The song they wanted to perfect, "Tell me that I'm dreaming", was almost done now. She had even been thinking of introducing the guys to Shai's "If I ever fall in love." The song was lovely, and she was sure the guys would sing it beautifully.

As they sang the last notes, Claudia couldn't help but smile tenderly at them. She knew they'd make it big. Their voices were just amazing. If someone could do it, it was them.

"Beautiful guys," she said as they looked expectantly at her, "just beautiful. If you keep practicing, you'll get a record deal in no time."

"I hope so," mumbled Brian under his breath. He was afraid that the group would end up as just an idea, a dream the five of them shared.

"Patience Bri." Kevin placed his arm around his cousin's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "You know we can make it, we just need to be patient."

AJ snorted, not really loud loud, but loud enough for Kevin to hear. Kevin only turned around to look at the wild teenager. He wanted to say something, ask AJ what was wrong with him, but he didn't.

Kevin had been having the feeling that AJ didn't really like Brian or him, and he sure as hell didn't know the reason. He hadn't done anything to AJ. Ok, so maybe AJ's pride was still hurt after the whole incident with Brian two weeks ago, but Kevin was starting to believe that AJ's resentment began long before that. Even so, AJ wasn't being rude to Brian as he was with Kevin. Kevin sighed softly as he took another glance at AJ.

Kevin hated that nudging feeling in the back of his mind that AJ detested him. They were a group now, even though many things were still left unsaid and undone about where the group was actually standing, but they were a group. The last thing Kevin wanted was some tension between them. Working with four other people was bad when you were in good terms, but being angry at each other and trying to coincide in something would be just hell for the five of them.

Looking around the room, Kevin watched the four of them doing their own thing. As usual, AJ and Howie were talking quietly to each other. It made Kevin feel the two of them wanted to make Brian, Kevin -- and even Nick himself -- like outsiders in what was suppose to be a group. Nick and Brian were laughing, apparently Nick had been telling his younger cousin Aaron's latest prank and how both Nick and Aaron had been punished because of it.

"Guys," Kevin heard Claudia's voice once again and turned to look at her, "why don't we continue?"

"Claudia!" Nick whined, his lips turning into an instant pout, "can't we call it a day? It's already..." He lifted his wrist, pulling slightly up his green jacket, and looked at his watch, "seven."

The girl looked at the five guys, sitting all over the small office, and sighed. "Lets do this, ok? You sing three more times and we're done." Nick and Brian were about to holler, when Claudia lifted her hand, holding them in place, "But you gotta do it perfectly, otherwise we're stuck here for another hour. Got it?"

Both of them nodded constantly, wanting nothing more than get out of the room. AJ shrugged his shoulders, not really bothering him if they were to say another hour or not. After this AJ and Howie had decided to go to the movies. So, if they arrived late enough to go to the last show, he was fine with it.

Claudia looked at the five young guys. Even though they were so young -- Kevin being the only legal --, they sure had discipline. Sure, Nick and Brian could whine from time to time ought to the long hours practicing, but they did loved it. AJ seemed a little bit more... complex, but he had a great voice and she knew that, if he would just try to mend with the guys, they'd really make it. Howie was such a calm person, Claudia believed that would come in handy at some point. While Kevin, being the older and as serious as he was, most certainly would portrait control and leadership.

With a soft smile on her lips, she was sure they would make it. "Ok guys," she started, "lets hit it."

*****

Almost twenty minutes later, they had finished practice. Claudia had walked over to where her small backpack stood, placing her papers in it when the door opened.

The five guys and the young girl turned to look at who had called for the attention. Claudia, not sure if she should be surprised or not, came to find, standing by the door, a smug smile on his lips, Lou Perlman.

"Ok kids," the older man addressed the five singers, "I was hoping we'd be able to talk for a little while." He turned to look at the guys' coach, the smile sending shivers down Claudia's spine. "Ms. Tapia, would you mind?"

She shook her head slowly, not really wanting to stay in the same room with that. She still didn't know why but she had always had a very bad feeling about this guy, but she didn't have the option of refusing the job either. "Sure." Claudia picked up her backpack and walked out of the room. She'd usually let the guys know that she was expecting them early tomorrow morning, even if it was Saturday, but didn't this time. Not with Perlman there.

Lou walked over to the guys, who were packing their things for the day, and pulled a chair. Taking a seat, he motioned for the rest of them to do the same. "I need to discuss some things with you kids."

AJ bit his groan back. He hated it when Lou called them kids. Hell, he was fifteen already. Howie, and even Kevin, were already adults. The only one there young enough to be called a kid was Nicky boy, but still.

Kevin nodded, putting on his jacket and sitting down. "Sure, what's up?"

Brian looked at Kevin, then sat besides his cousin. Nick, who had been searching for his Gameboy to show Brian the new level he had reached, stopped his search as he saw both Kevin and Brian turning serious so sudden. Sighing, he decided that he better take a seat too before someone ended up mad at him. Nick, his backpack in his hands, took a seat on Kevin's other side, just in case.

Pulling a chair closer, sitting by Brian's side, Howie turned to look at AJ. The younger man was still standing, his gaze fixed with Lou Perlman. Come on AJ, don't make a scene now. Howie thought to himself, silently praying with AJ with his eyes

Lou looked around the room, the only one still standing being the wild child of the gang. "Alex," he said slowly, "would you mind sitting down?" Lou Perlman was a man with very little patience, especially when it came down to boys who thought they were men already.

AJ's glare, hidden by his sunglasses, went by unnoticed. He nodded slowly, not really wanting to let Lou have his way but not really having another choice, then sat down between Howie and, to his own bad luck, Lou himself.

"Well," Lou started reading a couple of papers he had brought along, mostly passing them by, the looked at the guys again, "there are still some things we haven't figured out, you see."

"Like?" Kevin prodded. He knew they still hadn't spoken about contracts, not that they had any agreement with a record company, let alone thoughts about the future. The most he had heard about it in the last three weeks was that Lou was working on it.

"Well, a name for starters." Lou looked pointedly at Kevin, then at Howie, the two older ones from the whole bunch. The only ones who had any legal saying in the matter.

"We decided to wait until the group was settled." Howie did remembered talking about this with AJ and Nick but, since they had agreed on having at least two more members, they thought the only fair thing to do was wait for their thoughts about the issue as well.

"We can't do anything until we've got a name."

The guys stood silent for a moment, trying to come up with something good enough to be spoken out loud.

"Any suggestions?" Lou added after a minute of total silence.

"It should be something simple." Howie commented. "Something people can remember. What's the point in having a name if no one remembers it."

"Or confuses it," Nick mumbled. Realizing he had spoken aloud, he blushed slightly. "Sorry." He knew he was gonna get yelled at for having interfered in the adult conversation.

"No, Nick, there's nothing to be sorry about." Kevin placed his hand on Nick's shoulder, squeezing it in a show of support, and smiled down at the kid, being rewarded with one of Nick's most beautiful smiles. "You're right. People had to get it right. Associate it with us."

"And short." Brian shrugged nonchalantly. "If it's too long then people are gonna try to shorten it and the name will get lost in the way."

"Something we can relate too, don't you think?" AJ decided that, if he was gonna be part of the group, might as well have a name he himself liked. "Something that's..."

"Us?" Kevin asked having a feeling of knowing what AJ was talking about.

AJ glared at Kevin, once again, the older man not really knowing it. However, in his own annoyance by the country hick, AJ had to admit Kevin did get it. "Yeah."

"Since we are gonna sing pop," Howie said scratching his chin. That much had been talked about last week. The market was lacking on pop and their best chances was of them focusing on it for the moment. If they were to evolve, they would do it later on, when they already had a name in the industry. "We should have a name that sounds like pop."

"Yeah D, but not truly ridiculous." AJ looked at his older friend, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "The last thing we need is a name we are ashamed of later on, don't ya think."

Howie nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, that too."

"Ok, now that we've got that on the table," Lou spoke, his eyes darting between Howie and Kevin once again, "any suggestions?"

"Bald heads!" AJ said with a laugh, joking at his own stupid idea.

Howie did glare at AJ. "Pop Alexander. Pop, not metal."

The younger man only shrugged, the smile still on his lips.

"Sargent Pepper!"

Kevin looked at his younger cousin, not smiling at all. "Brian."

"What?" Brian answered innocently, "People would remember the name."

"Yeah, and say we copied it from The Beatles." Howie added, smiling at him.

"Underground!"

Now it was Brian who looked funny at AJ. "That's your idea of a pop name?"

AJ shrugged. "Sounds cool."

"For a reggae group." Kevin sighed softly, this way it would be tomorrow before they came to a decision.

"What about something simple." Nick looked at Brian, then at Kevin. Somehow, he felt that if someone were to listen to his idea would be either of them. "Boys. I mean, we are five guys after all."

"Nah, too simple kid."

Nick glared at AJ. He had no right whatsoever to call him kid, being only two years older than him. He was about to complain when he felt Kevin squeezing his shoulder again. He looked up and met Kevin's pretty green eyes. He nodded slowly, knowing what Kevin was trying to tell him; not the place nor the time.

"Boys alone is too simple, that's true." Kevin added, "but we could always use it with something else."

"Like the Beach boys?"

Kevin nodded at Brian's accurate suggestion. "Yeah, something like that."

"The Florida boys?"

The four members of the beginning group turned to look at Nick. "What? We are in Florida, you know."

"We agreed on something we can relate too Nick," Howie said with a smile, "but that's too much, don't you think?"

"Hey," AJ leaned over, sitting on the edge of his chair. He rested his forearms on his knees, his hands intertwined, "there's this place where Howie and I go to sometimes."

"Huh?"

AJ looked at Howie, rolling his eyes. For being only nineteen, Howie was really starting to get old. "You don't remember, do you D? That place a couple of blocks from where Vanessa lives. You know, where we go shopping with her and her friends." He sighed. "Where tourists go as well." He started snapping his fingers in exasperation. "I don't remember the name."

"Where I got my black sweater?"

AJ nodded. "Yeah, that one."

"A market you say?" Kevin waited long enough for AJ to nod before continuing. "The Backstreet Market you mean?"

"Yeah!" AJ practically jumped from his seat. "That one. Gosh, I can't believe I didn't remember the name."

"You want us to be named after a flee market. AJ you--"

Howie, however, didn't even finish his statement as AJ interrupted him. "No, not the whole Backstreet Market thing, but I always thought Backstreet was rather cool."

"Backstreet?" Brian asked himself more than asked his friends. "It's really cool."

"Yeah, the name just sticks as on the edge or something. It can be pop but not really lame."

"Backstreet alone sounds kinda... simple." Howie looked at the guys. "Too simple I mean."

"I like Boys!" Nick complained, not really giving up on his idea of naming the group Boys. He crossed his arms on his chest, pouting.

Kevin ruffled Nick's hair, laughing slightly as Nick tried to move away. "Boys is nice Nick, but it's too simple."

"We can always join it." Brian shrugged, not really sure if his idea was good enough. "Instead of Beach boys, we can replace the beach part with Backstreet."

"The Backstreet Boys?" Howie rubbed his eyebrow in concentration. "Sounds good."

"Nah, not The. There's been too many The over the years and groups." AJ rested lazily against his chair, his hands behind his head. "Just Backstreet Boys." He smiled.

"Sure, it sounds fine. Not too lame and not too metallic." Howie sighed softly, at least they had something now.

Kevin nodded. "It's great, actually. Something teenagers can remember." He turned to look at Brian and Nick. "What ya say guys?"

A smile on his face, Nick nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I like the boys part."

Turning and rolling his eyes at Nick before he could even realize he had done it, Brian shook his head. Nick was pleased because they were using the boys part that had been his idea. "It's really cool." The name, after all, did sound good.

His eyes darting from one of the members to the other until he had taken one good look at each one of them, Lou nodded. He really hadn't wanted to come so late to talk about it, but the time had been good as ever. "So, that's the name then, Backstreet Boys?"

The five of them nodded, finally agreeing on something. Five young guys with five smiles on their faces. Kevin, seeing this, couldn't help but feel that something had been accomplished. Even if AJ was still mad at him, they had put their differences aside and taken a decision as a group.

 As a group, Kevin thought to himself. Backstreet Boys. We're finally a group.

Lou nodded. "Well, that's something. Now I can continue my part." Standing up, he barely smiled, pleased with the night. "See you tomorrow guys."

Their very first decision a group name, the five of them made their way home.

*****

Kevin continued pushing the market car, Brian hopping up and down in front of him. Kevin laughed. Brian had been like that ever since they left the office and headed over to the supermarket to do something grocery shopping for the apartment. "Brian--"

"Backstreet Boys!" Brian hollered into the empty ail. Why wouldn't it be empty after all? It was eight thirty on a Friday night. Nobody in their own mind would go grocery shopping at that time of the day, but it was, after all, the only free time Kevin and Brian had. "We're the Backstreet Boys!"

Kevin smiled at Brian's enthusiasm. Oh, the ups of being so young. "Brian," Kevin leaned over the small cart, turning around in the corner, going to the dairy ail, "they are going to ask us to leave if you don't keep it down."

Chuckling to himself, totally high in the events of the night -- or in chocolate, would be Kevin's thought --, Brian looked at his older cousin. "We've got a name Kevin. A name! Isn't that something?"

Kevin had to nod at that. "Yeah, that's most certainly something. I'm glad too."

Brian stopped dead in his tracks, then turned around to look at him with very clear and shinning blue eyes. "Are you really? You haven't said anything that would let me know you're happy Kevin. You're frowning."

"Am not!" Kevin complained, stopped for a moment and looked at the meet. Picking up a package, he looked at the prices.

$18.99 for a piece of a dead cow? That's a rob!, Kevin thought surprised. Placing the package on its place, he sighed. It seemed like everything lately was way too expensive. Or they were just short of money. And, to his own sorrow, Kevin had the feeling that it was the later.

"Ok," Brian continued like he hadn't been interrupted, "so you aren't frowning, but you don't look so happy either."

Kevin shrugged. "I'm doing groceries Brian, I don't have to be happy to do grocery shopping." He turned to look at the only part of his family that was in this side of the country, Brian's blue eyes as innocent as when he was only a toddler and sighed softly. Maybe Brian was right, maybe he wasn't as happy as he should be. Taking a deep breath, he let himself forget about everything else but the fact that they had accomplished something that night. A small smile made its way over to Kevin's features, his own deep green eyes clearing visibly. "Better?"

Brian smiled brightly. "That's the spirit!" Knowing his older cousin was finally forgetting about the rest of things that Kevin probably had in mind, Brian continued his bouncing. "You shouldn't sulk Kevin. You don't look nice when you're sulking."

Kevin picked up another package, looking at the price tag. $8.99 At least this one isn't so expensive, Kevin though, placing two slides of what looked like the chest of the cow in the car. However, when he heard Brian's statement, Kevin burst out laughing. "Sulking? I'm not sulking Brian. I'm just... focused. That's all."

Brian nodded, not really convinced at all. He could be young -- he was, after all, four years younger than Kevin -- but he knew his older cousin like no one else, not even Kevin's older brothers, and he could recognize it when Kevin was sulking. Even though he wasn't as... unresponsive as he used to be, specially right after the death of his uncle Jerald. Brian shivered unconsciously. He didn't even want to remember that time. Kevin had seemed so... dead, only the shell of the young man that would convince Brian's mother to give both of them ice cream before dinner.

Looking at the slumped shoulders of his very perceptive cousin, Kevin couldn't help but sigh. Ok, so maybe he was sulking, but for different reasons that Brian could think of. It was just that there were so many things in game here the young kid didn't know. Things Kevin didn't want Brian having to worry about. Money being the first of those things.

Kevin let go of the cart for a moment, closing the space between him and Brian in three big strides. Placing a hand on Brian's shoulder, he forced the younger man to turn around. Brian conceded, his head low, suddenly being totally interest in the lump of dry mud on the tip of his sneakers. Kevin had to smile at that. The same technique, only different receiver of the same -- him instead of his aunt Jackie. Lifting Brian's chin slowly, Kevin found himself looking at the sea blue eyes of one of the most intrinsic people he had ever meet. Knowing he had made a mistake, not really being Brian's fault that Kevin couldn't help but worry about anything and everything around him, Kevin leaned over, placing a soft tender kiss on the kid's forehead.

Pulling Brian to his chest, Kevin hugged him tightly. He couldn't be happier for having Brian with him in this new adventure that this group was for them. Kevin long arms encircled Brian's smaller form, his cheek resting on Brian's smooth strawberry blond hair.

"I'm sorry," Kevin whispered softly, his words muffled by Brian's hair. "I just worry, that's all. You know I can't help but worry."

Brian nodded against Kevin's chest, his arms holding his cousin as tightly as he could. "I know. You shouldn't, though."

Kevin chuckled, a deep sound that resonated with the calmness and confidence that was already a trait of the older man, echoing in his chest and being heard loud and clear by Brian as his ear was pressed tightly against the soft cotton of Kevin's sweater. "Yeah, I know. I'm gonna try not to." He pulled away at arm's length, enough to see Brian's sweet and boyish face. "Ok? I'll try to relax a little bit more."

Smiling sincerely, Brian fixed his tender blue eyes with Kevin's jade green ones. Reading them as easily as he would an open book, Brian nodded slowly. He could see that Kevin was being honest, that he'd try his best not to worry. Not that it'd be easy, worrying about everything was just Kevin's second nature -- his first nature, Brian thought, was being responsible -- but at least Kevin was willing to try.

That smile, that same smile that seem to light up the day, Brian's soft smile, made Kevin smile brighter, his heart clenching. I can't even believe I answered like that Brian. I'm so sorry. Whenever he got mad at his older brothers, or even at Brian's older brother, he did felt guilty, but never as guilty as he felt when he hurt Brian. He was so young, still so innocent, it killed Kevin whenever he was the reason the younger boy hurt.

Kevin ruffled Brian's hair, the same way he had done when Brian was only five and sitting in that horrible hospital bed, scared that something might happen to him during surgery. Kevin had stayed with Brian for hours, telling him silly stories he didn't even know the end of, having to make them up as he went by. Rubbing Brian's palm slowly, both to calm him down and calm himself down. And, just like Kevin's mother had done to him when he was a child and he was scared, Kevin had bugged Brian by catching his nose between his forefinger and middle one in a game old as life itself. Kevin could still remember the way Brian's nose would wrinkle in reflex.

Kevin laughed when Brian, just like years before, wrinkled his nose, mumbling something totally intelligible at what Kevin was doing. Leaning over, Kevin kissed Brian on the forehead again, his hands moving to either side of the younger man's face.

Pulling away, Kevin tapped Brian's nose softly. "Lets keep shopping, shall we?"

Brian nodded enthusiastically, his eyes dancing. "Yep."

Kevin walked back to the end of the shopping car, pushing it steadily. Brian went ahead of Kevin, stopping when his eyes found the milk. "Kevin!" Brian said turning around, a gallon of chocolate milk in his hands. "Look, chocolate milk. Can we get this instead of the other one?"

Kevin caught up with Brian, taking the gallon from Brian's hands and looked at the price. $1.45 for milk? The other one it's like... .95c Kevin turned to look at his young and excited cousin, sighing at the way the idea of having chocolate milk for breakfast got Brian all hyper. Well, we can spend a little bit more in milk and I can take tea instead of coffee for a couple weeks. "Sure." Kevin said calmly, not wanting Brian to see all the internal battle Kevin had to go through to decide upon taking a simple gallon of chocolate milk.

"Yeah!" Brian hollered, the smile plastered on his face. "That's so cool."

Kevin placed the gallon in the car, moving to the other side of the ail to pick up some bread, since they had to have cookies this morning for breakfast. He couldn't help but sigh. He hated the fact that they were already short of money. He had to quit his job since the practice schedule was totally interfering with getting on time to Disney. So now he was, unemployed and with only fifty bucks in the wallet that were meant for that week's groceries. His aunt Jackie was sending them money for Brian's expenses, but even that was barely making it. Kevin had about another fifty bucks back home for Brian's food and barely five hundred for his own expenses for the rest of the month and, if he spend it carefully, for the next one as well. He needed to get a work, a work that actually paid him some money -- enough money for them not to be thinking twice about buying everything -- instead of just practicing for the grroup. They were being paid, which was a relieve. But the money Lou was paying the five of them would barely get them through month.

Kevin picked up two bags of bread. That should be enough for the rest of the week. His eyes wondered back to the dairy ail. He couldn't buy ham, as much as Brian loved it. Butter would have to do for the week.

"Kevin, can I call mom when we get home?"

Kevin was brought back from his musings by Brian's soft tenor voice. Turning to look at his younger cousin, Kevin saw dazzling blue eyes shinning back at him. "Hmm?"

Brian chuckled at Kevin's reaction. It was so very Kevin-like to get lost in his own mind from time to time that Brian couldn't help but find it totally amusing. "Call mom," he repeated, "can I call mom when we get back? I wanna tell her about us having a name already. It's been ages since the last time I spoke with her."

Kevin nodded slowly, giving Brian a soft smile. "Yeah, sure." If anything, that shouldn't be a problem as long as it was a collect call. Kevin had only made the direct call to his house twice and the phone bill he got after that had been just to die for. Kevin sure didn't want to risk the same thing now, on the economical situation where were placed and, most important, not when Brian was most certainly going to talk nonstop with his parents and probably his brother as well.

"Great!" Brian started hopping down the hallway, clapping his hands madly. "I'm gonna call mom!"

Seeing his cousin acting like that, being so happy only by the simple knowledge that he'd be able to talk with his parents and brother, Kevin couldn't help but smile softly. Somehow, whenever things got just too much for him, Brian could always bring the good side of him out. Yeah, Brian most definitely could.

"Oh, it's so great!" Brian continued rambling, jumping up and down in front of the cart Kevin was pushing. "And we're going home tomorrow afternoon, right?" Brian froze in his place and turned around so fact that Kevin had to grip the cart tightly and catch himself before hitting Brian full force.

"Jesus Brian!" Kevin paused, running his fingers through his dark hair in frustration and fright of the idea that he could have hurt Brian. "Be more careful, please?"

Brian nodded, half actually listening to Kevin, before continuing where he left of. "We are going home for my birthday, right? You promised Kevin."

Kevin nodded, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Yeah, we are going home. I would never break a promise." And he wouldn't now. He would make sure he wouldn't break that promise to Brian, after all the practice they had been having for the past month, the last thing the young kid deserve was spending his birthday with his family. And that in itself had been difficult enough. Being Brian's 18th birthday on Sunday, they'd have to travel Saturday afternoon and, since practice usually ran until six or so, Kevin had to talk with Lou Perlman to let them leave early and to arrive rather late on Monday afternoon. It had been though. The man had agreed on it, but he'd have to take it out of their paychecks. Kevin had been doubting about it for a moment, not really knowing if spending a birthday at his parents was really worth loosing money, but Brian had been so excited about the idea that Kevin asked Lou to take both days from both of them from Kevin's paycheck alone, knowing Brian would feel bad if he knew it had cost them money.

"It's great that Mr. Perlman agreed to let us go, don't you think Kevin?"

Nodding once again, Kevin smiled. "Yeah, it was great." Oh yeah, he most certainly wasn't going to let Brian know that part of the story. It was, after all, better this way. "You're gonna have so much fun on Sunday."

"We are Kevin." Brian walked closer to the older man, soft blue pouring into deep green ones. "Both of us are going to have fun, right Kevin? You're gonna have fun. You can't be brooding all weekend."

Kevin chuckled nervously, amazed at the easiness with which Brian could read him. "Yeah, sure, I'll have fun."

"Promise?" If there was something Brian knew for sure, was that Kevin would try his damnedest to do it if he was forced to promise. Kevin had principles like that -- just like his brother Harold used to say about Kevin. He could never break a promise.

Kevin sighed softly. The little bugger had me, and good. He started biting the corner of his lower lip. He really had been planning on going over to his mother's, spend some time with her and his brothers and just hang out. Just that. But the knowledge that he would brood, no matter what he was to do, kept haunting him. Still now, after two years of his father's death, he couldn't help but remember those difficult last months with him whenever he went back home. He knew it'd get better with time, however he didn't know how much more time he was to need.

Knowing he didn't have much of a choice, that Brian wouldn't take no for an answer, Kevin nodded. "Promise."

Brian nodded as well, very pleased with his achievement. Oh, yeah, Harold would most certainly be pleased with this, Brian though to himself, letting a small victory smile play on his lips. "Good." He turned around and continue his walking down the ail, hoping he'd also be able to convince Kevin to buy a bag of Oreos. He chuckled slightly. Yeah, a bag of Oreos to have with his chocolate milk tomorrow morning as breakfast. Yummy.

Kevin laughed to himself. Brian was nuts, that was most certainly true, but it was good to have someone nuts close by. Specially all those times when he was just too serious for his own good. And Brian could very well tell when Kevin was being too serious like it was written in bold letters across his forehead.

Catching up with Brian, Kevin draped an arm around the young kid's shoulders, squeezing slightly, smiling down at Brian. Seeing soft blue eyes looking back at him, Kevin smiled brighter. He would try not to worry about the group, and the money, and Brian and everything around him for this weekend. No, he'd try to relax this weekend back in his mother's house. He most certainly would. If only because he had promised Brian.