Three months ago, I would be grinning and running to him when he shouted my name.
But right now, this game is so played that if there were anywhere to run to other than to him, I would be out of his sight in a flash.
"What, Shane?" I snap, dropping my pen and songbook like a bratty popstar would do to her thousand-dollar sunglasses- or his; in this case. "Yeah, Mitch;" He goes on, grinning at my unwilling obedience. "We gotta talk about that thing you do."
"That thing I do?" I reply, sarcasm stinging at my voice with a raised eyebrow.
"Yah. That book you're always scribbling in- it's really not doing much for my image."
"Your image?" I stutter out.
"Mmmhmm. We talked about this, haven't we?" He grabs a water bottle from the food cart passing us, not bothering to thank the pusher or pay for his purchase. "It's difficult to keep an image, babe." He presses the bottle to his lips, lifts the end up, and slurps down half of the half liter, crushing the end he held it with in his large hand. Water trickles down the sides of his face. "Glak-ah, omigodd! What is wrong with you people!? Can't you make decent tasting, healthy, clean water!?" He hollers after the cart-pusher, turning his wet face back to me before wiping the water off with the sleeve of his rolled up designer sweatshirt. "What were we talking about again?"
My scowl deepens as his warm brown eyes survey my face.
"I honestly don't know." I grumble, picking up my pen again. But he didn't move. Not yet. And I got that horrible sinking feeling that he was remembering our prior conversation.
He hasn't started criticizing me again yet, so I figure I have some time to jot down a few more lyrics…
"Yes, SARAH. S-A-R- Yes, I'll hold…"
My writing was interrupted by the booming voice of one of my best friends, Nate, walking past us on his cell phone. "Hello!" He stopped in front of Shane, giving him a wide excited grin as he chattered on into the blackberry. "Mmm yes, I'm trying to reach Sarah; yes, S as in snail, A as in apple…" He started to grimace and walked away from us. I sighed heavily- Sarah was the singing in a girl group Nate had met at a party last night, and he'd been trying to reach her ever since. "Isn't that nice?" I mused, my eyes widening to meet Shane's. "It's adorable how much Nate cares about Sarah." I smiled, but his reaction was the exact opposite. "Pssh." He groaned. "Big deal. Nate couldn't keep a girl for two minutes-."
"Hey, Mitchers!" I looked up, to see big-brotha Jason coming my way. "Can I borrow that good-smelling stuff you have? You know, the one that smells like baby cows after a milk bath…." He babbled, grinning his airhead grin. I laughed. "Of course you can, Jay." I reached into my bag, and pulled out my Victoria's Secret Baby-Love scented perfume. "Any special occasion?" I dropped the bottle into his open palm "Yess." He blushed. "Angel just got back from filming in Mexico this morning, and we're going to…" He stopped, acknowling Shane's presence. "But why would I let you know about any of this!" He shrieked, bobbing away. "And thanks Mitchie!" He cried over his shoulder, and I sent a look towards my 'boyfriend'. "Whaat?!" He whined.
"Did you guys have a fight?"
Shane pouted. "Well… yeahh. But it wasn't my fault!" he prodded. "You see, Angel was at the apartment one night and Jason gave him my pillow- the fluffy one, so I kinda…"
I waited. "Kindaa…?"
"Called-him-a-fin-fag." He admitted, as one word.
"Shaane!" I can't believe him! He's been such a bully lately- no, not just lately, all the time! He's crazy jealous of all of the girls Nate gets, can't stop making fun of Jason's new 'modern' relationship, and is always telling me how to talk, dress, act- how to live as 'Shane Grey's Girlfriend'! "You know what!?" I suddenly find myself jumping out of my chair to face him. "I am sick of you!" He steps backwards, surprised. "…did you seriously just stomp your foot?" He asks outloud. "I thought girls on TV only did that." I roll my eyes, groaning. "Uughhh!" Why can't I get my point across!? "Shane-." I step right up to him, our noses almost touching. "That is it." His eyes flare, but he seems unfazed. "We're over."
He blinks, his mouth opening in protest a moment- then closing hesitantly.
"I am not Shane Grey's girlfriend!"
I turn away from him, feeling my new freedoms- at last.
"Where are you going!?" He yelled after me- a hint of pain in his voice that almost made me turn around.
Almost.
But I stop… and I think. Where could I go? It's only April, and college doesn't start until fall, and I'd basically been living with Shane and the band for the last year…but then a second question hits me. Where could I not go? I grin to myself as I start to walk away. Being Shane's 'girlfriend' for one (tortured) year had gotten me some status- and plenty of money and free junk to go with it. "New York City." I proclaim, tossing those last words to him as I walk of his music video set- and out of his life- forever.
