But when AJ was finally freed from the weird connection he just had with his so called brothers he thought he knew, there was no time to start his accusation rampage.
"Quick, hold hands, we need to transport out of here now." Vinhorian Alni summoned his orders urgently. There was something about it that made AJ decide not to question his moves and just follow instead. He couldn't even begin to start looking at the rest of them, he was sure they were relieved to have escaped him.
He took Brian's hand on his left and Howie's on his right, both palms felt cold and sweaty. Somewhere in him, he felt satisfied, Brian and Howie were having guilty trips. Great, let them know exactly how he felt when he was forced to face his problems.
"Okay, here we go."
It felt like they never even moved. They were just holding hands in a circle and the entire surrounding changed in a matter of less than a second. The TRL studio was gone, replaced by a hotel room instead. It was like going to a movie and watching everything being played out, he could see every angle of the room, the only difference was, he was in that movie. He wasn't sitting in some dark room with a big screen in front of him, he was literally in the set as the movie was being made. He was expecting a director to come out any second and say 'action!' but nothing of that sort happened.
"Where are we?" Brian asked. AJ realized then that he was still holding on to Him and Howie. He loosened his grip and felt Brian and Howie do the same.
"Looks like a hotel room." Nick replied. Talk about the obvious.
"We are where the answers are." Vinhorian said. "Take a look."
As soon as those words were spoken, AJ saw Howie, the younger Howie with that infamous ponytail, entering the hotel room. Immediately, he was brought back to the Millennium Tours.
"Cool hair D." Nick chuckled and AJ, despite the anger still stemming inside him, found himself biting his lower lip and refrained himself from laughing.
"Shush." Howie hissed, although he failed miserably to look hurt by the comment.
"You remember this D?" Kevin asked.
Howie sighed. "Unfortunately."
-
Howie entered the hotel room, taking in the scene before him. Clothes strewn everywhere, packets of rice crackers littered the beige carpeted floor. There was no signs of the blonde one but the closed bathroom gave him a clue.
"Nick lets go already, we're gonna be late!"
"In a minute!" The voice from behind the closed door replied. Howie was about to reply to that when his cell phone rang. Slumping himself tiredly on the edge of the unkempt bed, he answered the phone.
"Hey mom."
"Hey honey, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."
"There's never a bad time for you to call me." Howie smiled. The chuckling of the woman on the other line made his smile widen.
"I'm just wondering if you've made up your mind yet about next week."
Howie was expecting for that question. In fact, for the last few weeks, his mother had been calling him with the same question and he always managed to dodge an answer.
"Oh...well...we're still in the middle of the tour and I don't think I can make it home."
"I understand...it'd be nice if you could join us though since this is the first year and all."
"I know mom, I wish I can be there too...but I'm not making any promises."
"Oh well, we all understand what you have to do Howie. Have her in your thoughts."
" Always."
"Okay sweetheart, I won't keep you up, take care of yourself okay? And call me when you're free."
"I will mom. Say hi to everyone. Love you."
"Love you too."
Howie got up from the bed and started pacing the room. Was he making the right decision? Was he being selfish? He didn't exactly know what to expect then, everything was going so well with the tour and it was just the perfect distraction for him. Going back home would only worsen the stubborn wound that refused to heal.
"Nick hurry the hell up!"
Nick stared at his own reflection in the mirror and saw himself frowning. What crawled up that man's ass this early? He contemplated on answering the man that his one minute wasn' t up but decided against it. He was tired of always having to answer to everyone. What about him? Did anyone bother to answer him when he asked them things that matter? No. In the middle of all the hassle, his questions would most of the time be ignored. And they say he has a short attention span, sheesh!
He uncapped the small medicine bottle and poured out a tiny white tablet into his palm. Without second thoughts, he brought it to his mouth and swallowed it. Turning on the tap and cupping the running water with both of his palms, he brought himself down and started drinking it, washing the tablet further into his system. One final glance in the mirror, satisfied at what was looking back at him, he reached for the door.
Howie stopped pacing the moment he heard the door being opened. He tried to look relaxed, like as if nothing was bothering him but he was beyond disturbed by the phone call to be acting for the blonde or anyone else for that matter.
"Done?"
"Yeah, let me get my bag first." Nick replied as he grabbed for the red back pack that he brought everywhere he went and the key card for the room. "Is Kevin mad?"
"I don't even know where he is. I'm just here for you."
Nick shrugged it off, of course Kevin is mad, and Kevin is punctual too and Nicky is in trouble, yet again.
"Hey D, AJ and I are going out tonight to check out that new club, you wanna come?"
"Don't you get tired? Why can't you stay in tonight and watch some tv, you always complain about not getting any TV time."
"D, Brian is beginning to sound boring enough, don't go there too, please!"
Howie rolled his eyes. "I'm tired, you go with AJ, just don't get drunk."
Nick drapped his hand across Howie's shoulder and pulled the shorter man nearer. "Where's the fun in it then?"
"Seriously man, it's going to get you and AJ in trouble one of these days."
-
Kevin was late, something that no one had expected to happen, ever. To Nick Carter, it meant for the first time, he was off the hook for being late
AJ seemed lonely having to wait around on his own while Brian was busy as always, deep in conversation with his wife. Newly weds, Nick smirked. He decided it would be the best to join AJ since Howie decided to be Mr. Grumpy early morning.
"Dude, you're going to the club with me right? Ken's going with us, just so Jim knows we won't get into trouble." AJ said.
Nick nodded. "Yeah, I'm going. I heard the DJ's good."
"Nick come on, we're there for the chicks not for the DJ."
"Someone needs reminding that he's no longer a single man." Nick rebutted. "And I for one don't want to end the night screaming down the phone with Mandy, again."
AJ rolled his eyes. "I didn't say we're gonna bring them back to the hotel your moron, what's wrong with flirting? Looking around?"
Nick chuckled. "It matters when your girlfriend is Mandy Williford."
"Why are you still with her if you're not happy?"
"I'm happy AJ, who says I'm not? She's jealous and that's good, it means she wants me all for herself, now that's something." Nick smiled.
AJ sighed and patted his shoulder. "Sure Nick, she wants you all to herself, Jane seems to agree on that too."
"AJ please, don't start with that okay? It's too early to stress me out."
"Hey, if it's stressing you that means it's not right. Get a clue kid, before you get hurt."
Kevin was about to get out of his hotel room when his cell phone rang. Signalling to Mike to give him a few more minutes, the guard nodded in understanding and closed the door behind him. Back in the hotel room in the privacy of his own, he sat on one of the single sofas and answered the call.
"Hello Mr. Bennett, what can I do for you?" Kevin said after seeing the ID caller.
"Mr. Richardson, I apologize if I get you at the wrong time."
"Oh no, it's okay. What's up?"
"I just talked to Ms. Lenny on the phone a few minutes ago and she has agreed to have you and Mrs. Richardson. But if you and your wife still want to see her in person, I can arrange for a day where we can all meet."
Kevin smiled, the morning sun has begun to shine on him, it wasn't such a bad day after all. "Of course, we'd love to meet her. I'll call my wife some time today and we'll work a schedule to meet you and her?"
"Of course, I understand you're busy, anytime when you and Mrs. Richardson are free, we'll work something out. Just don't make it too long or she might change her mind and have another couple instead."
Kevin shook his head, as if the man on the other line could see him. "No, don't worry Mr. Bennett, I'll get back to you ASAP, don't let her go, this might be our last shot in a long run."
_
"I'm sorry but who the heck is Mr. Bennett? And while we're at it, is Miss Lenny the same Lenny you introduced us as Kristin's second cousin? If so, then how come you and Kristin need to see her in person? Like Kristin has never met her own cousin before?" AJ burst, breaking at once, the silence that had encompassed them, enthralled by what they were watching.
Howie nodded. "Yeah, and what the hell were you swallowing in there? Was it some kind of drug? How could you even take that thing when I'm just right outside of that bathroom?"
Nick felt himself losing his patience, how could Howie even assume that he was taking drugs? The last time he did, he had his stomach pumped and Lou had to cover it up for stomach flu. Would he be so stupid as to put himself in that danger again? He might be young but he's far from being stupid.
"I'll tell you if you tell me what that phone talk is all about."
Kevin shook his head and looked at Vinhorian expectantly. "Why are your people doing this to us? My problem has got nothing to do with the group. And I believe whatever it was that Howie was facing with his family is his problem, it's his choice to tell us." He paused and looked at Nick. "But you on the other hand, I can't defend. I want to know what you took young man, is that why you're always sick these days?"
Brian's eyes widened as he remembered the experience they had back when Vinhorian had showed them the TRL studio. "Yeah Nick, what did that doctor mean when he said you could die? That's serious man, you got to tell us."
Nick scoffed and tore his eyes away from them. The scene before them was still playing out. They were in the tour bus and Brian and Leighanne were engaged in small talk, Kevin was on the phone, AJ was asleep, Howie was staring out the tinted window while Nick's own past was reading a UK magazine with them on the cover.
"Don't expect me to tell you shit if you're not ready to tell me yours." Nick spat. "It was always like this in the past and it's like this now too. You expect me to tell you every single thing I did and then tell me it's wrong and then let me stand here and take all your blame. Well I'm sick of it."
Sensing the tension that was building up among them, Vinhorian Alni decided to step in and intervene. "Guys, I know you're mad at each other and curious to find out more, now if you would give it a chance, all the answers are right there," Vinhorian said, pointing towards their past selves in the tour bus. "watch and listen."
-
"Honey, is next week okay for you? The tour's ending in three days and then wrapping it all up with some meetings, I should be back by then." Kevin asked his wife, careful to be as soft as he could.
"Of course baby, I wouldn't miss it for anything. This could just be it." Kristin replied, her voice filled with excitement. "This could be the answer we're searching for."
"I know, I can't wait. So I'll call Mr. Bennett and arrange it for next week. I'll see you then okay?"
"I love you Kevin Richardson."
"I love you more."
-
AJ yawned and stretched his legs as far as he could from his seat. Blinking a few times, brushing the remains of his sleep off his muddled head, he looked around and found Howie staring into space. He smiled, assuming this was the best time to talk to the guy before his cell phone started to ring again. Some things never change, he swears Howie was born with that little gadget in tact.
He got up from his seat and stayed still for a few seconds to get his bearings right and slowly proceeded to the man.
"Hey D, can I talk to you for a sec?"
Howie turned his gaze away and found AJ standing next to the empty seat beside him. Secretly, he welcomed the intrusion. "I doubt you're gonna be done in a sec, and sit down before the bus starts to turn and you get your ass slammed on the floor."
AJ pretended to look hurt and took the offer. "I was thinking if you've got nothing up next week, you wanna come bunk off with me at home. Amanda's away for a few weeks with her group and I thought we could do some catch up."
"Now that's strange. What's up with you and Nick? I thought you two always hung out together during breaks."
AJ shrugged and lowered his voice, careful not to let the young one overhear their conversation. "Don't tell anyone but ever since he and Mandy got serious, they're getting more and more like the young version of Brian and Leighanne. That girl just doesn't leave him alone. In fact, I personally think that she's worse than Leigh. Not that Leigh is bad though, she's cool enough for me."
Howie smirked. "Sure, AJ, if that's what you say."
"Yes, that's what I say. Don't you dare tell Leigh otherwise!
Brian's gonna grill me forever. I just don't understand them, why can't they get someone independent huh? Like my Panda? She doesn't have to hang around me all the time."
"That's because she already has you around her tiny finger. Just keep a look out J, I'm not saying I don't like her, but until she and her group get a recording deal, anything can happen bro."
"You telling me she's using me to get that shit?"
"I'm not implying anything J, I just want you to be careful. Look at Nick, you keep telling me Mandy's using him now but before, she was just this ordinary girl who loved him for him. I'm saying people change my man."
AJ hated the fact that his best friend did not trust his girlfriend. No wait, not girlfriend, his fiancee! How could Amanda be anything like Mandy? In a year's time, they're going to get married, just like Brian and Leighanne. People kept saying that she was using Brian too but look at them now, happily married. He can have that too with Amanda, screw what Howie just said, he was probably just sad he couldn't get himself a girlfriend right now.
"Okay fine, I'll keep my guard up. Now how about the offer, you in?"
Howie rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh that he knew would annoy his friend. "Sure Bone, I'll come babysit ya."
Why wouldn't he? It gave him a valid reason to not go back home.
-
He knew somewhere in the article they would mention it but does that keep him from reading it? No. Because Nick Carter is well known for his stubbornness. He would like to see it as him being a firm guy though. What did Jim say over and over again? Don't read the magazines, don't listen to tabloids, don't surf the net, but did he listen? No. Cause Nick Carter refused to be told what he should and should not do. If he feels like reading a damn magazine, he will! If he wants to surf the net, he will!
He wondered if there was anyone out there who looked at him and saw beyond the face that was looking back at them. He wondered if they ever see the cracks in his smiles or how stiff he stands sometimes. When he watched himself being interviewed on TV, he could see the dishonesty shining in his eyes as he continued to mouth out lie after lie, but did the fans see that too? Of course not, if they did, they wouldn't say such things.
They wouldn't say that his life was being run by his girlfriend, they wouldn't say that he turned his back against his own family, they wouldn't say that he's fat! They wouldn't say that he's the heartthrob and the young one, they would have seen more than that.
He placed the magazine lazily on the empty seat as his cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he smiled and cleared his throat before answering.
"Hey you." He whispered, not wanting to disturb the comfortable silence in the tour bus. He couldn't however, hide the wide smile that was beginning to take the place of his frown.
"Hey, you busy?"
"Nah, I'm in the bus on our way to the venue. Miss me?"
"You have to ask?"
Nick giggled softly. "You could have stayed with me right here you know."
"I know, but if I had stayed for the rest of your tour, your fans might just kill me, then you wouldn't have Mandy anymore."
Nick sighed. Of course. He couldn't believe they would actually start throwing food on stage at her. They had one hell of a huge fight because of that and also resulted in her sudden departure back home, leaving him alone again. Not that the guys were no fun. Brian is always fun but that only happened during Leigh's bathroom break or shopping spree. Kevin could be fun but lately, he was always putting on his serious mode. Nick suspected that the man just missed his wife. Howie was still grumpy after two weeks [yes, he keeps tabs] and AJ's idea of fun is getting drunk every single night, that too, got redundant to him.
"Yeah, but I'm miserable without you."
"Hey, a lil bit of miserable is good, I hear stress can make one lose weight, you actually benefit from it."
"Yeah, I guess so...um...we're arriving soon, I need to start packing my stuff, I'll see you next week okay baby?"
"Okay, break a leg."
"With this extra weight on me? I'd be lucky if the harness can hold me up safely." Nick laughed. "Soon, we're gonna have to axe that surf board thingy."
"Baby, don't say such things! I'll pray for your safety."
"Thanks babe, love you."
"Love you too."
And that was how it always went. Every negative thing that people said about him that hurts, he would turn it into a joke, hopefully by doing that, he would one day see it just as that, a joke and nothing else.
-
"That girl is such a bitch." AJ exclaimed.
Nick smirked and turned to look at him. "We always get those, don't we?"
AJ laughed. "Yeah, come to think of it, we always get those. Whatever happened to the good girls?"
"They're with the good boys." Howie chuckled.
"You trying to say we're bad?" Nick asked. Howie stared at him and then at AJ. He had 'duh' written all over his face. "Oh yeah, we are." Nick laughed.
"I'm bad." AJ said proudly.
"Down to the bone." Nick laughed. "No puns intended."
"Guys, I think we're missing the point here." Vinhorian interrupted. "Don't get sidetracked."
"Oh come on Vin, chill out. We know we can't run away from this, but who said we can't have fun while at it?" Nick said.
"No harm in fun guys, but seriously, I need to know, was I the only one who was happy on that bus?" Brian asked worriedly.
"Nope, you're not the only one." Nick replied slyly.
"Oh?" Brian asked.
"Yeah, it's you, the bus driver, and Leighanne. You three were happy in that bus."
Brian rolled his eyes heavenward. "Thank you Nick, I shouldn't have missed those out from my observations."
"Well cous, you have every right to be happy. You have your wife with you and you deserve every ounce of it. A year ago before that happened, you were in the hospital fighting for your life. I say you deserve to be happy now."
"True, but there's still something that you hid from us Rok." Howie pointed out.
"Yeah, don't think we forget Bri." Nick agreed.
"I know, but I was happy during that time even though AJ thought my wife was using me," Brian said, staring at AJ. "But you guys weren't. So where do we start? How about you Howie? What was up with you then?"
It looked like Howie was about to say something when Vinhorian cut in. "Hold that thought D, right now, we need to hold hands and get out of here."
"Always the cliff hanger, huh Vin?" Nick mocked. "Wherever are you taking us now?"
Vinhorian reached out for Kevin's hand on his left and AJ's hand on his right before looking straight at Howie and winked. "The answer to Brian's question."
AJ rolled his eyes. “Yup, heard that before too.”
