Part 1 Broken Hearts ------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimers: This is merely a work of fiction and not to be taken too seriously. THis story will be rated PG-13 at the most and does not necessarily reflect the sexual orientation of the parties involved. Enjoy. -------------------------------------------------------
The news struck him dead in his tracks. He was definitely speechless with the whole revelation. He had just recently ended his first and worst open relationship and now he was pretty much loosing his best friend. Ever since the band came together, they had both been drawn together like moths to a flourescent lamp. He had always felt at ease with Brian. Infact, it was Brian who pretty much got him through the first stages of puberty! Brian had introduced him to a brand new world of happiness and love.
All of that had fallen apart when she came along. Leigh Ann, a lovely lady, took his best friend and his very first lover away. He had been devastated when Brian first brought her into the fold. But this was taking it to a new level. This...this fascade of briliant smiles and loving congratulations was tearing him up inside and this time there was no Brian to turn to...
[flashback]
"Nick, I told you that this day would eventually come.
You and I had a lot of fun together, but both of us knew that we would eventually move on from our childish sex games." Brian cooed to him then when she first showed up. "Buck up now, man, it's not like you to cry like this." Then even the worst of news couldn't stand its ground against one of Brian's sweet heart-melting smiles.
[flashback ends]
But this time it was different. This time Nick could barely breathe when Brian had moved on to celebrate with the other Backstreet Boys after first telling Nick the "good" news.
"Hey Nick, we're headed up to the bar to celebrate, you coming or what?" Kevin's voice permeated the crumbling walls of Nick Carter's all of a sudden fragile world.
"I'll catch up!" Nick called back shakily after a deep breath.
"Alright, we'll see you in a bit then." Nick heard the door shut echoing over the happy voices of his bandmates. After a few moments of listening, making sure that they had finally gone, Nick doubled over overcomed with grief, racking sobs and agonized wailing washed over his entire body, making even the simplest of all things like breathing seem impossible.
Nick hadn't cried this much since...since...
'Brandon!' His eyes shot up immediately.
Brandon was his first ever best friend after Brian had brought in Leigh Ann...
[flashback]
Nick had been hunched over at a nearby pub. Despite being one of the most saught after pop stars at this time, Nick had been able to successfully leave his private estate find solace at the bottom of a shot glass at a nearby pub. It had been way past midnight when Nick showed up at the empty bar. All that remained had been a handful of tired couples and lonely men and women drinking their sorrows away.
At that moment, Nick had found comfort in their desperate pressence.
"Sorry kid. Minors aren't allowed in here." The burly bar tender towered over him from the otherside of the bar wiping glasses clean. "I'm afraid you're gonna have to leave..."
Nick, heart broken and torn, interupted the much larger man by placing a wad of hundred dollar bills on the counter. "Don't you know who I am?" Nick croaked amidst suppresed sobs, desperately trying to keep himself from breaking into sobs again.
"Nope, sorry kid. You don't have enough money here to get me shut down." The bartender pushed the money back to the obviously heart broken boy. "Come on kid, cheer up, here have some peanuts while I go to the back real quick. But I want you gone before I get back, you here?" The bartender whispered to the boy seeing how much pain the latter was in before passing Nick the bowl of peanuts and a small glass of ginger ale.
Nick nodded his head sadly thinking. 'Yeah, of course you don't. Know one knows nor care about who I am.'
"Hey there."
"Go away." Nick sobbed barely audible over his shaky breathing.
"Aw come on, I saw what happened. Louis ain't gonna give you anything. You're too young."
Wiping tears away from his eyes, Nick slowly turned to the other man.
Much to his surprise, the voice hadn't belonged to a man at all. He sat staring past blurred vision at a face of a young man who was barely even older than Nick was himself.
"Here, drink this." The other boy offered him a clear waterbottle. "It'll help a bit"
Nick, desperate to be left alone, acquiesed wearily hoping that HE would go away if he did take a drink.
"What is that?!?" Having never really had any thing close to alcohol to drink before, Nick spouted like a fountain spraying the liquid everywhere.
"Peppermint schnops." The other beemed mischievously.
"I'm Brandon, btw."
Nick turned to face the other boy, vision clearing a bit. "Nick."
"Hey Nick. Well we better get out of here before Big Louis comes back. I already got a warning tonight." Brandon chuckled softly.
Nick squinted trying to understand this person. There he sat obviously nowhere near 21, close cropped dark hair, clear complexion, thin growing goatie, a bit shorter than Nick, and laughing softly at a hidden joke.
"Here he comes. Come on let's go!" Brandon hopped off the bar stool and made for the door taking a handful of peanuts with him. "For the road!" He winked at Nick still smiling before bolting.
"W-wait up." Nick decided to follow the other one out.
Nick had to cover his eyes against the light posts of the parking lot.
"Damn, boy. You been crying a lot?" Brandon came up to Nick examining Nick's eyes closely like a 7 year old would a butterfly in his grandmother's net.
"Yeah..." Nick whispered, pushing Brandon away weakly.
"What's wrong? Bullies beat ya up or what?" Brandon jokingly poked Nick while they wandered the parking lot for a little bit.
"Leave me alone. How old are you anyway?" Nick testily snapped at Brandon.
"22" Brandon said softly and turned away.
"No, I mean really." Nick stopped walking folding his arms. 'Why should I even care? It's not like he cares about me anyway.' Nick thought, but he stood there waiting for a more truthful answer nevertheless.
"Okay, okay. I'm only 18, satisfied?" Brandon stuck his tongue out at Nick before breaking into another grin. "You?" Brandon reversed the question, sticking his face very close to Nick's.
"22" Nick said defensively, taken by surprised by the question because he had been staring.
"Noo, I mean reeeally." Brandon flashed a toothy grin obviously mocking Nick.
"19. Happy." Nick answered with false spite. Concious and confused of the sudden warmth he was feeling for this stranger.
"Really? You're not lying are ya?" Brandon tried to get a closer look at Nick. "Wow, you long 16!" Brandon exclaimed after Nick shook his head no. "Say you look familiar? You been on TV or something?"
Quickly trying to take advantage of the situation, Nick decided to impress Brandon. "Yup, actually I'm with a band called The Backstreet Boys." Now it was his turn to grin, thinking that he had made a bigger impression on Brandon.
"The Backstreet who?" Brandon stood back raising an eyebrow, "sorry never heard of it. So where ya headed?" Brandon hopped onto the hood of Nick's chevy blazer.
"Nowhere with you." Nick answered stubbornly walking over to the driver side.
"Okay, whatever you say, man." Brandon withdrew with his hands up next to him telling Nick he surrendered.
'Well that was easy.' Nick thought as he got into the car.
"So where you really going?" Brandon plopped onto the passenger seat buckling his seat belt.
"Don't you know when you're not wanted?" Nick shot at Brandon hoping that he would finally take the hint.
"I'm still here aren't I?" Brandon smiled.
"Git out" Nick said through gritted teeth leaning towards Brandon. 'Why am I so angry?' he thought.
Brandon leaned towards Nick's face again with a big smile. "Okay." He responded before disappearing as the passenger seat door opened.
"Wha..?" Nick stared at the empty seat as the car door shut.
"Wait!" Nick called after Brandon. Quickly, Nick started his car and drove slowly next to Brandon and opened his window. "Wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, I mean...You need a ride?" Nick offered finally.
"Nah, I was headed home anyways." Brandon grinned at Nick. "I was only cheerin ya up." He added before sprinting across the parking lot and into the dark.
Nick watched as Brandon disappeared into the night's shadows.
Then he noticed the crumpled piece of paper on the seat. He carefully opened the little crumpled piece of notebook paper.
'Hey, call me if ya ever get famous.'
The message read with a big smiley face next to it attached along with a phone number...
[end of flashback] ******************************************************* Part 1 Ends