He sat. And sat. And well...he sat. He looked around as if he thought someone was watching him...but everyone that walked by or sat nearby ignored him. As if he wasn't a famous celebrity.
He smiled slightly, so this is what it felt like to be a normal, everyday 21 year old. This was what it was like to be....ignored.
The waitress came then, an older woman with graying hair, and sat down his hot cup of black coffee he had ordered. He smiled and said a simple, "Thank you." and she left to go about her other duties.
He suddenly wondered what it would be like to hold down a normal, everyday job. Not as demanding as his was...nor as tiring as his was. But a job where he sat in an office or waited tables or bartended or watched over people who went to the beaches during the day. He sighed...but he really didn't want a job like that...he loved the job he had..he really did. But sometimes....he wanted to revert back to being a normal, everyday 21 year old.
He sipped his coffee carefully, as not to burn his tongue. He turned his head to the side and watched as two children skated by on their rollerblades, yelling and laughing with each other. Another small smile crossed his face...he remembered those days when he could be carefree and innocent and just...a troublemaker.
He finished his coffee and laid a couple of bills on the table as he got up. He placed a baseball hat on his head and walked down the street.
His cell phone ringing disturbed the peace of his little 'world' that he was in. He looked at the screen to check the caller i.d. and pressed 'answer'. "Hello?"
"Hey..where are you at?"
"Almost to my car..why?"
"We're supposed to meet at the studio in an hour. Just reminding you."
He sighed, "Yea..I know..I'll be there a little early.."
His friend laughed, "You?? Early? Am I talking to my friend??"
"Very funny..I'm close to there anyways..I'll meet you all there, ok?"
"Alright, man."
He sighed and hung up a minute later, stuffing the phone into his pants pocket. Pulling his keys from the other pocket, he reached his car and unarmed the alarm and got in.
He sat there, in silence, for a moment. Another sigh escaped him.....he didn't want to go to the studio for some reason. He just wanted to go home and go fall asleep on the beach.
But, duty called.
He manuevered the car out of the parking lot and onto the main street and drove towards the studio where he spent so much of his life.
He turned up the radio to try to drown out the thoughts that were running through his mind but they kept going. And going. He sighed and flipped off the annoying station that played way too damn much Britney Spears. He pulled to a stop at a stoplight and tapped his fingers slowly to a beat only he could hear on the steering wheel.
A car pulled up beside him and he glanced over, out of habit more than anything. It was a car full of guys and maybe one or two girls. They looked to be friends. And they looked like they were having fun. He sighed, he wished sometimes he could have that much fun with his friends. Not that he didn't. Because he did. He just wanted.....he wanted the not-in-the-business-friends. He had a few of those. But when a person was in the business, their 'friends' turned out to be money-moochers. The light turned green and the two cars sped off, each in their own direction.
He continued to drive on in silence. The sound of the air pushing against the car sounded like music to his ears.
Finally, he reached the studio he so frequented.
He parked out front and stepped out of the car, setting the alarm almost instinctively.
He walked into the building, greeted by a cool blast of the air conditioning and the receptionist's desk. The older woman smiled up at him, "Good afternoon Mr. Carter."
He smiled the smile that wowed thousands, if not millions, "Hi Mrs. Anderson, how are you doing?"
"I'm good, the guys are in Studio #4 and I believe they're waiting on Howie."
Nick nodded, "Ok...thanks..see you later."
"Bye Mr. Carter."
The smile stayed on his face as he walked down the hallway to Studio #4. She had always called him 'Mr. Carter', even though he insisted she call him by his first name...but it all reverted back to 'Mr. Carter.'
He pulled open the door to the studio that encased his 'brothers' and walked in, letting it close behind him. Brian looked up from a pad of paper he had in his lap, "Hey Nick..."
"Hey.."
Kevin looked up from the soundboard, "You're actually not the last one..gotta be a new record or something."
Nick smiled, "I told Bri, I wasn't that far from here."
AJ nodded, "Yea..I was down the street at-"
"McDonald's.," The other three chorused.
AJ rolled his eyes, "I can't help it I like to eat there."
Nick smiled, "You could..you just don't wanna."
"Exactly."
Nick sat down on the couch next to Brian. He looked over at his younger friend, "Are you okay?"
"Yea..why?"
"I dunno..you sounded weird on the phone."
"Well....for once, guys, I went out and I didn't get recognized. We're in Orlando for God's sake and I went OUT looking like myself and no one recognized me."
"Is that bad?," Kevin asked.
"No! It was great to feel like a normal 22 year-old!," Nick said with a grin.