CHAPTER SIX: FALSE FRIENDS, TRUE ENEMIES

March 7, 2005

 It’s now early March, and No Rules are still busy promoting their single, Okay. But they’re taking a week off to start taping season three of Dare 2 Dream. Then they would resume promotion.

 After working with cast member Tiffany on season 2, Charlie has developed feelings her. He saw he talking with the other girls who play the students on the TV series. He approached her to talk to her.

 He asked smugly, “Hey Tiff, I was wondering. You are a huge No Rules fan, yeah?”

 Tiffany beamed, “Yea, I am. I like Erica. She seems very upfront.”

 “What about the blokes?”

 She gushed, “OMFG, I love Alex! He’s so hot, and talented, and so smart, and so sweet! He’s the nicest guy I’ve ever met! Ooo, and Eddie! He’s so hot! And so nice!”

 “What about me?”

 She said nervously, “Erm, you seem fine. You’re cute. You seem nice. But I don’t get you.”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Well, you talk to Eddie, but you never talk to Alex. I swear I saw you two giving each other the ‘finger’. It seems like you’re not friends with Alex. He’s so sweet, what’s not to like?”

 At that moment, Charlie had to come with a lie, fast. “Erm, Alex and I are mates! It’s just that we’re busy!”

 “Doing what? You’re both in the same band.”

 With that, Charlie went off to find Alex. He wanted to prove that he’s friends with him. He found Alex, with Sophie on his lap, both drinking flavored coffee. Charlie approached them, and greeted with a forced smile, “Hey Walsh, how you doing?”

 Alex and Sophie were shocked by Charlie’s question, then became suspicious. Alex asked, “Declan, what do want?”

 Charlie asked nervously, “W-What do you mean?”

 “It’s obvious you want something. You never asked me how I was doing.”

 “Yea, I want us to hang out! Let’s ditch this set, and go do, erm, whatever you like.”

 Alex asked (nervously) “Are you hitting on me?”

 Sophie laughed, while Charlie stared at Alex. She said, “Wow, that would explain some things!”

 Charlie said hastily, “I don’t mean it like that. I just wanna be mates with Alex.”

 With that, Alex and Sophie laughed. Alex then said sternly, “So, let me get this straight: After about 4 or 5 years being in the same band as I’m in, you want to be friends with me? After a few years of insults, a beating, attempted beatings, silent treatments, and countless ‘fingers’, you want us to be friends? You’re awfully late for that!”

 With that, Charlie stormed off. He thought to himself, I’ll make Tiffany mine. I’ll prove to her that Walsh and I are friends!

 After a few hours of taping, it was time for a break. Charlie ran up to Alex, and put his arm around his neck. Alex abruptly pushed Charlie away.

 Alex asked angrily, “What the f*ck is with you lately?”

 Charlie replied, “Hey! Chill mate! I’m just being your friend. Yeah.”

 “Don’t call me ‘mate’. We were never friends. Never have, never will.”

 Just then, Tiffany walked by the two boys. Charlie said hastily, “Hey mate, why don’t we, erm, write songs?”

 Alex said with an irritated tone, “What are you-”

 “Or you teach me how to dance! Everyone knows you’re the best dancer!” he interrupted.

 Soon, Tiffany was out of Charlie’s view. Then he grabbed Alex’s shoulders, and said sternly, “Walsh, you better be my mate!”

 Alex asked angrily, “And why would I do that? And why did you act like you knew me or something?”

 Charlie had no answer. Once Tiffany was walking back towards the two boys, Charlie put his arm around Alex’s neck.

 He said hastily, “Tiff, Alex and I best mates! See?”

 Tiffany smiled nervously, while Alex glared at Charlie. She said nervously, “Erm, I’m just wondering, erm, never mind.”

 Charlie asked with a forced grin, “What is it, Tiff?”

 “No, erm, I’ll just tell the director that I need to leave for school now cuz of my exams. And I would like Alex to help me, but never mind.”

 Alex pushed Charlie away from him, and said nicely, “Sure, I’ll help. If I’m available.”

 Tiffany said, “Ok. Thanks.”

 With that, Tiffany left. Alex glared at Charlie, and left him there. Alex now has a pretty good idea what’s going.

 It’s the next day of filming, and Alex was in Tiffany’s dressing room. He was helping her with her homework, but he had a hard time concentrating. He realized that Charlie was using him just to be with Tiffany. Alex knew Tiffany can tell that he and Charlie don’t get along well.

 Tiffany could tell something was wrong, so she asked, “Alex, is everything okay?”

 Alex thought to himself, She doesn’t know the truth about me and Charlie. She needs to know now.

 Then he spoke to her sternly, “What I’m about tell you, you can’t tell anyone. Understood?”

 Tiffany nervously agreed.

 Alex showed Tiffany his arms, and had her feel his arms. Then he told her that he was bullied a lot at school; he used to be a hardcore emo; that he’s a former cutter; and that up to the time, and after, he joined No Rules, he had attempted suicide. When he joined the band, Charlie would constantly bully him. Hannah also bullied him, but changed after she saw his arms.

 Alex also explained that he and Charlie are not friends; now Charlie is pretending to be friends with him just be with Tiffany. To top it off, Alex admitted that’s not a metro-sexual, but really an emo.

 Tiffany was shocked when she heard all of that. The Alex she thought she knew actually had a hard life, even after he joined NR.

 As for Alex, he left Tiffany’s room to tell the other NR members what Charlie has been doing. They weren’t surprised by what he was doing; but nonetheless, the members (along with Tiffany) confronted Charlie.

 When Charlie saw the members and Tiffany approaching him, he ran up to Alex. He gave a fake smile as he greeted, “Hey Alex!”

 Alex said angrily, “Cut the shit, Declan.”

 Tiffany said angrily, “Alex told me everything. I can’t believe you would bully him, even after so much crap he went through. Now you want to be mates with him just to be my boyfriend? You could’ve just asked me out, not use this sweet guy! Oh, and no, I don’t a bully as my boyfriend.”

 With that, Tiffany and the other members walked away.

 It’s now Saturday, and NR had a weekend off before they return to promotions. Alex and Sophie set up a meeting with the NR members, but excluded Charlie. The meeting was in the empty bedroom.

 Hannah asked, “So, why are we in here?”

 Alex explained, “At this point, I’ve had it with Charlie. It’s been about 4 or 5 years, and I can’t tolerate his shit any longer. We need to get him out of No Rules as soon as possible.”

 Mariana asked “If we can get Charlie out, can we add Jeremy?”

 “Sure, he’s a lot nicer than Declan.”

 Edward asked, “Okay, we all want Charlie out of No Rules. But how are we gonna do that? He doesn’t want to leave this band.”

 Alex said, “Remember when we talking about what musical style we should have for our third CD?”

 Everyone agreed, except Erica. She asked, “I wasn’t in No Rules, so what happened?”

 Alex said, “Sorry Erica. What happened was that we wanted to do pop-rock, but Charlie didn’t like the style.”

 Sophie said, “What Alex and I decided that we do a harder punk-pop sound on our fourth CD.”

 The members were shocked, except Alex and Sophie. Ashley asked, “A fourth CD? We haven’t even released our third CD yet!”

 Edward also asked, “Yea, and heavy punk-pop? Isn’t that risky?”

 Alex said, “I know it’s risky, but it should get Charlie out of the band. And we should wait for sales on our third CD before we start working on the fourth CD.”

 “What if that doesn’t make Charlie leave?”

 Sophie suggested, “Well, this is my idea. We raise Alex’s position in No Rules.”

 Ashley said, “But he’s already the band’s choreographer, lead guitarist, and main songwriter. What’s there to raise?”

 “I don’t know, make him more apparent than he already is. The point is, making Alex more prominent in the band would drive Charlie crazy.”

 Alex said, “Once again, Stacey’s idea.”

 Edward asked, “And if that doesn’t work?”

 “Then I’ll fight him.”