Nick listened to his messages as they all sat in the airport lounge awaiting their flight. They were all flying into Germany and from there they were going their separate ways. Nick, Kevin and Howie were one group; Brian and AJ in the other. Although he didn't want to, he somehow ended up in the group that was headed to South America. Things had really picked up and he hadn't seen his family in about a month. He walked over to a vacant corner and decided to call them before he left. Brian nudged Kevin in the arm,
"Be calm with Nick ok?" Kevin sighed and rolled his eyes,
"As long as he doesn't do anything stupid there will be no problems." AJ turned around to face them,
"Just chill with him ok? I'm sure this has to be tough going through all this publicity stuff. Even his past wasn't this bad and he's not talking to any of us about it. We just find out when the rest of the world does." Kevin looked at them both,
"See, that's the kind of stuff I mean. His crap affects us too, he should think about that. We were all asked questions when we released the single in different cities, every magazine interview asked about it. He needs to grow up." Brian shrugged,
"He's young." Kevin closed his magazine and looked at Brian and AJ,
"You, Howie and I didn't act like that." AJ took off his shades,
"Oh so I guess that means I did. Well, you three also got to grow up without the shit me and Nick had to deal with. He has no sense of reality. People kissing his ass before he can smoke a cigarette while at the same time being treated like shit. We never got to figure out who we were without the popstar label attached to us." Kevin rolled his eyes,
"That's such a cop out." AJ nodded as he looked at Kevin,
"That's what you say, but you'll never know what it's like, and none of us will ever know what it's like for Nick, not even me. I mean, I think it was worse for him because he was so sheltered and naive." Brian looked at AJ, as if he were deep in thought as Kevin continued the conversation,
"Well, why is it that you and Nick are the only ones that get into these things? I never hear anything about the guys from the NSYNC, Britney or O-Town." AJ sighed,
"They are all about their image instead living their life and only Britney, Justin and JC grew up like me and Nick and you know the differences between the groups when it comes to the record label; there is a lot more pressure on us; it's different. But whatever Kevin, just keep dumping on Nick." Kevin sighed,
"I'm not dumping on him, I just don't baby Nick like you guys do." Howie walked over and nodded his head,
"You're right, you baby him differently than we do." They all looked over at him, Brian speaking up,
"What do you mean?" Howie shrugged as he sat next to Kevin,
"Instead of letting him get away with stuff and spoiling him, you yell, criticize and almost like punish him." They all thought about what Howie had just said and AJ nodded as he pointed to Howie,
"He's right Kevin. You treat him like a kid too." Kevin shook his head,
"No, Nick just doesn't like the advice I give and that I'm straight up about it." Brian nodded, "Just be cool, both of you. Howie, keep an eye on them." He laughed as he watched the look on Kevin's face.
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Chapter 84