The room filled with sunshine and the birds chirped from somewhere just beyond the window but she did not move.  She knew that her alarm would start ringing at any moment but she was determined to savor what few moments of peace she had left.  As soon as that alarm went off her time was not her own.  As soon as that alarm went off, she was no longer Alexis Danielle Moretti normal everyday 27 year-old.  No, the moment the alarm sounded gone was Alexis, and in her place would be Danielle Moretti, R & B recording artist.  Yes, they shared the same body but they were two very different people.

And there it was, the sound of reality ringing in her ears.  Groaning she pulled the covers over her head and willed the noise to stop but it wouldn’t, not without her help.  She had two choices, she could hit snooze or she could give in and get up.  Unfortunately, both involved moving which meant in the end she would be getting up anyway so she might as well just get it over with.  Muttering a few choice phrases to herself she pushed the covers aside and pushed herself into a sitting position.  Growling she looked at the numbers at the clock and then shook her head and rolled her eyes.  Why anyone would actually choose to be up at this hour was beyond her comprehension.  Then she heard the sound of movement coming from the kitchen and she had to fight not to scream.

“That girl is entirely too motivated.” Alexis grumbled.

Sighing in defeat Alexis swung her legs over the bed and forced herself to a standing position.  The day had officially begun and now that it had there was no stopping it so she might as well just go along with it.  

And, just as Alexis suspected there in the kitchen was the source of the noise, a younger, shorter version of herself dressed in jeans and a tank top.  Her dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she hummed to herself as she milled around the kitchen and pretended to be completely oblivious to the person now glowering at her backside.

“You are way too cheery this early in the morning.” Alexis growled as she stumbled to the counter.

The younger girl turned, shook her head at her sister’s grumpy demeanor and fought the urge to laugh at what she saw.  Alexis’s hair was a knotted mess, one strap of her tank top had fallen off her shoulder and her pants were twisted in such a way that could not have been comfortable.  It was definitely safe to say that she was NOT a morning person.

“No, I am just caffeinated.” 

“Is that what they are calling it?” Alexis smirked.  

This back and forth banter between Alexis and her younger sister wasn’t out of the ordinary.  Despite the four year difference in age the two girls were very close, they always had been and now that Alexis’s career was starting to take root it was that bit of normalcy that she clung to.  Michelle was her sanity.  She was the one person that Alexis could confide in completely, and probably the one person that knew her better than she knew herself.  

Michelle grinned then casually took a sip from the plastic cup sitting on the counter and waited patiently for her sister’s reaction.

Alexis’s eyes opened wide.  “You went OUT for coffee? It’s 7 in the morning and you’ve already left the apartment and come back!”

“It’s called motivation…you should try it some time.”

Alexis could only shake her head in disbelief.  “I am sorry but there is NO coffee in the world that is going to motivate me to get out of bed and leave the house before 7 am.  I don’t care where it came from.”

To this Michelle smiled devilishly and turned towards the fridge.  She didn’t say a word as she opened the Refrigerator door and retrieved another plastic cup, this one much bigger than her own.  Michelle knew how her sister would react once she turned around, in fact she could almost hear her sister’s voice already and she found herself fighting the urge to bust out laughing.  

“Oooh, what’s this?  Well, would you look at that another cup of coffee.  I wonder where it came from?  Oh , that’s right…I bought it…for you…but…since you don’t want it…”

“Would you just give me the cup already?” Alexis huffed. 

Giggling Michelle handed over the cup and then returned to what she’d been doing as if the conversation had never even happened.  She knew that this would irritate Alexis to no end but she also knew that Alexis would get over it. 

“So, what’s on your oh so busy schedule today?” 

Alexis took a sip of her drink as she contemplated the question.  Six months ago the answer to that question would have been very simple.  Matter of fact, six months ago that wouldn’t have even been the question but things were much different now.  Now she had a recording contract and a single that was going to hit the airwaves in a matter of days.  Now there were interviews and photo shoots and rehearsals.  It was almost too much but she would be lying if she said she didn’t love every minute of it.  This was what she’d been working towards and dreaming of her entire life.  It was scary, exhausting, exciting and frustrating all at once and it was all hers.

“Umm…I have a meeting with Andrew this morning and then I am in the recording studio the rest of the day.”

Andrew Thomas was Alexis’s manager; actually, he was Danielle’s manager.  Only her family and a few close friends called her by her first name anymore.  As far as her label and her career were concerned, she went by her middle name, Danielle.  A decision she’d made intentionally.  It was a decision she’d made to protect her family, but more importantly it was one she’d made to protect herself…for several reasons.

“Ah yes, and what is this meeting about?”

If there was one thing you could say about Michelle Moretti it was that she was obsessed with details.  Alexis preferred to call it OCD but to Michelle it was more than that.  She craved information, especially when that information was from the world of Entertainment.  She was a Journalism major and it was her lifelong ambition to work for an Entertainment or Fashion magazine after graduation.  Alexis was her insider, her own personal spy into the madness that was the Music industry so she took any opportunity she was given to learn as much as she could.  

“I don’t know.  I think he said it had to do with Security and a new producer for the album.” 

“Ooh! Security.  Does that mean you are getting a Bodyguard?” 

Alexis just rolled her eyes.  Sometimes she wondered who was more excited, her or Michelle.  However, it was nice to be able to share the excitement with someone.  She could not say the same for every member of her family.

Shaking the thought from her mind Alexis turned to her sister and smiled.  “Apparently, although I have no idea why I even need one right now.” 

This time it was Michelle’s turn to roll her eyes.  “Give it a month maybe two and then I guarantee you’ll be needing one.”

“You think so?” Alexis smirked.

“I know so! You don’t need to be modest with me, we both know how good you are and pretty soon so will everyone else.  And when that happens you’ll be glad you have a bodyguard.”

Alexis had been working towards this for a very long time.  Her mother said she’d been a performer even before she was born.  While still in the womb her mother would play the Beatles and the Jackson 5 and would swear that Alexis could kick along to the beat.  When she was a little girl, around 5 or 6 years old she started putting on full concerts complete with costume changes and props in her bedroom with her stuffed animals and dolls serving as her audience.  By the time she was in Middle school she was not only in the school choir but also took dance classes four times a week for two hours after school.  In High School she was a member of the dance team, show choir and she met with a private vocal coach twice a week.  In short, her entire life she’d been performing.  She sang in the shower, danced in the aisles at the grocery store and on more than one occasion been pulled over for reckless driving because she’d gotten too distracted while singing along to a song on her car radio.  She ate, slept and breathed for her music and it was finally starting to pay off.  However, her work was far from over.  Her very first single was scheduled for release in just a few days.  She would be starting rehearsals for a music video at the end of the week.  She had a meeting with her manager that afternoon and from there she’d be going non-stop to promote her single and finish the album.  It was a lot to think about but Alexis was more than willing to take on a challenge. 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence but I am not going to get my hopes up too high until after the album is released.” Alexis replied.  

“Alright, I will just have to get my hopes up for the both of us.  Now go on and get ready or you will be late.” Michelle shot back.

“I’m going.” Alexis replied with a wave of her hand.

7:30 a.m. Alexis needed to be sitting in her Manager’s office at 9:00 a.m. on the dot.  That only gave her an hour and a half to shower, get dressed and make it to the office.  It was time to get moving.  With her coffee in hand Alexis started down the hallway towards her bedroom.  First on the agenda was a shower.  Her hair was a mess and there was no way she would be able to do anything with it until she had washed it.  Once out of the shower it didn’t take long for Alexis to finish getting ready.  She quickly towel-dried her long dark hair and then shimmied into her favorite pair of low rise jeans with a hole in the left knee and a simple, dark purple skinny T-shirt.  For shoes she chose a pair of black flip-flops and then after giving her appearance the once over she headed for the door.

“That was fast.” Michelle commented as Alexis stepped into the kitchen.  

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t take me long.” Alexis replied.

“Since when?” Michelle smirked.

“Since always, but then I think you are confusing me with someone else we know.” Alexis shot back.

The person Alexis was referring to was her twin sister; April and although the two girls shared the same birthday and many of the same physical attributes they were as different as two sisters could be.  

Michelle flashed a sly smile. “Now why would I ever want to do a thing like that?” 

“I don’t know, maybe you get some sort of sick pleasure from driving me batty!”

Michelle giggled. “Never.”

Alexis just shook her head.  “Whatever! I am going to go now.  I will see you later.”

“Bye.”  Michelle replied.

And with that Alexis was out the door and heading towards her car.  

At precisely 8:59 a.m. Alexis was sitting in her manager’s office patiently waiting for him to make his entrance.

Andrew Thomas had been Alexis’s manager since the very beginning.  In fact, discovering Alexis had happened purely by accident.  Andrew was serving on the judge’s panel of a statewide choir competition as a favor to an old friend, and there she was.  Front and center of the second to the last choir performing that evening.  Her voice and stage presence blew him away and at that moment he knew he had to represent her.

From there Andrew spent countless weeks trying to convince Alexis to sign a contract with him.  So, Andrew waited…patiently.  Finally, after nearly 3 months of negotiations and just one week after Alexis’s 21st birthday a contract was signed.  Since then, a little over five years had passed and in that time Andrew and Alexis had established a very close working relationship with one another.  In that time, she’d learned he was meticulous about details, always said what he meant and was a stickler for time.  So, if he said 9:00 you better be early because he would start at 9:00 regardless of if you were there on time or not.

Secretly, she loved that he was a no-nonsense guy but she didn’t dare let him know that because it was just too much fun to watch him get riled up.

At 9:00 a.m. on the dot Andrew Thomas strolled into his office a stack of files in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.  He was the epitome of a business man; dark grey dress pants, grey patent leather dress shoes, crisp white dress shirt and powder blue tie.  His dark hair was speckled with tiny flecks of grey and his lips were curved up in a polite smile.  

“Thank you for being on time.” Andrew stated.

“Would you have waited if I wasn’t” Alexis giggled.

“No.” Andrew replied.

“I didn’t think so.”  

“Good.  I am glad we are on the same page. Now what do you say we get to it?” 

“Isn’t that why I am here?” Alexis asked with a grin.

“Yes.” Andrew answered.

“Okay then.”  

Andrew just smiled and shook his head.  He knew she was baiting him but he’d learned to ignore it or they would never get anything accomplished.

“The first thing I would like to discuss is your security.” 

“Well, that’s very thoughtful of you but I assure you I feel very secure.”

Andrew rolled his eyes in mock disgust. “I was talking about a bodyguard.  I think it’s time you had one.” 

“Ok, but why now?” 

“Why? Because this person is going to be with you at all times and I would like you to have the opportunity to get to know each other before the chaos begins.” 

“Ok.” Alexis nodded.

The idea of having a permanent shadow was a little intimidating but Andrew’s logic made perfect sense.

“So when do I meet this person?” Alexis asked.

“Today. I have arranged for him to meet us for lunch at 1:00.”

“Didn’t waste any time, did you?” Alexis smirked.

“Nope. I never do.  You of all people should know that by now.”

Alexis simply smiled and nodded.  “Alright then, what else?” 

“The label has found a new producer they’d like you to work with on the album.” Andrew replied.

  Truth be told, there was another producer that Alexis had been working with but he ended up leaving the project due to scheduling conflicts.

Alexis’s eyes lit up.  She was excited about the prospect of working with a new producer.  A fresh perspective on the album was just what she needed.

“Who is it?” Alexis asked.

“Well…we’d be working on his schedule…he’s a busy man, but, I think he is PERFECT for your album.”

“Who is it?” Alexis insisted.

“JC Chasez.” Andrew answered.

As soon as the name left his lips the smile disappeared from her face. 

“NO!” Alexis snapped.

It was not the reaction Andrew expected.

“No?!”

“Hell NO!” Alexis shot back.

“May I ask why?” Andrew replied.

“You may, but that doesn’t mean I am going to answer.”

Andrew sighed.  “It’s really not a negotiable at this point.”

“Then make it one.  I’m NOT working with him!”

Andrew sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“What’s your beef with JC Chasez? Let me guess, not an *NSYNC fan?”

Alexis smirked.  “You wish it were that simple.”

“Then simplify it for me.”

Alexis changed the subject.  “Lunch at 1, is that what you said?”

Andrew nodded. 

“Where?”

Andrew grinned. “El Sombrero.”

It was her favorite restaurant, so Andrew knew she wouldn’t argue.

“Fine.” Alexis huffed standing from her chair.

“We’re not done discussing this.” Andrew said as she started to walk away.

“Oh, yes, we are!” Alexis snapped back before leaving the room.

As soon as Alexis left Andrew’s office she let out a very long, frustrated sigh. The time read 10:30 which meant she had two hours before she needed to leave and meet Andrew and her new bodyguard for lunch.

Normally, Alexis would have been ecstatic to have that much time but today she just wasn’t feeling it.  So, instead she opted for some fresh air and a cup of coffee.

After ordering and paying for her iced peppermint white mocha she found an empty table outside and sat down to relax and clear her head.  At the moment she was feeling so many things that her emotions and her brain were on overload.  She was nervous about meeting her bodyguard, excited about the album and irritated by her reaction to just the mention of HIS name.  And, to top it all off the release of her first single was just a few days away so she was anxious as well.

She wanted to call someone and vent about how she felt but she couldn’t.  Her parents, specifically her mother just didn’t get it.  She didn’t have a best friend anymore and the sister she was on speaking terms with was in class.

“Damn you!” Alexis cursed under breath.

Truth be told, deep down she’d always known she’d have to face those parts of her past she just hadn’t expected it to be like this.

Slowly, she took a sip from her now melting drink and turned her attention to the notebook sitting open in front of her.

Feeding off her anger and frustration Alexis grabbed a pen from her purse and began to write.  Whether it appeared on the album or not this song was meant to be written.  This song said everything she’d wanted to say for the past eight years. When Alexis took a moment to stop and look at what she’d written she was amazed at what she saw.  The page in front of her was full.  It was almost as if the song had written itself.  Then again, the words that were now on the page had been inside her all along.  The lyrics were raw and angry and heartbreaking but they were exactly how she felt.  And now that they were out there, she wasn’t about to take them back.  Smiling a bit with satisfaction Alexis closed the notebook, returned the pen to her purse and stood from her chair. 

Two hours had gone by quickly and now Alexis had just enough time to walk back to her car before she needed to head to the restaurant where she would meet up with Andrew and her bodyguard.  She wasn’t worried though.  Alexis knew she would make it to the restaurant with little trouble at all.  In fact, it was quite possible that Alexis could find the quaint little Mexican restaurant in her sleep.  The restaurant was called El Sombrero and although it had only been open a little over a year Alexis had eaten there more times than she could count.  In fact, it was Alexis and Michelle’s favorite restaurant in all of LA and they ordered take out from there almost weekly.

Smiling, Alexis waved to the Maitre’d when she entered.  Everyone on the staff knew her and her sister.

“Good afternoon Alexis! Would you like your regular table today?” The maitre’d  asked.

“Oh no, thank you Freddy. Not today.  I’m meeting someone.” Alexis replied.

“Ooh, a hot date!” Charlie answered.

Alexis laughed, and then shook her head.  “Don’t I wish! No, not a hot date.  I’m meeting my manager and my new bodyguard here.”

“A bodyguard, huh? Moving to the big leagues already, are we?” 

“Not quite yet.  My single isn’t even out yet but my manager likes to be prepared.” 

“Smart man!”

Alexis giggled.  “I’m glad you think so.  Now may I have a table for three?” 

“Absolutely!  Right this way.” Freddy replied motioning for her to follow.

“Is this ok?” Freddy asked.

Alexis smiled and nodded.  “Perfect!” 

Fortunately, Alexis wasn’t left to dwell for very long.  She’d barely sat down when she spotted Andrew and the man she could only assume was her bodyguard.

Quickly, she stood from her seat, plastered a smile on her face and waved the two men over to the table.  And, as they approached Alexis took the opportunity to get a good look at the man that was going to be her personal shadow from this point forward.

He was tall, very tall.  In fact, she was certain he dwarfed her by at least a foot.  Just by looking at him Alexis guessed that he was probably about 6’6. He was African American, probably in his mid 30’s.  He had broad shoulders, a large, solid frame a bald head and a warm, friendly smile.  Actually, it was more of a cheesy grin than a smile and she loved it immediately.

“There you are.” Andrew said as the two gentlemen reached the table.

“What? Did you think I would get lost?” Alexis smirked.

“Not hardly!” Andrew chuckled.  Then in true Andrew fashion he flipped into business mode and started right in with the introductions.  “Danielle, this is Kenny Smith.  Kenny this is Danielle Moretti.”

Kenny smiled and stretched out his hand to take hers.  “Nice to meet you.” 

His voice was deep with just a hint of a southern drawl, and the cheesy grin was still very much present.

Alexis smiled politely.  “Nice to meet you too. Please sit down.” 

The two men obliged and sat down in the booth, Andrew next to her and Kenny across from her.

“Thanks for inviting me to meet you here.  I’ve always wanted to come here.” Kenny said.

“Yeah me too but I could never get someone to bring me here.” Andrew teased.

He knew he’d get a reaction out of Alexis.  In fact, he hoped for it.  He wanted her to relax a little.  He knew the amount of stress she was under and at the moment she seemed more on edge than normal.  And sure enough, she responded in true Alexis form.

“You are a grown man Andrew and therefore perfectly capable of getting yourself places.  You do not need a special invitation or permission from me to come here!” Alexis shot back.

Andrew smiled and nodded. “I know that but it doesn’t change the fact that it would have been nice to be invited.”

To this Alexis just rolled her eyes and dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand.  She knew what Andrew was doing and it was working.

Kenny chuckled.  “You’ve got spunk girl! I like that.”

Alexis nodded and smiled.  “Well, I’m glad because from what I hear you are stuck with me for awhile.” 

Kenny grinned.  He’d only known this girl for a few minutes and already he liked her immensely.

“And from what I hear I wouldn’t consider myself stuck.” Kenny shot back.

Alexis laughed a little.  “So Andrew’s already filled you in?” 

“He’s told me a bit.” Kenny answered smiling.

“Good, then I don’t need to tell you my whole life story.”

“Nope, not today.” Kenny answered.

“Then I say let’s order some food and you can tell me yours while we eat.” Alexis said smiling devilishly. 

This made both Andrew and Kenny laugh.  Just as Andrew had predicted meeting at her favorite restaurant definitely seemed to relax Alexis a bit more.

A moment later the waiter arrived to take their order, and for the next hour or so they talked between bites of food.

Andrew explained a bit more about Kenny’s job description and his expectations for both Kenny and Alexis.  At the present time it all seemed a bit un-necessary but at the same time Alexis understood that it was all preparation for what was to come and it was better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.  Then, once the business was out of the way Kenny took the opportunity to share a bit more about himself with Alexis.  And, in that short period of time Alexis learned that Kenny was born and raised in Mississippi.  He was the oldest of three children; his younger siblings were both girls.  His mother was a seamstress and his father an architect.  He’d graduated from college but had opted to pursue a career playing professional football.  Unfortunately, his dreams had been smashed when a knee injury during training camp ended his career.  However, the thing that impressed Alexis the most about Kenny was his optimism and his refusal to accept the easy way out.  As he explained it, rather than just give up after his injury he decided to find a different dream.  So, he went back to school and earned his Master’s Degree in criminal justice.

“So why be a Body Guard?” Alexis asked curiously.

Kenny smiled.  “I’m not a fan of the office atmosphere, and I hate paperwork.  Besides, being a bodyguard sounds like more fun and there is always the slim possibility I might get to knock someone out every once in a while.”

Alexis laughed. “Good answer.” 

“Thanks. I thought so too.”

“Well, I can see you two are going to have little trouble getting along.  That’s a relief.” Andrew added.

Alexis raised an eyebrow. “You had doubts?” 

Andrew grinned. “Well, no, but I learned very early that with you anything is possible.”

“Good! If you ask me predictability is boring and I did NOT sign up for boring.” Kenny chimed in.

Alexis smiled. “Oh, trust me, I am anything but boring!”

Andrew chuckled. “That’s an understatement if I ever heard one.”

“Well, you won’t hear me complaining.  As I said, I can’t stand boring.” 

Alexis smiled. “Then we should be golden.” 

“That’s what I like to hear!” Andrew chimed in happily.

The rest of the lunch meeting was relatively uneventful.  Andrew went over the schedule for the next few weeks, which Alexis already knew.  She was going to be busy to say the very least.  Then the conversation shifted to family.  Family was a difficult subject for Alexis.  In fact, she avoided it whenever possible but she’d only just met Kenny so she wasn’t about to be rude no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

Alexis listened attentively as Kenny talked with pride about his mother, father and two younger sisters.  He spoke animatedly about watching the older of his two sisters get married and teaching his youngest sister to drive.  It was obvious that he was very close to his family and Alexis was just a tiny bit jealous.  There had been a time when she and her two sisters were that close but that time had long since passed.

“What about you, any siblings?” Kenny asked.

Alexis took a deep, silent breath and forced herself to smile.  She’d known since the meeting that morning that just the mention of HIM was going to ruin her day.

“Yes, I have a younger sister; Michelle and then I have a twin sister; April.”

“Are you close?” Kenny asked.

It was an innocent question, and one she’d been asked several times since starting her career but answering it never got any easier.

“Yes and no.  My sister, Michelle and I are close.  In fact, she and I are roommates but my twin sister; April and I, not so much anymore.”

Kenny shook his head.  “That’s a shame.  I’ve always thought that having a twin would be such a gift.”

Or a curse, Alexis thought to herself.

Andrew watched and listened carefully as the conversation unfolded in front of him.  He’d met Alexis’s family many times but April he’d only met once and just that one time was enough to let him know that there was definitely a rift between the two girls.  Shortly after that one and only meeting April packed up and moved to New York and he’d heard little mention of her from Alexis since then.

“Let’s just say we have our differences and leave it at that.” Alexis answered.

It was plainly obvious to both men that Alexis was eager to change the subject and the sooner the better.  So, rather than spoil a perfectly pleasant first meeting Kenny took the hint and steered the conversation in a different direction.

Alexis smiled and made a mental note to someday thank Kenny for not pursuing the topic further.  However, Alexis didn’t feel true relief until the lunch meeting was over and she was able to leave the restaurant.  

Now she had two options.  She could go back to the studio, which had been the initial plan or she could go home.  But go home and do what?  Chances were that at this time of the day her sister would either be in class or at work and therefore she would be home alone with her thoughts.  And, at the moment that was exactly what she didn’t want.  No, going home wasn’t an option so instead Alexis put her car into drive and headed towards the studio.

Once inside the building Alexis wasted little time making her way down to the recording studios.  Smiling happily Alexis slipped into one of the booths and plopped herself down in front of the baby grand piano stationed there.  This was home to her.  This and the hardwood of the dance floor were where she felt most comfortable.  Here she could express herself in a way she’d never been able to simply with words.

Closing her eyes, she plucked the keys a bit as she allowed the melody that been ringing in her ears all morning to fill the room.  As she played her body relaxed and so did she.  It was the most delicious feeling she’d felt all day.  And when she opened her green eyes again there were a pair of brown ones staring back at her through the glass.  Her voice caught in her throat, she shook her head and blinked but those eyes were still there only now there was a smile that went with them.  The eyes and the smile belonged to a man by the name of Bobby Z. He was a sound engineer, one that Alexis had worked with many times and liked well enough.  She just hadn’t expected to see him staring at her.  It was a bit un-nerving.

“Sorry.  I didn’t mean to interrupt your little moment.  I just couldn’t help myself.  That was well…in a word…haunting.  Do you have lyrics for it?” Bobby asked.

Alexis nodded.  She hadn’t really intended to record this song.  It had been written more for her own benefit.  It was her therapy without the cost of paying an actual therapist.  But now that the opportunity was right in front of her, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Bobby Z grinned.  From the moment the melody hit his ears he knew he was hearing true art.  He hadn’t even heard the lyrics yet and already he was excited.

“Did you want to lay a track for it?” 

“Sure.” Alexis replied. 

“Ok, whenever you are ready.”

Alexis nodded then bent down slowly to retrieve the pages from her purse.  She didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry.  Just thinking about the song and her motivation for writing it made her want to scream.  Then again, the thought that others might actually hear this song made her want to burst out laughing.  She could almost see the expression on a few people’s faces if they actually figured out what the song was about.  She had a feeling there were a couple of people who would have more than a few choice words for her but she had a few things she wanted to say as well.  That was the whole point of the song.

For the second time that day there was a satisfied smile on Alexis’s face.

“I’m ready.” She said.

Bobby nodded then made a few adjustments on the soundboard and stood back.  The sound that greeted him was not at all what he’d expected.  This song was unlike any other he’d ever heard from her.  This song was unlike anything he’d heard period.  It was almost as if there was a completely different person in front of him.  The Danielle he knew was strong, confident, bold and opinionated and her music reflected that.  Her no bullshit, I don’t care what other people think attitude was what he liked about her.  This wasn’t that girl.  The girl in front of him was vulnerable, heartbroken and angry.  You could hear it in her voice as well as see it in her eyes.  And, if the melody was haunting then the lyrics were bone chilling.  He got goose bumps just standing there and the room temperature had nothing to do with it.

When she finished it took a few moments for Bobby to react.  He was completely taken aback by this new side of her.  The tone of her voice even sounded different.  Her voice had always dwarfed her body in size but this went beyond that.  It just didn’t seem humanly possible that a voice with that much power and raw emotion could from anyone, even her.

Alexis looked through the glass and was surprised to see Bobby standing as if he had been cemented to the floor.

“Was that ok?” Alexis asked cautiously.

She couldn’t tell whether he liked it or not and that scared her just a little.  Normally, he was pretty quick to give her feedback one way or the other and so far, he hadn’t so much as blinked at her.

Bobby swallowed hard then reached over and flipped the switch so he could speak.

“Was that ok? Girl, that was beyond ok.  That was epic! Has anyone else heard that song?” 

Alexis shook her head.  “No, I just wrote it this morning.”

Bobby choked then coughed a bit until he could catch his breath again.  Writing a song, even a mediocre one took time.  There was writing the lyrics, arranging the music to accompany the lyrics, then there was editing and re-editing and recording.  It could take months to write a song but she’d somehow managed to come up with a song in less than a day.  It just wasn’t possible.

“This morning?” 

Alexis smiled shyly then nodded.

“Well damn girl, you’ve been holding out!  You should have busted that out a long time ago! That is a hit if I ever heard one for sure.”

Alexis wasn’t convinced.  This song held a lot of emotional baggage but at the same time she was proud of herself for finally writing it. Having someone else like it was the added bonus.  The idea of it being album worthy was still something she was struggling with.

“You think so?” Alexis replied.

“Oh honey, I know so! Don’t get me wrong, I love the album and I think you made the right choice for your first single but this song NEEDS to be your second single.”

This time it was Alexis who visibly choked.  The idea of the song being on the album was something she’d considered, it was even something that given time she could be ok with.  The idea of the song being a single, her second single to be exact was just unbelievable.  An artist’s first single was the appetizer, an introduction as it were.  The second single was the main course, the make it or break it of the meal.  If people liked the main course, then the stayed for the dessert…the album.  And if not, then they didn’t pay for the meal.  Essentially, what it meant is that your career was dead in the water before it even got started.

“You’re serious?” Alexis asked. 

She already knew the answer but hearing him say it made it just a little bit easier to swallow.

“Of course, I am.  It’s an amazing song, it needs to be on the album and it needs to be a single.”

Alexis slowly shook her head.  “You say that, but you’re the only one that’s heard it.  What if Andrew or the label executives hear it and they don’t agree with you?’

Now she was panicking.  She doubted herself; something she hadn’t done in a long time and all because of one song and the message behind it.

“Trust me on this one Danielle.  All they have to do is hear the song and I guarantee they will agree with me.”

Michelle Moretti was 23 years old.  The youngest of the three Moretti sisters, but she certainly didn’t act the part. She was mature beyond her years, but then when you had two older sisters you constantly chased after as a child it was hard not to be.  She had the same long, dark hair, the same emerald green eyes, the same flirty smile and the same fierce determination and passion for her craft.  She was a journalist, or at least an aspiring one and like any journalist she was obsessed with details.  And she was meticulously organized, to the point of driving her older sister and roommate; Alexis insane.  She made a “To Do” list for everything and made sure that every item in the house was in its rightful spot.  The condo she and Alexis shared was always immaculate and when it wasn’t...well, it never wasn’t because Michelle refused to let it get that way.  Today, for example, in the two hours she’d been home from class Michelle had done a load of laundry, vacuumed, and dusted as well as cleaned out the refrigerator.  Now she was sitting on the couch, watching television as she wrote an outline of her notes from class that day and waited patiently for Alexis to come home.

It was the routine they had fallen into that whenever Alexis would come home from a day at the studio the two of them would sit on the couch together and Alexis would tell Michelle everything about her day.  For Alexis it was the opportunity to share all her thoughts and feelings about what was happening with someone.  For Michelle it was like having her own personal informant into the world of music, and she loved every minute of it.  She relished every single scrap of information she could get because in the end, it was exactly where she wanted to be. 

April’s dream was to be an accomplished clothing designer.  Alexis’s dream was to be a successful musician.  Michelle wanted to be a magazine journalist.  More specifically, she wanted to work for an entertainment or fashion magazine.  Unfortunately, because she was still in school that wasn’t happening any time soon so she had to live vicariously through her sisters.

And there it was, the sound of sweet escape ringing in her ears as she listened to Alexis fiddle with her keys in the door.

Alexis was still playing the events of the day over in her head and therefore was completely oblivious to her sister’s current location.  Mumbling to herself Alexis tossed her purse onto the couch then jumped in surprise when it shouted back at her.

“Excuse me?” Michelle yelped.  “That doesn't belong on the couch and certainly not on my head.”

Alexis giggled a bit and then started to apologize.  “I’m sorry.  I was a bit preoccupied.  I didn’t see you sitting there.”

Michelle gave her sister a hard look then proceeded to put her purse on the coffee table.

“Likely story.  What’s up?”

Alexis rolled her eyes and made a feeble attempt to change the subject.  “Nothing worth mentioning.”

That wasn’t an Alexis response at all.  Normally she would make some remark about Michelle’s freakish need to be clean and organized at all times.  At the very least they would banter back and forth for awhile.  Alexis had given up way too easily which meant something was up.  Michelle knew her sister well enough to figure that much out.  She’d also known her sister long enough to know that Alexis wasn’t just going to give up what was bothering her.  If Michelle wanted to know she was going to have to dig a little.

“I know you! Something is up.  So…as I see it, you have two choices.  You can tell me about it and get off your chest or you can pout about it some more and make yourself miserable.”

Alexis groaned and flopped onto the couch beside her sister.  She hated that Michelle was right. 

“The label found a new producer for the album.” Alexis huffed.

Michelle nodded and smiled.  “That’s great!”

Alexis shook her head. 

There was something Alexis wasn’t telling her.

“Who is it?” Michelle asked curiously.

Alexis sighed.  She knew the moment the name left her lips that things were going to get interesting.

“It’s Josh.” Alexis grumbled.

“Josh?” Michelle repeated.

Alexis made a face.  “Josh! JC! Mr. Chasez! The Asshole formerly known as my best friend!”

Michelle’s jaw dropped.  “Oh.”

Alexis’s eyes narrowed.  “Oh?! That’s all you can say is, “oh!”

“What did you want me to say? You’re the one that has a problem with him, not me.”

Alexis shot her sister a look.  There was a fire in Alexis’s eyes that Michelle had not seen in a very long time. 

“No! No, I was never the one with the problem! He was!” Alexis shot back.

Michelle nodded.  She was only 14 then but she remembered that day as vividly as she suspected both of her older sisters did.  She remembered watching him drive away and the screaming that followed.  She remembered watching as her two sisters went to war with each other and then silence.  For months her two older sisters couldn’t even be in the same room with each other much less speak to one another. 

She remembered all of it.

“So, you met with Andrew today about the new producer and you met your bodyguard.  That doesn’t seem like very much.”

Normally, Alexis gushed about her day but this conversation was like pulling teeth.  Michelle understood that Alexis was probably still mulling over the whole thing with JC but this was taking it a bit too far.

“I did some work in the recording studio, but aside from that there isn’t very much to do.  My first single comes out next week and I start shooting for the video the week after that.  And, I have a photo shoot for the album coming up but this week there really isn’t much going on.”

She didn’t dare tell Michelle about the song she’d just written or that Bobby thought it should be her next single.  If she did then she would have to explain where the inspiration for the song had come from and she just wasn’t ready to answer that question yet.

Michelle knew her sister all too well.  Alexis was being very vague and uninterested.  That meant she was avoiding something but rather than let on that she knew any different Michelle decided to just play along.  

“Ok, so you aren’t doing very much this week, then why the need for the permanent shadow?” 

“Andrew wants us to get used to being around each other all the time before things get crazy.”

Michelle nodded. “Gotcha.”

The next morning Alexis awoke with a start.  The sound of her alarm rang in her ears and she groaned.  Alexis had never been much of a morning person but once she was out of bed and moving she usually did ok.  Tossing the covers aside Alexis got out of bed and headed for the shower.  It was a quick shower simply because she didn’t need to wash her hair. Once she was out of the shower Alexis shimmied into a pair of very old jeans.  They had once belonged to her mother and they were very worn.  The denim was dark but had faded quite a bit over the years.  There were several small holes in the legs and one larger one above her left knee.  The legs were flared a bit and there were tiny daisies stitched all the way up the legs along the outside seam.  In other words, they were vintage and she loved them.  After buttoning up the jeans and putting on a bra Alexis pulled a plain, black tank top over her head and headed for the door.

Alexis was halfway down the hall when she heard a knock on the door.

“I got it.” Michelle hollered.

Of course, Michelle was awake.  There wasn’t a day Alexis could remember that Michelle wasn’t up at dawn.  It was as if her internal alarm was set to go off as soon as the sun came up.  It made Alexis nauseous.  

Michelle opened the door and there in the doorway was the biggest man she’d ever seen.  He was huge!  He was dressed in jeans, a blue Sean John T-shirt and he was wearing sunglasses.  Over his shoulder was a small, grey backpack and on his face was a very cheesy grin.

“You must be Michelle, nice to meet you.”

The very large man stuck out his hand and Michelle was hesitant to take it at first.  Ultimately, it was the cheesy grin that did her in.

“Yup. That’s me.  And you would be?” 

Kenny’s grin grew.  If that was possible.

“I’m Kenny, your sister’s bodyguard.”

Michelle nodded.  It made sense.  Alexis had mentioned Kenny but nothing could have prepared her for the man now standing in front of her.

“Right.  She told me that.”

Kenny chuckled.  She still had that deer caught in the headlights look and she was still standing in the doorway, blocking him from entering.  

“Yeah, I know, I look big and scary but I can promise you, I’m really a big teddy bear.”

Michelle giggled nervously.  “Sure you are.” 

And just then Alexis appeared.  She’d heard the entire conversation from the hallway and it surprised her to see her sister so flustered.

“Michelle, he’s not going to sit on you unless you do something to deserve it.  Please let him in.”

Michelle opened her mouth then shut it again and stepped aside.  She didn’t know how to respond to that so she kept her mouth shut.

“You’ll have to excuse my sister she seems to have misplaced her manners this morning.” 

Kenny nodded.  “No worries.  I don’t get offended easily.”

Alexis smiled. “Good.  So, are we ready?” 

“Whenever you are.”

“I’m ready. I just need to grab my keys and my purse.”  

Alexis grabbed the items mentioned as she spoke then quickly slipped on a pair of flip flops and they were out the door.

“Are you driving or am I?” Alexis asked.

Kenny looked at her curiously.  He was trying to figure out what kind of car person she was but for once he couldn’t tell.  Typically, he could guess what kind of car a person drove just by looking at them, it was one of his many hidden talents but with her he had no idea and that surprised him.

“That depends, what do you drive?” 

“A dark blue Volkswagen Beetle.” 

Kenny snorted.  “Yeah, I think you just answered your own question.” 

Alexis wasn’t following.  Kenny looked down at her and had to chuckle at her expression.  She looked completely lost.

“Do I look like I would fit in a Volkswagen Beetle?” 

Realization hit Alexis and she blushed.  

“Oh! Yeah, probably not.”

“So, we’ll be taking my car.”

Alexis giggled. “Works for me.”

A few minutes later Alexis was seated in the passenger seat of Kenny’s black S.U.V and they were headed down the road towards Andrew’s office.

It was about a twenty minute drive from Alexis’s condo to Andrew’s office, forty-five minutes if traffic was really bad and during that short drive Kenny made it his mission to get to know Alexis a bit more.

“So, that was Michelle?” 

Alexis smiled.  “Yes, that was her.  She’s a bit much to handle sometimes but she has a big heart.”

Kenny nodded but kept his eyes on the road.  Her tone when talking about Michelle was much different than the day before when they had been discussing April.  It amazed him that anyone could hold such animosity towards another person, especially someone in their own family but she obviously did.

“Yeah, I can see that.” Kenny replied.

He was more than curious about April but since they’d known each other for such a short time he thought it better to wait awhile before broaching that topic.  Instead, he chose a more professional topic of discussion.

Andrew Thomas sat quietly in his office listening attentively to the voice that blared from the stereo speakers.  The voice was powerful but full of emotion.  The words were haunting and filled with anger and sadness.  It surprised him because in all the years he’d worked with Danielle he had never heard anything like this from her.  It was almost as if this song had come from a completely different person but it was definitely her voice.  It made him wonder where this song had come from, and why now?

No matter the reason Bobby Z. had been right.  This song definitely was album worthy and absolutely needed to be a single.  Truth be told, he hadn’t had the opportunity to share the song with the label just yet but he had every confidence that those who made the decisions would agree as soon as they heard it.

He’d listened to the song at least three times in the past twenty minutes and every time he’d heard it the thing that stuck out in his mind was how genuinely broken and angry she sounded.  It was not the Danielle he knew at all.

The Danielle he knew was happy, determined, full of life and opinionated as hell.  This was not that girl.  So, then who was she?

She was standing in the doorway.

Quickly, he pushed a button silencing the music, plastered a smile on his face and ushered both Kenny and Danielle into the room.

Kenny settled himself on a couch at the edge of the room while Alexis took her favorite chair just off to the side of Andrew’s desk.  Andrew was always very professional, by the book, so it surprised Alexis a little when he stood up, walked around his desk and positioned himself on the corner of the desk directly in front of her.  Then again, she also hadn’t expected to find him blaring her song from the previous day on his stereo when she walked in.

“That’s some song.” Andrew said simply.

Alexis managed a weak smile and nodded.  “Thank you.” 

Her reaction was a bit more subdued than he’d anticipated but for the moment he was going to chalk it up to just nerves.  If they were going to get it on the album then they needed to get to work quickly.  And, in his opinion this song not making it on the album just wasn’t an option.

“I’ve spoken with Bobby Z. and I have to say I disagree with him.  This song not only needs to be on the album but it needs to be your first single, not your second.”

Alexis swallowed hard.  Part of her wanted the song to make the album, just to make a point and the other part wanted to take it all back.  She couldn’t imagine the reaction she’d get once people heard it, especially two people in particular.

“Ok.” Alexis agreed.

Andrew was confused.  “Ok?  I thought you would be thrilled.”

Alexis felt many things at that moment but “thrilled” was not one of them.  In fact, the mix of emotions she was feeling right then was beginning to make her nauseous.

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong I am proud of the song and I trust your judgement completely I just didn’t expect the song to cause this much of a commotion.”

That was the biggest bullshit story she’d ever told in her entire life and she knew it.  She’d known perfectly well the instant she’d put pen to paper that this song would cause a “commotion”, just not with this particular audience.

“Well, I am glad you trust my judgement because I am meeting with the label executives later this afternoon to get this song approved for the album.”

Alexis could only nod.  This was really happening and now that it was, she couldn’t stop it.  But then, did she really want to?  Whether she wanted to or not it was out of her hands now.  However, she could at least change the subject.

“Was that all you wanted to see me about?” 

The sudden change in topic did not go unnoticed by Andrew or Kenny but Kenny had chosen to be the silent observer and soak everything in while Andrew was on a deadline and needed to get things moving.  In other words, for now Alexis was allowed off the hook, at least, when it came to this.

“We need to get you in the studio with a producer ASAP!” Andrew answered calmly.

Alexis opened her mouth to speak but Andrew cut her off immediately.

“Look, I know…you don’t want to work with Mr. Chasez, but time is a luxury we just don’t have right now.” Andrew said pointedly.

Alexis opened her mouth to speak again but Andrew continued speaking.

“What is your beef with him anyway?”

Alexis’s eyes went dark.  “I just don’t like him.”

“Why?” Andrew insisted.

Alexis sighed heavily.  “Mr. Chasez and I have history, ok?!”

“History?” Andrew asked raising an eyebrow.

This was the first he was hearing of it, that much was obvious.

“I’d really rather not talk about it.” Alexis huffed.

“Ok. Fine.  I can’t make you talk but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to have to work with him so I suggest you deal with whatever issue you have with him, and quickly.  You have studio time scheduled with him tomorrow.”

“What?! NO!” Alexis shouted.

“Yes. At 9:00 a.m.” Andrew replied.