Three Weeks Of Summer
Chapter One.
Nick.
I sat there in the usual white couch with a red bull and a bar of chocolate in both of my hands. The silence enveloped me as I tried to focus. Everything was crazy on the other side of the door and I knew they were probably already looking for me. It was my ritual, I would like to say, that everytime I go on stage, I drink red bull, eat chocolate and just stare. It seems to work and gets me focused and energized. My other brothers didn't have any special rituals, except maybe Joe obsessing over his hair and Kevin acting all goofy.
I got up to my feet and walked towards the mirror, fixing my tie. I ran a hand through my curls, trying to make it look better. I looked different. Tired, stressed and maybe depressed. The bags under my eyes were starting to get darker and bigger. The thirteen year old who did this for music was gone. He was now under pressure. He even forgot why he started doing this in the first place.
"Nick, you're on in 5," I heard someone on the other side of the door say as he knocked.
"I'll be right there," I called out as I exhaled, looking at my reflection one last time. An image flashed on my mind and I was suddenly confused why. Why did her face suddenly appear after two years? I shook the image of Miley from my mind and twisted open the knob, hearing all the shenanigans that was going on backstage.
"Places everyone!" The stage manager called out.
I made my way behind the curtains, dodging anyone who was hurrying backstage. Joe and Kevin soon stood next to me, their energy way past ten while mine was only about three. They started shaking their hands and messing around while I stood there, focusing on my breathing before I felt someone push me.
"What's wrong with you, man?" I hear Joe say as he leaned his elbow on Kevin's shoulder. "You're not usually like this. Did you even get some sleep? You seem stressed." Even my brother noticed it.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I nodded, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm just tired, that's all."
"Something's bugging you Nick," Kevin started to say as he patted my back and punched on it softly. "And don't even think you can get away tonight without telling us." he said as Joe nodded beside him.
Jonas! Jonas! Jonas! The crowd was starting to get louder, more hyped up and energized. I felt like I was gonna pass out anytime soon. The screams were like music to our ears, especially to Joe. He smiled and ran a hand through his perfect hair and grabbed his tambourine. Kevin and I slipped on the straps of our guitars and took deep breaths. I took deep breaths.
"Get ready to rock," Joe winked at the both of us before the stage manager gave us the signal to get on stage.
We jumped on stage, strumming hard on our guitars and the crowd started screaming louder and it made me even more dizzy. Joe got the crowd energized and they were already bouncing before the first song even started. I was naseous. Something was wrong. I prayed that it doesn't do anything to ruin the performance.
"Okay so who's ready to rock!" Joe screamed into his mic and all the girls started chanting his name. "I can't hear you!" the crowd was practically giving their all just to cheer and it made my eardrums ache.
"It's hot, it's getting hot, isn't it?" Kevin said, a smile appearing on his face as he moved to the other side of the stage. "We're all probably burning up in here!" he said and the spotlight suddenly landed on the three of us as we met center stage.
"One, two, three!" I shouted and the back-up musical instruments joined in. I strummed my guitar with everything in me and I felt like I was a battery whose energy is draining so fastly. I gave a signal to Joe that I can't join in singing making him sing the rest of the song alone.
Three songs later, we were asked to take a break while our guitarist did a long guitar solo. I stood next to my dad as I wiped a towel across my face. I was panting and I didn't even sing. My dad patted my back and leaned closer to me, trying to see if I was alright. I took a step back, knowing if he finds out something was wrong, he'd probably tell me to stop.
"What's wrong, son?" He asked, "You're not woozy or anything, are you?"
"I'm alright! I'm fine!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air, getting frustrated with everyone asking the same questions. But I knew I wasn't. I wasn't fine or alright or okay or any of them in between.
"Just stop when you can't take it anymore, okay?" my dad adviced as I nodded and took long gulps of my water. It helped but I was sure it won't sustain me throughout the whole concert.
I turned around, seeing Demi with Joe and she gave me a worried look. Everybody was starting to notice it. She walked towards me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to go back out there, Nick. Something's definitely wrong with you," she said, "I know you so don't you even deny it."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Okay, so maybe I'm feeling woozy but I got this, okay?" I said, giving her a soft smile. "I can handle myself. I'll see at the after party, okay?" I said and she nodded, the worried look still not leaving her face.
"Have fun, Nick," Demi said.
We finally got back up on stage and I realized something. Maybe that was what's wrong with me. I wasn't having fun anymore. I was getting pressured on performing. The fourth song was about to end and there something throbbing at the back of my head that felt like my skull pounding against my skin. My heart was racing and my breath was caught in my throat.
I couldn't play the guitar properly anymore. My fingers were weakening and what I wanted to do was my close my eyes. So I did. I felt my body hit the cold ground as everything faded into pitch black. I was unconscious but I was hearing them rush towards me and the crowd gasping and murmuring, probably asking each other if I was alright. I opened my eyes slowly and saw different faces looking down on me. One face stood out and I knew I could recognize them even in a sea of people. There she was, looking down on me with a shocked and worried look on her face. I closed my eyes again, my body giving up on me. The last thing that stayed on my mind was shocking and confusing.
It was Miley.
xoxo
Unfamiliar voices wakened me and my eyes shot open. I was lying in an unfamiliar room, its walls painted white and its tiles flesh and shiny. I looked around, seeing no one I knew and I started to panic. Shit, I wasn't in heaven, was I? The door opened right on cue and I sat up, seeing a man wearing a white lab coat, a stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard in his arms. My parents followed him in and I breathed out a sigh of relief.
Mom quickly rushed towards me, caressing my cheeks with her hands. "Baby, sweetheart, are you alright?" She said, her motherly instincts coming out. "How do you feel? We were so scared, we thought you wouldn't wake up."
I refused to answer, instead I looked down and I was still in the clothes I performed in. there was a clock hanging on the white wall next to me and it was already one in the morning. I shook my head, blinking. "I'm feeling better, mom," I answered, "Where's Kevin and Joe?"
"They're at the after party," Mom said, "We were all so worried. You said you were alright! If you weren't feeling so well, why didn't you say so? You could've just stopped. All the fans were worried too and some of them are outside the hospital."
"This is no big deal," I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, it is, Nicholas," I heard the doctor say making me look up at him. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and glanced at his clipboard. "You're too stressed and over fatigue and it's affecting your condition. Especially that you have diabetes."
I shook my head, protesting, "But I feel fine. We can leave now, mom, dad."
"Yes, you can, but too much stress is not allowed for you," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "You need to take these medicines–" he jotted down the names of the capsules and tablets I needed to take on the colored paper "–and have plenty of rest." he handed my dad the piece of paper and he studied it carefully.
"You hear that, baby?" Mom said, "Plenty of rest."
"And for how long?" I asked, sitting up properly. "I need to finish the tour with my brothers. We have 29 states left so we might as well finish it. I'll get rest while I'm at the tour bus and I'll just take the medicines twice a day."
"We're cancelling it," Dad informed.
"What!" my eyes widened, shaking my head. "No, we're not cancelling it. I'm not letting my fans down. I'm just stressed. It's no big deal. I can relax!"
"See, you're stressed," The doctor said. "I'm sorry, Nick, but you're going to have to continue it some other time." he finally walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving me alone with my parents.
I buried my face in my hands, "This can't be happening."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Mom sighed and rested her hand on one of my knees. "I talked to your brothers about it and said they were fine with it because your health is on the line. It's worse than you think, darling. We can't let that happen to you again! You're eighteen, for God's sake!"
"I understand," I sighed, running a hand down my face. "But can you promise me that once I get better, we'll continue it right away?" I asked, hoping that they'd just say yes. Mom and dad looked at each other for a while before speaking up.
"Sure," dad gave in. "But if this happens again, no more tours."
"Deal," I said, drinking the bottle of water beside me, feeling the cold liquid wrap around my throat. "Can I at least go to the after party first? They need to know that I'm alright." I said as I slipped on my Converse.
"I'll drive," Dad said firmly before we went to the counter to check out. We walked out into the parking lot and into my dad's car. I got to sit in the back seat, feeling like a ten year old that just got home from his monthly visits to the doctor. Once we reached the venue, I quickly got out of the car without even saying good bye to my parents.
I got in and my eyes scanned the room, looking for my brothers. I walked towards them once I spotted their familiar faces. Their eyes widened as they gave me hugs. "Dude!" Joe greeted, "You're alright! I knew something was wrong. Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I wanted to go on," I said as I watched Demi snuggle in Joe's shoulder. "And if I say that I'm not feeling well, you probably will say that I need to stop. I thought I could handle it."
"You thought wrong," Demi rolled her eyes. "I told you to not go on anymore. Don't you realize you were almost killed?" she said, pushing my shoulder.
"Ow," I chuckled. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't take back what happened to you," Demi said, crossing her arms across her chest. "Look, I'm just really worried. You know that you're like a brother to me, right? So get used to it."
"Yes, ma'am," I smiled. "I'm just going to grab a drink." I said, feeling dehydrated.
"You gonna be fine?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, I'll be back in a minute," I answered.
I was thirsty and I needed it like oxygen. I went towards the table, serving myself a glass of punch and finishing it in one gulp. My eyes scanned around the room and it landed on the same girl I last saw before everything went black. I placed my glass down the table and quickly tried to follow her, wanting to get to her before she disappears into the crowd. I wondered why she was here. For the past two years she has never come to any of out concerts. Why now? Why here? Why did she come tonight when I suddenly passed out and she was the last person I saw?
Finally, I reached her and studied her face for a while. The worried look I saw earlier didn't leave either. She was pacing in her beautiful black cocktail dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her brunette waves flowed down her shoulders and her eyes were empty. Like she was waiting for something that never came.
"Hey," I said softly, startling her a bit. She looked up, her eyes widening.
Miley walked towards me and flung her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. I hugged her back without second throughts and I closed my eyes, wondering how I ever survived the years without feeling her against me.
"You're okay," she whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay..."
"I missed you," I whispered back in her ears.
"Me too,"
I suddenly felt alive again.
A/N : I'm sorry if you think that this is long and boring. :) Haha. It's the first chapter so did you like it? Reviews will make me smiley. Belated happy birthday, Nick Jonas!