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AJ looked at the other guys. They were all standing backstage at the little scene they had put up for this special press conference and performance.
They had a new album coming out, titled Black and Blue for various reasons, none of them resembling the reason they would give the press.
And with Black and Blue they were coming back. It had been a while, but they were ready.
All they had to do was to give the press a great sample of the new cd. After that it was the actual conference. As usual, Justin was too excited to stand still, and Brian was trying to spend time with his girl and keep Justin calm at the same time.
Not an easy task.
The were going to perform their new single, Shape of My Heart first, but after that it was AJ's turn.
He had thought of it for a long time, and he knew it was the only way.
He had been in town for two days, and N-Zee hadn't called once. AJ had looked for him in the shadows, but nothing indicated that N-Zee was there.
This was his last chance.
He just hoped that N-Zee would hear it.
********************
The press people clapped their hands after Shape of My Heart, and a few selected fans were cheering in the background.
It was time.
"The next song we are going to sing was written by AJ" Brian says, turning towards him and smiling.
This was it, no turning back.
"This song is about someone who means a lot to me. I'm sorry. I said things I shouldn't have, and I pushed you away. This ones for you N-Zee"
Remember when
We never needed each other
The best of friends
Like sister and brother
We understood
We'd never be
Alone
AJ took a deep breath and looked over the crowd. For a split second he thought he saw N-Zee in the crowd, but he was wrong.
Those days are gone
Now I want you so much
The night is long
And I need your touch
Don't know what to say
Never meant to feel this way
Don't wanna be alone tonight
It wasn't easy for AJ to sing the words. On the CD he didn't sing this much, but the other guys had agreed that it would only work if AJ was truly singing the words.
What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
The others lowered their microphones and waited for AJ to go on. Everyone was quiet now, listening to the words. The way it was supposed to be Kevin thought. But would they understand just how deep this one went, just how much this song told them about AJ?
I hear your voice
And I start to tremble
Brings back the child
That I resemble
I cannot pretend
That we can still be friends
Don't wanna be alone tonight
AJ could see one of the fans standing up front getting tears in her eyes. It moved him beyond belief that someone could feel so much because of words he sang. But then again, the song was sad, and he was barely holding back his own tears.
What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
Silence. For a second silence was all around AJ. It was like nothing else mattered. He was deep inside his own mind, seeing things. He had to be, for for a second there he thought he had been looking into a pair of blue eyes.
I wanna say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know
I don't wanna live this lie
I don't wanna say goodbye
With you I wanna spend the rest of my life
Gone. The eyes was all gone now. Illusions. He hated them.
What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
He felt Kevin's hand on his shoulder, and he relaxed more. Still no tears running down his cheek, but he felt like they were right there, ready to roll any minute now.
What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
Everything's changed, we never knew
How did I fall in love with you
*********************
He didn't know why he was here.
But it felt right, it was right.
After the press conference he had wanted to be alone, so he had sat down in the hallway backstage.
Tears had started to come down his cheeks, when he suddenly felt something call at him.
He couldn't explain it, but it was like something told him to go outside.
The alley was dimly lit up, and looked empty.
He walked out into it, looking around.
He heard sounds coming from around the corner, and walked slowly around it, trying not to let anyone know he was there.
He stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw.
Two big guys were beating up on some poor fellow lying crunched on the ground.
The guy on the ground moved, and he could see a blood covered face, bleached blonde hair and pair of blue eyes.
It was N-Zee.
********************
He didn't know why he had gone to the mini-concert.
AJ had made it pretty clear the he wanted nothing to do with him, but still. It was like something told him to get into that press conference, slash mini-concert.
Getting in was no problem, and no one even questioned why he was there, the only guy out of maybe a hundred girls.
He stayed hidden, not wanting AJ to see him in the crowd.
"Now that would be just great" he though, shaking his head. That would only make AJ think of him an an even bigger looser.
The first song ok, a bit different than the others, and more mature. Maybe he could actually like this one.
It wasn't like it was because of the music he had hanged out at Backstreet Boys concerts nearly a year ago.
It was a pair of brown eyes standing on the little stage right now.
AJ's first words broke his heart. Had AJ found another, someone he could actually dare to show off, someone he could fall in love with?
But as AJ mentioned his name, he forgot every thought that had been flowing through his mind, and he stopped worrying about AJ spotting him and listened to the words.
It was beautiful, and never before had anyone ever done something like this for him. Never before had anyone told him that they loved him.
For a second he thought he met AJ's eyes, but he wasn't sure.
Nothing was sure anymore.
He stayed for parts of the press conference, but then he knew it was time to take off.
********************
Once outside he remembered why he had been skeptical to come here. This was Lion grounds, and they hated him right now. Considering what he had done to a few of them, he was not surprised.
Walking around here, in a rather dark alley, alone, it was not the place you wanted to be if you were him. Not if you were anyone else than a Lion.
He closed his eyes, and heard the song in his mind. He could hear AJ's voice sing the words, singing them to him.
What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
Maybe that was the reason why he hadn't seen it coming.
He felt a blinding pain in the back of his head, and he fell forward.
He hit the ground hard, and could feel the pain running through his body as the guys hit him with a bat and kicked him.
He could hear his own ribs break under the pressure, and pain ran through his body. It was all inside him. It was everywhere.
He turned over, and his blue eyes met a pair of brown ones.
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