Previously...
"He's leaving the group." Howie said sadly.
Brian's heart stopped. Never in his life had it crossed his mind that Nick would ever be not a part of the Backstreet Boys. Brian opened his mouth, but only groans escaped his lips, to hurt and shocked to find words to express his pain. *******************************************************
[Flashback]
Brandon was quick to join the Carter brothers, and soon the three were wrestling around in the water, while Aaron's dog Simba barked in excitement.
[End of flashback] *******************************************************
"Nick...I really miss Brandon too." Aaron whispered softly, and quietly shut the door behind him.
End of Book 2 Installment 1
------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction and nothing else. It should not be taken any other way. The characters in this story were either fictionalized or created for the sole purpose of this story. Please enjoy the story. -------------------------------------------------------
Assunder Book 2 Part 2
Backstage at the Ice Palace...
"Why is he leaving?" Brian gasped inbetween his struggled to breathing. "What have I done...It's all my fault! It's all my fault!" Brian burried his face in his hands while Howie and Aj tried their best to comfort him.
"It's alright, Bri. Kevin'll talk him out of leaving.
He always manages to." Howie knew in his heart that Kevin's pleading had already been in vain. But losing one was enough; he won't be able to deal with it if he were to lose both his best friends.
******************************************************* Outside the Ice Palace...
"Hey, you hear the news about Nick?" A strawberry blonde girl asked the next girl in line.
"What? What about my Nicky?" The other one was quick on the uptake. "I mean besides him being the most gorgeous man on earth and how he's going to be marrying me?"
"Yeah, I hear tonight might be his last night with the Backstreet Boys." A third girl interrupted, sending a collective gasp from the surrounding cluster of girls and fans.
"Wait a minute..." "What do you mean?" "What are you talking about?" The news spread quickly along the line like wildfire. ******************************************************* In Nick's dressing room...
"Nick, it's getting close to our turn, man." Kevin quietly walked into Nick's dressing room. "Wow, it looks so roomy in here now." Kevin tried to snicker, but the true reason behind the cleanliness of the room left him almost choked up. "Ahem, I mean...I am going to miss the mess you usually leave behind, Smelly." Kevin smiled weakly at Nick.
"Yeah..." Nick slowly finished up with the last of his belongings. "I'm ready now, Kev." Nick sighed as he stepped up closer to the other man. ******************************************************* [Flashback]
Nick was only 13 when he was chosen amongst thousands to become a part of the new fledgling boyband. Lou Pearlman had picked him out from the talented lot that had auditioned for countless days. Nick was so happy to have been chosen. But he grew happier when he met the rest of the group.
There was Howie Dorough, he seemed kinda shy and quiet where he sat patiently on Lou's couch. Aj, he seemed a bit energetic and fun loving. Nick thought he was really gonna like being around Aj. By the window, there they were. The cousins from Kentucky. The first was a shorter blonde. Brian, he remembered from earlier during the auditions. He had wowed Nick when he sang. Nick thought that Brian had such a melodious sweet voice. Nick had been sure that Brian was the last to be picked for the five spots. He kinda envied Brian then, but now he was happy to see the other in the same room. The other boy was just as unbelievable as the latter. Nick had seen him earlier during the main part of the callbacks, he was stunned. Nick had always known that he was not straight. Ever since he was 11, he had noticed that he had taken more pleasure in checking out other boys than he did girls. To him, cooties was all too real. He stood rooted to the spot, staring at the tanned, hard-bodied hunk that had left his heart palpitating every time he thought about him. His name was Kevin Richardson. He was tall, dark, and dreadfully handsome. His strong features accentuated his deep and soulful voice. Nick could feel the strength and the emotions that Kevin's voice had conveyed when he sang earlier. He will never ever think of the theme to "Dirty Dancing" the same way again. Nick was so happy to see that he was also chosen for the group.
"Hi, guys." The 13 year old Nick energetically greeted everybody. "Hi, I'm Nick!" His boyish smile, beamed brightly into the room like a miniature sun.
Everyone turned in their places to greet the newest and apparently last addition to the group.
"Hi, I'm Brian." The soft spoken blonde was first to introduce himself. "That's Aj over there, that's Howie, and that's my cousin Kevin!" Brian shook Nick's delicate 13 year old hand and guided him around the room to each of the other members. Nick shook the other members' hands in their respective places, starting with Howie.
"Nice audition kid." Aj winked at Nick while he shook the small kid's hand.
"Thanks, I kinda thought that I already lost though..." Nick shrugged at Aj matter of factly. "But hey, I'm so happy to be here. I really liked yours too, I thought you were definitely gonna make it 'cause you looked so cool up there."
"Yeah, once you get to know Aj, you'd know that Aj's never at a loss for enthusiasm or confidence." Kevin walked from the window and took Nick's hand.
Nick gasped to himself when Kevin's strong hand encased his delicate little fingers for the handshake. He knew right then and there, that it was going to be hard work to be in the Backstreet Boys and keeping his secret at the same time.
For six months, the boys went through rigorous training; dancing lessons, vocal lessons, every tiniest bit of detail was taken care of. They worked their hardest to make the band as successful as they could. Their first sample had been released a week before, but it was clear that it was hard to break out in the United States.
"Nick, you messed that one up again!" Kevin threw his hands up into the air in exasperation. "That's the third time, man."
"S-sorry, Kev. I kinda forgot what I was supposed to do." Nick always got scared when Kevin got mad at him. He honestly tried his best to impress the oldest member of the group. But dance lessons was just the hardest. Nick always got distracted by Kevin's hard body sweating through his tank and his sweats.
"That's alright Nick." Their choreographer interjected seeing that Kevin was getting heated. "Let's take a few minutes break. I think we could all use it to cool off. Kevin, can I talk to you for a second also?"
The group dispersed with a sigh of relief. They had all been working so hard for more than five hours now, most of them couldn't wait to take a rest. Brian looked around when he noticed that Nick had slipped off somewhere. He had felt so bad for the kid when Kevin exploded on him today. Kevin was always hard on Nick. Brian felt for Nick, him being the youngest and everything. "Excuse me guys, I need to go get some air real quick, I'll be right back." Brian whispered to Aj as to not interrupt their choreographer and Kevin.
Brian tip toed out of the room and hurriedly went up the stairs. Brian searched all over Lou's house, but he couldn't find any sign of Nick at all. Lou had gone downtown, so Lou was obviously out of the picture. Their rooms had been his last resort, but looking around, he knew there was nobody in there with him.
Just as Brian was about to leave their room, he heard some soft grumbling coming from the bathroom.
'Grumbling? Sounds more like moaning...' Brian thought. Now he really felt bad. Brian had thought that Nick had ran up here to cry because of Kevin.
"Nick, it's alright ma..." Brian was stunned to the spot as he walked right into Nick masturbating in the bathroom! Nick wasn't crying because of Kevin at all, infact, he was...he was masturbating to a picture of Kevin!
Brian muttered his apologies and ducked out of the bathroom in disbelief of what he had just witnessed. He could feel his cheeks grown red and heated. He couldn't be more embarassed had he been in Nick's spot.
"Brian! Wait!" Nick's shrill voice called out in panic. "Please wait..."
[Flashback ends] *******************************************************
In Nick's Dressing Room...
Nick jarred back to reality with a small sweet smile on his face remembering that day when Brian had caught him. "Kev, I think I'm gonna miss you the most." Nick sighed walking slowly past Kevin. Putting one more of his bags onto the baggage carrier.
"Nick, I..." Kevin had tried his best to try and talk Nick into staying. He couldn't bear to see his youngest brother for so long leave the family. Not after all they have been through...at least not this way.
"It's alright, Kev. I just need some time alone to think about my life." Nick resignedly laid a finger against Kevin's lips so the other could hear what he wanted to say. "All this...the fans, the photographers, all the loneliness has finally caught up to me. I just don't think that I have a place here anymore, Kev. I need some space...I need to be me." Nick sighed and dropped his arms wearily to his sides, his head bowed in exhaustion.
"Nick...I can't...I..." Kevin couldn't find the words to say at such a sad moment, so he did the next best thing. "Nick, I..." In one quick flowing motion, Kevin gently lifted Nick's face with his strong fingertips and leaned into the tall blonde and planted a gentle kiss on his lips.
End of Part 2