I seriously wanted to die. My head felt like it was going to split wide open and I'm standing in the bathroom with Kevin. Talk about feeling like a baby. Usually my head felt like this after sneaking out with AJ and I deserved it, but God, I didn't deserve feeling like I had the hangover from hell. Even the bright lights of the bathroom made me want to climb into the bed and pull the covers over my face.
"Okay Nick, step out of your pajamas while I get the shower started."
Now that really sounds totally gay. "Kev, I think I can manage getting my stuff off and showering on my own."
"I'm sure you normally can Nick, but you're pretty unsteady on your feet and that would be something else that would happen for you to fall in the shower."
I rolled my eyes.....okay big mistake, that really hurt like a bitch. "I can understand that you'd be concerned about me falling, but Jesus--"
"Don't cuss."
Why is Kevin a swearing Nazi with me 24/7? "Okay but gosh, I'm sure I can manage this or if you feel safer, I can take a bath instead."
"You don't like to take baths."
"I can handle it just once." I tugged at the hem of my tee shirt with Kevin standing there staring at me. "Honest Kevin, I can do this on my own."
"Sit on the toilet while you get undressed then."
It was a battle of wills for about two minutes, my eyes staring at Kevin's bloodshot green eyes. For some reason he looked tired and knowing how grouchy a tired Kevin Richardson could be, I decided it would be best to sit on the toilet while I got undressed like a good boy. I could actually feel his eyes watching me as I slowly made my way over to the toilet, making sure I kept a hand on the counter to keep myself steady.
"See? I made it okay. I'll be back out in ten minutes." I flashed a cheesy grin toward my oldest brother to set his mind at ease.
As Kevin stared at me for a moment and I was beginning to wonder if he had bought it and would let me be alone. "Alright, but I'm leaving the door unlocked and you better holler if you don't feel okay. I'll be back to check on you in a little bit."
Sighing, I cautiously lifted the vomit soaked tee shirt over my head and slowly slipped the pajama pants down. Kevin was always an overprotective guy but I guess I love him anyway. Not love as in in love love more like love as in brotherly love I suppose.
As I stood up to get into the bathtub, I suddenly felt woozy and quickly sat back on the toilet lid. Thank God it didn't make any noise or Kevin would have came in here and seen me stark naked! Running a hand through my hair I waited for a minute for the dizziness to go away. If I wasn't feeling dizzy, I would feel like I wanted to puke my guts out. When would this go away? Maybe after I soaked in the hot water. I should have asked Kevin if I could have had some bubble bath put in the water. That always made me feel better when I was little. Mom would put some Mr. Bubble in the bathtub and I stayed in the tub until my fingers and toes got wrinkled.
Okay Nick, get a grip on yourself, you're not a kid anymore.....you're an adult....but still Mr. Bubble would have been pretty sweet.
"Nicky.....is everything okay in there?"
Great, now Howie is checking up on me too? Next there will be something on MTV about me being naked in the bathroom and had to be babied by Kevin and Howie. How embarrassing is that?
"I'm fine, I'm getting into the tub now."
"Okay, remember to call if you need help."
I'm not even gonna answer Kevin! That sounds so totally gay I want to die right here!
"Nick? Did you hear me?"
God Kevin can be soooo embarrassing! "Yeah I heard you."
"He's finally sleeping," Brian said as AJ made his way into the room. The tattooed rebel gestured with his thumb toward the bed.
"Are you sure you don't want to go back to your room? I can take it from here, you know I can't sleep."
The Kentuckian shook his head. "Normally I'd take you up on that offer, but honestly, I'm too worried to actually sleep."
AJ winced as he took in the comment. "Worried? I thought it was just a simple concussion, am I missing something?"
Brian sighed. "Forget I said anything."
AJ cocked his head to one side. "No way man....you already said you were too worried to sleep, now spill it."
Brian stood up and walked over to the window, drawing the curtian back to look out. "I dunno, I guess I just keep on wondering how bad this could get with Kaos. I mean he's had nothing but bad luck ever since this tour started. The kid is a trouble magnet or something."
"We've always known that the boy finds trouble easily. He'll be fine."
Leaving the window, Brian glanced at his watch. "Guess we let him sleep for a bit before we have to wake him up again."
Picking up the televison remote, AJ leaned back into a reclining position on the empty bed. Brian could only shake his head. "You realize Bone, there's probably nothing on at this time of the night."
"Probably not, but anything is better than listening to you sigh every two seconds."
Brian jerked awake with a start. Something seemed off to him and he couldn't place a finger on what it was. Rubbing a hand across his face in a tired gesture, he tried to figure out what it was. He noticed that he had fallen asleep in a chair and that AJ was sleeping in the bed by himself. His eyes trailed toward the other bed in the room finding Nick laying on his side, covers drawn up to his neck.
"Shit!......AJ! WAKE UP!"
A pillow came flying toward Brian's head.
"I'm not kidding AJ! We fell asleep!"
"Well that's what you're suppose to do when you lay in bed," AJ replied in a casual tone.
"No! I mean we're suppose to wake Nicky up at 2:00....oh shit! It's 5:30!"
Brian's last sentence finally made AJ snap into action. Although he wouldn't admit it, he was panicking on the inside. "I'm sure he's fine."
"Nick? Time to wake up," Brian coaxed.
"Yeah kid, wake up," AJ encouraged.
When the result wasn't prompt, Brian started shaking his best friend on the shoulder. "C'mon Nick.....wake up.....please!"
AJ leaned in. "Nick....room service is here."
Brian scowled at him. "Jay quit joking around this is serious! C'mon Nick!"
"I figured food would wake Carter up."
"I'm sorry Nick," Brian breathed before he lightly slapped the sleeping blonde's face.
"Judas Littrell....he's getting over a concussion you really think slapping him in the face is good for him?"
Brian stood back, wringing his hands. "I-I don't know what to do....I think we should call Kevin."
"Oh for chrissake," AJ rasped, pushing Brian aside. He grabbed the partially full glass of tapwater and poured it on Nick's face, causing him to wake up sputtering.
"Wha-wha-what the hell did you do that for?"
"Sorry Nick but you weren't waking up," Brian apologized.
Nick stared at the two men blankly and was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.
"Shit!" AJ muttered. "I bet that is Kevin."
"Just act like nothing's wrong, okay?" Brian said in a hushed whisper.
AJ stopped in mid-step and turned to look at Brian, his mouth gaped in wonder. "You? Brian Littrell asking me to lie?"
"Just a white lie, okay? We sorta messed up but now he's awake so no harm no foul, okay?"
AJ smirked. "Alright, but you will owe me later."
The pounding on the door, tore AJ from the conversation with Brian. "I'm coming....I'm coming...hold your dick."
He swung the door open to find Kevin Richardson standing on the other side, just as he predicted. "Holy shit, is it 5:30 already?"