Chapter
10
“I can’t believe you AJ?
How could you ask Nick a question like that? I don’t care how drunk
he was he may remember that! What if you hurt his feelings?” AJ and
Howie put Nick to bed only a few minutes earlier.
“His feelings Howie, who cares about
his feelings if he’s hurting himself?” AJ asked more subdued than Howie. He sat
on his bed, unlacing his shoes.
“AJ, Nick does not do drugs,” Howie
said flatly, “He was drunk. What put it through your mind that he’s…
he’s on illegal substances?”
AJ stared at Howie for a few minutes,
“Did you see his eyes Howie?”
“Huh?” Howie stopped to stare at AJ.
“That was high Howie, not drunk,” AJ
said flatly, as Howie tried to turn away, “Did you listen to his monologue
in the backseat? Were his words slurred? They weren’t, they were clear as day,
but fast as hell. I would know about this stuff… and besides, Howie this isn’t
the first time.”
“Isn’t the first time for what AJ?”
Howie asked coolly, glaring at AJ.
“For me to see Nick at a club totally
thrashed!” AJ yelled, now he was getting upset with Howie’s accusatory manner,
“It was a few months ago on tour. My dad had somehow gotten my cell
phone number, and I just needed out. I went to this club, in New York,
and Nick was there. He was there Howie…” AJ yelled at Howie who was
shaking his head looking adamant. “He was hanging around some Goth girls,
and they went into the back room. I could tell he was already…”
“AJ if you saw all this why didn’t you
do anything, say anything to us?” Howie was rubbing his temples. He sat
down on AJ’s bed. AJ stood up, it was his turn to pace, “Would you have
believed me? Would any of you guys have believed me? Probably not,
because everyone was so mixed up in their own shit they forgot about everyone
else… but Nicky. Nicky was perfect in your eyes. Look at him he’s
so strong, and mature. But you know what I think, Nick wasn’t strong or
mature, you know how he handled all that crap we were laying down in front of
him, he didn’t! I bet he was high, I bet he is high!”
“SHUT UP!” Howie yelled plugging his
ears on AJ’s charade, “You were jealous AJ, all of us were jealous of how well
the kid could hold it together.”
AJ was shaking his head, “I knew it,
see, you see this is why I never told you what I thought… And why didn’t I
stop him, well Howie. I really didn’t feel like cleaning up His Royal
Blondness’s shit that day. I had enough of my own to deal with.”
Howie stared at AJ in disbelief, “Oh
my God, were we actually that apathetic toward one another that we wouldn’t
help if we thought there may be a problem?”
AJ was silent as well, “Howie, if I
could go back, I would drag his butt out of there, but I can’t. I can
however do it now. Something ain’t right with him Howie. I’m
serious. You don’t have to tell anyone else what I think, just yet, but
watch him. Watch what he does, how he acts, for a day. You’ll see
what I’m talking about Howie. I’ve seen it all before. I’ve had
friends who…”
“Enough!” Howie cut AJ off, “That’s
all AJ, I’ve heard enough. I’m going to bed, and don’t you dare go tell any of
the others any of that crazy story you just made up!”
“You’re so stupid D! We’ve been
blind to each other for almost a year, and now it’s time to see. Maybe
it’s time we start realizing that maybe Little Nicky hasn’t been so perfect…”
Howie closed the door to AJ’s room
before he could hear the end of the sentence. He had wanted to punch AJ.
How could he say things like that about Nick? He had been the glue who
held the group together! Howie went into his room and sat in the dark,
fully dressed, on his bed. Watch what he does, how he acts… Howie
shuddered thinking about it. Not the fact that AJ was considering the
fact that Nick was on drugs… but the fact that Howie was considering believing
him.
***
