“I really don’t wanna be here,” Brian mutters to Kevin as the two guys follow their group into a club. It’s a party for MTV’s 20th birthday.
“Just give it an hour then we can go,” Kevin mutters back. Neither guy is in the mood for this party. Jade has gone and so has Kristen, she’s in LA working on a movie.
“Ooh, cheesy puffs!” Nick declares and bounds off towards the school-style buffet table. Ali follows him at a slower pace.
“I need a drink,” Brian says and leaves the group to go sit by the bar. He orders a strong drink and downs it in one. He has been drinking more lately. He looks around the club, recognising most people there. JC NSync is over the other end of the room and Brian shoots him a death ray stare, not that JC even notices but it makes him feel better anyway. The girl next to JC notices and nudges him slightly, making Brian quickly look away. When he looks back the girl is walking towards him and he groans inwardly. Great, just what he needs. JC’s latest squeeze defending her man. He rolls his eyes and orders another drink as she reaches him. She sits on the stool by him and smiles widely.
“Hi, I’m April.”
“Really? I thought April was a month,” he says dryly.
“It is,” she giggles. “I guess my parents have fond memories of April nights,” she winks and he laughs. “So, I noticed there’s no love lost between you and JC.”
“You could say that.”
“Wanna tell me about it?”
“Not really.”
“Ok, that’s cool,” she shrugs. “Come on,” she stands up and reaches for his hand. “Dance with me.”
“I’m ok.”
“Please. I hate dancing on my own,” she gives him puppy dog eyes and he relents, letting her lead him over to the dance floor.
“Ok, who is Brian dancing with?!” I ask Nick as I spot Brian laughing with a blonde girl on the dancefloor.
“No clue,” he shrugs. “She’s cute though,” he adds, checking her out.
“Hey!” I complain and hit him.
“Ow!” he pouts. “She’s nothin’ compared to YOU baby.”
“I should think not!”
“No way, no how baby,” he wraps me up in his arms and kisses my neck.
“Should I go over and break them up?” I look at Brian and his partner.
“No, he’s fine. He’d never do anything to hurt Jade.”
“I don’t know. He’s been different lately.”
“He just misses her,” Nick says. “He’ll be ok when he sees her again.”
“Hope so,” I sigh and Nick turns me around to face him.
“But for now, concentrate on me,” he tells me before kissing me.
“Mm, I can do that,” I giggle and wrap my arms around him.
After dancing with April to a couple of songs, Brian is back at the bar. April had followed him and they are drinking together. She seems real nice and friendly and it’s doing Brian good to have somebody to talk to outside of the Backstreet camp. After his fourth double vodka, his head starts to spin.
“And I said to him “don’t do that to the horse!”,” April finishes telling a joke and laughs. “Brian?” she asks when he doesn’t respond. “You ok?”
“I feel weird,” he mutters, grabbing hold of the bar.
“You look pretty pale,” April reaches out to touch his head gently. “You’re all sweaty. C’mon, I’ll take you back to your hotel.”
“I can go by myself,” he stands up and wobbles slightly.
“I can see that,” she smiles and wraps her arm around his waist. “Lean on me and let’s go.”
“Ok,” he sighs and slips his arm around her.
They walk slowly to the door and out to a car. When they get back to his hotel, he leaves her in the car and goes to his room alone. He throws up and falls asleep.