I Guess This Means No Liberty Bell huh?
I laughed as Nick followed me around like a little puppy dog. Sometimes the kid bothered me like you wouldn’t believe but most times he just was my sole source of entertainment. Yes I was easily bored when it came to meetings and people. Nick kind of rescued me from all of that when he would decide to play stupid.
I always appreciated it.
“Stop it squirt!” I yelled to him as I grabbed the towel he continued to hit me on the ass with. He let it go and flew ahead of me like I had so much force to fling him across the room. What a silly kid. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“When do we have to meet up with the rest of the guys?” He asked me sounding humdrum like all he wanted to do was hang with me. I couldn’t help but admire that about him. I mean I would want nothing more to hang out with me as well.
“I think we have to go to Kev’s room in about an hour give or take” He ran behind me again and this time jumped on my back, “I say take! Let’s be fashionably late”
“Aren’t we always?”
He laughed.
When we stayed at these hotels we usually ended up spending the night in two adjoining rooms but this time we each had the pleasure of having our own room. It was a reward for a very successful mini tour, at least that is what we were told. Good enough for me. I was kind of looking forward to having my own room for once.
As if reading my mind Nick looked over at me, “Hey Rok! What about you and me sharing tonight?”
“Sharing what?” There was NO way he was going to rook me into giving up my freedom for one night. I love the guy but I need my space too.
“You know what I mean bonehead! Let’s share a room”
“Nicky my boy! Don’t you want a break from me for just one night?” He looked disappointed. I felt bad but not really.
“Come on B, it’ll be fun”
“Nick we always share, let’s just keep our own places for the night. What do you say? I mean we’ll be right next door to each other” He stood in silence for a minute and I thought I was not going to win this little battle but then he finally smiled, “Okay fine, but if you start being all lonely and shit don’t blame me” I laughed and the subject was dropped.
Thankfully
It has been a rough tour and I was so grateful that I had Nick with me. We were best friends and nothing felt better then having your best buddy at your side especially through hard times.
I wasn’t used to working my butt off quite the way we were and at times I wanted to go home. Flat out wanted to quit especially with this last mini tour. I didn’t think there was anything mini about it. We did ten cities in two weeks time. It was a little ridiculous actually.
We didn’t mind the attention overseas. We actually loved it but touring here was just such a bummer. No one knew us or worse yet no one here cared to know us. So when we toured in places like Germany and Sweden we did these big pop sized venues but when we toured here we did mini ones.
Barely anyone would show, and those that did either golf clapped for us or told us where to stick our act.
Out of the two weeks we toured all around the east coast, we only sold out one show and that was in our home town; Orlando. Most of the people in the audience were friends and family but it still felt good to see that the place was full.
I know I was glad that this tour was coming to an end. Only one more show tomorrow then we were done!
“Where are we anyway? I kind of lose track” I looked back at Kaos who now had managed to take the hat I was wearing and place it on his own head. When did he do that? “You need to stop being so grabby Nick!” I said playfully grabbing for my Wildcats hat.
“Well? You never answered my question. Where the heck are we at?”
“We are at…” I said making sure to mock him, “Philadelphia”
“Ooh yeah, I forgot. Let’s go see the Liberty Bell”
“Wow, I’m kind of impressed that you know that’s here”
“Please I semi pay attention in school. Semi”
“Maybe they’ll let us if we get some more free time” I don’t know why I even bothered saying that because I knew it wasn’t going to be true.
He shrugged, “Kay” He knew it wasn’t going to happen either.
This place has had the strangest vibe so far, we were actually booed yesterday. They hated us, I mean if they could have thrown sour fruit and veggies they would have. But then this afternoon we received cheers and actually had some female fans crying.
It was all very strange.
“Well I guess this is goodbye for now” Nick said stopping dejectedly in front of his door. He looked so pathetic I wanted to laugh at him.
“I’m gonna shower and then maybe I’ll stop by for a game of basketball. I haven’t whooped your butt in about an hour so far right?” He answered my snide comment with his middle finger before letting himself into his room.
I clicked open my door and turned on my light, when I walked into the room I was greeted by a huge man standing there staring at me, “What the hell?” I shouted. My heart skipped a beat.
“Sorry” He said still standing there calm as calm can be, “Didn’t mean to startle you”
I didn’t know what to do exactly so I started backing up towards the door, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” he said now sticking his hands in his pocket as if he had a gun. This was turning out to be a nightmare. I had to be dreaming.
“Come and sit down” He said motioning for me to take a seat on one of the two double beds in the room. My legs were rubbery and I had a hard time moving but that hand in his pocket made me find the strength I needed to do what he said.
“What do you want? You can have anything you want but please don’t hurt me” I sounded pathetic begging for my own safety but I’m sure it’s only natural. I was terrified.
He made his way over next to me and sat down, “Where is everyone else?”
“They aren’t here” I found myself trying to remember every detail of him just in case I had too.
“What about you’re roomie?”
“I don’t have one tonight. I am rooming alone” Oh God he’s going to kill me. I tried to scan my brain for some prayers. Any I could think of.
Just then a knock on my adjoining room door made the man stand up. At first we both thought it was the front door and he motioned with his finger for me to stay quiet. When the knocking didn’t stop and a faint “Rok what are you taking a dump?” was heard he smiled and walked toward the adjoining door.
I wanted to scream for help then, but I couldn’t find my voice. It all happened so fast. The man pulled open the door and pushed Nick inside before he even knew what was going on.
He landed on the floor and scooted backwards towards me. “Well lookie here” The guy said amused.
“Brian what’s going on?” He said; his voice elevated by at least an octave from pure panic.
“I don’t know” I answered him in a very shaky voice.
The guy kept walking back and forth as I stayed sitting on the bed and Nick on the floor by my side like the little puppy I alluded to before.
The guy looked kind of Darth Vadarish, funny how things like that come to mind in times of stress. He also had that deep voice, the James Earl Jones menacing voice.
“Well this is much better” He said after what seemed like forever.
“Please” Was all I could say. The man walked over towards me, “stand up” He ordered me.
I looked down at Nick as he shook his head at me.
I slowly stood up, “Good boy now walk over here!” He said motioning for me to walk over towards the dresser. Once there he turned his attention to Nick, “Now you sit on the bed” Nick didn’t move. I was trying to will him to with my mind.
“I said SIT ON The Bed NOW!!!” That got him to scurry onto the bed.
He took a few steps towards Nick which made me kind of do the same. “I didn’t tell you to go anywhere” He said once again hand firmly in pocket.
“When I tell you to do something you do it! Understand?” He screamed kicking at Nick’s feet as he did so. I was hoping the screaming was loud enough to have someone, anyone hear it.
Nick nodded but never took his eyes away from me. He looked petrified, I bet I did too because I was.
“Good” Then he turned towards me again, this Darth Vadar mean looking guy with hand in pocket.
“Please” I said again, this time he laughed, “You keep saying please. You seem like such a polite boy!”
He came over and before I knew what was going to happen he had his hand on my neck. I felt a burning in my back when it hit the wall. I knew it was coming. He was going to kill me.
“Don’t!” I vaguely heard Nick yell in the distance.
“Please what do you want from me?” I asked through chokes as I felt my wind pipe restricting.
He smiled, he was missing some of his teeth replaced by gold ones. I always thought that was a tacky look.
“Why do you always think everything is about you?” He asked letting go a little allowing me to breath before once again restricting my flow of air.
“This isn’t about you. I don’t want you” He then dropped me and I fell to the ground in a heap, chocking and coughing but most importantly trying to catch my breath. I heard Nick run towards me, felt the warmth of his hands on mine before they were pulled away. I couldn’t look up because I was too tired but I heard the man threatening to kill me if Nick screamed again. Again! A hopeful word, maybe that meant someone had heard Nick scream the first time.
The rest was hazy, I managed to kind of sit up on the floor next to the dresser as Nick continued to sit on the bed, still looking at me now with tears in his eyes. Or they could have been my eyes. My vision was a little cloudy.
“I never wanted you. I want him…” He said pointing to Nick who seemed to be shaking. I tried to shake off the sleepy feeling that was coming over me. “Please don’t hurt him, I’ll do anything you want” I heard Nick say. He sounded so far away from me.
I managed to look over at Nick one final time, I could swear he smiled at me. Then I saw the bat in his hands. The man looked at me, held the bat up and said “Nighty night”
And then I blacked out.
