With a sigh he looked at his watch. This whole flight had felt like an eternity. Maybe it was because they had just gotten off tour, maybe it was because the company wasnīt too cheerful. He didnīt know but he was getting tired and his ass hurt.
Stretching his limbs like a cat he looked at his two friends that were dozing off next to him. He was a restless character and the cramped up seat didnīt do much for him to relax. The rebel had a habit of talking when they were flying, but this time he had been pretty silent. Maybe it had something to do with the cold they all seemed to have caught? Howie didnīt know. All he did know was it felt great that his friend had finally fallen asleep.
Nick was another story.
Heīd been asleep on and off for most of the flight, which puzzled Howie. Ok, he knew that the teen could be something of a sleeper and usually tried to get a shut eye or two while being on the plane, but this was something out of the extraordinary even for him.
Howie ran a hand across his face in a tired gesture. Not that he blamed him. He was just as beat and the day had barely begun.
As always the guys had to look forward to another day, filled with a packed schedule. Within an hour they would start their in-flight towards Quebec and Johnny had told them that a famous reporter named Sonya would meet them up at the airport. Then they would be whisked off to do an interview for a TV show then there would be a promotional dinner in the evening. By the looks of it, it didnīt look like there would be any free time at all. It was just pure luck that they didnīt have to do a concert that evening too. That would happen tomorrow night as well as some more interviews and promo stuff. The day after, they were scheduled to head off to Halifax in Nova Scotia close by the Atlantic sea. Here they would be the main attraction for a winter festival. After that it was back to Montreal and then Toronto, Calgary just to end the tour in Vancouver one and a half weeks later. There were lots of concerts and other promo activites such as interviews for the press, tv shows and so on.
To say that the schedule wasnīt packed would be an understatement.
Oh he couldnīt forget about all of those meet and greets as well as after parties that they were scheduled to attend, even if they were so tired and beat that sleep was the only thing that would attract them.
There were days when Howie was so tired that he couldnīt stand up straight. Yet he tried, as well as the other guys, to cope with it all and usually the exhausted feeling he felt went away when he met the fans. Like the others it was them he lived for. The fans and music.
"D can you move your legs? Please?"
Glancing up he found Nick standing next to him, trying to move past both him and AJ to get out to the aisle. He looked a bit rumpled in his white hooded sweatshirt jacket and blue jeans. Standing there with his hands in his pockets he seemed a bit chilled and his blonde hair was standing up in all directions. The dark bags under his eyes told that even if heīd been sleeping most of the flight he wasnīt rested at all. The pale appearance revealed that he wasnīt feeling too hot. Howie didnīt think much of that because Nick often looked like that when he was up in plane.
There was a small string of drool on his right cheek.
"Sure." Howie moved his legs so Nick could pass.
"Thanks." Nick spared no moment to move on and as he passed Howie's cramped space the older man stopped him.
"Wait!"
"What?" Nick stopped, a bit confused.
"You," Howie pointed to his right cheek, "you have some kind of drool there or something. You know on your cheek."
"Oh!" Nick blushed instantly before quickly wiping the saliva off with the back of his hand. "Gee Thanks," he whispered silently before moving forward again.
"No prob." Howie smiled. He liked this kid even if he had a habit of getting on everybody's nerves sometimes. And he did want to spare Nick the embarrassment of walking around in the cabin with drool on his face.
Nick groaned slightly as the plane jerked from sudden turbulence. He steadied himself against the armrest.
"You Ok man?" Howie's eyes clouded with worry.
"Ye..yes." The teen did his best to stand straighter. "Itīs just the turbulence." He smiled palely, "You know...me and planes." There was a red tint on his cheeks from embarrassment again.
"Yeah. I know" Howie smiled kindly back, waiting for something more to be said.
"Well..I..I gotta go to the bathroom," Nick continued a bit fidgety. "Iīll be right back." With that he walked quickly down the aisle.
Howie nodded, biting his lip. There was something about Nick's posture. Something that he couldnīt put his finger on, but whatever it was it disturbed him. Maybe it was the flying..maybe it was something else. He sighed deeply. Whatever it was he hoped it wouldnīt interfere with their tight schedule.
Howie most have dozed off for a few minutes when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Nick?" His eyes snapped open with a sudden jerk
"No. Johnny."
Turning his head to his side he noticed their dark skinned manager standing there. "Just wanted to make sure that you guys were ok."
Howie swallowed. "Um yeah weīre pretty fine."
"Ok." The tall man looked at AJ, gesturing with a nod. "Heīs ok?"
"Ye..yes." Shit his voice had gone hoarse in just a few minutes. He had to be more tired than he first thought. "Yup just asleep. Snoring" Howie smiled
"Good." Johnny snickered back. "You guys need all the rest you can get. This schedule is gonna be pretty tight." Then he noticed the empty seat next to the window. "Whereīs Kaos?"
"Uh..Um.. bathroom."
Johnny sighed. "Is he motion sick?"
"Nah..donīt think so." Howie thought for a while. "Heīs been sleeping most of the time."
"Mhm." The black manager paid no further attention to what was being said, instead he told them. "The reporter that is coming to talk to you, Sonia Benzara wants you to wait in the plane for her."
"Whoīs that?" Howie frowned.
"No idea. Beats me." Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "According to Lou sheīs some kind of hot shot. A real star with her own TV show and all." He twitched a knot in his neck. "Anyway she will take you to the hotel where you are gonna get interviewed and after that its straight to do a TV show. He paused. "Weīre gonna meet up Kevin and Brian there too."
"Sounds good to me. Iīll tell the others"
"Good," Johnny smiled, patting Howie on his shoulder. "You try and get some rest too, 'cause like I said earlier we donīt know when the next time weīll be able to sit down will be."
"Sure." Howie grinned back. He liked this manager. Johnny Wright was known for being a hardass but to him heīd always been good. He knew that Nick could have his indifference's, as well as Brian but for the most part the manager was ok. Lou was something else. Ok personally Howie never had any problems with him but there was something untrusting, false, about Mr. Pearlman's way to handle business. He was happy that the manager wasnīt on this flight.
"Ok weīll see ya in a few." With that Johnny moved further down the aisle, to sit on the business seat that Lou had booked for him.
Stretching his limbs again Howie decided that he was tired of sitting and needed to get up and go for a walk. Maybe to the bathroom to make sure that Nick hadnīt drowned or anything. He didnīt have time to do that because when he was about to rise from his seat there was a "You donīt have to do that. I think Iīll manage."
Nick was back.
"Oh it wasnīt for that. I was just thinking of going.." He stopped himself when he saw his friend rub his temples in small circles. "You alright man?" There was genuine concern in his voice.
"Just a small headache." Nick smiled palely as if trying to convince him that it was nothing to pay attention about. "I think I maybe slept too much."
"Maybe." Howie dug in his backpack. "You want something for it? I think I have some aspirin somewhere.." He searched further.
"Nah thatīs Ok man." Nick shook his head. "Thanks anyway."
"You sure? Maybe you should..." The next sentence was drowned out by a loud voice in the speakers.
"Ladies and Gentlemen weīre about to make our descent to Quebec and Jean Lesac Airport. The time to landing will approximately be twenty minutes. May we please remind you to fasten your seat belts and..."
He didnīt pay attention to the rest of the words since Nick got something nervous in his eyes and his complexion got suddenly a bit gray. "I gotta get in there," he mumbled as he tried to move as fast as he could towards his seat, without waking AJ up.
It didnīt succeed very well since the rebel opened his eyes. "Whatīs the commotion all about?"
"Eh..uh..Nothing. Nicky is just getting back to his seat."
"'K." AJ didnīt sound too pleased. Turning to the teen he snarled, "Next time make sure that you donīt step on my foot!"
Nick, who was now sitting down, snapped his seat belt on and then apologized in a nervous tone, "Sorry Jay." He gripped his armrest tight, trying to steal himself for the landing to come.
Howie felt sorry for him. Take off and landing had always been Nick's biggest fear and everytime he did his best not to get into a full blown panic. To comfort the kid he said with a calm voice "Relax buddy. Relax and everything will be just fine."
He was talking to deaf ears since Nick was too preoccupied with closing his eyes tightly and murmuring the mantra that he did everytime. "This will be fine. This will be fine."
AJ wasnīt as concerned. "You gonna barf, man?"
"No!"
Nick looked at him a bit intimidated and Howie shot him a glare of disapproval. If there was one thing his friend didnīt need to be reminded off it was something like that.
"What?" AJīs tone was whiny and hoarse. When Howie just shook his head he continued a bit annoyed. "Dude. Chill man. I was just asking. No crime in that, is there?"
Howie sighed. He liked AJ too but the young man could get on his nerves just as much as Nick, sometimes more. He was way to blunt with stuff and this could sometimes lead him to be a bit harsh. "No I guess not." Sometimes it was better to surrender. Luckily the landing went without a hitch and soon they were touching Canadian ground getting ready to tackle the world and with that; the Canadians ************************************************************************ ************************************
Nick ran a hand over his face. He was so very tired. Much more then he let on to the guys. It felt good that the flight was finally over and now he longed to be on firm ground again. Heīd been in luck not to be sick on this trip which was always something, especially since he had a start of a headache building up. The week they had off had been pretty hectic. Heīd tried to make up all the time he was away to everyone. This included everything from his family, including siblings, friends and the band he had. Funky Chickens.
His mother had some stuff for him to do too, like an interview or two and also he tried to have some time to go on the ocean. Nick loved the ocean and the beach and whenever he had the time he would go there. Just to chill out. Unfortunately there was very little time for this and a week travels fast. Heīd also suffered the obligatory cold and a bit of a stomach flu when heīd come home as well as jetlag so that left him with very few days to do what he wanted to do.
He felt excited about coming to Canada, but also a bit tired. It was fun being with the guys. They were like his brothers and heīd missed them when they werenīt around. Especially Brian and a bit AJ. He liked hanging around with D and Kevin too but they were so much older and he didnīt have as much fun with them. Even if AJ had a habit of bugging him he was still cool to be with and Nick had to admit that he kind of looked up to the rebel. But also to Brian.
Brian was his best friend. It was he who made him laugh, listened when he had something on his mind, spent time with him instead of going out clubbing. Brian treated him like an equal..at least to some degree. They were called Frick and Frack. At first it had merely been a joke but then they took it as a trade mark. Frick and Frack. Forever.
Nick smiled. And it wasnīt just from his memory of good times with Brian. It was also because they had just touched the ground and they were now waiting for that reporter to show up.
"It sure looks cloudy and cold out there." Howie was looking outside the small plane window. "Brrr."
"Yeah man." AJ nodded. "Itīs a good thing mom packed this jacket." He took out a thick jacket from the overhead compartment. Looking at Nick he asked, "Dude youīre just gonna wear that?" He pointed to Nick's sweatshirt jacket.
"Mmmm." There was nothing more to say. The sad reality was that his mom had been too busy to pack down his thick jacket and since heīd been too beat yesterday and fallen asleep pretty early he hadnīt packed it either. This left him with nothing on but the hooded sweatshirt and by the look of it, it was way too cold.
"You need to get on something warmer." Howie stated. "Hold on." He opened his bag. "Iīll see if I can find something."
"No." Nick shook his head. A bit embarrassed. "You donīt have to do that. Iīm fine."
"But.." Howie started.."but itīs no problem."
"I said thanks but No."
"Ok, but let me know if you need some warmer clothes." Sweet D was always being so helpful.
"God D you bug me!" the teen snapped, surprising them all. Suddenly heīd felt so fed up with everyone showing concern for him or his well being. It wasnīt like he didnīt like that they cared, no it was more as if he felt like a baby when they acted like that. And he was no baby. He was sixteen and he could pretty much take care of himself.
Heīd always had and always would.
"I gotta take a leak." AJ suddenly announced, opening the small bathroom door in the back.
Howie looked disgusted."Gee man..thanks but I didnīt need to hear that."
"Youīre much too sensitive D," the younger man snickered before closing the door behind him.
Meanwhile the guys were waiting patiently for that "hot star" as Johnny, had put it, to show up. They were already running a bit late in schedule and couldnīt afford any set backs.
"Iīm gonna see where she is." Johnny announced before walking off the plane.
"Ok."
To tell the truth Nick didnīt think that the hold up in time was all that bad. The headache he was nursing was slowly rising a notch and now he desperately wished he hadnīt been so fast in declining the aspirin Howie had offered. He was just standing up and about to ask his friend for a pill when a high female's voice could be heard in the plane.
"Hiiii.Hiii." A woman with long brown hair all dressed in white came into the plane. Saying hello. She looked about to be his own moms age. "Hi to you all!" She smiled widely as she walked up to Nick.
Noticing the reporter as well as the camera crew the teens first reaction was to hide away from it all. There was no way that he wanted people to see how gray and miserable he looked. It would be way too embarrassing and it would also ruin his poster boy look. He ducked quickly behind the seat.
"Hi are you all waiting for me? Hi and welcome to Quebec." She laughed while she walked down the aisle towards Nick, a mic in her hand. "Now donīt you hide from me Nick!" she announced for the whole world to hear.
He felt like he was about to die. Just die.
"Hi Nick." She was still as cheerful as sheīd been. "How are ya?" The mic was in his face.
Smiling, he started to say that he was fine..when he caught himself. Man that would be way too boring. His mother as well as his acting trainer's words ringing in his ears, he ducked even further then said "Iīm scaaared."
She laughed loudly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Donīt you worry Nick. Thereīs plenty of gals out there waiting to protect you." She laughed again, rubbing his shoulders in that comforting way that his mom used to do, "Nice to have you here." She continued down the aisle before he had a chance to say anything more. Spotting Howie who was standing in the back. Waiting. Looking.
"Oh Hi itīs Hoooowieeee," she squealed on as she walked quickly towards his friend.
Meanwhile Nick saw an escape and quickly left his seat, waiting for the rest of the guys to come. The sudden move made his head hurt even more and for a moment he felt dizzy. Steadying himself at the top of the seats he made it towards Johnny who looked at him with a frown.
"Kid the plane ainīt moving anymore." He was trying to make a joke.
"I know." Nick was way too tired and worn out to snap back a smartass remark. Like he often used to do.
This had the black manager frowning deeper. "You ok kiddo?" He put a hand on the teen's shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"Mmm..sure..just tired you know," he excused himself. "Itīs been a long flight you know."
"I guess it has." Johnny didnīt look too convinced that it was all that it was.
Afraid that the manager would press on why he was acting so still and quiet he quickly said, "Iīm a bit hungry too."
The older man looked searchingly at him. "You are?" His words were slow, like he didnīt believe him. When Nick nodded a response back he continued, "Well, Iīve been told that weīre going to get lunch once we arrive at the hotel" He set his eyes into Nicks. "Sounds good doesnīt it?"
'Swell' Nick thought but said with a false forced happiness. "Yeah thatīll be good. Iīm staaarviing." He made a big point showing the manager just HOW hungry he felt.
"Good!" Johnny said, still looking like he didnīt believe a word. "Howie said that you were skipping breakfast. How come?"
Tattler! "Eh..uh,,he did? Did he?" Nick was stalling.
"Yes?" The manager was expecting an answer, and not a lie this time.
"Well.." Nick licked his lips while searching for words. "I slept and I was..wasnīt really that hungry." Noticing the managers displeased look he quickly added, "Then. Now is another story."
God how he hoped that the guys would be done and over talking with that woman so they could get off this plane. It was tiresome standing up, waiting and Johnny bugging him about small details didnīt help much either. As if his wish had been heard he saw the three of them walking towards him, the lady chatting all the time. Couldnīt she see that they were all dead tired? Nick was doing his best to keep his posture up and he could see that his friends were doing the same.
"Oh wooow this is going to be fun. NOT," Nick mumbled silently, rolling his eyes. Luckily no one saw his gesture and he could get away with it. At least this time.
