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**September 30 2002**

“Last show.”

“Yup.”

“Sad?”

“You bet.”

“But we’ll be back.”

“Will we?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Joce asked as she conversed with her best friend. Dressed in hats, sunglasses and more disguising things, things they were shopping in a mall that afternoon in Halifax.

Steph sighed, sitting down on a bench and setting her shopping bags down onto the floor. She had to admit it: she was worried. Would everyone forget about them after nine months of break? Especially since they just had a three-month break that ended only five weeks ago. “Do you think we’ll be forgotten? Like the Spice Girls.” She asked.

Now it was Joce’s turn to sigh. Their career was just beginning to take off, they were just starting to get used to everything that was going on. It was no longer surreal; it was their life. And Joce wasn’t sure they were ready to give it all up just yet. “No.” She replied, but she wasn’t 100% sure of herself. “When we do the first concert next June, it will be all four of us up on that stage.”

“I sure hope so.” Steph muttered. “What if her parents decide to terminate her contract?”

Joce laughed. “Jim wouldn’t do that!”

Steph wasn’t so sure, Sophie said that their parents were not at all thrilled to hear about Charline’s ‘bundle of joy’.

They stood up and started walking around the mall again, but this time they didn’t gossip and giggle like they usually did. This time they walked in silence, worry lingering in their minds.

*

Aaron stared out his bedroom window. The sun was shining, and just the right amount of white, fluffy clouds hung in the sky. The scene was picture perfect, but he felt like crap. He missed Charline terrible, and desperately needed something – anything, to get her off his mind.

He thought about calling her – but decided against it every time he picked up the phone. What would he say to her? “Look Char, I’m really sorry about breaking your heart and all, but would you give me another chance?” Yeah right. Likely, she’d just hang up on him. Charline wasn’t the kind of weak person that would just fall back into his arms at the first chance she got.

No, she was much stronger than that. She’d need to regain her trust in him first. Aaron wasn’t sure he’d be able to, not after hurting her like that. It was best to just let her go, and if it were meant to be, eventually they’d meet up again. For the time being though, he needed a distraction.

Walking downstairs, Aaron remembered his friend Justin telling him about a party he was going to that night with a bunch of people. Aaron had denied his invitation on account that he was too depressed. The last thing he needed was a bunch of girls all over him, right?

Wrong. Aaron thought, picking up the phone and dialing Justin’s number. “Hey Justin.” He said once he answered the phone.

“Aaron! What’s up?” Justin replied. “Decided to join us after all?”

“Yeah.”

“Great! Me, Ryan, Senan, Michael and a few other people will be at your place at ten.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later then.”

“Yup, bye.”

Aaron put the phone receiver back into its cradle. “Mom?” He called, knowing that she didn’t approve of him staying out late; he’d have to lie.

“Yeah?” She replied, coming into the living room from the kitchen.

“I’m spending the night at Justin’s okay?” He asked. Well he was telling the truth. When they got back from the party he probably would end up crashing at Justin’s place.

“Alright.” She said, walking back into the kitchen.

*

That evening, the crowd was in an uproar as the girls took the stage. They started the show as usual, but underneath their carefree exterior, they were worried beyond reason.

What they weren’t aware of, was on the far right of the stage, Chris was hiding. Not that security cared too much he was there anyway. He was part of the opening act, so of course he could be trusted.

Chris glared at them from behind the sidelights. He was being blinded! How was he to get a good aim and fire a perfect shot with a bunch of lights flashing in his eyes? It had to be perfect, he only had one chance and if he messed it up, he was done for. Not only would he be caught, but also there went his hopes of ever hitting number one.

But if he did hit her…well, that was different. Everyone would be too busy attending to her well being to notice him slip away and make an easy escape back to the hotel. Then getting to number one would be a cinch. Charline had set it all up for him, now all her needed to do was knock her down.

Gazing back out onto the stage and at the girls, he smiled. Perhaps they were going downhill. They didn’t dance with the same confidence and grace as they did before. Also, it might have been his imagination, but the crowd didn’t seem as lively as it usually did. Of course, that might have been because they were all worried about Charline’s ‘disease’. Chris laughed, looking out at the crowd. Many of them held up signs of love and admiration. Some role models. Chris thought, shaking his head at the girls. They make a mistake then lie about it.

However, Chris knew that they felt bad about that, and tonight’s crowd only seemed to make things worse. Many signs read things like Get Well Soon, Char! And other things along that line. It made him sick how they could make their fans feel so supportive, when really, those same fans should be out getting new idols. Good idols. Like him, for instance.

Turning back to the stage, and getting his aim ready, he held up his firearm and pulled the trigger. He ginned with satisfaction as the fiery sound of the bullet ripped through the air.

*

Aaron faked a smile as he answered he front door. There stood Justin and a bunch of his other friends. Aaron frowned when he saw her.

Hilary.

As far as Aaron knew, she was a slut. He also knew that she liked him, she had always liked him. Justin was convinced they would make a great couple, but Aaron didn’t think so. He had never really wanted a girl like her, he wanted someone more like – no, he promised himself he wasn’t going to think of Charline. Tonight, he was going to go out and forget about all his problems.

“Aaron, you remember Hilary, right?” Justin asked as they walked down the street. Aaron nodded and smiled at her – just to be polite.

“Hey Aaron.” She practically drooled, coming over to him and putting her arm over his shoulders. Aaron almost gagged. She was dressed like a skank, and was wearing way too much make up.

“Hey Hilary, what’s up?” He asked, there was no harm in being nice to her, right? Wait a minute…what was he thinking? He had the right to talk to other girls, he wasn’t with Char – oops, there’s that name again.

“Oh, not much.” She smiled sweetly, but quickly turned sour. “You still with that girl – what’s her name?”

“No.” Aaron replied, slipping his arm around her waist. “Her name was Charline.”

“Oh.” Hilary said, grinning evilly. “Sorry to hear that.” She continued, sounding anything but.

Aaron shrugged it off like he didn’t care. “It’s okay.”

*

“Oh God.” Charline whispered as she gingerly touched her right leg. It wasn’t bleeding very much, and it appeared that the bullet had only grazed her.

The entire arena was silent, amazingly. The lights came back on, and the girls’ manager announced that the remainder of the show had been cancelled. Meanwhile, the girls were being escorted off the stage by security.

“Fuck.” Chris silently cursed, standing up to leave his hiding spot. Obviously, he had missed. That wasn’t a good thing.

As he walked away, he suddenly felt a strong hand on his shoulder. Spinning around, he came face to face with the girls’ main bodyguard – Mark. Chris gulped, caught. Boy, was he in for it now.

“You’re coming with me.” Mark growled, his hand never leaving Chris’ shoulder.

Steph sighed as they boarded the tour bus. Security had decided they were now going to leave Halifax that night instead of the next morning. Their stuff had already been picked up and brought to the bus, and a paramedic had looked over Charline. She was fine, minus the small cut on her leg. What a way to end the ‘first half’ of their tour.

Joce was completely shaken up. After talking with Steph that afternoon about ‘returning with all four members’ it would have been really scary if something much more serious had happened. What if Charline had been shot in the back, or in the chest? Needless to say, she was freaking out and imagining things were worse than they actually were.

Sophie appeared to be totally calm. Though, that was because she was in shock. She now realized for the first time, being known by the world was not always a safe thing.

Charline, oddly, was the only person in their right mind. Who was trying to kill her? And more importantly, why? She shivered in worry, what if the person wasn’t caught? What if they were still out to get her?

*

“Hey Aaron, wanna go have some fun?” Hilary giggled, whispering in his ear, while he sat on a couch, conversing with Justin. Aaron knew she had been drinking; he could smell the alcohol in her breath. It wasn’t like him to take advantage of a drunk girl, Before Charline came along, he was a virgin, and his friend had really bugged him about it. So now, here he was, bragging to Justin about his score. He felt a little guilty, betraying Charline’s trust like that, but hey, it was over now, so he could tell whom he wanted. And by the way Sophie had been glaring at him the last day there were at his place, he was almost certain she had told the other girls.

“Sure.” Aaron smirked, leading here away from the couch and in the direction of an empty bedroom. Justin grinned and gave Aaron ‘two thumbs up’. Aaron smiled back, and tightened his grip around Hilary.

Justin laughed; Aaron was always one that the girls loved. Then again, so was he. But the way Aaron had gain Charline’s trust and then got her to have sex with him, was an amazing thing. At least that was the way Justin saw it, but by the way Aaron sounded, he must have really loved Charline.