Continued thanks to all of you loyal readers as well as any new readers who've reviewed. I have read every review and they continue to motivate and inspire me to continue writing. Input and suggestions are always taken into consideration as I'm writing.
I've gotten questions about introducing Lucas and Brooke into the storyline...guess I'm wondering what readers thoughts are on this topic. I know there are a few additional characters already in the story and I don't want to over load it. Leave a review and let me know if you're willing to share your thoughts.
Song Credits to follow at the end of the chapter...
Thanks again for reading
~~~ "I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone All the Time" ~~~
* Chapter Eighteen*
Nathan, Parker and Tanya fit in so well with the band one would think they were all old friends. Walker and Chris tried their best not to talk Nathan and Parker's ears off about basketball and the current season. Quinn took advantage of the down time to relax on the sofa while visiting with Tanya and Clay. Haley was doing anything but relaxing before show time.
Haley had been called out from backstage by a crew member to double check her microphone pack, ear pieces and a quick radio interview. She hurried back to their dressing room with the hope of sitting with her friends and finishing her plate of food before the show. Nathan greeted her with a big smile when she walked back into the room again. He immediately noticed she appeared a bit frazzled. He offered her a questioning glance as she found her plate of food and finally sat down again. She made every attempt to jump back into the conversation with the group like she never left until there was yet another knock on the door.
Walker headed towards the door and opened it casually.
"What's up?" Walker questioned looking directly at another crew member standing in front of him.
"Peyton wants Haley to meet a few new music executives before the show really quick. I'll escort her there now." Stated the crew member as he stood there holding a clipboard clearly not budging until Haley accompanied him.
Haley tried to hide her frustration as best as she could knowing all eyes in the room were on her. She snatched up the small sandwich off her plate of food before putting her plate back on the table.
"Nathan, I'm sorry I'll be right back." Haley said quietly as she walked past him on the way out the door. Nathan watched her run off again at Peyton's beck and call leaving the rest of her band resting in the dressing room.
Haley followed the crew member back down the hallway where she had just come from. She tried to eat her sandwich politely without shoving the entire thing in her mouth. She never knew who was watching backstage, taking pictures or taking video footage. She entered a room and was immediately greeted by Peyton.
"Finally you're here! I want you to meet two members of our new team that's helping redefine The Fire Pistols' new image." Peyton said quietly to Haley making sure no one heard them.
Haley nodded knowing she needed to put on her "pretty" face and say all the "right things" during their impromptu meeting. Peyton looked Haley over and paused when she saw Haley's sandwich in her right hand.
"I'm sorry." Haley muttered and then tossed the remainder of the sandwich in a nearby garbage can. Peyton was always concerned with appearances and didn't tolerate anything less than 100% professional behavior and attitude from all her clients.
Nathan tried his best not to babysit the clock while she was away but couldn't help but notice it was getting dangerously close to show time and Haley was nowhere to be found.
"She'll be back soon Lover Boy!" Quinn teased with a grin after she noticed Nathan check the clock for the third time in 10 minutes.
Nathan offered a timid smile back at Quinn before he stated "So this is what Haley meant when she told me touring is non-stop work."
"To be honest it isn't always this hectic. It's just gotten really crazy lately for Haley. With the new direction of the band has shifted to. She's a trooper though! Hales never wants to complain, miss an appointment or let anyone down. My little sis has always been somewhat of an overachiever." She replied jokingly.
Chris had been eavesdropping slightly and added "Not to mention stubborn as the day is long and hard headed when she's told to slow down, take a nap or something like that. It's a good thing we're taking a little break right now for all of us."
As if on cue, Haley burst through the door again while declaring "That's it! I'm not doing any more running around before the show!"
Walker replied "I'll tell her where to stick it if she comes back for ya" from the chair he was lounging in.
Haley walked over and was immediately embraced in a bear hug from Nathan who was waiting with open arms. Having him waiting backstage almost made all her running around not so bad.
"I'm so sorry about all that Nathan but you know how something's can just come up." She apologized instantly feeling awful for nearly abandoning him backstage. She was grateful he had been getting along so well with everyone.
He smiled as he said "No biggie, I understand how it goes sometimes."
Haley let out a tired sigh as she took note of the time. So much for taking a little breather.
"We better go if you want to catch the rest of the opening act. I know you were excited to see them perform and you've missed most of it already because of me." Haley pointed out.
Nathan shook his head as he slightly pulled away from Haley just enough to look at her as he said "I think we should chill out here for a bit if that's ok with you."
She looked back at him with piercing eyes knowing full well what he was attempting to do.
"Nonsense, we've got some time after they finish their set before I've got to go on. Let's go!" Haley declared and then stepped out of Nathan's grasp. She gave herself a glance in the mirror and then looked to Nathan.
"Ready?"
Nathan paused for a moment witnessing first hand just how stubborn Haley James, the rock star, could be. He gave Parker and Tanya a nod and they followed the rest of the group towards the stage. They managed to catch the last two songs of the opening act before returning backstage again. The "glam" squad was waiting for Quinn and Haley in the dressing room when they returned. Nathan took advantage of the opportunity to get to know Clay, Walker and Chris better.
Haley's mind was racing as she sat in the makeup chair desperately trying to relax. She knew the gamble the band was about to take once the show started. Peyton always insisted on personally approving every song they played on tour. Even down to any cover songs the band wanted to throw in, she had to give the final approval. When everything came to a head, there would be only one person's head on the chopping block. Haley James.
Nathan was surprised by all the happenings back stage before the show. He had no idea the amount of work it took to put together a show or the amount of work Haley did night after night while on the road. If only he had known this information a few weeks ago. Instantly he began to beat himself up for not realizing how hard Haley had been working. All the pieces were starting to fall into place. He was ripped from his thoughts by her voice.
"So is back stage life the non-stop party you thought it'd be?" Haley questioned as she walked over to him finally resting on the arm of his chair.
He wrapped his arm around her back and let his hand rest comfortably on her lower back. He glanced up at the "stage glam" version of Haley and smiled with satisfaction. He had to admit, his girl was hot!
"Non-stop is definitely the way to describe it. I kinda thought you artists just would kinda lay around back stage bull shitting until it was time to go on." He admitted honestly.
The Fire Pistols erupted in laughter nearly simultaneously.
"Anything but bro." Walker stated once the laughter quieted down.
"Isn't that what you NBA players do in the locker room before game time? Listen to music or play NBA live?" Quinn jumped in teasing Nathan and Parker.
Before either of them could answer Tanya was on the defense. "Hell no! I pretty much see Parker when he leaves the house for the game and then not until after he's on the court for warm ups. Pretty much the only way I could get to him before the game would be if my leg had been cut off and I was gushing blood. That's how strict it is back there." She said. It was now Nathan and Parker's turn to laugh in response to Tanya's true statement. That was exactly how it was.
"You guys better head out to your seats now. We're just about to show time." Chris pointed out after noticing the time.
"Oh my gosh, he's right." Haley agreed then looked directly as Nathan. "I'll see you out there. I'll be the one at center stage just in case you can't find me."
Nathan smiled as he guided her body towards his using her elbow. She gently kissed his lips before standing up from his chair.
"Break a leg!" Nathan chuckled as he too headed towards the door to the dressing room.
Nathan, Parker and Tanya followed Clay out the door and towards their seats. Meanwhile, The Fire Pistols finished up in the dressing room and headed out to meet up with the rest of the crew backstage. They gathered in a circle for their nightly ritual of prayer and well wishes for a good show. Haley felt a buzz of energy in her stomach as she looked around the circle at her musical family. She was about to let Nathan into a separate part of her life and she was scared as hell. After the last time she had done just that, she vowed to herself she would never mix her worlds again. But everything was different with Nathan. No matter how hard she tried to fight it.
Nathan settled in next to Clay and couldn't help but look around himself amazed. He had stepped foot on the court in this very arena hundreds of times before but tonight was different. He glanced around taking in all the adoring fans anxiously waiting for the show to start.
"Pretty amazing isn't it? Knowing all these people came out to watch your girl kill it on stage. Just wait!" Clay said leaning over towards Nathan to ensure he heard him over the roar of the fans.
Nathan raised his eyebrows slightly in response to Clay's statement about Haley. He opened his mouth to respond to Clay but interrupted when the lights went out and the screaming exploded. Clay grinned back at Nathan feeling somewhat nostalgic for the first time he had watched Quinn perform with The Fire Pistols.
The steady pounding of the drums over powered the screaming fans as the lights came up over the drum kit. Walker pounded away his muscles flexing with each beat. Quinn was illuminated by the spotlight over her head and joined playing her keyboard as she sang into her microphone backing vocals. Instantly Nathan recognized the song and began clapping along with Clay in anticipation for Haley. The light above Chris was next to turn on causing the female fans to heighten their piercing cheers. Nathan faintly saw Haley's body make her way through the darkness towards center stage as she approached her microphone, gripping it with one hand.
"Cut to now, Holy wow. When did everything become such a hell of a mess?
Maybe now, maybe now can somebody come and take this off my chest?
I know you think it's not your problem.
I know you think that God will solve them.
But if your shit is not together it'll never be, you and me plant the seed open up and let it be." Haley sang into the microphone opening up the show with a bang. The spotlight above her had changed colors several times during the first verse. She remained at center stage singing her heart out to the masses. Chris joined in at the chorus causing the song to push forward with greater depth. She glanced over at him flashing him a smile before returning her focus to the audience as the song continued into the next verse. Haley was in her element and loved opening the show that way. The music died down as Haley prepared to sing again.
"Four, that's how many years it took me to get through the lesson that I had to do it all on my own.
Three, that's how many hail Mary's they would pray for me thinking I was gonna end up all alone.
Two for second changes that you've given me, can it be? Lucky lucky me, now let's go.
One is what we are, is what we are, Are we all we are. Are we all we are" Haley belted into the microphone closing her eyes as she hit the last note. The audience continued to sing along with her as she finished the singing their opening number.
Nathan stood completely mesmerized by Haley. She appeared completely at home on stage and was clearly killing it on stage. She moved effortlessly as she made her way across the stage. The only thing he could compare it to was how he felt when he stepped out onto the basketball court. His body knew exactly what to do and he didn't need to think about it. Haley's stage presence was something he'd never witnessed before. He understood more fully now how Peyton decided to change the band's direction to place Haley as the face of The Fire Pistols. She was absolutely captivating when she sang. It was clearly working as Haley continued to make her way across the stage while she played her electric guitar along with the song. Haley continued with her fast pace as she played and sang through four more songs without taking much a break.
Haley managed to sneak a few glances at Nathan and the rest of her friends as Chris took the lead vocals for a change. She found his face quickly mixed in with the crowd and instantly smiled back matching his. She carelessly wiped away a trail of sweat along her forehead as she made her way over towards Chris. They stood side by side sharing his microphone as they sang the last few lines of the song. Haley took advantage of the break and grabbed a quick water break while she glanced down at the set list that was taped to a nearby amp.
"New"
She smiled to herself and couldn't help but feel excited they were about to debut their song. She couldn't remember the last time a song had virtually wrote itself once she sat down and put pen to paper. She happened to sneak a glance stage left and saw Peyton watching where she generally was posted during shows looking pleased with the performance thus far. Standing next to her were the music execs she had met earlier.
"It's now or never." Haley recited to herself and then she made her way back towards center stage. The screaming fans had no clue the extra boost of confidence they were giving her as they showered her with love by all the noise. Haley looked over at Nathan who was clapping alongside Clay.
"We've been on the road for a while now and road life generally leads to a lot of downtime on the tour bus in between cities. Believe it or not some of that downtime is used being productive instead of being wasted playing endless hours of X-Box or watching silly videos of cats on YouTube." Haley said into her microphone as she used her right hand to point over at Walker and Chris. The audience responded with cheers and laughter.
"Here is a little something we wrote a few weeks ago while on the road. It's called "New" and we hope you like it." Haley added and then turned to look towards Chris. He offered her a sneaky looking grin signaling he was pleased with her decision to play "New". She smiled back and then pushed her out in front of her again slightly adjusting the strap. Walker started the song again with a steady rock beat and Haley quickly came in with her vocals and guitar to match.
"Don't let it go away.
This feeling has got to stay.
Don't let it go away.
This feeling as got to stay.
And I can't believe I've had this chance now.
Don't let it go away…yeah.
New. You're so new.
You, you're new.
And I've never had this taste in my past.
New. You're so new.
My normal hesitation is gone.
And I really gravitate toward your will.
Are you here to fetch me out?
Because I've never had this taste in my mouth.
Oh you're not old and you're not familiar.
Recently discovered and I'm learning about you." Haley sang into the microphone with ease. She felt a surge of energy as the song progressed.
New, you're so new
You, you're new
And you're consuming me violently
And your reverence shamelessly tempting me
Who sent this maniac
Cause I've never had this taste in the past
Oh you're different, you're different from the former
Like a fresh battery, I'm energized by you
Nathan watched his girlfriend in complete awe. He was astonished by the feeling he now had deep within his heart. He wasn't sure exactly why but the song was about him. He knew it deep down into his soul. The same soul that was once empty but now felt like it was nearly bursting at the seams.
He studied her face as she sang the last verse of the song and desperately ached for her to look his way. He needed that confirmation only she could give him. Haley took a step back as she looked out into the audience completely surprised by the response they were giving. The fans were clapping and screaming so loudly you'd think they'd heard the song before. Immediately Haley felt a pull within her heart and she looked over toward where Nathan had been standing. Her eyes found his within a few seconds and his previous thoughts about the song were instantly confirmed. Haley made note not linger too long as she glanced at Nathan and she quickly looked back towards the rest of the band. Unfortunately, it was not quick enough.
Peyton stood backstage in utter shock at what she had just witnessed. She couldn't believe her eyes and ears. Her obedient artists had begun to step out of line and that was clearly not acceptable. She was shaken from her thoughts by someone speaking directly into her ear.
"Did you catch his name?" Peyton demanded in a snarly tone in response to what was said in her ear. She was not in a mood for any games.
"No Peyton, I'm sorry I didn't." The crew member admitted timidly. No one liked to poke the sleeping beast as she was often referred to backstage.
Peyton flew past the crew member in a huff and continued on backstage her heels clacking on the ground the entire way there. She burst through the door like a bat out of hell.
"Ahh you must be the famous Peyton Sawyer. I'm so glad you were able to meet me on such short notice Ms. Sawyer."
Peyton squinted suspiciously and replied "Excuse me but who the hell are you?"
"Someone you're going to get to know quite well deary when I'm done. My name is Dan Scott."
Read and please review! Just takes a few moments and it means a lot. As I said early, let me know what you think about additional characters.. :)
Song Credits: P!nk "Are We All We Are" and No Doubt "New"