Ok, I don't know the BSB nor do I make any suggestions about the way they live their lives, for instance whether or not they prefer men or woman as their sexual partners. Frankly, I really don't care if you don't like reading my story, but if you are offended by the sort of relationship which is implied by its appearance on a gay site, then please don't read on. Also, you shouldn't read this if you are under 18, though I think that is a really stupid rule as it's not like we can tell whether you're 18 or not can we?
I am English, so if you don't understand anything in this story, then tough, we invented the language first and you nicked it, so it's not our fault, lol. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm sorry if the cliffhangers are getting boring, but once again, my story, so there.
On The Streets - Part 26
At the press conference:
Nick arrived late. The managers had finally got hold of him. He had been sleeping at some guy's house, and when he turned his mobile on, he saw the number of messages that had been left for him. Behind the scenes, the guys started arguing.
"Hey! Why can't I just tell them?" Nick shouted at the other guys.
"Because, doofus, if you did that, then you'd cut out most of your fan base!" AJ started back.
"And besides, with something like this, which we can get around, we might as well not take the chance. We can talk ourselves out of this, let's save the truth for later, when it's probably more appropriate. Coming out because you got caught in a club isn't really the most appealing image for our fan base." Kevin said quietly. The others all nodded. Nick looked angry, but calmed himself down.
"Fine." Nick started off towards the press room.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. We're here today to talk about the recent revelation in the news that Nick Carter is apparently dating...a man." Kevin was saying this just right so he sounded like he was taking the mickey out of whoever wrote the story. He had a slight smirk on his lips. "I'd like first of all to say that Nick categorically is not a homosexual. We dislike the press prying into our private lives, and we dislike rumours such as this one. It is harmful to us, harmful to our business, but most of all, it damages the credibility of the press. If there any questions, I'm sure that Nick would be pleased to answer them." Nick took his place behind the podium, with a sullen expression on his face. Kevin pointed to one of the reporters who had her arm up in the air.
"So Mr. Carter, is this true what Mr. Richardson says? You're not gay?" She asked bluntly.
"No. I'm not gay." Nick qualified. He was theoretically not lying: Kevin had told me he was bisexual...
"Next question." Kevin pointed to a man in the back of the room in a leather jacket.
"So how would you explain the sightings of you in ummm... compromising situations with another man last night?" The man asked.
"Last night I drunk a little too much. I'll admit, I probably went a bit over the limit, and it was a stupid thing to do. Maybe I was being a bit friendly with another guy, but nothing more." Nick answered curtly.
"I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid we're gonna have to cut this short." Kevin said in his overbearing voice. There were a couple of questions asked from the reporters, but the guys disappeared back behind the scenes. I followed them a few moments later. As I turned the corner, I saw Nick sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, and the guys further down the corridor going back into the office we had been in earlier. Nick still had that sullen expression on his face, but he also looked a little upset. I was sorely tempted to just walk past, but instead I stopped and crouched next to him.
"Nick?" He looked up. "You ok?"
"What do you think?" Nick asked with a sneer.
"Fine. If you're gonna be like that." I stood up and started to walk away.
"Wait, Jared, I'm sorry." Nick said so quietly I barely heard him. "Please talk to me. The guys told me to wait out here, they're pretty upset about what I did. They're all mad at me." Nick's voice croaked, and I realised he was close to tears.
"Nick, they're not mad at you. Kevin's disappointed in you, I know, but he's not that mad anymore. But he did speak to you last night, and you just ignored him. He knew you weren't gonna be careful. I think that's what pissed him off. You brushed us off, got drunk and got caught with a guy." I looked Nick in the eyes. "Nick, you've gotta be careful." He looked up at me and nodded slightly.
"Jared, I did something stupid. You can't tell the guys though."
"What is it?"
"Promise me you won't tell the guys, especially Kevin." Nick pleaded. I looked at him for a second, thinking about what he was saying, then nodded slowly.
"Jared, I slept with the guy last night. The one I was caught with in the club." Ok, this didn't sound like something Nick would do, but while it wasn't a particularly good thing to have done, I didn't disapprove, why did he think the guys would? "That's not it Jared. It's the first time I've ever done it without, you know, protection." Was this boy stupid?
"You did what?"
"I didn't wear a condom. Nor did he." Nick muttered.
"Are you a complete idiot? Do you know how dangerous that is? I managed for years to wear a condom every time and that was when I was selling myself on the streets, and yet you couldn't manage it when you were at home, with a guy you picked up in a club. You're a complete fool then! You deserve everything you get!" I stood up and stomped off in the direction of the office where the guys were. I heard Nick let out a sob, and I was close to turning around, but I didn't. I walked into the office and shut the door. I put on a calm face and waited for the guys to finish talking.
"Ready to go home Jared?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah actually, I'm pretty tired." Kevin reached over and kissed me on the forehead. We walked out together, and as we passed Nick in the corridor, Kevin paused. He reached down a hand to Nick and helped him up. He hugged him and then let go.
"Nick, we're not angry at you anymore, but we are disappointed, ok, just don't do it again ok? We could do without the hassle at the moment, especially seeing as we're back in straight after New Years'." Kevin said. Weren't they going in in mid-January? What happened to that? Nick nodded, and headed off down the corridor in the direction of the office where the guys were. I ignored his sideways glance. I don't know what made me quite so pissed with him, maybe because he was a friend, and I was angry that he had put himself at such a risk. I would have to talk to him eventually. But not right now, I was too pissed. Kevin and I continued out the office building, which I found out later was actually our management offices, and we headed home.
The next few days passed quickly: I learnt how to use Kevin's computer, and I read quite a bit. Kevin spent a lot of time with me, which I was very grateful for. We couldn't do very much because of my broken arm, I had great trouble washing and getting stuff to eat, or even putting on clothes, but Kevin helped me out. I was so grateful for that.
You know that feeling when you first wake up, and you know you don't have to go to work and you've got nothing to do that day? When you can just wrap yourself up in your covers, roll over and go back to sleep, then do the same an hour later when you wake up again. You can see the sunlight coming in through the window, but you don't care, cos you're warm and comfy and content? If you know that feeling, then you know a fraction of what it felt like to wake up every morning next to Kevin. He slept a lot later than me, and so I spent a good half hour, sometimes more just watching Kevin. I thanked God every day for bringing Kevin to me, I believe in fate, and I knew Kevin and I meeting was an act of fate, to pull me out of the shit I was living in and into the light. Kevin was my light.
On the Saturday before Christmas, Kevin had gone out to 'run some errands'. I had a nasty feeling he was getting me something for Christmas, and I started to scheme how I could get out the house and to a shopping centre to get something for him. I knew he could always outdo me as far as presents were concerned, but it would be nice to get him something special. I should probably get the guys something too. About 10 o'clock, the phone started ringing.
"Hello?" I answered.
There was only silence on the other end.
"Hello?"
Once again I was met with silence.
"Ok, nice talking to you!" My normal response to those sickos who insist on calling and making prank phone calls.
"Wait! Jared!" I heard Nick's voice shout down the phone.
"Nick? Hey how are you?" I asked, kinda worried that Nick had taken so long to answer.
"Ummm, I'm ok, well actually, no, I'm not sure." Huh?
"What do you mean Nick?" I started thinking over the possibilities, but nothing came to mind. Obviously I got the first impression: he'd caught something from that guy - but what coulda showed up so quick?
"Look Jared, I went for an HIV test. On Wednesday. I'm supposed to pick up the results today." Nick mumbled.
"Ok..."
"Jared, I know you hate me at the moment..."
"Whoa! What? You think I hate you?"
"Yeah, I mean the way you shouted at me, and then left, and I...I..." Nick trailed off.
"Nick I don't hate you, I'm really disappointed in you, and I'm kinda mad at you for not doing what you should've done, but I don't hate you."
"Oh thank God, well Jared, I know this is kinda strange, but, well, would you come with me?"
"What to pick up your results?" I asked him.
"Yeah. I don't want to go alone Jared, I'm scared what might happen." Nick sounded like his lip was trembling.
"Yeah Nick, I'll go with you." I didn't need time to think. I wouldn't let Nick suffer if he was really scared, besides, I'd been with people to HIV clinics before, I'm sure it couldn't be any worse. I was wrong.
Nick picked me up about half an hour later. Once I got into the car, he reached across and practically fell onto me. I hugged him, and could hear him sobbing gently. He was so upset about what had happened, I could feel his body shaking next to mine, and my heart really went out to him. After a few minutes, he sat up straight again. I kept one hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently.
"I'm sorry Jared, I've been a mess for the last few days waiting for my results. That's why I haven't spoken to or apologised to any of the guys. I'm scared Jared."
"Don't worry Nick, you'll be fine. We're all here for you. We all care about you Nick, just remember that." I tried smiling at him, but the forlorn expression on his face upset me. We hugged again, and he started up his car. I loved Nick's car: I'm not much good with car makes or anything, but this, this was a Jaguar. The sound of the engine purring in front of us, the smoothness of the ride, I could have gone back to sleep if it wasn't for the fear of missing a moment in this beautiful car. I scolded myself for thinking about how nice his car was when Nick was so upset, but...this was a Jag.
"We're here." Nick said as he put the handbrake on. Suddenly I had a lurching feeling in my stomach. I was scared. What if Nick really was HIV positive? What if he got sick? I was so scared I started trembling, and only realised where I was when Nick reached over and shook my shoulder. I got out the car with him. Once we were inside, the place was like a hospital: sterile, cold, and with poor colour coordination. The decor didn't add to the feelings in the pit of my stomach. Finally, we came up to the right desk. "I'm here to pick up my results." Nick said quietly to the woman behind the counter. To her credit, if she recognised him, then she didn't show it, didn't even bat an eyelid. She nodded, and pulled out an envelope. Handing it to him, she told him that there were rooms available down the corridor to the right, if he wanted to open it in private. He nodded, and gripping me by the elbow pulled me into the first available room. There was a table in there with a couple of chairs to sit down at. Nick pushed the envelope into my hands and stood back. "Open it."
"What? These are your results Nick. Are you sure you want me to open them?"
"Please Jared, I'm too scared." Nick's eyes were watering quite badly now. I took the envelope and carefully tore open the seal. Pulling out the papers, I looked at the front page, and cast my eyes down towards the bottom of the sheet.
"Huh?"
End of Chapter 26 To Be Continued...
That's chapter 26 - told you they were gonna be coming thick and fast, 27 will be here soon, either tomorrow, or monday. Anyway, enjoy. Send feedback please???