"Aaron Charles Carter! You get your butt down here this minute!" Jane's angry words were heard from downstairs, yet Aaron chose to ignore them. Pulling the blanket over his head he blocked out unwanted sounds, feeling sorry for himself.
The reason for his mother's outburst was called Miss Jones! She was a middle aged woman who had been a high school teacher since the stone age, this was according to Aaron. His regular tutor Cara, was on her honeymoon and this new teacher served as a subsitute for a few weeks. Aaron was pissed over the fact that he had to study and couldnīt get a vacation. She was also too old fashioned for his liking, and he rebelled loudly over this. It added up that she was making his life miserable with giving him tons of homework and also stating that he was lacking behind other students at his age and he needed to study more. Especially math and science.
Aaron tought she sucked. It didnīt matter how many times he had tried to say that regular kids his age didnīt have to preform every night and also had obligations to his fans and had to attend press conferences and stuff like that. Cara had known what he had talked about and she was smart enough to cut down on the studies when he was having way too many projects on his hands.
In a heated discussion when Aaron had neglected doing his homework he had pointed out that he had no intention of learning such crap like algebra and math. After all, he was a popstar and was wealthy enough to hire other people that did his figures. Mrs Jones, he didnīt even know or care about her first name, had grandchildren in Aaron age and she didnīt buy his arguement. Instead she said that he needed to study better or she would fail him and to her it didnīt matter if he was the king of Saudi Arabia.
This only served to add more fuel to the discussion and when the teen had told his tutor off by saying that he was already making more money than she would do in a lifetime and that he had the power to fire her anytime he wanted. The last words were not true. For some unknown reason Mrs. Jones was very well liked by his mother and he knew that he couldnīt quit school even if he wanted too.
He must have upset his teacher a great deal since she barked at him that he was a rude and obnoxious boy and that she would call his mother and tell about her sons bad attitude. Being in a pissy mood, Aaron had yelled back that he didnīt care and that she was an old bitch. Then he had gathered his books and fled out of the room, slamming the door hard behind him. Without any explanation he had told his body guard to take him away from this place and they had left for home.
Judging from the angry tone his mother had, that old bitch had made reality of her threat. And now it was time for him to pay the price.
Sighing, Aaron thought that his life sucked. Big Time! His days were filled with either rehersals or different sorts of promotions, that was when he wasnīt in the studio working on his new album. When he wasnīt working he was studying, and this meant that he had very little spare time. The obligations were hard on him and when he had his black days he thought that they all wanted something from him. If it wasnīt the love that the fans gave as well as the concerts he would have said screw it to the business a long time ago.
Just like Nick, he loved meeting people and talk to them, altough it sometimes got too much and he wanted to hide from all publicity. Nick used to give him good advice what to do and say, but the difference was that whenever he didnīt feel like talking he always had someone to back him up, one of the other guys. When Aaron was a bit off the whole world, the teen world, would know it. But going solo had itīs advantages too. He didnīt have to take four other guys, excluding management's opinions, into consideration.
But Nick was never there for him anymore, being too busy at working with his solo album and the new BSB cd. He didnīt return the calls when Aaron left a message on his answering machine, and if he happened to catch his brother, Nick was always too busy to talk. Thinking about this made him feel sad and low. He hadnīt seen his older brother since Christmas and then Nick had been mostly to himself, feeling sick all the time. Sometimes Aaron missed him so much that it made his stomach ache and when he didnīt get to be with him it felt líke an important part was missing in his life.
Nick always made him feel so happy!
'Why is it like this?' Aaron thought miserably as his mind drifted off to his father's strange behavoir while coming back home from spending a few days with Nick. Bob had seemed sullen and withdrawn and when he had asked how Nick was doíng he had tried to change subject. One night he had heard his mom and dad discuss Nick, and Jane had been pretty rough when it came to what she thought about his life. She thought that he was messing up his life, throwing away opportunities the way he was partying. She had even suggested Bob to talk to Nick about counselling so he could deal with his alleged drug problem. On top of everything she had nagged about his weight and decided to call an dietician so Nick would get into shape again.
His father had tried to convince Jane that Nick actually lived a pretty calm life and that he wasnīt into partying anymore. She still had her mind made up and she said that Nick was a bad influence to his little brother. When Bob had said that it wasnīt so, Jane had gotten upset, saying that he always took Nick's side and the fight had become a fact. His parents often fought these days and when it all got too much Aaron had snuck off into Angel's bedroom. They had an agreement that whenever one of them felt lonley the other could sneek up in the others bed without feeling bad for it.
The more he thought about his brother the more it ached his heart. Lots of rumors were out there saying that Nick was either into this or that. Some people thought he used drugs, some that he had an eating disorder. He was so sick and tired of other people judging his brother and he didnīt want to listen to any of the crap that lurked out on the web. But the recent pics that he had found on Nick made him think that there might be some fuel to the rumors. Nick's face looked very skinny while his stomach was big and bloated. It scared him!
There were also some disturbing rumors that Nick was sick. Seriously sick. He had pushed those thoughts aside. Two fans had stated that they had met his brother at a hospital in Tampa and that Kevin had accompanied him. According to them, Nick had been very sick and they said that he looked like he had lost lots of weight. Aaron had dismissed it all, saying that it was bull. If Nick was seriously ill he would tell it to his family first. Wouldnīt he?
His thoughts were rudely interrupted by his mother who knocked hard on his door. "AARON!" Her voice told him that she was on the warpath. "Young man, you better open this door this instant!"
Pulling the pillow over his head, Aaron did his best to ignore his mothers constant nagging outside. He had tried talking to her about how worried he felt about Nick and that those girls that had seen him at the hospital. She hadnīt been listening, all wrapped up in his upcoming promotion and he had given up the conversation since it lead nowhere. When he had told his dad about the pics of his older brother Bob had tensed and then changed the subject very fast. It was like Nick lately was a tabu issue to discuss.
"Aaron Carter I know that you are in there." The door handle rattled violently, "OPEN UP! NOW!!"
Knowing that he couldnīt stall the inevidible any longer, he dragged his feet across the room to the door and unlocked it. Without waiting for her to come in he walked back to the bed again and laid down, staring at the wall. No words were spoken.
Bursting in, his mother yelled angrily, "When I tell you to open the door, you do that without any delay. Is that understood? And dont you dare to ignore me one more time!" She stood in the middle of the floor, hands to her side and Aaron didnīt know when he had seen his mother this upset before. Not since BJ had got a speeding ticket.
"Whatever," the teen muttered silently. Tears had formed in his eyes but he did his best to blink them away. Noticing this his mother calmed down a bit, sitting down on the side of his bed.
"Aaron what is it?"
Not answering, he focused on a brown spot on the navy blue wallpaper.
Getting no response, Jane's already tested temper flared up again, "Mrs. Jones called and she told me that you were skipping school today. Is that true?"
Shrugging Aaron didnīt respond.
"Aaron when I am talking to you I want you to look at me," she said coldly as she turned his head towards her. Not at all satisfied with her sons behavoir Jane continued, "She also said that you have a very bad attitude and that you called her bad names. Why did you do that?" His mom was doing her best not to shout at him and he could see that it took all her strength to remain calm.
There was silence as Aaron avoided his mothers eyes.
"That is no way to talk to dear Mrs. Jones."
Upon hearing his mothers sweet sickly words he felt ill. He could swear that Jane's fondness for this old bitch had something to do that Mrs. Jones oldest son was the vice president for one of the biggest music magazines in the States. It was all business to her. Nick had jumped off her gravytrain a few years earlier when he thought that she interferred too much with his work. Sometimes Aaron felt the same. Even if he loved her it wasnīt easy to grow up having a stage mom!
"Aaron why did you do that?"
"Because she is a bitch! Thatīs why!" he snapped back.
"AARON!" The calm that his mother had so hard tried to achive was gone with the wind and instead she scolded him, "That is NO way to talk and I wonīt tolerate you using that kind of language again." Red in her face she continued, "You will have to appologize to Mrs. Jones for that attitude."
"I will not!" Aaron was stubborn.
"Yes you do. You will NOT leave this room until you have called her up and appologized. I donīt care if it takes all night, you need to be taught how to behave, young man. In this house we donīt use that kind of language." "Well I still ainīt gonna appologize to that hag!" Biting his lip the teen continued to ignore his mothers stern eyes. "She wants me to do algebra mom," Aaron whined when he saw that a bad attitude didnīt get him anywhere.
"Youīre becomming as bad as Nick and that is a thing that I wonīt tolerate. What if the press find out how bad you treat other people."
So that was the deal Aaron thought darkly. Her mom was afraid that the press would get wind that he wasnīt as perfect as they all tried to make him out to be. He was fed up with always trying to please everybody. It sucked and sometimes he wanted to let everyone see what a bad ass of a son he could be.
Sighing his mother suddenly stood up, "This is NOT the last thing we discuss on this issue. Now you are going to call Mrs. Jones and like I said before you are not leaving this room until that task is fulfilled."
"Well I ainīt!" Aaron pouted.
"If that is the attitude that you are going to show I have just one word to say to you." Standing up she stared hard at the obnoxious teen, "Youīre grounded!"
"But Moooom!" Aaron whined, suddenly feeling very sorry for himself.
"No buts, youīre grounded and that is that." With those words she marched out of the room. As soon as his mother was out of the view Aaron flipped his index finger up yelling after her, "Fuck off!" Tears were streaming down his face. She never understood anything.
"I heard that," Jane called out from the hallway.
"SHIT!" He could have slapped himself in his head. She had been listening outside and now his ass was grass. Like he didnīt have enough trouble as it was! To his surprise his mother didnīt return.
After sulking on his bed for a while he decided that he had to do something about the situation at hand. The rumors about Nick was eating up inside of him and he longed so much to talk to his older brother that it ached. Pulling out his cellphone he dialed his brothers number. There were several signals before anyone answered the phone.
"Brian." A famous accent said on the other line.
"Bīrok?" The surprise that the young boy felt when he heard his brothers best friend answering the phone had no limits.
"AC?" Brian asked cautionsly, "Is that you?"
"Yeah man, where is Nick? Why isnīt he answering?"
A muffled sound was heard and Aaron could hear someone talking in the background. Brian had covered the phone with his hand and he could swear that he heard Kevin talking further away. Tensing his ears he tried to detect what they were saying. He could figure out the words Nick, sick and talk.
"Is Nick sick or somethin'?" he asked as when Brian came back online again.
"No!" The word was said a bit too quick. "Eh..eh..I mean he is , but..but it is nothing to worry about..eh." Brian was stuttering and this had Aaron even more suspicious. Why hadnīt his parents mentioned that he was sick? "He just have a cold."
"Okay, can I talk to him then?"
"Hmmm, well that might be a problem..he..he..is asleep." There were something in the Kentuckian's voice that had Aaron doubting his words.
"Asleep? You mean in bed with a girl donīt ya?" Aaron joked, expecting Brian to laugh back.
"No AC, he is asleep." There was no humor in the older mans voice at all. It had Aaron a bit confused since Brian usually made some joke and laughed around when he talked to him. This time however he was dead serious, almost sounding a bit bored. If married life did that to you he would never get married. No way!
"This time of day? You gotta be kidding me? Is he laying on his deathbed or something? Or did he party way too hard last night?" Aaron said lightly. He tried to act like things didnīt bother him but it was. What if those rumors about him partying so hard was true after all. What else could he be doing sleeping at three o'clock in the afternoon?
"As I said before, he is a bit ill and is taking a nap." Brian explained before changing the subject very fast. "So how are you doing AC? Nick tells me that you will soon be on the road again, touring?"
"Like he would know," Aaron muttered silently to himself.
"What? What did you say?"
"Oh nothing, I was just thinking out loud." He laughed nervously.
"Oh," He didnīt think that the older man was buying that story, yet he was greatful that he didnīt press on. If there one thing Aaron had learned it was not to speak in certain situations.
There was a brief silence again and for the first time, Aaron noticed that Brian, who often was very talkative to him, seemed uncomfortable for some unknown reason. "Yeah," he mumbled intending to break the deafening silence. "Iīm about to go on a promotion tour here in the States. We're starting tomorrow."
"Awesome," Brian chuckled. "Maybe I can come and watch you sometime."
"Mhmm.."
Another pause.
"Anyway,I can tell Nick that you called and that he should call you back. How is that?"
"Yeah..yeah do that." Aaron highly doubted that Nick would call him back. He hadnīt returned his message for a long time and he was getting more and more sure that he had done something to upset his brother. There had been endless nights staying in hotel rooms were he had thought over the situation and gone through events that could have lead his brother to ignore him.
All he could think of was that it had something to do with Christmas when they both had caught that nasty flubug. Maybe if he hadnīt gone crying to Brian, Nick wouldnīt be upset with him. But he had felt so bad and since Nick was also sick he had gone to Brian for comfort. If there were one thing Aaron hated it was being sick and alone. He knew that his parents and the Littrell's had come into some kind of arguement and early on Christmas Eve Brian and Leighanne left the hotel without further explanation. Nick had been sullen and said nothing and the situation had been rather pressed. To tell the truth Aaron hadnīt cared much what was going on since he was spending the whole day with either his head or ass perched over the toilet. It had been a Christmas Eve that had gone to history as the worst one ever!
The following days had sucked too since both him and Nick had been sick and they didnīt have any chance to do something fun together. A few days later Nick got arrested. When that happened Aaron was out touring and he never got any chance to see his brother.
"Aaron youīre still there?" Brian asked when he had heard nothing from the teen for a long while.
"Yeah..eh..sorry. I was just thinking."
"Okay, well donīt hurt yourself." There was a chuckle which had Aaron smiling. Brian always tried to cheer up and situation and next to Nick he was the best in the Backstreet Boys. When he had been touring with the guys, back in the early days over in europe Brian was like a second brother to him. AJ was also pretty cool and he taught him stuff that Nick thought was disgusting, but funny.
"I have to go now since we are going to the studio to do some recording and the guys are leaving now. I'll let Nick know that you called, okay?"
"Sure." There were so many questions in the young teens head as he tried to come up with a logical explaination while his brother ignored him all the time. He also wanted to ask if Nick also was coming down to the studio. But he didnīt know if he wanted the answer to that one. What if Nick wasnīt sick? What if he had stopped loving him? Aaron felt the tears burn again and he did his back to hold them back. Swallowing hard he tried to force the lump in the back of his throat down.
Just as Brian uttered, "Well see ya later, take care and.." he cut him off.
"Brian?" he called out as fast as he could.
"Yes?"
"Eh..eh..can you..eh.." Aaron hated the stuttering he did when he felt unsure about a situation. It made him sound like a dork. "Eh..uh..te..tell Nick that I..lov..uh..miss him, ok?"
He could almost hear Brian smiling. "Yes, I will do that and Aaron.."
"Aha?"
"Nick loves you too."
This time it was Aarons turn to smile.
