My living hell is over.
No I did not die and go to heaven, even if that would be a bliss right now. That or getting taken by aliens. Wonder if an alien came here and took me if they were able to cure this flu that has me in its grip. Tightly. There isn't a bone in my body that doesn't ache and my head is stuffy, aching and dizziness is just a small word for what I am feeling. Not to mention my stomach and that blister. They are both competing in making life difficult for me.
But there is justice too. The dinner is finally over and I never have to meet Lottie again. If that isn't joy then what is?
I am on my way back to the hotel, together with my bodyguard Jay and soon I will be hugging the pillow. I can't wait long since this is the moment I have been longed for the whole evening. It's quiet in the van and it's gives me time to think. To think about this evening and life general. I like those peaceful moments since my life is pretty hectic otherwise.
There is just one word for the whole evening: A disaster!!!
I have acted like an ass. Some things I couldn't help like the burp and then the sneeze, (maybe) and that I fell ill. Who can help falling asleep and then upsetting your date? Don't get the wrong impression on me. I didn't do all those things because I wanted to be bad; it was just that I couldn't help it. Before I left Howie stated that I needed to go to charm school. I wonder how charming " MR Sleezy" would be if he was running a high temp and had the beginning of the flu? The odds for me have been bad all night.
I think that Lottie was actually satisfied when Kevin told her that I had to go home since I felt ill. Johnny has muttered that I ate too much ice cream and now I was paying the price. He can so understand. THAT was sarcastically meant! He had also been very firm with that I had to stay longer, but as he said that I just "happened" to get dizzy and claim that everything was blurry and that I had to sit down. This had both Brian and Kevin in for a fit. My acting skills are useful sometimes. After lots of arguing from Kev and B'rok, Johnny agreed to send me back and here I am now.
" How are you holding up?" Jay sounds concerned.
Shrugging I mumble, " Fine."
Well fine is very far from what I feel right now, but that is not something that I want him to know. I wish that Brian could have gone back with me, but Johnny insisted that he would stay. No doubt taking care of my date too. What a hassle.
" Drive in front of the entrance so he doesn't have to walk too far." Jay instructs the driver.
Im very grateful for this since it's still lots of fans outside the hotel and I don't think that I have the energy to deal with any of them right now. I feel a comforting hand on my shoulder, " Relax Nick. Everything will be just fine," he says.
I nod. I believe him.
After passing through screaming fans we are finally in the hotel. It's difficult to walk and it feels like I have soda in my veins. My head is twice as big and if I looked as bad as I felt my head would pass as Elephant man. Not to mention this blister that has double up and now I can feel another one growing in the corner of my mouth. Somehow I don't think that I'm high on the kissing list after this.
Jay is walking behind me and he is barely moving since I'm dragging my feet towards the elevator. He is a patient guy that doesn't rush me, even if I think that rushing me in the state that I'm in would be a fatal mistake. I would fall flat on my face and either break my neck or suffocate from not having the strength to raise my face from the carpet. Inside the car I lean against the cool mirror with my cheek, it feels good against my warm face.
" You want me to come with you?" Jay asks as we reach my floor. He lives on another one and I shake my head.
" No, I'm gonna turn in, thanks anyway. " You sure?" he doesn't look convinced.
" Yeah, really it's nothing wrong with me. I'm just tired."
With that I say good night and move to go to my room. Jay stands waiting for a while, watching so I get to my room safely. He is a great dude and I'm starting to like him. I better since he is on my tail all the time. Doing his job.
Stopping outside my room I stick my hand down in my jacket pocket to pick up the hotel key card. But it's not there. Turning all my pockets inside and out I check my wallet and my pants. But the keycard remains not found.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
Another reason for Johnny to chew my ass out! I wanna get into that room now since I don't know how much I can take it. It costs a fortune to get another keycard, not that I can't afford it. No mind you. I don't know if I have the strength to go down and get help.
Suddenly my legs feel like rocks and I have to sit down before I pass out. Everything feels so hopeless and I sob as I sank down with my head resting against the wall. I start crying as everything feels too much. I'm pretty sure that I have a fever right now since everything is like a blur and it's the same feeling like walking on clouds. Like if I have ever done that, but if I could I imagine that this is what it feels like. Stupid expression.
Closing my eyes I thought about this oh so shitty day! Suddenly I heard the clicking of high heels coming down the hallway. Thinking that it was someone that could help me I looked up. Just to be met by Donna Wright's alcohol breath. I jerked back. That smell of Jack Daniels made me all high and it did nothing for the nausea that was building in the pit of my stomach.
" What are YOU doing here," she slurred, pointing with her red nails at my face.
" I..I dropped my key.." I mumbled, feeling small and sick and exhausted.
" Really? Do you have any idea how much it costs and Nick when are you going to stop being such a klutz!" She grinned widely as she continued, " I heard that you caused lots of problems at the dinner party."
" Uh...hrmm..I..I.was..sick and Johnny sent me back and.."
" Just so you didn't destroy it anymore than what you already did. Don't think that I don't know what you've done." She waves her finger to me, and I sigh.
" Do you happen to have a spare key or can help me to get one," I asked bravely. The look I got could have killed a whole block.
" Nick you are the clumsiest person that I know and if you had to replace everything that you broke or lost you wouldn't get a cent as a allowance. So you better start to act responsible or things will become pretty ugly."
Now I felt bad. What was Donna talking about? Wasn't she gonna help me? " I'm so..sorry," I mumbled, sobbing. My head hurt so much and my stomach was joining in now. " Please Donna. I do..don't feel good," This was no understatement since sitting here in the hallway was a real pain in the butt. There were shivers up my spine. Chills that were accompanied with fever and I longed to get inside and snooze away.
" That you should have thought about before you pigged out on that ice cream," she said coldly.
What? Did this woman know everything?
" Huh?"
" Yes, Johnny told me that you ate too much and that is the reason why you are sick and.."
" No, No," I interrupted her, " No, I was sick before too. I think I have caught the flu. It sure feels like it," Checking, with my hand on my forehead, I discovered that I felt warm. The Backstreet virus had hit me!
" Nick!" Donna sounded rude and drunk, " You are ALWAYS complaining about something and if you want to really make it out there you have to be tougher. Otherwise you will be in for some real trouble." With that she said, " I'm sure that Brian will come soon, taking care of his little Frack." She grins, "I have to get going now. Goodnight, sweet dreams." With that she wavered away. She was pretty plastered and the smell of whiskey lingered in the hallway. Not so nice since it made me feel even sicker than before.
I don't know how long I had been sitting there, feeling sick and sorry for myself, but the next time I heard someone in the hallway I had no strength to look up. It was probably Donna that had decided to come back to spite me again.
" Was machen sie?" a male voice said briskly and I lifted my aching head.
" Sorry?" I peered into the light and it hurt my eyes so bad that I closed them again.
" You live here?"
" Here? No I do not live here," I murmur, much too woozy to lift my head. " I live in Ta..wherever. I don't know." I sigh heavily.
" Are you ok?" Now I have managed some stranger to be concerned too.
" No!" I moan, " My head hurts so bad," My voice is all shaky and it's strenuous to even talk. Groaning I rub my forehead and this most have had the person worried.
" Why are you out here alone?"
" I..I ..dropped.my..my key." It's so hard to talk and I'm so tired.
" You did?" There is some rustling; I'm guessing some key of sorts, since I am too tired to even open my eyes or care.
" Aha."
" You stay here?" the man says and I nod. Now all energy have ran out of me and I'm shivering so much that my teeth are chattering. In fact my arms probably looks like mosquito bites since goose bumps have taken over my body. Majorly. I'm pretty sure that my lips are blue too. Hey wonder if the blister will turn blue or yellow. You know the Swedish flag! Blue and yellow. Ha! Who said that I was stupid?
" Kid, take my hand."
Looking up I see the man stretch an arm out to me. With no further hesitation I grab it and he helps me to my feet. The man isn't much older than Kev and he has the same concern in his eyes that Kevin gets when I am sick or in deep shit or something. A copy of my big bro. I waver as I stand up and he grabs me as I am about to fall flat on my face again. " Whoaaaa," I never knew that I was feeling this bad.
" Easy," he says as he opens the door with one hand and the guides me through it. My legs are working on autopilot and he helps me towards bed. I am much too weak to do anything but sit down and let him help me. The second I hit my head on the pillow it feels like I'm in heaven!!! Instantly I close my eyes since it hurts too much to see.
He puts a hand on my forehead, " You have a fever," he mumbles.
I have no strength to say anything just mumble something incoherent. Gosh I most sound pathetic.
" You want this?" he put an extra blanket as I'm probably jumping up and down from fever and chills.
" Yes..yes ple..pleasse." Feeling the warmth spreading through my frozen body I drift off to a restless sleep. Hoping that I feel better when I wake up tomorrow.
A guy can always hope, can't he?
