I walked out into the hall way and into Brian. "Whoa hey there!" He said grabbing my shoulders. "Where you going?"
"Weight room."
"Really? me too!"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, didn't sleep much." We started walking down.
"Leigh on your mind?" He nodded his head and pushed the lobby button. We walked to the weight room and no one was there.
" I had gone almost a week without thinking about her this much."
"Time Bri. Just give it time." I began stretching.
"I'm ready to go back home." He said stretching his arms.
"Yeah but I'm going to miss this."
"Well, when we do our U.S. tour, you're going to dance with us right?"
"Maybe...most likely." I got on the stair stepper.
"Well, I really hope you do. I'm sure everyone else does too." I smiled.
Brian went over to the free weights. I stared at him as his biceps flexed and contracted. 'wow' I thought to myself. Wait? I love Nick. But I'm just looking. Not touching.'
"Hey Stacey. Wanna spot me?"
"Yeah sure." I got off and walked over to Brian. He laid down on the bench. After he did three sets of ten I went to the leg press and he did the peck deck.
"So how are things with you and Nicky?" He asked.
"Great. I haven't been this happy in a long time."
"You deserve it. You really do." He smiled and I blushed. "Ya know we really gotta work on this compliment thing." We both laughed. I walked over to this thing you laid on your stomach and your legs went between two bars. You picked up a free weight in your arms and held it to your chest. Then you arched your back until your stomach was off the padded platform. It was to strengthen your back. I had done maybe about five when the shooting pain came in my back. I dropped the weight and it made a crashing noise on the ground. Brian got up and came over to me.
"Your back?" I nodded my head not wanting to move. Brian carefully slid me so that I was now in his arms. He then gently laid me on the ground flat on my back. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes.
"What can I do?" He asked concerned. He wiped a tear that had rolled from the corner of my eye.
"Just give me a minute." Usually the pain went away in the next five minutes. But fifteen minutes passed and it still hurt.
"Maybe I should go get someone." Brian was worried now.
"No, its going away." I took in a sharp breath. After another minute Brian helped me off the ground.
" I think that's enough for today." He put his arm around my back and I nodded my head.
"Brian don't tell Nick. He gets so over worried. Lately he's been really stressed."
"All right..." He sighed and we went back to our floor.
"Ready for rehearsal." Kevin asked walking by.
"Ay-ay captain!" Brian saluted. I went to my room and knocked on the door.
"What?!" Nick snapped as he opened the door. "Sorry hun come in."
"Nick what's wrong?" I asked giving him a hug.
"Nothing now that you're here." He held me tighter.
"Nick you-"
"We need to put our stuff on the bus. Come on." I picked up my bags and I followed Nick out of the door.
"Hey Nick you didn't happen to grab my purse in the bathroom did you?"
" No sorry."
" Its okay. I'll get it and meet you down stairs."
" Need a hand with your bags?"
"No go ahead." I went in and got my purse. I came out and walked to the elevator. My back hurt and I dropped my things. I fell to my knees.
" Anastasia!" Brian yelled with Howie behind him. Something was wrong with my back. It never bothered me this much.
"I-I must've tripped." I lied picking myself up. Brian gave me a look of doubt.
"You woman and your bags of clothes." Howie laughed.
"You should talk D." I gave him a warning glance.
Brian carried my heavier bag and we got down stairs finally. We walked to the back entrance so no fans would see. Once we were on the bus we all ate and went to the next arena. Once on the bus I sat down and started peeling a banana when Brian plopped down next to me.
"You didn't trip." He shoveled a spoonful of Frosted Flakes in his mouth. I was going to protest but those eyes-how could any one lie to those eyes?
"I overdid it this morning. I'm fine."
" I think you should skip rehearsal and just ice it till the show."
" I can't. I have to help Kelly with a dance step."
" Stace."
"Brian. Thanks for you concern but I'm okay. I'm going to go keep Nick company." I got up and walked to the back of the bus. Nick was eating pop tarts on a bean bag.
All through dance rehearsal, Brian kept glancing at me. Well, him and Nick. Brian's glances were looks of concerns and worry. Nick's were of love and smiles. I had messed up on my footing a few times but ignored it. After two hours of hard work, we were allowed to take off and relax till five. I went straight to the bus and got an ice pack. I laid in the isle between bunks and put the ice under my back.
"Well, hello there. Comfy?" A.J. asked.
"Very." I laughed. "Hey A.J. didn't you have those smiley boxers on yesterday?"
"Late night." He smiled and walked away.
"Your back bothering you baby?" Nick asked me.
"Just a little."
"I'm going to take a nap." He climbed into the bottom bunk. I reached up and took his hand in mine.
About two and half hours passed and I woke up. My arm was asleep because I was still holding Nick's hand. I sat up and looked at him. A smile spread across my face.
"Nick, time to get up." I said softly playing with his hair. His eyes fluttered opened and looked at me.
"Lets go eat something."
"Not hungry." Was his response. I gave him a 'you've got to be kidding me look'.
"You go ahead. I want to sleep for another forty-five minutes." I felt his forehead.
"Your not warm. Do you feel sick?"
"Just tired."
"Well, I'm not that hungry. I'll lay with you."
" No, its all right. You should put something light in your little tummy."
I sighed knowing I wouldn't win.
"All right. I'll be back in forty-five minutes. You're going to eat something light also."
"Okay." He smiled.
"Love you Nick." I kissed his lips.
"You too." I stood up and went outside.
The others were eating at a table. I got my food and sat down with them. "Where's Nick?" Brian asked stuffing macaroni in his mouth.
" Sleeping. He's really tired."
"He's not sick again is he?" Kevin asked.
" I don't think, he's just really really tired. I don't know? He's not that talkative either. Which is a first." I noticed all the guys exchange glances at each other.
"What am I missing?" I asked confused.
"I think he's warn out. He needs a break and he's home sick." Brian said matter of fact "He gets in these weird almost depressing moods. I'm surprised he hasn't talked to you about it." I shook my head no. I was still confused.
"Well, its nothing to be that worried about. Luckily we're almost done with this tour then he can go see his family and relax. I remember our last World Tour...man that was not fun." Howie told us.
" Tell me about it. Talk about PMS." A.J. shook his head. "That boy had the biggest mood swings we weren't even two weeks into the tour."
"He shuts us out. Once in a while he'll open up to Brian or Howie." Kevin told me. I was worried now. Why hadn't he ever told me? I never even noticed it before.
"Nick's good with keeping to himself. It took me like a year to figure out that he was doing this. And I'm his best friend. I think he's gotten a lot better since you two have hooked up. The first time I guess now that I look back started when we first started. And he thought you had...died." Brian told me calmly.
"So...should I confront him? Or let him come to me?"
" He'll come to you sooner or later. He has with everything else." Howie said.
Forty-five minutes later I walked back to the bus with some fruit for Nick. "Nicky wake up hun." I shook him a little sitting on the edge of the bed.
"What?" He asked sleepily.
"Eat this. Fifteen minutes till you have to get ready." "Thank you." He sat up.
" I have to go warm up. I'll see you in a little bit." "Okay." I turned to leave. "Anastasia."
"Yeah Nick?"
"Come here." So I did and he pulled me down for the sweetest kiss. " I love you."
"I love you too." I smiled and walked away. Hopefully he was getting back to himself.
I was working on some dance moves when Brian walked in. I hadn't seen at the time though. I had to do a kick, turn, fall on my knees, slide into a center split and slide forward. It had to be in one quick, smooth motion. As I turned my back shot a sharp pain and I was on my knees quicker then I was supposed to.
"Come on Stace, get your act together." I said out loud to myself.
" Try give yourself a break." Brian said coming near me.
"Look if your not up to performing its really all right."
" I can't let everyone down. Because one of you guys have a sore throat or laryngitis, doesn't mean you can't sing."
"Sore throats go away. This is an injury-"
"That will go away." I cut him off.
"Brian, Stacey, lets go."
"Bri right there Kelly." Brian told her. "I just worry about ya kid." I smiled warmly at Brian.
"Thanks Brian. Means a lot. More than you know." I gave him a quick hug.
"Come you tuff cookie." We walked to the stage.
We were half way through the show and i had managed to hide my pain. I didn't make my dance moves as sharp and faked out something's. We were at "We've Got It Going On' and all of us dancers came out and stood at the edge of the stage.
We were to do a standing back handspring to a weird cat skill jump. Then we ended up going on our stomachs. Then the guys walked over to us, grabbed our arms and we jumped up and did a back tuck holding on to their hands. I was a bit surprised when my back stopped hurting and I did my back handspring. Everything went fine. That was until Nick pulled me up for the back tuck. While I was rotating in the air my whole body felt as if it gave out. Nick had tried to catch me but was too close to the edge of the stage. Next thing I know I'm on the stage flat on my back in complete pain. At first all was quiet then screams surrounded me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Back to the TUP Index
Back to the Hosted Stories Page
Back to the Main Page
