"Yo Brian, you still coming over to watch the game?" Nick called out to his best friend. Their last pre-tour rehearsal had just ended. "You know it." Brian replied. "Guys don't forget we need to be at the party by 6:45." Kevin called to all of them. They always had parties before a big tour. It allowed the press to come and ask questions and for them to have one last hooray before being cramped in their buses for the next few months. "Don't be late this time Nicky." AJ teased. "That only happened once man." Nick almost pouted. Brian laughed as he zipped up his duffel bag. This sure was the life. He couldn't be happier. Sure their weren't allot of private moments but he didn't care.
"Is Leigh coming to the party tonight?" Howie asked Brian. "Nah, she has to work." Brian said. "Yeah, they already said their goodbyes last night." Nick smiled making everyone else do the same. "Cut it out Nick. You know I don't do that." Brian blushed a bit. Nick always gave him a hard time about not having sex. Nick never could understand why a man would choose not to. That kind of thinking got Nick into trouble. Brian had warned him not to bring that girl back to his hotel but Nick didn't listen. Fifteen years later Nick was a father on twin boys but he still found nothing wrong with sex before marriage.
"Come on guys, leave Mr. Perfect alone." Kevin always had a way of sounding like he was defending Brian even though he was really teasing him. Everyone again laughed at Brian's blushing face. Honestly he didn't mind. He knew teasing was just one of many ways the backstreet boys showed affection to each other. Brian knew he wasn't perfect but he liked the reputation. In a group of five men someone had to be the "good one" and he was happy to take the title. None of the other titles fit him anyway. I mean, he in no way was shy. Howie took that title. He wasn't the baby, that of course was Nick. He certainly wasn't "the horny one." The entire world knew AJ wore that title like a prize. He wasn't much of a leader either but his cousin, Kevin, fit that role perfectly.
"You gonna stay in la la land or are you coming with me?" Nick broke his thoughts. "Oh yeah, sorry man." Brian said picking up his bag. "It's cool. Uh, I gotta pick up the boy's from Erica's if you don't wanna tag along I'll give you the key to my place and I'll just meet you their." Nick told his friend walking outside. "Isn't Aaron gonna be their?" Brian asked confused. "Not this early. He has to pick up Charlie from daycare after school." Nick explained. "Oh, I forgot. I don't mind tagging along with you. Being alone in your house kinda creeps me out." Brian admitted. "Alright, cool." Nick said. With that they got in his clear water blue Chrysler 300and drove off.
Meanwhile many miles away in Texas a young girl had just gotten home from school. She knew by looking at the empty spot on the left side of her drive way that her mother was not home yet. The beat up red pick up truck on the other side told her that her mom's boyfriend, Tyler was their. She stood at the end of the drive way wondering weather or not she should go in or wait for her mother to get home. She knew she wouldn't like the consequences either way. If she went inside odds would be that she would find Tyler drunk and that he of course would have his way with her. If she waited outside for her mom she would no doubt get in trouble and receive new bruises to match the old ones.
After careful consideration she decided to take her chances at going inside. She prayed hard that Tyler would either not be drunk or that he would be passed out. Either one would give her ample time to get to her room and lock the door. If she could just make it their everything would be ok. Her locked bedroom door would shield her from his perversion and it would allow her to finish her homework saving her from her mothers painful wrath.
She took one last deep breath before reaching out and opening the front door. Slowly she entered. For a moment she stood frozen. When she didn't hear Tyler she continued on to her room. Before she could make it however, she heard him call out to her. "What took you so long getting home?" She was only a four or five minuets late. "The school bus was uh, running behind." She tried not to sound afraid. "Well, that doesn't give us much time before your mom gets home." He said placing his hands on her shoulders. He was not the kind of guy you would expect to be a perv. He was a fire fighter and a member of the U.S. Army. He was a bit tall, young, and well built. Even a bit on the cute side.
"Please..." Her trembling voice begged. He knew what she meant but he didn't care nor did he reply. He simply nudged her in the direction of her mother and his room. A few minuets later she fought back her tears and struggled to breath as the weight of his body pinned hers down. She clenched her jaw and shut her eyes as tight as she could as his flesh connected with hers in the worst way possible. Her heart was in her mouth and her nerves had went south a long time ago.
Soon he was finished and let her go. She collected her things and went to her room. She closed the door and without any hesitation she locked it. For the moment she felt safe. She laid on her bed and tried not to cry. She knew from past experience that if she started she wouldn't be able to stop. Her mom would be home soon and she needed to get her homework done. Her mother would be enraged if it wasn't. Her mom had no idea what Tyler did to her on a very regular basis. Tyler had warned her never to tell her mom. If her mom knew what he was doing she probably wouldn't care but at least she would know why her school work was almost never done. Maybe then she wouldn't beat her.
Her life was so far from perfect. She was like a torn rag doll or a broken clay pot. Each day she felt like it. Often days she felt worse. Worthless. It was a feeling she knew well. Unloved, not wanted, Stupid, Ugly. All of them were how she felt day after day. No one really knew the existent of her pain. Often times she would cry and pray that God would work some kind of miracle. She begged him to do something to remove her from this nightmare she was forced to live. At times she even pleaded with him to just take her life. In her mind anything was better then living this life.
Her only comfort came at night while she was deep in slumber. She would dream about a life with the father she never knew. She had been told time and time again that he hated her but that didn't stop her dream from being wonderful. He was like her prince charming. He rescued her from Tyler and her mother's evil grasp. He cared for her like no one had ever cared for her before. Some times she even dreamed of having a step-mother far different from the ones portrayed in most fairy tales. It was only a dream of course but that one dream kept her going. The short lived joy and bliss it brought her at night was enough to give her the strength to face each new tomorrow.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Chapter Warnings: mild talk of child abuse and rape.
Chapter End Notes:
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