CHAPTER THIRTEEN
 

I sighed as Liz and I walked into the gym.

“Great,” I mumbled after setting my bag down.

“What?” Liz asked plugging our radio into the outlet and turning it on.

I pointed over my shoulder taking off my sweat shirt revealing a tank-top. She did the same and looked over my shoulder; her sigh let me know she saw what I was talking about.

“Shell, he didn’t mean anything…”

“Whatever Liz,” I said interrupting her, “He showed me what type of guy he is, and he’s not one that I want to be around,” I finished, going over to a machine and started doing butterfly presses after I put the weight I wanted on it.

She sat down in the machine next to me after she put her weight in and started doing presses too.

“Just talk to him.”

“What about?” I asked looking at her continuing my presses, “Hey Nick, AJ and I didn’t sleep together, you were just being selfish and wouldn’t listen, you pissed me off and all but I still want to be friends… I don’t think so.”

Liz let out a sigh and continued with her workout. I felt bad about not talking to Nick but he brought this on himself. I can’t believe he didn’t want to listen to me nor can I believe that he didn’t even believe me, and now I’m supposed to forgive him and talk to him. HELL NO. He has to come and talk to me, he has to make the first move and even then I might not talk to him. I let out a sigh of frustration knowing that I really wanted to continue to talk to him and that shutting him out was the last thing that I wanted to do.

“Michelle, don’t shut him out if you don’t want to.”

I looked at Liz and shook my head, “To late,” I answered concentrating on my presses.

* * * *

I was talking to Kevin with my back to the door of the weight room when all of a sudden he got quiet.

“Yo Kev, what is going on?”

He pointed over my shoulder. I turned from the bench I was sitting on only to see Michelle and Liz walk in and set up their spots at the butterfly machines. I groaned a little knowing that she probably would never listen to me. I watched as it looked like the girls were having a heated argument, and I would put my money on it that it was probably about me. In less then twenty-four hours we would be leaving for the next stop on the tour with Michelle as one of our opening acts and then four days from now we are both performing at the same benefit concert. Why was I so stupid? I made my life a living hell by doing what I do best, jumping to conclusions.

“You should talk to her Nick.”

I turned my attention back to Kevin.

“I don’t think right now is a good time,” I answered laying back down to finish my bench presses.

Kevin sighed and started to spot me, “When is it going to be a good time Nick? I don’t think anytime, future or present, is going to be a good time.”

I continued listening to him; I nodded so he knew I was.

“Yeah, Michelle is going to be mad, but the sooner she hears your apology the better.”

At that moment a familiar song started blaring throughout the hotel’s gym. I stopped and looked to see Michelle bending down turning up the radio even more. I noticed the sweat that was starting to form on her body, and my breath caught in my throat.

Hot in.....
So hot in herre.....
So hot in.....


I was like, good gracious ass bodacious
Flirtatious, tryin to show PATIENCE***
Lookin for the right time to shoot my steam (you know)
Lookin for the right time to flash them KEYS***
Then um I'm leavin, please believin
Me and the rest of my heathens
Check it, got it locked at the top of the four seasons
Penthouse, roof top, birds I feedin
No deceivin, nothin up my sleeve, no teasin
I need you to get up up on the dance floor
Give that man what he askin for
Cuz I feel like bustin loose and I feel like touchin you
And cant nobody stop the juice so baby tell me whats the use


(I said)
It’s gettin hot in here (so hot)
So take off all your clothes

 

I am gettin so hot; I wanna take my clothes off

(I said)
It’s gettin hot in here (so hot)
So take off all your clothes

I am gettin so hot; I wanna take my clothes off

(Hot In Herre, Nelly)

I watched as Michelle turned around pulling her long hair up into a sloppy bun, then wiping the sweat that had formed on her forehead and neck with a towel that she pulled from the bag she walked in with. She and Liz were just singing away, when the female voice broke in singing about wanting to take her clothes off, Michelle glanced where the other guys and I were, then she ripped her tank-top off along with her rip away pants, revealing a sports bra and a pair of short workout shorts. My mouth went completely dry as I continued to watch her dance a little. I heard AJ gasp a little. I tore my attention off of Michelle long enough to see Liz do the same thing Michelle had just done revealing the same type of outfit.

“Nick!”

I looked up to see Kevin staring at me.

“What Train?”

“You really need to talk to her. She seems to have this affect on you that no one else has, which has to mean something.”

“Whatever,” I replied watching as the two girls went back to their presses. I groaned inwardly starting my bench presses again, knowing that Kevin was right, I should talk to her. I don’t know why I don’t want to, I guess it’s because I know that swallowing my pride is going to be the hardest thing I’m gonna ever have to do.

* * * *

I giggled to myself after a few more reps of my butterfly presses.

“What is so funny missy?”

I stopped and looked at Liz, “The fact that Nick watched that whole charade, that and AJ gasped really loudly the moment your shirt left your body.”

I watched as Liz’s eyes went wide, “NO WAY! I didn’t even know he was here, I only saw Nick and Kevin.”

I watched as she peered over my shoulder to where the guys were now doing god knows what. She gasped a little and I knew that she saw AJ. I laughed even harder walking over to my bag grabbing my bottle of water. I took a nice long refreshing sip feeling someone watching me. I glanced back in the direction of where the guys were and saw that Nick was staring at me trying not to be obvious. I rolled my eyes and signaled to Liz that I was heading to where the treadmills were.

“MICHELLE DON’T LEAVE ME HERE!”

I laughed, stopping to look back at her, “Well then come on missy!”

 She rolled her eyes grabbing her bottle of water and jogging up to me. “Not funny Michelle.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I started the treadmill on a slow speed to warm my legs up a little. I felt someone hit me and looked over at Liz who climbed onto the one next to me starting it up the same way that I did mine.

“Hey I didn’t hit you.”

“So, you deserved it.”

“And why’s that?” I asked curious to hear her response.

“Because you keep laughing at me.”

By now my treadmill was starting a slow jogging pace, “Well you should see how red you got. Face it Liz, I know you secretly have a crush on AJ and are purposely not telling.”

I watched as for the second time in less then five minutes her face turned the brightest shade of red. I turned my attention back ahead of me, I tried to concentrate on the music that was blaring out of the radio but with a clear shot of all five guys that was a very very hard task.

After a good run on the treadmill I was soaked in sweat and was pretty much ready to head back to the hotel room and get ready to head to Liz’s house. Mike told me earlier that we weren’t going to be leaving until 6 or 7 at night so I knew I had time to go pack a bag or two. I went back to where my bag was bending down to get my towel out to wipe my face and neck off a little when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I stood and turned around placing the towel around my neck facing whoever it was that was behind me though I pretty much knew who it was.

“Michelle, I…I’m….uh…. sorry.”

“Sorry for what? Sorry for being a complete ass, sorry for ruining our friendship, sorry for making me feel the way I’ve felt all my life, sorry for exactly what Nickolas?”

His blue eyes went wide and I could see that he was obviously sorry for everything and that he truly felt bad about it.

“I’m sorry for all that and more Michelle. I didn’t mean to be an ass though I know I was. I had no right jumping to conclusions and I should have listened when you tried explaining to me what was going on.”

I let out a little sigh; my anger slowly fading away which I knew was not a good thing.

“It’s ok Nick, I forgive you this once, but don’t let it happen again. Otherwise you might just lose me as a friend.”

A smile of pure happiness lit up his face and I could see that he was relieved that I really wasn’t going to hold his screw up against him like all the other girls he has known before.

“Thank you Michelle,” he said going to give me a hug.

I held my hand up stopping him, “Save it buddy. I don’t like sweaty guys and I’m just as bad as you.”

He laughed, “Ok. I owe ya one then.”

I nodded, “I guess you do.”

“Heading back up to the rooms?”

“Yeah, I want to get a shower then drop my truck off at Liz’s and get a bag of clothes,” I said turning back around getting my bag ready to go.

“Mind if I walk with you?”

I stood throwing my bag over my shoulder, “No, why would I?”

He shrugged and followed me out into the hallway, “I don’t know. I am an ass you know.”

I hit him playfully, “Only every once in a while.”

We talked the rest of the way to our floor opting to take the stairs so we had a little bit longer to be alone together to talk about everything.