I don't get it......last thing I remember was talking to Brian on the elevator after the meeting and now I'm laying on a couch in my stage clothes listening to Lou and Kevin go at each others throats. When the heck did I get dressed in this stuff?
"I've told you that Nick isn't fit to be anyplace but on a plane headed for home!"
"Are you a doctor now, Richardson?"
"It wouldn't take a doctor to realize that something is wrong with him when he completely blanked out on TV!"
I was on TV? I don't remember being on TV......
"So Carter blanked out during his part in a song! You've done that before too Richardson!"
"Jesus Lou, it wasn't just a part! Nick wasn't there during the entire song! I'm going to get us a flight home. Nick needs to be seen by a doctor."
It was nice of Kevin to fight for me but the yelling was hurting my ears and I could swear that Lou looked like he was going to have a heart attack. That was all I needed! Lou dying because of something dumb I did and Kevin getting in his face and killing him.
"Please don't fight, I'm okay."
Lou pointed at me. "See, the boy said so himself, he's okay......right Nick?"
Kevin was staring at me like I had grown two heads. "He's not okay."
"Kevin, really I'm fine," I argued as I started to sit up.
"Everything is fine, Carter spaced out during rehearsal so we can still do the show," Lou said as he was walking over to me. "Thank God it wasn't live." Kevin suddenly stepped between me and the manager.
"Nick is anything but okay." Great, now Kevin crossed his arms over his chest. This is never a good thing. "Nick, can you tell me what day this is?"
I stared at Kevin for a moment. How the heck should I know? We don't know where we are half the time let alone what day of the week it was.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No I'm not."
"How is having Nick tell us it's Thursday have anything to do with how well he is?" Lou asked.
"Thursday," I replied, flashing my Backstreet smile.
Kevin scowled. "You only knew that one thanks to Lou telling!"
"I knew it was Thursday!" I lied.
"Okay.....then how about this," Kevin said as he started singing. "Everybody....."
Kevin was staring at me again. "Oh, you want me to sing back?"
"Well that was what I planning for you to do."
I licked my lips as I tried to come up with what he wanted me to do. "Okay could you sing that again please?"
"See! Nick doesn't have a clue!"
Geeze, does Kevin think I'm dumb?
"C'mon Kev....just sing it again and I'll jump in." There was no way I was going to let him know that I completely forgot what he had just sang. Funny, I keep forgetting simple stuff lately. Like did I eat today? When was the last time I ate?
"NICK!"
Oops....must be I spaced out again.
"Sorry....what did you sing again?"
Instead of singing, Kevin started pacing the floor, running a hand through his hear mumbling 'Great....just great'
"Look Richardson, we really can't afford to play around...the boy said he was fine, I'm sure he's okay, time is money," Lou grumbled.
"This really isn't good...." Kevin replied.
"Let's just get this over so I can go to bed," I said walking toward the door.
"See, Nick wants to go to bed.......this just isn't right."
"Richardson you're always making a big deal over something insignificant," Lou bellowed.
Didn't I tell them it hurts my ears when they yell? I could tell them again or maybe I could wait until after the tv thing......maybe we'll get to eat after the tv thing.....I'm really starting to get hungry....wonder if we could get a pizza...
"Carter....let's move!"
Ooops, spaced out again. So much for Lou Pearlman acting all nicey-nice to me! Before I knew it, I had three stage people swarming around me, fixing my hair and putting makeup on my face.....ugh! I hate that greasy stage stuff. It really makes my face break out big time not to mention the smell pretty much makes me want to puke.
I suddenly jerked when I felt Kevin shaking my arm.
"Wha....what?"
"This isn't a good idea..."
"Huh? No it's all good, let's do it."
Suddenly I was led to a bright television set with a long green leather couch. Green leather?!? Do they have green cows in....where the heck are we again? I guess that isn't important cause I do remember that today is Thursday! I'll have to as the host when we start about their cows. I'm sure she'll be able to tell me.
"Nick, you sit here," a stagehand pointed to the first spot on the couch. Before I could take my assigned seat, Kevin practically jumped in between me and the couch and I almost sat on his lap.
"No Nicky, you sit next to me right here," Kevin said as he patted the vacant spot. "We always have me sitting next to the show's host and Nick is suppose to sit next to me....it's in our contract."
"Since when have we had a contract on where we sit?" I asked. Seriously....when did we have a contact on where we sit?
"It started today," Kevin hissed in my ear.
Once everyone was sitting, the director reminded us that we would be going live in two minutes. I looked at my hands in my lap and noticed how bad they were shaking. Why were they shaking? I never get that nervous before a show. Just butterflies in my stomach but I never get shakey hands!
Kevin leaned over and whispered, "Nicky....are you alright?"
I swallowed hard, nodding my head. He had to have seen my hands shaking! I quickly folded them, hoping that this would calm them down.
"We'll cover for you, just don't do any talking unless you absolutely have to," Kevin reminded.
I did remember that one. Backstreet Rule number one. Always cover for anyone that is sick or forgets their part. Or was it Backstreet Rule number two?
"Nick...sit up straight and act like you're paying attention," Kevin said as he nudged me on my side.
"We are so pleased to have you stop by today!"
Great....this woman seemed too happy to me. Wonder what kind of drugs shes doing? I think I saw a coke machine that had bottles of beer in them too. That would be so cool if they had that in Florida. Bottles of beer at a vending machine.....
"Nick, she asked you a question," Kevin said, adding a nervous laugh.
I smiled at the woman. "I'm sorry what did you ask.....I didn't hear you."
"Now there's an understatement," AJ grinned.
"Nick doesn't like girlfriend questions...he's being chicken," Brian answered, making a clucking noise.
"Nick isn't attached," Howie filled in.
"Can Nick talk for himself?" the hostess asked.
"Yes he does talk," Kevin said.
"Sometimes too much!" AJ laughed.
"I heard you had some bad luck in Spain," the woman continued.
Spain? Bad luck? IN SPAIN? We were in Spain? Shit I don't know what she is talking about.
"Well Nicky was fine after we told the girl that he was underage. Sometimes he thinks he's 21," AJ rasped.
Brian frowned at AJ's way of diverting the question. "Nick is doing much better, right Kevin?"
This really had me wondering what the heck they were saying. "What are you guys talking about? What girl?"
"Those fans rushed you and you were knocked to the ground," the woman filled in.
"Oh that! Yeah I'm okay now. I remember bits and pieces of that...it was pretty scary."
Kevin stared at me for a moment.
"I remember....."
Kevin continued to stare at me. "You do?"
"Nick, you look like you have a question for me," the hostess asked. "Is there something you'd like to see while you're in Germany?"
I looked at the woman for a second as I thought about what Germany would have for me to go sight seeing. "Yeah," I answered as I patted the couch. "I wanna see those green cows you guys have."