Chapter 16: Thanks... REALLY

"And the moron calls Nikki." Trish scoffed as she skimmed through the latest issue of FHM.

"So what?" John chewed on a granola bar.

"I mean, COME ON! He coulda called his parents, a lawyer, a really close friend... YOU maybe?" Trish peeked out the window from her bed to see if Nikki was still outside talking to Randy.

"Well, so what? He wanted to call Nikki." John mumbled while taking another bite from the bar.

"I'm just saying." Trish threw the FHM magazine to the side and picked up the latest issue of KING.

John stopped eating and got up towards the balcony door. John put his ear on the door to try and find out what they're talking about. John was so into trying to find out the scoop, he had a 5 second delay when Trish threw at him his keys.

"Ow! What the fuck!" John scratched his head and picked up the keys.

"Quit listening to them! Leave them alone! Let them get closer to each other without us meddling." Trish stopped to make sure John was listening. Fair enough, he was still scratching hi head. "Anyway, remember the last time we meddled?"

John paused and tried to remember a time they meddled. He sure remembered. Nikki was in high school and Trish and John tried to hook her up with the college quarterback in Harvard. Nikki refused to go out with him, and soon the guy pushed himself towards her. Then when the guy tried to do something really awkward to Nikki, he ended up being body slammed to the ground. The guy was expelled from attending the school, and Nikki didn't talk to John and Trish for 2 whole months. Then John remembered that he couldn't take it anymore so he and Trish quickly made up with Nikki. John looked up at the ceiling then at Trish. "Oooh... Yeah. BAD idea."

Trish had a sinister smile. "Yeah. I've heard that MANY times already."

"But I mean, COME ON! They're perfect! Did you see when they were dancing together in the club? DAMN did they look hott!" John screamed.

Trish pretended not to hear anything.

"They are so cute together! Seriously! If them 2 would have kids, that kid would be PURR-FECT! They're hella perfect for each other! I don't get why Nikki won't date him. He seems like a great guy and all..." John noticed Trish hiding behind her magazine, snickering. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"Never heard you talk abouta guy being hot and cute and being a "great guy" John." Nikki started to laugh.

John turned around. He grew red with embarassment. "Yeah, you know what? I think it's time for me to go... uhh... Go get my nails done..." John grabbed his sweater and ran out the door.

Trish closed her magazine and set them aside. "What kind of guy gets their nails done?" Trish wondered.

"Never underestimate the Cena-Man." Nikki set her cell phone down and flopped her head down on the soft pillows.

Trish went inside the covers and smothered herself in the pillows. "So... What did moron tell you?"

"You know girlfriend... You don't wanna know." Nikki checked the time on the clock. "You know... I'm kinda getting tired. Night." Nikki smothered herself in the sheets as well and drifted off to sleep.

Trish was appalled at Nikki's reaction to her. She looked at Nikki after the awkward moment as she was about to ask her why she won't tell her. Though she trusted her best friend, and knowing Nikki, she'd tell Trish sometime soon.

... Hopefully.

The Next Day

Nikki had visited the station to give Randy his sanitational needs. John had tagged along, as Trish had needed to go to perform on RAW. Nikki had tried reasoning with the DA to drop the charges, and after a long time of arguing, she got them to drop their charges. Although the Prince was still pressing charges. When John and Nikki went to go and talk to Randy in his cell, he did not look good.

"Yo man... You've been sitting in this thwacked up of a jail cell for one night and you already look like shit homie." John made a face as he looked at Randy from head to toe.

"Quit checking him out John." Nikki replied.

"Ok -- HEY! I ain't --" Nikki had cut off John as he tried to finish his sentence.

"Look, we came to give you all your stuff, you might need it, Vince had persuaded the DA to get you back on tour with them. Your ride is waiting outside. Oh, and I got the DA also to drop the charges against you. All you need to deal with is the Prince." Nikki gave him his stuff and awaited for an answer from Randy.

"Can we leave now? This place is giving me a really bad rash." John started to scratch his neck.

"Take a chill pill John." Nikki looked at the rash. "That's not a rash... Eww! You have a hickey? Ya nasty fool..." Nikki shifted her attention to Randy. "Well Orton?"

"Uhh... I guess I do. But I don't want my parents to find out or they'll ground me." Randy frowned.

"Your parents can still ground you even though you ain't livin' it up there anymore? Damn... You've got tight parents." John laughed.

"Ummm... yeah. Actually... I kinda... No, I still live..." Randy trailed off in a soft quiet voice.

"You don't live with your parents right? Right?" John asked.

"Umm..." Randy hesitated.

"Quit putting him in the hot seat! Anyway, no big. We won't tell." Nikki turned and whispered to John, "Don't tell or your ass will be stuck up in your mouth."

"Thanks. I used your New York address for the things they send me." Randy said.

"OK. We gotta go. So do you. So see you later meng." Nikki smiled.

Randy smiled back. There was an awkward moment between them 2, then John broke the moment.

"Oh just give each other a friendly hug for the heck of it damnit geeez!" John pulled them close together.

Randy hugged her with pleasure, and Nikki just gave him a hesitant pat on the back.

John, satisfied with what he saw, he ran out of the cell, scratching his hickey. Nikki waved bye and left as well.

------- Outside

"What the hell is this? Can you get it off!" John irratantly scratched his neck.

"You can't get a hickey off, you have 2 options: Wait for it to disappear, about 2 weeks. Or use makeup concealer. Your decision." Nikki stepped inside the rental car.

"A man doesn't wear makeup." John said, then Nikki stared at him. "Ok fine, I can't get laid with a huge hickey on my neck."

"On the other hand, leave it." Nikki started the car.

"Why? Chicks won't let me lay them!" John argued.

"Yeah, they find the hickey unattractive. But once they find out you put makeup, you'll be named a total G." Nikki drove out of the parking lot.

"I thought you were no girly girl or prep. How do you know this stuff?" John stared at the hickey threw the mirror.

"I may be no girly or prep, but I was born a girl, AM a girl, and will die as a girl. I know this stuff. Ladish instinct you know." Nikki turned on the radio.

"Whatever Kiki." John laid back and rapped along to the music.

Boring... I know. But it'll get better once it gets later on to this feud. Please R&R!

- bettina isabelle