This was part of why Kevin was in the business, no correction it was the reason why Kevin was in the game. It was all for the fans. Entertaining for them, even if there were times when it all became too much. Today hundreds of girls and some boys too, had gathered in the music store to get a glimpse of their favorite band. The room was packed with people and the noise reached levels that were unbelievable. It was hot and stuffy in the room and Kevin reached for the waterbottle. Taking a swig he watched as the girl in braces got a huge smile in her face.
"Oh thank you..thank you so very very much," the girl squealed as she took the paper like it was the most valuable thing in the world. "I love you." He chuckled slightly since she instantly turned to her friend and said in a dreaming voice, "Ohhh isn´t he sooo gorgeous?" Her friend, also in her early teens responded with a giggle and then they left the scene almost backing out from the store just to get one last eye at their idol.
Kevin shook his head, stifling another chuckle before turning back to the crowd again. Another piece of paper was handed to him and he was just about to grab it when he heard AJ´s hoarse voice sound through the room, like a yell," Nick!"
Turining his head to give a reprimand to the younger man while his mind was constantly trying to figure out what the blonde was up to this time, he saw that AJ stood up by the table. Shaking his head in disapproval, he thought that the two of them had a habit of acting immature, especially Nick and for some strange reason all kinds of outbursts and embarrassing scenes were played whenever they were in the public eye. This was no exception.
To his disgust, he noticed that Nick was nowhere in sight and he was just about to open his mouth to ask what the hell they were doing when he spotted the boy in question. There on the floor was Nick, he was staggering like a drunk towards the exit. Opening his mouth he was about to ask what the teen was doing away from the safety of the table when he noticed the teen’s complexion. It was chalky white and there were beads of sweat pearling on Nick’s forehead like waterdrops.
Before he had a chance to call out to Nick he noticed the teen falter once more, reaching for his forehead like he was in pain and then within seconds it happend. Nicks legs gave away and like a drama queen in a novel he sank down to the floor and in reflex, Kevin reached out his hand to help while he watched Nick hitting the floor in slow motion.
Never in his life had Kevin been so quick in his moves. With a swift jump he moved over the table, nealy knocking down some fans in the process. Seconds later he was at his friend’s side, hunched down, checking for signs of life.
To his relief he noticed that the teen had only passed out, just like he suspected and soon he was joined by both AJ and Howie as well as hundreds of girls wanting to see what happend to the Backstreet Baby. " Niiicckkk!" Brian’s scream echoed through the room as he was also taking in the situation and doing his best to reach his friend. Girls were clinging to him like blotting paper so it was not an easy task to do.
Within a minute the whole area was declared a disaster site since the girls were doing their best to reach the idols that were on the floor, hunched down beside their little brother. Security was having a tough job pushing the fans away and there were more than a few harsh words being said.
Total turmoil.
"Oh my God what happend?" Brian asked, kneeling down by his friend. He was obviously in a state of shock and he held Nick’s hand like it was for dear life. Hard. "He passed out, what did you think happened?" AJ muttered, sounding annoyed when he in reality was just as worried as the rest of them but not inclined to show it since it would destroy his calm and cool image. Somehow he didn´t think that him breaking up infront of hundreds of girls was really appropriate so therefore he held a cold attitude. "Dumbass."
Brian glared at AJ before asking, "Why didn´t he tell us that he was feeling sick?" He shook his head in disbelief before continuing, "Kaos why do you always have to be so stubborn?"
Howie was the one to respond, "But Brian he did. He did say it, but we didn´t listen." He sighed deeply before adding with a shaky voice, "I told all of you that he was sick..but did you guys listen to me? NOOO!!!"
"Stop it D'" Kevin said, glancing around in the room, not wanting to create a bigger scene then there was. "This is not a time to dwell in self pity. We have to get Nick off this floor now."
"Yeah before the press comes," Brian said with sarcasm. "Heaven forbid that they find out that we have busted our asses off." He said with a mocking voice, "I can just see the headlines: Backstreet Boys fainting due to exhaustion, or even worse, Drug abuse."
"B'rok!" Kevin shook his head towards his cousin, wanting him to stop before too many people would hear the dispute that was unfolding on the floor.
Howie saw this as an opportunity to give some guilt to the rest of them, "Well if you had listened he would.." A loud growl from AJ interrupted his words, "D' Snap out of it!"
To say that the situation was stressful would be an understatement.
Since neither Johnny nor Lou was anywhere in sight, Kevin took hold of the situation. He felt Nick’s pulse which was fast and then his forehead. "Damn." The kid was burning up.
"What?" Both Howie and Brian stopped their discussion over which was the best listener as Kevin caught their attention. "What is it?"
"He´s hot as an oven..with fever."
"Maaan." The three men said in unison.
"No wonder that he was acting so strange," AJ muttered more to himself then to anyone else. "He was strange even for being Kaos."
Now it was Kevin’s turn to catch a glare to his friend and he said, "Bone knock it off. We have enough trouble as it is and we don´t need you mocking Nick."Getting a snort back he continued, "We have to get him away from here. Get him to a couch in a backroom."
"And how the hell are we suppose to do that?" AJ asked showing with his hands towards the screaming crowd. It was hysteria on the floor.
"Let´s talk to Nick’s bodyguard Thomas," Howie suggested and so they did. Brian had a few words with the broad man and with a nod he agreed to help them out, but it was a difficult mission since the human fence that they had build up around the guys was starting to burst and soon the fans were in the process of crushing the boys.
The fans were doing what they could to get to their boyband. Some girls were screaming, calling out for Nick while others were crying and yet another bunch were down right hysterical. Security shouted to the crowd to back off, but it was futile since they couldn´t be heard above all the noise. It was not only the guys that were in a pressed situation the same went for the fans since the pressure was causing people to follow Nick’s example by fainting and some had to be dragged out of the crowd since they were almost stepped on to death.
The scary part was that it had all happened in a matter of minutes and now it was like a warzone. The press had also gotten wind off this, mainly beacuse some of the magazines were there to interview the fans about their idols. Now reporters were snapping pictures trying to get to the guys also. It was in all this turmoil that Nick was slowly starting to wake up. To regain consciousness.
It was all in such a haze. Opening his eyes Nick noticed that he was not in the music store anymore, signing CDs, instead he was laying on a hard leather couch in an office. Blinking Nick looked around in the room. He felt a bit disoriented and he was trying hard to remember what had happened. To his relief he found that he wasn´t alone and that all of his brothers were there in the room with him. Grateful over this Nick closed his eyes again and then sank back to the darkness, but not for long. A pounding sensation in his head made him wake up again. The harsh light was too bright for his sensitive eyes and he leaned one arm over his eyes, protectively. Groaning, he made himself known.
From a distance he heard the words, "He´s awake," then there was rustling and someone came by his side. "Hey champ how are you doing?" Howie’s warm brown eyes swam into focus.
Another groan. He was definatly not in any mood to talk yet he had to find out what he was doing in this office. It was all such a blur and the more he tried to think the more his head ached. "Wha..what happend?" he mumbled weakly trying to stifle a cough that wase threatning to erupt from his lungs.
"You passed out." Kevin was there too.
"Uh huh." Nick shifted on the couch, trying to find a comfortable spot but failed since his limbs ached too much. He moaned again.
"How are you doing Frack?" Brian hunched down beside him, frowning. "Man you gave us quite a scare."
"Really?" Nick asked weakly then he continued, "my head hurts."
The guys looked at him with compassion, "Sorry there aren’t any Tylenols here but we’ll get you some once we’re back to the hotel, ok?" Howie looked appologetical.
"Sss...it´s ok," Nick mumbled, wetting his parched lips. "Man I´m thirsty."
"Ok," Before Nick had a chance to react Brian was there with a cold glass of water, handing it to Howie who helped him sit up with one arm, "Here you go." Howie handed the glass to Nick who took it with shaky hands, "Think you can manage?"
"Yeah..yeah I´m not a baby you know." Nick smiled weakly while he procceded to take a few gulps.
"Take it easy, " Kevin directed from the back. Nick was just going to comment back that he was all right when he broke out in a bad coughing fit. Once he was done he noticed that all, including AJ was standing next to him with a concerned expression in their eyes. Wiping the tears off his face he said, "Man you´re acting like I´m dying or something. Chill out."
"It sure sounded like it," AJ muttered a bit disgusted. The ratteling cough reminded him of phlegm and it was turning his complexion into a shady shade of green, bile green. "Why didn´t you tell us that you were feeling like shit?"
Howie feeling Nick tensing up, cajoled softly as he rubbed the teen’s back from the previous coughing fit, "Shhh take it easy." He tried to help Nick to lay back down again but it was futile. The teen was much too agitated.
"I did!"
"No you didn´t," Brian was there too with a hint of accusation even though he clearly knew that Nick was not up to any word fights. It was the winner inside of Brian that had to have it right and therefore he started the battle without even thinking what he was doing. "You should have told us that you felt this bad and then we could have tried getting Lou and Johnny out of this deal."
"Fat chance," Nick mumbled upon hearing those words, "like they would have listened to me?"
"You can´t keep it all inside of you," Brian continued, not hearing what Nick was trying to say, "if you feel sick and wanna get off something you have to speak up and say it.. we´re not mind readers you know."
This was just adding more fuel to the fire.
"I did," Nick’s voice went up an octave. "I told you all but you didn´t listen. I said that I wasn´t feeling good, that my stomach hurt."
"Your stomach always hurt," AJ explained. "We thought that you were just your usual whiny self." If Nick hadn´t felt so weak he wouldn´t have thought a second time before hitting the older boy straight in his face. How rude to be calling him a whiny ass!
Sitting up straighter in bed despite Howies attempt to calm down Nick yelled hoarshly, "You all thought I was lying? Didn´t you?"
Now both Kevin and Howie were doing their best to calm the annoyed teenager down. "Hush..cool it. You’ll only work yourself up higher fever by getting mad." Kevin was grabbing Nick’s arm and together with Howie he tried to get the blonde to lay down on the couch again. "Come on."
"NO!" Nick was stiff like a pole. He shook off Kevin’s arm and then glared irritated at his bandbrothers. "You all thought I was bullshitting you, didn´t you?" When no one responded he repeated again, "Didn´t you..huh?"
"Calm down you’ll make yourself even more sick than before." This time it was Brian who was there with his arm, but Nick slapped it away like it was a fly. With venom dripping in his voice he asked accussingly, "How could you...How could you do that?"
They shifted uneasily infront of the teen. The scary part was that he was right, they had all neglected their friend’s attempts to communicate with them. Telling them that he was feeling sick. AJ was the first to say something, "Because you usually are saying you’re sick Kaos."
Kevin glared hard at AJ, "Shut up!" The skinny man didn´t want to hear anything like that and he said with a rasied voice, "What the fuck?..hey you all use to say that Nick complains all the time. You all say that he is a whimpy baby that isn´t even fit to wipe his own ass."
"We do not!" Howie sounded mad.
"No Bone I haven´t said anything like that," Brian declared giving away a hard stare.
"Ok..Ok.." AJ held up his hands in defeat, "Ok maybe not in so many words...but you all know what I mean and you all think that way." He stopped to look at the rest of the guys, all but Nick who he avoided. "You all say that the dude complains waaaay too much." He was doing his best to defend himself. This however put fire in the machinery.
"See," Nick yelled, "You don´t believe me. You never trust me." His face was red with a mixture of anger and fever. "You think that whenever I say something I´m lying and.."
Nick was firing up ammunition when Brian cut in, "Don´t listen to Bone. He knows what to say to get you all fired up. And now you´re buying all that he is saying." He ignored the hard stare that AJ sent out from his side of the room. Turning to Nick he continued, "I´m sorry Frack that I didn´t believe you when you said that you were not feeling good, but Bone is right," he tossed a quick glance towards the skinny man who looked more satisfied than before. "You have had so many ailments and germs in the past that we never know when it’s something serious. I thought that you were just trying to get out of work."
"Yeah like that time in Holland when you said that you had eaten some bad shrimp and then went out to the fair with AJ!"
"Hey don´t drag me into this," AJ held up a hand. "I had eaten the bad shrimp so I´m innocent."
"Yeah right," Kevin snorted, "Bone for your information you don’t even eat shrimp and certainly not when you were just seventeen.
"Well..eh I had to keep Kaos company," he grinned unevenly at Kevin and Howie and Brian who looked anything but amused.
"When he was sick? At the fair?" Now Kevin was really getting into the conversation. This was something that had bothered him for a long time and he didn´t like when his brothers were trying to skip out of work.
"Nicky was sick for real," AJ said with a grin, "He even barfed in a garbagecan at the state fair."
Even though Nick still felt annoyed he had to smile at the memory. They had snuck out and then had a blast at the fair, going on so many roller coasters that his head had went for a spin.
"That was just because you were going on too many roller coasters," Howie reminded, not backing up Nick anymore. "And you," he pointed at Nick who grinned, "got sick on the carousel."
"I did not!" Nick defended himself. "It was on the tea cups..Ooopsss." He bit his toungue, suddenly knowing that he had said way too much. AJ gave him a hard glare whispering, "Idiot." Nick shrugged a bit uncomfortable.
Brian smiled smugly, satisfied that he had won the battle. “Well it doesnt matter anyway since the point is that you have lied to us before about being sick and then you have done something entirely different."
"Thank youuuu for really trusting me," Nick said dramatically when he knew that the battle was lost. Turning his back away from his so called friends he mumbled, "Now let me die in peace."
"Look what you did now," Howie muttered to Brian and AJ when Nick failed to answer anything despite the older man’s desperate attempts to get him on the bright side again."
"Leave him alone. He´s just being stubborn." AJ and Brian said in unison leaving Nick with a snort.
The emotions in the room were pretty tense when the door opened and in came Lou, Johnny and the music store’s vice president. "So here you are," Lou exclaimed as he entered the room like a king. Glaring at the men he continued, "I heard that there was a catastrophe. What the hell happend?"
"He fainted," Kevin snapped. "What did you expect? The kid is running a fever."
"Watch it Richardson," Lou said threateningly before smiling towards the vice president, "Gotta keep them on a leash."
"Prick!" AJ mumbled and this had Lou raising an eyebrow. Johnny sensing that a fight was in the works walked over to Nick, ruffling his hair, "How are you doing son?"
"How do you think he’s doing?" Brian cut in, "Didn´t we tell you that Nick wasn´t feeling too hot?"
Nick had to bite his lip from cursing out loud. So NOW they were taking his side. Where had they been when he so desperately tried to tell him that he felt like sheer and utter crap? But that was not something he would say outloud since the guys had one rule that they never disobeyed and that was sticking together infront of the press, management, the world!
"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, So you say." Lou wifted with his hand like he wanted to wipe Brian off from his part of the world. "Anyway I have called a doctor to take a look at him since I want him to be fit for the show tomorrow night." Turning towards the vice president he continued, "Nicky here has been sick all the time since we started touring and I want to find out what is wrong wíth him."
"Really?" the bald headed man said looking a bit concerned, "I hope it´s not something serious."
"No..NO.." Lou reassured him, " It´s just a case of the Backstreet Bug and those suckers can be rough. You know how it is." He grinned widely towards the guys who looked like they wanted to sink down into a hole. Stepping over to Nick he said with no concern at all, "But you will be all right boy, won´t you?" Not awaiting any answer he said to the vice president again, "He is a tough sucker." With a grin he added, "This boy sure is costing me alot of money, but then he is worth it." No one but Lou and the bald headed man laughed.
