~~~several minutes later, in the tourbus~~~
“Wow.. I can’t believe how cool this evening was!”
“And will be” Brian whispered in Alyssa’s ears.
“Maybe..”
“Not maybe, for sure!”
Alyssa giggled her girlish laugh and rested her head on his chest.
It was quiet for a moment before Becky asked something..
“Guys... there’s something that I’ve been wanting to ask since we all first met..”
“What is it Beck?”
“Well.. don’t you have girlfriends?” she blurted out.
“I mean, you’re rich, you’re famous, you’re hot.. it’d be highly expected that you have girlfriends”
The guys exchanged startled looks and it took a few seconds before one spoke up.
“Well, Becky.. it’s not a weird thing to ask us..”
“But?” Summer asked Kevin.
“But, as of now, I don’t have a girlfriend”
“But you did once, right?”
“Yes.. we’ve all had girlfriends and dates in the past”
“I have one now!” Brian laughed.
“We noticed” AJ rolled with his eyes.
“What about you AJ?”
“Miss Lissy.. I can tell you honestly.. I do not have a girlfriend.. my last girl left me in January”
“And you didn’t date in between?”
“Of course I did!.. my name wouldn’t be AJ McLean if I wouldn’t have!”
“Ugh” Michelle shook her head annoyed.
“But I quit the dating-scene for a little while.. I’m working on a.. project right now” he smiled mischievously.
“So what about Howie? You are such a sweetheart! You must have a girl!”
“No.. unfortunately not”
“NO??”
“Yea, I’m shocked too” Howie joked.
“And Nick?”
“Nah... I lost hope after Mary-Ann”
“Is she your ex?”
“Yea.. we dated for a little over a year”
“Oh”
“Hey.. but I’m busy on a new project.. like AJ!”
“I’m not a project” Morgan said.
“Who said I’m talking about you??”
“OH! That is sooo.. you.. you.. basterd!”
Nick started laughing.
“It’s not funny!!”
“Yes it is.. you show”
“what do you mean ‘I show?”
“Admit it babe.. you’re in love with me!”
“Prick!” Morgan stood up and they heard her slam the bedroom door loudly.
“You shouldn’t tease the poor kid like that Nick” Kevin lectured.
“I know.. but she’s such an easy target!”
“What about your ex-girlfriends?” Alyssa asked Brian, not wanting to drop the subject.
“Well, what about your ex-boyfriends?”
“I asked you first”
“OK.. my first real girlfriend was Nina.. we were together for 4 years”
“Wow”
“OK, then Sally.. we dated for a little over 6 months.. the guys didn’t like her”
Alyssa looked at the 4 remaining Backstreet Boys as they frowned and made funny faces, she started giggling when Nick made a face as if he was going to throw up.
“Yea..ok that’s enough” Brian laughed “and then there’s Libby.. I dated her for a year.. but it didn’t work out.. age difference”
“Oh.. she was 16?”
“No.. actually she’s 31”
“WOW!”
“Yea.. now you answer”
“Oh.. well, that’s a short one!.. I dated a guy named Simon in high school.. we grew apart after a while.. and then when we moved to LA last year, after Morgan had finished high school too.. I dated John for a while... I met him at the gym.. but he emigrated to Australia.. so we broke up”
“And Becky?”
“Just a few guys I dated.. and Jonathan was my boyfriend for a year.. Michelle’s dating-history is much more interesting!”
“Yea, Michelle.. I’m so very interested in that!”
“I bet... I dunno.. I dated a lot of people.. don’t remember all their names.. longest relationship I had was with Alex..”
“And how long was that?”
“uhm... I guess.... about 7 months”
“Summer?”
“I had 1 serious relationship”
“Who?”
“Raul..”
“How long”
“16 til 21”
“Wow”
“And what about the little one?” Nick said, referring to Morgan.
“Ask her yourself-“ Alyssa started.
“Xander” Michelle interfered.
“And Paul.. and Johnny and Dexter and Mike”
“What? She’s just 19!”
“Oh, all she does is play with them...”
“I see, it runs in the family!?” AJ snapped, hoping it would stop Michelle from dissing her cousin.
“No.. she’s way more cruel than me.. she gives guys hope.. I just fuck them” she said, ‘accepting’ the challenge.
“Michelle-“
“Don’t ‘Michelle’-me Becky.. you know it’s true.. it surprises me she didn’t use Marc yet”
“OK Michelle, that’s enough! What has gotten into you?!”
“Geez, never mind!” she stood up and walked to the back of the bus.
“Nick, don’t listen to her.. Morgan is nothing like that.. I wonder what is making Michelle act like this..”
Although Alyssa tried to console Nick.. it was too late.. the seed of suspicion and mistrust was planted in his head..
***
Exactly why she was telling all those lies and exaggerating the whole deal, she didn’t know.. but the point is that she started it.. and now had an aching desire to finish it.. she wanted to ruin Nick and Morgan’s relationship til there was nothing left.. she felt that if she wasn’t happy, why should Morgan be? Besides.. Morgy deserved better than Nick, and he deserved better than her.. so actually she was doing them a favor! She thought of Nick as a nice guy, she should save him from the heart aching..
***
“Stupid prick” Morgan muttered to no one in particular.
She was sitting in the girls bedroom for a little while now and she was getting bored.. so she decided to casually walk back into the room.
***
“Hey Morge”
“Hi... where’s Michelle?” she said, looking around the room, missing one person.
“I dunno..”
“Oh” she took place between Summer and Howie.
“So... when will we arrive in Anaheim already?!”
“Soon!” their bus driver shouted.
“K!”
~~~20 minutes later~~~
Morgan had a weird feeling in her stomach.. the feeling that something was going on, which she didn’t knew about.. and if there was one thing she hated, it was being left out of something. When she had returned to the front of the bus, Nick had said nothing to her, and even know, 20 minutes later.. he still hadn’t said a word.. she figured that something must be wrong, else he would talk to her like usual. So she decided to go to him and just ask what was the problem. And now she stood in front of his hotelroom, it was shut and the ‘Privacy’ sign hung out on the doorknob.
She knocked..
***
Nick lay on his bed, when he heard knocking on his door.
“Who is it?”
“Morgan”
“Go away”
“Nick? Please? What’s wrong?” she twisted the doorknob, only to find out that the door was locked.
“Nothing’s wrong, I just wanna sleep!”
“Baby, I know something’s wrong.. now are you gonna make me pry it out of you through a closed door.. or are ya gonna open up and tell me the truth yourself?!”
She heard him sighing loudly.. then he opened the door.
“What do you want?” he said
“Talk” she pushed the door farther open and walked in, making herself comfortable on the bed.
“There’s nothing to talk about”
“God, you are so stubborn! I know something’s wrong, cuz you haven’t talked to me in 25 minutes!”
“Oh! What a crime! SO SUE ME!!”
“What the hell is your problem?”
“I could ask you the same!”
“What?” she shook her head confusedly. She stood up and walked over to him.
“Baby, what’s buggin’ you?” she stood so close there were only inches left between them.
He forced himself to not look her in the eyes, cuz he know that he would tell her and then she’d twist it all around, and he, being the naive fool, would believe her of course.
“Nick? Come on.. you know you can tell me honey..”
Still no response..
“Is this another one of your games to test how far you can go with me and get away with it?”
she laced her fingers together in his neck.
“No it isn’t”
“Then what is wrong?.. are you in a fight with one of the guys?”
“No”
“Has it something to do with me?”
No response.. only some uncomfortable coughing..
“It has something to do with me.. Nick.. if you just tell me what it is.. I can explain, I’m sure”
she pushed herself against his chest and tried to make him look at her.
“Hun?”
She lifted his head so now he was forced to look her in the eyes.
Knowing he probably wasn’t going to talk, Morgan decided to let it rest and try again later.
“You know.. we could use our time more useful..” she started to kiss him.
Nick almost went along with her.. but then he pushed her away.
“Jesus Nick, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!!”
“YOU!”
“What do you mean I’m your problem?!”
“Morgan, I don’t wanna be your toy!!” it was out before he knew.
“WHAT?!!?! My toy??!”
“Yes, your toy!!”
“Explanation please?!?!”
“I know all about the way you treat men..”
“You do? Well do you mind explaining me just how I do that according to you?”
“You make ‘em fall in love.. you give them hope, fool around with them and then you let them down!”
“Aha.. I see.. and where did you get this sudden intelligence may I ask?”
“I’m not gonna give that person away”
“You don’t have to.. I already know..” she walked to the door “Next time you believe Michelle’s lies.. just remember.. it takes one to know one!” and with that she shut the door behind her with a loud bang.
***
Michelle, AJ, Alyssa and Brian were sitting in the main-room that linked all the rooms together. They suddenly heard fighting from Nick’s room and then a very angry Morgan shut the door of his room. She stormed to where Michelle sat.
“YOU JEALOUS BITCH!! YOU JUST CAN’T HANDLE THE FACT THAT I’M HAPPY CAN YOU??!!!!”
“Morgan, calm down.. what’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong!!! This BITCH has put lies into Nick’s head and now he thinks that I’m some sort of a slut that plays around with guys!!!”
“I didn’t do that”
“Yea sure... LIAR!! Tell me Michelle, are you that incredibly jealous of your little cousin and best friend that you keep her from being happy?!!” AJ defended Morgan.
“I’m not jealous!!”
“Whatever” Alyssa sighed.
“I just thought you might wanna know... your vicious plan has succeeded.. he’ll never trust me again!!” Morgan ran into her own room and locked the door after her.
“Way to go Michelle” Brian said.
“I didn’t do it!”
“Oh please! We were all there when you started about Morgan’s love-life! There’s just one thing I don’t understand,.. why?! Why are you doing this to Morgan?!”
“I’m simply protecting Nick.. I think he’s a nice guy and I don’t wanna see him hurt because Morgan needs someone to play with again”
“Well, sorry honey. But you are WAY worse than your cousin and we NEVER interfere with what you do to guys!!”
“Maybe you should,.. I just feel this is something I have to do”
“Sure! We all wanna destroy the chances of a happy Morgan and Nick and thus a happy tour!”
“You know perfectly well that their relationship would never stand”
“That’s not the point, the point is that they have to find that our themselves!”
“I don’t need to listen to this” Michelle stood up and seconds later another bedroom door slammed close.
“Man.. and this was just the first day of the tour..” Brian sighed.
***
Summer, Kevin, Howie and Becky were sitting in another room when they heard some turmoil coming from the main room.
“I wonder what’s going on” Becky said, looking at the door.
“I hear Morgan yelling”
“Now there’s a change!” Summer joked.
“I’m gonna go check”
“OK”
***
Becky walked in and Michelle stormed past her..
“Whoa, what’s her problem?”
“Oh, hey Beck.. you missed the fun!”
“What happened?”
“Morgan and Nick had a fight about the stuff Michelle said earlier in the bus.. and now Morgan blames Michelle and Michelle says she ‘feels’ she has to protect Nick from Morgan..”
“Ohhh” Becky rolled her eyes and sighed deeply.
“Yea, you can say that again..”
“Where’s Candy?”
“In her room”
“And Nick?”
“In his room”
“Man, I don’t even wanna get involved in this.. I’m tired, I’m gonna go to bed”
“K, good night Becks!”
“Later!”
“I’m gonna go talk to Nick” Brian stood up
“I’m gonna go talk to Morgan” AJ stood up also
“Huh? Why should you talk to Morge?”
“There’s something I wanna tell her.. I won’t be long”
“OK..” Alyssa said.
Brian walked into Nick’s room and AJ into Morgan’s..
***
“Leave me alone B-rok.. I don’t need any brotherly advice now”
“Well, I don’t agree.. I think my brotherly advice is exactly what you need Nickolas my friend!”
“OK”
“Man, Nick, you are so stupid at times.. why do you even believe Michelle? Can’t you see she’s jealous?!”
“Why are you being so negative about Michelle?”
“Because all the girls say she’s lying!”
“Well, I believe her!”
“Why? What makes you believe that what she says is true”
“I’ve been around Morgan for several weeks now.. and I won’t deny that I have special feelings for her.. but I also know, that she’s very versatile in her feelings for me.. one moment she’s all over me and flirting with me.. and the other she’s snapping at me and telling me that she doesn’t know what to do yet..”
“Nick, she’s just a kid”
“She’s the same age as me”
“You’re also just a kid”
“Why do you care so much about my relationship with Morgan?”
“Because it just so happens to be that we have to spend 4 LONG months with her and the other girls.. and there’s now way that we’re gonna put up with you and her being pigheaded!”
Nick shot Brian an evil look and turned around.
“You’re my friend and I care about you, now if I’d really think Morgan’s the way Michelle claims her to be, I would tell you.. and so would the other guys.. and you know that, cuz we nagged about Mary-Ann for the entire year you were with her! So be smart, and don’t do this to yourself.. deep down inside you know Morgan loves you”
Brian left.
***
“Miss Morgan? Can I come in?”
“AJ?” she laughed and opened the door “Since when am I Miss Morgan?”
“Dunno.. just thought, since you’re mad and all, I’d be extra nice”
“Come in”
he sat down in a chair
“So what brings you here?”
“Well..considering the fact that you and Nick are mad at each other and the fact that you and Michelle are mad at each other.. I thought you might wanted to talk”
“Not really.. there’s nothing to talk about”
“Oh! But there is!”
“Well, I think Nick is an ass for believing Michelle and I think Michelle’s a bitch for suddenly interfering in my love-life”
“That’s exactly what I think”
“Huh? But.. but.. Nick is one of your best friends and you’re in love with Michelle!”
“Love and friendship doesn’t have to make one totally oblivious of the truth”
“Haha! That’s true!” she laughed.
“Why does he even listen to her?”
“Nick is very credulous.. and maybe a bit naive too”
“So?Deep down inside he must feel that I love him and that I’m not like that!”
“He does.. he’s just scared I guess.. and stubborn!”
“What should he be sacred of?”
“Well, what are you scared of Miss Morgan?”
She blushed of shame and looked down at her feet
“See, you’re not exactly a saint either”
“I wanted to know if he’s for real”
“Nick is trying to figure out the same thing”
“God, this makes me feel like I’m the bitch”
“Now don’t you take that title away from The Queen of Ditzes!”
They laughed again.
“It’ll work out eventually Missy.. mark my words.. it’ll be all right eventually!”
AJ walked out.
Morgan had never thought of AJ as the one with the good advice and shoulder to cry on.. but obviously she was wrong.
***
Brian and AJ both sat down on the couch again.
“How did it go?”
“OK.. and with you?”
“OK”
“It’ll work out eventually Miss Lissy” Brian kissed her hand.
“K, I believe you”
~~~The next day~~~
Becky’s alarm clock went of at 6 AM.
“Ohhhh...why?” she muttered into her pillow.
“GGGGGGGGOOD MORNING BECKY!!!!!” Howie shouted as he stormed into her room.
“Shut up”
“Ah, come one Miss Rebecka!! It’s a glorious morning!”
“It’s 6 AM.. it’s still night”
“Get out of that bed, it smells!” Howie took the sheets in his hands and threw them away with one movement.
“OH MY GOD!! SORRY!!!” he shouted
Becky sat up and rubbed her eyes drowsily.. it took her a few seconds to notice that she was naked.
“HOWIE!!! GET OUT!!! DON’T YOU KNOW I SLEEP WITHOUT ANYTHING ON?!!!”
she yelled while grabbing for the sheets next to the bed and covering herself up entirely.
“No.. I..I.. no one told me.. sorry.. I... it wasn’t my intention to-“
“GET OUT!!!” she threw a pillow at his face and he ran out as fast as he could.
***
Howie ran back into the main room where Kevin and Summer were gathered.
“Hahaha! Poor Howie.. we forgot to tell you Becky sleeps naked huh?!”
“YES!” he said angrily.
“Well, you should have listened to me when I said you really didn’t want to wake Beck up if you wanted to live!”
“You could have told me anyway! Then I wouldn’t have ripped the sheets off of her!”
“Uh-oh! Hahaha!” Summer chuckled.
“Now she’s mad at me!”
“Awww! Well Becky is never mad for a long time..she’s too much of a sweetheart for that.. so don’t sweat it D” Michelle joined them.
“Good morning Michelle” Summer said a bit sullen.
“Please.. don’t tell me you’re mad at me too?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side if that’s what you mean..”
“Thanks”
“No problemo”
“Is Nick up yet?” Michelle asked.
“Probably.. haven’t seen him yet”
“Oh...I’m gonna go check on him”
Summer, Howie and Kevin looked at her strangely “Sure.. you do that”
“Later”
“Bye”
***
“Uhm.. Nick?”
“Go away Morgan” he said, burying his head underneath the pillow
“Uhh.. I’m not Morgan.. I’m the evil cousin”
“Oh.. go away Michelle”
“Nope, you have to get up my sweet!” she plopped down on the spot next to him.
“I don’t wanna” he sulked
“You have to.. lots of interviews today.. photoshoots.. fan-meetings.. and-“
“Shut up.. I know what my daily schedule is”
“Whoa.. are you one of those guys who you can’t talk to after 11?”
“Yes”
“Well.. I’m one of those too.. but I was up all night so it wasn’t like my alarm woke me up anyway”
“Michelle, what do you want from me? Do you want to talk? Is there anything you need to get off your chest?”
“What makes you think that?” she said offended.
“Just a hunch”
“Oh..well.. I wanted to ask you if you feel guilty?”
“Guilty?? What for?”
“For yelling at Morgan”
“NO!”
“OK.. me neither”
“That’s just swell.. no can you get out?”
“Geez! You really are in a grumpy mood!”
“Yes I am.. I’m in a fight with my girl, I don’t know who to believe and on top of it,.. Brian lectured me too, so can you please show some understanding and LEAVE?!!!!”
he sat up straight and shouted loudly.
“OK bubye!” Michelle jumped up and left.
***
“I take it Nick is in a bad mood?”
“You can say that again!”
“I wish him and Morge weren’t that stubborn”
Michelle frowned her eyebrow at Brian and left for her room.
***
Morgan woke up with the biggest headache in centuries, for a second she wondered where this pain was coming from... but then reality struck her..
“Nick” she muffled and rubbed her eyes “And Michelle” she yawned. Her pillow was still moist with the tears she had shed the evening before.. she couldn’t figure out what or who hurt her more.. Michelle, her own cousin and best friend, who suddenly judged her for her childish behavior.. or Nick, who wouldn’t even listen to her side of the story, and who obviously hadn’t an abundance of trust in her.
She got up from the bed and swirled her hand around in her purse, fishing up two aspirins, she walked into the bathroom and swallowed the aspirins away with a big gulp of water, then she stepped into the shower to wash away the betrayed feeling that got a hold on her heart
***
“I hear water running”
“Yea.. Morgan’s taking a shower” Becky announced as she walked in.
Howie buried his head deep into the newspaper while he felt his skin color going from tanned to lobster-red.
“Morning Beck”
“Morning” she pushed Howie’s newspaper down “Don’t EVER do that again!!”
Howie nodded.
“OK.. we’re cool again” she gave him a kiss on his cheek and turned around to get a seat.
If possible, Howie’s head just turned MORE RED.
***
Nick couldn’t fall asleep after Michelle had left his room.. she had asked him if he felt guilty for yelling at Morgan.. of course he felt a bit guilty, he hadn’t even let Morgan tell her side of the story.
“WOMEN!!” he shouted to no one in particular and jumped out of bed.
***
Again they heard turmoil come from another room.
“I hope the 4 children will behave today” Kevin sighed.
“Ah, c’mon Kev, it’s not that bad!”
Kevin shot Alyssa a skeptical look.
Nick’s door swung open and he walked in “I’m warning you all in advance, I’m in a VERY bad mood, so please shut up unless you have something really important to say”
“Good morning to you too Nick!” Howie chuckled.
“Oh.. and I don’t want to hear a word about either Michelle or Morgan!”
“Sure, you can run but cannot hide” Brian mumbled.
“Shut up” Nick shove a banana into his mouth and plopped down on the couch.
***
Morgan stood in front of her closed bedroom door, ready to walk out and get some breakfast.
“Be brave” she said to herself
***
Just then, Michelle wanted to get back to the main room also...
“Hello Morgan” she said as she nearly bumped into her.
Morgan looked her right in the eye with a cold terrifying look and walked past her without saying a word.
“Hey Morge!” Alyssa greeted her.
“Morning!” she forced herself to smile.
“Want some breakfast?”
“Yea, is there tea?”
“Yes, Summer made some”
“K”
“Good day Miss Morgan” he put an arm around her shoulder as she sat down next to him.
“Hey AJ” she briefly looked and smiled at him.
Michelle sat down on the couch next to Nick.
“Still grumpy?”
“Yes, so shut up”
Morgan looked at Nick and felt a lump forming in her throat, she swallowed and blinked the tears away.
“Did you get any sleep?” AJ whispered.
She nodded no.
“Me neither..”
***
“Morgan isn’t talking to me”
“Oh”
“Jesus Nick!” Michelle shouted.
“Michelle, please just go away! Why can’t you leave me alone? Why can’t you all leave me alone?!” He ran into his bedroom again.
Morgan and AJ exchanged looks.
“Man, what is his problem?” Michelle thought out loud.
“You” AJ said just loud enough for Michelle to hear.
“No, her cousin is the problem!” Nick stood in the doorway of his room.
“Yea right, blame her! you didn’t even give her a change to defend!” AJ shouted.
“AJ, stay out of it!”
“No can’t do, I’m already involved”
“I can’t believe you, you called Morgan fake just weeks ago!”
“I changed my mind, something you should do!”
“Well, I don’t want to change my mind, I know I’m right”
“Sure, you don’t even know the real me!” Morgan stood next to AJ now.
“I don’t have to know the real you, I know you suck already”
Morgan swallowed once, twice and again, she turned to Michelle “This is all your fault! You call me a whore while you didn’t even know that I wasn’t a virgin anymore until the girls told you! You called me a cow for not giving in to my feelings for Nick! You know nothing about me, all you care about is yourself and how you can gain profit out of something, or someone! I hate you!!!” she sank to the ground and started sobbing immensely.
For a moment everyone in the room was struck with silence and amazement, then AJ kneeled down and embraced Morgan, rubbing her back and soothing her.
Michelle stood there totally baffled, she looked at Nick, who had put on his grumpy face again.
“Morgan’s right! Who are you to interfere in her personal issues?!! You are the town slut and we never acted so totally against you as you do now!! Morgan is the sweetest, most innocent girl God made, she never hurt anyone on purpose, unlike YOU!! She isn’t after Nick to play games, she loves him! Is that so hard to believe? And from your own family! Really Michelle, you’ve gone to far this time!” Becky helped AJ lift Morgan up and into her room. “Come along sweetie” she wiped away some tears off Morgan’s cheek.
“Boy, I’m glad to see that my friends appreciate and love me this much!”
“Oh Michelle, SHUT UP!” Alyssa followed Becky.
The door slammed shut and now Kevin, Howie, Brian, Nick, Michelle and Morgan were the only ones left in the room.
“You! If you hurt Morgan more, I’ll break every bone in you body! And don’t think I’m joking here! I’ll kill you if you hurt my Morgan!” Summer hissed to Nick
“And you, I thought you’d be smarter, don’t expect me to be impartial anymore”
Once again the door opened and closed, now after Summer.
“Man, this tour sucks!!” Michelle ran away and another door closed
“Why are you all so bitchy?!” Nick shouted before running away too.
The 3 remaining people in the room looked at each other in astonishment.
“This were without a doubt, the weirdest few weeks in my entire life” Howie sighed.
“Brace yourself, there’s 4 more months to come” Kevin said.
“Those chicks bring out the strangest in us” Brian shook his head.
A knock on the door..
“Who is it?”
“Ross”
Brian got up and opened the door for Ross.
“Hello everyone! Had a good sleep?!” Ross said cheerfully
3 skeptical looks were shot his way from across the room.
“What is the matter?”
“Long story” Howie rolled with his eyes and sighed deeply.
“Start telling” Ross sat down on a chair worriedly.
“I think you better talk to the ones involved”
“Huh?? What do you mean?”
“Well, it all has to do with Nick, Morgan, Michelle and AJ a bit too”
“Oh.. did Michelle and AJ had a fight again?”
“Sort of.. but it’s more between Nick and Morgan now”
“Oh..”
“Yea..”
“Where are they all?”
“Let’s see.. Michelle is in her room. Nick is in his room. And Morgan is in hers, with AJ, Alyssa, Becky and Summer”
“Dear, dear.. I think this is more of a case for Angela.. I’ll go get her” Ross stood up and left the room.
