Nick has been trying to call Anna many times since last week but he couldn’t reach her. It frustrates him to wonder what could have happened in the confrontation. He didn’t receive any call from her ever since the last time when he was at a red carpet. When the same voice message answered him, he nearly threw his phone.
“Dinah, please take them anywhere but here,” Nick pleaded to his housekeeper about the dogs. He needs a little peaceful environment for a while and he wants it at home. The dogs are not helping.
“Sure, Nick. I’ll take them home for tonight. But they’ll be back tomorrow. No buts,” Dinah quickly added when she saw Nick opened his mouth to protest. She took the dogs out of the house.
“Thanks, Dinah. I owe you one,” Nick said and only received a wave in return. He walked back in the house and tried to call Anna again. “Shit…”
“Still got no luck?”
Nick turned and saw the twins, Aaron and Angel. It was Aaron who spoke. Nick sighed. He knew what they’re talking about. “Yeah, I can’t contact her since last week. I know there’s a problem. I can feel it and I’m getting worried.”
“What happened?” Angel asked as she and Aaron left the door and started towards the sofa in the living room. Nick watched the twins. He noticed how they sometimes moved alike without noticing it, just like now. They even put a pillow on their lap at the same time. He shakes his head. “If I only knew this would happen, I should have tried calling her before.” He heard his sister added. Among them, Angel is the most attentive of his and Aaron’s relationship affairs. She felt that it’s her role to check on who are the girls they are dating and if it approves her standards. And when she learned about Anna and her story and how they met, his girlfriend doesn’t qualify her standards but Nick wasn’t surprised. Angel wasn’t always pleased about the women they dated ever since especially about Anna, in which Nick has a greater danger to deal with because of what happened to Faye.
“Anna knows the person behind her sister’s death and she told me about doing something about it. I want to know what happened but I can’t call her. The phone isn’t ringing. There’s only a recorded message that keeps on telling me that the phone is either off or out of network area.” Nick sighed. “I’m worried. Maybe I should go there.”
“Without still knowing what happened? That’s stupid, Nick.” Aaron said. “You just can’t go there to your girlfriend. For sure, things are in chaos there right now and as of BJ, the least she wanted is to get you involved. We don’t want you be put in harm, too. Her family is in politics and it might really be dangerous.”
Nick paced around the living room, still trying to contact Anna. What could have happened? He’s really worried. “Maybe I should contact the fan club there. I hope they will believe that it’s me.”
“You’ll email them?” Angel asked, still appearing not interested with the conversation they’re having.
Nick ignored his sister’s attitude. “They know my MySpace. I will use that.” He walked towards his room to get his laptop.
~~~
“Aaron,” Kevin and Howie gave the younger man high-fives. “Where’s Nick?”
“I called him and said he’s on the way. I just came here to tell you that he’s depressed,” Aaron had his hands on his pockets. They were in front of a building where the Backstreet Boys are currently having some work for their new album.
“What happened?” Kevin knew that Aaron just didn’t come there to tell that. There’s something more. He and Howie glanced at each other.
“Anna found the lead on her sister’s death. I don’t know who, Nick wouldn’t tell. Aside from that, he’s been worried. He’s trying to call her but Anna’s phone couldn’t be reached. Nick used his MySpace to contact the fan club there but Anna’s friends said that they haven’t seen her in a long time too. She’s actually missing. She’s not going to work too. No one knows where she is.”
The two men stared at Aaron in silence. It was Howie who first spoke. “Oh, man. That’s bad. What is Nick planning to do?”
“He wants to go there but Angel and I stopped him. It’s not good to be there. As we know it, politics are involved too.” Aaron replied with a worried face.
“Hey, Aaron. Where’s Nick?” It was AJ, who just arrived and came out from his car.
“Anna is missing, J.”
AJ shakes his head. “This is not good. Nick told me in the party that it was her uncle who’s responsible. Did he try to contact the fan club to check?”
Aaron nodded. “They said that she’s missing. Actually, the reason why I’m here before Nick comes here is because I’m seeking your help. I don’t know how to deal with this. Me and my sisters were concerned about Nick. He’s getting all frustrated about this and we’re already anticipating that he’ll jump on a plane anytime to go there. Please…”
Howie patted Aaron on the shoulders. “Don’t worry, Aaron. We’ll try to do something about this.” Aaron nodded and silently thanked them. They can see how the young man deeply cared for his brother even though he didn’t say it. They noticed how Nick successfully returned the bond among his siblings despite the differences. They were happy that at the least, Nick still had a part of his family through his siblings. They saw how those siblings would stick to each other no matter what.
They turned when Nick’s BMW pulled up in the sidewalk. He came out and saw Aaron. “Hey, Air. What are you doing here?”
“I just felt like being a Backstreet slave for a day,” he turned to the older men. “Come on, guys. What are your orders?”
“You know the drill, Aaron.” Howie winked. Aaron has his own way of showing Nick that he cared. They'll let him get away with his charade for now.
“McDonalds, what else? Didn't you learn that from me?” AJ asked him.
Nick shakes his head as he takes his wallet. “Okay, stop bothering the guys, Air. Get some food and use this.” He gives his credit card.
“Your treat?” Aaron laughed happily. “But sorry to disappoint you, man. I can't take that. I'm in the mood right now to give the treat.” He ignored Nick's card.
“For reasons like?” Nick raised an eyebrow, still not smiling since he arrived.
“I just want to do it, that's all,” Aaron waved goodbye and went to his car.
Nick shakes his head as he only watched his brother. He turned to his friends. “Where's Brian?”
“He's busy learning origami from Sean and Baylee,” Kevin replied with amusement. “By the way, any news about Anna?” He asked without preamble.
“So, Aaron already told you, huh?”
“We're glad he did. We're worried now, too.” AJ said.
“That's the reason why I just came now,” Nick drew a deep breath. “I searched in the internet today and found out that Faye's lead suspects have been revealed and is now big news in Manila. Anna released an evidence of a recorded conversation with her father and uncle. It indicated the details about the family quarrel that has been going on for a long time now. It caused Faye's death and now, Anna filed a case against her father and her uncle, both high-ranking government officials there. She wanted them in jail.”
“Where's Anna?” Howie asks.
“She's now under a witness-protection program because there have been threats in her life. Only her lawyer is representing her,” Nick ran his fingers through his hair.
“That’s probably why you can’t contact Anna and the more reason you can’t just go there right now. It’s not safe. They shut down the communications to her for protection.” AJ tells him.
“I’m worried. She’s scared. I’d like to know if she’s fine.” Nick looked down to his phone for the nth time that day for any messages or missed calls but still, there’s none from Anna. “I want to tell everyone that she’s my girlfriend but that might endanger her more. I don’t know what I can do to protect her in my own way but this, which sounds stupid and cowardly.”
Kevin’s brow creased. He wanted to ease Nick’s worry over his girlfriend but he doesn’t even know what to do, too. “The people who’s after her might go after you, too, considering that Anna might have told you what she knows about the case. You will be put in danger, too.”
“Okay, I think we should analyze this more with our managers,” Howie said.
Nick frowned. “Why do they have to be involved in this?”
“Because they can help us,” AJ replied. “You’re a public property, Nick. You know how much the paparazzi follow you around much more than us. Whatever you decide in your life also affects your career.”
Nick didn’t say anything as he followed the guys towards the studio. But then, he calls them. “I changed my mind. No one’s going to know this yet. Anna is in danger and I don’t want to put more weight in the situation right now. I will do anything for now to try to get a contact with her and still keep our relationship a secret.” And yes, he will really do that. God, he didn’t know that he will come to this point in his life that someone he cared so much will be in this kind of danger. It’s too painful to even think of what will happen if things get to worst.
