~*~Nick’s point of view~*~

It was night by the time I made it to downtown Orlando. This club was one of my favorites. There was loud music, lots of people, and a talented bartender. After I’d showered, I’d headed to the mall to get some clothes. Everything I owned was either too big, too tall, or just didn’t look good on the Sprite body I was currently sporting.

I felt a little guilty. Brian had looked so mad when I’d left him. Of course, I’d been mad, too. I knew I wasn’t on his list of favorites these days; I probably never would be again. But I hadn’t realized until being around him these last few days just how worthless he seemed to think I was.

Just like he thought I was going to ruin the public’s view of him. I wouldn’t stoop that low! But it had been a stressful day. I didn’t see anything wrong with calling up Howie and going out for some fun. He’d been planning on hanging out with AJ tonight, so it ended up being the three of us meeting here.

“Hey, guys,” I said, a little awkwardly. They’d taken the break much better than Brian, but our relationship was still a little rocky. More so with AJ, anyway; Howie and I had kept in touch the most. He’d even come to see one of my solo shows. He couldn’t possibly know how much that had meant to me.

But we were making progress and getting things back to where they needed to be if we were going to be a group again.

“Hey, man,” AJ said. “I thought Howie was lying when he said you’d invited him out to a club tonight.”

I was momentarily confused, then remembered: I was Brian. I didn’t have to worry about any awkwardness at all! I could just sit back and relax, like old times.

“Oh, yeah. Well, I thought it’d be a fun change.”

We headed inside. Howie and I each ordered a beer; AJ, too, but the nonalcohol kind.

“So you think that you can manage a studio session on Monday without flipping out on anybody?” AJ teased.

I shrugged, forcing a smile on my face. Then I got an idea. “Well,” I cleared my throat, “I just saw Nick and kind of lost it.”

“Well,” Howie laughed. “We were there. We know.”

“What do you guys think about him these days?”

AJ cocked his head to the side. “Not this again! You were asking us that when we planned the cook-out.”

“Well, that was before the get-together. This is in… retrospect.” Wow, I didn’t even know that I knew that word.

Howie paused. “I know you don’t like my opinion on the subject, but I think you guys have been too hard on him. It’s not easy growing up in the spotlight.”

I silently thanked Howie.

“But that’s the point, isn’t it?” AJ added. “He should be done with that by now. He’s well into his 20s.”

“I think he’s grown up a lot. More than you guys give him credit for,” Howie continued. “And anyway, look who’s talking.”

“Yeah, you look like a toddler mistook you for a coloring book,” I joked, still thinking about the immaturity comment.

AJ shrugged. “Not my fault you don’t appreciate art. Besides, I never said I was perfect.”

And I had? What I really wanted to know was what Brian had been saying about me, but there was no way to ask it. “Hey, guys. What do I think about… myself?” Yeah, that wouldn’t sound crazy at all.

“Anyway, Brian,” Howie said.

It took me a second to realize he was speaking to me.

“We’re all ready to move on with it. Even Kevin, which… is saying something. I know you’re a little mad about that, like we’ve gone too easy on him.”

Brian thought I’d had it easy? Seriously? Barely speaking to them for years, having fans mad at me and disappointed in me, knowing they’d gone back in the studio! I could still remember the day I’d found that out; it was like someone had taken a knife, stuck it in my back, and turned it. Just because I’d stayed with the label as a solo artist, that suddenly made me not a Backstreet Boy anymore? That was crap, as far as I was concerned.

It had taken me a long time to get over that. I was so relieved the day I found out that that plan had been scrapped. Brian, for whatever reason, had shut down the production on the CD that would have been created without me.

“They said you guys were spending time together this weekend,” Howie motioned to AJ. He must’ve talked to Kevin, too. “I think that’s good you’re ready to jump on board.”

I covered my mouth so that they couldn’t hear me laugh. Brian wasn’t choosing to spent time with me again. He was stuck with me. Twenty-four seven, in a manner of speaking.

“Alright, ladies,” AJ said finally. “You guys can sit here and have chick chat all night if you want to. But I’m going to go talk to those beautiful females over there. You in?”

I should’ve said no. Brian wouldn’t have wanted to go talk to random women in a club. But Brian wasn’t here… in that manner of speaking again. And I was even more annoyed at him, having heard some of his thoughts on my “absence” from the group, for lack of a better word. The man never cut me any slack.

“Hello ladies,” AJ said, standing next to a brunette. Her two friends, both blonde, were smiling at the three of us. They were at a tall table near the bar, sipping on martinis and looking like they’d walked straight out of a Sex in the City episode.

“I’m AJ. This is Brian and Howie.”

AJ had looked surprised when I’d followed him over, but his thoughts were solely on the girls now.

I sent one of the blondes a seductive smile. “Is there a ninja in your pants?”

“Huh?” she looked confused.

“Because your ass is kicking.”

Howie stared at me, and AJ laughed.

No, I wasn’t evil enough to kick Brian to the paparazzi curb. But I was still going to have some fun being him.

The girl who I’d directed the comment towards didn’t appreciate the pick-up line one bit. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The taller blonde next to her, however, obviously had more of a sense of humor.

“You wanna dance?” AJ asked the brunette, after finding out that her name was Suzanne. The rigid blonde was Amanda, and the other Leah.

I wasn’t going to remember a single one of those, but I supposed that was part of the protocol for introductions. I took… I’d already forgotten who she was. Sarah? Susy? Close enough. Anyways, I slid into her seat. I was just getting into a conversation when I happened to see who was just coming into the club.

Uh-oh.

I tried to duck behind her, but I didn’t move quickly enough. He spotted me and headed over, his brow furrowed and a frown etched into his face.

“Nick? What are you doing here?” Howie followed my gaze.

“Oh my God,” Amanda (go figure I remember the annoying one’s name) exclaimed. “You’re Nick Carter!”

I rolled my eyes. Weren’t that appreciative of me a moment ago, were you? I thought. Still, the scene was satisfying. My face was the only one she’d recognized as that of a celebrity.

“Uh, yeah, hi,” Brian said to her without changing his annoyed expression. “Brian, can I talk to you?”

“I’m actually already talking to somebody right now,” I grinned.

I saw Howie mouth “oh, boy.” He decided to follow suit with AJ and take Amanda on the dance floor. For a second, she looked like she was going to decline the offer. When she realized that “Nick Carter” was ignoring her, though, she sulked off after Howie.

“I’m a Backstreet Boy, too, you know,” I bragged to whoever this was who was left at the table. I took another chug of beer, letting the fact sink in.

“Really?” she looked skeptical.

“I know. I’m not really the memorable one,” I laughed. I couldn’t believe Brian was checking up on me. I guess I’d given him reason to, with my last comments to him. But still.

Brian sat down across from me, fuming. “Well,” he said. “You take the good with the bad. I’m the most easily recognized, but I’m also the dumb blonde one. Nobody’s perfect.” He smiled for the first time since entering the club.

I glared at him. I had no come-back ready, so I simply took another swig of beer. He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table.

“I think it’s time to go home.”

“How’d you even know I was here?”

“This is your favorite club. Didn’t take a rocket scientist,” he answered.

“But I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out, right?”

Brian sighed. “You started this. Let’s go! Can’t you wait until we sort this out to go out and party?”

I shook my head. “All I’m doing is sitting here and talking to… her.” Hopefully she hadn’t realized my lack at remembering names. And I was trying to make him look like a dweeb, but that was harmless fun, really. And he didn’t need to know that.

I snuck a glance at her. She hadn’t noticed a thing. From the looks of it, this hadn’t been her first martini. And she didn’t weigh enough for it to take many drinks to knock her out.

“Right, like you’ll leave it at that.”

There was that lack in faith in me again.

I’d finished off the beer by now. Alcohol, even in smaller amounts, and anger don’t mix together too well. “Come on, ‘Nick.’”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t bother with an answer.

“Ignore him,” I turned back to the girl. “I’m like that movie. You’ve gotta help me out.”

I noticed Brian staring at me intently, wondering what I was talking about. This was going to be good.

“What movie?” she asked. She seemed sympathetic, and obviously wanted him to leave so that we could get back to our discussion.

“The 40 Year Old Virgin. That’ll be me in ten years!” I said dramatically.

Brian dropped his mouth.

“You’re a… a thirty year old…” she couldn’t finish. Her eyes were wide.

“Well, yeah, but that’s not important, is it? And, I mean, size isn’t everything.”

“Um,” she stuttered.

I glanced at Brian; he was about to explode. I decided to ice the cake. “Besides, the doctor says I’m not contagious anymore.”

It was about this time that she excused herself to the little girl’s room. I knew she wasn’t going to come back.

“Oh yeah,” I said, feeling proud of myself. “I can be clever, too.”

“Yeah,” he rolled his eyes. “I love how I’ve never slept with anyone, yet I magically have an STD. You’re a modern-day Sherlock.”

Darn it. I could hear the Homer Simpson in my head scream “D’oh!” Still, the look on his face was priceless. I’d gotten him, and I’d gotten him good.

“I’d wipe that smirk off of your face,” Brian said. “It’s on now.” And, having accepted the fact that he wasn’t going to be able to get me to leave, he stormed back out of the club, his threat still lingering in the smoky air.