CHAPTER FIFTEEN
NICKY
The next day, Nicky's parents drove him back to the hotel in near-silence. He knew he was in trouble. It wasn't until they were nearly there that his mother said, "Nicky, we need to talk."
"I'm sorry... I know I need to get more rest," Nicky said automatically.
"It's more than that, Nick," his father said.
"Nicky... Baby, the doctor... We know you've been drinking," his mother finally blurted out.
Nicky suddenly felt like an idiot. Of course they knew... "I wasn't drunk," he said quickly. "I was exhausted."
"There was enough alcohol left in your system to show up in your bloodwork, Nicky. That means at some point very recently, you drank a lot of alcohol," his father said.
"Baby, you have to stop this," his mother said.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Nicky said. He was ashamed of himself. He'd never upset his mother so much.
"We're not mad, baby... We're worried. What's going on with you?"
"I just... I wanted to fit in," he said lamely.
"Nicky, that's how it starts... You think having a drink or two is harmless, but it starts to happen more and more, and then it escalates... Harder drinks, even drugs..." She looked haunted.
"Mom, I..." He stared at his shoes. "I'll stop, okay? Please don't be upset."
She squeezed his hand. "Don't worry about me, honey. I just want you to be okay."
Nicky was desperately hoping something would derail this conversation. His prayers were unexpectedly answered when they reached the hotel. They heard screaming and all quickly jumped out of the car.
"Dad, stop it!" Ginny was pleading.
Nicky stared at Cody in shock as he realized he was beating the hell out of someone. "You fucking pedophile bastard!" Cody was screaming. Nicky had never seen him so angry.
Luke Harper (Nicky never remembered his real name) was trying to defend himself. Cody wouldn't allow it.
When Randy reached them, he tried to pull Cody back. "Cody, stop! He's not worth going to jail over!" Randy said.
"He has to pay!" Cody shouted. "You know, Randy! You know what that bastard did!"
"I know. Come on, Cody, I get it, but you have to stop. This isn't the place or the time, and you're upsetting Ginny."
Cody hesitated. He looked at his daughter and finally let Randy pull him back. He looked at Ginny with tears in his eyes. He walked toward her and hugged her. Randy noticed she was shaking.
Harper stood up. He glared at them all. It wasn't until he saw Danielle that he snapped. "Bitch!" He shouted. "You bitch! You got me fired with your lies, you slut!"
It was Corri who interfered. She jumped in front of Danielle as he went to hit her. Corri grabbed his hand and nearly broke it, but he somehow got free and hit her instead. It was a hard hit and Corri's head hit the side of the hotel. Blood trickled down the side of her head as she put her hand to it. She was momentarily stunned, something that rarely happened.
Nicky wanted to attack, but someone else got there first. Randy ripped Harper away from Corri and Danielle and flung him into the side of the hotel. Corri was trying to calm Danielle down as Randy continued to punch Harper. Cody put a hand on his shoulder.
"Um... Randy?" Cody called gently. "Remember that advice you gave me?"
"I'm reconsidering my position on the matter," Randy said too calmly. It was rare Nicky saw his father so angry.
"He's a piece of shit," Cody said, "and he's not worth throwing our lives away over."
Randy looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't. Instead, he put Harper into a position he couldn't get out of as they waited for the cops to show up.
There were plenty of witnesses willing to say Harper was the only one at fault. He was led away in handcuffs as Ginny stared after him. Danielle sobbed quietly beside Danny, who arrived after Harper had been subdued and glared at his father.
"Are you okay, Mom?" Nicky asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Corri said angrily. "But he's a dead man if he ever tries that again."
"You're getting checked, Corri," Paul said firmly. He'd been called in when the cops showed up.
Corri rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly okay."
"You're bleeding from your head."
"It's a scratch."
"It's more than that, and I need to be sure you aren't concussed."
"I'm fine. My sexy viper defended me... It's so hot when you do that." Corri sounded almost giddy as she wrapped her arms around Randy's neck.
"Yeah, I'm with Paul," Randy said. "You need to get checked."
"You wanna play Doctor?" She asked suggestively.
"Maybe later," Randy said indulgently.
Gross, Nicky thought. I don't want to hear that.
"Come on, Corr," Randy said. "Let's get you taken care of."
Nicky was about to follow them when he noticed Ginny still staring off into space. "Gin... You okay?" He asked gently.
"Not even a little," Ginny whispered so softly, he wasn't completely sure she'd spoken.
He put an arm cautiously around her shoulders. Ginny leaned on him, resting her head against his shoulder, not saying anything. "What can I do, Ginny?" He asked.
"Distract me. Just get me out of here and make me forget that ever happened," Ginny replied.
"I can help with that," Molly said, appearing out of nowhere. She looked at Cody. "I'm kidnapping your kid," she informed him. Cody looked at Ginny, whose eyes were pleading. He nodded.
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I lost control," he said.
"It's okay," Ginny said. "I couldn't have asked you to react any other way."
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Dad."
"Sappy! Come on, let's get away from the attack of Mass Mush," Molly said. She took Ginny's arm, then looked at Nicky. "Gather the Legacy crew. I'll text you where to meet me. Ginny needs to change." With that, she led Ginny away.
Nicky did as he was told, tracking their entire stable down until everyone had agreed to come hang out. Molly had decided Ginny needed to be cheered up. How she planned to do that, he didn't know, but he was definitely on board to help.
MOLLY
"You look hot, Ginny," Molly said as she looked at her handiwork. It had taken nearly four hours to get everything set up, but it was worth it if she could help Ginny. The girl had had a shitty couple of weeks.
She knew Ginny cleaned up beautifully. Ginny had been on plenty of dates with creeps before. She had, quite possibly, the worst taste in men ever. Molly realized now that Ginny might not think she deserved any better than guys who cheated or who hit her, but Molly had to disagree. With her mixed complexion, her dark eyes, and those gorgeous lips, Ginny could have any guy she wanted.
"Stop flirting," Ginny joked. It wasn't actually abnormal for Molly to flirt with Ginny, but she was being honest tonight. Ginny looked great.
Molly led the way to her favorite karaoke bar in town. "Karaoke? Come on, Mol, that's not my thing-" Ginny protested.
"Hush. I promise this will be fun. You don't have to sing. You can just drink and watch everyone else make fools out of themselves. You'll feel better after, I swear," Molly insisted.
Ginny looked skeptical, but she usually did. She didn't try to stop Molly; she knew better. They found Nicky and Trixie already sitting at a table. Claire was sitting nearby, but not quite with them.
"Ugh. Who invited the skank?" Molly asked aloud.
Nicky sighed. "Keith was already with her. She kind of invited herself," he explained.
"Bitch. Whatever. How's your mom?"
"Concussed, but not too badly. Dad's taking care of her."
"Corri's gonna kill that dick when she sees him... Enough about that, though. We're here to have fun... Trix, where's your new arm candy?"
Trixie blushed. "Brandon said he'd meet me here. He came with Gabe and Lucas, and I think they're here, but I don't know where," she explained. "I just found Nicky and grabbed him before Claire could. I have no idea where the other boys are..."
Suddenly, the lights dimmed and a spotlight hit the stage area. "Oh, I think I know," Molly said with a laugh as she pointed to the stage.
Brandon, Lucas, Gabe, and Keith stood on the stage. Each was dressed like they were part of a1980's hair band, complete with wigs.
"Oh my God!" Trixie squeaked out.
"What the-?" Ginny asked.
"Aw, Nicky, why aren't you up there?" Trixie asked.
"Keith knows how shy Nicky is," Molly guessed.
Nicky looked embarrassed. "It might have been nice to be asked, though... I have no idea what they're about to do," he said. He sounded hurt.
Molly squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sure they were just trying not to make you uncomfortable. You're not a karaoke kind of guy," she said sweetly.
The conversation stopped as Gabe took the microphone. "We want to send this one out to the amazing, beautiful, stunning Virginia Runnels!" He announced.
Ginny looked embarrassed, but not in a bad way. The music began and a thrill shot through Molly. She knew this song. Greg Excellent had used it in CZW for years and she absolutely loved it. It reminded her of some of her favorite memories.
Lucas led the dancing as Gabe took the lead vocals. "Oh, we're no strangers to love. You know the rules and so do I. A full commitment's what I'm thinking of. You won't get this from any other guy," Gabe sang.
Keith joined in with him, singing, "I... just wanna tell you how I'm feeling. Gotta make you understand..."
All four hit the chorus with, "Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye, never gonna tell a lie and hurt you..."
Gabe went back to his solo as he sang, "We've known each other for so long. Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it. Inside we both know what's been going on. We know the game and we're gonna play it."
"And... if you ask me how I'm feeling, don't tell me you're too blind to see," Keith chimed in.
Molly felt things she couldn't identify as the song progressed with another chorus from all four. "They're amazing," she said. "Isn't this great?" She asked Nicky. Nothing got to Molly more than a good karaoke performance, especially of a CZW entrance song.
"Yeah," Nicky said dryly. "They're terrific."
"Right? Oh my God, look at them dancing!" Molly declared.
"This is over-the-top," Ginny said, but she was smiling.
"It's so sweet!" Trixie declared.
"Ooooh... Give you up!" Lucas, Keith, and Brandon sang as high as they could manage.
"Never gonna give, never gonna give," Gabe continued.
As they sang the final verses, Molly was practically swooning as much as Trixie. "Ginny?" She said as they were finishing the song.
"Yeah?" Ginny asked.
"Marry that boy!"
"Seconded!" Trixie added.
"Any man who'll rock out to eighties music... especially in costume... just to make a girl smile is totally the one."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "We're not even dating," she reminded them.
"Who cares? Gabe's probably had an engagement ring picked out since you were toddlers."
Ginny looked to Nicky. "They're ridiculous," she said.
"They're not wrong," Nicky admitted.
Ginny threw her hands up in frustration. "Et tu, Nicholas?" She asked.
Nicky cringed. "Please don't call me that," he said.
"He'd treat you right, Gin. That counts for something," Molly insisted.
The crowd was begging the four boys for more. Keith grinned. "Let's do this," he said. He pointed to the guy running the music and a new song started. This one was a mix of songs. Trixie started giggling hysterically as she recognized the first song. Molly and Ginny laughed, too, until Molly noticed Keith going through all the motions of the song.
As Gabe, Lucas, and Brandon fawned over him, Keith sang, "I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts..."
As he sang and used the perfect pouty-model facial expressions, Lucas and Gabe ripped his shirt off. Molly stared at him with a new appreciation. Yes you are, she thought. You show the naughty shirt who's boss!
He'd hit the chorus by the time Molly focused again. "I'm a model, you know what I mean, and I do my little turn on the catwalk. Yeah, on the catwalk-"
The song shifted suddenly as Gabe and Keith both burst out with, "When I walk in the spot, this is what I see. Everybody stops and they're staring at me. I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to show it... I'm sexy and I know it!" The dancing of all four was insane now.
"Girl, look at that body!" Lucas and Brandon sang.
Gabe finally added, "I work out!"
Suddenly, all four sang, "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah..." They sang the line twice more before it shifted again.
Now, the intro to Black or White played and Lucas took control of the show. His Michael Jackson dance was spot-on. He cried out, "Ow!" at the right spots as he danced before launching into the lyrics.
"Goddamn, if Lucas were straight..." Molly said aloud, in awe of his talent.
He got through the chorus before it shifted again, this time to the boys singing, "Ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga, ooga-chaka, ooga-ooga..."
They were all laughing now, even Nicky. That was when Brandon took the microphone. Molly could see Trixie melt instantly as he sang straight to her with his friends still singing their ooga-chakas.
"I can't stop this feeling, deep inside of me. Girl, you just don't realize what you do to me. When you hold me in your arms so tight, you let me know everything's alright. I... I'm hooked on a feeling... I'm high on believing that you're in love with me," Brandon sang.
The boys now changed again. Keith started, then was joined by Gabe, then Lucas, and finally Brandon as they sang, "Dom, dom, dom, dom, dom, domby dooby dom..."
It was Gabe who sang, "I love you darling, come and go with me, please don't send me way beyond the sea. I love you darling, so come go with me! Come, come, come, come, come into my heart. Tell me darling, say we'll never part. I need you darling, so come go with me. Yes, I need you, yes, I really need you... Please say you'll never leave me... Well, say you never, yeah, you really never... You never give me a chance!"
The boys started to walk into the audience as they sang. Molly was hooked by the cheesy beauty of it all. Gabe took Ginny's hand. Brandon took Trixie's. Keith took Claire's and Molly felt anger fill her until Lucas grabbed her and distracted her. She couldn't help but smile as he danced her around.
As they finished their medley, Keith dramatically sang, "And I'm too sexy for this song!" The music stopped as they struck dramatic poses in unison. The crowd applauded. Gabe looked at Ginny and kissed her hand before the boys walked away and handed their microphones back.
"I repeat... Marry that boy, Ginny," Molly said. She couldn't help but feel annoyed as Claire fawned over Keith when he returned.
She's his girlfriend, she thought.
She's not good enough for him, she argued with herself. She wasn't sure why Claire got under her skin, but she wouldn't have been upset to watch her get squished by a spotlight or eaten by an army of rabid chipmunks, that was for sure.
"You did all that in four hours?" Molly asked Lucas.
"I arranged it in thirty minutes and then taught these guys to dance with the rest of the time, actually," Lucas replied.
Molly grabbed Lucas and kissed him hard on the lips. Everyone stared at her, including Lucas.
"You do know he's gay, right?" Claire asked.
"What I know is work like that deserves a kiss, and I figured Nicky wouldn't exactly volunteer, so why not me?" Molly asked.
"I can't believe you guys did this," Ginny said. Her bitchy exterior was nearly gone. Molly was relieved to see Ginny looking relaxed for once.
"Anything to make my Godsister laugh," Keith replied as he pulled a t-shirt on.
"It worked," Ginny admitted.
"Our work here is done!" Brandon declared.
Ginny stood up and kissed Gabe's cheek. "Thank you," she said.
Ouch, the cheek, Molly thought, but then she saw something in Ginny's eyes that told her Gabe just might have a chance yet. She tried to focus on that instead of the repulsive sight of Claire shoving her tongue down Keith's throat.
I hope he has his shots, Molly thought bitterly before shaking her head and deciding to spend the rest of the night flirting with the very unattainable Lucas, who unlike some people never gave her headaches from stupidity.