Thank you Majit and Cutie Ray for the Reviews!

Sorry this is a short chapter, but the school year is winding down!

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"Make sure when you cry, no one elsecan hear you."

He leaned against the brick wall on the side of the building where he had stood just 20 minutes before. He needed another cigarette. Four hours in New York and he was already on his way to becoming a chain smoker.

Lighting up a cigarette and taking a drag, he started to reflect on all that Guy Oseary had said. Was it a test, did he actually expect him to show up with Haley the next week? Was he just sending him down a dead end, he never actually asked him to play anything during their meeting today? And how exactly was he going to get Haley to come back with him? He was obviously in trouble. He hadn't even decided what he was going to eat for lunch that day, let alone what he was going to do for the next week.

The bell rang for first period. Haley was late again, but people seemed to be getting used to it.

"Ms. James," Mr. Fairwell stated with a raised eyebrow as Haley slid into her seat a minute after the bell. "Late again. Third time in a week, see me after class."

She was embarrassed at the fact that she couldn't keep it together, how could she let her life fall apart over something so trivial? Or maybe it wasn't… She'd lost her shot at fame, she'd lost her shot at music taking her anywhere. She'd made that decision before Chris had even told her he was leaving, it pretty much began the second she started working with him. She married Nathan because she loved him, she still did, and knew she always would. Fame or not. Chris or not. Kiss or not.

It was the fact that she could not have everything which killed her. She always felt like she had everything, but that was when everything to her was straight A's and a new CD every week. Then everything became getting married and becoming famous, all by the age of 17.

All through English class she was trying to find ways she could leave for New York without anyone realizing. It would have been so simple at the beginning of the year, everything was so no strings attached at that point. The bell woke her up out of her little dream session, which was all it was again. She hadn't taken any notes, but being perfect wasn't important anymore, she'd given up on herself.

"Ms. James," Mr. Fairwell motioned for her to come over to his desk as the rest of the class filed out of the room. Haley walked timidly over to his desk, she was still a little out of it. "Lately, Ms. James, your tests haven't been lacking, but I must say your class attendance has been less than admirable."

"I know, I'm sorry. I've been out of it lately," she said with all the forgiveness she could muster. She really wasn't sorry, and she was starting to kind of hate faking it for other people. "What would happen if say, someone started doing an independent study program for the rest of the school year? Would it be possible to finish early?" she asked, somewhat timidly, but she wasn't afraid of hurting anyone's feelings anymore.

"Well, this person would certainly have to be focused enough to actually finish out the year. Then again, if this person is far enough ahead, I'm sure they could in about a fourth of the time it'd take sitting in this class…" he replied, playing along with her game.

"Thanks Mr. Fairwell." She turned around heading towards the door for her next class.

"Haley, don't do anything stupid," he replied staring down at the paper he was correcting on his desk.

"I wouldn't," she meekly replied, and left the room. She couldn't figure outwhich decision was the right anymore.