Fifty-one

~ Las Vegas, NV… Day 1… Concert # 29 ~

In a word, things with AJ after our little fight in Oakland were… weird. His jealousy of me spending time with other people turned into pure possessiveness. Pretty much the only time that AJ wasn’t by my side was when he was on stage or in some sort of meeting or doing an appearance where I couldn’t be next to him. At first, it was flattering. I thought to myself that it was "cute" how he’d follow me around like a puppy dog begging me to spend time with him and sneak off to make love in the middle of the day. A week later though, it wasn’t cute anymore. It was annoying.

I slipped Kevin a note at lunch when AJ was getting a drink and although he gave me a confused look, I knew he’d follow my directions. When AJ got back to the table I kissed him on the cheek with a smile, "Honey I’m going to go to the bathroom and then check my voice mail while you guys finish lunch. I’ll be back in a few okay?"

"You want me to go with you?"

I held back a groan and instead smiled, "I’m a big girl honey, I can do it on my own. Finish your lunch and relax, you’ve got a busy afternoon ahead of you with the fan conference and stuff… I’ll be right back…"

"Okay…" he smiled and leaned toward me.  "I love you…"

"I love you too…" I smiled and kissed him gently.

I walked to the women’s restroom down the hall from the room we were eating in at the venue and almost exactly a minute later Kevin walked in and smiled at me, "So why am I in a women’s restroom?"

I finally let out my groan and jumped up to sit on the counter, "Because this is the only place AJ won’t follow me. But he would if I let him…"

Kevin smiled and sat down next to me, "He’s been a little clingy to you lately… I’ve noticed that."

"A little? I tripped over his fucking foot this morning Kevin! That’s how damn close he was walking to me… I can’t move without him there with me. I swear he’s going to drive me insane. What the hell is going on with him? Has he said anything to you?"

Kevin shook his head, "Nope. I mentioned to him the other day that he seemed a little high strung, but he blew it off. I figured he was talking to you about whatever it was…"

I sighed and shook my head looking down at my feet as they swung above the ground from my seat on the counter. Kevin’s legs were so much longer than mine they almost looked weird. "I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but it’s beginning to worry me. He won’t talk to me either. I try to talk to him and he changes the subject. I swear Kev all he wants to do is fuck. Every time I turn around its ‘baby I need you so bad…’ Every conversation turns into ‘let’s talk later… I just need to feel you… god I want you…’ It’s not even fun anymore…"

"I don’t know, honey…"

I looked at Kevin, "He practically raped me the other night…"

"Whoa… what happened?"

"Remember when I stayed at the hotel in Sacramento and you all went out?"

"Yeah…"

"Well I took a sleeping pill that night because I couldn’t sleep and hadn’t been sleeping well. Whatever time you guys all got back he came into the room and crawled into bed trying to wake me up. But I was so drugged I couldn’t wake up. He started in on how much he needed me and the next thing I know he’s screwing me. I barely remember it, but I remember asking him to stop, but he wouldn’t…" I looked away from Kevin and focused on the floor again. "He passed out when he was done, and I did too. Except I passed out from the sleeping pill and he passed out from whatever he drank that night."

"Jesus…" Kevin muttered.

"Yeah…" I sighed. "I don’t know, Kev…something’s happening to him. I don’t know how to get through to him."

"Well… we’ll figure something out. You know I’m always just a phone call… or a note… away right?" he smiled.

I nodded and smiled, "Yeah… thanks…"

"Anytime…"

"We better get back before he has a conniption," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Kevin smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked toward the door of the bathroom, "Hang in there, Kel… remember, I’m your official ‘Keep Kel’s Head From Exploding Guy.’ I won’t let you down…"

"Kevy my hero…"

~~~~~

"Hey, Kel?" Faith asked as she followed me through the casino as we headed to take pictures of the fans sitting outside.

"Hmm?" I mumbled as I checked to see how much film I had left in my pockets.

"Do you think Nick likes me?"

I shot her a quick glance and then looked ahead, "Yeah, of course he does. He talks to you doesn’t he?"

"Well yeah… but I don’t mean just like. I mean…does he like me? Is he interested in me?"

I sighed and shrugged, "I wouldn’t know, Faith…"

"But you’re his best friend… hasn’t he talked to you about me?"

"Not really…"

"Maybe that’s my answer then… I mean if he really liked me he’d talk to you. I’m sure of it. He’s always talking about how great you are to talk to and stuff…"

"Really?"

"Yuh huh… I swear half of the time all we do is talk about you… it’s actually kind of weird. Almost like he’s got a crush on you…"

Once again Faith gave me the weird feeling that she was after something and I wasn’t about to give it to her. "A crush and adoration are two very different things. Nick respects me and he may very well look up to me, but that’s it."

Faith shrugged, "Whatever… I’m just saying. He talks about you a lot."

"Yeah well you talk about me a lot too… does that mean you have a crush on me?"

"No…"

"Exactly…" I said and took a picture of a group of fans singing Backstreet songs out in front of the MGM Grand.

Faith, thankfully, was quiet again for quite a while as we both snapped pictures outside of the hotel. Her comment about Nick having a crush on me bugged the hell out of me. I mean sure, he and I both knew that his feelings for me ran a little deeper than friendship but the fact that Faith, of all people, was picking up on it bothered me.

Later that afternoon I was back upstairs in the hotel trying to take a nap as AJ, Nick, Brian and Howie played video games in the sitting room. Just as I’d start to drift off one of them would yell something and I’d wake up with a groan. I heard the bedroom door open and then close and assumed it was AJ doing something. I kept my eyes closed until I felt someone tap my shoulder gently. I opened my eyes to see Nick kneeling next to the bed.

"Hey…" he said with a smile.

"What’s up?" I yawned.

"Nothing… I just haven’t talked to you much lately."

"Aww… you miss me?" I laughed.

"Yup…" he smiled.

I rolled over and patted the bed, "Join my nap…"  He smiled and got onto the bed and I cuddled up to him resting my head on his chest, "Oh yeah… this is better… the pillows here suck…"

Nick chuckled and ran his fingers through my hair, "I bet AJ’s not a very good pillow huh?"

I laughed, "He’s a little bony, but he doesn’t do bad… you and Kev are the most comfy though…" I closed my eyes listening to Nick breathing and felt my body totally relax. "We still doing breakfast tomorrow morning?"

"Of course we are… why wouldn’t we?"

"I don’t know… You’ve been hanging with the girl a lot lately and I didn’t know if you…"

"Hey!" Nick interrupted. "Stop right there…don’t even finish. Kel, you’re more important to me than she is. You always will be. I’m not breaking tradition with you for her. Got it?"

I nodded and smiled, "Yes, Nicky…"

"Good… So you pick me up from my room tomorrow at the normal time okay?"

"Yeah…"

"Good…" Nick chuckled, "You know… your man is out there whining cause he wants you to wake up. I came in here under orders to get you up so you’d play with us."

I groaned, "Jesus…"

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Kind of…" I sighed.

"Tell me about it at breakfast tomorrow?"

"Of course…"

"Good… cause I don’t like the way you sound…You’re not happy."

I thought about what he said for a minute and then spoke up again, "So what’s up with you and the girl?"

Nick chuckled, "Nice subject change…"

"Thanks…"

"Welcome… but I dunno… Nothing really. She’s nice to hang out with I suppose… but that’s about it."

"No sparks?"

"Not even a flicker…" he chuckled.

I laughed, "You better watch yourself then…"

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"Oh god… she doesn’t have a crush on me does she?"

I giggled, "You’re not that blonde, Carter…tell me you see it."

"I thought she was just being nice…"

"She tried to kiss you yet?"

"Yeah…"

"Did you kiss her?"

"Yeah…"

I groaned and smacked him in the chest, "She give you a BJ?"

"Kel!"

"Shh…" I laughed. "If you let AJ know I’m awake I’m kicking your ass… Now answer me."

Nick sighed, "No… she hasn’t."

"Has she offered?" Dead silence. "She has…the slut…" I giggled.

"You’re bad…"

"Of course I am… and I’m telling you. Keep your dick out of her mouth and all other orifices or you’ll be in deep trouble. She’s got it bad for you…"

Nick chuckled, "Yes, dear…"

I lifted my head and looked at him, "I mean it… no nookie with this girl. She’s like weird… or something."

Nick nodded, "Yeah… she gives me the weird vibe."

"Then why the hell did you kiss her?"

"Cause you weren’t around…" Nick laughed.

I giggled and kissed him then put my head down on his chest again, "All you have to do is ask, Blondie…"

"It’s not the same… but thank you."

"So you agree that she’s kinda odd huh?"

"Yup. I think she’s a closet fan actually… that just kind of weirds me out."

I nodded with a yawn, "I think I’m gunna send her home soon, before she gets herself into trouble. She’s been here a week ya know?"

Nick yawned, "Yeah… that’s probably a good idea…"

I nodded with my eyes closed, "Nicky?"

"Hmm?" he responded in that ‘I’m almost asleep’ tone.

"Night…"

"Night…" And we slept.