"Hey, Bri."
"Nick!" Brian's face lit up, and he threw the bear he was tossing aside. "You okay?"
Nick felt his lips smirk, and shook his head. "I'm fine, Bri. Just passed out is all."
Brian grinned and nodded, "Yeah, AJ told me about that." He chuckled, "Kissing tile from what I heard."
Nodding slowly, Nick tried to force a better smile. "Yeah� kinda figured someone woulda told ya about that." He started rubbing the back of his neck roughly, "How are you doing, man?"
Brian felt his smile fade, and he tried to force it back. "Well� I won't be dancing anytime soon." He murmured, pointing to the large cast at the end of his right leg. "That's on for about six to eight weeks, and then," his shoulders shrugged. "And then after physical therapy, we'll find out.
Nick hung his head, "Damn, man. I should have been paying more attention. You guys always teased me about missing out on so much because I wasn't paying attention." He sighed loudly and started shaking his head in disgust. "Now look what happened."
He laughed mirthlessly, "What a thing for me to screw up, huh?" Rolling his eyes heavenward, he tried not to cry. "Why'd it have to be your life?"
Brian grabbed the small stuffed bear and slung it as hard as he could at his best friend. "Just what are you talking about, Nick?" He asked sharply. "I'm not dead. My life is not over."
Nick shrugged his shoulders, "Damnit, Bri. I just ruined your career! Backstreet's career!"
"I can still sing, and I can still write!" Brian argued heatedly, his cheeks flushing with the exertion.
"But you can't dance!" Nick yelled in anguish. "I took that from you!"
"God," he moaned, "why couldn't it have been me instead?" Angrily, he slammed out of the room, ignoring Brian's call for him.
Stalking passed the waiting room, he jammed his finger on the elevator button and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. As soon as it dinged he was storming in, and jamming his finger a second time as he pushed for the ground floor.
He just had to get away from it all right now. And running was the fastest way.