Chapter 8

 Standing My Ground

Date: May 20th 1999

Time: 8 p.m.

Place: New York City (1 day before the emergency landing)

+ Howie +

I am so happy we’ll be leaving tomorrow. Don’t get me wrong, I love New York City, but this place is really starting to get the best of me. I partied a little too hard the last few nights and now I’m really paying the price. I would give anything to just be able to crawl under the table we’re sitting around and go to sleep.

“So, what do you think, D?”

I looked up at Kevin as he smiled at me. He knew I was zoning out. He’s one of the only people that can really tell when I mentally check out. I do a pretty good job of not making it obvious.

“Whatever you want is fine by me.”

He got a kick out of that answer which made me realize it was the entirely wrong one. Shit!

“Thanks D!” That’s never a good thing either, when Nick is happy about what I just said.

I nodded at the blonde and then once again looked over to Kevin who rolled his eyes at the both of us as our management finally got up from the table. Great, meeting adjourned. Now maybe I can go back to my room and crash for the night.

After all the handshaking and ass kissing was over and our ‘team’ left, I gave a stretch and started to say my goodbyes for the night. 

“So we meet back here in like an hour?”  Nick asked as he looked at his blank wrist. I swear the kid sees a watch that no one else does. He has never worn a watch as long as I’ve known him yet he consults his wrist almost thirty times a day as if it tells him to do things.

“What do you mean?” I asked knowing full well it had to do with whatever I had just blindly agreed to whilst zoned out.

“Our last night in N.Y.C. and we’re gonna party hard!”

“Totally dude!” AJ answered Nick by giving him a high five.

“How are we going to do that exactly?”

I made the mistake of glancing over at Kevin who seemed to really be enjoying this.

“Weren’t you listening to my epic plan?” Oh dear God.

“Remind me, you know how my brain is.”

Nick rolled his eyes at me as if we didn’t have to repeat things to him ten thousand times a day before they stuck in his mind.

“We are going to this brand new club that P. Diddy just opened. It’s really exclusive but he said he’d let us in.”

“Even you?”

“Yeah, especially me.”

“Especially you.” I repeated in my sarcastic tone that everyone loves.

“Age knows no bounds when you are me, Howard. My fabulousness far outweighs my age.”

“So does your ego.” Brian added while giving me a friendly nudge.

Brian! He was my last chance. I’m sure he was going to weasel out of going, especially because his girlfriend was in town. They always bail on us when they are together. Maybe I could say I was going with them and then sneak back into my room and go to bed.

“What are your plans for tonight?” I asked him hopeful that he’d pick up on my cue.

“We are double dating with Kevin and Kristin. We have reservations.” Oh, great help.

“Fantastic.” I smiled, “Well, I guess I’ll see you guys in an hour or so.”

I guess maybe an hour of sleep was better than no sleep at all. I could bounce back after an hour nap. I have done it before.

I swear ten seconds later I heard a knock on my door. I barely had even closed my eyes once dropping onto my bed, at least that’s what it felt like. I sat up and sighed. Yup, an hour had come and gone. So much for the power nap theory.

“Howard!!”

I went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face before letting Nick in. By the time I finally opened my door, he looked annoyed. Like I was supposed to care? How many times did he make me wait in this very same scenario?

“It took you long enough.” He said once again pointing to his invisible watch. “Man, you look like crap. Are you going out dressed like that?”

He had a point. I was wearing what I was wearing before I took my ten second nap. He on the other hand looked really good. Nick, for the slob he is when the cameras aren’t rolling, tends to clean himself up really good when he wants to.

“I should change, tell you what. Why don’t I just meet you in the lobby?”

He actually looked disappointed, not sure why that is. “I’ll wait here.” He said while making himself comfortable on my bed and putting on the TV.

I started for the bathroom and then something made me stop. I turned to him, “Actually Nicky, I think I’m just going to stay here tonight. I’m really tired and we have a pretty early flight tomorrow morning. I want to just crash.”

You would think I just ran over his puppy or told him there was no such thing as Santa the way he looked at me.

“What? Are you kidding me? You’re going to blow off friggin’ P. Diddy?”

“He’s not even going to care. He’s probably not even going to be there.”

“But, it’s our last night in town. Don’t you want to go out with a bang?”

“I got it out of my system last night.”

“But I didn’t.”

“Well, it makes sense that you’re going out then.”

“D, I need someone to hang out with me.”

“What about AJ?”

“He always ditches me.”

“What makes you so sure that I won’t ditch you?”

“Because you never ditch me.”

“There’s always a first.” I yawned and pushed him over as I lay down on my bed.

“Please D? I hate going to these things alone.”

“AJ is going, you won’t be alone.”

“Actually he changed his mind. He’s hanging with his mom instead.”

I had to smile at him. Underneath the façade of this huge ego’d, party boy was the one that he only let us see. The shy kid who hated being by himself and actually had full blown anxiety attacks when it came to going to clubs like this.

“Nicky, one thing I’m sure of is you will not be alone. Ten seconds in that club and you’ll be surrounded by a ton of girls.”

“Come on D! If I were Kevin, you wouldn’t be saying no. Hell, if I were AJ you wouldn’t be saying no.”

“That’s not true. I would say no to all of you.”

He sighed, “I never get to go out with you guys. Only once in a great while.”

“Or anytime we’re in Europe or Canada.”

“Okay fine, but still…this is a big night!”

“Nicky, go and have fun...”

He stood up and walked toward the door. “Fine, but you’ll feel really bad once you hear what a great time I had last night. Or worse yet, if something bad were to happen to me now that I’m going all by myself.”

“I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

“Then I’ll get to say I told you so.”

“Not if something bad happens to you.”

“I’ll haunt you.”

“Fine.”

“Please Howie, for me?”

He almost got me. I almost caved, even sat up and scratched my head which gave him a glimmer of hope. He had a way of guilting me into things. Not sure why but when it comes to Nicky, even though he drives me insane, I still end up doing what he wants me to do. Everyone is always telling me I’m too nice to the kid because by all accounts it’s not reciprocated often. It’s my mother’s fault, always insisting that at the end of the day, he’s just a kid.

But this kid wasn’t going to win today. “I’m not going…sorry kiddo!”

There will be some major payback waiting for me. Whether it’s a prank or just an entire day of him picking on me for stupid things, but I was willing to deal with it. I needed my beauty sleep.

“Fine, see ya!” He said as he walked out the door in a huff.

“Kids.” I muttered under my breath before running to the door and opening it. “Nicky, make sure you bring a bodyguard.”

He turned and rolled his eyes at me, “Whatever.”

“He’s not going to make me feel guilty for this…you’re not going to cave Howie…go back to the bed…” I actually had to chant to myself as I placed the chain on my door and called it a night.

Not like anything bad would ever happen to that kid. He’s one of the luckiest people I know.

Thirty minutes later I was showered and heading to that stupid club to go find him though.

Yeah, I know…