~~~"I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone all the Time"~~~

*Chapter One*

A rush of heavy rock music exploded like a volcano to those within hearing distance
bringing their ears to full attention. The lights and dark smoke drew all eyes
even further towards the source of the music. The talent, voices and people
behind the unique sound were now present for all to see. The focus was directed
towards the middle of the stage where the lead singer stood. She was playing
her guitar with ease like it was what her body was born to do. There stood Haley
James front and center stage for. Her older sister, Quinn James, stood to her right
and was pounding on her keyboard. Walker Roberts was behind them pounding away
the drum beats that were driving the song forward. Chris Keller, who was to the
left of Haley, was intensifying the driving beats with his guitar.

Eyes closed and slightly leaning forward, she gripped the microphone as she
proceeded to sing her heart out. The main camera moved forward to capture Haley
as she "sang" along with the track for their next video. Each phase of powerful
lyrics gave the audience something to think about but that wasn't enough.

"CUT!" said Cole the director of the video.

The playback halted and the smoke was soon to follow. Each member stopped "playing"
and "singing" to look at the director. The extras that were there to portray a
crowded nightclub broke away and moved off to the sides of the room. Cole
walked up towards the stage and stopped in front of Haley.

"Quinn, Chris and Walker, I am really feeling your energy and enjoyment. Don't change
a thing. OK Haley, you are doing a good job but I think it can be even better.
This song is about moving on and not feeling anything about someone you have
spent perhaps some intimate time with. That can't be an easy thing for one to
do and I want to see that. I want to see your pain when you have to leave this guy
and move on to the next. I want to feel how much you don't want this dude to
want you. I want to see that this is an everyday normal thing for you to do.
Understand?" Cole said and then waited for Haley to signal some understanding.

"Sure thing Cole, I'll work on it." Haley said.

A satisfied Cole walked back and took his place behind the camera. Haley turned
around and looked at Walker. A shrug of the shoulders was all that Walker could
offer Haley. Accepting it but wanting more she looked towards Chris for guidance
or something. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for in the first
place.

"Relax Haley. We wrote this song not him. We know what it is truly about not him.
He knows how to make the video look like what the song means. Just sing it how
you feel it. And don't forget to look damn sexy while doing it." Chris said with
a wink and then returned back to his mark on the stage.

Haley turned around and took a few deep breaths as she thought for a moment. She
gripped the microphone again and gave Cole a nod telling him that she was ready.
Though she wasn't sure the lyrics really depicted what she was feeling anymore
but she had to sing them anyways. There was no use changing them now. What's
wrong with pretending a little more? The song was a big part of their hot
selling album that was constantly spinning in stereos all over the United
States and the rest of the globe for that matter.

The morning came too soon as it often does. The Fire Pistols were needed back
on set to shoot the last shots of the video but that was it. Just a few more and
the video would be ready for editing and then later releasing. When Quinn woke,
the line for the shower had already begun. Chris was waiting around for Walker
to finish up when Quinn opened her bedroom door. It had been a late the
previous night and the guys crashed at her place.

"How long?" Quinn asked even though she was barely coherent.

"He's been in there for 20 minutes so anytime now." Chris said.

As if he was on cue the bathroom door opened and a fresh smelling Walker walked
out.

"All yours Chris. Morning Quinn." Walker said in a cheery voice.

Quinn scowled at Walker for his perkiness.

"Dude why are you so happy? I get the same amount of sleep as you but I'm tired
as hell." Quinn said.

"I don't know Quinny." Walker said as he walked down the hall towards the
kitchen.

Quinn turned and watched Walker walked away without really answering him. She turned
back to the bathroom just as the door closed.

"Dammit Chris, I really need to pee! Can I get in there for like two seconds
please?" Quinn begged her band mate. The rustling sound behind the door sounded
promising to Quinn but shortly all her hopes were crushed as soon as the water
was turned on.

"Ass." Quinn said to the wooden door and then walked away.

She stopped at Haley's bedroom and knocked on the door. Of course she heard no
answer so she opened the door. Sure enough Haley was still passed out on her bed
underneath a bunch of blankets. Haley sure did know how to sleep, clearly the
best out of the James family.

"Haley?" Quinn called out.

There was no response so she continued calling her name. After about ten Haley's
she finally got a reaction.

The blankets moved and another world was heard from.

"What Quinn?" Haley said in a sleepy voice.

"Ohh hey you're awake great. I just wanted to make sure you were up. We're leaving
at 7 on the dot." Quinn said and then walked out of the room.

Haley pulled the covers off of her head and was blinded by the sunlight that
had crept in her room from behind the blinds.

"Urgghhh it's too early." Haley said to herself and then pulled the covers back
over her head. She knew it wasn't wise for her to close her eyes again but the
sun was just too bright. It only felt like five minutes but in reality it was
20 minutes later when she woke again. She glanced at the clock and saw she was
late again.

She got out of bed and jumped into the now free shower and took the fastest shower
known to mankind. Though it still wasn't quite fast enough. Walker knocked on
her bedroom door while she was getting dressed.

"I'm getting dressed." Haley called to the person on the other side of the door.
Haley was throwing on a pair of skinny jeans and muscle tank top.

"That's fine. We're gonna split though and head to the set. I think Chris has a
scene or two he needs to re-shoot before we do the last group shots. So you can
follow us in the explorer OK?" Walker proposed to Haley.

Haley only half listening as she desperately tried to make her face and hair
look somewhat presentable.

"Sure I'll follow you in the other car." Haley called back to Walker.

Walker left Haley to finish getting ready for the day and headed to the car.
Haley happened to glance out the window as Chris reversed the car out of the
driveway into the road. Five more minutes and she would be ready to go too.
Haley went right through the kitchen to the garage. She had no time to make something
at home to eat.

Haley drove to the end of the block and then was forced to make a very important
decision. Her stomach was killing her and she could use a coffee to give her
that extra kick she needed. But was she was already late. She sat in her car
and debated on which way to turn. Left would make her late but right would make
her even later.

"The hell with it. I'm late as it is." Haley said to herself and then turned right.

She parked right in front of the coffeehouse and grabbed her baseball hat and sunglasses
before going inside. It was rather early in the morning but it's always better
to safe than sorry. She entered the building and was happy to see only a
handful of customers inside. Due to her level of fame, she was able to blend in
so to speak when she was out without major security around. She

placed her order and moved aside to wait as they employees prepared it. Haley
only looked up once at a group of people, which could have proven to be her worst
mistake. Three young girls sat around a table sipping their beverages. Their
eyes were extremely interested in the dark haired sunglass-wearing girl who was
waiting for her order.

Haley immediately looked away in hope that they wouldn't recognize her. She had
leeway for a quick coffee but not for signing autographs and taking pictures.

"Order up." said the woman behind the counter.

Haley walked over and picked up her cup and moved towards the condiment table. She
quickly fixed her coffee and bagel and then was on her way out. Avoiding the
girls as she exited the building, her eyes remained on the ground. She wasn't
even paying attention to where she was going until her body collided with
someone else's.

Thank you for reading and please review! :)