The guys were still on the plane when Brian woke up. He stretched and looked over at Kevin, who was staring out the window.
"What's wrong?" Brian asked.
"Nothing," Kevin muttered.
"Come on Kev I can tell when something's bothering you. What's the matter? Oh let me guess you miss her already don't you?" Brian persisted. Now Kevin wasn't sure whether he wanted to tell Brian the truth or not. Part of the truth was that he already missed her terribly he felt Christel's absence instantly. Kevin took a deep breath; he knew that Brian would find out eventually even if he didn't tell him right then.
"Yeah I miss her but that's not all, read this," he said handing the letter to Brian.
"What's this? A love letter or something?" he asked jokingly taking the letter from Kevin.
"Something," Kevin muttered. Brian began to read as Kevin looked on. He noticed Brian's eyes widen then his eyebrows went up. Brian turned to Kevin and said,
"I know she doesn't want you to call her but I think you should."
"She told me not to," Kevin said.
"If you don't call her than I will," Brian threatened. Kevin didn't answer. Brian leaned over to Howie who was sitting across the aisle from him.
"Hey Howie can I borrow your cell phone?" he asked.
"Sure man," he said reaching into his coat pocket. He handed the phone to Brian.
******
When Christel got home the phone was ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hello Christel. Where have you been? I've been trying to call you for the last 15 minutes," she said. It was Niecey.
"Yeah well I didn't come straight home. I went for a drive through the park. I needed some air and time to think," Christel said.
"I can't get over what you did. Don't you love Kevin?" Niecey asked.
"Of course I love Kevin! That's why it has to be done this way," Christel exclaimed.
"Christel, if you love him you would want to see him happy," Niecey said.
"I do want to see him happy. I'm doing this for him . . . for them."
"What about you? Don't you want to be happy?"
"Yeah, I wanna be happy but-"
"This can't be making you happy. If I couldn't talk to Nick for five months I'd go crazy. This can't be healthy for you... either of you," Niecey warned.
"Thanks for the prescription doc but, I didn't ask for a check up," Christel replied.
"You know what, I was just trying to give you some friendly advice," she said.
"And for that I thank you but, I think I can handle this on my own," Christel said.
"I don't think you can," Niecey replied.
"Well that's not for you to judge. Bye Ohniece," she said preparing to hang up.
"Wait don't hang-"
Christel hung up; as soon as she did it rang again. I can see this is gonna be a long night. I'm just glad I didn't tell them about the letter I wrote AJ, she thought. Christel picked up the phone felling a little hesitant.
"Ohniece Ann Miller, I hung up on you for a reason. Why are you so-"
"Hello Christel?" asked Kevin puzzled.
"Uuuhhh, Kevin? Did you read the letter?" Christel asked timidly.
"Yeah, that's why I called," he replied.
"But I told you not to, Kevin. It's hard enough please don't make it harder," she pleaded.
"I don't understand. What made you think you would break up BSB?" he asked.
"You and AJ are always fighting. I know it's not my fault that you're fighting but, I can't help but think that maybe if this whole thing with me and you had never happened maybe there wouldn't be any fighting. I know you're gonna say that you guys fight all the time but, Kevin you've never fought this much with anyone in the group and you know that. I'm just scared," she said.
"We do fight sometimes but, we always scrap it up. This is just taking a little longer to scrap up, that's all," he said.
"Kevin, by now you would have had it scrapped up and would have moved on to something else. Plus, it wouldn't be this fierce. Are you going to talk to AJ?"
"Why do you want me talk to him so much?"
"I wrote him a letter too. Just talk to him, please," she pleaded.
"You wrote him a letter? Why? What did it say?" he asked frantic.
"Just talk to him, Kevin, please," she pleaded.
"I'll talk to him," he mumbled.
"Thank you, Kevin. I love you, bye," she said before hanging up.
"Hello? Christel . . . Christel wait," Kevin almost yelled into the phone. "She hung up," he said to Brian.
"What did she say? Did she explain why she wrote this?" he asked waving the letter in the air.
"All she said was that she was scared that the fighting between me and AJ would get out of hand and it would cause us to break up," he said looking out the window.
"She's scared?" Brian asked confused.
"Yeah that's what she said and she wants me to talk to AJ."
"Why?"
"Because she wrote him a letter, too," he said gloomily.
"She wrote AJ a letter? What's in his letter?" Brian asked.
"I don't know," Kevin replied.
"Well I guess we'll just find out when we get to the hotel," Brian said. Kevin didn't say anything he just continued to stare out the window and think about Christel. It was bad enough that he wasn't going to see her, now he couldn't even talk to her.
******
Christel was definitely drained. Deep down she knew this was the right thing to do but she couldn't take the thought of not being able to see or talk to Kevin. She dragged herself up to her bathroom to start a warm bath. She started the water and got undressed. When the water was high enough she slipped inside letting the warm water soothe her but it wasn't working. She needed Kevin.
As Christel sat in the tub she began to cry, the sobs racked her body. She was thinking of how she would survive the next five to six months without any contact with Kevin. She hadn't gone that long with out talking to him when they were just friends. Even then she'd call him just to talk or to see how they were doing. It didn't seem possible to go long without talking to him. Slowly her sobbing died down and she began to relax in the water. It was actually working somewhat, she did feel a whole lot calmer than when she first came upstairs.
Later, Christel climbed out and wrapped herself in her robe. She walked out of the bathroom into her bedroom and plopped down on the bed. It was going to be a long five months and she didn't know if she would be able to take it. She laid on the bed just as the phone rang. She decided to let the answer machine pick it up. Christel leaned over to the phone and turned the ringer off she didn't want to be bothered, not tonight. After turning the ringer off she put her pajamas on and climbed into bed. Christel was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
******
The guys had just reached Sweden and were in the van on their way to the hotel. Kevin sat quietly in the van looking out the window at the passing city view.
"Hey Kev what's wrong?" Nick asked breaking into his thoughts.
"Nothing, I was just uuuhhh just thinking," he said.
"You miss her already don't you?" Nick asked with a warm smile.
"Yeah... I do. I miss her a lot," Kevin said. AJ rolled his eyes, which Brian caught and shot him a glare. AJ shrugged and turned back to the window.
"Well I understand, I miss Niecey already too," Nick continued.
"Hey look we're here," Howie replied.
They climbed out of the car, thanked god that no fans had discovered their arrival, and went inside the hotel. When Kevin reached his room he collapsed on the bed completely exhausted, when Brian walked in.
"Hey Kev, you ok?" he asked.
"I'm ok just tired," Kevin said.
"You have reason to be. Have you talked to AJ yet?"
"No."
"Why not?" Brian asked.
"I don't know. I'm just too tired right now," Kevin replied.
"You're too tired to go into AJ's room and find out what that letter is all about?" Brian asked.
Kevin didn't move he just laid in the bed deciding whether or not he wanted to go talk to AJ right then. He was actually afraid of what his letter could say. Kevin sat up and looked at Brian standing in the middle of the room. He loved his cousin very much and knew he was only trying to help.
"Brian would you go talk to AJ for me? It's just that I know if I go in there he won't talk to me." Kevin said.
"Sure cuz I'll go talk to him," Brian said as he turned toward the door.
"Wait I didn't mean right now," Kevin called after him but it was too late he was already out the door. Brian went to AJ's room and found him unpacking.
"Hey, AJ can I ask you something?" Brian asked.
"Yea, what about Rok?" AJ asked turning towards Brian.
"Did Christel say anything to you before we left?"
"No," AJ said suspiciously.
"Oh. Are you sure?" Brian asked.
"Yea I'm sure. Oh wait, I almost forgot she gave me this," he said searching his pockets then producing the letter.
"Would you read it?" Brian asked.
"This may be personal, why should I read this to you?" AJ said as he opened the letter.
"Come on AJ its important," Brian pleaded. AJ looked unsure at first then he said.
"Alright I'll read it." Together they sat on AJ's bed as he began to read,
AJ,
I know about the fighting between you and Kevin, and I never intended for that to happen. I didn't fall for Kevin to hurt you and I didn't do it to get back at you for what you did to me. I know you're upset about this but, I am really sorry for all of this. While you guys are gone Kevin and I are taking a break. I hope in that time you can talk to Kevin and stop all this fighting. Neither you nor Kevin will hear from me until you two stop fighting. AJ, I won't be with Kevin if you really don't want me to. I don't want to come between you and Kevin. I mean you've know each other much longer than you've known me, you guys are best friends, all of you. I don't want to be the one to break up the Backstreet Boys and I don't want you guys to break up over something as petty as this. I love you all very much and don't want to be the cause of your downfall.
Sincerely,
Christel
P.S. I don't regret the time we had together and I never will but, that was the past. I've moved on and it looked like you did too at the club so, just keep moving. AJ please talk to Kevin you two really need to.
Brian's mouth dropped open and AJ's followed.
"What does this mean?" Brian asked.
"It means Christel and Kevin are history and I win," AJ said looking mischievous.
"Hey don't you even think that. Kevin and Christel love each other and this will pass. He's my cousin AJ and if you take advantage of this and try to hurt him you'll have me to answer to. Do you understand me?" Brian replied rising from his seat on AJ's bed. AJ was a little stunned at first he had never seen Brian get that mad at him before.
"Hey, Rok, man I wasn't going to take advantage of anything," he replied.
"You better not," Brian replied as he got up to leave and inform Kevin of the letter.