"I officially hate you National Gray," Mitchie Torres warned as two of her oldest friends paced around her room, deciding what would be packed, and what would go into the dreaded goodwill bag.

"Couldn't if you tried Mitch," Nate shot back, holding up a paint-smeared hoddie. He made a face and threw it into the trash.

"Hey!" She ran to retrieve it, but her best friend Caitlin Geller tackled her to the floor.

"Caity! Get off of me!" Mitchie tried weakly, but Caitlin had always been stronger.

"Cat, take her out of the room, so we can finish," Jason ordered, hauling the girls up from the floor.

"Yes, "sir"" Caitlin laughed, wrapped an arm around her best friend's waist, and pulled her into their small living room of their apartment.

"Let-Me-Go!" She fought her way free. Caitlin shook her head and took her phone from her pocket.

"Do I need to call Shane?"

Mitchie whipped her head around.

"You-Wouldn't!"

She laughed and hit speed dial number 4.

"Hey Cat," Shane's voice greeted cheerfully.

"Shane, Mitchie's giving us trouble!"

"Let me talk to her," He suggested, groaning.

"Sure thing," Caitlin tossed her phone at Mitchie, who took a few seconds to answer it.

"Come on Mitch, I can hear you breathing," Shane challanged, smiling at himself in the mirror.

"Hi, Shane," Mitchie braced herself.

"Come on girlie, you're finally getting out of your small town, just let Jason and Nate help you with you clothing situation."

"Okay..." She sighed.

"Okay Mitch, what's up?" Shane demanded, knowing her sad voice any second of the day.

"Why couldn't you come too? You know I love Nate and Jason, but I haven't exactly seen my best friend in two years," Mitchie sat down on the couch, Caitlin left the room to give her privacy.

"I know Mitch, and I'm sorry..But the recording company said at least one member of Connect three needed to stay to work on writing songs. I'm really sorry, It's been hard on me too,"

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Mitchie asked hopefully.

"Who else would get you four from the airport?" He teased.

"Good point, Bye Shaney, Love you,"

"Bye Munchkin, love you more,"

Mitchie sighed and hung up. It was true, she hadn't seen Shane Anthony Gray in two years. It killed her inside. A little over a year ago, Mitchie had gotten an idea that she needed to stop eating to lose weight...She refused to eat for a week. Caitlin, worried about her best friend more than ever, had called Shane while he was on tour, and told him the whole story. Needless to say, he was furious. He stormed off the stage during rehearsal and locked himself in his dressing room, dialing the familiar number.

-Flashback-

Mitchie sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She was looking good, but feeling awful. She knew Caitlin was pissed, but right now, she tried not to care.

Her phone rang. "This Is Me," Played, and she knew it was Shane, calling to complain about his tour life, and she was about to listen.

"Hey Shaney!" She had greeted, but was met with heavy breathing.

"Shane?"

No answer.

"Shane, you okay?"

"No Mitchie, No i'm not okay, and you want to know why? Because my best friend in the whole wide world is not eating."

"Shane-"

"No Michelle, I'm talking, you're listening...Mitch, how come you're doing this? You are absolutely perfect in every way, how could you be so stupid? Michelle Hope Torres, if you don't eat tonight...If you don't go out with Caitlin and eat a huge dinner right now, then I'm going to postpone this tour, come down there myself and force feed you, do you understand?"

Mitchie sobbed a weak "yes" And started eating again.

-End flashback-

"Mitchie, come on, it's gonna take us a few hours to get down to the airport" Jason called.

"Coming!" She called back, looking around her now, empty room one more time.

She couldn't believe this was really happening...She, Mitchell Hope Torres, was going to live with the three members of Connect three, hottest band in America.

She was Shane Gray's best friend. Caitlin Geller's best friend. Little sister to Jason and Nate Gray.

She was also at the bottom of them food chain at her high school.

The school she would no longer attend now.

After her parents had died, Mitchie and Caitlin had gotten an apartment. They had finished their junior year together.

Caitlin had had a chance to be popular, because of who she was, but she refused.

Then, two weeks before their summer vacation.

Shane called.

And just like that, the girls were going to be on their way to LA, to live the life of the rich and famous.

And she was just still Mitchie Torres.

"Come on Mitch," Jason said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the waiting limo.

For the most part of the ride, while everyone talked, Mitchie looked out the window, thinking about her life.

Why did life have to be so hard sometimes?

Who else loses their parents?

That wasn't real life...that was just in shows like Degrassi...

But, it was real...

She missed Shane...Not even Caitlin had noticed how hard it was for her.

Mitchie sighed and leaned back into her seat.