~ Chapter 25 ~
Howie walked back outside. He felt like his whole world as he knew it had come crashing down around him. He saw Nick and Shae look his way. He noticed the quizzical expressions on their faces. He ignored them and walked to the cooler that held the beer. He needed something to numb the pain. He didn't want to hurt right now. He grabbed a beer and downed it in threw swallows. He grabbed another and and made his way through the crowd.
Brian spotted Howie. "Hey D!" he called out. "Nick and I are organizing teams for a game of Tug n War. Whose team you wanna be on?"
Howie snorted. "Have we regressed to teenagers?" He glanced at Nick and laughed. "Oh, I forgot. You're still one." He brished past them. "Thanks but no thanks. I'll sit this one out and watch you make fools of yourselves."
Everyone stared at him. He sounded too sarcastic for Howie. "What's his problem?" Leighanne asked.
Brian shrugged. "I'm tired of trying to figure out everyone's probems. This is a holiday. Let's have fun!" He turned to Nick. "Come on Frack, pick your team so I can throw you into the mud."
Nick smirked. "Be prepared to change colors, Littrell." He turned to Shae. "You're playin', right?"
"I don't think so Nick. I'm not very strong."
Nick slung an arm around her shoulders. "I ain't taking no for an answer." He pouted down at her. "You can stand behind me an hold onto my waist." He knew that was an offer she wouldn't refuse.
Shae cocked an eyebrow in interest. A chance to hold onto his waist? Like hell she'd say no. Pretending to mull it over, she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ok, if you insist, I'll play."
Nick smiled smugly. Women were so easy to convince. All he had to do was pout and he got what he wanted.
Brian and Nick got their teams into place. Brian's team consisted of Loreto, AJ, Dennis, and dancers Christina and Phil. Nick's team consisted of Tommy, Guy, Shae, Leighanne, and a dancer named Jose. It a was long and sweaty game. In the end, Nick's team won, sending Brian and his teammates down into the mud.
"Great!" Loreto muttered, grabbing a towel off the side of the pier. "Now I look like swamp thing." She soaked the towel in the water and tried to remove the mud from her hair.
Shae watched her in amusement. "Wouldn't it be easier just to jump in the water and clean yourself off?"
"The water's too cold now. Hmmm, I don't remember you working very hard. Maybe you need to go down in the mud." She advanced towards her, an evil glint in her eyes.
Shae backed up. "You know I have weak knees and ankles. Besides, Nick wanted me to hold onto him. Was I suppose to refuse such a generous offer?"
"Ooohh..." Loreto teased. "Are you feeling faint? Do you need to sit down?"
"Funny."
"Oh Shae!" Loreto screeched quietly.
"What??"
"You better sit down or my prediction will come true."
"Wha??"
"A certain blond guy's strutting his stuff this way...and he ain't wearing a tank top anymore. In fact, I'd say that skin I see. Lots of it."
Shae's head swung around so fast, she put Linda Blair to shame. Holy crapper doodles. Nick without a shirt. The world has come to an end. She looked up expecting to see missles lighting up the sky.
"Hey girls," Nick said by way of greeting. "Anyone game for a round of Volleyball?"
"I am!" Loreto piped up. "I love Volleyball."
"Shae?"
She was lost in another world. She didn't even hear him. "Shae? You're staring."
She came back to the land of the living and caught the look in his eyes. "Uh...uh....sorry," she said lamely, blushing.
Nick and Loreto burst into laughter. "I think you've traumatized her," Loreto said. "She never expected to see you topless. It's been a dream of hers."
Oh God. She didn't. Shae-Lyn wanted to die. Right here and now. She looked up again, praying for those damn missles to appear. She looked down at her feet, hoping Nick would choose to igore Loreto's comment. But he didn't. Of course not. He's a man. And we all know that men love any opportunity to tease a woman. Especially a cocky guy like Mr. Nick.
"Ya like what you see, Shae-Lyn?"
Shae ignored him, although the need to look at him grew stronger. Loreto answered for her. "Of course she likes what she sees. She ogles you on the Net. Her bedroom's plastered with your pretty face, she writes steamy..."
"OK LORETO!" Shae screeched, cutting her off. "I think he gets the point. Now if you've finished embarrassing me, go find Kevin and see if you can get him into bed."
"Ooohhh she mad," Loreto tittered. "Ok, me off to find Kevy."
Howie had been watching this exchange. He had just finished his 9th beer. He was pretty sloshed. He got up, leaning to one side awkwardly, and stumbled over to Shae and Nick. "When d' you two get so c...cozy?"
Nick and Shae jumped, not seeing Howie come up behind them. "What are you talking about?" Nick demanded, noticing the slur in Howie's words.
Howie waved his bottle of beer at Shae. "I thought you din like her..."
Nick gasped and looked quickly at Shae. She had paled a bit. "Howie, I never said that. You're drunk. Go away."
Howie tried to keep his balance. "I know what you said, Nick. You said she was fat...that you..you told me..long time ago."
Shae felt the tears well up in her eyes. She turned to leave, not wanting to hear anymore of what Howie had to say. She felt Nick take her arm. "Shae, don't listen to him. He's drunk."
She looked up into his baby blues. He had this little boy look on his face. "Nick..how do I know...God!" She sat down in the sand, her head in her hands.
"Awww...twouble in pawadise?" Howie laughed. He gulped down the last of his beer and aimed the bottle at a picnic table. It hit the table and shattered.
The noise caught the attention of the other partiers. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at Nick and Howie. "What's going on here?" AJ asked.
"Howie's drunk!" Nick replied angrily.
"So are a lot of people here, Nick."
"J, glad you're on my side..." Howie said. "I was jus tellin' Nicky here that he's been callin' Shae names and now he pretends that he wasn't."
AJ's eyes narrowed. "Howie, that's enough. You need to go inside and sober up." He took his arm, but Howie slapped him away.
"Don't you take his side. I see...there's a vendetta against me. First you all convince me that Kevin's drinking..then it's drugs...now..." he burped. "Now I see Kevin doin' the drugs. Hahaha!" He looked around. The band and dancers looked stunned. Tommy shook his head. He knew this was gonna happen. He'd figured out a long time ago that Kevin had taken the high road.
Brian signaled Tommy to take everyone inside. Once they were gone, only AJ, Brian, Leighanne, Shae, Howie, Nick, and Loreto remained. Loreto was sitting beside Shae, trying to console her.
"What do you mean, D?" Brian asked quietly. "What did you see Kevin do?"
Howie staggered to the beer cooler. "As if you don't know. You can laugh at me. Stupid Howie D! Trusted and believed Kevin."
Howie shoved him. "Screw you! All you wanna say is I told you so! You know what? I've had it with all of you. I'm sick of you two," he looked at AJ and Brian, "playing the saints and thinking you could never do wong. And you," he glared at Nick, "you lyin' bastard. You think Shae's gonna fall for your charm after what I just told her? There's plenty of pussy around here. What you need her for? To prove that you have a heart?"
Nick was rendered speechless. He looked down at Shae who refused to meet his eyes.
Howie tried to kneel down in front of Shae, but fell on his butt. He just laughed. "And Shae, you deserve to know that Nick called you names. Cause you hurt me. You think I'm not good enough for ya? Well you're too fat for Nick." He laughed as Shae stood up and took off running.
"You bastard!" Nick balled his fists up and grabbed Howie by the hair. "I oughta..."
Brian and AJ pulled his away. "Whoa sailor. We don't need any bloodshed toniht."
"Bloodshed?" Howie cackled. "Go see your friend Kevin. He should be lyin' in a pool of blood at the top of the stairs."
Brian's face paled as Loreto and Leighanne gasped. "What?" AJ shrieked.
Brian and AJ ran towards the house. "Nick, aren't you coming?" Leighanne asked, walking backwards.
"No! I've had it with everyone." He took off to find Shae.
Shae-Lyn was sitting near the pier. Nick could see the tears glistening on her cheeks. He felt a sharp pain in his heart. He approached her slowly. "Shae...I'm really sorry. For everything Howie said."
"What about what you said?" She eyed him, her eyes full of tears.
Nick leaned towards her. "Come with me." He held his hands out.
"Where?" she sniffled.
"I need to get out of here. I'm taking one of the boats. I want you to come with me. We can talk."
Shae hesitated. He was avoiding her questions again. She looked into his eyes. They had a pleading look in them. She couldn't say no. "Alright...let's go."
Nick smiled as he took her hand and led her down to the boat.
|
