Nick glanced at his digital watch. 2:30. Just a few more hours he told himself. He didn’t dare to sleep. He might oversleep and miss his flight. If he had turned on the alarm clock, it would wake Brian. So he had no other choice but to stay up the whole night. He’d tried everything to make himself self-conscience, slapping himself, pinching himself, reading Brian’s Bible, only that seemed to have made him want to sleep more than stay awake. He sighed quietly to himself and placed the thick book on the floor. They were in the hotel, sharing a room with Brian, he wished more than anything to have had a private room. If he told Brian exactly what he was going to do, then he was to disagree for sure. Nick ran his fingers through his tangled uncombed blonde hair feeling stressed and pressured with questions like, ‘What in the world am I doing?’. He didn’t know. Nick glanced at his watch again for what seemed like the fifteenth million time, 2:32. “Great, it’s only been 2 minutes and it already felt like an hour,” he muttered.
Brian stirred in his sleep.
Nick held in his breath as if it might disturb Brian and awake him.
Brian rolled over onto his other side, his back facing Nick.
He took another look at his watch, 2:35. It was going to be a long few hours.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
The sound of coins startled her. She looked up. A passing man with his wife looked down pitifully at her and she noticed a few coins in front of her on the pavement. Before she had a chance to say anything, they had already walked away. She picked up the coins and counted how much there was. Five dollars. Her stomach growled hungrily as she touched it as if it were in pain. Another few passing people dropped her another few coins and a bill. I guess sleeping in public has it’s advantages and disadvantages she thought. Counting her money, she realized that if she continued to stay, then she would probably earn even more money. She smiled slightly and pretended to faint in exhaustion.
A passing couple ‘awwed’ at her in sympathy and placed a 5 dollar bill in front of her.
This was exactly what she wanted.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Promptly at 4 am, Nick dragged himself out of bed and picked up the clothes he laid on the chair last night. Tip toeing into the bathroom, he gave Brian one last glance to see if he was awake or not. He couldn’t tell if he was or not because he had rolled onto his other side again. Turning on the tap as quiet as he could, he stepped in.
Fifteen minutes later, Nick was standing outside the bathroom, half naked. Hot water trickled down his body, his face as he grabbed his towel, the only material covering his lower body and began wiping down his body.
“Are you leaving now?”
Nick looked up and saw that Brian had awaken. “You’re not going to try and stop me are you? ‘Cause if you are, then there is no way that I am ever going to speak to you again.”
“Nick,” Brian stood up, “I just want you to know that no matter whatever happens, you will always be my best friend. I might sometimes think that your decisions are a bit impulsive but I will always respect your decision. I know that lately, we weren’t the best of friends, and I just don’t want you to think that I’ll go against you or anything. I just want us to be like we were before. Please Nick, I know that I was wrong to have not trusted your decision, would you please forgive me and let me be your best friend again?” Brian asked, he had tears in his eyes.
Nick stood frozen, a tear trickling down his left cheek. He sniffed and walked over to Brian and gave him a huge bear hug. “Thanks Bri, I really needed for someone to be with me, supporting me. I’m glad someone knows. These few days have been like hell. I was so confused… I didn’t know what to do. There’s this power that she has over me, and I’m kind of scared of it. It’s like… I’m attracted to her too much or something, I know this sounds stupid but believe me, it’s true. I don’t know what came over me as to miss something as big as the biggest concert on earth, and we’re performing it, but I know that if I don’t see her, I can just like, die…” he drifted off, loosening his grip.
“Nick, I know that this isn’t some game of yours, you wouldn’t do anything as stupid as that, and I know that whatever you sacrifice, you’ll get in return. I promise you I won’t tell the guys about you. Hey, look at the time, it’s 5! You better get going, or else you’ll miss your flight,” he patted Nick on the shoulder, his towel fell off, “And uh, I think you better get dressed as well before the mad fans come barging into the room to catch a glance of your…” he laughed it off.
Nick grinned while putting on his clothes, “I guess I’ll just have to use Tyke to get me out of the picture eh, Bri?” Brian smiled in reply, “And oh, could you help me grab that please? I really have to go now.”
Brian glanced over his shoulder and noticed a black leather bag sitting on the table next to him,” When did you pack this?” he asked.
“Oh that, I got that done during the first half hour you were asleep. Getting through the rest of the night without falling asleep or waking you up was the hard bit,” Nick took the bag from Brian, “Well I think I should be going now.”
“Good luck Nick, I mean it. I hope you find her and bring her back.”
Nick nodded in reply, “I hope so too.” He walked towards the door with Brian following closely behind. Before stepping out the opened door, he turned around, “And you’ll always be my best friend Bri, no matter what,” he hugged his best friend once more and waved a goodbye.