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Chapter 15-

Charlie pulled into her mother’s driveway at six-thirty. She turned off her car and quickly made her way to the front door. She opened it quietly and slipped inside.

“Hello?” Vanessa called from the living room.

“It’s just me,” Charlie said.

Vanessa appeared in the doorway a minute later. “Hi Charlie.” She said softly.

“Hi,” Charlie replied. “Is Mom home?”

Vanessa shook her head. “No, she’s at a gallery opening.”

“Oh,” was all Charlie said. “I got your message.”

Vanessa looked away for a moment. “That’s good.”

“Did you want something?” Charlie asked hesitantly.

Vanessa nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t think I could say it in person.”

Charlie smiled. “Do you want me to go home and you can call me?”

Vanessa laughed. “No, that’s okay.”

Both girls became serious again. Finally Vanessa spoke.

“I’m sorry, Charlie.” Tears sprung to her eyes as she spoke. “I’ve been horrible to you for such a long time. Can you ever forgive me?”

Charlie pulled her sister into her arms. “Of course I will.”

The girls stood there for a long time.

After a while, Charlie asked, “What caused the change of heart?”

Vanessa wiped her eyes. “Mom gave me a good talking to before your party and it just stuck with me….finally I realized she was right.”

“I love you, Vanessa.”

“I love you too, Charlie,” Vanessa said with a smile. “And I really am sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Charlie said quietly. “Let’s just forget about it and move on.”

Vanessa nodded. “Okay.”

Charlie’s face brightened. “Why don’t you come on tour with me? Or do you have an event?”

Vanessa sighed. “I’m not competing right now.”

“Why?”

Vanessa shrugged. “It was just too stressful, so I took a season off….when do you go on tour?”

“It starts with a concert here on Valentine’s Day.”

“Do you think Mom would let me go?” Vanessa questioned.

“Go where?” their mother asked from behind them.

Vanessa turned with an excited smile. “On tour with Charlie...uh…I mean Sapphire.”

Joann raised her eyebrows and looked at Charlie.

Charlie smiled at her mother’s reaction. “We’ve straightened things out.”

Joann looked back at Vanessa with a smile. “I’m glad.”

“Can I go?” Vanessa asked.

Joann thought for a moment. “Only if you can get your assignments for school and keep up with them while you’re with Charlie.”

Vanessa let out an excited shriek and hugged her mother.

---

Charlie stowed her bag on the spacious bus and glanced around. She, Vanessa, Hailee, and Tina would be staying on this bus together. Max would fly out to a few select concerts, but he would not be traveling with them. The band that she would be playing with was traveling on their own bus that would travel with them.

“Wow,” Hailee said as she entered. “This is nice.”

Charlie grinned. “You probably won’t feel that way by the time we get back.”

Hailee smiled. “Probably.”

A moment later her mother and Vanessa climbed up the few short stairs to enter the bus.

Vanessa looked around. “Sweet.”

Hailee and Charlie exchanged a look and started laughing.

“Can we sleep on here tonight?” Vanessa asked with a smile.

“No,” Charlie said. “I think we’ll spend enough time on her in the weeks to come.”

While Vanessa and Hailee went to store their gear, Charlie turned to look at her mother. “Are you nervous?”

Joann shook her head. “I’m sure you’ll watch out for your sister, and you’ll do fine on tour.”

Charlie hugged her. “Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll go say good-bye to Vanessa. Then I’ll see you tomorrow at the concert.”

“Okay.” Charlie said.

Her mother left and she glanced around the bus. For the next few weeks this would be her home. She smiled. She was excited and couldn’t wait to go ‘on tour’.

---

Charlie followed Hailee into the kitchen. She, Hailee, Vanessa, and Tina had decided to have a sleepover before the big tour, which started the next day.

Right now they were about to start a movie and Hailee and Charlie had decided to get everyone some hot chocolate.

“So, what are you and Shane planning on doing in the morning? Since it is Valentine’s Day and your first one together and you’re starting your tour in the afternoon,” Hailee said and nudged her best friend in the side, a grin sneaking onto her face.

Charlie smiled. “I’m going to pick him up for brunch in the morning. We’re going to that restaurant across from the Hampton Inn.”

“Really? That’s an expensive restaurant.”

“I know, but he says that he can afford it. I guess that he’s getting a pretty good sized check at the newspaper.”

Hailee’s jaw tightened and she remembered her and Shane’s conversation nearly a month ago. She had told Shane that he had better tell Charlie about his real job, or else she was going to tell her. It appeared that Shane hadn’t opened up yet and he was almost out of time. Hailee really didn’t like the idea of having to be the one to tell Charlie the truth, but if she had to, she would. But for now, she just shrugged, “I guess.”

Charlie didn’t seem to notice Hailee’s hesitance to answer, she was too busy putting the hot chocolate into four mugs.

“So, you don’t have any secret love interest that you haven’t told me about, do you?” Charlie asked with a grin.

Hailee shook her head slowly. “Unfortunately, no.”

Charlie frowned, she never really thought about Hailee being upset about not having a special someone in her life. “I’m sorry,” Charlie said, turning towards her friend.

Hailee shrugged. “It’s just that…….here I am, with my best friend engaged and I’ve only been on two dates in my entire life. I never thought it bothered me that much, but after a while it kind of gets to you.”

Charlie sighed. “I wish that there was something I could do.”

“Oh, well, there isn’t. Now let’s stop talking about boys, we’re supposed to be having a fun girl’s night!” Hailee stated, trying to replace her frown with a smile.

Charlie nodded. “Yeah.” She quickly embraced her friend.

“What’s taking you guys so long?” Vanessa yelled from the living room.

“We’re coming,” they called back.

“Let’s get this party started.” Hailee picked up two mugs and exited the kitchen, with Charlie close behind.

---

Charlie nudged a sleeping Hailee on the shoulder. Hailee groaned and allowed her eyes to flutter open.

“What?” Hailee muttered into her pillow.

“It’s quarter after ten, so I have to go pick up Shane. Make sure the three of you get up and get breakfast soon. I’m going to have to meet you at the concert and you guys can’t be late! So, it’s in your hands to get everyone up. Okay?”

Hailee nodded. “Yeah. Have a nice Valentine’s Day, Charlie.”

“Thanks, Hailee. I’ll see you later.”

Hailee merely nodded in response.

Charlie quickly made her way out of her apartment and to her car. The drive from her apartment to Shane’s house was short, so she was pulling into his driveway in no time. She walked up to the front door and knocked softly.

“Come in,” she heard Shane yell through the door.

Charlie turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open. “Shane?” She called after entering.

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay.” She sat down on the nearby couch and patiently waited.

The phone rang suddenly, which almost made Charlie jump. “Are you going to get that, Shane?”

“No, just let the answering machine pick up.”

Charlie nodded, though she knew that Shane couldn’t see her. The phone rang about five times before she heard Shane’s voice telling the caller to leave a message.

“Hello, Shane, its Paula and I’m not very happy. You’ve been on the assignment way to long! If you don’t uncover Sapphire Sheldon’s identity soon, you’re fired. Understand?!?!” The message ended with a loud click.

Charlie felt her heart stop. Shane was investigating Sapphire Sheldon, which meant he was investigating her. She felt a pang of betrayal and she glanced up. Shane was standing there, his eyes wide.

“Charlie, it’s not what you think.”

“Oh, then what is it? How could you go as far as to asking me to marry you, just for an assignment?”

“Charlie-”

Charlie’s hand flew up, stopping Shane from continuing. “How could you do this to me?!? I really thought that you cared! I really thought that you loved me!”

“I did, I mean I do.”

Charlie shook her head, tears of anger flooding from her eyes. “I trusted you,” she screamed. Her jaw tightened and her teeth gritted. “And now……now I don’t even want to see to you again.” She quickly flung her engagement ring at him and bolted from the house.

“Charlie, wait!” Shane rushed after her.

Charlie jumped into her car and pulled out of the driveway. Her car began to speed down the road. She felt her heart breaking as she watched Shane running after her car. She could hear him shouting her name over and over, but she kept on driving.

After she turned onto the main street, she saw Shane slow to a stop, obviously exhausted. Charlie let out a shaky sigh and allowed her tears to keep on coming. How was she going to perform after this? It would be hard, but she had to put on a façade, just like the façade Shane had put on for her. Charlie just shook her head in disgust and continued on down the long stretch of road.

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