~ Chapter 22 ~
Nick slammed his door angrily. 'How dare she refer to me as a little boy!' He grabbed a pillow off his bed and flung it across the room. He was so angry that if he could, he would pick up the bed and throw it. He stomped around the room, trying to vent his anger. 'Why the hell did she have to come on tour with us? As if my life wasn't miserable enough!' He grabbed another pillow and pitched it hard.
"Omph! Shit Nick!" came a voice.
Nick turned around. Brian was standing in the doorway, holding a pillow and rubbing his nose. "What do you want?" he barked. "I'm not in the mood for visitors."
Brian threw the pillow onto the bed. "I can see that." He eyed his friend worriedly. "Mind telling me why I was assaulted by a flying bag of feathers just now?"
"If you would've knocked first...." he groaned and muttered some expletetive.
"What was that?" Brian asked.
"Rok, state your purpose for this unauthorized visit and then leave. I need to be alone right now."
"How much time do you spend alone, Nick?"
"What?" He glared at his best friend.
"You're always alone. You never want to chill with me anymore. Play Nintendo, ball, whatever. Talk to me, bro. What's the matter?"
The caring, sympathetic nature of Brian's voice calmed Nick down. He sat down beside his friend. "Girl problems."
Brian looked startled. He didn't know Nick was seeing anyone. "Girl problems? Who?"
Nick sighed. "Shae-Lyn."
*In Brian & Leighanne's room*
Leighanne was surprised to see a red-eyed Shae standing at her door. "Hi Shae. Come on in."
Shae gave her a weak smile and sat down on the small loveseat Brian and Leighanne had in their suite. "This is a nice," Shae commented, looking around the suite. "Bigger than mine."
"Yea, Brian requested the suite since we're going to be here for five days. It's kind of like taking a pre-honeymoon."
Shae's head shot up. "Are you two getting married?"
"No, not now. Maybe next year." She smiled at the thought.
"That's great. I feel so envious when I look at the two of you. Sometimes I watch you and Brian together. There is so much love there. It must be wonderful to have someone care about you that much."
Leighanne heard the wistful tone in Shae's voice. She sat down beside her. "Yea, it's great. Brian's the best. Shae, I know you didn't come here to talk about my lovelife. What did Nick do to upset you"
"How do you know I'm upset with Nick?"
"Because you always have that look in your eyes after you've argued with him. So talk to me."
"He hates me," she stated.
*In Nick's room*
Brian's eyes widened. "What about Shae-Lyn?"
Nick noticed the look in his friend's eyes. "It's not what you think," he said quickly. "All we do is fight, B. We just had another one."
Brian nodded. "Leighanne told me that you two were often at each other's throats. Any reason why?"
"Oh, so Shae's been talking to Leighanne about me? Great! I wonder what she's been telling her."
"She didn't say much of anything. Just that you guys are always arguing and she feels like you hate her."
Nick looked at him in surprise. "Hate her?" He shook his head. "No, I don't hate her. But she annoys the crap out of me. She's always in my face. Either she's looking at me in self-pity or she's satring at me with those sad, green eyes of hers. Like I should feel sorry for her. And when I'm nice to her...."
"When you're nice to her?" Brian repeated. "Does it take that much effort on your part to be nice to someone for more than ten minutes?"
Nick stared at Brian, stunned by the bluntness of his words. "What's that suppose to mean?"
Brian's shoulders heaved in fustration. "Buddy, you need to take a long, hard look at yourself. The things you say without thinking, the glares you give us, the negative energy eminating from you." Nick looked hurt. "Don't give me those eyes, Nick. It won't work. Not anymore. You and I have always been best friends. We've stuck by each other through thick and thin. For a year now, you've been treating me like some aquaintance that you have to talk to once in a while. It stops now. Today."
*In Brian & Leighanne's room*
Leighanne put her arm around Shae's shoulder. "Nick doesn't hate you. We've been through this before."
"Then why is he so mean to me?"
Leighanne wanted to chuckle at the younger's woman's expression. "What exactly happened between you two today?"
Shae related the day's events. "...then my hand accidentally brushed against his. He yanked it away like I had a disease and purposely moved away from me. I got mad. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, but my anger took over. I asked him why he did that."
"What did he say?"
"He pretended like he didn't know what I meant. That set me off even more. I accused him of doing that cause I'm overweight."
"Oh Shae..." Leighanne said, shaking her head.
"I know. Maybe I went too far. There's more. He told me he wasn't going to listen to me and took off for the hotel. I yelled at him. Told him to go to his room and play his little boy games and sulk like a baby."
"You said that to Nick? Oh Lord!"
"Leighanne, I know I was out of line. But so was he!"
"You don't need to defend yourself to me. Both of you obviously said and did some hurtful things to one another. The question is, how do we fix it?"
*In Nick's room*
Nick took note of the seriousness of Brian's tone. "Alright B. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not letting you into my miserable world. I didn't and still don't want to bring you down with me. It's enough that we have two Backstreet Boys with problems. We don't need a third."
"Nick..." Brian started saying, but Nick put his hand out.
"Hear me out. You said I never talk to you anymore. Don't interrupt me. When I'm ready I'll let you in on my innermost thoughts. I'm not ready yet. Ask your girlfriend. She knows a bit of what's going on."
"She does?" he asked in shock.
"Yea...long story. I even confided in Shae a few weeks ago. Maybe it's easier to talk to women. I don't know. All I know is that tomorrow's the 4th of July and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend it lonely and miserable."
"Apologize to Shae, Nick."
"I want to," Nick admitted. "I don't want to fight with her anymore."
"Then don't. You guys have to reach some kind of impasse."
"How do I make it right, Rok? Help me."
Brian hugged hsi best friend. "I will."
*In Brian & Leighanne's room*
"How do I fix it, Leigh? Can you help me?"
Leighanne's mouth curved into a satisfied grin. "Yes, I'll help you."
She hugged her gratefully. "Thank you!"
'Don't thank me just yet,' Leighanne thought. 'But by the time I'm done with you, Nick will be kissing your feet.'
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