Tired after a long day of interviews, I journeyed up to my hotel room eager to take a bath and go to bed. The days seem endless sometimes. I would love nothing more than to just go to sleep and wake up three days from now. That is not the life of a rock/pop star though. I fill my bathtub with rose water and slip in, letting the suds entomb me.
This is what I'm talking about. Rest and relaxation. I close my eyes and try to remember the days events. It was exciting to think that we have actually made it to our real ten year anniversary. No one including me could have ever thought it possible. Unfortunately with all the celebrating there is also a lot of hype attached. That means the five of us going from show to show to promote ourselves. It's kind of fun but a lot of hard work. We have all kind of been spoiled.
Wow, spoiled and BSB in the same sentence, who would have thunk it! I chuckle and dip down underneath the suds....
****************************************
"Nick are you going to stay in that stupid bathtub all night? Come on! Lou said he would be here in about fifteen minutes!" Good God couldn't Kevin give me a moment of peace? Is that too much to ask? All I wanted to do was take a bubble bath with my rubber duck!
"I'll be out in a minute!" He was so pushy. I have only known him for a little over two years and he drove me crazy. He acted like he was the boss of me.
"Nick!" Oh my God I bet his eyebrows are jiggling around like a madman's!
"Okay I said give me a minute!" I decided that a nice quiet bath was not to be. I ducked my head under the sudsy water and jumped out of the tub
"Nick!" I couldn't help but laugh. That boy was going to give himself a heart attack by the time he was 30 if he kept this up. I dried myself off, got dressed and entered the hotel room.
AJ and Brian were sitting on the floor keeping themselves occupied with my video games, Howie was just sitting on the bed watching the action and Kevin was on my phone.
"Excuse me, the last time I checked this was MY hotel room right?" They all ignored me. I walked over to them and stood directly in front of the screen.
"Hey move out of the way dumbass! Can't you see we're playing a game here?"
"Yeah my game! It's not polite to just use someone's things without asking!" I then went over and shut off the game.
I was so happy that I had my own room. It didn't happen very often. Actually it NEVER happened. We had to share rooms. Lou was being so generous with his money that it was the least we could do. I never got my own room. Kevin and Howie saw to that.
"Why did you just do that jerk?" AJ asked me as he kicked me in the shin. Sometimes I really hated him.
"Because" I then sat down in a huff on the bed next to Howie.
"Because? what a stupid excuse dumbass!"
"All right that's enough out of the both of you. Come on guys settle down. Lou's coming with news that could either make us or break us" Kevin paced. Poor Kevin always paced.
"Kevin, you need to relax man, whatever Lou has to say..it'll all work out" Brian so calm and soothing. I love that guy to death.
Truthfully I was a little nervous about big poppas visit. He used to come and see us all the time but the busier we got the less we saw of him. He only tended to come when something great was about to happen or something awful. There was no happy medium.
"So what do you think he is going to say?" Howie asked Kevin who had finally stopped pacing and sat on the bed across from Howie and I.
"I don't know, It sounded urgent though"
"Maybe he will say that we made a terrible mistake giving jerkboy over here his own room!" He cracked himself up.
"You're just jealous AJ but I won it far and square" Thanks to my incredible UNO playing abilities. Winner got their own room for a night. That was me!
"Aw, yeah I'm all broken up about it because now I have to share with someone who doesn't stink up the place and jerk off on a constant basis!" I reached over and hit him on the head with the remote I had grabbed out of Howie's hand. He stood up and charged at me.
"That's it" He said as he tackled me making me fall to the floor. I accidentally kicked Howie in the face on my way down.
"Ouch shit that hurt!" I looked up to see poor Howie holding his now bloody nose. AJ and I just stared at D frozen in place.
"Great!" Kevin said as he charged out of the room and down the hall for what I can only guess would be ice.
"Boy is he gonna feel stupid when he gets down to the machine and realizes he forgot the bucket" Brian said and then I couldn't help myself. I cracked up. AJ also laughed even Howie joined in.
That's how Lou found us. I was on the floor with AJ on top of me. Howie was holding his bloody nose and Kevin walking in with three pieces of ice in his bare hand. Water running down his pants looking like he wet himself.
Lou just looked long and hard at us his gaze alternating between Howie's nose, Kevin's pants and J and I.
"What the hell is going on in here?"
Kevin not exactly sure what to say held his hand out which now contained only water and said "Um...ice" This cracked us all up including Lou who had a perplexed look on his face.
"What? Kevin what are you blabbering about?"
"Kevin went to get me some ice for my nose. I accidentally hit it" D said glaring at AJ and I.
Lou came over and got a good look at Howie's nose.
"I hope that doesn't bruise. You have a big day tomorrow!" He said taking a seat in the chair by the table.
"Why? What's going on Lou?" Brian asked with the same curiosity we all had.
"You have been asked to be the cover boys for Bravo!" We wanted to react but we had no idea what he was talking about. When Lou saw our blank stares he became annoyed.
"Bravo, it's the biggest pop magazine here in Europe. The publisher said that The spice Girls were gonna be on it originally but do to some unforeseen problems, they decided to go with you" Lou just stood there trying to gauge a reaction form us.
Kevin was still standing there with his hand full of water just gazing into space. He really freaked me out sometimes. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he ran towards Lou and gave him a big hug. That was our cue to get up off the floor and join in the embrace.
"Hey thanks Lou this is awesome! I knew I loved the Spice Girls!" J said as he put his arms around the big man.
I looked at Howie who didn't come over or anything. He was just standing by himself looking at us. Hand still firmly planted on nose.
"Hey D, come on over and get a hug!" I urged him walking towards him with arms outstretched.
"I would love to Nicky but I'm bleeding to death." When he said that Kevin jumped into action once again running out of the room. He came running back in seconds later to grab the ice bucket.
Lou stayed for a little while longer urging us to go to bed because we would have a 4am wake up call. He said his good-byes and walked out of the door.
"Wow!" Howie said.
"I know isn't that the coolest thing you ever heard? Us the Backstreet Boys on the cover of a huge magazine. Incredible." Kevin sounded so reflective. He was having a moment.
"Uh actually I was just gonna say I can't feel my nose. But you're right about the whole magazine thing though" Kevin rolled his eyes and laughed.
We decided to order a pizza to celebrate our photo shoot. True we were in Germany and the pizza was a little scary here to say the least, but what's a victory without pizza? So we ordered it. It by far was the worst thing I had ever put in my mouth. Okay maybe I'm exaggerating but not by much. The sauce was so bland!
"Blech!" I said as I chewed slowly with my mouth open.
"God Nick, that is disgusting either chew like a human or spit it out!" Yes, sir Kevin sir. I spit it out into a napkin.
The pizza wasn't why that night was so special though it was the company I was keeping. Hanging out with boys older than me almost made me feel cool or something. I wish we were popular at home so I could rub it in the faces of all the bullies at school.
"Guys, I want to get serious for a minute" I laughed.
"What's so funny little man?"
"Kev, are you ever NOT serious?" He shot me a playful nasty look and then continued on,
"Anyway, I just wanted to say that this is a milestone for us. Lot's of people who have never heard of us before will pick up that magazine and be curious. Maybe curious enough to buy our CD. Today is a big day! I just want everyone to understand that" When he finished he looked directly at Brian and I.
"We do cousin. We do" Brian reassured him.
"Now, we should probably be going to bed." He stood up taking his uneaten piece of pizza and throwing it in the garbage. All the boys followed his lead. Howie walked over and grabbed my plate.
"Are you done Nicky?" I nodded. He then threw it in the garbage.
"Well, Nick have fun in your own room. I'm jealous but I still say you cheated!"
"Nope Brian, what you witnessed was pure genius my friend. Skill and genius!" He winked at me and walked out the door.
"Hey Kaos! No ordering porno flicks!" I rolled my eyes at AJ. That was a good idea though.
"Howie!" I yelled a little louder than I meant to because he jumped as he walked by me. He turned around and looked my way.
"I just wanted to say sorry for the nose thing" He came over and gave me a hug. Then he walked out the door leaving me alone with the worry wart. Kevin walked over to me and placed a protective hand on my shoulder.
"Nick, are you sure you want to stay by yourself?" He was kidding right?
"Kevin I had my own room at home, I think I can manage staying by myself for one night in a hotel"
"I know but home is different than here. You're only fifteen...I just wanted to make sure that's all. If you need me I'm right down the hall okay?" He then put his hand under my chin and ruffled my hair.
"Kevin"
"Yeah buddy?"
"Goodnight" He smiled and walked out the door. Leaving me alone.
All alone.
I sat on my bed and played some video games until I was good and tired. I then shut the TV and laid in bed. Did you know that hotel rooms make the creepiest noises. It always sounds like the people in the next room are right there with you. When someone puts on their shower it sounds like it's their own. Shadows cast the weirdest reflections. Why would there even be shadows? Right the moonlight that explains it.
I laid there with eyes wide open listening to every footfall and sound heard in my vicinity. I finally gave in at 12:07.
"Who is it?" Kevin yelled from behind his door.
"It's me" I heard the rustling of his bed and his footsteps coming to the door. He opened it and it was clear I had woken the guy up.
"Nick is something wrong?" I suddenly felt so stupid.
"Ah..yeah I was wondering if you maybe wanted your own room. I felt bad because I took it when it was meant to be yours" He smirked at me.
I walked into his room and saw Howie sound asleep in the bed.
"I knew this was gonna happen" He said as he grabbed some of his stuff. He walked over to me and gave me a hug.
"Too many monsters in there huh?"
"No, I just thought I'd be nice" Even thought I knew he understood I saw a wimp, I wasn't gonna admit it.
"Well, then thanks a lot, how selfless you can be sometimes" He laughed.
"I'll see you in the morning kiddo." I shut the door behind him and climbed into the bed he vacated. It was nice and warm. I drifted off to sleep thinking about nasty pizza and big breaks...Ì
Author's Chapter Notes:
Hey guys!
Here's a story I wrote back in 2002. Lol wow! I've been doing this for a loong time now. No wonder i'm burnt out! :OP
Here's a story I wrote back in 2002. Lol wow! I've been doing this for a loong time now. No wonder i'm burnt out! :OP
