In the middle of the night at the hotel, the phone rang. Howie sleepily turned on the light and answered the phone. "Hello?" he answered while rubbing his eyes. No answer. "Hello??"
"Howie? ...This is Brian," said Brian on the other end.
"Oh hey Bri, what's up?" asked Howie. Tomi and Nick woke up while AJ covered his head with his pillow. Brian didn't answer. "Brian, what's wrong?" That caught AJ's ear and he finally looked up.
"...How's Puerto Rico? How's your Dad?" asked Brian, his voice getting a bit shakey.
"Brian, what's wrong?" asked Howie again. Brian went silent again. "BRIAN!!"
"...Angel's dead...," Brian finally answered. He sighed deeply, sounding like he was trying to hold back tears.
Howie froze. He felt the same chill that Kevin felt. "What's wrong Howie?" asked Nick. AJ was fully awake now and sitting up.
"Brian, tell me what happened," said Howie, trying to stay as calm as possible.
"...She got into a car accident on the way here... She was killed instantly," explained Brian, trying to stay calm himself.
"Oh my God," said Howie, "Where's Kevin?! How is he?"
Brian broke down, "I can't find him. He rushed out of the apartment without telling me anything. I found the phone off the hook and someone was still on the other end. It was Angel's mother, she was the one that told me about Angel... He hasn't been home since... I don't know what to do."
"We'll be home tomorrow. Until then, stay home, but call all the places you think Kevin might be. But stay home alright? We'll leave on an earlier flight if we can alright?" said Howie.
Brian calmed down. "Alright, see you when you get back," he said.
"Alright, stay there. Call us if you find out anything else alright? Bye," said Howie as he hung up the phone. He buried his face into his hands and then ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
"D, what's wrong?" asked AJ.
"Did something happen to Kev?!" asked Nick.
"...Angel was in a car accident," said Howie. They all froze. Before they could ask, Howie said, "She's dead."
"Oh my gosh..." said Tomi, her eyes starting to water.
"Kevin is missing as well," said Howie.
"Aw damn..." was all AJ could manage to say.
"Anyways, I'm going to call the airport to see if we can get an earlier flight," said Howie, picking up the phone.
There was too much going on at once. It was too much for AJ, Nick and Tomi. Tears started to run down Tomi's face and she ran out of the hotel room.
Nick was still frozen from the news. AJ got up and walked out to find Tomi. Howie got off the phone and took another deep breath. He wiped his eyes then looked at Nick. "You going to be okay Nick?" asked Howie. Nick nodded.
"Why is all of this happening?" asked Nick.
"Who knows why people die Nick," said Howie, "All we can do now is be there for Kevin." A few tears ran down Nick's face and he quickly wiped them away.
Meanwhile outside, Tomi sat against the wall with her face buried in her crossed arms crying softly. "Tomi..." said AJ softly.
Tomi stopped her crying for a moment. Without looking up, she said, "Go away. I don't want you to see me like this."
"Like what? Crying? It's a natural emotion Tomi, nothin' wrong with it. We all know you're tough," said AJ, sitting down next to her.
Tomi looked up, wiping her tears from her eyes and cheeks. "Why don't you cry, AJ?" asked Tomi.
"Cause I'm not normal....and I forgot how to," said AJ, "I mean just look at me. I thought you knew by now that I'm not normal."
Tomi cracked a little smile. "How did you forget how to cry?" asked Tomi.
He shrugged. "I don't know. After the first grade, I just quit crying all together..." replied AJ.
Tomi realized a connection: AJ's father disappeared when AJ was in the first grade. "It's just not fair, AJ," said Tomi, tears forming in her eyes again, "Why'd she have to die?! She was the sweetest and prettiest person." Tomi broke down again.
"Hey sweetie... I know," said AJ, putting one arm around Tomi and pulling her closer. "Come on, let's go in. We got to get ready to go. I'm sure D called to get us an earlier flight already." AJ helped her up and they went back inside and started to get their stuff together. They each called their houses and explained the situation. Howie called his dad and he said he'd take them to the airport. They got all of their stuff packed and ready to go and left at 6AM. Once they got to the airport, Howie confirmed the flight. All of them thanked Mr. Dorough and Howie gave him one last hug and promised he'd be back. They boarded the plane and prayed something would be better once they got back. After the long trip back, AJ went to get his car while the others all got their bags and met him outside. Then AJ drove down to Kevin and Brian's apartment and hoped that they'd be there.
"I wonder if Kev's back yet," said AJ.
"Let's hope so," said Howie. Tomi and Nick sat silently in the back seat. AJ parked in front of the apartment and the four got out and AJ knocked on the door. Brian answered the door.
"Hey guys..." he said weakly.
"Did Kevin come home?" asked Howie.
Brian shook his head. "I checked everywhere: the park, the cafe, the hospital, I even called the Mitchell's back again, but I couldn't find him," he said.
"Let's split up and find him. D, you take Nick and Tomi in my car. I'll drive Brian in his. It seems like you didn't get any sleep last night, Bri," said AJ.
"Alright, page me if you find him," said Nick.
"Aight, take care of my car, D," said AJ.
"I will, don't wreck Brian's," said Howie.
Brian and AJ stepped into Brian's jeep and AJ asked, "Where should we go first?"
"I don't know, I've already checked everywhere I could think of," said Brian.
"Well, then let's check downtown," said AJ. The boys drove around for about an hour or so when they came upon a tavern and Brian all of the sudden said, "Wait."
AJ slowed down. "Did you find him?" asked AJ.
Brian thought for a moment. "That couldn't have been him, but let's check anyways," said Brian.
"Alright," said AJ, parking near the tavern. The boys walked in and looked around. They looked around for someone that resembled Kevin, but they soon gave up. "He wouldn't be in here, let's go."
As they were walking out, Brian accidently bumped into someone who had his head down on the counter. "Excuse me," said Brian, but he suddenly froze.
AJ turned around and asked, "Brian?" He walked back toward Brian and saw the man with his head on the counter.
Brian asked softly, "Kev?" The man slightly lifted his head but put it back down. Brian helped the man lift his head up. It was Kevin.
"Kevin!" exclaimed AJ.
"Come on, AJ, help me," said Brian, placing one of Kevin's arms over his shoulder. Kevin was barely concsious. AJ put Kev's other arm over his shoulders. They walked out to the jeep and let Kevin rest against the jeep.
"I'm gonna go page Nick," said AJ, running to the nearest pay phone.
"Kev, Kevin, you alright?" asked Brian.
Kevin was still dazed. It wasn't like Kevin to drink so much. "Come on, we're going to take you home," said Brian. He openned up the jeep's passenger side door and helped Kevin into the jeep. But all of the sudden, Kevin slightly pushed Brian away.
He was looking down and he said almost in a whisper, "Leave me alone."
"...Kevin?" asked Brian.
"I just want to be... alone for now," said Kevin.
"Kev, you need to go home. You haven't gotten any sleep," said Brian, "Please come home. Everyone's worried 'bout you. We've all been looking for you."
"All I need right now is to be left alone," he said again, sounding almost out of breath. He got up from the seat and headed back toward the tavern.
"Kevin!" said Brian.
Kevin turned around and snapped, "Look, all I want right now is to be left alone! None of you know what the hell I'm going through right now! I just want to be alone!" He turned back toward the tavern. Brian had never been scared of his cousin, this would have been the first time. He had never in his life seen his cousin like this. Kevin seemed to be someone totally different. The calm, mature, and kind cousin that always had a smile on his face, the big brother was gone. All he saw now was a angry, drunken, and confused young man that didn't know what to do. The person that always had all the answers was now clueless himself... Kevin was about to open the door to tavern when AJ stepped in front of him. "Get out of my way, AJ." said Kevin.
"Can't do, Kevin," said AJ, not budging.
Kevin looked down for a moment then suddenly grabbed AJ by the collar of his shirt. "Get out of my way," said Kevin, lifting AJ higher, almost off the ground.
Brian pulled the two apart and said, "AJ, let's leave him alone for now."
Kevin walked into the tavern. "What the hell are you talking about?" said AJ, fixing his shirt. Then going after Kevin, but Brian grabbed his arm. "Let go!" What the hell, Brian?! If you didn't notice, your cousin is in there drinking himself to death!"
"He wants to be left alone for now, so let's leave him alone," said Brian, letting go of AJ's arm.
"This is crazy!" said AJ.
"AJ, you don't know how it feels," said Brian.
Right then, Howie pulled up with Tomi and Nick. "Don't know how what feels, Brian?" asked AJ, getting more and more furious by the second.
"You don't know how it feels to lose someone close to you," said Brian.
AJ was now furious. Howie, Nick, and Tomi came out but didn't say anything. "Well since I'm too stupid to understand things like that, and since you're such an expert at it, why don't you explain it to me?" said AJ.
"I didn't mean it like that..." said Brian.
"The hell you didn't. Because you lost your parents, you think you know everything about these things! Not everyone is like you Brian," said AJ, his voice getting louder and louder.
"Don't talk about my parents," said Brian, getting a little mad himself.
"Since you're such an expert at this, tell me how it feels," demanded AJ again.
"AJ, that's enough," warned Howie.
"Stay out of it, D," snapped AJ.
Brian tried to stay calm, "All I'm saying is that sometimes you want to be alone in times like this. I'll keep an eye on him for now," said Brian.
"We can't just leave him like this!" said AJ, highly dissatisfied with Brian's decision.
"Well maybe you need to stay out of other people's business sometimes, AJ," said Brian, not meaning what he just said. He realized he just added fuel to the fire and made things worse. But it was too late. AJ furiously pushed Brian back a little bit. Before anything else could happen, Nick got between the two and broke them up.
"Come on guys, please!" said Nick. AJ pushed Nick slightly forward and muttered something under his breath then walked off forgetting the fact that his car was there. Brian also walked off in the other direction. Nick, Tomi, and Howie once again felt helpless.
AJ stomped back toward Howie and said, "Come on D, we're going home. Give me my keys." Howie did as he was asked and AJ hopped into his car. The three stood in the very uncomfortable air, speechless. They tried to comprehend everything that just happened. It was enough that they lost someone they loved, but things seemed to be going downhill at an alarming rate.
"Exactly what just happened?" asked Tomi.
"I think we just saw our group fall apart...." said Howie.