Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Nick couldn't control himself. The Boys had just wrapped their sound check party and he, to say the least, was beyond hyper. He needed something to do - he had to stay busy. He had walked the entire backstage area at least twice. Now what?!

<i>When all else fails: annoy AJ</i>.

It was his favorite past time aside from bugging the shit out of Howie. He made his way through the corridor, out to the back parking lot to Alex's bus. He found the bus' door halfway open and popped his head inside.

"AJ!" he called.
"What?!"

The door of the bedroom swung open. Alex stood there with his BlackBerry to his ear and a t-shirt in his hand. Nick could tell by the look on his face that he hadn't picked the best time. But then again, when did he ever have good timing?

"Uh...nothing," Nick stammered. "I was just wondering if you wanted to play some PS2 or something...but I'll come back later." He quickly shut the door behind him...

***

Alex shook his head and sighed heavily. As much as they tried to play it off, there would always be tension between him and Nick.

"Alex, is everything okay?" A female voice asked.
He suddenly realized that Chanel had been listening.
"Yeah... Nick just wanted me to chill with him and I kinda blew him off."

Chanel shut her eyes tightly. Nick... In the past year, they hadn't said more than five words to one another. In fact, their last "real" conversation had been that night at the airport...the night that had changed everything. She knew that he still loved her, but what could she do? Nick was, after all, their one who had enforced the break-up; he had wanted her to be happy...right?

"Does he know I'm coming?" she asked softly. The Boys were in Colorado and she’d be joining them for the rest of the North American tour as well as the European leg as of the next show in Orange County.
"I've tried not to mention it around him, but he knows..." he replied. "Baby, you shouldn't be stressing over Nick. He has to grow up and deal with the fact that you and I are together!" The one thing Alex hated the most was discussing Chanel's four-year relationship with Nick - it made his blood simmer. Even though, technically, he was the reason they had even started dating in the first place. He heard her giggle.

"You think this is funny?!"
"Alex that's not what I'm laughing at... I just remembered the night the Black & Blue Tour closed in Vegas---"
"You mean the night that---"
"Yup."

Alex never forgot it...

***

Nick's energy level had just gone from totally high to zero. Seeing Alex just now: the phone in his hand, the reality struck him. Hard. She was coming on tour. But this time would be different. The woman he had shared their last worldwide tour with was no longer his; she wouldn't be keeping him warm at night. He felt like an idiot, but it was his decision to end their three and a half years together. His decision. And now, she was finally happy and he was miserable. He felt like he still needed to protect her. He wanted her back in his empty arms. He reached his bus and slammed the door behind him. A few seconds passed and there was a knock at the door.

"Nick, you okay man?"

Nick didn't even realize that Alex was on the other side of the door. His mind was in another zone. The Black & Blue Tour. Closing night. Vegas. Ironically enough, they'd be there once again on Saturday. Back to where it all really began four years earlier....