CHAPTER FIFTEEN: LONDON TAKEOVER

July 25, 2002

   It’s now late July, and No Rules and skate5 were at the final stop of skate5’s British Isles leg of their European tour. They were in London to perform at the O2 Arena. skate5 may have huge audiences at the arenas they performed in, but No Rules was gaining fans at a rapid pace.

   It’s the night before the concert, and the NR members were talking. Hannah then came up with a topic, “Hey, what do you think if we had a world tour? You know, sold-out concerts, packed arenas, and stuff!”

  Edward laughed, “We’re just starting out! I think it’s a little early for us to be thinking of a world tour.”

   “I know, but it’s something to dream about. I guess.”

   Charlie smirked, “Well, if we’re gonna do a world tour, Walsh needs to get rid of his hoodies.”

   Then Sophie gave Alex a hug as she told off Charlie, “Charlie, leave my Alex alone!”

  Charlie said in an irritated tone, “Just because Ashley and George are ‘in charge’ of No Rules doesn’t mean I stop making remarks at Walsh.”

   Edward, also irritated, said, “That’s exactly what Ashley and I are doing, Declan! So you better shut the f*ck up!”

   Charlie rolled his eyes.

  A few minutes later, the members were getting ready for bed. Charlie took Hannah aside. She asked him, “Charlie, what is it?”

   He replied, “You know you talked about doing a world tour, yeah?”

   She said suspiciously, “Yeah.”

   “Why don’t we take over skate5’s concert? It would be the start of an No Rules world tour.”

   “And how are we gonna do it? skate5 would never let go of their precious concert.”

   “I don’t know, you think of something.”

   “Why me?”

   “You’re always full of ideas.”

   With that, Hannah went the girls’ room of the suite. Once the girls fell asleep, she grabbed her laptop to IM Jake.

   HannahNORULES: jake, charlie wants no rules to takeover skate5’s concert 2morrow. how r we gonna do that?

   Jake2STEPS: hmmm.

   HannahNORULES: is it bad idea?

   Jake2STEPS: no, actually it’s a good idea. Let me do the work, and no rules for sure will take over our concert. I think u lot deserve the o2 arena. =)

   HannahNORULES: aaaaahhhhhh! Thanx!

   With that, Hannah logged off, smiled, and went to sleep.

  It’s morning, and NR arrived at the O2 Arena to rehearse. When they got there, they didn’t see skate5. They usually arrive at an arena before NR does.

   Edward approached the concert director, and asked, “Where’s skate5?”

  The concert director replied, “Their chauffeur said they would be late, but they’ll be at the arena soon.”

   With that, Edward went back to NR. Ashley asked him, “Where’s suck5?”

   He replied, “They’re late, but in the meantime, we’ll rehearse.”  

   It’s now late afternoon, and skate5 haven’t arrived yet. Just then, Hannah got a text message from Jake.

   J: hanz, I paid the limo driver to take an unknown ‘shortcut’. we shud be at arena at, oh idk, whilst nr takes over our concert. ;)

  Hannah grinned, and decided to make announcement. She grinned evilly as she told the NR members, “I just got an anonymous tip that suck5 won’t be able to make their little concert after all.”

   Ashley asked, “And why is that?”

   “I don’t know why, but I think we should, hmm, take over their concert.”

  The NR members were shocked at the idea, except for Charlie. Instead, he said, “I think we should anyway. I mean, we’re premiering two new songs anyway.”

   Edward said, “Okay, but that’s just six songs. How are we gonna fill the rest of the concert?”

  Sophie suggested, “Well, we could sing our b-sides, and songs from BG6, BubbleGum, S Club Juniors. Maybe A*Teens.”

  Mariana said, “At least BG6 is possible since they just released their first CD. As for S Club  Juniors, they’re just starting out.”

  Edward said, “Okay, we got the songs. But what about dance routines. Do we just stand around and do nothing?”

   Sophie replied, “I know! Alex’s the best dancer in the band, why don’t he choreograph for us?”

  Alex was taken back by Sophie’s suggestion. He asked her nervously, “Erm, I-I’m n-not t-that g-good.”

  Sophie told him, “Alex, you’re the best dancer anyone has seen! You should definitely choreograph for us.”

   Edward turned to Charlie, and said to him, “Charlie, shut up.”

   Charlie said, “I haven’t said anything!”

   Ashley said, “And you won’t. So let‘s make Alex our choreographer. Alex, you’re ready?”

   Alex stuttered, “I-I’ll t-try.”

   It’s now show time, and NR has already performed their planed six songs: All Around The World, Get Someone Else, Breathing, No Tears, I Really Don’t Think So, and Energized. After that, they performed their b-sides, Feels So Right, No Rules, and All Night Long.

   After they used up their own songs, they sang BG6 songs: Hot Shot, Clueless, Only You, and Get Me Turned On.

   Then the NR members sang 7 BubbleGum songs, 10 skate5 songs, 4 Steps songs, 4 S Club 7 songs, two S Club Juniors songs, and 6 A*Teens songs. This was all without any breaks, and no water! And with no skate5 in sight! 

   By now NR ran out of songs to sing, and their voices are parched. So they decided to just dance to songs by NSYNC and Britney Spears since they pretty much lost their voices.

   Then they danced to Britney’s song, I’m A Slave 4 U. The NR girls started to do sexy dances with the NR guys. The Ashley was taking Edward’s shirt off. When Sophie saw that, she tried to do the same on Alex. But Alex kept pulling his shirt down, so Sophie just took off his leather jacket.

  Just then, they heard someone yell out NR’s name on stage. The NR members saw Kimmy! Kimmy had on a handless microphone as she said the audience, “I’m sorry everyone for us skate5 being late, and No Rules taking over our concert. We promise it won’t happen again.”

   The audience booed at Kimmy, and demanded NR does an encore. But NR were forced to leave the stage.

  When the NR members went to their dressing, Alex grabbed Sophie. He took her aside, and asked her in an angry hoarse voice, “Why the hell did you do that?”

   Sophie asked nervously, also in a hoarse voice, “Do what?”

   “Take my shirt off along with my jacket!”

   “I just took off your jacket.”

   “Yeah, and everyone could see my f***ing scars!”

   “Nobody saw your scars. And what’s this got to with lifting your shirt?”

   “Look, just don’t. Do. It. Again. EVER!”

   With that, Alex grabbed his stuff, and stormed out of the arena. Sophie was confused.

   It’s now morning, and No Rules were at a meeting with Logan and Peter. There was silence from everyone, that is until Edward explained, “Okay, I know what we did was, erm, wrong. But we really want our own tour.”

   Peter said, “But you’re going on tour in August.”

   Ashley said, “We know, and we’re really sorry.”

  Then Logan took Peter aside to talk. After a few minutes, they faced NR. Logan said to them, “Okay, Peter and I decided that we’ll let you, No Rules, have your own tour. But that’s if your debut CD sells.”

  The NR members were excited to hear that they’ll be getting their own tour. Peter then said, “But don’t take over the concerts that has other bands, okay?”

   Edward smiled, “We won’t.”

   With that, the NR members left the meeting and went to their house.

   Then Alex took Sophie to his room to talk. Sophie told him, “Alex, I’m sorry if I upset you in anyway. I really am.”

   Alex told her sternly, “There’s something I to show you.”

  Then Alex lifted his shirt. Sophie was shocked to see large, faded bruises all over his stomach and chest.

   She asked him, “When did this happened?”

  He explained as his voice started to break, “A week before we went on tour, we all went back to our hometowns to finish school. Almost all the students beat me up. I was almost sent to a hospital. I have been horribly bullied all my life. I was bullied for being the smartest, talented, athletic, and good-looking guy in my school. I had very few girlfriends since all the girls were told not to date me. I really felt everything about me was a burden. The bullying got so bad that I started attempting suicide. It was bad enough that I was a cutter due to the bullying, but I really wanted to die.”

  With that, Alex cried. Then Sophie hugged him as he continued explaining, “When I joined No Rules, I didn’t expect to get bullied, but I was. But I never expected anyone to defend me. Edward, Ashley, and Mariana are my friends. Hell, even Hannah became my mate after she saw my scars. But you Sophie, you never stopped reaching out to me. No one reached out to me like you did. You made my life worth living. Now, here I am. I get to do what I love without hating my talents, and be with the girl that never gave up on me. You always told me to smile, and I haven’t stop smiling since.”

  Alex smiled, and so did Sophie. She said to him, “I’m glad you’re alive. I’ll do whatever I can to defend you. I’ll never give up on you. I love you, Alex.”

   “I love you, too.”

   Then they kissed.

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NO RULES' SINGLE, "GET SOMEONE ELSE," IS IN THE VIDEO>>>