Just One Kiss

“Are you almost ready yet?” John called out from the bedroom of Stacy’s hotel room. Stacy, who was in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on her hair and make-up, rolled her eyes.

“I told you that you don’t have to wait for me.”

“How else are you getting there?” John replied back.

“I have a way,” Stacy replied. She was nervous about admitted to John that tonight was actually her first date with Nick, mainly because she’s scared Nick backed down and “stood her up” as most people would call it.

“You’ve been looking forward to this a lot more than usual,” John commented, knowing his sister was dressed. He opened the door, and was floored by the little black dress she had on. “Are you sure you’re my sister?” he asked. Stacy laughed and walked past him.

“So what gives, why are you so excited about tonight?”

“Fine, I’ll let you know. N-Nick’s picking me up.”

“Nick, really? What like a date or something?”

“Exactly like that,” Stacy smiled.

“What happened to him not wanting to move forward?” John asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“I don’t know, I guess he couldn’t deny his feelings anymore or whatever.” Stacy shrugged her bare shoulder as she placed a sock liner on her foot. She slipped on her black wedged bootie and zipped it before moving to the other foot. The door knocked, so John went to answer it.

“Damn London, you’re looking hot,” Stacy commented her brother’s date. London smiled and looked down at her outfit.

“It’s not too much or too little?” London asked nervously. Stacy looked up at the navy blue jacket that covered the navy blue and white polka dotted tube shirt with a large bow. Covering her legs were a pair of jeans tucked into knee high black boots.

“No, it’s cute. I’m going a little over the top because I’m so used to it.” Stacy replied, grabbing her hand clutch to make sure she had her ID, some cash, and her cell phone. There was another knock on the door, and since London was the closest, she turned around and opened it.

“Stace,” she said, smirking slightly as Nick walked into the room.

“Wow, you look amazing,” Nick commented, walking up to Stacy who was in the middle of grabbing her jacket from her suitcase. She looked up to see Nick wearing a white button up shirt with a black vest covering it, black pants and a pair of black sneakers.

“You too,” Stacy smiled. Nick grabbed the jacket from her and offered his arm, which she slipped her own through right away. Stacy heard London let out a giggle as she and John followed behind them.

“They’re so cute together,” London whispered, watching the two in front of them. John had to admit that London was right. He never seen his sister as happy as she looked tonight.

“Are you riding with us?” Nick asked as they waited for the elevator.

“No, we’ll just be intruding on you two.” John replied with a wink toward Stacy. Stacy smiled gratefully toward her brother as the elevator doors opened up.

“Wait, where’s Nikki?” Stacy asked suddenly.

“I think she’s already there.”

“She is,” Nick replied. “I saw her there while I was doing sound check. She wasn’t alone.”

“She had a date? Who?” Stacy asked.

“I believe you met him the same night you met me,” Nick chuckled.

“Aaron?” Nick nodded, forcing a laugh out of Stacy. “Okay, I have to see that.”

“Who’s Aaron?” John asked.

“My little brother,” Nick answered John. “He’s the exact opposite of what Stacy told me about Nikki. Where’s she’s more adept to staying in on a Friday night, Aaron is all about going out and doing things. Though he got a little bit better in the past couple of months.”

“That surfing accident really woke him up to things didn’t it?” Stacy asked. Nick nodded, his mind going back to that day on the beach, and all the time he spent with his brother in the hospital because of his inward bleeding. He was so scared of losing his brother, he didn’t know what he would have done if that happened.

The elevator doors opening brought Nick out of his trance.

“You okay?” Stacy asked, letting her arm slide from his so she could grab his hand.

“Fine,” Nick smiled, tightening his squeeze just slightly. He walked up to a black rental car and opened the passenger side door for Stacy before heading to the driver side.

“So, we’re up early, so after our set, I’ll come meet you.” Nick said as he started driving down the street.

“Sounds good to me,” Stacy nodded. “Just look for the gorilla wearing jeans and a blazer over a white shirt. I should be around with him.”

“Okay then,” Nick said. “First though, you wanna come meet the rest of the guys?”

“Can I?”

“Sure, as long as you’re with me.” Nick smirked, pulling into a parking lot and parking in the first spot he saw available. He got out of the car and just as Stacy reached for her handle, Nick was already opening the door for her.
In silence, Nick showed his pass to the security guard, who nodded and let the both of them pass through.

“So, who’s all performing tonight?” Stacy asked, her heels clicking on the concrete floor.

“Not too sure, we are I know that much.” Nick replied, looking at the doors. They passed one labeled “Avenged Sevenfold” and Stacy froze.

“What?” Nick asked. “Like them?”

“Like them? They’re my favorite band next to Backstreet Boys.” Stacy replied, her voice a pitch higher than normal.

“Maybe later we can meet them.”

“No maybe about it,” Stacy stated, following Nick down the hallway again. They passed two more doors before Nick found the one he was looking for. He knocked before opening the door and glancing in.

“Everyone decent?” He called out.

“Define ‘decent,’” A voice called back to him.

“Nobody’s naked or running around in their underwear right?” Nick called back, causing Stacy to giggle.

“Nope, but we could be if you want it!” the same person called back.

“No thanks Alex, I’ve seen what you got and I’m not all that impressed,” Nick laughed, opening the door wider and letting Stacy enter before himself.

“Stacy!” a female squealed from a couch.

“Malia, what are you doing here?”

“Hanging with my guys,” Lia replied, standing up and walking up to her friend.

“I keep forgetting you two know each other,” Nick shook his head at the two women.

“You’ll start remembering soon enough,” Malia winked as she linked arms with Stacy.

“I got a guest,” Malia called out to the other guys with Nick following them.

“Stacy!” Howie shouted in surprise. “How did you get back here?”

“Nick got me back here,” Stacy replied.

“So, this is Brian, you met him before,” Nick said, indicating the blonde haired blue eyed man sitting next to Howie.

“Hello again,” Stacy smiled at him.

“This,” Nick said, indicating a shorter man with a full goatee. “This is Alex, or AJ, McLean.”

“So you’re the pretty thing Nick keeps going on about. I can see why.” AJ replied. “Don’t worry I got a girlfriend so everything I say is completely innocent.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Stacy replied with a wink, earning a round of “ooo’s” from Brian and Howie.

“This,” Nick said between laughs. “Is Kevin Richardson. He’s the big brother of the group.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kevin said. “I have to admit, I haven’t heard as much about you as everyone else, but what I did hear you sound like a very sweet person.”

“Thank you.” Stacy smiled.

“Almost show time Nick. Are you ready to go?”

“You know me, I’m always ready,” Nick answered AJ. “I just have to get Stacy into the audience.”

“I’ll take care of Stacy. I gotta go see if my man is out there.” Lia said, linking arms with Stacy again.

“See you after,” Nick said as Stacy was half dragged by Malia out the door.

“You were serious about this being a date then,” Brian stated as soon as the girls were gone.

“Yeah, I was.” Nick shrugged, picking up a water bottle out of a cooler and taking a drink from it. He had been following Stacy’s advice with his diet, and he could already feel the difference in his body. He hasn’t had a drink or anything since the diagnoses, which was really helping him feel more like his old self as well. He knew the others saw the difference in him, but they were keeping their thoughts to themselves.

“Alright, let’s head out there to show Nick’s girlfriend a good time.” Kevin said, standing up from the couch and wrapping an arm around Nick’s neck. The others joined them, and soon, they were standing on the stage. Nick looked around the floor and found Stacy sitting at a table talking with Malia, John, a woman he’s never met before, Nikki, and his little brother Aaron.

“Woooo hooo!” Aaron shouted, giving Nick a thumbs up. Stacy looked up and her eyes immediately went to Nick’s area of the stage. Suddenly, the opening to “Larger Than Life” started playing through the speakers.

“All you people can’t you see, can’t you, how your love’s affecting our reality. Every time we’re down, you can make it right and that makes you larger than life.” Stacy saw John roll his eyes, and she swatted her hand at his arm.

“Be nice,” she hissed.

“I am,” John replied, reaching under the table for London’s hand. Stacy rolled her eyes as the song ended. She cheered along with everyone else, and another song started playing.

“Don’t pretend you’re sorry, I know you’re not…” Brian started singing. Stacy smiled with her eyes closed, letting the fact that she was listening to her favorite song live wash over her.

“I can’t imagine, a life without your love,” She heard Nick’s voice sing. “And ever forever, don’t seem like enough.”

“Cause every time I breathe I take you in, and my heart beats again. Baby I can’t help it, you keep me drowning in your love. Every time I try to rise above, I’m swept away by love. Baby I can’t help it, you keep me drowning in your love.”

Sooner than she wanted, that song ended, and everyone walked off the stage.

“Two songs, that’s it?” Stacy asked Nick as he walked up to her.

“Well, there’s a lot of people here doing music. We get to perform two songs and be thankful we’re even allowed two.” Nick stated, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“Hey Nick, awesome as always.” Aaron said when he noticed his brother was standing behind him.

“Thanks Aaron,” Nick replied with a slight smile. His smile faded rather quickly as he looked up. “Fuck,” he whispered, turning his head away. “Aaron, why did you let me be a dumbass?”

“Care to elaborate?” Aaron asked, looking to where Nick had just looked. “Ignore her,” Aaron said right away. “She’s not worth it man.”

“I’m not starting anything, but I’m not backing down if she does.” Nick warned as the tall, way too skinny woman walked up to them.

“Hey Nicky,” she smiled, which made Stacy feel extremely uneasy. “Hey can we talk?”

“Go ahead Paris, anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Stacy.” Nick replied.

“Okay, I don’t want some gold-digging bitch hearing my personal matters.” Paris replied with a click of her tongue.

“First off, watch your mouth about my date.” Nick snapped. “Second off, she’s not a gold digger, she has her own money, and whatever you have to say you can say in front of her.”

“It’s fine, I’ll just go over here with John.” Stacy spoke up. Without thinking, she stretched up and kissed Nick on his cheek before walking toward her brother.

“You’re cheating on me?” Paris snapped as soon as Stacy was gone.

“Paris, we broke up months ago. We’re through, finished, get that through your silicone head!” Nick snapped back. “I’m moving on, so you should too. Besides, I know what happened between you and Chad. You’re the last person to be talking to me about fidelity. Just leave me alone, and go live your own life, because you’re not longer a part of mine.”

Nick turned around to walk away, but Paris jumped in front of him, and planted her lips on his.

Stacy turned her head to see where Nick was, and saw the kiss. Aaron, who was trying to ask Stacy a question, looked up and saw the same thing.

“That’s her kissing him,” Aaron said automatically, seeing the hurt in Stacy’s eyes. “He doesn’t care about her at all anymore. Look at him, he’s not even kissing back. And right now, he’ll push her away.” Sure enough, once Nick was over the shock, he lifted his arms and wrapped his hands around Paris’s shoulders, pushing her away from him.

“Stay the fuck away from me Paris. I’m not saying it again.” He growled before storming away, back toward Stacy.

“You saw that,” He stated when he saw Stacy watching him.

“I did,” she stated back. “Believe me, I know about obsessive exes. I’ve had a couple of them back in the day. Especially when I really started making a name for myself in the company. One of them actually happened because my boyfriend at the time when saw my ex kissing me like that.”

“When the relationship is over, then that’s it. There’s no going back.” John spoke up.

“Amen to that brother!” Stacy nodded her head as she sat at the table. The rest of the night passed by quickly. Stacy did get to meet Avenged Sevenfold, and they were nicer and more down to earth than she imagined they would have been.

By the time Nick drove back to the hotel, he was pretty sure he had just had the best night of his life.

“Here we are.” Nick said, stopping outside Stacy’s hotel room door. “Oh, I never got to ask you, am I okay to join you on tour tomorrow?”

“Yes you are, I just have to give you a pass tomorrow. Do not lose it, it’s the only one you get. Vince made that very clear.” Stacy rolled her eyes. “And I’m a member of a gym that’s got places around the country so I can get you passes to those places as well.”

“Okay,” Nick nodded. “So, I don’t think I’ve had a better night than tonight. Thank you.”

“No, thank you,” Stacy smiled, pulling her key card out of her purse. She looked up and straight into Nick’s blue eyes.

“I guess I better get going, so I can let the others know,” Nick muttered, though he made no movement to leave.

“I guess,” Stacy agreed. Unable to resist the urge, she leaned forward at the same time Nick did, and they met lip to lip in the middle. It wasn’t demanding anything, just a simple, gentle kiss goodnight. When Stacy pulled away, Nick saw the blush on her cheeks.

“Goodnight,” She said quickly as she dove into her room. Nick watched the door close, and stood there for a few minutes after hearing the door lock to compose himself. He knew he was falling for Stacy Cena, and hard. The question was, was he getting himself in too deep?