"Are you gonna do it?" Elise asked, sitting across from AJ in a pizza place they had chosen to go to for dinner. Toni was sitting beside Elise finishing off her dinner contently.
"Of course I am." AJ said, "It's an incredible opportunity. For me and the older girls." She said.
"It just means… you're probably gonna have to hire a teacher in to teach the other girls while you're practising. You can't cut yourself in two." Elise laughed as AJ nodded.
"I know." AJ said, "And that's the last thing I want to do, but I can't turn this down. I've done so much in ballet. But… I've not done this. I mean, it's a lot of pressure. And I know there will be a bigger crowd, and more critics." She said, almost scaring herself as she kept talking, "But I just can't turn it down." She said.
"You're gonna be great." Elise smiled, "I'm so happy for you." She said with excitement as AJ smiled.
She was ecstatic by this news. She couldn't wait to call the director up and one hundred and ten percent agree to his offer. It was all she dreamed off since she was a child. She was over the moon, nervous, but over the moon.
The next morning, Punk was woken up extremely early. Well… for him, 10am was extremely early. He groaned whilst rubbing his eyes whilst walking out of his bedroom, looking through the peep hole in the door and noticing it was AJ standing with a brown paper bag and a coffee holder with two cups inside it.
He unlocked the door and opened it up, watching her as she smiled and raised the coffee holder and bag, "I brought breakfast."
"Why are you up so early?" Punk asked around half an hour later, still in just his boxers, sitting in his kitchen with her whilst picking at the blueberry muffin she'd brought. He didn't have the heart to say he didn't like blueberry muffins, and she'd already claimed the chocolate chip one. His coffee was already drank, and all he could do was sit and stare at, losing himself in her like always.
"It's 10am." She laughed. He never ceased to amaze her with his quick witted nature and sluggish features.
"Yeah. That's early." Punk nodded, "Plus, I was gonna come to yours later. Did you drive all the way up here?" He asked her.
"Yeah. I am able to drive for an hour on the road you know." She nodded to him, "You didn't come yesterday. I thought you'd show up later on." She sighed, "I missed you." She said as he looked up at her.
"I was busy." Punk shook his head, "I'm sorry." He apologised.
"Busy with what?" She asked as he looked her in the eye.
"You know what, April." He said as she nodded slowly.
This was the only thing she hated about this. Could she really live like this with him? Knowing that he hadn't came to visit her because he was out on a job somewhere, slaughtering someone, taking away someone's life. It was hard, but then when she was with him, and she was in his arms, it was all ok, and she was able to deal with it.
"You know this is a two way straight, right? You gotta… communicate with me." She said, "If we're ever gonna at least try to make this work, you gotta talk to me."
"What? About the thing you're disgusted by? Did you want me to call you last night and tell you I couldn't come be with you because I was out killing some guy?" He asked, "What would you have said to that? Oh, ok Phil. See you soon then." He mimicked as she rolled her eyes.
"What is wrong with you?" She shook her head. She didn't know why he was so paranoid or so on edge, but she didn't like it. She wasn't here to question him or step on toes. She was just here to see him. It was simple.
"Look… I like you." He looked her in the eye, "I like you way too much. I don't want you to be disappointed. I… I want to make you happy and I don't think I-"
"Just stop." She raised her hand, "Stop talking." She told him, reaching over and taking his hand in hers, "I can't do this if you're constantly going to doubt yourself every time I see you. Whatever it is that makes you think you aren't good enough for me, needs to stop, ok? Because I want to be with you." She nodded, "I want to make it work. Even if it means I have to… deal with what you do." She said.
"You deserve so much better." He said.
"I really don't." She told him sincerely.
"You should listen to him."
AJ turned around to the door of the kitchen, watching as an older man walked in, hands in his coats pockets, "Who are-"
"Phil's father." Jack smiled, having invited himself into his son's apartment with the spare set of keys he had, "It's a pleasure." He extended his hand to AJ who hesitantly shook it, turning to Punk who sat with his arms folded.
"What are you doing here?" Punk looked up at his father. He had no right to just burst into his apartment like this.
"Well I initially came to speak to you, son. But I didn't know you had company." He admitted, "We're busy today, so I hope April doesn't mind in heading off." Jack eyed AJ who nodded.
"I was… just leaving." She said, standing up, "I'll call you." She looked over to Punk who nodded and smiled, his smile fading once he turned his head to his father. How dare he come in here and just demand her to go.
"I'll walk you out." Jack smiled, "Phil… get ready." He said as Punk stood up, walking over to AJ and pressing a kiss on her cheek, keeping his eyes on his father the entire time. He would not push away something so good for him like AJ, just because his father was being completely dramatic and over sensitive. He wanted to be with AJ. He was old enough and wise enough to know how he felt about her, and the feelings weren't going away.
"I'll come over tonight." He nodded to her as she smiled, watching him walk away out of the kitchen as she began to leave too.
"I really don't need walking out." AJ spoke to Jack as she opened up the apartment door, feeling him follow her from behind.
"I insist." Jack said, following AJ down the apartment block stairs.
They reached the bottom where she opened the door, about to walk away when she felt a sudden grip on her wrist, pulling her back into the block and out of any public eye, "You listen to me." Jack hissed as AJ looked up at him, swallowing loudly as she shook with fear. There was no denying he was a scary, scary man. Unlike Punk, there was absolutely no good inside him. None whatsoever.
"You stay away from him." Jack said, "He isn't interested in you. He's keeping you happy so you don't blow his cover. He is a monster, just like the rest of us. Whatever it is you can see in him, it's bullshit." He hissed, "He is right. You deserve better. Don't waste your time with him." He spat as she wriggled out of his grasp.
"Take your hands off me." She backed away from him whilst holding her wrist which had been marked red from his grasp, "I can do what I like." She said, "Don't you dare put your hands on me again." She pointed, walking out of the door and slamming it shut behind her as Jack stood with his hands on his hips, sighing and walking back up the stairs.
Later that night, after Punk had spent an exhausting day with his father, he headed to AJ's, knocking on her door as he stood outside, yawning despite his desire to jump her as soon as he seen her, watching as she opened the door solemnly, widening it for him as he walked in.
"Everything ok?" He asked, watching as she locked the door and walked back into the living room. In nothing but shorts and a tank top, with a silk dressing gown around her.
"Ask your father." She said as he wandered his way into the living room after, raising his eyebrows with confusion.
"Why? What did he say to you?" He asked.
"What did he say? More like what did he do..." She spat as he stiffened, dropping his arms that were folded to either side of his body, walking over to her.
"April. What did he do? What did he do to you?" He asked. He almost thought that his father would just let it slide. But of course he wouldn't. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure he didn't have any 'distraction'
"He grabbed me and told me to leave you alone. So in other words we're in ninth grade." She spat, "Why can't he keep his nose out of your business?" She shook her head.
"He thinks you're a distraction to me." He said as she laughed lightly.
"A distraction?" She folded her arms over and turned away, "Is this ever gonna be easy for us? Or are we gonna have to tip toe around everyone we're close to?" She asked, "I mean, it's already bad enough I can't talk to Elise. And now your father's on our case." She sighed as he nodded.
"I know." Punk nodded, "I know it's bad." He sighed, "But… it's just because it's not something he's ever had to deal with before. I've never dated a girl or got close to anyone." He admitted, "I don't think my dad knows how to react to it. I don't think I even know how to react to it." He admitted as she couldn't help smile.
"So what do we do?" She asked. It was clear there was a problem here. His father clearly didn't want him to be seeing her, and she still hadn't figured out how she was possibly going to tell Elise what had been going on with them. She wanted to, but she just didn't know how to.
"We'll just keep this on the down low for just now. Give ourselves time to figure out how we're going to deal with it." He shrugged as she nodded.
"Why does it have to be so complicated?" She sighed to him.
"Because I'm complicated." He shrugged as she smiled, "And I'm also really… really in need to pick you up and take you upstairs." He admitted as she giggled, feeling him suddenly pick her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.
"I guess this makes it all worth it." She sighed with relaxation. Like she had said earlier. Now he was here, in his arms, she felt invincible and safe. She felt at home. There was no doubt about it, she'd made up her mind, she'd never felt such a connection with someone before. He was something special alright.
"This is all that matters." He whispered, pressing his lips against hers, heading for the stairs.
It was true. His sister, his father, his job, none of it mattered when they were together like this. Absolutely nothing.
More coming very soon!
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