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"The Big Apple"

Flasback

New York here we come!

I couldn’t believe it! I was going with the guys to the Big Apple and we were going to go to Jive’s headquarters and talk about an upcoming tour. It was almost like I was living a fantasy, a dream and I couldn’t grip that we were actually on our way. On our way to success.

After that success in Sea world we were really in the business and the past months been rather stressful since there have been rehearsals all the time. Since we can’t afford a studio we have practiced outside and I tell you its rather hard work to do so, especially in the blistering sun. All but Howie have become sun burned and Brian looked as red as a lobster at times. I’m back in school again and still driving back and forth between Ruskin and Orlando. I’m getting used to it though and I’ve also got to spend some time with the guys over at their apartment. On the weekdays I’m like any ordinary kid, that if you don’t count the rehearsals, but on weekends I’m Nick Carter, the fifth part of the Backstreet Boys and then I perform at all these kinds of small events. Beside that show in Sea World we mostly perform at sport events and at private dinner parties for people in the business. So far we haven’t made that many bucks since the people that we perform for don’t have to pay a cent.

All of our parents have been pretty upset about this but to me its ok: I’ve never been that big on money, maybe because I know that you can survive without it. After all we’ve never had that much to start with so I’m kind of used to not being able to afford the same things as my friends do. Lou also tells us that it’s good that we do it for free since all we need is to get a foot inside the music industry and then the road is open for us.

Since we’re going to New York on a Tuesday mom asked for permission to get out of school. She has also taken a vacation from her work to come with me to NY and my grandma has come to be with my siblings. Dad is still working at night driving that truck so I rarely see him anymore. That’s kind of sad since I miss being with him.

Besides the guys and mom and Lou, Denise is also tagging along as well as Kevin’s brother Tim. Oh and Paul, Lou’s creepy assistant. Him I don’t like at all. He has something sickly over him and I think he is nothing but a phoney. He keeps filming everything too and it’s kind of annoying.

“Nick calm down a little,” my mom laughs since I am jumping up and down in the car. So excited to finally be on the way. I’m so anxious that it feels like I will explode if we don’t get to the parking lot where I’m supposed to meet up with the rest of the guys. I’m off to one of my life adventures and my stomach does flip flops at the mere thought that tomorrow we will walk inside the doors of the Jive record company and also have dinner with our future manager Johnny and Donna Wright. All I know about them is that they have been the manager of that British group Take That and that they are pretty nice. But what excites me the most is that I’ll get to spend time with the guys and me d Brian are sharing room. He’s also promised me that we would play some wild TV games since the hotel that we will stay at “The hotel Plaza” have those for rent. Talk about great holiday.

That we’re having a hectic schedule and that there will be very little time to go shopping or something else won’t let me down. I don’t care since being with the guys makes me feel happy.

“Are we there yet?! It feels like I have ants in my pants. See there was a rhyme.

“Nick for the hundredth time I’ve told you that we will be there soon. Now try and relax baby, you’re so tense.” She pats me on my shoulder to help me calm down, but that doesn’t help since all my nerves are jittery because of this trip.

“There’s Alex!” I yell as we’re nearing the parking lot where we are supposed to meet. Waving with my arms frantically I manage to catch Alexander’s eye and he waves back. There is a big grin on his lips too. Wow this is going to be great. Mom barely stops the car before I am out of it and running towards my friends shouting, “Isn’t this great guys?”

Brian laughs at me but he too admits that it’s pretty cool. I think that we’re all a bit nervous too since there is so much at stake here and the fact that Kevin says that he doesn’t feel too good kind of dampens the mood a little.

There is a long wait before the car arrives that is going to take us to the airport. Even though it’s warm outside I still shiver and Kevin is the one taking notice of that. “You cold Nicky?” he asks.

I nod. It must be all of the excitement going on and the fact that we have to wait for the car doesn’t help me exactly ease up the tension I’m feeling.

“Is that all you got?” He points to my black leather jacket that isn’t exactly keeping the warmth.

“Yup.” I’ve never been that cold and here in Florida it’s mostly sunshine since it’s the Sunshine state and therefore I rarely need that much clothes. I like it best in a tee and shorts.

Kevin sighs as he takes off his coat. “Here borrow this for now.”

I stare at the item. “But aren’t you cold?”

“No, Not really.”

He shakes his head. “I hope you packed something warmer since it’s kind of cool in New York this time of year.”

Duh don’t I know? After all I’m the one that’s born in Jamestown New York buddy. “I’m sure mom packed a jacket or something,” I mumble as I try on Kevin’s jacket. Gosh it’s big. Alex laughs at me and so does Brian. I laugh too.

“You look like that dwarf in that Disney movie,” Alex comments. Turning to Howie he asks, “You remember that movie don’t you. It’s a classic.”

“Snow white you mean?” Howie responds with a smile and then they both decide that Alex is right. I look like that goofy dwarf.

“Where is the car?” Kevin murmurs for the umpteenth time when no black car, and no Lou, has shown up yet.

This has me a bit worried. “What if we miss the plane?”

Alexander is the first to take notice of how scared I am and he doesn’t miss a beat to tell that to me. “Nickolas don’t say that you’re scared of flying?” He gives me a mischievous smile.

“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I’ve never done that before.”

Alex almost swallows his gum. “What do you mean that you haven’t done it before? You never rode on an airplane?” He looks at me like I’m an alien or something.

I nod. That’s the truth.

“But weren’t you born in Jamestown?” Alex asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

“So?” What does that have to do with anything?

“I mean come on Nicky…you’re thirteen..”

“Soon fourteen,” I correct. Ok it’s still about three months away but that I won’t tell him.

“Whatever, but why haven’t you travelled by plane?”

“Because we went by car.” This is starting to get boring.

“Why? It takes so much longer than going by plane.” Alex is constantly at me and I’m biting my lip so I won’t snap.

“Because.” I really hope he is going to change subjects soon. To state my point I move away from him but he follows me, still curious.

“Why?”

This time I snap. “Because we’re a large family and mom and dad can’t afford it. That’s why!” I know that my tone is a bit heated and I can see Alex backing off. That was not something he expected for me to say.

“Oh.” He looks like he is regretting pushing me so hard. I rarely talk about my family. That’s just the way I am and it’s only Brian I think that knows that we don’t have that much money either.

Just at that moment the car arrives and Lou jumps out. “Are you guys ready?” he asks.

All I can say is that he arrived like three minutes too late. Then I wouldn’t have to bear Alex’s eyes in the back of my neck. It’s like he is feeling sorry for me and I don’t like that one bit. Just when we’re about to get into the car I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Nicky wait up.”

Turning around I’m met with Alexander’s brown eyes. They look sad. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

Even though I felt like I’ve given away a part that I don’t want the guys to have access to yet I still nod back. “It’s cool.”

“Is it?” He doesn’t believe me.

“Yeah.” I let on a smile to show for him that I’m meaning business and with that we jump into the car. Even though we’re all going to the adventure it’s still pretty quiet in the car. Maybe we’re feeling that something big is going to happen and when we come back to Florida something might changed. I don’t know but the ride to the airport follows pretty much in silence.

When we arrive at the airport we’re back in the cheerful mood again and when we walk over to the check out desk Brian places his arm around my neck in a friendly gesture. “This is going to be great Nick. Imagine we’re going to the Big Apple to meet the bosses for a big record company.” He grins at me so his white teeth are showing.

I giggle from excitement but also from nervousness. This is one of my biggest happenings in my life and hopefully it’s just a glitch on what is supposed to come. We talk about this and that only to pass time and I show him a new game boy game that I would like to have in the airport shop. Brian tells me that he’s tried it out before and we talk about games. Sometimes I wonder what I would have done if Brian hadn’t come along. Probably been bored to death since the topics Howie and Kevin discuss aren’t that exciting.

“What you’re two standing here jabbing about?” Alexander asks as he comes up to see what we’re doing standing in the shop for so long.

“Nick showed me a new game.”

“Oh cool.” Alex pretends to be excited but I have my ideas why he’s come up to talk to us. Standing there looking at the magazines are two cute girls, about Alex’s age, and being the chick magnet as he is he walks up to them with a smile on his lips.

“Hi,” he says and when they respond with a hi too he starts chatting with them. Brian comes up and talks too while I’m just stand there blushing. Don’t get me wrong; I love girls but somehow girls don’t like me. At school they have often thought I was a nerd, at least until I started in the group. Nowadays girls actually come up and talk to me. I would be very flattered if it wasn’t for the fact that girls have always made me shy. They make my hands break out in a cold sweat and I feel myself constantly licking my lips. In other words they make me nervous.

“Where you’re headed?” One of the girls asks a good looking brunette.

“To New York.”

“Oh that’s awesome,” the other girl says. “Are you in a sports club or something?”

“No.” Alex shakes his head. “No we’re in this singing group and…”

“And we’re going to go to NY to cut a record deal,” I hear myself blurting out. Brian gives me this look and I feel stupid. Me and my big mouth.

If the girls were excited before it’s nothing compared to now. “Oh really. A record deal?” They keep talking with us and Alex is the one that’s leading the conversation. Brian is pretty used to being with girls too and he has a girlfriend Samantha who he dated for a couple of years. I’ve met her a few times and she’s really pretty but also very nice.

Me and the guys keep talking when a well known voice interrupts us. “Oh there you are Nicky,” my mom says as she walks up to me. I groan since I feel like a little kid having my mom tagging along with me. Both me and Alex have talked about how sucky it is to have your parents wherever you go but l guess it’s unavoidable.

Groaning I do my best to act like I don’t know the woman that is talking beside me but it proves to be kind of futile since she stretches out her hand to the girls and says, “Hello. I’m Jane. Nickolas’ mother.”

“Honey I brought you a sandwich from the cafeteria. You know how hungry you get if you don’t eat regularly.”

I feel my face blushing and as if thing’s are not bad enough the guys are chuckling too. She keeps pressing me on to come with her and I grit my teeth. “I don’t want anything.” Closing my eyes briefly I plead ‘Please mom get away from me’ but no one seems to be listening since she is still standing there when I open them again. As if thing’s are not bad enough she says, “Sweetie you know how cranky you get when you don’t eat.”

This last comment has the guys laughing and I can see that the girls are giggling too. Now I feel so embarrassed that death would come like a relief. She’s acting like I’m five! ‘God take me away from here or let me at least sink through the ground,’ I pray.

As if thing’s are not bad enough Alexander fills in, “Yeah Nicky go and get something to eat so you won’t be so cranky.” Wild laughter follows and I bail my fist in anger. Thank you friend for making me feel like a nerd.

Mom doesn’t get it that Alex is making fun of me and she smiles at them, “Thank you Alexander for agreeing with me.”

The look I’m giving my so called friend is the one of death but he doesn’t take notice. “No prob Mrs Carter,” he says with a large grin on his lips. Alex really knows how to get my mom as well as all parents to think that he is a real great well behaved guy and that makes me sick to my stomach. Ok I must confess that I think I can muster that skill too but not in the same way as Alex does.

Grabbing my moms arm I mumble, “Let’s get away from here then.”

“But honey you told me that you were not hungry.” She has obviously changed her mind since she has started to talk with Brian and Alexander and the girls and she’s talking big about how we are going to go to the Jive studio and all. You might think that it was her that was in the group.

“I’ve changed my mind.” I snarl before dragging her with me in her arm. As soon as we’re out of view from the rest of the guys I say accusingly, “Why did you have to say that to me?”

“What did I say honey?”

“That I get cranky when I don’t eat but it’s not true” I looked at her, “and even if it is mom I still don’t like it when you talk like that in front of strangers!”

“But Nicky I can’t lie. You do get cranky when you don’t eat. You want me to lie? Do you?” Her tone is annoyed and I wish I hadn’t brought it all up.

“No.” I know when a game is lost and I’m loosing this battle badly. When I have finished eating my chicken sandwich Howie shows up. “We’ve gotta get going. They are calling for boarding and we’ve got to get through the security.”

Suddenly my nerves get really jumpy and I’m not that hungry anymore. I’m about to fly in an airplane for the first time in my life. About to make history in the life of Nickolas Gene Carter.

The security check went ok if you don’t count that it kept beeping when me and Howie entered. Alex suggested that I should take off my shoes but it proved to be my belt. The way it was beeping and the panic I felt when I didn’t know what was making the noise makes me wonder how someone would have the nerve to smuggle anything.

“You ok?” Kevin asks as he is sitting in front of me in the plane.

I nod. “Yeah.” But that’s nothing but a lie. To tell you the truth my stomach is all queasy and I wish that I hadn’t eaten that chicken sandwich. I’m so nervous for the upcoming flight that it feels like the chicken is about to see daylight again.

“You sure Nicky ‘cause you look kind of green.” Alex adds as he is sitting across the aisle from me.

“Yes.” God can’t they get off my case for once. Mom is looking at me too. “Yes Nick Alexander is right. You do look a little pale. You sure that you feel all right honey?”

“I’m fine.” Please stop talking about it or I will get sick for real. I stare out of the window and concentrate on watching the service men loading the bags on the plane.

“You know if you feel barfy you can always use the brown paper bag in front of you,” Alexander grins and I can hear both Kevin and Howie chuckling. Thanks for that guys.

“I don’t need it.” I sneer back, but as the plane taxes down the runway I start to regret my decision. Ironically though it’s not me that needs the bag but Alex even though it was close at times. As soon as we hit ground at Newark airport in New York I’m ready to kiss the ground.

“I’ve gotta hit the bathroom.” Alex groans as we step off the plane. He is pretty pale and it looks like he caught the same bug as Kevin has. Howie is a bit peaked too and it’s only me and Brian that is pure health.

“Thank god we made it.” Brian bursts out as he gains up on me from behind. He is relieved to be in New York.

Even though I can see that Alex isn’t up to par to talking I can’t help to run up beside him and say, “Who was it to tell me to use the brown bag?” I can see Howie cocking his eye at me but I try to act like I don’t notice. “If I remember correctly, you said that I would be sick but I don’t recall being the one puking my guts up.” Pay back time Alexander James McLean!

“Oh Gross.” Brian scrunches up his nose.

“Shut up.” Alexander groans as he holds his stomach. “I feel sick.” With that he runs off to the restrooms and Howie comes up to me. “Was that necessary? It’s not often that he bashes me about something and I’m looking at him in surprise.

“He bugs me all the time so why can’t I bug him for once?” I know that I sound whiny but like my mom says I get cranky when I don’t eat. Or when I’m tired or bored. This time I was all three so you can guess what mood I was in.

“I know.” Howie sighs. “But Alex might have caught the flu bug that Kevin has.”

“Bah. He’s just nervous.”

“Yeah probably.” Howie smiles to me. “I think that we’re all nervous today.”

I shrug. “Maybe.” When Alexander comes back minutes later I regret my harsh words. He is looking really pale and sick. Densie walks immediately up to him and I can see her helping him to sit on a chair.

“You Ok?” I ask.

“Sure.” He doesn’t sound too convincing.

“You think you have what Kevin’s got?”

“ Maybe.” He suddenly looks at me with a grin. “Come here Nicky and I’ll give you a kiss.”

I shrug back. Now that is gross. “Ewww stay away from me.” I back like a hundred yards and Alexander laughs at me.

“Just kidding Nicky,” he says when he sees the fright in my eyes. “I wouldn’t want to kiss you if you were the last man the world. I’m not gay you know.”

“Good.” I still don’t dare to come close to him.

“But Nicky you know those girls at the airport. They said that you were cute.”

I blush. “They said that?” Wow I never thought that they would think that of me like that. Like a hunk.

“Yeah..” he looks at me with a smile in his eyes. “They thought you reminded them of their little brother.”

There went that dream. I give him an annoyed glare but he just laughs at me. “God Nicky you’re so gullible sometimes.”

“Well you can drop dead, “I sneer as I turn on my heels and walk over to Brian who has watched the chat between me and Alex from a distance.

“Is he bugging you?” he asks.

“Sort of.” I shrug, trying to act like I don’t care. But I do.

“Don’t mind him.” Brian places his hand on my shoulder. “Remember Kaos we’re in New York and we’re going to have fun.” He grins. “I hope you’re ready to set up a TV game since I really feel like playing a round when we come to the hotel.”

“You bet!” I look up at my friend. If I’m feeling down he is the one that can make me feel good again. All he needs to do is to treat me like a person and soon I’m in a much better mood. Brian is the only one that can do this to me and after all he was right. We were in the big Apple and were going to kick ass!

**************************************************Nick******************************************************

After looking at that last picture of me and the guys playing around I decide that it’s time to take a break. There have been so many memories coming over me that I’m starting to get a headache and I’m only in the first album of my Backstreet memories. Imagine how I will feel when I’m through looking in all these albums?