“I can’t believe you got us kicked out!” I say, smacking Nick’s chest.
The principal leaves to go back into the auditorium. During the middle of the show one of the girls had recognised Nick, who was sitting in the front row. She had completely frozen, followed by two other girls. They stood there, completely star-struck, before muttering “Ohmigod! Nick Carter!” over and over and OVER again. Finally, the drama teacher and the school principle figured out who he was, and escorted us both out of the school.
“That was crazy, I didn’t know they’d get so freaked and mess up the whole play!”
”What did you expect! You smiled at them!” I exclaim.
“What does that have to do with anything!?” he asks throwing his hands in the air.
“Nick, that smile of yours is dangerous,” I point out.
“Whatever.”
“What I can’t believe is that we didn’t get a refund! I wanted our money back!”
“I agree, but oh well. We still got a $10.”
“Nick, we’re in Houston. The BIGGEST city in Texas! A ten dollar bill won’t even get us to that traffic light and back,” I exclaim, pointing to a traffic light only about ten feet away.
“Okay, okay. We’ll use this for ice cream or something, when we get hungry later.”
“Good plan. What time is it?”
“Wow, we spent a lot more time in Astroworld than I realised. It’s already about 3:00!”
“Damn! We’ve been gone almost eight hours! I wonder what the others are thinking…” I let my sentence drift off, thinking about them. Hopefully, they know we’d pull something like this, and won’t freak out.
“Yup, and my interview ended,” Nick muttered.
As we saunter down the street we pass a bank.
“Oh, idea! Why don’t you just use an ATM machine and get some money?”
“That would help… if I knew my account number by heart,” he replies sheepishly.
“If you weren’t absolutely irresistible I’d have to hit you right now.”
“Ya know ya love me,” he smiles gives my hand a light squeeze.
Around 6:00 our feet are nearly killing us. In three hours we had swiped hot dogs from a vendor, snuck into a roller-rink and went skating, won a free game of bowling because we happened to be the 999 and 1,000th customers, and got lost twice during all of this. Now we’re about 4 blocks away from the hotel, and can barely move another step.
“I don’t know what’s stopping me from going back to the hotel,” whines Nick. “The severe pains in my stomach from hunger, my feet that are dangerously close to falling off, or just plain facing the wrath of Kevin.”
“Well, we still have that $10, so we can buy a quick snack. And I’ll give you a foot massage when we get back to the hotel room, but you are gonna have to deal with Kevin on your own. This was YOUR idea.”
“Food’s good, and the massage sounds great, but I don’t want Kevin to yell at me, Ali!” Nick whines the last part in an incredibly high baby voice.
“Oh come on, you little three year old. He won’t hurt you. Besides, if I give YOU a massage, you know you gotta give me one,” I smile slyly up at him and he nods.
“Yeah, I figured.”
“So, where you want to eat?”
“Oh, there’s a Pizza Hut. We can probably get salad bar and an order of breadsticks for 8 bucks. Plus, it’ll give us a chance to relax.”
“Yeah, besides, I’m not really in the mood for any more pizza.”
“I agree, so let’s go get us some food!”
“Ugh, that took FOREVER!” I complain, as we throw open the doors of hotel.
“Finally, we’re here! I’m going to lie down and watch TV for the rest of the night!” Nick adds.
We use the elevator to get to our floor and we clomp down the hallway. As Nick inserts the key in the door we hear doors slamming all around us. Looking around us we see all the guys, Jade, a few bodyguards, and other miscellaneous workers.
“Nickolas Gene Carter!” Kevin yells at the top of his lungs.
“Where the FUCK have you been?” yells Kevin.
“Uh… Out,” Nick stutters, backing into Ali.
“Did you forget we had a radio gig?”
“Uh, no.”
“Did you forget how to write a note?”
“Uh…”
“Or how to say ‘guys, I need a little time off here’?” Kevin reaches Nick and eyeballs him. “You have NO idea what you disappearing did to us!”
“Well, I’m sorry I fucked up your perfect little interview!” Nick yells.
“Oh, you did more than that,” Brian says quietly.
“Brian…” Nick steps past Kevin to plead with his best friend. In the past, he had always been able to count on Brian to stick up for him. “Please.”
“You’re not even sorry are you?”
“No, I’m not,” Nick stands straighter and looks at Brian. “I needed that time with Ali.”
“And I really needed to be scared outta my wits,” Brian looks disgusted and walks back into his room, slamming the door behind him.
“Wha…?” Nick says to the closed door, before AJ spins him around roughly.
“You need to start BEIN’ sorry.”
“Oh, so you had to do a radio thing without me… Big deal.”
“You just don’t GET it do ya?!” Howie yells at Nick and then storms into his room, slamming the door.
“Oh, you upset Howie! Way to go!” AJ shakes his head and retreats into his room, slamming the door.
“Well, just you to go then I have the full door-slammin’ set,” Nick says to Kevin.
“Congratulations,” Kevin says quietly before slamming his door.
“Well, that was a success,” Nick says to Jade and Ali.
“I don’t know what the big deal is baby,” Ali soothes him. “But maybe… You should’ve said sorry.”
“I was goin’ to!” Nick whines. “But they went all psycho on me. I only missed one interview!”
“It wasn’t the interview Nick,” Jade says quietly. “We seriously thought something had happened to you.”
“What?” Nick stares at her.
“Kevin got a key to your room and we both went inside. Your stuff was all over the place and Ali’s purse was thrown on the floor. It looked like there had been a struggle or somethin’. Plus, AJ said you guys woke him up with a banging. And then you both disappear on us. Without even a note or a phone-call. Brian was so worried about you; he didn’t do the interview. He just stayed here, watching his phone and praying you’d call him. And the other guys did the interview but shot outta the studio afterwards like maniacs to call Brian about you. So, it wasn’t about the interview.” Jade stares at Nick and Ali in silence for a while. Nick’s head is down and Ali looks ashamed. “I can’t believe you would do that.” Jade turns around and goes inside her room, shutting the door quietly. Nick and Ali look at each other.
“Fuck,” Ali whispers.
“I can’t believe I didn’t think a little,” Nick mutters.
“I can’t BELIEVE Nick!” Brian growls from where he’s sitting on the couch. I sigh and cross the room to sit next to him. I start rubbing his back gently as I speak.
“He just didn’t think it through properly. That’s all. He didn’t realise we’d all get so worried. I guess he needed time off…”
“He coulda just ASKED. We’da given him the time.”
“Honey, this is Nick we’re talkin’ about here.”
“I’m startin’ to think Kev was right about Ali.”
“What?” I stare at him and sit back.
He looks at me. “Well, he was never like this before he met her.”
“Like what?” I ask. “Happy?”
“I know she makes him happy but… He’s different.”
“He’d probably say the same ‘bout you.”
“At least I don’t go off without a word to anybody when I have commitments,” he says angrily and I stand up.
“I know he was wrong but… It WAS kinda romantic,” I head into the bathroom and he follows me.
“Romantic?”
“Yeah. I mean, he wanted to spend an ENTIRE day with Ali, and nobody else.”
“I want to spend entire days with you,” he says sadly.
“But you don’t,” I tell him walking out of the bathroom with my comb.
“Because I have COMMITMENTS,” he follows me.
“Yeah, you keep sayin’ that.” He starts to speak but I hold up my hand, “Let’s not get into this now.”
“I want to! You think I’m not ROMANTIC,” he says angrily.
“Sure I think you’re romantic,” I kiss him quickly and head over to the mirror to drag the comb through my hair.
He starts to say something but a knock on the door stops him and he opens the door. It’s AJ.
“Hey Bri, everybody’s in my room. Nick wants to say somethin’. I think he might actually be… apologisin’…” AJ says the last word with an exaggerated gasp.
I pace down the hallway trying to work off some stress. I knew everyone would be mad, but I didn’t know they’d act quite like THAT. They completely went crazy. I admit, what we did was wrong but I wouldn’t trade a second of it. It’s probably been one of the most exciting days I’ve ever had in my entire life. Longing to be with Nick again, I head toward his room. Before I reach it, I pass by AJ’s room. Inside I can hear Kevin yelling. Much too intrigued for my own good, I press my ear against the door. After a couple of minutes I head back to my room, feeling real pissed off with Kevin. Jade had promised to come see me soon with some food and boy do I need it.
Kevin glares at Nick, who’s still concentrating on his fingernails. All five guys are in the room, all a lot more calmer and quieter, waiting to hear Nick’s story.
“Guys! I said I was sorry! What I did was completely immature. I should have told you guys I needed time off, and I shouldn’t have pulled something like this and I’ll never do it again,” he says, saying the last part as if he’s reading a script.
“Yes, but do you MEAN that?” Howie asks him.
“Of course. This was all completely my fault and I’m sorry.”
“Did you hear that, Kev? All HIS fault!” AJ gripes.
“Yeah, that’s what I said,” Nick interrupts, looking from AJ to Kevin, confused.
“Tell him, Kevin! Tell him what you told us.” AJ stares coldly at his older friend.
“What did you say to them?” Nick interrogates.
Kevin shrugs, “I said that it was Ali’s fault, that’s all.”
“That’s NOT all,” AJ yells. “Tell him what ELSE you said! How Ali’s no good and that all the trouble started when SHE joined the tour.”
“No, I believe his exact words were, ‘It’s all because of Ali, that girl is trouble,’” Brian mocks, throwing his arms across his chest huffily.
“Is that true?” Nick asks, his eyes full of sadness. Having his brothers like his girl means a lot to him, and knowing that they really didn’t hurt a lot. “Does anybody else feel this way, too?” he asks searching the expressions on AJ, Howie, and Brian’s faces.
“I don’t. I like Ali,” Brian says.
“Dude, she’s like my best friend,” AJ says.
“I love her to death,” Howie finishes.
“So, what the hell is YOUR problem?” he says, pointing a finger in Kevin’s face. “You asshole! She never did ANYTHING to you.”
“Yeah but look what she’s done to you!” Nick, Brian, Howie, and AJ stare at him, utterly shocked and completely confused. “Forget this, I’m leaving!” Kevin snarls, standing up from his chair.
“Hey! I’m not done with you!” Nick starts to follow Kevin but Brian pulls him back.
“Hey, let him go bro. You both gotta calm down a little.”
“I can’t BELIEVE him,” Nick fumes, pacing the room.
“Hey, he just cares about ya. C’mon, let’s go shoot some pool. You can pretend the balls are Kevin’s head,” Brian jokes.