Chapter 9 - Brian's Problem

BRIAN'S BIRTHDAY! I suddenly remembered. I woke up quickly, had my bath and brushed my teeth. Then I went to Nick's hotel room.

I knocked the door. Nobody's answering but the door wasn't locked so I went in. Brian had left the place and Nick was still sleeping, snoring quietly. I giggled. It must have been the walk yesterday.

I shook Nick. He didn't even stir.
"Wake up, Nick!" I yelled into his ear.

Hey, they don't call me the mouth of South for nothing you know. He jumped and opened his eyes wide. He looked at me and, a little dazed.

"Sarah?" he whispered.
I smiled and pulled him up. "You'd better wake up," I told him and threw his T-shirt.

He grabbed the T-shirt. He put it on while singing Madonna's 'Like A Virgin.'

"What time is it?" he asked me.
I looked at my watch. "9:20."
His mouth fell open, his eyes were wide. "Brian's birthday," he gasped. "You know that we all had to be down for breakfast at 8:30, didn't you?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "No one told me."
"It's a Birthday Breakfast for Brian," Nick explained.
"What are we going to say?" I asked Nick.
"I'll handle that," he said and kissed me. "See ya!"

I smiled and waved goodbye. What were we going to say to Brian?

I gingerly walked into the path of the posh breakfast area. I spotted the BSB crew straight away. There was about 15 of us around one huge table.

"Sarah! Over here!" Brian yelled from when he was sitting. He ran over.

I handed his presents and kissed me on my cheek.

"Thanks," he said and took my hand.

"So.. I didn't know you like basketball," Brian suddenly said.
"Huh?" I didn't have any idea what he was talking about.
"Well... you and Nick woke up early to play basketball, didn't you?" he asked me.

I took me a second to realize what Brian was on about but when Nick winked, I knew what was Brian talking about.

"Yeah... that's right. I beat him," I said.

Nick had told him that the reason we were late because we had woken up early to play basketball. I smiled to myself at how devilish Nick was.

Brian gave me a weird look. "I thought Nick won?"
I panicked and looked at Nick who was trying his best not to laugh.
"I... um... well..." I stuttered. "Uh, Nick's just being modest!"

Everyone laughed and I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn't bring myself to eat, due to the fact that I was a bag of nerves.

"What's wrong?" Brian asked, seeing that I hadn't touch my breakfast except for the orange juice.

I looked down at my plate which was so full with greasy food - egg, sausage and a big fry up. Usually I love big fry up but today it looked, and tasted sickening.

"I don't really feel like eating," I tried to smile a convincing smile. "I think that basketball workout with Nick really had got into me."
Brian smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm hoping that I would get a special kiss later on," he whispered. Nick gave him and evil eye.

I smiled and tried to control my tears that were welling up. How could Brian hurts Nick? Nick was so sweet and kind, and I knew, even after five days of being together, he'd do anything for me.

"Are we all finished?" Amanda asked, while standing up. Everyone nodded and stood up.
"Boy, that was nice!" Kevin exclaimed and rubbed his tummy.
"What now?" I asked Nick.
He narrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not sure. Ask Randy," he put his arm around me and lifted my chin. "Hey, it's not like it's the end of the world," he smiled.

"C'mon Sarah!" he said and grabbed my hand.
Brian, who was standing with him, smiled and followed us outside where a mini bus was waiting.

The other band members, plus the bodyguards and Denise, stood outside the bus, waiting for Nick, Brian and I, surrounded by fans who were screaming around the bus.

It was really hard for Nick, Brian and I to cross the path to the bus. The bodyguards tried their best to stop their fans to go all over Nick and Brian.

"All ready?" Denise asked when we joined them.

We nodded and hopped onto the bus. Like when they were on the aeroplane, Nick and Brian raced to the back of the mini bus. They grabbed the four back seats. I followed them slowly.

I sat down in between them. Nick wrapped his arm around me and kissed me.

Brian squirmed in his chair, trying not to watch Nick and Sarah kissed. He looked outside the window, trying to take off the sight but everytime he tried, he felt sick. He wanted to hit Nick and shake him off Sarah.

"What's up Frick?" Nick asked Brian, as he hadn't spoken a word during the trip.
Brian didn't answer.
Nick rolled his eyes. "I gotta go over some lyrics with AJ. I'll be back in half an hour," he said.

I nodded, glad that he was going so I could get to talk to Brian. When he had gone, I turned to Brian.

"What's wrong Brian?" I asked while trying to see his face.

He was resting his head on his hands, his face was facing the window. Everytime I tried to look at him, he turned and looked in another direction.

"Brian, please talk to me," I begged.

He turned his head and looked at me.
"What am I to you?" he asked, his eyes were filling up with tears again.

"Well, your my friend - "
I was cut off by Brian who was laughing out loud. "I'm only your friend?"

I sheepishly nodded. Brian rolled his eyes and turned back to face the window.

"Well, what do you expect me to say?" I asked him.
"Tell me you love me!" Brian said, tears rolling down his face.
I sighed. "Brian... we've been through this! Couldn't you understand?"
Brian wiped his tears with the back of his jumper. "So you don't love me?"
I tutted. "No!"
"Fine!" he snapped. "Just don't come crawling back, okay?"

I sighed and leaned back into my seat. I felt Brian helding my hands.

"Brian, don't," I begged.

He didn't want to move my hand, but he was scared something would happen. Plus the fact that Nick happened to be five yards away from us. He hated Nick to be with Sarah. Brian wanted to be the person who hold Sarah's hand, kiss her in public.

Instead, he had to to it behind his back and with Sarah forbidding him. Normally Brian hated people who cheated on other's people girlfriends, but in his case, it was different. He really had a thing for Sarah. He just wished she knew how much he liked her. But what was he to do? He had just ask her if she loves him and she denied it. If he told him how much he liked her in a desperate way, it might scared her off. That's something he don't want to do.

We were in the tour bus, heading to a music store for an autograph session.

"Yeah, about five minutes more. Hey Frick, do you know how many fans were there?" Nick asked.
Brian shrugged his shoulders. "How many?"
"Hundreds!" Nick laughed and clapped his hands. "Man, it's crazy!"
"Yeah, very crazy," Brian mumbled sarcastically.
"What's your problem?" Nick asked.
"Nothing! Just leave me alone!" Brian snapped and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" Nick whispered to me.
"How the hell would I know? I haven't even spoken to him," I shrugged.
"Fine Sarah!" Nick said. "If all you're gonna do is snap at me, then don't bother to talk to me!"

I felt guilty for making him mad and held his hand. "I'm sorry," I said and kissed him.
He smiled and pulled me closer.

"God, you two are making me ill!" Brian tutted and stood up.
"I'm moving," he said and went to sit down with Kevin.

"What's his problem?" Nick asked.

I knew what's his problem was - me. How long could I keep this up?