"Hello?"

"Yo Nick, it's Brian."

"Hey man, what's going on?" I questioned, wondering why he was calling me during our vacation.

"Well I've got some good news, and some bad news…" he replied, his voice trailing off.

"How about you forget about the bad news, and just tell me the good news."

"Sorry bro, no can do.  They sorta go together," he laughed nervously.

I can't take anymore bad news…

"Alright fine, hit me with the good news first," I sighed.

"You like Sweden, don't you?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked slowly.

"That's good… that's very good…"

"Brian, what the fuck is going on here?" I snapped, impatient with his vagueness.

"Alright, I'm just gonna say it.  You want the good news first right?"

"Yeah."

"Well the band is gonna be taking a trip to Sweden for promotional stuff," he replied, stressing the word 'Sweden.'

"Okay, and the bad news is?"

"We have to leave tomorrow afternoon," he blurted out quickly.

"B, you almost had me there.  We got a week off remember?  They never mentioned anything about Sweden," I laughed.

"Nick, I'm not joking.  Our flight leaves tomorrow afternoon.  Sorry, I know you wanted to be there for your brother's birthday."

"Nah it's alright.  Shit happens.  So I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then?" I said cheerfully, hoping he wouldn't sense my disappointment.

"Umm yeah man, tomorrow afternoon.  Want me to come pick you up?"

"Yeah," I mumbled absent-mindedly.

"Okay 12:30 then.  Sound good?"

"Yeah," I answered, quickly hanging up the phone before I blew my cover.

I stormed into the living room, collapsing onto the couch.  I was so angry.  I promised Aaron that I would be there for his fourteenth birthday.  I wanted to be there… and now I would have to break yet another promise.  I was sick of breaking promises.  Sick of everything this job involves.  This was supposed to be the business that everyone hoped to make it into… the life everyone wanted… but I don't want it anymore.  I don't want much of anything anymore.  Being a Backstreet Boy sounded like so much fun 8 years ago.  It's not fun anymore.  Being out on the road and never seeing my family seemed so cool to me back then.  It's not cool anymore.  Having a ton of money used to make me happy.  It doesn't make me happy anymore.   

I jumped up, grabbed my car keys, and ran out the door without thinking. 

Brian's View

I stared blankly at the phone, debating whether to call Nick again.  I was really worried about him.  He had taken that a little too well.    He's been acting weird lately.  He hardly says a word to any of us, and when he does it usually focuses on death…

"Brian, if you were to kill yourself… how would you do it?"

I remember being very concerned about him after he'd said that.  But when I questioned him about that statement later on… he had shrugged saying he was just curious.  What kind of a person would wonder about that type of thing?  I grabbed the phone and swiftly dialed Nick's number. 

1 ring… 2… 3… 4… "Hey this is Nick, I can't come to the phone right now… but I would really appreciate it if you don't leave a message because I never call people back.  Aw, don't worry, I'm just playing.  You know the drill."     

I slammed down the phone before the 'beep' sounded.  Something was wrong.  I grabbed my keys and the keys to Nick's house, and jumped into my car.  Something was wrong…

Colleen's View

"It's not your fault.  Josh was such a dick," Sophia said, comfortingly.

"But this is the third guy to dump me in 3 months!" I cried.

"Col, there is a guy for you out there."

"And how the hell am I supposed to find him?"

"If it's meant to be… he'll come to you," she answered.

"I'm sick of waiting.  I'm sick of trying.  Listen, I gotta go lay down or something.  I'm not feeling so great," I mumbled.

"You'll be fine honey.  Just give it some time," she sighed.

"Yeah I'll be fine."  I gently placed down the phone and slowly sat myself down on the couch.  I was sick of sitting around and waiting for the right guy to come.  He was never gonna come.  I used to want a solid relationship.  A relationship that no one could touch.  But I don't want to try for that anymore.  Life in general used to make me happy.  It doesn't make me happy anymore.   

I jumped up, grabbed my car keys, and ran out the door without thinking.