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Chapter Eleven
Point of View: Nick

The tour ended a week after I got out of the hospital in Los Angeles, and I have to say I was really relieved. I convinced myself that I wouldn't go out once I'd gotten home, that I'd eat healthier than the McDonalds every other day like I'd been doing on the tour, and I wouldn't do any shit. I tried calling Krystal to tell her about my plan to clean up, but she was screening her calls I guess.

The last concert on the tour was great. We had a crazy awesome audience that night and we were all excited to be done, it was a relief. I'd miss the guys, but I was definitely looking forward to some down time. Plus, its not like I wouldn't see them. We already had plans to hit the studio within the next month.

I was on my way home from the venue. Someone had gone to pick up my Escalade for me, so I was driving myself there. Traffic was crap on the highway. I was trying to text Krystal while I was sitting in it. I mean it's not technically texting and driving if you're sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, right?

PLZ PLZ answer my calls, I texted.
Im done nick sry, she replied.
Y??? im goin 2 clean up, I felt a little desperate telling her on a text.

Hoooonk.

I looked up. Traffic had moved while I wasn't looking, and the guy behind me was getting pissed. "Hold yer horses, Jesus," I muttered. I reached for the can of Red Bull in the cup holder and took a long drink of it. That stuff tastes kind of like melted rock candy with bubbles. It's great. I turned back to the phone as I settled in about two car lengths ahead of where I'd been before. I could see my exit looming ahead, and was tempted to drive on the shoulder to get to it.

Bcoz we r going different ways, Krystal had answered.
so ill turn round 4 u, I texted back, figuring she'd find that cute.
nick its over k?, came her reply.
no not k, I typed.

Hooooooooonk.

"Dude, what the fuck?" I yelled, honking back. The car ahead of me had moved like a grand total of about four feet. Was that really worth honking for? Really?

gunna have 2 b - sry
but i dont want it 2 b over krys i luv u 2 much, I typed quickly.
i luvd u 2 but it was 2 much c-ing u like that, she responded.
but ur the 1 who gave me the pill, I reminded her.

Hooooooooonk.

I stuck my arm out the window, middle finger aloft. "Take that, asshole."

Blue lights flashed.

I looked in my rearview mirror at the 'asshole'.

You gotta be kidding me.



Fifteen minutes and a $50 fine later ($20 for first offense texting and $30 for the 'rude gesture'), I managed to shake the fuzz by pulling off on my exit. What the hell was with my luck? And why the hell was a cop honking like he was a freakin' irate soccer mom for?

Once I felt I was safely out of Officer Soccer Mom's line of sight, I pulled my cell back out of my pocket to see if Krystal had answered.

r u srsly blaming me 4 what u did? she'd asked.

I thought about it a moment. She had been the one to give me the pill, hadn't she? The whole scene in the club was a little hazy in my head and I was suddenly not sure. Maybe I had gone and found it myself. Maybe I'd tried to give it to her. I bit my lower lip. Was I seriously this messed up that I could blame Krys for a whole week for giving me the drugs when it'd been me all along that had tried giving them to her?

Hooooonnnnnk.

"Are you kiddin' me?" I looked up and realized I was about to blow through a stop sign, and there was a car - a black Prius with an orange Student Driver sign on top - about to enter the intersection. I slammed on my brake, and the Escalade came to a screeching halt. The Prius inched cautiously forward.

"Keep texting while your driving buddy!" called the instructor, an older woman with graying hair, from the passenger's seat, "See where it gets you!" I watched as the Prius drove by.

"What a bitch," I mumbled.