A/N: Finally the last chapter :) lol For some reason I always seem to enjoy writing when I have exams that I should be revising for...so on behalf of my school I think I should apologise for only setting tests now to inspire me to finish lol Anyway...I hope this was worth the wait, sorry again it took me so long and thank you for being so patient and understanding.
Shane's Prov
I rushed off the stage and straight to the dirt path that would get me to my cabin without me having to face anyone.
"That was a bit harsh." Nate commented disapprovingly following me.
"It was for her own good." I answered trying hard not to show any emotion.
"I don't see how making her cry was for her own good." He argued.
She cried? I swallowed hard to get rid of the lump of guilt that rose in my throat and marched myself on fighting the want in me to go and comfort her.
"She'll be fine." I muttered, I hope.
"Dude." Nate frowned angrily yanking me around by the arm to face him. "She just poured her heart out to you telling you she wanted you back and you practically pounded her into the ground, what's up with that? I thought you would've been…"
I interrupted him before he could finish, "I'm over it." I lied quickly. "And she'll get over it too." I finished marching on.
"Jerk." I heard him mutter behind me.
Mitchie's Prov
"I'm such a loser." I sniffed wiping away my tears as I sat on Caitlyn's bed with her.
"You're not a loser Mitchie." Ella argued sitting beside me.
"Ella, I just sung about how I wanted him back and then he got up and sung about how he didn't even want me to talk to him, that makes me a loser or an idiot or a joke or whatever everyone is calling me now." I disagreed as the tears started again.
"Don't worry what those people think, there opinions mean nothing." Caitlyn assured me given me a sideways hug.
I knew Caitlyn was right but it didn't mean their opinions didn't hurt, "I guess." I surrendered unwillingly I just wanted to stop talking about it for a while and catch my breath. "I think I'll grab a shower and go to bed early." I muttered getting up and collecting my towel before disappearing into the bathroom to be by myself for a while.
Knock! Knock!
I took my hand off the shower dial and opened the door of the bathroom enough so I could peep out. My heart started beating rapidly and butterflies started fluttering in my stomach excitedly as I foolishly hoped it was him still wishing for my Hollywood ending.
I watched Caitlyn looked out the window before she opened the door, that one action washed all my hopes away instantly if it were him Caitlyn wouldn't have opened the door. It was stupid of me to hope anyway, if I was normal I wouldn't care after all the hurt he caused me.
"Hi." Caitlyn greeted wearily as Ella moved to her side quickly.
Their weary tone and almost defensive stances confused me until I heard their voices.
"Hi." I almost didn't hear Nate's greeting it was muffled as if he were looking at he ground.
"How's Mitchie?" Jason asked just as quietly.
"She's been better." Caitlyn answered accusingly.
"We didn't know Shane…" My heart gave a painful squeeze hearing his name. "…was going to do that."
"Yeah, he told us earlier today he wasn't even going to perform." Nate added.
So, his performance wasn't planned he must have just gotten the same idea as me about him not being able to ignore someone when they sung to you, or it was just his answer to my song either option didn't make me feel any better. I closed the door again; I had heard enough.
Four Days Later
I had been walking around like a zombie the past couple of days –a shadow of the person I used to be according to Caitlyn during her pep talks- mostly because of my misery but I found being like a zombie kept you unaware of your surroundings and that was a nice escape from the looks, nasty comments and Shane. Of course those things were easier to avoid lately as it was raining for the last few days, fitting quite well with my mood as it was.
"You know your gonna have to just get over it…him eventually." Caitlyn was scowling as I turned around and faced her.
So this was her new strategy, tough love instead of coddling me.
"Caitlyn." Ella said disapprovingly.
"No, I'm fed up with this." She frowned waving her hand up and down the length of me.
"Fed up with what? I'm not doing anything." I asked confusedly.
"Mitch, I think that's her point." Ella mumbled quietly.
I rolled my eyes and shrugged off their comments as I grabbed my notebook, "I'm gonna be late." I muttered at them as I left for class.
This was why I avoided having those types of conversations with my friends before class it made it harder to slip back into my zombie state and I started becoming uncomfortably aware of everything and everyone. I kept my head down as I walked through the camp trying my best to ignore everyone, forget what my friends had said and slip back into being a zombie, but I was still trying as I got into the classroom. Everyone watched as I made my way to my table at the back of the room and as soon as I sat down the chatter began as if I couldn't hear them; the word "loser" was thrown about a lot and for the first time I noticed all the seats around mine were empty I was a total social pariah. It felt odd I had always been the social butterfly queen in camp with everyone dying to be my friend but at the same time it was revolution obviously they weren't worth my time if they only wanted to be my friend to become popular.
Without realising I became so engrossed in my revolution that I managed to block the whispers and looks out, until the chatter was too loud to block out anymore. I couldn't understand why it had gotten so loud were they fed up with me ignoring their jibs, was it only fun for them if I paid attention I showed them how much it hurt? I looked up from the faux wood gains of my desk to see what had got them rattled, and instantly regretted it.
He was just sitting down, even just seeing the back of his head had a lump in my throat and my heart beating faster fortunately I didn't see him for long as the group of people converged on him, sucking up to him some girls we're even trying to flirt with him which annoyed me more than it should. The only other person besides myself that hadn't flocked around him was Tess who looked severely pissed at the attention Shane was getting which made me a little happier.
When Brown arrived and called the class to order Shane's disciples reluctantly returned to their desks leaving him in full view. In my zombie state I wouldn't have even been aware of his presence but because I couldn't fall back into it I couldn't take my eyes off him. It was stupid to be so infatuated with him still, hoping he'd at least turn around and smile at me but I knew it was useless to hope for any sort of contact with him he'd been dutifully ignoring me for a while now with no indication that was going to change anytime soon. Staring at him was like being in my zombie state, everything else around me just blurred together before fading away completely only this hurt me more.
The only good thing was time past quickly and when Brown clapped his hands together he broke me out of my trance which I was thankful for up until his final words.
"O.k. guys that'll do us for today, anyone staying for the duet class I'll be right back." He smiled leaving the room before anyone else had even got to their feet.
I physically tensed up at the word "duet" and the lump in my throat got a lot bigger, I should be staying I thought miserably. I felt the tears coming so I stayed sitting concentrating on my desk to get a grip on myself and so no-one else saw me like this.
I jumped as a flash of yellow missed my nose by inches and made a smacking noise on the desk in front of me. It took me a while to realise what it was; my songbook but the time I realised and looked up the door was swinging closed from where he'd left.
Shane's Prov
I rushed towards the exit and then practically ran to my cabin, if she tried to talk to me…temptation was the last thing I needed right now. I had thought things got easier with time but it just felt the more I ignored Mitchie the harder it got, I felt myself crumpling anytime I was near her. Protecting her and being selfless was losing to being human and being selfish these days I needed to avoid her as much as possible.
At least I wouldn't be trapped in Brown's class anymore after today where I had been painfully aware of her then again I was always painfully aware of her, it was like she was a metal and I was a magnet even in a crowd my eyes were drawn to her, it was odd to me how she didn't notice my stares and catch me out in my "I don't care about her" act.
My friends seen threw my charade though, they watched me staring at her, admiring her from afar and called me out on it making me fess up; they understood.
Mitchie's Prov
Couple of hours later, I was still wandering around the camp in my own little bubble staring down at my song book. I had completely forgotten about it -which shocked me- this little book was extremely important to me and had been for the last ten years. It held every song I'd ever written and the guitar chords or piano notes that went with them, I felt myself getting annoyed at myself for letting my music take a back seat to Shane Grey.
Then again, hadn't everything been taken a back seat to him recently? I had completely wrapped myself in Shane Grey drama afraid to let go because that would just mean I was given up and I didn't want to give up on him, on us. But maybe my book was a wake up call I shouldn't really let Shane take over me I obviously didn't even register on his radar why should he be all I think about?
"Walking down a dead end street at night
Head down, I'm going under
We tried and failed to make it right
Don't know where we're going."
My resolve melted the instant I heard his voice and had me hop up the three steps to Brown's cabin –making me aware for the first time where I was- so I could peep in the window. I knew it was him just by his voice but seeing him -sitting on Brown's desk strumming his guitar and singing- that confirmation made my heart start beating erratically and my palms started sweating.
"'Cos you and me we're meant to be
Were meant to be together
But you and I were just too much the same.
This is our way, this is our life
Just one chance to make it right
This is our dream, and all I see
Is a place for you and me
If you need somebody, I'm somebody
For you to hold on tight
This is our life, but we're just worlds apart"
I felt the tears brimming in my eyes as he finished, I couldn't decide why though. It sounded like he wasn't over us just like me, so these should've been happy tears but then my mind went into over drive if he wasn't over us why didn't he want to be with me? Was I too ugly, not interesting enough, not talented enough? My head began to ache; this was so confusing; why couldn't everything just be straight forward I wanted to scream. I had to walk away then if I didn't I was going to go in there and yell at him.
Next Day
Shane's Prov
I sat down with my near enough empty tray, facing all the eyes that had been on me the second I walked in the door. Even facing them they didn't turn away embarrassed they got caught gawking, these people were ridiculous. After the Beach Jam I was suddenly in the lime light again, not because they hated me but because they liked me again and I didn't understand why. I put my head down when I seen they weren't gonna look away and tried to concentrate on what was on my tray.
The beagle and fruit juice did not hold my attention when she walked in, that strange magnetic pull had me look up the second she stepped in. I watched her move between her friends her head down like she was hiding I wanted to go and put my arm around her tell her she had nothing to hide from but I forced myself to stay put. I kept watching her as she made her way to the buffet line and waited for her turn, the three of them were oddly quiet.
"Y'know Caitlyn was saying the three of them weren't entirely getting on recently." Nate commented noticing my pre-occupation.
I shrugged my shoulders -I didn't want to know any details if she was hurting it would make it harder to stay away from her- before pulling my eyes off of her and stared back at my tray.
"Why?" Jason asked interestedly, making me cringe up mentally and physically.
"Because…"
I got to my feet swiftly interrupting Nate before he had a chance to explain, "I'm going to take a walk." I muttered picking up my tray and leaving the table. Didn't they understand talking about her was the last thing I needed I thought as I ditched the contents of my tray into the bin and walking out of the Mess Hall.
I started walking around camp but the looks and whispers of admiration –which meant little too me after seeing these sheep for their true colours- became too much for me and seemed to be putting me into a fouler mood so I started towards the more desolate areas of camp.
Unfortunately there were very few desolate areas at Camp Rock and I ended up at Mitchie and I's abandoned dock, just what I didn't need more reminders of her. I turned to leave but couldn't and slumped towards a part of the dock that looked sturdy enough for me to sit on; I guess the reminders were one temptation I allowed myself to give in to.
Mitchie's Prov
"Bye." I tried to smile as Caity disappeared into the computer cabin and Ella disappeared into the dance studio opposite, leaving me alone.
Sometimes I preferred to be on my own it was better than fighting with Caitlyn, Ella's sympathetic looks and awkward silences; other times like right now when I was stuck in the middle of camp where there was no chance of avoiding the sharks, and not having my friends to hide behind was going to make this experience worst.
I tried to walk quickly towards my cabin, but the minute I heard people walking towards me I looked for another path –another escape route. There was no other dirt path but there was a path through the long grass at the side of the path I was on, it didn't matter it was up to my knee and soaking wet anything would do so I could avoid these people. I put not having a backbone to face these people down to when Shane threw my heart into a blender and hit rapid. I kept walking down the path, watching over my shoulder as I walked until I was sure there was no way they could see me.
I sighed in relief as I turned around to see if there were any indicators that could tell me where exactly I had wandered to. I felt myself tense up physically when I seen the rotten wood and realised where I'd wandered. The memories began taken over the instant I knew where I was; I felt the lump in my throat begin to make itself known and the stinging feeling behind my eyes. I turned too quickly to get away from the memories and managed to trip myself up and fall onto the drenched grass. I was fully prepared to stay face down in the grass to cry myself out; the memories had hit me so fast and the pain of them had knocked me breathless but I wasn't alone.
"Mitchie?"
His voice had me up onto my knees in a split second wiping furiously at my eyes. Where did he come from?
Shane's Prov
I wasn't sure at first if it was her but the second she got to her knees – even with her back to me – that strange magnetic feeling started again letting me know for definite. My feet were rushing me to her side concernedly this wasn't exactly how I should be acting around her but I couldn't help myself.
"Are you o.k.?" I asked walking around her to offer my hand to help her up.
She looked up at me through red puffy eyes with tears still brimming in them before she wiped them away; it killed me to see her look so upset. I offered my hand again, not sure if I could trust myself to say anything to her because if I started I was sure I wouldn't finish till I explained everything.
She looked at my hand for a second and even though she still looked upset she managed an eye roll before heaving herself up without my help.
I sighed quietly, but regretted it as she shot me a look that could kill before moving around me to walk off.
My heart pulled my feet in front of her so she couldn't leave, not like that.
Mitchie's Prov
My brow furrowed at him when he blocked my way, I looked daggers at him as I tried to side step my way round him but again he blocked my way.
"What do you want, Shane?" I spat venomously at him.
He just stood there silently, with a weird pained, confused, disapproving look on his face.
"You know Shane, it would be easier to ignore me and act like I don't exist if you just get out of my way." I spoke through gritted teeth trying to step around him again.
He didn't move to block my way this time he reached out and grabbed my hand to stop me. This was the first time he'd touched me in a while and instantly the butterflies started, my palms started sweating and my heart started racing.
"Don't go." He whispered.
His voice brought back the recent events and with them my heart break and humiliation and immediately my defences were up.
"Why?" I demanded pulling my hand out of his. "So, you can tell me you don't want me again? Or do you prefer singing it in front of everyone?" I shouted at him.
He automatically looked guilty, "I'm sorry." He muttered guiltily.
Although I knew he was honestly sorry just by looking him in the eyes my embarrassment and anger were still fully in control of my mouth, "Why should I stand here and listen to your apologies when you ran away every time I tried to apologise to you?"
"Your right that was not the way to go about it." He agreed -angry with himself- looking at the ground. He took a breath before looking in my eyes for the first time in too long. "Mitchie..." He smiled crookedly saying my name and his eyes did the wide honest persuasive thing as he put his arms around my shoulders and placed his hands on my neck to stop me from looking away as he spoke. "…I know you don't owe me anything but please believe me when I say I am so sorry for how I've been treating you."
I felt myself melting under his touch, and loving the way he looked and smiled at me, I frowned the minute I realised I was about to let my defences down around him.
"No Shane." I interrupted him pulling his hands off my neck. "You can't keep doing this; you can't be all sweet when we're alone and be ice man when we're not. These mixed messages are going to make my head explode." I rambled on. "If you want to kiss me kiss me if you want to act like I don't exist then ignore me JUST PICK ONE." The second I shouted the last three words at him his lips came crashing down on mine.
His lips were intoxicating, like some drug I had trying to be quit cold turkey but now it seemed liked all my efforts were futile. I deepened the kiss hungrily stretching my arms to put them around his neck to make sure it would last. He pulled away suddenly before my arms locked around him, sending me stumbling back.
I knew what was coming before I even looked at him and immediately the tears started to well up in my eyes. It was there in his eyes; the regret.
"That was wrong, I shouldn't have…" He muttered trailing off unable to say "kiss" and unable to look at me –was he that disgusted with himself…with me? "Your right I should stop sending you mixed messages and just leave you alone." He finished walking away from me.
I tried to call him back but his name came out in a choked sob as I put my hand up in a useless effort to reach out to him.
Shane's Prov
She gave me a choice, and choose…selfishly, I'm the biggest idiot I know. I shouldn't have kissed her, even though I wanted to and it felt so good her lips on mine…no, stop it I ordered my inner voice sternly. But it continued painting the image of what just happened I couldn't concentrate hard enough to make it stop when most of my energy was going into making sure my feet kept moving forward and didn't turn back to her.
"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Jason called jogging towards me with Nate on his heels.
So, my inner turmoil showed on the outside, great.
"Nothing." I answered when they caught up with me.
Nate pulled a face showing he didn't believe me.
"Obviously something's up." Jason spoke Nate's thoughts for him.
"Jason." I snapped. "I don't wanna talk about it." I frowned going to stomp off.
"Shane…" Jason started but Nate cut him off.
"Don't bother Jason, just leave him alone. I'm fed up dealing with all his jerk B.S."
I stopped mid-step to turn around and face them again, I had never heard Nate speak like that before and by the shock on Jason's face he hadn't either.
It took Nate a second to catch on then his face was just a shocked as ours, "Wow, I didn't mean to say that." He apologised.
"But you were thinking it?" I asked a little hurt but at the same time guilty for forcing him to think like that.
He looked uncomfortable like I'd forced him between a rock and a hard place, "Sorry." He apologised again.
"You don't have to be." I assured him. "It's my fault you feel like that. I'm sorry for being a jerk recently, its just…eugh." I groaned before continuing. "…everything."
"And by everything you mean Mitchie?" Jason asked.
I nodded glumly, "I can't avoid her anymore it's too hard."
"So don't." Nate said obviously. "I mean it's obvious you still have feelings for her."
"Of course I do." I said exhaustedly. "But it's not right for us to be together, believe me it's for her own good."
"You said that before, what do you mean "it's for her own good"?"
"Don't you hear what everyone's saying about her, it's all my fault. I'm trying to protect her from all that."
"Shane, I don't think Mitchie needs your protection." Jason put in.
"Maybe, maybe not." I shrugged. "I'd still feel responsible. I just don't know what to do now."
"Maybe you should just go back to how it was before you's got together." Nate suggested.
"I've already tried that."
"No, you haven't you said it yourself, you were avoiding her. Before you's got together you didn't avoid her you teased her, you were a jerk to her she was your competition."
"You think I should start being the big headed jerk again?" I asked.
He nodded, "Why not?"
Next Day
Mitchie's Prov
Things had been weird since this morning, I woke up expecting Shane to ignore me just like the days before but he didn't; he didn't avoid eye contact with me or take a wide berth around me if we met each other on one of the paths he would stare me out and push past me if he had too. His stance was different too, he was more sure of himself, arrogant even.
It was weird but I welcomed it, it kept my mind off yesterday as I tried to work out what had changed in the past twenty four hours.
I was still mulling it over in my head as I waited in the queue for the buffet, I was so lost in thought that the queue moved meaning I was holding everyone else up.
"Are you going to move anytime soon?" Shane asked challengingly breaking me out of my train of thought.
He was towering over me intimidating-ly, arms crossed waiting for my answer, I was shocked at first he was speaking to me but his whole posture set something off inside of me putting the surprise to the back of my mind.
"I suppose you and your fat head need all the room you can get to get past." I shot instantly at him grabbing a try and pushing past him.
I got a rush as I pick up what I wanted to eat; that felt -as weird as it sounds- good. I still had tingles and a bit of a smile when I sat down, I knew it was weird but it felt good answering him like that, better than hiding away from him from everyone.
Caitlyn and Ella sat down across from me looking at me wonderingly.
"What was that?" Caitlyn asked.
"I honestly don't know." I smiled tucking into my food.
After that I sought him out just to argue with him, just to feel that rush…until it was time for supper but after I ate I went back out to find him for one more argument before I went to sleep.
I walked towards the teaching cabins remembering that's where I'd found him the last time, and my intuition was right he was in Brown's cabin perched on his desk strumming his guitar, eyes shut, just like the last time.
I marched in about to let loose on the insults, but he started singing unaware of my presence, shutting me up quickly.
"…You're the missing piece I need, the song inside of me
I need to find you
I gotta find you
Been feeling lost, can't find the words to say
Spending all my time stuck in yesterday
Where you are is where I want to be
Oh next to you... and you next to me…"
My eyes had welled up just by listening to the first line, it was my line and he'd made it into a song. My heart gave out a painful squeeze making me release the door I'd forgot I was still holding opened letting it slam shut.
His eyes snapped opened at the sound and his hands froze on the guitar strings, we stared at each other in silence before I felt one of my tears overspill, moving my hand to swiftly wipe it away seemed to break him out of his stillness.
His expression completely changed into an icy stare as he slid off the desk and moved his guitar onto his back, "Spying on the competition?" He asked sarcastically passing me.
"No." I defended myself instantly. "Shane, I…I'm…"
"For your own benefit you should be." He interrupted me. "There's no way your beating me tomorrow, loser." He finished arrogantly walking out of the cabin.
"Loser" just like the first time he spoke to me, I felt myself smile involuntarily at the insult before exiting the cabin and running towards my own.
"Guys." I shouted unnecessarily as I busted through the door of our cabin.
My friends sat up straight in their beds worry instantly clouding their expression.
"What's wrong?" Ella asked immediately.
"Nothing, everything is great. Shane called me a loser."
Both their expressions fell into confusion.
"Mitch, did you hit your head in the last couple of hours? Because being called a "loser" isn't something to smile about." Caitlyn asked.
I shook my head, "It's a long story but the short one is he still likes me."
"Jeez, Mitchie if you just needed that confirmation, that boy is still head over heels about you we could have told you that." Caitlyn smiled making me smile back at her.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Ella asked.
"I have a plan but I'll need your help, both of you's." I pleaded coping their puppy dog pleading faces.
Final Jam
Shane's Prov
I marked off the last day of camp on my calendar, before putting my hand under my bed to find my duffle bag and setting it opened on my bed. I pulled opened my wardrobe and started taken out armfuls of clothes and throwing them into my bag.
I hesitated with my second armful, torn about whether I should be happy or sad this summer was over, then again in the past couple of weeks I couldn't remember when I hadn't been conflicted about this day. Getting away from here would be good for me I wouldn't have to avoid Mitchie and pretend I didn't have feelings for her when I do but when I left it would mean I wouldn't see her at all. But me leaving would be good for her too, I reminded myself and like always that was the winning argument as I dropped my armful of clothes into my bag, her well-fair was more important, she was more important to me than anything.
"Shane?" Nate asked sleepily breaking me out of my thoughts. "What are you doing?"
"Packing." I answered over my shoulder.
"Already?"
"Yeah, after closing ceremonies tomorrow I'm outta here."
I caught his sympathetic look before he cleared it and managed a small sleepy smile, "Just keep it down." He smiled rolling over. "And don't forget to leave yourself something to wear tonight."
I scrunched up my nose at his reminder, Final Jam, was my last hurdle and the one I was looking forward too least. If it wasn't compulsory I wouldn't be doing it, not that I was prepared for it anyway, I had being trying to choose a song for a while but most of the ones I'd written were love songs and that was the last thing I wanted to sing about.
Mitchie's Prov
We'd been working solid all night putting together my plan, and when we finally got to sleep it was the wee hours of the morning so it was unsurprising that when we woke up it was time of dinner. We were a bit sluggish getting up and ready to go to the Mess Hall and even with our best efforts we all looked a little worst for wear as we stumbled into the Mess Hall.
I pulled a face as I caught site of my reflection in the glass sneeze protector covering the food at the buffet table.
"We'll look better for tonight." Ella promised.
Ella came through on her promise; we all looked great as we left for the theatre where Final Jam was being held.
Ella looked amazing in an off shoulder teal top and dark blue skinny's, platform heels and chunky gold jewellery. Her back pack containing her dancing track suit however didn't do much for her look, but it was the only bag she had for her change of clothes for her dance routine after she sang backing vocals for me. She went for the naturally nude look with her make-up and kept her hair perfectly straight.
Caitlyn looked just as good in her dark grey skinny's, black top and dark grey waistcoat and her slightly more sensible shoe choice, white high top converse with black stars on them. Ella had kept Caity's make-up close to the colour of her clothes with silvery grey sparkly eye shadow and a coat of clear lip gloss. With her hair in her natural curls.
As for me, Ella had instructed me to wear the only dress I brought with me to camp, a black mini one with one of her chunky jewelled necklaces and my leather jacket and ankle platform boots. She'd given me smoky eyes and just for a flash of colour to finish me off shocking pink lip-stick, and loosely curled hair.
After all our primping we arrived just in time to see the start of Tess's performance, as usual she'd gone all out with dancers, props and her own lighting sequence. I rolled my eyes a little a gesture both my friends mirrored before we went back stage.
"Mitchie." Dee smiled relieved as she spotted me. "We need you to go on after Tess."
"What?" I asked, my nerves kicking in for the first time. "I thought I wasn't on to the second half."
"There's been some changes, please Mitchie." She begged at the end.
"Fine." I sighed, unable to say 'no' when she looked so desperate.
She smiled gratefully, before busying herself with other campers who seemed to be having their own problems.
My friends turned excitedly to face me the second Dee left us but the gleam in their eyes turned to concern.
"Are you o.k. Mitch?" Caitlyn asked concernedly. "You're as white as a ghost."
I didn't need to check myself to confirm her statement I'd felt the colour drain from my face and my stomach twisting into knots the second Dee turned away from me.
"I think I got it all wrong." I whispered feeling a light sweat breaking out on the back of my neck, was this stage fight?
"What all wrong?"
"Everything, maybe I read too much into that insult. Maybe he was just insulting me, and I'm gonna go out there and make a complete idiot out of myself." I felt myself closing in on a full scale panic attack.
"Breathe Mitchie." Caitlyn instructed.
I took a couple of deep breaths while she rubbed my back soothingly.
"You've nothing to worry about." Ella reassured me when I pulled myself back together. "He's totally still in love with you, and you'll totally rock that stage the second you get out there and he'll fall even more in love with you." She finished smiling with Caitlyn nodding in agreement beside her.
I felt most of my nerves leave me and my colour returned, thanks to their reassurances, just in time to catch Tess's finale and gear myself up.
I waited impatiently half way up the steps that lead onto the stage squeezing myself as flat as I could as Tess and her dancers came off the stage and Brown walked onto the stage from the other side complimenting her performance, she muttered something under her breath as she past us I didn't catch it but I doubted it was her wishing me luck. Well, I'd show her I thought more confident now as Brown welcomed us on stage.
I squinted against the bright stage lights so I could see into the audience -as Caitlyn set up and Ella and I walked to our mic's- to try and find him, "please be here already" I chanted to myself as I searched every face in the packed theatre. I couldn't see past the sixth row though so I was about to give up before Ella began gesturing subtly to the side of the stage, and there he was.
Shane's Prov
I couldn't help myself, the minute I heard Brown introduce her onstage I practically ran to the steps where the only gap to see the stage from the side was. I watched her squint against the lights before her eyes got adjusted, then seconds later she was staring back at me. I held her gaze for a while, but pulled my eyes away when I realised I was smiling at her which allowed me to notice for the first time who was standing beside me and I couldn't stop myself from pulling a face; Tess Tyler. She must have came off stage and just stood here to size up the competition because her microphone was still in her hand.
The music started then pulling my attention back to the stage, Mitchie was still looking at me, she looked as if she'd just stopped giggling at something before she started singing and immediately every little bit of me started buzzing with happiness and I couldn't stop myself from smiling widely at her song choice.
I've always been the kind of girl
That hid my face
So afraid to tell the world
What I've got to say
But I have this dream
Right inside of me
I'm gonna let it show, it's time
To let you know
To let you know
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
She didn't take her eyes off me as she sung the first verse and chorus and I couldn't peel my eyes off her either, I was fallen even more in love with her as I watched her. But as she started the second verse her natural talent and stage presence took over as she took the mic out of its stand so she could walk around the stage and dance, giving the audience a proper show.
Do you know what it's like
To feel so in the dark
To dream about a life
Where you're the shining star
Even though it seems
Like it's too far away
I have to believe in myself
It's the only way
This is real, This is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me…
Although Mitchie had a microphone and the speakers in the theatre and backstage were blaring her beautiful voice she suddenly became hard to hear over Tess.
"God if she thinks she's actually gonna beat me with that song, she's lost her mind. It's awful, she's awful."
My face had to be a picture of disgust as I listened to her and I couldn't stop myself from snapping at her, "Tess, shut up." Her and her groupies looked shocked at my outburst but that didn't slow me down, "Mitchie is ten times the performer you'll ever be, so maybe you should stop being a spiteful diva and start taking notes." I shouted at her stunning her into silence allowing me to hear Mitchie finish the second chorus, this was my queue I remembered –although I'd ripped the paper I'd collaborated our songs on into a million pieces it hadn't left me- and without thinking I took the mic out of -a still frozen- Tess's hand.
Mitchie's Prov
You're the voice I hear inside my head
His voice completely caught me off guard and for a millisecond I thought I was dreaming, but he was actually there walking up the steps and onto the stage singing the song I'd heard him sing in Brown's cabin weaving it into my song's melody. And he was singing it just to me.
The reason that I'm singing
I need to find you, I gotta find you
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me
He gave me a smile and a nod to tell me to start singing as we walked towards each other.
I need to find you, I gotta find you
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
I got that same buzz of excitement and happiness just like the first time we sung together and everybody else just melted away and I knew without a doubt he felt it too.
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me
You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason that I'm singing
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
He closed the gap between us looking deeply and lovingly into my eyes as we finished are song taken each other's hand.
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
I became vaguely aware we were being watched when the crowd erupted into applause but I forgot about them again as his lips met mine softly.
A/N: So, what do you's think? Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks again for reading my story and adding it to your favourites and alerts and a really big THANK YOU for all the really nice reviews :) xx