Giggling like the schoolgirl she was, Laurel rewound the tape in the
VCR and prepared to watch it for what must surely have been the 6th time since the
event had originally aired. The cassette reached the beginning and her thumb went down
on the remote and hit play.
"Welcome to this years MMVA's..." the now familiar voice of Sook
Yin Lee trumpeted through the speakers.
"Laur? What are you doing here?"
Startled, Laurel pressed paused and peeked over her shoulder. She
took a glimpse of the person behind her and rolled her eyes to the back of her head.
"Oh, it's only you" she mumbled.
Sticking her tongue out, Kristy swiped the remote from her
friends hand
"Dont gimme that attitude lil' miss teeny pop queen" she teased, knowing far too
well how much that title irritated her.
Naila had asked Kristy to accompany her to their bus, claiming she had to get some
CD. But in reality, she just needed to get away from Kevin. The two had yet another
argument and she just couldn't stand the sight of him... As for Kristy, well, she had no
objections to leaving the hotel in exchange for the bus. Anything to get her mind off
last night.
"So what are you watching?" Kristy asked, attempting to get a decent
conversation going.
Laurel tried not to blush as she stuttered out the answer "That award show
Rick and Eli presented at. We only have satellite in the bus. I wanted to watch it."
"Cool" Kristy exclaimed.
Reaching out to grab her diet soda, Laurel went on "Girl, and you'll never
guess what else happened" she squealed giddily "Eli and Rick actually sang a duet
together. And you know what? Rick wrote it!" Sighing dreamily, she deposited her can on the
table "Girl, I'm telling you- that was the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard! It
was absolutely breath taking!"
With a corny grin, Kristy pounced on her friend and took her in a headlock.
"Awww, isn't that cute?! Our little Laurellypooh has a wittle crush" she teased in a
childish voice and pinching her cheek.
"What are you talking about, you freak?" Laurel retorted as she shoved the
hyper blonde off her body "I just admire his talent, that's all..."
Kristy eyed her skeptically, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Admire his 'talent', eh?".
Aggravated, Laurel bolted up from the couch and punched the T.V off.
"You know something Kristen Brun? You really know how to press my buttons
sometimes!"
"Why thank you"
Almost fuming, Laurel suddenly recalled something, and a cocky grin
spread across her lips "So, Kris, how was your date with Brian last night?"
At the mention of Brian's name, Kristy's smirk rapidly faded and was soon replaced by a bungling sneer. "Let's just say that it was our first, and
undoubtedly last."
"Ouch!" Laurel grimaced "That bad?"
Kristy nodded. "Oh yeah! I mean, 'bad' is an understatement. Neither
of us could go 5 minutes without bringing up our ex's. I don't think I've been that
embarrassed since I got my period in the middle of my 9th grade algebra class..."
**Same Time**
Trying not to make a sound as she ease-dropped over the conversation,
a silent gasp escaped from Naila's lips. "Oh God..." she mouthed, as that last sentence
echoed in her mind. She could kill herself for not having realized it sooner. She was late.
She was never late...
**Earlier That Morning**
"Ugh, would you just get the hell in there? Stupid piece of garbage..."
Sheridan cursed as she irritably fumble with her suitcase. Using all her
force, she finally managed to squeeze in all her belongings "Finally" she groaned- her
final luggage latching closed.
After last night, Sheridan had finally reached her saturation point, and
decided to pack her bags and get the hell as far away from Nick as humanly possible.
That jerk had pulled her strings long enough, and that "incident" at the club was the
final straw. With his recent behavior, she knew precisely what road he was headed down; but she didn't care! As far as she was concerned, he was digging his own grave.
Pulling her long, curly locks into a messy bun, she reached over to the coffee
table and grabbed her cell and pressed auto #4. No answer. Picking up her baggage's, she
left a message before slipping the mobile in her back pocket.
With her arms full, she struggled to open the door. Peeking over her
shoulders, she made a quick spot check or the room to insure that there was nothing left
behind. Within seconds, she'd finished inspecting and used her foot to slam the door
behind herself.
**Noon**
Panicking, Kevin ran out of their tour bus and froze. "Where the hell is
everyone?" he yelled, as he watched Brian nonchalantly drag his feet through the
parking-lot.
"Dunno man" he shrugged, "I just got here"
"We're supposed to be at the airport in 30 minutes and the only ones that are
in the buses are Reflection, A.J and the 2 of us!"
At that moment, Howie silently appeared, and was about to head straight to
the bus when Kevin intercepted him.
"Is Dawn on her way?" Kevin queried, almost peeing in his pants from the
fear of missing their flight.
Breathing heavily, Howie looked up from the floor with his beet red eyes and
shook his head "Dawn isn't coming. She left"
But before Kevin's brain could even register what he had just been told,
Howie disappeared into their bus.
"What did he just say?" Brian exclaimed, coming up behind his cousin.
Kevin threw up his arms and turned his back "Could things possibly get any
worse?" he shouted as he stormed back up to the hotel.
Checking his watch as the elevator brought him to the 12th floor, he was
completely oblivious to the risk he had just taken by being there without security. But
right then, not missing their flight took priority over safety.
The doors slid open, and he sped down the hall till he came across Sheridan's
room. To his astonishment, the door was wide open and the king sized bed was already
made.
"May I help you sir?"
Hearing a gentle voice, Kevin spun around and found himself facing a 5 foot
2 middle-aged maid.
"Uuh, actually, yes. Did the young woman in this suite just leave?" he
inquired, still a tad confused.
The lady smiled and reached into her apron "Oh, you must be one of her
friends" she said in a very heavy Portuguese accent as she extended him a note "She signed
out very early this morning. She left this envelop here. It's for you, no?"
"Thank you" Kevin said, taking the paper and just as soon speeding off to the
following room. "Is 1224 his room?" he asked himself. Only one way to find out...
"Nick! Nick, are you in there?" he yelled, beating down the door. There was no
response.
"Alright Nickolas, you have 5 seconds to get this door open before I break it down and
drag your sorry, lazy ass out here. 1... 2...3...4.......5." He took a frustrated breath, backed
up and prepared to charge down the door, when if slowly crept open.
"Jesus, what the hell crawled up your ass?" Nick muttered, throwing himself
back on his bed.
With very little sympathy for Nick's hangover, Kevin flicked on the lights and
started to pack his belongings.
"Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?" Nick moaned, using his forearm to
shield his eyes from the burning light.
"We're pressed for time! We have to be out of here in 5 minutes" he
answered, not even bothering to slow down as he swarmed around the room, storing all
he could in the only two bags that were at his disposal.
Judging by the haste that surrounded him, Nick concluded that he was faced
with no choice but to get dressed. Rolling out from his disheveled sheets, he
managed to stand on his own two feet and wobbled over to the mini-bar to get himself a
drink. As he reached for the handle, he noticed his pager, and grabbed it instead.
"I have a message. It's from Eli" he declared as he groggily stepped over his
dismissed blouse and picked up the phone the listen to his voice mail.
Kevin had just about finished packing when he recalled the note Sheridan
had left behind. Fiddling in his pocket, he pulled out the envelop and tore it open.
"Eli and Rick's flight is delayed till late this afternoon, but she says that
they'll be here in time for the show" said Nick, as he hung up the receiver and proceeded
to put on his pants. Puzzled by the abnormal silence on Kevin's part, he called out to
him. "You Ok man?"
Initially, he didn't respond. After a few long seconds, he blinked and lifted
the luggage’s under his arms "Sheridan's left... She said she was tired of being a burden,
and feeling like an outcast among us."
He shook it off and chose to let it go. He had enough issues to worry about.
"Shit, Kev, I can't go! Eli was supposed to meet up with us here- she doesn't
know that we're leaving!" Nick remarked, smacking himself on the forehead.
Letting out a loud grunt, Kevin ordered him to call her so that she'd meet up
with them in Milwaukee.
Obeying, Nick picked up the phone again and dialed her mobile number.
As he waited impatiently for his girlfriend to pick up, the faint sound of
"La Cucaracca" could be heard playing at a distance.
Both men's brows furrowed, and Kevin went in search of the source.
Nick's eyes trailed him until he stopped in his tracks. Nick's eyes
grew large, and a worry stricken glaze fell over his face "Oh Oh"
"Oh Oh, indeed" Kevin barked "How the hell are we supposed to get in touch
with her now that you have her cell?"
Before Kevin could keel over from the anxiety, Nick jumped in and proposed
to stay behind. Needless to say, Kevin wasn't too fond of the idea; but there
weren't any other alternatives. At least, none that either of them could possibly come
with.
**At The Air Port**
It was almost noon, and our plane still hadn't departed. Or rather, "my"
plane still hadn't... After we had returned to our hotel, it didn't take long before the media
started hounding Rick and I. Rick was lapping up the attention like a 4 year old at his
birthday party, where as I couldn't do so much as crack a smile. My brain was still
on auto-pilot, and I couldn't get myself to think of anything but Nick lying to me! He
made me bitter for keeping such a vital piece of information to himself, and he made me
resent him for keeping me from enjoying what could well possibly have been the best day
of my life. Instead of doing press, and meeting fans who worship the ground I walk on, I was forced to leave Rick behind and let him indulge it all himself. While he was out having his ass kissed, I was crammed in an air port with nothing else on my mind than wondering if I'd ever be able to trust my boyfriend again...
"Attention all passengers: Flight 702 will be departing shortly, so we'd like to
ask you to please..."
"Angel, this way please"
I stood up from the comfortless bright orange plastic seat I'd
been parked in for the last 3 hours, and followed my 270 pound bodyguard through the
bustling air port.
As we stood in line, I could feel the stares beating down my neck, and at that
moment, I started to question whether misery was the just price to pay for fame...
**Back On The Bus**
An inopportune stillness fell over the Backstreet bus as Howie narrated
the tragic tale that had occurred between himself and Dawn. There was not one single
forgotten detail- from his shooting; her unusually behavior (mood swings and all),
but moreover, what he had discovered in her purse.
"And she didn't mention anything to you this whole while?" Brian said in
disbelief.
Still unable to cope, Howie could do no more than shake his head.
"Don't worry D, she'll show up. She probably just needed some time alone to
chill" consoled A.J, quite unsuccessfully. Alyssa shot him a dirty glare for being so
insensitive, but he just brushed it off. Howie was his best friend, and no one knew better
than him how much he despised pity.
"A.J's right" Kevin chimed, trying his best to act as mature and responsible as
possible "No one's more dedicated to her work than Dawn- she'll be back."
Seeing as how she and Naila were the only females on the bus- the former,
having spent the last half hour in the bathroom, Alyssa decided to add a woman's touch to
the situation.
"Honey, she loves you. Believe me, she'll be Ok. From the sound of it, things
haven't been easy for her lately..."
"No shit!"
Alyssa's face twitched as her neck rotated a few degrees to her left "Excuse
me?" she snapped, trying as best she could to keep her cool.
Arrogantly, A.J snickered "Nevermind".
Alyssa stood up abruptly "McLean, I want to talk to you" she ordered through
fretted teeth.
"I said forge-"
"NOW!!" she roared.
Everyone but A.J winced. Making certain to retain his pride, he apathetically
joined Lyss in the Entertainment room and piously slid the door shut behind himself.
"How dare you?" was all she could manage to get out before her hand raised
and slapped her boyfriend clear across the cheek.
An expression of utter stupefaction came over A.J and all he could do is let
his jaw drop as he received the lecture of a lifetime.
Mercilessly, Lyss went on blasting him "... I've had just about as much as I
can take, Alexander" she bellowed, letting her British drawl fly as she always did when
she got very upset "We've been fighting none-stop for weeks now, and you're still not
giving it a rest! And now? In front of all our friends?! When my newly discovered manic-
depressive manager walks out on her boyfriend, who, might I add, also happens to be
your bestfriend... Have you no shame? For Christ sakes A.J, get this through that thick
skull of yours: J.C means nothing to me. You do! You mean everything to
me! I, Alyssa Morgan, am madly, deeply in love with you; Alexander-
James McLean! Am I understood?"
A.J's reaction was pretty much, well, stunned! There was no other words to describe it. The last thing he expected was for Lyss to react that way. He
never suspected she felt so strongly about him. Had he known, he probably wouldn't have
put so much effort in to aggravating her. Ever since Amanda had left him, he vowed never to let himself be broken hearted again. But at the same time, there was Alyssa; the
two so perfect for each other in every way... He sighed.
He sure knew how to screw up a sure thing.
"Lyssa, baby, listen to me..." he whispered, pulling her into his chest. He
could feel her resisting, but not for long. She was too emotional to put up a front.
"I know that I've been a jealous bastard with you lately."
"Ya think?" she commented.
He chuckled. She sure knew how to ease a tense situation.
"Are ya gonna let me apologize, or are you going to keep smart mouthing me?"
She wiggled her eyebrows, and he smirked "Baby, I'm really sorry! I've been going
through shit, and I guess that I just used J.C as an excuse to vent and push you away so
that I wouldn't get hurt. I've been selfish, and I'm sorry. I love you. Forgive me?"
Alyssa looked up and stared in his eyes. They were soft, and gently, and they
just made her weak at the knees. "Mmm, you're lucky you're so damn suave, McLean"
she purred into his mouth as their lips met in a sweet embrace.
"Luck's got nuttin’ to do with it babe" he teased, pinching her butt.
They remained cuddle in one another until the door slid open.
"Jesus Train, can't a fella' get some privacy around here?" A.J whined,
pulling Lyss in tighter as to hide the, ahum, excitement going on down below.
Covering his eyes, Kevin turned his back to them "Didn't mean to interrupt,
but I was just wondering if either of you had seen Naila?"
"No man, sorry. I've been busy keeping my eye on my own girl"
"Alright, I can take a hint..." Kevin laughed, leaving the two behind to
continue his pursuit.
As he walked by the washroom, he heard a flush. Crossing his arms, he
leaned against the wall and watched as Naila exited.
"You Ok?" he queried suspiciously.
With her hair hanging like a curtain in front of her face, she simply brushed
by him and walked away.
Rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand, Kevin breathed in deeply. He
was at his wits end. Sighing, he strolled over to the sink and turned on the faucet. He let
the cold water run; cupped it in his hands and plunged his face in them. When he finished
freshening up, he reached out and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. Tossing it back
on the rack, he missed, and the cloth fell flat in the garbage.
Grunting, he bent over to pick it up. He caught a glimpse of something in the trash, and froze.
He blinked hard and felt his breath catch in his throat. All he could see was a white
stick, and a blinding sea of pink...
**That Night In Dallas**
"Just gimme a sec, aight girl? I've got some shiznak to attend to" Justin
said slyly with a wink before charging down the hall in his blue & red Tommy socks.
"Yo, open up!" he bellowed, banging on the door.
Within seconds, it swung open and he found himself facing a very infuriated
looking J.C.
"It's 3 fucking AM, what the hell do you want?" he barked.
He pushed past him, "Sorry", he apologized rather unconvincingly
"You got a rubber? I got a cherry waiting to be popped back in room 602"
Rolling his eyes, J.C stammered to his creased jeans and plucked out a
fuchsia package "Knock yourself out."
"Thanks man" he said, seizing it in mid air.
As he readied to leave, J.C called him back
"Yo J, I checked your page... Sheridan left a message saying that she'd be taking
you up on your offer and that she'd be meeting up with us in Houston..."
Stopping in his tracks, he let out a loud groan. J.C braced himself to listen to
him bitch, but instead Justin merely shrugged "Oh well..." and returned to his Mary.
**That Afternoon**
Appropriately enough, our plane had encountered some turbulence on
our way over to Minneapolis. Needless to say, our landing had been just as bumpy. But as
unpleasant as my flight had been, nothing could possibly have made me any more upset
than I already was.
My cab pulled up to the hotel, and to my surprise, there wasn't a fan in sight!
Something that never, ever happened when the Backstreet Boys were in town.
Too preoccupied with my own thoughts, I didn't pay much attention to it and
simply accompanied my guard to the lobby. We inquired about the Boys at the front desk,
and as it turned out, I was right to suspect something fishy. They'd all left. That is,
everyone asides from Nick.
I could already feel my blood boil at the sound of his name. Anger could not hold a
flame to what I was living through at that moment.
Stepping out of the elevator, I addressed myself to my bodyguard
"Thanks George, but I think I can handle if from here."
At first, he appeared a little hesitant. But after seeing the look in my eyes, he
knew I meant business, and so he left.
"Jesus" I breathed, relieved to finally be alone. Solitude came scarcely to us pop
stars...but not for long...
I tried cooling my nerves, but the attempt was futile. My hand clenched in to
an iron fist and collided with the door. After a few poundings, it was thrown open and
there was Nick, standing before me wearing only his checkered green boxer shorts and
gray wife beater.
"You've got some explaining to do" I said angrily, as I stormed by him.
Closing the door, he lifted his shoulders callously "shoot"
"You" I bellowed, unleashing all the fury I'd been bottling up since last night
"You knew all this time, and you didn't tell me! How could you?"
Completely blown away, and incapable of following (mainly, because he was
too drunk) Nick put down his glass and scrunched his face "What the hell are you
bitching about?"
"Oh you know precisely what I'm "bitching about" I retorted, more
aggravated than ever by the tone he had taken with me "We didn't had sex that night at
the party. We only fell asleep, Nick. We passed out! Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's not important" he answered, avoiding eye contact; his head already
spinning.
"Like hell it isn't!" I spat, taking two steps closer to him "Do you have any
idea the amount of guilt I've been going through because of this? You let me believe that I
had betrayed my boyfriend, my morals, myself- everything! You knew exactly how I felt,
and yet you said nothing. You kept it to yourself like the selfish bastard you are!"
Those words hurt Nick, but not more than they angered him. He could feel
the rage mounting as his teeth grinded together "You better get out of my face" he
cautioned with bloodshot eyes.
"No, I will not get out of your face" I said sternly as I inched up to
him; brazenly defying his warning.
Nick inhaled bitterly "I said, get out of my face"
"No, Nick, I won't get out of yo-"
Infuriated and out of control, his arm lifted and smacked her clear across the
face with his backhand.
The place went dead. Only the sound of coarse breathing could be heard.
Felicity's chest rose and fell heavily. She was still under shock, and all she could do
was press her hand against her cheek while staring at him in dismay.
Nick tumbled back with large eyes. What had he done?...
"Oh my God, baby..." his voiced cracked, as he walked towards me and brought me
into his arms.
"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" He repeated over and over as tears weld in
his eyes.
As much as I wanted, I just couldn't bring myself to push him away. So I let
him cradle me. All I could feel was my face throbbing, but more importantly, my heart
shattering...
