Charlie's Journal
Chapter Seven

AN: Happy New Year Everyone!
Thank you for all the christmas wishes and reviews!
I hope you all had a good christmas.
I normally dont do this and dont intend do make a habit of it so I hope I am forgiven for doing it this once.
I just wanted to reply to a few of your reviews.

Peaceandsmiles - Shane and Mitchie did get married and it was very very briefly mentioned in chapter one, I did not feel the need to write about it in great detail, so I understand if you missed it. If anyone thinks I should have written it more, let me know I shall fit it in.

SpencerCollins - Sorry to hear you didnt get a white christmas, seeing as it is currently summer in Australia we dont get white christmases ever, but I imagine they are really awesome for those living in the northern hemisphere.

Enjoy the chapter
Princess Kay : )

The past two days have been crazy busy, and for a change we haven't actually been on the road. We stayed in the current city for three days, a record for this tour. We have been on tour for about a month now and to be honest I have no idea where we are. We change locations every day or two, I wouldn't even know the time if it wasn't for people telling me were I had to be all the time. It is like we are living in some crazy time warp. Being summer we don't have any school work we have to complete but that doesn't mean we have had more free time. Caitlyn has had us very occupied with promotional stuff for the release of our debut album. To make things even crazier in the past week at least half of the crew on tour half come down with the flu

I was awoken from my current hotel room at 4:30 the other morning with much complaint, my throat was a little sore so took a vitamin C tablet just in case. I arrived half dead at a local television studio just before six. After consuming a can of red bull and two pop tarts, during the car ride I was a little more awake. A make up artist and hair stylist worked quickly to make sure I looked presentable. To appear on the morning television talk show. The make up was very neutral and natural and my hair was pulled into a side pony tail. I changed into a faded denim skirt and a white tank top which Caitlyn had dug out of my stuff that morning. This was the first of many publicity events scheduled for the next two days, as the official release date is tomorrow. However I was doing it alone, well not alone the show had actually booked Connect Three and me. So while I was holding back yawns my three band mates were snoring back at the hotel.

"Hey Princess, you awake yet?" dad greeted sleepily as he entered the hair and make up room. I shook my head and lazily held out my arms for a hug. Dad stepped around the hairdresser and carefully embraced me.

"Are you nervous?" he asked pulling away. I shook my head and raised my phone to his eye level, indicating I had phoned mom. It had become a tradition that I had to ring mom before every show to calm my nerves. Even after a month I still became a little nervous before every concert. He rolled his eyes and the hairdresser told me I was done. I jumped off the chair and hugged dad again before moving to head out of the room.

"We are on at seven, nice talking to you" dad called out the door his voice filled with sarcasm because I had yet to speak a word to him. A small smile crept across my face and I turned around in the doorway to face him as he took my spot in the chair.

"I love you daddy" I said cheekily and left the room in search of my uncles. The hair and make up ladies had a good chuckle at that.

At seven dad, Nate and Jason were seated on a large rounded couch next to the shows host Sadie. I was standing behind the camera next to the shows producer. The bright stage lights were beginning to give me a headache. Sadie chatted with the boys about their tour for a little bit then talked to dad about mom and me. She went on to joke about Nate and Caitlyn asking if they had plans to have children, Nate kept his expression blank and said 'when it happens it happens' Sadie seemed keen to get something out of the boys and began to ask Jason about his dating life which really went no where. Before she conceited and cut to an ad break. She shook hands with Nate and Jason who patted me on the back as we switched places. Sadie greeted me with a rather tight hug then let me sit in between her and dad.

"Welcome back, sitting with me on the couch right now we have Shane Gray and his beautiful daughter Charlotte, sixteen year old Charlotte is currently joining Connect Three on their summer tour with her own band! Talk about keeping it in the family" she ranted enthusiastically. She crossed her legs and I felt dad's leg press comfortingly against mine.

"What is it like for both of you to be touring together? Do things get tense?" she asked as I tried to hide yet another yawn.

"No I think it has been a good bonding experience, if anything it has brought us closer together" Dad responded to her first question.

"So Charlotte, have you always wanting to be a performer like your parents?" she smiled broadly at me. I gritted my teeth at the constant use of my full name.

"I can't say I ever pictured myself up on stage doing what they do but I have always shared their passion for music" I answered with a nod using one of the many rehearsed responses Caitlyn had been drilling into me and the band. I was feeling a little camera shy. Glancing behind the camera I could see Jason and Nate pulling faces like idiots, I smiled knowing they were trying to make me feel more relaxed.

"It must be pretty hard having parents who are both extremely talented and famous" she commented urging me to talk some more.

"Not really I mean to me they are just mom and dad I never really thought of them as big stars, they are just like normal parents" Sadie's expression encouraged me to expand my answer.

"They still embarrass me in public, help me with my homework and ground me for not doing my chores" I chuckled flinching as dad poked me in the side at the first part.

Sadie laughed too finishing the interview by reading off the tour dates and announcing the album release.

"I'm embarrassing am I?" he teased poking me again after the producer call that the show had gone to another commercial.

"Yes!" I shrieked as he tickled my side. Nate and Jason joined us back on the couch with Sadie and a photographer took a few photos before we said goodbye and left.

By half past nine Caitlyn, Noah, Seth, Dylan and I were at a local radio station. I was on to my second can of red bull using it this time to wash down an apple and some aspirin for my increasingly bad headache. The radio station was going to play our first single so we were all pretty excited. I bounced happily into the studio greeting the shows hosts with enthusiasm, cause by a red bull sugar rush. We sat in swivel stools opposite the hosts at a table filled with microphones. We pulled big black headphones over our ears and waited for the song to end so we could begin the interview.

"I'm in the studio this morning with, Noah, Seth, Dylan and Charlie who are currently on tour with musical legends Connect Three! Now that has to be pretty awesome?" one of the two radio hosts Simon started off the live interview.

"Awesome is probably an understatement, they are great guys and like mentors to us" Seth answered like an expert although this was our first ever radio interview. The female host Cara asked the next question.

"So Charlie, honestly you're the only girl on a tour bus with these three and connect three, that can't be fun" she said her tone sympathetic and dramatic. I laughed before responding.

"I'm actually not the only girl on the bus, my Aunt Caitlyn and Seth's mom are on tour with us too, but yeah us girls are definitely out numbered" I smiled leaning forward in my chair.

"Yeah but being the only girl has got to have its perks, I mean your living with three teenage boys" Simon teased suggestively. I laughed it off and chose not to comment on his statement. But Simon wasn't giving up.

"Come on everyone saw your birthday footage from Hot Tunes, you can't honestly tell me you aren't romantically linked to any of these handsome lads sitting next to you today?" he pushed trying to get a scoop out of me.

"Honestly Simon, these boys are like annoying brothers" I told him shaking my head.

"But hold on I think it was Seth wasn't it who gave you a birthday kiss, you too were getting quite flirty" he continued looking to Seth hoping he would dish what I wasn't.

I gritted my teeth, but kept my smile in place why hadn't I watched that footage! I hope they hadn't played up on something that wasn't there.

"Nah really we are just good friends" Seth agreed and Cara told Simon to quit hassling us and played a song. I took sip of my third red bull and adjusted my headphones. I could hear the song that was currently playing on the radio station; it was the current holder of number one on the US pop charts. I began to softly sing along to the words knowing them as well as any of our own songs. Noah and Dylan began singing with me, adding in some pretty wild air guitar moves from their seats next to me. Even Seth was singing along.

By the time the chorus came around we were all really getting into the song.

"And that was your current number one; we are currently sitting with the daughter of Connect Three star Shane Gray and her band.-" I groaned mentally was I forever going to be known as the rock stars daughter!

"-In just a minute we are going to play their debut single 'Let's Make this last forever' off of their debut album which is released tomorrow!" Cara cheered all in just one breath.

"Now you guys were discovered the same way as stars, like Connect Three, Mitchie Torres and Margret Dupree, at Camp Rock Summer Music Camp?" Simon asked.

"That's right, almost a year ago now" Dylan grinned happily. We talked for a little while about recording and how busy the past year had been before they played our track.

"That was Let's Make this last forever, you can vote for that song right now just go to our website, or give us a call, we are going to say goodbye to Noah, Seth, Dylan and Charlie. Make sure you go out and buy a copy of their album when it comes out tomorrow because these guys are great!" Simon finished and another song played as we went off the air. We took a couple of Photo's with the hosts before heading off to our next stop. In the car on the way there Seth and Noah rang into the radio station and voted for our song several times, putting on fake voices so they would not be recognised.

After that we went to the local mall, I had convinced Caitlyn to let us go and pick something out to wear to our album release party tomorrow night. It was really fun, at the mall we were regular teenagers no one seemed to know that our debut album was coming out tomorrow or that that night we would be performing on stage to thousands. I hadn't realised it but I haven't felt normal in a while. In fact I don't think I have felt normal since I became 'Shane Gray's daughter'. I was over searching through the women's fashion while the boys were off doing who knows what.

"Hey Charlie, how do I look?" Noah called to me from behind a stand filled with accessories. I burst out laughing the second I saw him. Noah was wearing a floral pink scarf over his dark hair and a pair of large round sun glasses which covered half of his face.

"Why Noah darling I don't think she likes it perhaps you should try the gold earrings" Dylan suggested in a high voice holding out a pair of gold hoops for Noah. Dylan was just as bad, he had a big straw hat on and at least thirty different bracelets decorating his arms. My eyes widened and I laughed even louder at the sight of my boyfriend. Caitlyn hearing my near hysterical laughter came over took one look at the boys, which now included Seth who was wearing a green chunky beaded necklace and a rhinestone belt; she shook her head and walked away.

"Which do you think Charlie, blue or red?" Seth asked me seriously once I had recovered slightly, holding out two dresses.

"Um I think we should get you boys over to the men's department" I bit back another giggle.

"Fast" I added when I caught Noah admiring his reflection. Once my band mates were back to normal we relocated to the male half of the store. Where I helped them each pick out a nice shirt and tie. We didn't know whether to do dressy or casual so we went with both, the boys mixing jeans and sneakers with shirts and ties, while I found a casual summery dress. It took for ever, you would not believe how fussy boys can be when it comes to shopping, and by the time we left my headache was returning. We arrived at the stadium at about four just in time for our sound check. None of us were really in the mood for sound check though; it had become just another boring task we had to complete during the day. Dylan was keeping himself occupied by tossing a hackie sack around whilst singing, dropping lyrics every now and then to focus on keeping it in the air. Seth seemed happy to amuse himself by changing up the beat every now and then, hence messing all of us up.

"Pay attention" I snapped at Dylan catching the hackie sack and tossing it side stage, my patience was low as my head started pounding. The loud music and bright concert lights were driving me almost as insane as the boys were.

"Seth!" I cried in frustration when the beat suddenly changed once again. I was tired and my short temper had finally reacted. I put my guitar down on the stand and stomped angrily over to the drums snatching the sticks forcefully from his hand.

"Will you please stick to our songs as they have been written" I demanded yelling at him. He looked a little shocked at my outburst as did everyone else on stage at that moment. I returned the sticks to Seth, shut my eyes and took a deep breath regretting letting my temper come out.

"Sorry… I'm gonna …go" I mumbled my brain struggling to form a sentence and walked off stage. I pulled out my in-ears letting them hang around my neck and wandered through backstage till I found dad. He was with Nate and Jason at yet another meet and greet. Security let me through easily as always but I knew the PR representative was another story. Her hand fell on my shoulder as I tried to pass. She opened her mouth to tell me to go somewhere else but changed her mind and closed it.

"I would let her through" Randy, head of security said from behind me. I was a little surprised to find him there, but happy he was telling her to back off. The PR rep really doesn't like me after the first three days of trying to crash the meet and greets I gave up; she sent me away every time. She stepped aside and let both me and Randy through to dad. Jason saw Randy first he kinda stands out in a crowd.

"Hey Randy" he yelled out directing Nate and dad's attention to us. I jogged forward and embraced dad in a tight hug, I buried my face in his shirt and let the tears I hadn't realise were there fall. His arms held me close and rubbed my back.

"What's happened?" Nate asked I couldn't see who he was asking; I shut my eyes firmly and just listened for a minute. I could hear all the people excitedly waiting to see the band, and a constant throbbing sensation that made me think my brain was going to explode.

"We really gotta keep this moving" someone said.

"I can't…" dad started but Randy cut him off. His large hand rested across my back.

"I will look after her" Randy assured him, gently pulling me apart from my dad, whose hand brushed across my forehead and cheek soothingly, pausing to discreetly take my temperature.

"Randy I want her checked out by the doctor" he ordered placing a tender kiss on my forehead.

"Go rest and eat, if you're not well you're not going on stage tonight" he whispered, I was still crying for some unknown reason, I nodded and let Randy lead me away. Just half an hour later it was decided I wasn't going to perform that night. Instead I sat in the dressing room in my pyjamas with Ann watching on a television screen as my band went on without me. The doctor had confirmed what my dad had guessed during the meet and greet, I had caught the flu.

Drugged up with cold and flu medication I slept through most of the concert and didn't wake up until dad woke me at seven the next morning.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as a retuned from taking a shower.

"Like I have the flu" I replied sarcastically pulling my black band sweatshirt over my head. It was the worst possible time for me to get sick, with our album coming out today we had a cd signing scheduled at the mall we were at yesterday and the party that night. Ann although technically only Seth's mother took on the role Caitlyn had jokingly given her 'band mother' from the moment she saw me that morning she never left my side. Ensuring we all ate a proper breakfast instead of the regular sugary pop tarts we normally ate. By nine we were at the mall, the first thing we did as per a Gray family tradition was purchase a copy of our own album even though we already had several copies. Then the four of us sat down at a table, Caitlyn passed us each three sharpies and sat a pile of pictures at one end. Seth who was closest passed us each one to look at it was the album cover photo. Behind us were more pictures of us, it was really weird to see our faces everywhere. Ann made sure each of us had a bottle of water. We met the store owners and took a photo with them before we began. Much to our surprise there were quite a few people there waiting to get our cd and signatures. We were there for two hours, signing photos and cd's a few people even had caps and t-shirts from last nights concert. It was really amazing to hear people tell us they enjoyed out music. My wow moment of the day came when a nine year old girl approached the table with her mother. She was wearing our t-shirt from the concert and seemed a little shy. Her mother asked Seth to sign her cd which he did passing it along the table for Dylan then me to sign. After writing my signature under my picture I passed it to Noah following the same repetitive process I had been doing all day. The little girl took a step towards me and handed me a gift bag, whispering that it was for me. I smiled and thanked her dropping my pen to take a look inside.

"My daughter was upset to hear that you were sick last night and wanted to make sure you felt better" her mother explained as I pulled out of the bag a packet of cough lollies and small white bear that had get well soon stitched onto it's tummy. I wanted to cry at how sweet that little girl was. I was so touched by what she did; I felt the need to give her something in return.

"I would give you a hug, but I don't want to make you sick" I told her; instead I asked her, what her name was and asked Seth to give me a picture. I turned it over and quickly wrote her a message.

Dear Zoe
Thank you for making me feel better
your are one very special fan
Love Charlie Gray

While my favourite moment was sweet and sentimental the boys favourite moment was less so. They agreed their favourite moment was when two over excited fourteen year old girls begged them to sign their stomachs as well as the cd. I continued to take cold medication all day and drank lots of water. By the party that night I was feeling a little better. We had our photo taken with heaps of different people involved in the making of our album as well as every member of the record label who had shown up to the party, thrown in a function room at the hotel we were staying in. There was lots of food and speeches as well. And more then enough hands to shake. Once again the same annoying introduction followed me around the room.

'And this is Charlie Gray, Shane Gray's daughter' sneaking up to my bedroom around eleven pm I vowed to myself that I was going to lose the little addition to my name. One day people were going to know me as Charlie Gray and nothing more.