The Scoop: Thanks everyone for amazing feedback! I really appreciate it. Prob is now I feel a lot of pressure with this next chapter. Hope you like it. Let me know.

Scoop

Chapter 3 - Gettin' Jiggy?

"That's finally done."

My clothes were stored away, I was showered and dressed to go out for a night on the town, and I was exhausted! I mean honestly, you'd think the guys in my band could do stuff without me!

As soon as we got back here, the nine of us were told that we'd have to start sharing rooms: A BSBer and an Orler. OK, that sounds terrible. Anyway, that's what was supposed to happen.

That's when the arguments started. This one wanted to stay with that one because he was used to it, or they got along great. And that one didn't want to stay with the other one if he snored. I mean, really!

Then there was the odd man out. Each of the guys from both bands wanted to have their own room. When everyone realized that the odd man out was a Backstreet Boy, my band got over it. The Backstreet Boys were bickering between themselves over the single room. It was getting us nowhere.

Surprisingly, while at the same time not, Nick didn't want the single room: He wanted to stay with me. I guess it could be cool, but... I dunno I think it could be weird at the same time. If we were to do anything, he'd want to have a relationship. I don't want that!

But believe it or not, he convinced me. He kept asking me over and over if I wanted to share a room with him. He was really starting to piss me off so I took him aside from the group and asked him straight out what he expected. His response shocked the hell out of me.

"What do I expect? Well I was expecting to share a room with someone and get a good night's sleep. I offered to share a room with you because I thought you'd be a little more comfortable with me than with one of the other guys since we're both gay. Brian is the only one I've shared a room with and it took him a little while to get used to me. I didn't want you to have to be in a room with someone that was going to be uncomfortable with you because it would make you uncomfortable as well. I'm not after a hot fuck or anything. Just a friend to share a room with."

So I had to do something that I never thought I'd do. I had to swallow my pride and apologize to Nick. Kevin ended up writing the rest of their names on pieces of paper and drawing one of them out of a bag for the single room. Brian ended up getting it which made him happy. After that everything was pretty easy.

So anyway here I am sitting on my bed, deciding whether or not I actually want to go out. Nick was in the shower and everyone else was ready to go. If I was going to decide, I had to do it soon.

I heard the water stop in the bathroom. Looks like I'm running out of time.

"Music. That always helps." Yeah I talk to myself, big deal. I decided to listen to some music to help me decide if I want to go out or not. I opened up my CD wallet and flipped through until I found what I wanted to hear. I walked over to the table where my stereo was (I take a small stereo with me wherever I go: I had it written into my contract that I could take my stereo.), dropped the CD in the tray, and turned it on. I was rewarded with the sounds of Bad Blood by Ministry from the Matrix Soundtrack.

"What's lies?
Full moon and thoughts collide
We look for answers in those catatonic, dying bloodshot eyes
We ask if vermin are the ones that already learned
Those aren't tears, They're just bad bad blood

Just bad bad blood!

What lies?
No big surprise.
We get our clues from the ones who thought up they will conquer us
Are we too fucked to say the end is here too much?
We're in denial with bad blood

Do you remember the strain?
Do you remember the pain?
Do you remember who caused all the blame?

Bad Blood!

Do you remember me?
Do you remember us?
Do you surrender your dreams or your trust?

Bad Blood!

What lies?
He's finally come alive
Out of these mediocre plentiful things all the time
A steady stream of madness
Conscious to a flood
The clock is ticking for Bad Blood"

"What's that?"

I jumped a foot straight up. Turning around quickly I saw Nick was standing between our beds wearing nothing but a towel.

"Whoa, Nick, you scared the bejesus out of me!" I turned down the volume of the stereo, which I admit was a bit loud.

"Sorry," he giggled (Yeah, sure he was). "What's that song you're listening to?"

"Bad Blood."

"Ministry?"

"Yeah!" I was amazed. "You listen to Ministry?"

"I've heard some of their stuff. What's the name of the album?"

"This is the soundtrack for The Matrix. It's on one of their albums, but I'm not sure which one."

Bang! Bang! "Come on guys, we're waiting on the two of you!"

Nick looked at me, puzzled. "Dale?"

"Chris, but not bad, I make that mistake sometimes myself."

"Well I guess I'd better hurry."

"Looks that way Nickie my boy."

Nick looked at me with a little grin at my use of 'Nickie', then dropped his towel. He was hung, I have to admit. Taking into account the fact that he was just under hot water, and is standing naked in a room with anther gay guy, I'd have to say that he'd be about eight and a half inches hard. A little bigger than my eight.

"Like what you see?"

Busted. I looked up at his face to see a wide grin. "Guess I was staring a little."

He stepped into a pair of CK boxers and pulled them up. "Heh, you were staring a lot."

Very busted. "Sorry."

"Don't be. You didn't answer my question though."

"You mean if I liked what I saw?"

"Exactly."

I looked him in the eye and he returned my gaze. I giggled a little to make him uncomfortable. It worked and he started to blush and broke eye contact. I grabbed my jacket from my bed and walked towards the door.

I turned the handle and pulled it open, then closed it again. "Very nice. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

Nick looked up at me and smiled. "Thanks."

I returned his smile and walked out of the room to wait with the other guys in the hallway.

A few minutes later he came out of the room, hair gelled and dressed to kill. I had to take the opportunity to size him up, and I liked what I saw. I reminded myself of what I'd said earlier about him being a great lay: I was right, he WILL be!

"Well look who's finally ready," snapped AJ.

"Yeah. What happened Nick, hair wouldn't cooperate again?"

"Kev cut it out," said Nick defending himself.

"Well Nick you should expect it by now, you're always the last one ready. No trouble to tell who the gay one is."

"Hey! Ease off there Howie. There's no need of that."

"Yes, I entirely agree with Brian," I said. "For your information, it was my fault that Nick took so long to get ready. I took a little longer in the bathroom than I should have. If you want to blame anyone for being a fag, Howie, blame me." I used the word fag to throw emphasis on what I was saying, as if I was insinuating that Howie had used the disgusting term while talking to Nick.

"I'm not blaming anyone for being gay. I'm only teasing Nick like I always do, right Nickie?"

"Whatever. Can we go now?"

Nick headed for the elevator. Brian followed closely behind, giving Howie a hard look when he passed. Kevin and I followed next with my band then AJ and Howie.

I just kept thinking: this is going to be an interesting night.

We ended up at some place I'd never heard of before. I wanted to go to the Guvernment (oh yeah, did I mention we're in Toronto? Well, we are!), but the Backstreet Boys said that they always got good treatment at this place. Heh, go figure, stars loving the treatment.

The place was OK I guess. It wasn't overly huge or anything, but I estimated that it could hold about a thousand people with no elbow room. And this night wasn't far off that mark. There were about nine hundred people dancing and drinking and flirting all over the place. It was packed! Not to the point where you couldn't move, but there wasn't a lot of elbow room.

As soon as we walked to the bar to order drinks the bartender came out from behind the bar and took us to a dimly lit corner. There were a few people sitting at a table, but they were practically kicked out so that we, or rather the Backstreet Boys, could sit down. I made a mental note to remember those faces and apologize to them later.

The bartender then took our drink orders. We all had alcohol, with the exception of Carl who never touches the stuff (promise to his family). When the drinks arrived everyone just sat there and drank. There was very little conversation. Brian was sitting next to me and I leaned over and asked him if they were always this much fun.

"We take it easy first when we go out. Let everyone come to us at the beginning so that we can go out and dance later and not be bothered as much."

"Oh, right on." (Translation: Oh, egotistical.)

But believe it or not (more than likely you do), he was right. For the next half an hour the table was surrounded by people asking for autographs. Most of them ignored us, almost walking over us to get to the Backstreet Boys, but the occasional person asked who we were and upon hearing we were going to be the Boys' opening act for a while, they wanted our autographs as well.

After all the 'fun' was over, Kevin and Carl took orders for another round. I decided I didn't want another drink, as such.

"I'm going to the shooter bar for a few shots of tequila. Anyone going with me?"

"I'm game," Brian replied quickly.

And I'm shocked! Brian wanted to go have some shots with me. Isn't life just full of surprises. I nodded and headed across the club to the shooter bar, which was on the other side of the overcrowded dance floor. It took a while of squeezing through the crowd but I made it.

I turned around to see if Brian had gotten through as easily as I had and noticed him wobbling up behind me with his hand over his eye: he hadn't been as fortunate as I was.

"Let me see that," I said as I pulled Brian's hand away from his face.

"It's nothing, I just took an elbow to the face."

"You may think it's nothing but you could end up with a nice black eye. That would look great up on stage in two days."

He chuckled and let me look at his eye. "Well you're right, there's nothing there. You need to get some ice on it quickly though to keep the swelling down." I turned around to get the bartender's attention. When she finally stopped and acknowledged the fact that I was there, I asked her for four shots of tequila and some ice wrapped in a clean cloth. Upon receipt, I paid for the tequila and placed the ice over Brian's eye.

"Hold this in place for a while."

"OK."

"And drink these." I pulled him up to the bar and pushed two of the tequila in front of him. "This round's on me. You get the next."

"Sounds good."

We downed the first shot and Brian's face became contorted. "I take it you usually use the salt and lemon slice?"

"Yeah, heheheh."

"Well none of that when you're around me. As is, or not at all."

Brian gagged again and shook his head. "Remind me not to go drinking with you too often. You have too high a tolerance for me."

"Yeah, I've had a lot of this shit over the last year." I mentally kicked myself for bringing up my past and quickly pushed it aside. "Anyway, one more. Let's go."

We picked up the other two shots, clinked glasses and downed the alcohol. This time Brian didn't react as strongly.

"Wanna let that settle a bit before we get the next round?"

"No way. Let's keep going while I still have the taste for the stuff."

Brian signaled the bartender for four more shots. She was busy serving several upside down thingies to a few girls and told us it would be a few minutes. I stood there in silence reading the shooter list and ingredients posted behind the bar. After a minute Brian broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about how I was acting today at the meeting."

"No, don't be. You were being honest and I appreciate honesty like that, no matter how brutal."

"Yeah but I was being an ass."

"No you weren't. You want to know the truth?"

"Of course."

"I respect your above the rest of the Backstreet Boys. You were the first to be totally honest with us, and you've stayed that way."

"Thanks. Actually, that's the reason I came over here with you. To talk about respect."

"Not a lover of tequila?"

"Not really."

"OK then. Exactly what would you like to discuss on the topic of respect?"

"Nick. Or rather you having some respect for Nick."

"Nick? I respect Nick."

"You being honest now?"

This guy can debate! "You know I am."

"I guess in that case then you won't be letting the lust I saw in your eyes today cloud your judgment and make you take advantage of -"

"Whoa country boy! I know where you're going with this. You think I'm going to try and get Nick in bed just for the sake of fucking him."

"No, I don't think you are going to try that. I know you're going to try that."

Before I had a chance to respond, the bartender placed four shots of tequila on the bar in front of us. Brian paid and we down the first two shots.

"Don't mince words Brian, tell me what you really think." He gave me a hard look to say that wasn't funny. "Brian... if I do have sex with Nick, it will be a mutual decision. I don't take advantage of anyone. That's just another form of lying."

We looked at each other for a few seconds. Neither of us willing to be the first to speak. Brian picked up his shot and motioned for me to do the same.

"To a long lasting working relationship, and a developing friendship." We again clinked glasses. I downed my tequila and looked at Brian to see him holding his glass, still full.

"But if you ever hurt Nick, or either of the guys... I'll be after your ass." Brian downed the tequila. "But I gaurantee you won't like how I fuck you!" He gave me a strong, steady gaze before walking away.

'To a long lasting working relationship, and a developing friendship.' As the toast replayed in my mind I thought only one thing: I will have Nick... and I'll have that bastard Brian as well.

I am Scoop, hear me type. That's chapter 3. Sorry it took so long and even sorrier that there's not much to it, but if any of you read my 'Brandis Redemption' story, you already know that I was having a few problems with my shoulder. If you don't read that story, I was having a few problems with my shoulder. Anyway, chapter 4 will be a bit more involved and will pick up pretty much at the same spot that this one is ending.
So, until next time...

PEACE