Chapter 2: Stand Still, Look Pretty

City life, nothing like being back in the hustle and bustle, Mia reminisced about the place she once called home, Manhattan. When her father informed her four years ago that he was moving them from the fast paced life of New York City to the quiet serene of Tree Hill, North Carolina she felt like her life was being torn away. That day Mia had marked as the day her life was ruined, it was the day that she saw her dream of becoming a famous singer flushed down the drain. But now she found herself back in Manhattan and in tow of fulfilling her dream, with the help of Taylor James. Taylor James, who knew that one day that no name Mia Catalano would be touring with the likes of Taylor James America's Rock Princess and all around superstar. Her three years in the music biz had proven to be some of the best that it had ever seen. Taylor released hit after smash hit launching her into the public eye making her an overnight hit. Mia was jostled out of her thoughts when she heard her phone ring.

She looked at the caller ID and smiled. "Mia's House of Pleasure, Mia speaking," she spoke in a sultry voice trying to stifle her laughter.

"I'd like the special," Nathan huskily spoke into the receiver.

Mia involuntarily shivered; LOVE it when he uses that voice. "And what would that be?"

"Oh you know what I'm talking about," Nathan chuckled. "You know when you're going down on…"

"Ok ok," Mia chuckled lightheartedly. "What do I owe the pleasure of this conversation?"

"If you want pleasure then you shouldn't have interrupted me," Nathan remarked loving that he could get Mia all flustered over the phone; after all you have to be good at phone sex if you want a long distance relationship to work.

"We'll save that conversation for later," Mia smiled; even though Nathan was a little much with his constant sexual references she wouldn't have him any other way. "Seriously, why did you call?"

"Fine," Nathan sighed. "Peyton was just pestering me to ask you if you wouldn't mind playing a couple of songs at the wedding, I mean seeing that you're already gonna be there."

"She shouldn't have to ask, of course I would love to play some songs," Mia smiled. The wedding would be the first time that she was going to see Nathan in a month and she planned on having some definite slutty wedding sex.

"Ok?" Nathan asked really wanting to make sure that Mia was alright with performing.

"Really ok," she could sense that Nathan was smiling causing her to smile.

"Thanks," Nathan replied gratefully, I really do have an amazing girlfriend.

"Oh crap, look I would love to talk to you more but I have to go get ready for my sound check. I'll call you later, love you," Mia hurriedly replied, she's not gonna be happy that I'm late.

"Love you, bye," Nathan said hanging up the phone.

Mia threw her phone into her bag before she ran out of the hotel room where she was staying with Taylor. Oh my God I'm soooooo late. Mia sprinted all the way to the club where she would be performing with Taylor not even bothering taking a cab knowing that traffic would make her later, lucky for her it was just a few block from the hotel.

"Sorry I'm late," Mia panted as she made her way down to the stage. "I lost track of time and…"

"Don't worry about it," Taylor said from her spot on stage. "Just get up here," she said playfully.

Mia smiled gratefully and climbed on stage. "So what song are we on?" Mia asked taking a seat on one of the stools.

"Stand Still, Look Pretty," Taylor replied before she grabbed her guitar and got ready. Mia rolled her eyes; can she be any more obvious? She followed suit and grabbed her guitar and got ready for the sound check.

"I want to paint my face
and pretend that I am someone else
Sometimes I get so fed up
I don't even wanna look at myself

But people have problems that are worse than mine
I don't want you to think I'm complaining all the time
And I hate the way you look at me I have to say
I wish I could start over

I am slowly falling apart
I wish you'd take a walk in my shoes for a start
And you might think it's easy being me
You just stand still, look pretty

Sometimes I find myself shaking
in the middle of the night
And then it hits me and I can't
even believe this is my life

But people have problems that are worse than mine
I don't want you to think I'm complaining all the time
And I wish that everyone would go an shut their mouth
I'm not strong enough to deal with it

I am slowly falling apart
I wish you'd take a walk in my shoes for a start
And you might think it's easy being me
You just stand still, look pretty

I am slowly falling apart
I wish you'd take a walk in my shoes for a start
And you might think it's easy being me
You just stand still, look pretty"

"Excellent girls that sounded just great," a man said while clapping his hands. He was seated in the upper balcony of the club and got up to make his way down to the stage.

"Here we go again." Taylor remarked to Mia leaning in so only the girls could hear.

"Really another stunning song Taylor," the man said as he appeared at the side of the stage. "Whatever is bringing you this inspiration you better not let it go." Both girls just gave an eye roll knowing that he had no clue what he was telling her to do.

"Thanks Bryce," Taylor said waiting for the 'but' in this conversation.

"But…"

Here we go again, Taylor thought with a sigh.

"…it's just another 'I wish I was someone else' song. Seriously Taylor?" Bryce asked not understanding why his superstar kept writing songs about love, loss, and other identities. "What is so wrong with the life that you've been given?"

"Love," Taylor whispered hoping that her manager didn't hear her.

"Love," Bryce scoffed. "Love is nothing to pine over, at least not when you're as famous as Taylor James. Love is for commoners, nothing to be worried about by nobility," Bryce continued using his best regal accent. "You, my dear, will find this 'love' one day but for now you are young, healthy, and rich you should be worried about what party you're going to appear at not love."

Taylor sighed knowing that she wasn't going to win this battle. "Are we done here?" She asked agitated.

"You're free to go," Bryce said with a flick of his wrist before answering yet another call.

"Tay," Mia started but Taylor cut her off.

"Not now Mia," Taylor smiled warmly. "Back at the hotel."

Mia nodded in agreement. The ride in the limo was quiet; Taylor just looking out the window as Manhattan passed by them and Mia conceding to Taylor's request and waiting until they reached the hotel to talk. Mia flopped onto the couch in the living room of their enormous penthouse suite. She flicked on the radio not really in the mood to watch TV.

"So why the glum mood?" Mia asked knowing that something was bothering her friend.

"Do you even have to ask?" Taylor said taking off her oversized sunglasses that she never took off when she was in public.

"First off, Stand Still, Look Pretty," she simply stated raising her eyebrow. "Yet another song about wanting another identity, are you trying to scream I am Haley Scott?"

"No," Haley scoffed not liking that Mia was yelling her identity. "Would you keep it down someone might hear you."

"Sorry Mom," Mia mocked. "Sooner or later people are going to realize that Taylor James is Haley Scott, it's bound to happen one of these days."

"No it won't," Haley grunted as she flopped in the oversized armchair next to the couch. "Why do you think that I never take off those damn sunglasses?"

"I know why you never take them off but sooner or later people are gonna question why you don't. They're gonna start to think that you're blind or something like that," Mia reasoned as she bopped her head to the beat. "Not everyone is gonna keep believing this mysterious broody image that you've got going on."

"I'll keep working it until they stop believing it," Haley replied while resting her head against the arm rest. It was another long day of press, interviews, and sound checks getting ready for their next performance.

"I think you should pass it by Bryce," Mia started. Hale gave her a questioning look. "You know, that you're blind. That way you won't keep getting asked about your sunglasses in interviews."

"Nah, I'd rather keep them guessing," Haley replied halfheartedly, she too was getting lost in the music.

"I talked to Nathan earlier," Mia said breaking the silence that the girls had fallen into.

"Is that why you were late? A little phone rendezvous before sound check," Haley asked with a smirk, knowing her brother that was exactly what they were up to.

"That's what Nathan had in mind," Mia started loving the shudder that took over Haley's body. "After we got back on track he asked if I wouldn't mind playing a couple of songs at Lucas and Peyton's wedding," Mia replied nonchalantly knowing that the wedding would spike Haley's interest.

"The wedding," Haley sighed wistfully. "How are things going?"

"From what Nathan tells me things are going great. Peyton's main concern is the music for the reception…"

"Naturally…"

"…but other than that she doesn't really seem to care," Mia replied. "So I was thinking that in order to make her wedding that much more kickass there could be a little guest appearance by Taylor James," Mia suggested hoping that this attempt to get Haley back in Tree Hill would prevail.

"You know I can't," Haley sighed hating how she felt about going home. It was killing her to not be involved with her brother and best friend's wedding but Tree Hill just held too many bad memories. She wanted the wounds to heal before she made her journey back home and quite frankly the wounds were as fresh as when she left.

"Can't or won't?"

"Maybe it's both," Haley sighed. "But I just won't put my heart through that headache again, it's too much."

Mia didn't continue knowing that she wasn't going to win, why must stubbornness be the main trait in the Scott gene?

~FA~

What a week, Haley thought as she threw her bag on the floor kicking her shoes off half hazardly before making her way over to the couch. She let out a huge sigh as she sunk into the plush cushions relishing in the softness that engulfed her, just what I needed. But before she could get entirely comfortable there was a knock at the door, UGH…who the hell is that?

"Don't worry superstar I've got it," Mia said as she emerged from the hall leading to where the bedrooms were located.

"You're a godsend," Haley yelled as she snuggled further into the cushions wishing they would just engulf her and take her to some far off exotic land for a well deserved vacation.

"Glad to hear that you've finally accepted it," Mia laughed. She continued on her trek to the door. Without even asking who it was she swung the door open to be met with the last person she expected to see. "Peyton?" Mia gasped, what the hell is she doing here? How did she find us?

"From the look on your face I'm guessing that you didn't expect to see me," Peyton smirked. Mia stayed rooted to her spot still in shock that Peyton had found them. "Are you gonna just stand there or are you gonna let me in?"

"Ummmmm," Mia paused knowing the consequences that would ensue if she were to let Peyton in. Shit shit shit shit shit! "Yeah… sure… come in," Mia hesitantly said as she stepped to the side letting her friend through.

"Nice digs," Peyton commented as she made her way to the living room. Crap! Mia thought as she rushed after Peyton but she sighed in relief when she saw that Haley had changed locations. "So where is Miss Rock Princess? I know that if I was staying here I would be living it up like there was no tomorrow."

"Oh she's around," Mia said looking for any signs of Haley.

"Mia who was at the door?" Haley asked walking into the living room with a bottle of water.

"HALEY?" Peyton screamed practically falling off the couch in shock.

Haley's face dropped when she saw her best friend sitting on the couch. "Peyton? What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Peyton said as she stood up and walked over to Haley. Before Haley could answer Peyton engulfed her in a bone crushing hug. "I missed you so much."

"I've missed you too P. Sawyer," Haley sighed. She hugged Peyton back just as forcefully as she was receiving. She pulled back from Peyton and got a good look of her best friend, I can't believe she's here. "What're you doing here?"

"I came to visit Mia just to make sure that everything was all set for the wedding…" Peyton trailed off when she saw that Haley wasn't shocked hearing about the wedding. "Why are you not surprised?"

"I've been filling her in," Mia raised her hand like she was back in high school answering a question.

"On everything?" Peyton asked looking from Mia to Haley.

"Only on what she'll let me tell her," Mia said with a knowing smirk sent to Haley, she's about to get it.

Peyton glared at her best friend. "Only what you want to know, ay?" She raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Why wouldn't you want to know everything? Better yet why wouldn't you just keep in touch yourself?" Peyton asked her anger was growing with each question.

"There was just some stuff that I didn't want to know," Haley replied wincing at the anger that was evident in Peyton's voice. "And as for not keeping in touch myself well, I just wasn't ready for that, not yet."

"Is it because of Brooke?" Peyton asked already knowing the answer. Haley simply nodded her head while looking down. Peyton place her index finger under her chin and lifted her gaze. "You have to know that she's hurting, she misses you."

"Please Peyt," Haley pleaded. "I don't want to hear about her. She's mainly what Mia hasn't been filling me in on."

"But…"

"No buts Peyt," Haley sighed she was in not state to argue with Peyton over this, she had just had the week from hell and wasn't sure how much more she could put up with before she snapped.

"Fine, if we're not gonna talk about her then let's talk about why you're here," Peyton said extending her arms to indicate the penthouse suite in one of the nicest hotels in Manhattan.

"Well, if you must know," Haley said a small smile playing on her face. She walked over to the end table where the 'Taylor James' sunglasses rested. She put them on and spun around, the gasp from Peyton indicated that she knew exactly what Haley was doing here. "Don't worry, you can still call me Haley," she chuckled at seeing Peyton's shocked face.

"You're Taylor James," Peyton stated as she continued to take in her best friend. Taylor James had always looked familiar to Peyton but she could never put it into place but now everything was starting to click. Haley's newly darkened hair; she was no longer sporting the honey blonde locks that simply screamed Haley Scott. Her friend had matured, in a good way, and it seemed those two subtle differences along with the masked eyes were enough for Haley to get away with an alternate ego.

"I can see that everything's starting to click," Haley smiled as she watched the gears turning and the light bulb going off above Peyton's head.

"Is this why you ran away, to become a famous rock star?" Peyton asked still in awe that she never realized it sooner but then again she had no clue that Haley could sing, as far as she was concerned Haley's music talents were limited to the piano and guitar.

"No," Haley simply answered not wanting to get into this; it was the biggest wound that she was carrying.

"Then why?" Peyton asked desperately needing to know why her best friend could abandon her like she had.

"I…" but Haley was cut off when she heard the door open.

"Mama!"

Sorry for the cliffhanger. So what do ya think? Good? Bad? Confused? Well whatever you're feeling please let me know by leaving a review.

I hope that this chapter filled in some of the missing pieces that were out there. I'm also hoping that this chapter is giving you reason to stick with me and FA.

Oh, and if you haven't noticed most of the chapters are going to have at least one song in them seeing that this story is very musically based, so I guess this is a warning or sorts if you can label it that. Most of the songs that are picked will either reflect the mood of the chapter or the mood that a character is in.

Song is "Stand Still, Look Pretty" by The Wreckers.

=]