“Bri, I can’t stick around, I need to get back to my room and see if I can get
rid of this killer migraine,” Nick stated as he tossed his gameboy into his
backpack.
“I won’t be too far behind, go ahead, I understand,” Brian replied. “Are you
sure you’re going to be okay? I can go with you if you need me to.”
Nick waved him off. “No, it’s okay, the headache isn’t that bad yet, but I
have a feeling it’s going that way and my meds are back at the hotel. I’ll see
you tomorrow, okay?”
Brian smiled faintly. “Sure thing, take care and call me if you need anything,
okay?”
Grabbing the backpack, Nick opted for dragging it on the ground rather
than putting it on his shoulder. “Thanks.”
Fifteen year old Megan Sanders stood with her mother outside of the
Radisson Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, in the cold December night, waiting with a
cluster of people hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the Backstreet Boys as
they returned from the concert venue. They had already seen AJ McLean
and Howie D, so she was hoping that Nick Carter would be appearing soon so
she could get an autograph and hopefully a photo with her favorite BSB.
“Mom, I’m so glad you took me to this concert, you can’t begin to understand
how much this means to me,” Megan smiled as she clutched a poster she had
made.
“I understand completely, sweetie, I was young once and the thrill I got
when I met David Cassidy is something I will never forget,” Sharon Sanders
said as she smiled at her young daughter.
“I saw him on VH1, he’s that messed up teen idol, isn’t he?”
“No, that’s just a rumor honey. He was a good star because he always took
the time out for his fans and talked to them and gave autographs,” Sharon
insisted.
“Like my Nick,” Megan smiled.
“Like your Nick.”
“Oh, shit, this is just peachy,” Nick mumbled as he saw the group of fans
standing outside of the hotel doors. Groaning, he grabbed the backpack. He
had been fighting the nausea that was starting to accompany the migraine.
This was not a good time to be stopping and talking to the fans. He felt bad
about doing this, but he would have to breeze past them and get to his room
before he got sick in front of everyone.
“Mom! Look! It’s Nick!” Megan squealed as the shuttle van pulled up to the
hotel.
Sharon smiled as she could feel her daughter’s excitement. She decided that
inwardly, she too was caught up in the excitement of her daughter and the
group of young girls that stood there with them. The screams and cries of happiness were soon changed to cries of
disappointment and dispair as Nick breezed past the group of teens, head
bowed down, not making eye contact.
“Mom, I.. I don’t understand,” Megan tearfully cried. “He didn’t even look at
us, he.. he just walked by.”
Sharon could feel the anger rise in her as she looked at her daughter, tears
streaming down her face. Megan was hurt by what had happened and it took
the joy of the night away from her little girl. She decided that she would
make Nick pay for hurting her daughter. It angered her to think that he was
so uncaring towards his fans.
“He needs a reality check,” Sharon stated icily.
“No, momma, it’s okay, he probably was tired,” Megan said through her tears.
She didn’t fully believe her words, but she tried to justify Nick’s actions by
making up the excuse for him. “Let’s just go back to our hotel room please.”
