Through his haze he heard the phone ringing. Fumbling to shut it off he reached out with his hand, still not opening his eyes. All he managed was to do was swipe off a glass of water and his clock off the bedstand.
"Shit," Nick mumbled as he scanned the mess that he had created on the floor. 'The maid is going to be so happy, not to mention Kevin,' he thought darkly. Opening his eyes a bit more he noticed that he wasnīt in any hotel and that he was in his own room in outside Tampa, Florida.
Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he tried to get his mind to work, when he was rudely interrupted by his sister BJ calling, "Nick phone!" Ignoring that he sank down further in bed. Much too tired to deal with anyone.
"Nick did you hear me?" BJ called out again and Nick put the pillow over his head, trying to block out the sounds. When that didnīt work and she was still calling his name, just to spite him since she knew how much he hated when people talked in the morning, he barked, "SHUT UP!"
His sister didnīt pay much attention to her brothers outrage and she set her footsteps towards his room. He groaned loudly. Who in their right mind had the nerve to call him in the early morning? On his day off, which was so rare. Tomorrow they were going to go on a hectic European tour for two months so at least they could have the sense not to disturb him.
When he made no move to go downstairs the door banged open revealing his sister , "Are you deaf or something? I said that you had a phone call." She handed him the hated device.
He asked grumpily, "Who is it?"
"AJ," she said shortly, "It sounded urgent."
Nick groaned. It was always urgent with Bone. Still it had him a bit surprised, he wasnīt much of a morning person so it had to be something special.
"Okay," he muttered as he snapped into the phone, "What?"
He waved with his hand to BJ to leave the room, getting a glare back and when she didnīt make any move he picked up his pillow and tossed at her, hitting the head. "Move," he mouthed and she stuck out her tounge. God how he wished that he could have been left alone.
"Jeeze, you didnīt have to bite off my head," AJ said sounding a bit hurt.
Realizing that he had crossed a line he muttered, "Sorry."
"S'okey, so did I wake you up Kaos?" AJ laughed, no doubt mission accomplished.
"What do you think?" he snapped back.
"Ouch..touchy, touchy, I think that someone woke up on the wrong side today."
Ignoring the last comment Nick said sourly, "What do YOU want?"
"Johnny and Lou called and said that they wanted to meet us in Orlando. It was urgent."
"Not a chance, Iīm gonna spend my time with my family," Nick said with a yawn. In fact he had planned to spend his time in bed, playing Nintendo and eating chips and popcorn. Screw the management, beside Manda had said that he looked perfect and that he didnīt need to loose any weight. She was a real hottie so she had to be right.
ī "Nick didnīt you hear they said that we had to be ther by noon."
"Noon!! Are you wack?" Nick screamed, there was no way that he would go and sit in a car and drive that hour long trip to Orlando. On a day off! No way, he rather he was kicked out of the group.
"Yup, tweleve a clock. And for the record, you ainīt the only one that is pissed over this decision. I was laying here in bed with a pretty blonde by my side and.."
"Blonde?" Nick interrupted his friend, "Isnīt Amanda dark haired?" He was certain that AJ was fooling around again. And now he was busted.
"She colored it," he said quickly. "Anyway then.."
But Nick wasnīt aout to drop the subject. "Does Amanda knows that you're cheating on her?"
"None of your business," Aj sneered, clearly wanting to change the subject. " Anyway you have to get your ass down there. B'rok and Train is coming too."
"All the way from Lexington?" Now Nick was surprised. "Wow it has to be really urgent."
"Yup, so you better get your fat ass over here or your ass is grass."
Thinking for a while Nick said, " You guys have to do without me today. I donīt feel too good."
The last comment had his friend upset, "Listen dipshit, you donīt fuck up by not coming. You will destroy this band if you continue this "Itīs so sorry for me" attitude."
"Well I still ainīt going." Nick felt stubborn. Management had been on his case all the time and for once he felt that he couldnīt bare to deal with them chewing him out again.
"Yes you are. Johnny made clear that the only thing acceptable was our own deaths!"
" But Bone," Nick felt whiny, "It is our day off and I need the rest, besides I havenīt been feeling too well lately."
A sigh was heard on the other line, " Yeah I know, but if you stay home donīt expect any help from me.
"Awww man," Nick caught a glare at the clock that was laying on the floor, "Then I have to leave like soon, fuck," he mumbled more to himself than anyone, "that sucks."
"I hope your mother didnīt hear you say that," AJ teased him with a laughter. "So are you coming or not."
Torn between his own will to stay put and the management he sighed deeply as he rubbed his face with his hand. He was so tired and turning back to bed looked more than tempting. Surrendering under the pressure he murmured, "Okay, tell Lou that Iīm on my way then."
"Great man," AJ sounded relieved, "then Iīll see you in a few."
"Mhm.." Nick closed his eyes as he was almost already back into the land of sleep.
It was like AJ sensed that Nick was heading back to sleep again since he called out, "Hey Kaos."
"Wha..what?" Nick jerked. He had momentarily fallen asleep.
"Donīt you dare to go back to sleep, or your ass is toast. Comprendre?"
" Yeah, yeah, sure," Nick mumbled already half way into Lala land, and as soon as they hung up he laid down on the bed again. " I just need an eye shut," he mumbled as he pulled the blanket over him. It didnīt take long before he was sleeping safe and sound.
He must have slept for quite awhile since the sun was high on the sky when he woke up. Sitting up in bed Nick glanced at the clock. It read 1:15 pm so this meant that he was more than an hour late to the meeting. Surprised that no one had called him he decided to go downstairs, his stomach was growling from hunger.
It was quiet in the house, which was much of a surprise since silence was not something that was often heard of in the Carter household. His siblings were often involved in loud fights between each other, and they often had friends over. It was not an unlikely situation that Jane had at least 3 extra kids everyday.
Enjoying the silence Nick walked straight to the refridgerator since his stomach was rumbling with hunger by now. The stomach ache that he had suffered on and off the past week had mysteriously disappeared and he blamed it on having nerves. He also got some well needed privacy. Opening the refridgerator door he scanned the shelves for something edible. To his delight he noticed that it was well stocked and he picked out some dishes and a tub of butter. Carrying it, together with a white bread roll he walked into the livingroom and sank down in the family couch.
After making 3 sandwiches full with all sorts of things he sank comortably back in the couch, feet flopped up on the armchair beside him and turned on the tv. There was nothing to watch and Nick hated soap operas and Ricky Lake. The only time he watched crap like this was when he was sick and then he was usually too ill to care what he was watching. He could never figure out how anyone could be stupid enough to volunteer telling the whole world about their sexlife and so on. Eyeing it wearily he dug into his breakfast.
Grinning, he thought that his managers would freak if they saw what he was stuffing into his mouth. They wanted to put him on lettuce diet but to that he just gave the finger. No one had ever complained about his weight before and to him he looked like he had always done. He couldnīt understand how teenage girls went totally out of it when he showed his face to them. It was sick. He shook his head at the memory over how attacked they had been the last time they went to Europe. Girls clinging on them, taking photos and filming every step they took.
Management had decided that they needed bodyguards on this trip since the fans in Europe were totally wild. Nick's bodyguard was named Frank and he would meet them in Frankfurt when they flew in tomorrow.
These three days off from "work" had done him good and his new girlfriend Manda had been at the beach most of the time. He really wished that she could come with him touring since the other guys often had their girlfriends with them. But management had been specific about this one. NO girls were allowed to come with them on this European tour. It could hurt the business if the fans found out that they were all taken, all except Howie who was still dating around, looking for the right girl as he put it.
The management wanted to keep Manda as a secret as long as they possible could. The fans could start loosing interest in the group if they found out that their young and blonde heartrob was already taken. Nick was promoted as the innocent and young boy and if it came out that he had been drunk as well as was not a virgin anymore they would completly freak. Nick thought it was upsetting. After all he was an eighteen year old teenage guy with raging hormones and therefore he was just acting like his age. But management wanted him still to be the fifteen year old guy that the fans had fallen for once. When he had objected to this, saying that he thought that he would have to betray the fans the management had gotten pissed and told him that he better not reveal Manda to ANYONE!
With a sigh Nick flipped through the channels on the remote as he took another bite of the bread. For the first time he felt totally relaxed. No one was bugging him, making him say or do something. He didnīt have to deal with sharing time with four other dudes. Management wasnīt in his hair and he had no obligations. That is if you didnīt count that he had actually skipped an "important" meeting.
The last thought made his stomach ache. He would have to deal with the management later. Hopefully it wouldnīt have to be so big since Johnny was generally a pretty nice guy that knew that Nick needed some space and privacy. But something had been bugging the dark man lately and he was more tense than ever. Kevin said that it was because another group Nīsync was also trying to win over the European fans.
Nick had met the guys a couple of times and even if the press said that they were rivals he still thought that they were pretty nice. Especially Chris who had gone to the same highschool as sweet D'.
Lou Perlman was another story. He was being a total jackass in Nick's opinion. Acting like he was being really nice one second, just like a would snake strike with his venom when you least expected it. He had told everybody that he was the boys father and that he had created them and loved them like his own sons. Nothing could be more bullshit than that. It was all business to Mr. Pearlman and Nick doubted that he had any feelings at all for them.
Shuddering, he remembered when he had been sick as a dog on stage and Lou had still made him perform. His gut had been on total fire since he had eaten something that had gone bad. In between dress changes he had used the toilet in more than one way and he had been too weak to even stand. Yet he was forced to go on. Finally Nick couldnīt take it any longer and when he barely made it backstage for another round he had pulled out of the show. Kevin and Brian had been so upset, threatning to call their parents and tell them how bad they were treated. Lou just shrugged, telling them that it was like this in show business and if they couldnīt cope with it they could go.
Suddenly a sharp signal broke his thoughts. Staring at the phone he hesitated. Should he answer, or let it be? He had no strength to deal with an upset Lou or Johnny, yet it could be someone else like his parents wanting him something.
Slowly he picked up the phone, "Yeah," he murmured. He had barely finshed the last letter when an angry voice interupted him, yelling in his ear.
"CAAARTTTEEEER!" It was Johnny that had worked up quite a temper and Nick draw his breath as he heard, "Shouldnīt you be at this meeting?"
"Eh..uh.." Nick mumbled.
"Then where the hell are you???" the dark man shouted so Nick had to hold the receiver far away from his ears or he would have gone deaf.
"Um..Iīm not feeling well," Nick lied.
Johnny didnīt buy it so he said, "Cut the crap Nick. You told AJ that you were going to come to this meeting, didnīt you?" The tone of his managers voice was soft until he suddenly drew his breath in, "SO GET YOUR FUCKING ASS UP HERE NOW!"
Nick knew that it often sounded worse than it really was when Johnny barked, still he felt like a three year old. Tears started to burn in his eyes, both from anger but also from feeling small and useless.
"Iīm sorry," he mumbled, "But..but I started to feel sick and.." He was once again rudely interupted. His hopes that Johnny's temper would lessen when he heard that the teen wasnīt at his best was soon crashed.
"Sick," his manager muttered, "youīre always sick." Then there were a brief pause.
Holding his breath Nick hoped that this was it and that his manager wasnīt going to chew him out anymore. But when had Nick Carter ever been right? Before he had a chance to say anything another man burst into the phone. Lou!
"Nick didnīt I make myself clear that you had obligations to tend to?" Lou said with that voice that only Lou could muster. The voice that sent chills down Nick's spine. Made him feel smaller than a little kid.
"Eh..I..I," Nick started to stutter. He always did when he felt unsecure, and he hated it. Why couldnīt he be cool like AJ? Who always seemed to know what to say. No insted he mumbled something uncoherent making the person even more upset with him.
"Nick you heard what I said right?" Lou was not letting the subject drop.
"Ye..yes."
"Good, then why arenīt you here now? Do you get off or something by disobeying orders?" The voice was calm, yet hard.
"I..I..N..No.," Nick hesitated. What direction was Lou going in?
"Then start acting your age and do what you are told to do. Iīm tired of that you can think that you are taking the short cut all the time. If you think that being in this business is a holiday then you better rethink your decisions." Lou spoke with authority and Nick felt himself shrinking. He didnīt have time to answer before Lou continued, "Nick I am just saying this to you once; You better shape up that attitude of yours or you can say goodbye to the boys."
This wasnīt fair! Nick felt close to tears.He wanted to object yet he knew that it never paid off mouthing off to Mr. Lou Pearlman. Therefore he kept his mouth shut, wanting to scream inside.
When Nick didnīt respond he said, "Are you listening to what I am saying?"
"Ye..yes," Nick stuttered, "But I was sick," he tried to defend himself.
Lou, however, didnīt listen at all, instead he said, "The van will be at your house tomorrow at six am. Sharp! And Nick.." There was a warning in the managers voice, "If you dont show up exactly on time you don't have to bother to show up anything more either. Understood?"
"Yes."
"And Nick, just for the record, remember what we talked about earlier, that you still need to be on that diet. Canīt let the girls think you are fat can we?" Lou chuckled.
"No..Nooo,"Nick wanted to slap his head. How could he be so stupid that he never said or did anything in a pressed sitiation? Instead he clamped shut or stuttered like some damn idiot.
"Good then we understand each other. Then Iīll see you tomorrow. Bye Nick." With that Lou hung up as fast as he had come on. Totally empty inside Nick stared at the phone in his hand. Lou had said that if he didnīt shape up his act he would be kicked out of the band. The mere threat of something like this made his stomach churn. They were trying to control his life.
What would he be without the boys? Without the fans? Just a nobody! A total loser.
Suddenly he felt anger flare up inside him. What business did they have in controlling his life? Management had been on his case for a very long time now and he was sick and tired of kissing up to them. Standing up, he wiped his tears off with the back of his hand. The more he thought about how badly treated he was, the more angry he became.
Rushing into the kitchen he opened up the cupboard and started to pull out all sorts of goodies. His mother had always a stock of twinkies and he pulled them out on the kitchen table. Tearing up the plastic with his teeth he opened one twinkie package after another and then stuffed his mouth full.
He would show them who was in control now!
