you're just as far in as you'll ever be out

she goes left and you stay right

I'm SO sorry this took so long! I've been sooo busy. I'm not too happy with this chapter but oh well! I promise the next update won't take this long. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!!

-

They had been in New Zealand for less than twenty-four hours and Alana was already convinced Dan was out to get her.

He only scheduled her for a six-hour press tour with local radio stations in Auckland. Este and Danielle had the day off! She knew it was probably due to all the rumors swirling around that she was headed for some sort of breakdown. It wasn't completely false, but fans were convinced she was going to quit the band soon.

She, herself, was starting to believe that one as well.

Alana sighed and glanced forlornly at Danielle fast asleep in the uncomfortable queen sized bed they were sharing. Este, per usual, got her own room, but this time it was connected to theirs. She left the conjoined door unlocked at night in case they needed anything, but Este was the last person Alana wanted anything from. Her eldest sister was becoming increasingly annoyed with her and they almost always ended up in a full-blown argument. It usually ended with Danielle storming out in sheer exhaustion because she could no longer successfully diffuse the situation anymore.

It was only 7:07 in the morning and Alana was ready for the day to be over. She purposely stole Danielle's new leather jacket and shrugged it on, tiptoeing out of the room so she would not wake her sister.

Dan was already waiting for her in the dimly lit hallway, a large iced coffee from Starbucks in hand. "Here," he said brusquely, forcing the beverage in Alana's shaky hands. "Ready?"

"Yep," Alana replied, popping the "p" before taking a long sip of coffee. She sighed in content and reluctantly followed Dan to the elevator. He began to rattle off the list of things she was supposed to do but she didn't care to listen.

"Anyway," Dan finally trailed off, looking at his phone. "I'll forward you the schedule."

They spent the elevator ride in an uncomfortable silence. Alana kept glancing up and down, trying to find something to focus on so she'd stop shaking. Dan hardly noticed because he was glued to his phone.

"You can do this, kid," Dan said confidently once they reached the lobby. He awkwardly patted Alana's shoulders.

Alana forced a smile and nodded. She bit her green straw anxiously and trailed behind Dan as he led her to the poor driver who was most likely going to have to put up with her whining for half the day.

"This is Frank."

Alana shook Frank's hand and felt bad. Frank was a bald guy in his fifties who looked like he did not want to be working on a Sunday either.

Dan whispered something to Frank that Alana could not hear. It was probably "make sure she goes in" or something along those lines.

Alana clambered in the back seat and gripped her phone tightly. It was at least a thirty-minute ride to the first radio station and according to the schedule Dan emailed her; two other interviewers were going to call her in that time span. It was going to be so awkward giving an interview over the phone in the backseat of a Mercedes.

"So," Frank began, clearing his throat while be pulled slowly out of the hotel parking lot. "What brings you to New Zealand?"

"Work," Alana answered politely, glancing down at her lap. "Nothing exciting."

Frank chuckled. "What do you do for work?"

It was kind of refreshing that he had no idea who she was. It made her relax a bit. She didn't have to be "on." That's what her sisters had been telling her for the past month. Ever since her mini breakdown in Australia three weeks ago, both Este and Danielle would not let her out of their sight. She could barely go to the bathroom without one of her sisters following her. It was getting annoying and she was not sure how much she could take anymore.