Chapter
16
"AJ, why don't you stop fidgeting?" Howie suggested.
"Bone,
you've got to calm down."
AJ's
entire body shook. "I--I can't, guys. I'm scared. I can't take this."
"Can't
take what?" Rok repeated.
"I
can't take this!" the rebel hollered. "It's not fair! We've been
through more pain than anyone deserves!"
Kevin
looked up. "You have to relax."
"NO!
Why us? Kev's dad, Nick's anxiety as a kid, Brian's surgery, my grandparent's
struggles, messin' my leg up, Howie's sister! Legal shit! Now this?"
No
one had stopped AJ's rage, it seemed deserved. They had gone through a lot.
Nick had been ill so many times as a child and even in the present-he became
paraniod. Brian always lived with the concern of his heart-he was now distant.
AJ had turned into a work-a-holic. Kevin acted overly emotional and Howie
became irrational. All five were wishing to neglect reality.
Everyone
had gone through their hardships, which affected them as a group. All the media
hassle....things never were easy. Now, everyone realized how the strain had
been building.
Brian
ran his hands through his hair. "Guys, do you remember when we were lat in
a waiting room for Nick?"
"Come
on, guys! Let's get it together!" Kevin demanded. "This is our first
big tour back home! The last thing we wanna' do is screw up!"
"If
it's a big tour, why are we practicing in a damn hallway?" AJ snapped.
Howie
took a deep breath. "Who knows, AJ....Just be thankful we're here."
Brian
twiddled his thumbs. "We need a break. It's too hot in here."
"Suck
it up, cuz. Now, let's run the opening routine."
They
made the new formation and began the strenuous dance number. Nick's head
throbbed with each step...His body felt so weak...His breaths came
quick..."Guys----" he gasped. "Bri---" Everything became a
blur and his body toppled over.
"NICK!"
Brian shouted.
Howie
lifted the blonde's limp head. "Nick, what is it?!"
The
youngest member lye still his voice barely a whisper. "I feel kinda' sick,
guys."
AJ
threw Howie his water bottle. "Try to get him to drink....I'll go get
help."
Kevin
knelt down at the teen's side. "Nick, do you think you're gonna' faint,
again?"
"Yeah,"
he coughed gasping for air.
Kevin
placed his hands on the young man's shoulders pulling him forward. "Put
your head between your knees."
Nick
slowly began to relax. "Water," he croaked.
Howie
placed the bottle to his lips. "Drink slowly."
Nick
pushed his weight against Kevin, his head becoming heavy. "I'm so
dizzy."
"It'll
pass," Brian promised stroking his brow.
AJ
returned with a young paramedic at his side. "What happened?" the
woman asked.
"He
just collasped," Brian answered.
"Do
you feel sick and weak?" she asked checking Nick's pulse.
"Both,"
he mumbled softly.
She
slide a thremother beneath his tongue. "Hon, have you been taking care of
yourself properly?"
He
nodded negatively.
"We'll
definitely need to take him to the hospital. He might be malnurished and from
his skin tone he could be enemic." His temperature registered.
"100.5. Do you think you could manage to walk a small distance? If so, you
could be taken to the hospital in the van outside. I'm afraid an ambulance would
stir up your fans."
The
youngest member turned to Kevin. "Could you help me walk?"
Kevin
nodded. "Of course."
Brian
came back to the modern times. "He had clinical exhuastion."
Howie
nodded. "Only thing that got us time off."
"Stupid
management," AJ growled.
Kevin
sighed. "Think postively guys....New management. And this surgery is
routine. Nick is going to be fine." He paused. "We're all going to be
fine."
***
