Nick tried to open the door but the chain lock was hooked up-“Ace? You there?”
Abbi stood on the other side of the door; she pushed the door, hitting Nick in the face-“Go Away!”
Nick stepped back, rubbed his nose then opened the door-“Abbi, please let me come in side! I want to talk!”
Abbi stood in front of the door-“There’s nothing to talk about Nick. Leave!”
He leaned on the door-“I’m so sorry! Ace I made a mistake!”
She closed the door, then opened it again without the chain-“YOU THINK? A mistake? What were you trying to put it in Nick…her purse?”
He walked inside-“Listen to me; I was so upset that night you told me that you weren’t coming back. So I went out and had a few drinks with her…next thing I know I am in her hotel room the next morning.”
She glared at him, her arms at her side clenched in a fist-“Are you saying it’s my fault you slept with her? Because I wasn’t coming home on time?”
He put his hands up waving them-“No no, Of course it’s not your fault. It’s all me, Abbi she meant nothing to me please forgive me.”
She walked away from him-“If she meant nothing, then why did you feel like you could jeopardize our relationship for her!”
He shook his head-“No…I wasn’t thinking when it happened. The next morning I was so disgusted with I had done, that I cried!”
She turned to face him, sarcasm lurking in her voice-“Oh poor baby, he cried after sleeping with the hag!” He shook his head in desperation. She covered her face in frustration-“UGH and then to hear it from SUNNY! Of all the people to know about this why did SHE have to come rub it in my face?” She walked into the bedroom section.
Nick walked behind her only to have the door slammed in his face-“Abbi!”
She sat against the door with her knees to her chest, sobbing quietly-“Leave me alone!”
About 30 minutes later, Nick is sitting on the other side of the door. His head is in his hands, searching for a way to make this all better-“Abbi, come one. Please talk to me. I’m so sorry ok? Please…I’m sorry.” Abbi sobbed into her arms. He turned towards the door-“What do you want to do? How do you want to handle it? Huh? Do you wanna fight for us? Or, do you wanna bail?” He stopped, feeling the knot in his throat, knowing that the tears were coming-“Look, I, I did a terrible, stupid, stupid thing. Okay? And I’m sorry, I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. I just can’t see us throwing away something we know is so damn good. Ace, I love you so much.” He put his hand on the door, and sobbed.
She turned to the door, without opening it-“You can’t just say you love me and think its all ok!” She stood up and opened the door-“I think you should leave.”
He stood up and shook his head-“No Abby, please. You can’t do this to me.”
She shook her head-“I didn’t…you did.”
He grabbed her arm-“Please, we have to find a way to work through this. I can’t imagine what I am going to do with out you. You mean everything to me, please Abbi.” Both of them were sobbing, she just allowed him to hold her hand. Then he fell to his knees and hugged her around her waist-“Please I’m sorry. I need you Abbi, you are my world. I screwed up, I’m sorry.”
She covered her face, then shook her head stepping back-“No…I can’t. You are a completely different person to me now. I used to think of you as someone who couldn’t hurt me, ever. I used to stick up for you when Brian would warn me about you. And now…now I can’t seem to stop picturing you with her! It doesn’t matter what you do or say, it’s changed everything….forever.”
Nick steps back, defeated he walks to the door and leaves. Abbi crumbles to the floor and starts sobbing uncontrollably. She picks up her phone and texts the other girls to come to her room. Within minutes, the three girls are at her side, asking her what happened. Abbi explains it all to them, and cries some more. Roxi turns to Allie and Darcy-“You two go to the premier, we don’t want to look bad by not showing up. Tell them Abbi is sick and I am here taking care of her. As soon as the movie is over, head back here ok?” Darcy nods and helps Allie up. They leave the room, as Roxi helps her sister to the bed where she lets her cry, being there for her every need. Soon Abbi cries herself to sleep on the bed; Roxi covers her up and heads to the living room. She sits on the couch and sighs, running a hand through her hair.
Meanwhile, Nick bangs on AJ’s door; he is wasted, completely drunk. AJ catches the unbalanced Nick-“whoa, what happened to you?”
Nick becomes too heavy for AJ and falls to the floor-“Abbi knows about me and Sabrina.” AJ shuts the door and helps Nick up as he tells him about what happened earlier that day.
A week went by; Abbi would put on a mask every day before a performance, then go straight to bed till the performance the next day. She cried most of the time, and hardly went out. Her friends came by every day to try and cheer her up, but would leave unsuccessful at the end of the day.
Abbi stood on stage looking out at the crown, she grinned at the screaming girls. Her smile showed excitement and cheerfulness, but her eyes told a different story. Nick watched her from the side of the stage; he saw that different story and also brought sadness to him. He turned and walked to his dressing room, where he plopped down on the couch.
Their set ended and the girls ran off stage, Abbi didn’t immediately run to their bus. She was feeling a little better. Nick walked up to her and grabbed her arm-“Abbi…please we need to talk.”
She turned to look at him, quickly turning away feeling pain afraid that she would crumble under his touch and stare. She jerked her arm away from his grip-“Tell me one thing Nick, what was in it for you?”
He looked at her and shook his head-“Nothing, Abbi it was just a mistake.”
Just then, Sabrina walked up-“Nick, I have some exciting news to tell you!”
Abbi groaned at the sight of Sabrina-“Do you mind?”
Sabrina turned to Abbi, then back at Nick who was still looking at Abbi-“Sabrina, can this wait. I’m kinda in the middle of something.”
Sabrina shook her head-“Won’t take long…I Promise.” Nick sighed and nodded at her-“I talked to my dad about your life long dream to manage a successful band. Then I showed him the demo that you helped me make and he is signing me to Jive records and guess who is going to be my manager! YOU! Aren’t you excited? He wants to meet with you in his room after your show! See ya there!” She hugged him cheerfully and ran off.
Abbi was staring at him in disbelief-“Nothing in it for you huh?”
Nick looked at her, eyes wide realizing what that scenario must have looked like to her-“No Abbi that had nothing to do with it.”
She shook her head and walked away raising her hand telling him to stop talking. She walked to her dressing room. She closed the door and put her hands to her face.
A voice startled her-“Everything alright love?”
She looked up at Landon who was sitting on her couch waiting for her. His English accent and deep voice warmed her. She sat on the couch next to Landon-“Yes everything is fine. I just realized how much of an ass Nick is. But its ok, I am over it…I’m done crying for him.”
He nodded and put his arm around her shoulder-“You poor doll, I heard about your situation with him. You deserve better love; don’t waste your time crying for him, he’s not worth it. When you find the one worth it, he won’t make you cry.”
She smiled at him, and nodded-“Thanks Landon. I’m sorry to bring you down with my drama. Was there something you needed?”
He thought for a moment-“Ah yes, get changed. We have a meeting with Mr. Borowski (Head Jive guy) in about an hour. Meet you in his room, ok?” She nodded, waved at him as he walked out of the room.
An hour later, Abbi met up with the other girls and headed to Mr. Borowski’s room. They knocked and were greeted by him. Sabrina sat on the bed, Johnny, on a chair, and Landon stood next to the window. Ashley was sitting on the window sill by Landon. Mr. Borowski closed the door and smiled-“Ladies, we have great news for you.”
Roxi smiled-“Really? We were starting to think that we were in trouble.”
He laughed and shook his head-“No no, we are just letting you know about the changes that will take place next month in the tour.”
Darcy looked at him confused-“Changes sir?”
He nodded-“Yes, thanks to Mr. Carter, we have just discovered how much of a talented singer my daughter Sabrina is. We are going to have her in the recording studio this month, and have her in the tour by next month.”
Abbi turned to Sabrina who was grinning from ear to ear. Allie shook her head-“On the tour?”
Mr. Borowski nodded and sat in the recliner-“Yes, she is going to open up for the boys as well, she will come on after your act.”
Landon nodded-“Good idea, we shall extend the show, start it earlier and raise the price of the tickets a little bit.”
Borowski shook his head-“No, the time will be the same.”
Johnny crossed his arms-“So Sabrina will have a short act?”
Once again, Borowski shook his head-“No, Sabrina will have six songs; Fetish will do three instead of six.”
Abbi’s jaw dropped-“WHAT? You are cutting our act? For an amateur?”
Borowski stood up-“That is my daughter you are speaking of.”
Abbi also stood up from the couch she was sitting at-“Daughter or not we were here first, this is OUR tour also! People come to see us!”
This made Sabrina and her father laugh-“They come to see the boys; you are just an additional form of entertainment as they wait. This is not up for discussion; this is the way it is. Landon, you see to it that I have a line up for next month’s tour, by next week.”
Just then, the Backstreet Boys walked in to the room. Borowski smiled-“Boys, we have just told the girls the great news. Although they didn’t quite take it as well as we did.”
Darcy crossed her arms-“Yes well, getting your act cut in half will do that to you.”
Sabrina shook her head-“Never mind that, thanks to you and my demo, Nick, I am opening up for you guys…starting next month. Thank you so much!”
Abbi looked at Nick who was looking past Sabrina at her-“Yea Nick Thank you.” She pushed past him and headed out of the room.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Outfits on stage
Abbi
Allie
Darcy
Roxi
Abbi
Allie
Darcy
Roxi
