Remember Me This Way

Chapter Three

"Nick are you paying attention?"

"Nick?"

"Niiiiick..."

"Nicky!" Howie called, finally causing Nick to snap back to attention. He'd found himself spacing out more and more during the past month. They'd finished the album and were now trying to block for the performances of their first single "Calling Out To You" and work out the choreography. They had yet to decide the final album tracklist, but they were more concerned on making sure the performances would be on point.

"Sorry! And don't call me Nicky!" he half whined, half spit out, finding himself overly irritated at Howie.

"Alright, sorry."

Brian gave Nick a look as AJ caught his eye and just chuckled. "Nick must not be getting any lately. No wonder he's cranky."

Nick rather than laugh along, just rolled his eyes. He'd always had a case of diagnosed but unmedicated ADD, since he hated the effects of the pills. Over the years he learned tricks that would help him focus on whatever he was doing at that moment. But lately, he'd been having more problems focusing than he ever did before. When he was driving, he'd have to fight to pay attention or he'd end up on a random street with not a clue of how he got there. He'd space out during rehearsals when it was his turn to sing. And now, when they were trying to get down the choreography and block out on the stage which Boy went where, he found himself staring off into space and annoying the others, and himself.

He started wondering if maybe he'd been overdoing the drinking, if Brian was right. Or that the fact he'd only been getting five hours of sleep a night if he was lucky, was beginning to catch up with him. Maybe it was a combination of all of them. Maybe he was catching the flu again; he of all people knew how weak his immune system was to that, as he was always getting sick with one thing or another. The timing was bad as they had a promotional appearance on the Today show within days.

A tap on the shoulder caused him to jump and turn to see the culprit, Brian.

'I must've spaced out again. Shit.'

"Jumpy?"

Nick forced a grin. "Just imitating how you gotta leap to reach stuff."

"You look tired."

"I'm good... can't we just rehearse?"

"You've come back down from Planet Nick right?" Howie remarked, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement.

"I'll have you know it's called Nickopolis thank you very much."

AJ snickered as he stretched a bit. "Otherwise known as the insane asylum."

"Alright guys, let's focus."

Brian saluted Howie. "Yes sir Daddy Howie!"

"Remind me to tell Kevin thanks soooooo much for calling you to join."

The music began to play as once more Nick forced himself back to attention. He followed the others in synch with the music and steps that their once again choreographer Fatima, had designed for them. Nick felt himself smile, he loved dancing these days. At one point, he used to hate it, having been slower to catch on to it than the others. But as time progressed, dancing had become natural and fun to do once more. Yet as he continued, he found himself fighting harder and harder to get the steps right. Eventually he tripped over his own feet, almost knocking AJ over from behind and missed by mere inches.

'Thank God AJ tunes out the whole damn world when he gets into his dancing zone.'

The Boys danced effortlessly, making sure they didn't bump into each other. Nick stood there, feeling stupid for having not a clue of what steps came next. Brian was the one who noticed Nick's lack of dancing first. The look of concern on the southern man's face was plain as day to see as his forehead crinkled. "What's up?"