“Boring, boring, boring, chick flick, boring...” Jason droned as he sat in front of a pile of videos trying to find any possible source of entertainment when the phone rang.
Reaching over, he picked it up “Yellow?”
“Ummm, is this um, Felicity’s brother?” a lost voice asked.
“Yeah....” Jason went questionably.
“This is Kevin. We met shortly the other night. Would your sister be there by any chance?”
“No, why?” he asked rudely.
“Because we’re here at the studio, and Jane wanted to see her” he answered trying to befriend the young boy.
Jason pondered for a while “Who’s Jane?”
There was a long pause at the other end “You mean, she didn’t tell you?” he finally asked.
“She didn’t tell me anything, why?”
“I think it would be best if she told you. Listen, could you please ask her to call a cab and to get to the studio ASAP?”
“Yeah” Jason answered. Puzzled, he put down the receiver before returning to his movies.
**Same Time**
I looked down at my watch “Thank god” I sighed as I realized that it was finally the end of my afternoon shift. I rushed to my room only to find Jason sitting on the couch staring at me hostilely.
“What?” I asked, smiling uncertainly as I approached him.
“One of Nick’s friends called... Kevin. He said that Jane wants you at the studio right away” he said.
I jumped up excitedly and began to run around frantically. “Really?! Oh my god, I have to get ready, and I have to wear something nice and…”
“Who’s Jane, Eli?” Jason interrupted aggressively.
Slowing down, I realized that I hadn’t told them. Grinning, I ran over, hugged him and assured him he’d soon find out. I changed outfits, called a cab and told Jason that I’d explain everything once I got back.
**Few Minutes Later**
Brian and the rest of the boys sat in the waiting room outside of Jane’s office, well, waiting. Brian hadn’t said a word to Nick since the incident in the laundry room. It had gotten to the point where neither knew who was mad any more.
The others noticed the tension in the room, and tried their best to lighten the atmosphere.
“So, new tracks sound good don’t they?” Howie smiled trying to lighten up the place.
A.J shot him a dirty look before continuing to snuggle with Amanda.
Nick’s stomach churned as he watched the two love birds engage in their cheese-fest.
Crossing his arms, he sighed and continued to reflect on his current situation. Enough was enough....
“Frack” Brian finally went pleadingly.
Nick knew Brian meant business when he called him by their buddy name
“Yeah” he mumbled.
“Look, I’m sorry man. I know I overreacted.”
“No shit!” Nick blurted angrily.
By this time, everyone else, including Mrs. Floyd, was on the edge of their seat.
Right then, the door opened and in walked Eli.
“Hey” I chimed happily. They all looked a little gloomy, and I wondered if I had interrupted something.
“Felicity!” Jane exclaimed, getting up to greet me “Come along, we have some work to get done”
Dragging me along with her, I looked back to see Brian give me one of his trademark smiles. I also noticed an unfamiliar girl sitting in A.J’s lap. Figuring it was his girlfriend, I waved back
“Nice to meet you” I mouthed before I was completely out of there.
I followed Mrs. Floyd down the hall and she turned in to the studio, closing the door behind herself.
“Sit” she ordered, pointing at the stool in front of the microphone.
I did as I was told.
“Now, I need to know- are you serious about this?”
I laughed “I was just about to ask you the same thing”
With out even cracking a smile, she repeated herself.
“Yes, yes I am.” I said truthfully.
**Same Time**
“Was that the girl you were telling me about?” Amanda questioned.
“Yeah, that’s her” A.J answered, breathing in her sweet scent.
“She seems nice” she murmured, closing her eyes
“She is” Brian said quietly.
“Pretty too” Amanda added before dosing off on A.J shoulder
“Can’t disagree” Nick said under his breath.
**Later On**
“Great! Sign here” Jane finally said after our hour-long discussion “It’s to make it final”
Breathing in deeply, I scribble my name down on the paper that would single-handedly change my life for ever.
“You’ll have to come back tomorrow and several more times this week. Get you started on a demo”
“Wonderful” I said joyfully.
As we walked back to the rest of the fellas, I couldn’t help but ponder where my life life was headed. Just thinking about recording a demo made my blood pressure go through the roof.
As we returned to the room, there was only one person left : Nick.
“Hey” I said wondering where the others could be.
“Hi” he said getting up “Um, everyone else left back to the hotel. Let’s get going”
**Minutes Later**
As we waited for our cab to pull up, I noticed that Nick wasn’t acting like himself.
“You alright?” I asked now facing him.
No answered.
“I said...”
“I’m fine” he finally spat “Just got some things on my mind, that’s all”
We didn’t talk much on the way back. I wish I could have known what was bothering him. When I got home, I told my sisters and brother about what had happened and they were all thrilled. After tucking them into bed, it was already time for me to start the late shift.
As I walked back up the halls, all I kept thinking about was Brian and me, me and Brian. I was with Brian!! Oh my God, I was in a relationship! Once I reached the elevator, I realized that I had forgotten something back at the apartment. “Shoot” I cursed, turning back on my tracks.
Approaching my door, I saw someone sitting in front of it; head between his knees.
“Brian?” I asked quietly.
His head shot up. “Hey” he said sleepily.
I sat down next to him and leaned against the wall with him “What are you doing up so late?”
“I’ve had stuff on my mind”
“You and Nick both” I sighed with a slight giggle.
I could hear his head shift towards me, so I turned to face him.
“What?” I asked staring into his eyes.
“I need to ask you something. If you don’t wanna answer, that’s cool with me, but I need to know” he began calmly.
“Shoot”
“Is anything going on between you and Nick?”
I could have sworn my eyes bulged out of their sockets “What!?!”
“Well...” he trailed, losing patience.
“No, no, there isn’t! We’re just friends” I said willing him to believe me. “I care for you”
Shaking his head he said, “Then why don’t you trust me?”
“What are you talking about?” I protested.
“I saw you and him earlier today. You were crying... God it hurt me to see you like that. It hurt me that you couldn’t trust me with it”
My mouth hung open. I didn’t know whether to be frustrated or just extremely touched.
“Brian” I began, leaning towards him “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that he was there, and you weren’t. Nothing major happened; I just break down from time to time. I’m under a lot of stress, you know? It’s nice to have a shoulder to cry on sometimes”
“I hope you know that I’ll always be there for you” he told me.
“I do” I promised him.
Moving closer to me, he placed his hand on my cheek and brushed his lips against mine. And for the second time since we’ve met, I felt as though we were alone in this world, and no harm could ever touch me. And for the first time, our kiss intensified.
**Same Time**
After making sure that A.J was really asleep, Amanda tiptoed off to the bathroom. Turning on the light, she locked the door behind herself.
While looking emotionlessly in the mirror in front of her, she grabbed a smaller rectangular one and placed it above the sink. She reached into her pocket and removed a small sack of white powder. She rolled up a piece of paper into a tube and spread the contents smoothly over the surface. Bending over, she blocked one nostril with her index finger, and sniffed the drugs with the other. She looked at herself one last time before the effects kicked in.
