NOTE FROM AUTHOR/

Sorry it took me so long. I had serious writers block. I don't mean to moan but no one is reading my story anymore so if you guys know anybody looking for a read that would be great. I am trying my hardest on this story and though it can be flat this chapter is one of my favorites. You really get to know Reagan, and Reagan says some things about her own experience when all actuality it applies to Haley and might be the help Haley needs.

Nathan'sRaven: I'm loving your story! And thanks for always being there for me…I feel like the worst writer ever.

Brucas4ever: Thank you soooo much!

Thanks you two, and to whoever might be out there reading.

Chapter 16

Lady Luck

In another everyday boutique, only a mile away from the mall, there was finally peace. Peace from all paparazzi, staring fans, and run of the mill clothing. Behind inches of racks stuffed with over priced clothes Haley James was up to her head in clothing. Clothing she didn't even have time to look at before it was stuffed into her arms.

When it came to shopping, Reagan didn't need to pause. It was the air she breathed that kept her going on. With one glance she could recognize it as "One of the Three" as Haley had been told. Number one: Cant live without/ IT was top of the want list, on all the stars, known across the world, Number 2: Run Of the Mill/ Something over priced to take up room on the rack. Not worthy of being worn. Number 3: Work in Progress/ Something that can be improved with some work, or something not so well known to launch.

Haley had felt inadequate her fair share of times. But this one beat the cake. She barley knew what a boutique was. She always thought of them as stingy old shops with the smell of rotten, musty perfume. When she arrived she expected the store to be full of old women with knitting kits, and the racks to be full of more then modest, floral disasters. Once again the true Haley came out, the one she liked to hide. The Haley who wore things that looked pretty and still worried about the price tag. Through out the years of fame there were few people that knew the secrets behind the star. The fact that she never wore makeup when she knew no stalker with a camera was going to show up, and she still had problems applying it so that she didn't look overdone. She still had to call Missy, her wardrobe specialist, to buy her clothes and match them for the day. Haley's pride certainly took a beating that a teenage girl could dress her in designers clothes when Haley didn't know Channel from Coach.

"Can't…..Breath." Haley said jokingly from behind the mounds of clothes that just kept building in her arms.

Reagan looked at her as if she had forgotten Haley was even there. She then realized how many clothes she had already thrown at Haley. "Let's go try these on then!" Reagan exclaimed giddily. Haley was ushered to what looked like a wooden box with a curtain in front of it. Surrounding the dressing room was full length mirrors. Reagan took most of the clothes in Haley's hands and threw them in the dressing room.

"Excuse me! Be careful will you? Unless you want to pay for all those-"

Reagan looked up in shock, before breaking out in a mocking grin. "Did you really think those clothes would break that easily? They aren't glass; I don't think that would be too comfortable…Now go on and try on those clothes and model them for me." Reagan lightly pushed Haley deeper into the dressing room and shut the curtain behind her.

"Another Brooke in the world…" Haley muttered before she had time to think. And once she had uttered the name of an old friend a familiar sinking feeling in her stomach came about. She pushed all thoughts into the back of her head and focused on changing into a dress that was slightly too tight. She looked in the mirror and the red

Proenza Schouler dress was way to lose in the front, and clung ultra tight in the stomach. She looked flat with a paunchy bulge.

"Reagan?" She exited the dressing room to another handful of clothing.

"That certainly is a 2. If you are trying on the evening dresses the black vintage Valentino dress is more suited for you."

"And I will magically be able to find that dress behind this heap of clothes?"

Reagan dragged the pile outside the dressing room, and found the dress a couple moments later. She sat on the ground and started going through the pile. "You go in and change, model each outfit to me and then I will give you another."

Reagan came out in a black dress that had risqué cleverage line but was all around flattering. It was certainly not a dress she would pick out. Haley observed it in the mirror. "It's just not me." She tried to reason with her reflection.

"It was MADE for you." Reagan breathed. "So it's not the every day thing you would chose, it fits you like a glove. Are you seeing the same thing I am?"

Haley looked at herself in the mirror again. The dress had black halter straps that held it up. And from those halter straps it formed a triangle down of flesh. It had a string in the middle with a clasp of diamonds. True, it was a sight. But she knew if she attempted to wear it soon she would be flashing the world.

"Maybe we could find something…Less revealing…"

Reagan looked through the clothes she was holding and handed her a purple silk Versace gown. "Before you ask if it's too flashy, just try it on." Haley looked down at Reagan, who seemed very pleased with herself.

When Haley came out Reagan had disappeared. She looked over to the mirror, displaying herself at all angles and had to do a double take. Could that really be her? The lilac dress pinned and clung to her body. It gave off just the right amount of skin, and was the most stunning feel. It looked like something you wanted to dive into and felt like butter.

Reagan walked up behind her with some clothes on her arms that she was preoccupied with. Then through the mirror she caught Haley's gaze and looked at the dress she was wearing. Her expression became smug. "If you don't ….buy that dress…I will DIE! It's PERFECT! "

Haley looked back at the reflection. Her normally rich hazel eyes now had a tint of purple reflected in them. Her brown hair cascaded over the dress gave it the perfect color contrast. "Why do I need a dress again?"

"Because it is amazingly stunning, not to mention you are going to the Coach Launch Party. You needed a dress to look killer in."

Haley nodded as if a child then her plane orbiting the clouds finally came down. "Wait I don't own a coach bag."

"Then buy one." Reagan stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

After agreeing to buy the dress, a pair of shoes, three pairs of jeans, some tops, and still holding some arguable items Reagan insisted they search the rack again with their stash being held up front. This time both girls were perusing the same rack.

"Why are you hanging out with me?"

Haley looked across at the now solemn teenager. "I needed help with clothes."

"Beside that though…I mean you could have gotten some professional to help you and I am just a dinky, everyday teenager."

Haley stopped browsing and looked across at her. "You have talent kid, heck talent that could be spotted with one performance. You have potential."

"I don't want to be a shoe in."

Haley blinked at the sudden comment." What?"

Reagan bit her lip, and looked at the ceiling. How to explain without seeming ungrateful and spoiled was impossible. "Ashlee Simpson only became famous because of her sister. Hilary got her sister, whatever her name is, famous. Through, heaven knows, neither of them have any talent."

Haley couldn't help from interrupt. "Yes they do, Hilary is a very nice person."

"Doesn't make her a better actress or, heaven forbid, better singer. I still hate them." Reagan countered. "The point is, I don't want to be your project: I want to make it on my own. I've sacrificed enough; to take the easy road out would be pointless."

This girl was getting more and more confusing by the day. Haley decided to lay it on the line. "Everyone had connections with fame; I don't want to be one of your connections, though I might help in other ways. I want to be your friend. There's a mystery about you that I can't figure out, and I don't mean that in some lesbian stalker-ish way. Can we be friends?"

Reagan released a sigh and nodded. "Like an older sister, younger sister relationship?" She asked somewhat hopefully.

Haley nodded but then she thought of something. "When you said sacrifices…Did you mean what the band was talking about last night?"

"You really are stalking me Haley James!" Reagan fired with a huge smile. Then after a couple moments she nodded. Her voice turned light, glazed with the moment. Her eyes looked as if she was reliving her words. "It was always the five of us and music. Then I was faced with a huge question, A life with music, or my friends. I talked to them and each had different reactions. Miles was ecstatic. He didn't care, just made me promise to introduce him to stars. TJ was furious, said some not so kind things. Quinn didn't care. He said we would all branch out eventually, something about it being my moment to shine. And John….John…I can't even put a finger on what he was feeling. He looked at me and…I knew he was happy for me…But there was something more…Like regret in his eyes. No matter what the band said though, I knew it all boiled down to me. I knew somehow things would change, and I couldn't change that. I had to make a decision and somehow, even if I felt I was leaving them behind in the smallest, I know I would have always wondered what could have been."

As her own experience flashed before her eyes Haley understood every word. "Sometimes you lose people when you pursue after a dream." She added, not sure at the moment whether she was speaking to Reagan or to herself.

Reagan's head snapped up. "Doesn't mean you have to lose them for good."

If only it were that simple. "Sometimes the people….they don't understand." There was a clear picture of Nathan's face, etched in her memory. "Then you have no choice."

"Then they weren't worth having, or it wasn't meant to be." Reagan stated simply.

"What makes you say that?" Haley couldn't help but ask.

"If you can't mix two worlds into one, maybe they weren't meant to be one. People might not always understand but deep inside you make a choice. And you always know what the consequences might be. Sometimes you know that person, or group of people will come back to you, and other times you risk it. If have to risk it, if you do risk it, it wasn't that you messed up. If you chose to leave, people can blame you, but it's nothing worth punishing someone for if it's not in fates cards. It's not your fault, it's fate coming back and proving to you that it's in control. Life is a roller coaster. It's got it's ups and downs. Sometimes you're riding it and you can see right in front of your face, other times you have no control and you just have to trust that it will lead you to where you need to be. Both have beginning and ends, and both end up at the destination you need to be. Fame may be along that route, and if you are given the Me or Fame speal then the person isn't worth having, or the people know you are already gone."