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Chapter Twenty-Eight:
AJ is at home waiting for the dog to come as usual. She doesn't feel like going to John's house so she texted him what he will wear. She will bring it to school. This time Jack is picking her up. Jack stayed until dinner time last night to keep AJ company. She told him everything that happen with Randy and Dolph. Jack advises her to talk to Randy and explain how she is feeling.
The dog barks as AJ finishes his food and water. "Nikey, there you are." She opens the door. Nikey barks again as he wags his tail in happiness. His owners know that he comes to her house every morning for breakfast. She told them so they won't worry in the morning when they wake up, especially their four-year old daughter. "I've got your breakfast. How about you roll over first?" She takes a treat and he rolls over. "Good boy." She feeds him the treat. Nikey whimpers at the dog food and water in her hands. "What, this is my food?" She jokes. He walks to her as he paws her leg. "Okay, here you go." She lays it down. Nikey licks her face before he starts. to eat. "Now, what am I going to eat?"
As she finds food, the doorbell rings. "Jack and Stacey are early." She goes to the door to see Randy there. She immediately closes the door in this face not ready for the talk.
"AJ, can we talk?" Randy calls out through the door.
She takes a breath as she opens the door. She knows that it was rude of her to shut the door in his face. "Sorry."
"Don't worry, I deserve that." He enters closing the door.
"Randy, what are you doing here? Jack is going to pick me for school." She goes into the kitchen to find some breakfast.
"I know he is. Umm… if you haven't eaten I brought some breakfast. There is toast, some scramble eggs, sausage, and lots of bacon. There is also a treat for the dog." Randy hands her the bag.
"Tell your mom thanks." She takes the food out.
"Actually, I cooked that for you. I know it doesn't excuse my words, but I hope it is a start. I know it will take a while and I am willing to do whatever it takes for you to forgive me." He smiles. "I will see you guys at school." He starts to leave.
"Wait." AJ calls out. Randy smiles and turns around. "Can you give John his outfit?" This turns his smile into a frown.
"Of course."
"Thanks, stay here I will get it." AJ climbs the stairs to head to her room.
Randy walks to the dog who is finish with his food. "Hey, do you want some dessert?" He barks in approval. "Okay, can you shake a paw?" He offers his hand. Nikey puts his paw on his hand for Randy to shake. "Okay, just one more. How about you jump? Can you do that?" He atsks. Nikey barks at his question. "Okay." He puts it near his nose and raises it higher until he stands up tall and out of reach. Nikey jumps up with encouragement from Randy. "Come on you can do it. You are almost there." On this third attempt, Nikey bites on the treat. "Yah, you did." He hugs him as he feeds him his treat. "You are a talented dog. Well you would be if AJ is your trainer. Do you think she will forgive me soon? Or do I have to beg and use cute puppy dog eyes like yours?" He asks Nikey. Nikey whimpers and uses those puppy dog eyes as a response. "You're right." He puts him down. "I guess I have to be patient." He smiles as the dog runs to AJ sensing her presence.
"Were you having fun with Randy? You gave him advice." She rubs his back.
"How long have you been standing there?" Randy nervously asks.
"Since 'come on you can do it'." She imitates his voice.
"I don't sound like that." He crosses his arms.
"Yes you do." She giggles.
"AJ, I am serious about doing anything to have you forgive me. I know you hate me." He sulks.
"Randy, I can never hate my big brother." Randy perks up. "However, what you said affected me badly. I never thought I would hear those again from you. It will take some time to get back to where we were and we will get through this like always. Jack will be picking me up to go to school for a while." She expresses.
"I understand. I will wait for you to forgive me so we can be back like always."
"We always do." She smiles.
"Thanks." He pokes her side.
"Stop." She tries not to giggle. "Take John's outfit and go." She hands him the outfit.
"Is it something embarrassing again?" He tries to peek at it.
"No peeking, now go." She orders.
"Whatever you say boss lady." He teases. As he opens the door, Jack is there with Stacey.
"Randy, what are you doing here?" Jack hopes they talk about what happen yesterday.
"I came to pick John's outfit since you are dropping her to school. I'll see you three there." He walks towards to his car. He doesn't say hi to Stacey in case she needs more space.
"Hi Randy." She speaks up with a smile.
"Hi Stacey, I will see you at school." He smiles happy that she talked to him.
"Of course." She misses him. It is not even a day of her being mad and she can't do it anymore.
"Hey honey, are you ready to go?" He pecks her.
"I just have to eat." She sits to eat the food Randy cooked for her.
John and Randy arrive at school first. John didn't put on his outfit yet because they have a football meeting before classes start.
"See man she doesn't hate you." John tells him as they enter school. Randy told John on their ride to school on what happen this morning.
"She doesn't hate me, but it will take a long while for her to forgive me."
"Of course it will. This is the second time you said that to her. Remember last time."
Flashback:
It was just a few months since they met John. She had felt left out by Randy because he was spending more time with John than her. She knows that he needs guy time to be who he really is. Plus, they also both enjoy football. AJ accepted it at first, but as the days pass their hang out decreases. Soon she just saw him in the halls and the days he would come over for dinner. One day AJ had enough of being ignored, so he comforted Randy.
"Randy, can we talk?" AJ asks him as he was in a conversation with John.
"Sure AJ, what's up?" He gives her his attention.
"Can we talk privately?" She looks to John with a smile.
"No problem, I will see you at practice Randy." He waves them goodbye.
"AJ, that was rude we were talking before you interrupted." He is annoyed that she made John leave.
"I asked him to leave because we need to talk about you abandoning me." She huffs.
"Abandoning you, I haven't abandoned you. I hardly see you around." He is offended.
"You hardly see me because you are too busy with John. You have ignored me ever since we meet him. I didn't mind it at first, but I hardly see you anymore.
"What are you talking about? We see each other every day. I come to your house on Friday and you come to mine on Monday. There is nothing wrong." He doesn't see the big deal.
"Those are the only times I see you. The rest I'm just invisible. When I try to hang out with you, you always say that you have an activity with him."
"I just want to hang out with him. He is the only good friend I have besides you. I need a guy that I can do guy activities with." He explains.
"I get that, but what about your best friend? You don't have time for her anymore." She asks rudely.
"Of course I do, it is just this is a breath of fresh air something new. I need something exciting." He explains his actions.
"I am not exciting. Our friendship is not exciting." She questions.
"It is too comfortable. I think we need to hang out with other people."
"So this is it our friendship is done?" She holds her tears at bay.
"Of course not, you will always be my best friend. Maybe you need to find a girl that is a friend like John and I are."
"I get it I will let you two hang out. I won't bother you anymore." She sighs walking away.
"AJ, you don't understand." He stops her.
"No I do. You need some space and I am giving it to you." She sniffles.
Randy wipes his hand down his face. "You are not listening. We are in middle school. I need to hang out with more people. I don't need someone to depend on me. AJ, love you like a sister, but you have been suffocating me. I can't anymore. You can be annoying sometimes." He starts to raise his voice.
"Okay, Randy calm down." She knows that if he keeps repeating himself he gets very annoyed and angry.
"No, I don't need you to keep me calm. You are not my mother or my sister you are a friend."
AJ tears up that she can't believe he said that. They both always consider each other siblings with different parents. Maybe she should have left it alone. "Okay, I will go. I won't bother you anymore." She runs away wiping her tears.
Randy hears her cries and feels guilty. He recalls his words as he gulps. He can't believe he said that to her. Just as he is about to go run after her, the bell rings. "Damn." He runs to his class.
End of Flashback.
"I can't believe I said that to her. She was helping me with my anger before we met you. I thought I was doing fine. I even promise her that I wouldn't lash out at her anymore." He sighs.
"I know you told me that when I sense the rift between you two. I gave you some advice on friendship."
"You did. You said there is a difference between just a friend and a best friend. A friend in an argument will hold a grudge for days, weeks, or even years, but a best friend will forgive if you give them time. her ones you don't deserve." Randy restates his advice.
"It is good advice." John compliments himself.
"The advice includes the situation that happen to her before."
"Nope, but it is a good start."
Flashback:
"Hi AJ." Randy is at AJ's house since he couldn't get a chance to talk to her at school.
"What do you want, Randy? Are you here to yell some more about me not being related to you?" She crosses her arms in her comfy clothes and glasses.
"No I am not going to yell at you again. I am here to apologize." He sighs noticing how much he hurt her. Every time she is upset or sad, she wears clothes that she loves and are soft. She wears sweat pants that belong to her father along with her favourite Batman t-shirt and his football sweater. Randy gave it to her in her very first time she was upset.
"You don't have to. I know I can be annoying and as your sister it is my job." She smiles a bit. "However, I know that you don't want to spend all your time with me. You have a friend that you can bond with on football. I tried to that, but it didn't work. I can understand the friendship, although please do not shut me out. I miss my best friend and my big brother. Maybe we can all hang out together. You two can teach me more about football again. I can also be your cheerleader at your practices and games. I wasn't upset about your friendship with John. I was upset about your words and the way you made me feel invisible." She expresses.
"I'm sorry about that. I thought I had it under control, but I don't. I will give you some time to forgive me for what I did and said." He starts to head back to his car.
"What are you talking about? You leaving me alone is the reason why we are in this situation. You are sitting with me and watching some chick flicks." She pulls him into the house.
"No I don't want to." He whines which makes AJ pout. "Fine, but this makes us cool. We are not angry at each other anymore." He lays down his terms.
"It is a start. I need time to know you won't repeat it again. I know we will get through this." She eats her popcorn.
"I know we can. Our friendship can withstand anything." He grabs some popcorn.
"Hey, get your own popcorn." She lays it on the other side of her.
"Mom, AJ is not sharing the popcorn." Randy calls out to Mrs. Lee.
"AJ, sweetie, share with your big brother." Mrs. Lee calls back.
"But mom." AJ whines.
"Come on AJ you are siblings you have to share." She reminds her daughter.
"Fine." She puts the bowl in between them.
Randy smiles as he grabs more popcorn. AJ just crosses her arms and pouts. "I love you best friend." He expresses.
"Well I don't." She replies back with pretend hatred.
"Oh come on, your mom just loves me more." He teases.
"Mom, Randy made a mess on your couch." She calls out.
"What do you-" AJ dumps all the popcorn on his head. "Oh you are going to get it." He throws popcorn at her which leads to a popcorn fight. Mrs. Lee comes out of the kitchen to hear laughter and them both back on track.
End of Flashback
"So what is the difference now?" Randy asks.
"AJ has Jack and Stacey now. Before she didn't have someone else to talk to because I wasn't getting in the way. Jack is her boyfriend and will always comfort her when you can't. Since you are in an argument with Stacey, she can't help you either. So far you to speed up time, you have to make up with Stacey or wait for you to be tight with AJ again." He advises.
"You are right plus I miss Stacey. I miss her company." He sighs on how she has affected him already.
"Then during lunch or after school make out with her." John chuckles.
"I think you mean make up."
"No, I know when you see each other you will not able to resist her." John chuckles.
"Oh yeah like you did with Ms. Silver." Randy chuckles.
"Hey, first, keep your voice down with that and second, I have been a good boy at school." John speaks proudly.
"And a very bad one at home. Just make sure you disinfect everything before your parents come home on Wednesday." He offers.
"Whatever." John rolls his eyes.
They turn the corner to bump into the group.
"Oh hey Randy." Kourtney greets flirtatiously.
"Kourtney, we can't talk we have a football meeting." Randy answers back.
"This will only take a moment. Where is Jonna and Jacky?"
"They are with AJ and Stacey. They are coming soon. We came early for the meeting."
"I see. Tell them I am looking for them, will you?" Kourtney requests.
"We will try not to forgot." John replies back.
"I am sure you will remember." They walk pass them.
"Do you think she knows?" John asks.
"I don't think so." Randy answers. "Come on let's go to the meeting."
AJ, Jack, and Stacey arrive. Jack is dressed in a normal tight jeans and a small t-shirt.
"Maybe I should apologize to Randy." Stacey doesn't want to be mad at him anymore. She misses his company more and more.
"Then go talk to him. Tell him that you miss him at Lunch." AJ advises. "You to will make out in no time." AJ giggles.
"You're right, I really miss his lips." Stacey giggles along with AJ.
"Too much information for your big brother." Jack makes a disgust expression.
"Jacky!" Kourtney calls.
"Kourtney, what do you want?" AJ asks.
"Excuse me, shrimp I was talking to Jacky." She informs her rudely.
"Whatever." AJ rolls her eyes.
"So Jacky, where is Jonna?"
"She is in the bathroom right now." Jacky responses.
"Leaving her behind I see."
"We don't make anyone feel worthless or beneath anyone in our group." AJ argues.
"Oh buzz off AJ. Why don't you go to your loner boyfriend and disappear?" Kourtney orders.
"Hey! My brother is not a loner. He has helped us a lot when we were younger or have you forgotten what he did for us. Maybe your parents would like to know." Stacey requests.
"You promise not to tell them. I guess AJ is a bad influence on you; she made you dishonest." She crosses her arms in disgust.
"Don't you dare call her dishonest." Jonna argues behind the group's back with Randy beside her. She is wearing a knee length skirt with 2 inch heels with blouse that have one slit down each arm.
"Oh good Jonna you are here. I have a proposal for you two." She says happily.
"I don't want to hear it." Jonna rejects the proposal without hearing it.
"Fine, then I'll threaten you. I know Jonna and Jack are just John and Jack in girls' clothes, so if you all don't cooperate I will expose them for who they are." Kourtney warns.
"What are you talking about, Kourtney? I think you drank too much alcohol last night."
"I haven't. Just watch your back." She warns walking away with her group.
"Whatever."
Lunch Time:
John is with Randy while Jack is Stacey. AJ is outside setting up the table for Randy and Stacey to talk.
"Where are we going?" Stacey asks her older brother.
"We are eating outside before it gets too cold." Jack excuses.
"What about the food?" Stacey asks again not convince on this 'eating outside' excuse.
"We have food already there." He excuses again.
"So what are you guys up to?" Randy wonders with John.
"Nothing we just want to eat outside before it gets too cold." John responses.
"Aha sure." Randy replies not buying the excuse at all.
Stacey and Jack arrive first. "Where are Randy and John?"
"Oops, we forgot to tell them. Just stay here and we will be back with them." AJ excuses with Jack following her.
"Okay."
"Where are Jack and AJ?" Randy also wonders only seeing Stacey there.
"They must have gone to get the food. You meet with her and I will help AJ and Jack." John leaves to meet AJ and Jack.
"Hi Stacey." Randy sits down across from her.
"Hi Randy." Stacey greets back.
"Are you cold?" Randy asks.
"Yeah, I didn't know we will eat outside so I didn't bring a heavy jacket." Stacey rubs her arms.
"Here." He takes off his sweater to give it to her.
"No it is okay I'll be fine." She refuses knowing she will smell his cologne.
"Come on Stacey just please accept it." He stands to put it on her. They stand up so Randy can put it on. As Stacey pokes her head out, they look in each other's eyes. "I miss you." Randy utters/
"I miss you too." Stacey kisses him as she wraps her arms around him.
"Our plan worked." AJ smiles as her, Jack, and John watch from the door.
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