"I don't wanna, just go without me," Nick begged as he rolled away from AJ's voice, drawing the covers up tighter against his neck.
"You have to, there's no want to in this Nick!"
"I don't care," Nick whined.
"Yes you do care. We let you sleep in this morning and skip breakfast, which I'm still having a hard time figuring out that you, of all people would want to skip breakfast," AJ said half to himself as he jiggled the door knob. "Come on, get your lazy butt over here and open this door!"
Nick slowly dragged himself out of bed and quickly unlocked the adjoining door and dove back into the bed. He moaned when he heard AJ opening and slamming dresser drawers and then as the clothes hit his body when they were thrown on the bed.
"Now, do everyone a big favor and get your ass out of bed so we can get this PR meeting over with, comprende?"
Nick didn't have to look at AJ's face when the words were directed towards him, he could tell by the sound of the man's voice that his face showed anything but sympathy. He dragged himself out of bed and wandered towards the bathroom.
The chiming of Nick's cell phone pierced the silence.
"Catchy ring," AJ teased, rolling his eyes.
"Tell them I died and went to hell!" Nick leaned out, toothbrush sticking out of his foamy mouth. "I don't want to talk to anyone."
AJ rolled his eyes again and clicked on the phone. "Yeah?.......nope don't worry, I'm making progress, he's brushing his teeth.....The kid's gonna get dressed and we should be down in about 5." AJ folded the phone back up and tossed it on the bed. "Three guesses who that was."
"Kevin."
"Wow, right on the first try, I'm impressed! He said hurry your fuckin' ass up, people are waiting."
Nick sighed. "He didn't say fuckin' ass."
AJ cocked his head to one side, lowering his trademark sunglasses as he watched Nick fumble with the buttons on his shirt. "True, but seriously, Kevin is way too business like all the damn time."
"I think it's got something to do with Kentucky or something, cause Brian's the same way."
AJ folded his arms impatiently across his chest. "Hey are you ready yet? I'll call in detail so we can go," he offered as he started to walk towards the phone.
"Skip security, I really doubt there are any mobs of fans out there waiting for us right now, besides, we haven't been here in this hotel that long," Nick protested.
AJ shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself, but if we get nailed, it's your fault and I'm not bailing your ass out, it's gonna be every man for himself."
Nick ducked his head out the open door, looking right and left down the hall. Satisfied that there wasn’t anybody around, he motioned with his hand. “Coast is clear, let’s go.”
“I thought you weren’t worried,” AJ called out, amusement playing in his voice.
“I wasn’t, but a guy can never be too cautious,” Nick replied as he punched the elevator button.
The elevator ride was uneventful and when it was time to get off the car and walk to the conference room, Nick lagged behind. AJ turned around and grabbed the young man’s arm and jerked him towards their destination. “I don’t have time for this shit Nick, I’ve got plans to go shopping with Howie, don’t fuck this up for me again, okay?”
Walking into the conference room, Nick felt all the eyes directed at him.
“So glad you could finally grace us with your presence, Nick,” Johnny hissed as he motioned for them to sit down.
Nick forced a smile. “Sorry.”
“I’ve taken the liberty of having this meeting catered, so I’ve ordered your lunches ahead of time, I’ll go let the kitchen know we’re ready to be served,” Johnny advised, and left the room.
“I’m starving,” Nick remarked, rubbing his stomach, which seemed to growl in reply.
“Don’t get your hopes up, hotel food sucks,” AJ pointed out and with tightwad Lou and Johnny taking care of expenses, we’ll probably have grilled cheese and potato chips.”
“That’s fine by me, I’m starved,” Nick repeated.
Johnny re-entered the room flanked by two women from the kitchen carrying trays with covered platters on them. Johnny laid blue folders at each place setting and talked as he walked around the table. He stopped briefly and whispered to one of the women and gestured at the table. The woman nodded and walked over towards the table with two platters in her hand.
“The folders I’m handing out to you, outlines our schedule for the next six months. It also outlines the expectations of how you are to conduct yourselves during the tour as well as the tour schedule and venue list,” Johnny droned in a mono toned voice.
“Well, well, well, it ain’t grilled cheese,” AJ grinned as he lifted the cover off his plate.
Nick’s mouth watered as he looked over at AJ’s plate that held a cheeseburger, french fries and sliced pickle garnishes. Rubbing his hands together, he eagerly lifted the cover from his plate. The smile that was on his face two seconds ago, vanished. Instead of looking down at a delicious, greasy cheeseburger, Nick’s eyes were met with a tossed salad, cup of dressing on the side.
“Salad?” AJ cackled as he looked at Nick’s plate.
Nick quickly looked around the table and noted that each of the guys had cheeseburgers. He narrowed his eyes at Johnny. “Is this some kind of a joke or something?”
Johnny plunged several fries from his own plate into ketchup and shoved them into his mouth. “No it’s not, is there something wrong with your plate?”
Feeling the tears stinging in his eyes, Nick bit his lip, trying to keep his emotions in check. He looked around the table again and back again at his own plate. Suddenly, all the words that were spoken by Lou and Johnny rang through his mind. He scooted his chair back and jumped up, knocking the chair over.
”Hey! We’re not done here, where are you going?” Johnny called out as Nick fumbled with the handle on the door and shoved it open.
Brian made an attempt to go after Nick, but the firm hand that was placed on his arm by Kevin, held him back in his seat.
“Let him go,” Kevin stated in a quiet voice.
Darting out of the front entrance of the hotel, Nick ran as fast as he could, ignoring the shouts and screams of fans that had camped out by the door. His goal was only halfway down the block and Nick knew that he was taking a big risk going outside without any detail going with him, but this was something he had to do on his own.
Yanking the door open to the McDonald’s and brushing past surprised people, Nick approached the counter, an entorage of fans behind him.
The older woman that stood behind the counter didn’t recognize Nick and seemed a bit baffled by the throng of anxious teens that stood in a cluster behind him. She was the manager and looked around him for a moment.
“Is there a bus?” she asked.
Nick looked at her puzzled. “What?”
“Did all of you come on a bus?” she repeated her question.
Not realizing the woman didn’t know who he was, Nick rolled his eyes. “Yeah we came on a bus.”
Upon hearing Nick’s response, first the woman mumbled “crap” and then she turned around. “I need twenty patties and 4-1 fries!”
Nick shifted the weight on his feet nervously. “Whoa.... whoa, I just want some cheeseburgers for myself.”
“I know, I’m ready to take your order,” she stated with a phoney smile as she held a finger over the keys.
“Okay, three double cheeseburgers, two supersize fries, large chocolate shake and three apple pies, to go,” Nick responded, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.
After the money was exchanged, Nick waited nervously as the order was prepared. He didn’t dare turn around to see what was behind him.
“Are you getting something for AJ?” a young voice nervously called out from behind.
Nick closed his eyes and shook his head.
“I bet he’s picking stuff up for all the guys,” another voice decided.
“Why is he ignoring us? I thought he was nice to the fans!”
“Maybe he wants to be left alone!”
As the bags were placed on the counter, Nick quickly scooped them up and made a hasty dash towards the exit, pushing past the swelling group of girls that practically filled up the lobby of the restaurant.
Ignoring the stitch of pain he was getting in his side from running, Nick continued his sprint towards the hotel and raced through the lobby towards the elevators, girls running behind him, hotel management yelling at the group.
Gasping for air as he waited, he debated about taking the stairs to his room but dismissed the thought when he realized he would have to go up nine flights of steps. The elevator finally arrived and Nick dashed in, and quickly pressed his floor number then a couple of extra numbers above his floor to throw the girls off.
He was relieved when the elevator finally arrived on the ninth floor and Nick walked calmly to his room, juggling the bags trying to slide the room card in the slot. Once safely inside, he flipped on the television and laid his treasure across the bed.
At first Nick was eating to satisfy his hunger but after the second cheeseburger, he was full. Thoughts of his private meeting with Lou and Johnny echoed in his head. Pushing himself past full, Nick continued eating, not caring about the consequences.
