“Hey Nicky, did you sleep well?” Brian asked as Nick emerged from his bunk.
Tired, Nick could only manage a slight nod but then added, “Once I didn’t have to look at AJ’s face, it was a very pleasant night,” when AJ came into view.
Brian sighed loudly. “Would you guys please give it a rest? What the heck is y’all’s problem anyway? This has been going on since Ft. Lauderdale and I don’t even see it stopping until we make the circle back to Tampa and disbanding.”
Nick shrugged his shoulders. “He’s just been getting on my nerves lately, I guess.”
“Well, the two of you better start making amends because it’s starting to show up during the shows and there are so many kids that look up to both of you that if they knew how you guys were behaving, it would break their little hearts.”
“Well, I’m making an effort, you should talk to that tattoed ass over there,” Nick replied.
“Don’t make me come over there and have to shut you up!” AJ replied, the glare in his eyes gave a warning look.
“I give up,” Brian groaned.
“Okay, so how many more stops until we’re done with this mess?” Kevin asked Brian as he entered the hotel room they were sharing.
“I think three, I’m not too sure,” was the reply.
“Well, where are we right now?”
Brian shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, heck, I don’t even have a clue as to what day this is either. I guess we’d have to ask one of the roadies or something to figure it out.”
Kevin opened up the drawer to the desk in the room. Pulling out the stationery pad, he glanced at the name on the tablet. “Sheraton Hotels, Lexington Kentucky.”
Brian stared as the pad hit the table and then slid off the side onto the floor.
“How messed up are we? Hell, we’re in our own fricken home town and we don’t know it!?”
“It was dark when we pulled in,” Brian offered.
“It’s AJ and Nick’s fault, they have us so damned stressed out, neither one of us can think straight!”
“Well, at least they have their own rooms tonight so they can calm down. I think the togetherness has gotten to them,” Brian stated.
“Togetherness my ass! You know just as well as I that those two have been at each others throats since the group was formed,” Kevin spat.
“Let’s just get some shut eye, things should be cooled off in the morning.”
Kevin nodded in agreement and called dibs on the bathroom first. Brian smiled and said it didn’t matter, he had to call Leighanne before he went to bed anyway.
Nick layed across the bed in his hotel room, typing out emails on his laptop keyboard. None of his friends were online tonight and that added to his loneliness. A sudden knock on the door tore him away from his thoughts.
“Nick, it’s me, AJ, let me in,” came the voice from the other side of the door.
Nick narrowed his eyes at the door. “Why should I let you in?”
“Come on Nick, I want to make amends, bury the hatchet,” AJ begged.
Reluctantly, Nick dragged his body off the bed and opened the door. Instead of finding a dressed-down AJ, he discovered that he was dressed like he was ready to go out on the town.
“Get dressed Nicky, we’re gonna go clubbing,” AJ said in a hoarse voice.
“Clubbing? Are you crazy? It’s after midnight and besides, Brian and Kevin would kill us.”
“They told us to start getting along, right?”
“Yes.”
“Be good friends again?”
“Yup.”
“Then what better way than to share some drinks and stories?”
Nick folded his arms across his chest. “I dunno AJ, this probably wouldn’t be a very good idea.”
“Good idea hell, god Nick, you’re 21 and that makes you legal and an adult so what’s the problem?”
“Good point, give me a sec to get dressed,” Nick replied as he grabbed a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and started switching his boxers and tee shirt for street clothes. “Hey, what about Howie? He usually likes to go clubbing too.”
“He decided to be an old man tonight and said something about feeling sick with a cold. Come on, you about done?”
Grabbing his hotel card and a ball cap, Nick headed for the door.
“Alright man, the chariot awaits us,” AJ sang out happily.
Nick stopped quickly causing AJ to run into his heels. “Whoa, wait, what about security?”
“Screw security, you yourself told me it was after midnight. It’s going to be fun, we don’t need them tagging along and messing it up for us, do we?”
“No, I guess not,” Nick agreed.
