- Breaking Bald
March 1995
“You ever done this before?”
“Yeah, once.”
“And?”
“My brother was bald for three months.”
Nick snickered and Brian jabbed him in the ribs. They had squeezed themselves into AJs closet, rummaging through his clothes and other personal stuff.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know!”
“Sshh, be quiet!”
“You be quiet!”
“Ah! Got it!” Brian got up and triumphantly held a bottle of shampoo in the air. Grinning from ear to ear, he held out his hand. Excitedly and also grinning, Nick handed him the chemical substance in their own bottle.
“You know he’ll find out, right?”
“Oh he’ll never know what hit him! Let’s get this show on the road!”
October 2015
“Jeez, have you grown taller or did I shrink?” Brian smiled when he was released from Nick’s suffocating hug. Nick couldn’t do anything but smile, as he let go of his best friend. The smile faltered as he got a good look at Brian though.
The once tanned skin had been replaced by a sheet white pallor, creeping into his face, leaving black circles around his eyes, making him at least twenty years older than he really was. The baseball cap hid whatever wasn’t there and when he’d hugged him, he could count the bones in Brian’s body. The smile was real though and the spark in his eyes hadn’t faded after all.
“You look great.”
March 1995
“Fuckin’ Nick Carter!” He heard someone scream in horror. Showtime!
“You called?” Nick popped up beside AJ, looking expectantly at him.
It took every bit of self-control inside of Alex to keep from strangling the little shit.
“What did you do?” he said in a low, menacing growl.
“I don’t understand, what do you mean?” Nick asked as innocently as he could.
“I mean this!” AJ removed the hat he was wearing and Nick clasped a hand on his mouth, not to show his shock, but to hide the bolt of laughter he felt rising within him. He’d never been good at playing innocent, and he couldn’t help but laughing out loud, when he saw the big, ugly and hairless spot on the side of AJs head.
“YOU!” AJ bellowed and Nick dashed away, with AJ hot on his heels. He stuck out his tongue at Brian who was doubled over laughing from across the room. Every prank they’d pulled, and never it was Brian who was blamed, while it was him being the master brain behind the jokes, basically Nick didn’t do anything but follow up on his orders. He’d never betray Brian though, cause they were brothers, and brothers were loyal to each other.
October 2015
“So how are you and everybody else doing?” Brian asked curiously once they’d settled in the living room.
“Well, I don’t know ‘bout everyone else, but I’m doing fine, how about you?”
“I don’t wanna talk about me,” Brian said, retreating.
Baylee suddenly appeared from the kitchen and planted a large cup of yellow liquid in front of Nick, as well as Brian’s nose.
“What’s this?”
“It’s Camille tea,” Baylee announced proudly and motioned for Nick to try it. Nick didn’t move though.
“Camel tea?”
“No, Camille tea!” the kid answered, rolling his eyes. Unsure, Nick looked at Brian for confirmation and saw his friend shaking his head unnoticeably, trying to stifle his laughter.
“We’re out of beer,” Brian simply said, “Try it.”
Nick eyed him suspiciously, noticing he hadn’t touched his tea either. There’s something in my tea!
“It’s fine,” Brian read his mind.
March 1995
“You think he’s gonna get back at us?” Nick asked a little scared, in the middle of the night.
“I don’t know, he just might.” Brian answered and Nick wondered if he was serious. You could never tell with Brian.
“You trying to scare me?”
“I’m just saying, I would hate it to be bald.”
