Kevin groaned. He hated early mornings and eating breakfast at seven o'clock in the morning was not his cup of tea. He could have done with a few more hours of sleep. Heavy bags under his eyes and tousled hair proved that he was as far from the handsome celebrity that he usually was. They were all more or less looking burned out and the only comfort was that it was less than two weeks before they would be on the plane back to the states and have a weeks rest.
He wanted nothing more than meet Kristin, tell him how much he missed her and that he was sorry for the jerk that he had been. It was so hard being on the road all the time and being the male that he was, he loved women. He was a legs man and a pair of beautiful legs had him always on the rope. And this is what had happened this time too. A pair of long tanned legs sitting on a beautiful blonde model had him breaking up a realtionship that had been on the verge of collapsing many times. It was so hard being faithful on the road.
Sighing heavly several times he got his cousin's attention.
"What are you thinking of?" Brian asked as he took a bite of the toast in front of him. "Something bothering you?"
Kevin shook his head, staring blankly in front of him with a sad look in his eyes, then he returned back to his coffee cup.
"Heīs homesick," Howie explained, turning page on the morning paper that he was reading. AJ was nowhere to be seen, off nursing an impending headache.
"Ainīt we all?" Brian groaned, suddenly remembering Leigh back home. Oh he would do anything to be with her, if only for a few days. He too longed for going back home for a few weeks of rest. But he also had to go down to the hospital for some tests for his upcoming surgery. He knew that the doctors wanted him to do the surgery as fast as possible but Lou wanted them to wait a couple of months and finally Brian had agreed on this. They were in the middle of touring and they would travel around in the states after the break. The surgery was scheduled at the end of May and he dreaded this. Even more than he ever wanted to admit.
What if things went bad?
Shrugging back the unwanted thoughts, Brian yawned loudly, "Dude I could do with a few more hours of rest. Right Frack?" he added, glancing over at his young friend. Getting no response back he noticed Nick sitting like a robot, stirring his cup with a spoon with small circular motions. He looked like he was in another world. "Hey dude are you asleep?" Brian grinned, trying to get his friend's attention with waving him infront of him with his hand, "Earth to Nick!"
"Donīt," Nick muttered, waving away his friends hand. Annoyed.
A bit surprised over this reaction the Kentuckian asked, "Dude what's the matter with you? You ok?"
"Yes!" Nick offered nothing more, continuing to stir.
"Leave him be," Howie said, still not looking up from the newspaper. "Heīs just tired."
"Really?" Kevin turned towards Nick, concerned etched in his face, "You didnīt sleep?"
"Yes." There were annoyance in the teens voice, but he made no move to stop the robotic movements and continued staring into space.
"Well that was NOT what AJ was saying." This time Howie looked up from his paper. Glancing around at them all he continued, "Bone said that he was sick!"
"Sick?" Both Brian and Kevin said in unison, staring at Nick who groaned inwardly. Now all hell would break loose!
"Youīre sick?" Brian nudged Nick' arm in concern.
"No."
"Why does Howie say that then?" He pressed on not letting go of his eyes on the pale blonde.
"No idea," Nick muttered looking up slowly, "Maybe it's because AJ is stupid."
"What?" Kevin butted into the conversation, "Why do you say that?" Howie looked just as curious as the older man.
"Because he lies." Nick offered no further explanation, sipping slowly on his tea.
"Well that was NOT what AJ said." Howie said dramatically, setting his eyes into Nick who shrugged away, uncomfortable. "He said that you puked your guts out!"
"WHAT?" The cousins said in union, again, frowned etched on their foreheads. Nick couldnīt help but smile. The Kentuckians were so alike, yet so different. Kevin was the first to open his mouth. "Nick why didnīt you say that you were sick?"
"Because Iīm not."
"So you mean that throwing your guys up ainīt being sick?" Kevin continued a bit irritated, "You canīt go on not telling us when you feel bad."
"I donīt feel bad." Nick defended himself, wishing that they would drop the subject. Deep inside he really wanted to tell them about the mess he had gotten himself into. That he was using laxatives to keep his weight down and bínge eating and how depressed he felt. Yet he couldnīt bare to say those words. Feeling much too disgusted with himself.
He sighed. They wouldnīt understand anyway.
"Then why did AJ say that you did?" Brian asked slowly, not turning off his gaze on Nick. The young teen fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Because."
"Because what? Is that all you can say?" Kevin was getting impatient. He was getting tired of Nick uttering the one and same word. This was a habit his little brother had, and now it was the word "because" that was high on his list. He couldnīt help to feel a tad concerned over the way Nick was acting. There was something worrysome over the way he looked and to hear that Nick was sick during the nights scared him. What if there was something seriously wrong with his "little" brother?
" Because he was drunk on his ass!" Nick spat.
The three man looked at him like he was something that the cat had spit up on the rug. "Youīre saying that Bone was lying?" Howie asked slowly.
Suddenly Nick felt bad. He didn't want to drag his friend into the dirt. Ok AJ was drunk that one was for sure, but he wasnīt too drunk not to remember anything and this Howie knew too. Yet he didnīt want them to know about the eating binge. He was stuck in a situation that tore him up inwards.
"Yes," he heard himself saying, "AJ came busting into my room drunk as an ass." He waved dramatically with his hand as the show how fast Bone had swept in. "He woke me up, yelled something and then left." Nick could have bit his lip and noticing the looks his friends gave him in disbelief he felt like he wanted to sink through a whole in the ground.
His life was becoming more and more like a lie and he didnīt like it!
"He did that?" Kevin was the only one to respond, there were a mixture of doubt and concern in his eyes. Brian looked at him with sadness and Nick knew the second they would be alone Brian would start questioning about his binge eating. And he would lie like so many times before. There was nothing wrong with him, was there?
Needing to support his own story Nick nodded frantically. He had to support his stupid story. "Yup! He was totalllyyyy drunk on his aaassssss!"
"Ok." There was silence in the room again. The tension evident. For a moment Nick felt like he wanted to cry. None of them had believed him and suddenly he had to get out of the room before he would burst. He felt disgusted with himself for lying to his friends and pissing on AJ. He was about to get out when Lou suddenly burst into the room.
"Good morning boys," the manager entered the room with a large grin on his lips and Johnny in a tow. Getting no response back he said with false cheerfullness, "Why are you boys so gloomly when we have another exciting day ahead of us?" He looked sternly at the boys, one boy one.
"Nick is throwing up." Brian said flatly.
At that moment the teen felt ready to kill his friend. Why did he have to say something like that to Lou of all people? Ok he knew that Brian's intentions were the best. He probably hoped to gain some understanding, but instead it worked in reverse. "Really?" Lou said, setting his eyes into Nick's. "How come?"
Now Nick felt trapped. Desperately he searched for something to say. If he lied he would drag AJ down the dirt since then Lou would be pissed at him for drinking too much and the last thing he needed was to have the manager being on his friends case. He would always be forced to take the fall! Ands if he said that it was true he would have BOTH the guys AND the management down his throat. No matter what he said he would loose.
Swallowing hard he wanted to get out of this situation. He needed to get out. Fast.
Johnny was the one to save him, "Maybe itīs that flu that have had Kaos in itīs grips. Iīve been feeling a bit sick too." Nick knew that it was a lie and he secretly wondered what made the manager say something like this. Saving his ass.
"Yeah maybe." Kevin said with a frown. Howie nodded too, but he wasnt buying it either.
Lou not wanting to talk more about the subject ruffled Nick's hair, "Well the main reason is that Nicky is ok, right son?" Smiling towards the teen his facial expression held double messages. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not.
Shrugging away Nick said nothing. He didnīt want Lou's disgusting hand on him. It made him feel dirty. Noticing this repulsion, Lou continued a bit harsh, "You better clean up your acts." He glared over the silent group, "You are on tour and not in some funeral home!"
"Weīre tired," Howie defended the group.
"Tired?" Lou snorted, "Then maybe you shouldnīt stay up and party so hard." His eyes slid over the men that looked like they wanted all to crawl back to bed and not sit here this early in the morning.
"We didnīt."
Lou glared over at Kevin who had felled the comment. Scanning around in the room he noticed one band member missing, "Yeah and where is AJ?"
Feeling rebellious towards the manager, not wanting him to find out that about AJīs hungover, Nick blurted out, "He probably has the same kind of shit like I do."
"Oh well," Lou changed topics fast, "I want you all to be with me at eight o'clock, packed and ready to go." There was a groan in the group since they had to travel to yet another city for a concert, stopping along the way to do public relations events.
Nick breathed a sigh of relief, Lou hadnīt bashed him. But say the joy that lasts for long. Not before he had thought it out he heard Lou's booming voice calling for him, "Nick!" His tone held authority and he pricked up his attention.
"Yeah?"
" I want you to come up to my room after breakfast. I want to talk with you." It wasnīt a question a question more a demand.
All of the men including Johnny looked strangely at Nick and Lou. Surprise shining in their eyes. Nodding Nick felt the dread creep up inside him.
Not knowing what to expect!
