Chapter 8

 

“Brian, wake up! Hurry!”

 

Brian groaned softly and grimaced as a pain shot through his stomach before reluctantly climbing out of his cozy bed and opening the door to Howie.

           

“What?”

 

“It’s AJ, he got into this huge fight with Nick and we can’t find him,” Howie explained, in a panicked tone.

           

“Not again…”

 

“I know. He made some remark to Nick when they were playing some video game in his room, we decided to give you an hour break, and they got into an argument. AJ stormed out and Nick didn’t tell us for fifteen minutes. No bodyguard or anything, I’m worried. In his condition, he’s not clear-minded Bri, who knows what could happen to him out there.”

 

“Jeez, why can’t he just grow up and quit running away like a baby,” Brian responded.

 

“Yeah, well I don’t think you have any room to talk.” And he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Brian sighed angrily, why had he said that? In a daze, he quickly brushed his teeth and left the room.

 

Nick sat on his bed, his head in his hands. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Brian walked into Nick’s room and sat down next to him.

 

“I am so stupid.”

 

“Nick, no you’re not. He’s just particularly vulnerable and you just can’t say anything to him or take offense to what he says to you. All right,” Brian consoled.

 

Nick stood up and didn’t say anything for a few seconds; he appeared to be contemplating something. Then he glanced down at Brian, sitting on his bed, anger quickly replaced the guilt and he shot Brian a dirty look. “Yeah, well get out. I don’t need you to help me.”

 

Brian was taken aback, he stood stunned at Nick’s rude remark. “What?”

 

“You heard me Brian. Go. You never wanted to help me before. Why now,” he retorted bitterly.

 

Brian glared at him, the pain and anger he felt deep inside him reflecting in his blue eyes, the despite and resentment he had built up deep inside of him was becoming unbearable. Not able to contain it any longer, Brian lunged at Nick tackling him to the floor. Nick, was caught off guard and lost his balance.

 

“Get off of me! Get off Brian!” It only took a moment for Nick’s brain to register what had just happened, he immediately reacted, not fast enough however, Brian’s fist had already come in contact with his jaw, splattering blood across the white carpet. Brian continued releasing his rage in a brutal attack, not stopping to consider what he was even doing.

 

Although he didn’t want to hurt Brian, knowing he hadn’t been well, Nick brought his knee up to Brian’s stomach and sent Brian reeling back, off of him and to the floor. Brian let out a pained gasp and struggled to breathe.

 

Nick sat up with effort, shaking. “What were you thinking?”

 

Brian just moaned softly, feeling like he was going to be sick. What had he been thinking?

 

“What’s going on in here,” Kevin demanded angrily. He took one look at Nick’s bleeding face and Brian sprawled out on the floor in obvious pain and knew what had happened. He was mad, extremely mad. His nostrils flared and his emerald green eyes widened in anger. “Why are you two so immature? We have a crisis here! AJ’s out there and he’s not in his right mind! Did you see his room? Glass is everywhere!”

 

Brian shut his eyes briefly and recalled when AJ had gone berserk and through a fit.

 

“Now, tell me what happened? Nick, you better not be picking more fights! Jeez, first AJ and now Brian! I dare you to even try me bud, because I’ll—”

 

“IT WASN’T MY FAULT! I SWEAR!”

 

“Nick!”

 

“LISTEN KEV!”

 

“Nick, shut up! There are other people here you know!”

 

“Fine,” he relented, his tone softer, “Brian, he attacked me! He did! Then he punched me in the face! I didn’t even get a chance to comprehend what the heck was going on!”

           

Kevin then turned his cold glare over to Brian. “Is this true? Did you just attack Nick, Brian?”

 

Brian didn’t respond. “I can’t believe you! You’re twenty-seven! Get up! Now!”

           

Brian turned away and curled up. “Leave me alone,” he whispered.

 

Kevin shook his head angrily and turned away, storming out of the room.

 

“Get out of my room! Go!”

 

He still didn’t respond and lay in the same spot and same position. Nick was getting more and more frustrated. He released a deep breath and lowered himself to his bed. He gingerly touched his jaw and winced in pain.

 

“Man that hurt,” he mumbled to himself and stood up once again. He knelt down next to Brian and gently shook him. When he didn’t get any response, his brow furrowed as he sat contemplating and he ran his hand through his hair. “Bri,” he said softly, aggravated at himself for giving Brian any kind of sympathy, he just couldn’t help it.  “Are you okay?”

 

 “Nick, Brian, we have to go, I alerted management and security. They’re looking for—” He stopped mid-sentence, confused, he took a look at Brian. “Oh my God, is he ok? What happened Nick?”

 

“He’s fine. Don’t worry. We got into a fight. I kicked him off of me and he hasn’t moved since, but look what he did to my jaw dude.”

 

“Ouch, you okay man? Maybe we should get some ice to put on that. Wake up Bri first, I’ll go get something for that,” he said and left the room.

 

“Rok, wake up man. Look, I’m sorry to start everything by saying that to you. I guess I kinda deserved the punch in the jaw. I didn’t mean to knee you so hard in the stomach.” When he received, once again no response, he turned Brian over to face him. He appeared to be sleeping.

 

“What do you want,” he finally murmured, Nick sighed in relief.

 

“I think you need to get up and go to your room.”

 

“No. It hurts, leave me alone…”

 

“Ok, fine stay here, see if I care. I am going to go find AJ.”

 

Brian shut his eyes and went back to sleep. Nick rolled his eyes and stood up. He began walking out of the room but stopped at the door. He turned around and picked a blanket up from his bed and draped it over Brian before leaving.

 

“Hey, security find him yet,” Nick asked no one in particular in the lobby of their hotel.

 

“Nope, here, I found you an ice pack,” Howie began, handing it to Nick. “And where’s Bri? We’re getting ready to leave. Is he ok?”

 

“He’s fine. He woke up but wouldn’t move. I feel bad, maybe I shouldn’t have kneed him so hard but he was on top of me, punching me.”

 

“Yeah, sounds like he left you no choice.”

 

“He didn’t. I know he’s been sick and I didn’t want to hurt him. But what was I supposed to do?”

 

Kevin stood talking to his bodyguard. Usually, they wouldn’t be so worried about any of their band members for leaving because it was never a big deal, but AJ was clearly not lucid enough to be wandering around without security. Kevin lifted his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his mind fuzzy and contained only racing thoughts that were far from pleasant.

 

“Kev, he’ll be fine,” Howie comforted.

 

AJ’s security guard, Rick turned his attention away from the three young men before him to answer his phone. The expression on his face brought chills up Kevin, Nick and Howie’s spines..