After riding the Mayan Mind-bender, Batman: The Escape, Serial Thriller, the Dungeon Drop (three times), and the Texas Cyclone, we were starting to get pretty hungry.
“Okay, we can’t improvise on food! What are we supposed to do now?” Nick says, sitting down on a curb, and rubbing his tummy. I look around for a good restaurant, and spot an arcade in the distance.
“I think I can get us some food,” I dash over to the arcade, Nick at my heels.
“What are you gonna do?” he asks warily.
“You stay out here, let me take care of this,” I leave him at the door and head into the arcade. “Yes!” I say, spotting a pool table. I innocently pick up a pool cue, and twirl it around looking confused. Then I purposely hold it wrong, and pretend to shoot a ball into a pocket, doing an awful job. It doesn’t take long at all before a tall blonde comes over and looks me up and down.
“Having trouble, honey?” he laughs, a few of his friends joining him.
I smile up at him and put the pool cue down, sticking my hands in my pockets. ”Well, I’m SUCH a klutz when it comes to this game. But I need the practice, want to play me?” I put my hand on his arm flirtatiously, my eyes begging him to accept.
“Sure thing, beautiful. I’ve got $20, care to make a wager?”
“Well, I don’t have any money, but…” He looks at me curiously. “I’ll play strip. Every time you hit a ball in, I’ll take something off. And WHEN you win, I’ll give you something extra. Right on this here pool table,” I pat the pool table gently and glance at Nick, who looks like he’s about to go out of his mind.
“Deal,” he slaps a $20 bill on the table and we shake hands.
“Ugh, why am I doing this? I’m totally going to lose. But then again, I don’t really mind,” I say, running my fingers once through his hair.
“I’ll be right back, I’ve gotta go tell some friends that I’m going to be a little late,” he says, almost regretfully.
“Okay, I’ll be waiting,” I flash a bright smile as he and his friends walk to the other side of the arcade.
“What the hell! We can get food some other way. I’m not letting my girl give some strange guy a lap dance on a pool table. I’m not letting my girl give ANY guy a lap dance on a pool table!” Nick explodes the second the guys are gone.
“Nick, baby. Shh, it’s okay. I’m awesome. NO ONE can beat me at this game. Trust me, alright?” He nods reluctantly. “Go back over there, they’re coming back.”
“Miss me?” asks the blonde. “By the way, I’m Austin.”
“I’m Alicia. And yes, very much.”
“I’ll let you break,” he offers, racking up the balls.
“How sweet of you,” I walk over to the other side of the table and shoot. Three solid balls go in the corner and side pockets.
“Hey, you’re a shark!” one of his friends yells.
I smile evilly. “Beginner’s luck, baby. Beginner’s luck.”
“You were great, Al!” Nick yells, picking me up and spinning me around again.
“It was nothing,” I say, fanning 4 $10’s and 1 $20 in front of my face. “And when three of his smart-ass friends thought THEY could beat ME? Puh-lease,” I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly. Nick just rolls his eyes, but smiles. “So, up for pizza?” I ask, stuffing the bills into my pockets.
“I’m up for anything digestible. I don’t care WHAT it is.”
I laugh at his exaggeration.
“I say we give ‘em until dusk before callin’ the police,” AJ says. “I mean, they won’t do much until they’ve been gone 24 hours anyway.”
“What do you think happened?” asks Howie worriedly.
“I wish I knew,” Jade mutters before looking at Brian. “Is there anything else Ali hasn’t told us?”
“Why do you guys keep asking ME that?!” he says angrily. “Like I know.”
“She told you that other stuff,” Jade defends and he puts an arm around her apologetically.
“I know. But that was it. I didn’t exactly ask her to make me sole confidante again… Not after the way it affected you and me.”
“You don’t think they got…kidnapped?” asks Howie breathlessly.
“Doubt it,” Kevin smothers a laugh. “Who’d want ‘em anyway? No, I think somethin’ PERSONAL happened. I just hope Nick hasn’t done somethin’ stupid.” Kevin sighs and looks around, “Ok, should we cancel the radio thing?”
“Yeah, I‘m not goin’ to be able to concentrate without knowing Nick is ok,” says Brian.
“Me neither,” Howie agrees.
“What else can we do though?” asks AJ. “I’d rather go and do it, instead of sittin’ around here watching the door like a hawk.”
“I agree. Business as usual,” Kevin says. “We can say Nick feels a little ill.”
“Nick’s MISSING,” Brian almost yells. “We can’t go do a dumb interview like nothin’ happened! I don’t believe you guys!” He stares angrily at Kevin and AJ before stomping off.
Jade looks around at the three guys before shrugging and following Brian, “I’ll go calm him down.”
“Ok, I guess Brian’s feeling a little ill as well. Anybody else want to drop out?” Kevin says threateningly. Both AJ and Howie shake their heads nervously and follow him to the car.
Brian walks angrily outside the hotel and stares up at the blue sky, feeling his anger evaporate to be replaced by fear. Where the hell is Nick? If anything has happened to him, it will feel like his fault. Nick is his best friend but lately, he has hardly seen him. Because of Jade and Ali. He loves Jade. He wants to spend every minute of every day with her… But lately it has been at the expense of his best friend; the guy who is closer than a brother to him. If he had only been around for Nick more often, he might have confided in him about Ali. And then Brian would know what had gone wrong, and what to do about it.
“God Nick, come back please.” He’s not aware that he said the last words out loud but Jade’s arms snake around his waist and he feels her head rest against his back.
“He’ll come back,” she whispers.
“I feel so guilty.”
“Me too. I’ve barely seen Ali lately.”
After splitting a large cheese pizza, and an extra large coke we both agree we are way too full to ride anything else.
“Oh, let’s get tattoos!” I shriek, pulling Nick over to a Henna Tattoo stand.
“Alright, what should we get?”
“I know what I want.” I pull open the book and show the artist my decision. “But you can’t see it until it’s done, so turn around.” Nick sits down in the chair and opens the book to see the selection. Five minutes later mine is done. I got the letters N.C. in Old English on the top of my left breast.
“Ohh, I like. I think I want the same thing. But I want the letters A, M, instead,” Nick grins.
“Where do you want them?” asks the artist.
“I dunno. Ali, where should I get them?”
“Hmm, put them on the inside of your arm, where your chain ends,” I suggest, pointing to his muscles.
“Alright, AM right there.”
Another five minutes and he’s done.
“Okay, don’t touch them for thirty minutes. They’ll dry and then just peel off, and the ink will stay in your skin for at least two weeks. If you want them off…good luck, but I’ve heard that water with LOTS of chlorine could help, so avoid swimming if you plan on keeping them for a while.”
“Thanks!” I say, paying him the money.
“Well, we’ve got twenty bucks left, should we save it?” Nick asks, waving the bill in front of my face.
“Yeah, in case we get into a tight spot. I already feel guilty about all of this.”
“Yeah, me too. But we needed to spend some time together, in a normal place. Not just in a hotel room.”
“I agree.”
“Seems like that’s all Brian and Jade do nowadays – spend time together. I hardly ever see Brian and I never see you and Jade together.”
“I was just thinking that. I miss her. I feel like he’s taking her away from me,” I sigh.
“Aww, Ali. He doesn’t mean to. Maybe she feels the same way about us, but you’ve just got to open up first,” he says, trying to be helpful.
“You know what? That’s a really good idea… But enough about Jade. This day is all about you and me.”
“Now you’re talkin’! So, let’s leave the park and then…”
“Improvise?”
Nick smiles and kisses me. “You know me too well.”
“Well, I sure hope Nick and Brian feel better soon.”
“Thanks. So do we,” Kevin smiles at the DJ and takes his headphones off as the red On-Air sign is turned off. “We done?”
“That’s it. Thanks a lot guys.”
The DJ’s last word is said to empty air as the three Backstreet Boys race out of the room, pulling out cell phones as they go. They all press a number on speed dial and get the engaged tone. Kevin stops, making AJ and Howie run into him.
“Kev, move!” yells AJ.
“Who you callin’?” Kevin refuses to move.
“Brian!” AJ and Howie yell simultaneously.
“Duh, me too. We can’t ALL get through, now hang up and I’ll call him.”
“It’s ringing!” AJ says excitedly, pushing past Kevin. “Brian? Any news?”
“Aje, no,” Brian says disappointedly. “I thought you might’ve been Nick.”
“So, no news at ALL?”
“That’s usually what no means.”
“Sorry. Kevin’s standing here givin’ me daggers… Want me to resist?”
“No,” Brian sighs. “Put him on.”
“Ok. Been nice knowing ya buddy,” AJ teases, trying to lighten their moods. He hands the phone to Kevin.
“Hey Bri. I’m sorry ‘bout earlier.”
“Me too Kev. I just feel like it’s my fault.”
“It’s not. It’s Ali’s fault.”
“Hey, that’s my cousin you’re dissing!” AJ breaks in.
“Yeah, and Nick was fine before she showed up,” Kevin glares at him. “Brian?”
“Still here,” he responds wearily.
“We’re comin’ back to the hotel now. We’ll meet in your room, ok?”
“Sure. I’ll be here,” Brian hangs up and Kevin gives AJ his phone back.
“Alright, so… what can you do for free around here?” Nick asks, wrapping an arm around me as we stroll around downtown, already miles away from Astroworld.
“Umm, window shop?”
He glares at me and rolls his eyes. “Something FUN.”
“I don’t know, what do you feel like doing? Oh, let’s go see that!” I say pointing to a billboard sign in front of Houston High School. They’re remaking the play “Guys and Dolls” and admission is only five dollars per person.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Ok, panic over,” Kevin says striding into Brian and Jade’s room.
Brian looks up quickly, “You’ve found him.”
“Not exactly but I know what happened.”
“What?!” Jade almost yells.
“You ain’t gonna like it,” AJ sits next to Jade.
“I went over to the hotel desk when we got back and asked the clerk when he came on-duty. He got on at 5am. So I asked ‘bout Nick. And he saw him run past the desk just before 6am with a blonde girl. Both of ‘em giggling like maniacs.”
“What?!” Brian and Jade yell simultaneously.
“Whoa, lower the volume,” AJ winces. “You guys are gonna make scary parents.”
Brian ignores AJ. “So, Nick and Ali basically skipped out on us for the day for FUN and didn’t even leave a note tellin’ us so we wouldn’t think they’d been kidnapped or somethin’?!”
“That’s just about it,” Kevin sits down angrily.
“I can’t believe Nick would do this to us,” Brian says.
“Me neither,” Howie leans against the wall. “It’s pretty sucky.”
“It’s all because of Ali,” Kevin says, folding his arms across his chest. “That girl is trouble.”
“Hey!” AJ and Jade say together.
“That’s my friend you’re talkin’ about.”
“My cousin,” AJ nods. “Yeah, ok. It’s sucky. But you can’t totally blame her.”
“Nuh uh, Nick is a grown man y’know,” Jade points out. “Plus Ali’s only about 5ft6.”
“Huh?” Kevin shoots her a confused look.
“And Nick’s 6ft? How’s a 5ft6 woman gonna push him around?!” Jade looks at Brian. “See, I make sense. I did make sense, right?”
“Yeah. I got it,” he smiles at her before looking at Kevin again. “So, what are we goin’ to do?”
“Yell his sorry ass out,” says AJ with an evil grin.
“And put him on extra PR duty,” says Howie excitedly.
“Sounds good to me,” Kevin grins. “Plus, I’m sure we’ll think up a few more things while we’re waiting for him to show his sorry ass.”