into. The door slammed and the house was quiet. Brian walked over to Jess who was laying motionless on the couch, still covered with the blanket, absorbed into the huge pillows. He touched the blanket and pulled it away.

“No, let me drown in my embarrassment.” She quietly said. 

“I’m sorry sweetie.” He said, gently touching her face. “Jesus Christ, do they have good timing or what. And they ruin the moment.. I’m so going to get them.”

“Don’t. It was my fault.”

“What? No it wasn’t, Jess. It wasn’t any of ours. THEY came. We live here. I’m still going to kill them for watching us AND ruining the moment.” Brian said.

Jess lifted her head, like she was going to say something and squeaked out an, “EEEEK!” and plunged her head into the pillow (think The Breakfast Club.)

“Jess..” Brian said. “Please turn around at least.” She did and she also wiggled backwards so he could fit on the couch too and not fall off (it was a huge couch.) He lied down, propping his head on his left shoulder and putting his right arm across her belly. She lied there, staring up at the wall. “Remember when we walked in on AJ and his now ex stripping each other?”

She thought for a minute and then giggled, a grin on her face and the image playing in her head.

“You liked that, huh?” Brian teased. She turned around, propping herself on her right arm, like Brian. She stared into his amazing blue eyes and nodded shyly. He chuckled. He ran his right hand along her left arm. She moved her arm and he stopped. Her arm didn’t, she placed her pointer finger on his lips and traced them. Their eyes didn’t move from each other, staring into them like nothing else existed. No wonder they didn’t see the guys come in before. They defiantly were the one for each other. Like in slow motion, they both leaned in for a passionate kiss. It got more and more passionate as the kiss continued. She looked up and froze. Brian didn’t know what happened, she quickly hid her face into a pillow again.

Muffled in the pillows, all he heard was her say, “Destiny is laughing at us right now. Twice in one day.” He was confused, he quickly rolled off the couch, only to notice her best friends standing there, admiring his cute butt.

He lay down on the floor and screamed, “NOT AGAIN!” He sighed and threw his hands down, hitting the floor.  He heard Jess giggle, although it was muffled. “You.” He said. He got up. “You think is funny, don’t you?” He asked. Jess nodded her head, not looking up. Then, he attacked. All in good humor, he tickled her.

Chapter 10 (coming soon)

Love Is Strong