“Well look who finally has graced us with his presence, thanks to Denise McLean,” Lou Pearlman sing-songed as he watched the young blonde being escorted into the breakfast meeting with AJ’s mother.
Nick quietly slumped down into the empty chair next to Kevin, sulking.
“I had one heck of a time getting that kid motivated to get ready for breakfast,” Denise explained as she took her seat at the table opposite of her son. “I made it a point of raising Alex to be on time for everything.”
“He’s overslept sometimes too,” Nick mumbled.
”Don’t start fights,”Kevin whispered into the blonde’s ear.
“I wasn’t,” Nick protested.
“Carter, take your plate to the buffet line,” Pearlman directed with a snarl.
“I’m fine, just start the meeting,” came the reply.
“It wasn’t a question,” the obese manager growled.
“But I said--”
“Nick go get something to eat.....NOW Kevin barked impatiently.
Taking the white china plate from the table, Nick stood up and started to walk to the buffet that had been set up on the opposite side of the room. Tears filled his eyes as he made his way to buffet that will filled with an assortment of hot breakfast items.
‘Why can’t they just leave me alone so I can go back to my room?’ Nick thought darkly. His vision was blurred from the unshed tears making it difficult to distinguish exactly what was offered on the buffet. Taking a small scoop of scrambled eggs he went back to the table and quietly sat down.
“Is that all you’re gonna eat?” Kevin questioned.
“I said I wasn’t hungry,” Nick replied.
Pearlman chuckled. “You of all people can’t be hungry!”
“I said I’m not hungry.”
“Could it be all the junk you ate yesterday?” AJ grinned.
Nick glared across the table at the young rebel.
“What do you mean junk? I thought Carter was to be kept under tight wraps and he certainly didn’t have the money to go to the vending machines,” Pearlman barked.
“I just don’t feel that great and it doesn’t have anything to do with eating junk,” Nick defended.
They were barely five minutes into the meeting when Kevin lightly kicked Nick’s shin underneath the table. ”Quit slouching and stop picking at your food!”
The pain in his stomach that he thought had gone away was starting to build up again from a dull ache to a stronger dull ache.....if that was possible, Nick wondered as he struggled to sit up straighter in his seat.
The movement triggered an action that Nick wasn’t suspecting when suddenly out of no where he belched long and loudly. Redfaced, he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth as he quietly apologized.
AJ clapped his hands in approval. “Way to go Nicky!”
“Alex, don’t encourage!” Denise reprimanded.
As much as Nick wanted not to burp again, he couldn’t help it and he kept it up again and again for the next couple of minutes.
“Carter, where the hell is your manners?” a sweaty Pearlman glared as he mopped his forehead.
“I said I was sorry and I told you I wasn’t feeling too good.”
“Hey we should all be thankful it was from Nick’s mouth and not his ass,” AJ grinned.
Both Lou Pearlman and Johnny Wright shook their heads in disapproval from AJ’s comments.
“I’m expecting to see everyone in the lobby in an hour to board the bus, no exceptions,” the black manager stated as he leafed through his clipboard.
“What do you mean in an hour? I thought we had free time today,” Brian cried.
“Change of plans and a new venue to play at,” Pearlman stated.
“But that’s not fair,” Brian continued.
Lou glared at the young blue eyed singer. “You have contracts to follow and obligations, remember I’m the manager and I’ve been hired to make sure you kids comply and go out and make money, comprende?”
“I think seeing that Nick isn’t feeling so hot that maybe it would be a good idea to just rest up today,” Howie offered.
Pearlman laughed. “You know if we stopped working everytime Carter gets an ailment of some type you’d be unemployed. Get moving, now you only have fifty minutes to get ready!”
Nick fidgeted in his seat on the bus trying desperately to find a comfortable position. The pain in his stomach had started to build and he had been yelled at in the breakfast meeting about belching so he tried his best to keep his mouth closed and his burps silent but it wasn’t helping.
He was starting to wonder if maybe his stomach would settle down and feel better if it went to the bathroom. It made sense to him that maybe that was all he needed to do. It had been at least a day or two since he had done that so surely that had to be his problem.
Gripping the top of the seat in front of him, Nick pulled himself up and stepped out into the aisle of the moving tour bus, making his way toward the front of the bus when he was stopped by Brian’s hand on his arm.
“Nick, sit down next to me.”
Obeying his older brother, Nick moved between Brian’s legs and the seats and sat down.
“Are you feeling any better since breakfast?”
Nick shrugged his shoulders in reply, keeping his eyes trained to his lap.
Brian studied his best friend, his eyebrows furrowed in doubt. After a few moments of staring, Nick met his gaze.
“Seriously Nick, if somethings wrong, you should say something.”
“Like anything good would come from that,” he replied softly before a burp slipped out.
A look of disgust crossed the Kentuckian’s face. “Okay, that was really gross!”
Nick blushed. “Sorry I can’t help it.”
“You could at least cover your mouth before you do something like that if you can’t help it,” Kevin hollered from the rear of the bus.
Brian could see the distress in the young teenager’s eyes. “Don’t let Kevin get to you, he’s just mad because Mr. Pearlman told him no more phone calls to his girlfriend back home.”
Nick looked surprized. “Really? You should be mad then too.”
Brian grinned. “Not really, he didn’t say anything to me. I think he’ll forget about it by tomorrow.”
“Kevin?”
“No Mr. Pearlman.”
“Oh.”
A look of seriousness washed over Brian’s face. “So how come you don’t feel good? What’s wrong?”
“It’s really nothing,” Nick blew the question off.
Brian arched an eyebrow in question. “Nothing? With you Nick, it’s never nothing, I can tell.”
“I-I think I...” Nick blushed before he could finish his statement.
“Spit it out dude,” Brian coaxed.
“I can’t it’s too embarrassing,” Nick replied, burping quietly.
Brian put a comforting arm around the blonde’s shoulder. “Nothing is too embarrassing. You can tell me what’s wrong, remember we’re Frick and Frack.”
Nick nodded quietly.
Brian waited for Nick to speak.
And waited.
And waited.
“Frack, c’mon, tell me please!”
“I haven’t been to the bathroom since the day before yesterday.”
Brian looked at Nick with a puzzled expression. “Huh?”
“You know, I haven’t gone in a couple of days......”
It took a few seconds before Brian connected with what Nick was trying to convey. “Oh you mean you’re constipated?”
Nick winced at the word and could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as he blushed. ‘God why did he have to say that?’ “Yeah, I guess that’s what you call it.”
Suddenly, a bespeckled AJ leaned his head over the seats. “Did you say you can’t shit?”
Nick wanted to sink down in his seat. AJ heard it now it was going to be shouted to everyone on the bus.
“AJ do you mind?” Brian glared angrily at the intruder.
“Geeze bite my head off!” AJ mumbled as he slid back into his own seat.
“Nick that’s completely understandable considering the schedule we’re keeping. Do you want me to see if D has something in his bag for constipation?”
”NO!”
“C’mon Nick, it can help,” Brian encouraged.
“I really don’t want anyone to know about this, it’s bad enough I told you.”
“The boy was really hurting yesterday, remember when he could barely move to get dressed?” AJ reminded Brian from his seat.
Nick leaned to one side trying to ease the discomfort he was feeling in his stomach. Seeing his actions, Brian’s eyes widened.
“You’re not planning on what I think you’re planning on doing, are you?”
“I wish I could,” Nick grimaced.
“I’ll go up and ask Ray to stop for you at the next rest area so you can use the restroom.”
Before Nick could stop Brian, he was practically running toward the front of the bus to alert the driver. ‘God I hope he doesn’t tell him I can’t crap,’ he mentally screamed.
Within a few minutes, Brian was walking back toward his seat, a smile on his face. “Ray promised me that there is a diner down the road a little ways.”
“A diner?” Nick squeaked.
“Yeah you know, a restaurant....”
“I know what it is, but a diner? That’s like a public place,” Nick whined.
“Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“Whats this I hear we’re making a stop!?” Pearlman growled. “We’ve got a schedule to keep!”
“I didn’t know we’re stopping,” Kevin stated as he looked out the window as the bus slowed down to turn into the diner parking lot.
“Seems Nick here can’t crap and we have to stop so he can,” AJ grinned widely.
The young blonde’s face turned beet red with humiliation. “I just need to use the restroom, alright? Don’t make a federal case over it!”
“Well you better be quick about it Carter, we can’t wait forever time is money!” Pearlman advised.
Brian leaned over to the blonde and whispered, “Do you want me to come with----”
”NO! I think this is something I can do on my own!” Nick snapped as he hurried out of his seat once the bus stopped.
As he exited the bus and passed the driver who had already lit a cigarette, Nick sighed looking at the small diner. It was the classic truck stop that was always shown in horror movies. With the parking lot full of various semi trucks, Nick was certain that this place stop would be far from discreet. His face was still flushed with embarrassment from AJ’s last comment.
Thrusting his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, Nick trudged toward the entrance, silently praying that he could slip in. To his dismay when he pulled open the door, loud chimes announced his entrance and the line of men sitting at the counter turned around in their stools and stared.
“Hey pretty boy!”
“You lost kid?”
Nick scanned the diner looking for a sign that would point him in the direction he needed to go to.
“Are you looking for your mummy?”
Nervously, Nick cleared his throat. “W-wheres the bathroom?”
A burly trucker laughed heartily. “Bathroom? You gonna take a bath or something kid?”
Nick’s eyes grew wide as he shook his head, wondering if he should just turn around and leave.
“Nigel, let the kid go, he probably wants the loo,” a younger man suggested. “The loo is over to your left,” he gestured with his fork.
“Thanks.”
As Nick walked toward the back of the diner, he kept his head down trying his best to ignore the comments and wolf whistles. The cooking odors that wafted into his nostrils made him feel sick to his stomach.
Finally the end was in sight! He had reached the wanted bathroom doors! Pushing his way through the swinging door, Nick realized that his visit to the restroom was going to be far from peaceful and private. Seven urinals lined the wall with six truckers lined up to the urinals and although they were doing their ‘business’ they managed to turn their heads to see who entered the facilities.
“Ladies room is to the right!”
“He’s a cute little fella, he’s in the right place ain’t yah Candyboy?”
Trying his best to ignore their comments, Nick quickly slipped into the first available stall, slamming the door closed and securing it. He turned to notice that the stool was not in the best shape, the lid was half-on half-off and the walls were streaked and dirt smeared.
“Just peachy,” Nick mumbled as he started to pull toilet paper from the huge dispenser on the stall wall. Suddenly, without warning, the roll came off the spool and fell to the floor rolling away underneath the stall.
“Oh just perfect!” Nick moaned. He had no other choice but to leave that stall since that was the only toilet paper that was there.
He opened the door to exit and was met by Brian. “Oh, there you are!”
“Jesus Bri! Couldn’t you just wait on the bus?”
“I thought maybe if you didn’t have any luck I could talk to D---”
“That kid must be a fag!”
“Hey this ain’t no place for fags you sonofabitch!”
”Brian, please just go back on the bus and wait for me there,” Nick whispered. ”They think we’re gay since you followed me in here! Just go please!”
“Okay, but remember Howie can help you,” Brian replied.
Trying his best to ignore the comments and the feelings of total humiliation, Nick entered another stall which looked just as bad as the first one except the toilet seat was actually where it was suppose to be. Gingerly, he pulled a lengthy amount of toilet paper and layered it ontop of the stool before he lowered his pants and sat down. Resting his elbows ontop of his knees, Nick covered his ears with his hands trying his best to block out the comments from the truckers and concentrate on doing his ‘business.’
Brian was met with stares from the group as he stepped onto the bus.
“Where’s Nick?” Kevin asked.
Brian grimaced. “Still in there, man that’s a really filthy place. He’ll probably be in there for a few.”
“God we have schedules to keep this isn’t going to work out!” Pearlman fumed.
“That boy went in there unarmed,” AJ suggested, rummaging through his duffle bag. Pulling a magazine out, he rolled it up and then announced, “I’ll get this thing moving, back in a minute.”
AJ rushed up toward the diner going through the same entrance that Nick had. All the truckers turned to see who walked in this time.
“You sure aren’t as pretty as the first two boys that were in here!”
“I think he’s cute!”
“You’re all freaking fags,” AJ spat with disgust. “Where’s the john?”
“Back that way hun,” a female waitress gestured with a grin.
AJ lowered his shades and winked, “Thanks ma’am.”
Nick had been doing his best to clear his mind but he was still not successful with doing what he had been hoping to do.
”Yo Kaos! You in here?”
Nick screwed his eyes shut wishing he could be invisible.
”Nick? N-i-i-i-c-c-k-k-e-e-e-e-e!”
Nick stuck his foot out toward the edge of the stall door. “In here.”
“Cool,” AJ stated as he handed the rolled up magazine under the stall the door. “Dude, I thought you could use this to help you.”
Mumbling, Nick accepted the magazine. Expecting to see one of Denise’s woman’s magazines, Nick was completely shocked when he unfolded it to find two completely nude woman embracing one another.
“Jay this is porn!”
“Yeah, so?”
“I don’t have problems with that!”
“Well there are some informative articles in there, read those maybe that will help you shit.”
“Are you his little butt buddy pal?” A trucker boomed as he approached AJ.
“Keep away from me you fuckin faggot,” AJ snarled.
“Whadda gonna do about it sissy boy?”
Nick flung the door open.
A look of relief washed over AJ’s face. “Did you shit already?”
“None of your business, lets get the hell out of here!”
Nick stormed out of the bathroom, AJ in tow. “So you did shit?”
“Did you hear the freakin toilet flush?”
AJ thought for a moment. “No, but I was kinda busy at the time.”
“Yeah shooting your famous mouth off again, yeah you were pretty busy with that,” Nick muttered.
“Hey I was tryin’ to help out,” AJ replied, glancing down at Nick’s empty hands. “Hey you left my mag!”
“I’m sure you have plenty more.”
“Whoa, pretty testy are we?”
“What do you think? I can’t shit, everyone comes in to see if I have shit....just leave me the fuck alone!”
Feeling sick of having everyone worry about his bowel troubles, Nick didn’t shy away from the stares of the people assembled on the tour bus when he entered.
Before he slumped down into the first available seat he locked eyes with Brian. “I didn’t crap, just leave me alone okay?”
“That poor kid, I can tell he isn’t feeling too good and it’s no wonder,” Howie stated softly to Kevin. “Hey Lou, how long before we reach Liverpool?”
“About twenty more minutes, but we would have been there half an hour ago if it weren’t for Carter.”
“Thanks,” Howie said as he turned his attention to his bag. “I’ve got something that will help Nicky out when we get to the hotel.”
Kevin watched as the Latino pulled a tall brown bottle from the bag. “What’s that?”
“Metamucil, this laxative will definately help him.”
“If you can get Nick to drink it,” Kevin stated, shaking his head. “I swear you’re worse than my mother when it comes to carrying medications.”
Howie winked as he leaned out in the aisle to get a glimpse of the young blonde. “You can never be too prepared my boy.”
“How you feeling?” Brian asked as he squatted next to Nick’s seat.
“How do you think I’m feeling,” Nick moaned as he unbuttoned the button on his blue jeans. He started rubbing his stomach through the tee shirt.
Brian glanced at Nick’s motions ontop of his stomach. He thought it looked like his belly was a little distended but quickly dismissed it as ‘reading into the situation too much.’ He reached up and patted the young blonde on the shoulder. “Well I think we’ll be at the hotel pretty soon, so hopefully you can lay down and rest a bit.”