Girls, PMS and colds " This is what is planned for tonight," Johnny informed us as we were sitting in a boring meeting down at the hotel in Stuttgart. " First there is a charity concert and you will meet some fans and have dinner and..."
The words were drowning out along with my interest for listening to stuff like this. It's not that I'm uninterested, it's just that when people are jabbering about in such a boring manner it makes me wanna sleep. Kev says that it's because I have too short of an attention span. Me I say it's because my brain gets overheated otherwise.
I'm trying hard to look interested, but it's hard when you're so tired that even the floor looks tempting. After the worst of the carsickness had died down I actually got to sneak a few hours of sleep, yet it doesn't feel like it at all. Maybe it has something to do with me blowing the nose all the time and sneezing like there is no tomorrow. Anyway the cold is starting to get on my nerves and now I seriously long for some cold medication, like Sudafed. As soon as the meeting is over I am taking my butt over to the pharmacy across the street. There is also a great need for softer tissues since the ones that Donna left me is making my nose really sore, especially the area under my nose. To my greatest fear I also noticed something that scares me dearly. A mouth sore has decided to invade my body! You know those nasty small red ones that first looks like a small mosquito bite and then they itch and it feels like you wanna be there and touch it all the time. You keep checking the mirror to see if there is a blister. And then when you think that you're safe you see the blister sitting there, shining in all it's glory and making you look like a freak. I hate it!
" Nick, Nick are you listening?" Kevin is waving in front of my face in that annoying manner that makes me wanna slap him.
" Yeah, yeah." Jerk.
" Good then what was Johnny saying?" Kevin is testing me and now I am in deep water. With a sigh I try for my life to think of what Johnny had said before I drifted off to my own world.
" Lay off him." Brian is coming to my rescue, still upset over that battle in van. And yes I managed to answer the question about who took better care of me. Being the smart person that I am I said that they both were good. In different ways. See I can be a negotiator when I want to. They however were not pleased and I could feel the tension still hanging in the air.
" No Brian. Nick said that he knew what Johnny was saying. Let him speak up." Turning my head I see Donna sitting there, smiling. Now she has caught me in her net.
" Eh..eh.." I stutter and just as I am about to let her call my bluff my nose starts to itch something forcefully and I lay off one big terrible sneeze that rocks the whole place down! " Aaaaatccchhoooo!". I swear that the windows rattled from the blast.
" NIIIICCCCKKKK!!!" AJ looked like he wanted to disappear from earth and I don't think that he was alone since Howie moved as far away as he could too. The only response that the guys got was another blast of sneezes. God I need that cold medication. Now.
" How is he going to be able to perform?" Brian shakes his head.
" Well we can't let him get off since the concert is much to valuable," Johnny talked like I wasn't present or that I was a baby. Both was just as bad. " Besides you will eat dinner with the contest winners and."
Now I woke up, " Eat dinner? Contest? What??? That I never heard of!!" I know that I was whining but I think that I am allowed to do that since going out for dinner was the last thing that I wanted right now. It would be kamikaze to do something like that. My head feels so stuffy that I'm starting to think that I am flying in the clouds instead of being down on earth. No I am not high or anything. Speaking about high I swear that Bone has tasted so many synthetic substances that he would glow in the dark. Nah just kidding, He is pretty cool about these things. Even if he is a sex freak. One time he said that a girl got a hot orgasm for touching his arm! I say that it was an allergic reaction from all that hair dye he is putting in his hair.
" Nick we have been talking about this for the past 20 minutes," Kevin sighs and I pout. Hey where did that I-wanna-take-care-of-Nick mood go? Now Kev is looking everything but excited for spending time with me.
" Sorry," I mumble and blow my nose for effect. If I'm lucky that could wrap the guys around my finger even more. No such luck since Brian seems as annoyed at me as Kev does. Maybe they are really sore at me for not taking anyone's side.
" You never pay attention," Kevin starts and soon they are all at it again. For once I sit quiet and listens, or do I listen? More likely trying to get the pressure out of my ears by holding my thumb and finger over my nose, blowing real hard. Kevin pauses and he looks at me strangely. " Nick what in the Earth's name are you doing?"
Busted.
" Eh..eh..trying to get this pressure out of my ears." I answer truthfully, feeling a bit ashamed. Gosh why do I feel like that? I am not some kid that has stolen candy. Or jacked off in public! Yet I often feels like that in Kevin's presence. Maybe because he is so much older than me.
Then the laughter starts. AJ is the one responsible for that I am the laughing topic here and soon the rest follows. " Oh Kaos, you are the best." he says as he slaps me hard in my back. Bad idea since this sets out a series of change reactions and I start coughing my brains out. Shit, Bone most have knocked something mushy loose in my lungs and now it feels like my lungs are about to explode. Nasty. Better get down to the pharmacy soon so I can knock this cold back to where it belongs. Fast.
******************
I wish I had paid more attention to the German language class since I am standing like a fool in the pharmacy trying to find some suitable cold medication. Searching the shelves up and down I try to find something that looks like Sudafed or some other American brand. No such luck.
I'm starting to wish that I hadn't gone alone and had dragged one of the other guys with me, especially D since he is an real talent for speaking different languages. Yup you heard me, I'm alone. Not even the bodyguards are in sight. I have tricked all of the fans that are standing outside the hotel waiting to see a hint of us. Let me tell you the story;
After suffering for several hours listening to Johnny talking about our tour and promotion stuff we finally got to get back to the room. Brian said that he was going to take a nap and since I had planned to go across the street to find some meds I said that I was going down the lobby to pick up something to drink. I'm surprised that B said nothing about this since we have mini bar in the hotel room. Speaking about mini bars, Bone is totally crazy about those ones and he devours everything that is in inside, everything but the small liquor bottles (according to him). I know better since I've seen him and Howie tasted those babies on several occasions. After all AJ is not a child. He is 19 for crying out loud.
Anyway I took on my cap, tucked in my hair and then walked downstairs. My heart was down my throat that I made it past the fans. They didn't recognize me because as I passed them I blew my nose as well as followed after some other couple. One girl even looked at me in disgust and said something to her friend about how disgusting spreading germs like that. I just wanted to laugh, but kept my posture and walked across the street. And now I'm standing here trying hard to find out what the text on the bottles says.
Picking up a white bottle with some indescribable name on it I scan it. There is a nose on the front and being the smart person I come to the conclusion that this has to be some nose drops. Suit me just fine. As I check the shelves I start to get more and more uncertain what to get. Maybe I should ask a clerk to help me out?
Looking around in the pharmacy I don't see any personnel and since my German stinks like AJīs socks and I don't want to make an ass of myself, so I don't ask for any help. To tell you the truth I'm a bit shy and I'm more and more starting to think that this was a bad idea. Besides being shy I have also one more character and that is I'm stubborn. My stubbornness leads me to pick out some bottles that look like they could contain some heavy cold medication. I'm determined to get well as fast as possible since feeling like this sucks majorly.
Picking up one brown bottle I scan it intensely. It looks like some kind of cough medicine and since it's by the cold counter I'll guess that it's safe to use. With that in hand I make it down to the desk. Several people are waiting in line and I feel impatient. I have been here waaaaay too long and soon the guys will wonder where I was. Now I have to make up some pretty damned good excuse.
Carrying the cold stuff in my arms I set them down on the desk. The woman behind the counter doesn't look at me at all as she press down the figures on the calculator. I wait, fidgeting since I better get back like right now. She asks something to me in German as she holds up a package of some pills.
I nod. Understanding zero.
With an smile the woman says, " Sehr gut," and I flash a big Nick smile as an effect, only to be wracked with a sneezing fit that has me coughing up a lung. She looks at me, concerned, " Nicht gut, ja?"
" Sorry," I say between the sniffles, " I can't speak German."
She just smiles back, " That is ok. So do you want to buy something more?"
A bit startled that the clerk can speak so fluently English I stutter, " No..no.. that is all."
After digging in my pockets for some change I managed to get the right amount of money up and she hands me the goods in a small plastic bag. Looking outside I see that the fans are still waiting in front of the hotel entrance and I steel my self to meet the crowed. Pulling the cap down on my skull, I step outside. It's pretty warm outside today and I have left my jacket at the hotel, besides bringing it along would have been much too suspicious since the guys thinks that I'm down at the lobby. I don't have to walk many steps before one girl is turning around, looking me straight in my eyes.
I beg and plead inwardly that she will not recognize me. Remember Nicks rule number 1? That everything Nick does leads to a fuck up! Well this is the case now and I stop, panicking when I see lots of girls running towards me.
" It's Niiiiiiccccckkkk!" They are screaming and I start to fear that I will be crushed. They look like a herd of elephants and I feel like a small bug. Desperately I scan for a way out, but there is none. Girls are coming from all directions and I turn around to fly into the pharmacy store. Girls are blocking that way too and I'm stuck.
My heartbeats faster and I feel like I'm about to pass out. I have never liked big crowds and this is one of my worst nightmares. Girls attacking me.
" Give me a huuuuggg," Never in my life!
" Oh Niiiicccckkk" Let me go!
" I luuuuuuuuvvvvvvv yaaaaaaa!!!" Keep your hands away from me.
Help!!!!
There are hands everywhere and they are tugging at my clothes, trying to get hugs. More and more this is scaring me and I beep with as steady voice as I can muster, " Let me go!"
No one is listening since they seem all to be in trance and girls are starting to cling onto me. Suddenly I see one girl aiming for my head and before I even have the chance to cover myself one girl is snatching my cap. It happens within seconds and as she holds her precious "gift" in her hands she yells, " It's mine. It's mine. I've got Nick Carter's cap!"
I most have looked like a deer caught in headlight and as I am trapped I can feel tears dwell up in my eyes. Oh No I don't want to start crying. That would be way to embarrassing. Biting my lip I try to act as cool as I can. The girls are screaming, tugging, ripping at my clothes and they are hugging and kissing me all over.
I like girls but this is too much!
As I try to run they pull me back and I'm stuck. It's like a death trap.
Then suddenly I see an escape route and I run the fastest that I can forward, girls are screaming at all sides and the hotel entrance is coming closer when suddenly one girl jumps on me, ripping me off my favorite neck chain. I get so stunned that I stop, " Give it back," I shout, trying to get my precious belonging. Bad mistake. As I try to get my chain back some other girl rips my medical bag that I have guarded with my life. Splash the cold med bottles falls on the concrete and the liquid spills all over the street.
" Iccchhh!!" Girls are jumping aside and I bend down to pick up the wanted meds. But no, once again a girl snatch my belongings in front of me and I can see the package of pain meds being taken in front of my eyes. Now I'm seriously starting to get pissed and I grab for the plastic bottle of cough syrup. Tucking it down in my big pocket on the sweatshirt. I would have been totally crushed if it weren't for me splattering down the girls with cold stuff. What a sight. I'll bet that media would have gotten a handful if they had been here.
Suddenly one girl yells, " Nick is using PMS medication!" She waves with my pain pills package and I feel like a fool again. There are lots of laughter and if I weren't in such a discomfort I would have cracked a joke. Now all I wanna do is to get out of this misery.
Fans are attacking me again and even if I'm not that far away from the entrance it feels like an eternity. Deep inside I promise myself, ' Please God, just let me live and I will always be a good boy. I will never do another prank and I promise not to be such a bug to Donna and Johnny'. My prayer most been heard since I make another run and before I know it I'm inside the hotel.
I most look like a complete mess since a guard from the hotel is coming toward me. I'm sure that he will take me up to my room and I relax, smiling palely.
" Was machen sie?" The guard ask me, in a not so nice tone.
" I..I..live..he..here," I pant, hands on my knees, bent down.
The guard doesn't listen and he grabs me in my collar, " This is no place for a brat like you." He says and I'm about to be thrown out to the wolves again.
" No..No..you don't understand..I..I..live here." I'm starting to panicking. " Please don't throw me out to the girls!!! Please." I know that I most sound pathetic, but I don't care. There are not a chance that I'm going back to the hyenas, I will be eaten alive.
" I'm Nick Carter, from the Backstreet Boys," I yell, trying to get away from his grip.
" And I'm Arnold Schwartzenegger," the guard says, intent to get me out of the hotel.
" No, No..itīs true!!!"
The guard doesn't listen and he is just about to throw me out, thinking that I'm some kind of orphan or druggie, when a receptionist comes rushing, and whispers something in his ear. He instantly let me go. " I'm so sorry Mr. Carter," he says apologetically.
Recovering from the shock of nearly being thrown out to the hord again I whisper, " Just..just take me to my ..my room." I am much too shocked to be pissed, at least not right now. That was a close call and I could very well have been out there getting ripped apart.
" Please forgive us," the guard keep saying and I bet that he is afraid of getting sued. I nod, relieved that I'm safe again. I know that if I wanted I could press charge against the hotel but I have no such intentions. No way. But what has me puzzled is that the guard didn't get suspicious when I started to talk English. It's like he is reading my mind because he says, " Many people come here to claim that they are famous people."
I nod, wiping my runny nose with my sleeve. The guard frowns seeing this bad habit. I don't care since I am much too shook up over this whole incident. " Where is the restroom?" I ask, suddenly remembering that I can't go up to Brian looking this crappy. The guard smiles widely and point to the other direction. I'll bet that he is relieved that I want to go there since then he doesn't have to face the rest of the boys. I'm pretty sure that they are not taking it as lightly on this as I am.
As I look myself in the mirror in the restroom I got quite a scare. The face staring back at me looks like shit. No wonder that the guard thought that I was some kind of intruder. Dirt is streaked in my pale face and my eyes are glazed like I'm high on something. My blond hair is all messy and tousled and my sweater is ripped at the shoulder and the sleeve. I'm all dirty and look like a bum.
The worst thing is that the girl ripped off my silver chain that I got from B.J. for my birthday. Looking at my neck I see that there are scratch marks on it and the girl most have pulled pretty hard to leave such scratches. They also ripped me off on my cold meds, except for the cough syrup. Putting the bottle down on the washbasin I sigh and turn on the tap to rinse my face off. I have to clean up before getting back to the room since there is no need to add more fuel to all my problems. Glancing at my watch I see that I have been gone way too long and this has me certain on one thing;
I'm in for a real chew out!
