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The phone was ringing. Damn. Why were my phones *always* ringing? Don’t people know the meaning of ‘peace and quiet’? I couldn’t get that in my own house. Ignoring the ringing phone, I flipped through the channels. After I had finally settled on MTV, I hit the mute button. I really hated Carson. He was a pretentious ass.

“Nick? Nick, I know you’re there. C’mon, Frack. Pick up,” came Brian’s voice after the answering machine picked up.

Frack? Nobody had used that nickname for years.

“Nick, I swear if you don’t pick up I’ll go there myself.”

I snorted. Yeah, right. He was with Leigh in… where the fucking ever they were right now. Yeah, I was in full self-pity mode today.

“Nick, we’re all worried about you. You’re mother called us, man. She said you wouldn’t take her calls these couple of days. Talk to me, man.”

I stared at Carson, wishing I could wipe that smug smirk off his face. Ninety percent of the celebrities I knew hated Carson. Fuck that, it was probably nearer to 99 percent. Brian was still talking. I wanted to put the phone off the hook but somehow; I couldn’t find the will to care anymore. How pathetic was that?

I didn’t know how long I had been sitting in front of the couch, watching MTV, when Brian barged into the living room.

“Nick! God, I thought you were dead or something.”

When the screen went blank, I didn’t react. The only thought that was running through my head was about the ways to murder Carson Daly.

“Nick? You okay, buddy?”

I was thinking about pouring poison into his food when the question registered into my brain. Blinking, I looked up at Brian. Brian’s face was odd, I noticed. At least, his expressions were. First, he looked surprised. Then, he looked almost affectionate. Brian sat down on the floor beside me.

Wait. What was Brian doing here?

“What’re you doing here?”

“To see you. What else?” Brian seemed genuinely puzzled by my question.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Leigh?”

“Nah.”

He didn’t offer any more than that so I let it drop. We sat there in silence for what seemed like hours, staring at the blank TV screen.

“Nick? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” I really didn’t. I didn’t even know what the hell put me into this funk.

“Are you sure? Cause you seem kinda pale.”

I offered a shrugged. I had been like this for a few days now, just slipping into myself.

“What’s this about, Nick?”

I thought about that. What *was* this about? I honestly had no idea.

So I shrugged again.

“Okay, Nick. That’s it. Get up.”

I looked up at Brian, my brow furrowing.

“You need to have a decent shower and some decent food in you. Come on.”

After all these years, I had almost forgotten how strong Brian was. Sure, he was smaller usually he was sweet to everyone but he could be forceful when he wanted to. There was just some kind of steel in him that the rest of us didn’t have, not even Kevin.

Hauling me up, he marched me to the bedroom and into the bathroom. He ran the shower and helped me to strip down to my boxers before stepping back.

“Okay, spend as many hours as you want. I’ll be downstairs making dinner,” he said before he went out.

When I felt the cold spray hit my body, I felt my head clearing up. Kevin had told me once that nothing could beat a cold shower to clear your head. Guess he was right. After twenty minutes, I dried myself and put on a pair of clean boxers with a t-shirt and sweatpants before going downstairs.

Brian had cooked some pasta and spaghetti. I guess he used that Italian cookbook Mom had left for me. Or maybe he had just reheated the frozen food that was in the fridge.

“So, where’s Leigh?” I asked when we had finished eating.

“She’s at her parents. They wanted to see the baby.”

“Okay… So what’re you doing here, then?”

“I told you, I came looking for you.”

I didn’t need to ask any more. Even though he was married and had a baby and had responsibilities and shit, he still came looking. That was just Brian for you.

“Have you heard from Kid lately?”

“She told me she was touring with that troupe a few weeks ago.”

“A few weeks ago, huh?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?”

“You were using that tone.”

“What tone? I have a tone?”

“Yeah. That tone you use when you see something wrong.”

“You’re hallucinating, Nick. I don’t have a tone. And we’re quarrelling here like a married couple.”

“I still say you have a tone.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Brian stayed for a few days after that. I was ashamed to say that I enjoyed him looking over me. You’d think that living in the spotlight for half your life would make you more wise and independent and all that hoopla. Plus the fact that I also had Kevin hovering over me for half my life.

Finally, after three days, I forced him out.

“Are you sure you’re fine?”

“For the last freaking time Brian, I’M SURE.”

I was lying through my teeth of course. I mean he had to go back. I knew for a fact that Leigh was back and so was the baby. I couldn’t bear thinking that I was separating him from his father. I had experienced that all too well.

Brian still didn’t look convinced though. I had to practically wrestle him into the car.

When Brian had finally zoomed off, I slumped against the doorframe. Kicking people out of your house can be pretty exhausting.