A/n: OK, it's here, the 'Is It All Just Pretend' sequal! I am super excited to start writing this as I loved doing the first story. I was so thrilled when so many of you wanted to read a sequal. Yay you guys. Right, so here we go. I've decided to start the story off with a dose of giant drama. So sit back and enjoy. I own nothing!
All Just A Lie.
Chapter 1: The Record Label.
Golddigger.
Famewhore.
The insults came thick and fast for Mitchie over every type of medium, the words tainted with hatred and jealousy, each one causing a short flinch of pain for Mitchie. She loathed it, of course she did, who would actually like being publicly insulted?
But it didn't matter, because Mitchie knew that it was worth it. She knew that if she could withstand the abuse, she would be able to stay with Shane for however long he wanted her around, which she prayed, would be for a long, long time.
Mitchie had decided upon that fact the minute Shane had returned her love. That had been six months ago, six blissful months that had been filled with dates, picnics, dancing, flowers and Shane. And they had been the best six months that she had ever experienced, and she knew that she had made the right decision.
Mitchie smiled to herself as she curled up on the sofa, thinking back to the time she and Shane had shared together, it hadn't been long but she knew she was still falling, hard. She curled her legs around herself as she flicked through the channels.
"Anything interesting on?" Shane's voice questioned as he came out of the bathroom, an extraordinarily handsome look smothering his features.
"Same old stuff really. Oh, except this one story that I'm actually an actress from another record label who is trying to split up Connect Three." Mitchie replied, an amused look upon her face as she switched off the television and threw it upon the armchair. Shane chuckled deeply as he moved towards Mitchie, taking a seat next to her.
"Are you sure that you're doing ok with this?" Shane asked tenderly, one hand running causally through her hair.
"Shane, really, it's fine. I actually find it quite funny now. As long as you know I'm not after you for your money, then I'm fine." Mitchie declared genuinely, shifting her body so that she could face Shane.
"Are you…"
"I'm sure." Mitchie interrupted, holding her hand up silence him. Laughter bubbled contagiously from Shane's mouth as he reached up and laced his fingers within hers, moving it down to their sides. His laughter died out after a few moments, his eyes falling upon their entwined hands, a contemplating and saddened look one his face.
Mitchie furrowed her eyebrows, ceasing her own laughter as she did. After a couple of silent seconds she used her free hands to glaze over his hair line, Shane shivering under the heated contact.
"I'm sorry.." He suddenly said, it was barely a whisper, his voice croaking.
"For what?" Mitchie questioned, utterly confused as she dropped her hand from his face.
"For everything." Shane said slowly, his head tilting towards the television. "I hate that you have to put up with this stuff because of me."
"Woah…where did that come from? You know I'm fine with it, you've seen me laugh about it.....why are you saying this now?" Mitchie asked.
"These six months have been….I can't even describe how fantastic they've been Mitchie…"
"Are you breaking up with me?!" Mitchie gasped as a fear she had never felt clasped around her throat, her words strained and almost inaudible.
"No!" Shane exclaimed, his eyes snapping up to meet hers. "Never." He added quietly.
"Then what…?"
"I just don't want you to have to live this life. You don't want this, I know this isn't the life you wanted. You shouldn't have to endure it for me. I hate myself for being the one putting you through it all." Shane explained, his eyes averting to their conjoined hands once again.
"You're such a idiot sometimes." Mitchie said with a slight laugh, Shane looked up instantly, clearly confused by her response. "I don't care." She said clearly, raising her hand to his cheek in hope of keeping his gaze. "Yes Ok, sometimes I hate seeing my face everywhere, sometimes I hate the cameras, but it doesn't matter. I'm completely happy with my life right now, and that is because of you. I can easily endure the paparazzi and the rumours….as long as I'm with you." Mitchie stated, edging closer to Shane.
"Really?" Shane said after a small amount of time, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as he said it. He could see the honesty in her eyes, he could see how she felt about the subject.
"Really!" Mitchie exclaimed, a little exasperated. "Now, please can we drop this! I don't want to hear about it ever again." She added, looking at him with a piercing glare.
"Ok, I promise I won't bring it up again." Shane told her as he leant in, pressing his lips against hers. Mitchie smiled as she deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
After an uncountable amount of minutes Shane pulled away, a glorious smile open his face. "I have to go to an interview, Mitch." He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. Mitchie nodded reluctantly before kissing him once more. "What did I do to deserve someone like you?" Shane inquired with a grin, kissing Mitchie once more before he rose from the sofa.
"Guess you just got lucky." Mitchie laughed, poking her tongue out between her teeth as she did.
"Unbelievably so." Shane said seriously.
"Actually, I think it may have been your elaborate plan to get back at your Ex, I think." Mitchie said with a loud laugh.
"Ahh, true. Best plan I've ever had." Shane replied with a wink. "Where are you going?" He added as Mitchie pushed herself up from the sofa.
"Home." She said blankly.
"You can stay here if you want, I'll be back in three hours tops." Shane told her as he pulled on his leather jacket.
"You really just want me to stay here." Mitchie asked, an adoring smile upon her lips.
"I'll have something to come home to." Shane said softly.
"I'd love to, but I think my mum would get the wrong impression. I'm only seventeen you know?" Mitchie replied.
"True. Well, I'll ring you when I get back then. Oh crap, I'm late...can you lock up for me?" Shane asked, Mitchie responding with a nod. He leant forward kissing her forehead quickly. "I'll see you later, Mitch." He called to her as he darted from his apartment leaving Mitchie alone.
She looked around the room deciding she didn't want to leave it just yet, her mum could miss her for just a few more hours. She sat herself back down on the comfortable sofa, before pulling her phone from her pocket, concluding that a gossip with Caitlyn was in order.
"Hey Mitch." A breathless Caitlyn answered after a few rings. "I really, really can't talk right now, I erm…I have to do something…" Caitlyn quickly rambled.
"Oh ok, don't worry about it, Cait. Ring me when you're free, Ok?" Mitchie told her, curiosity and concern spilling from her words.
"Yeah. Sure. Will do." Caitlyn replied. "Bye." And with that, she was gone. Mitchie stared down at the phone for a few seconds, her mind whirling with possibilities as she attempted to decipher the reasoning behind Caitlyn's strange behaviour.
But before she had time to dwell on the situation her phone began to vibrate within her hands, her heart leaping from her chest in shock.
"Hello?" She answered inquisitively.
"Miss Torres?" A strong female voice replied.
"Erm…speaking." Mitchie said.
"My name is Jane Clarke, I'm from Mr Gray's record Label." The woman said sharply.
"Okay…?" Mitchie drew out, waiting for an explanation.
"It is imperative that you come down to our offices at once." Jane stated, Mitchie hesitated for a few moments.
"Can I ask why?"
"I'm afraid this is a matter that can not be discussed over the phone. It is of the utmost important that you make your way over here immediately." She replied stonily.
"Erm…I guess I can come." Mitchie stuttered, taken aback slightly but the woman's tone.
"That's a good choice. We will be expecting you." And for the second time in a very short period of time Mitchie was hung up on. She looked down at the phone once again, bewilderment written into her features.
Mitchie took a deep breath as she made her way through the revolving doors, her heart beating with intrigue and a slight dosage of fear as she entered the large reception area. It was mainly empty, a few suited people wandering through the area and one small girl sat behind a large, shimmering desk.
Mitchie wandered, hesitantly, forward, her footsteps echoing slightly around the room. The petite woman looked up from her desk, a flicker of recognition shot across her face before she picked up the phone, talking fast and quietly as Mitchie made her way further forward.
"May I help you?" The girl asked politely as she put down the phone and looked up at the soundless brunette.
"Yeah, I'm Michelle Torres, I was asked to come in for…" Mitchie paused trying to recall the name of the unmannerly person who had phoned her.
"A meeting with Ms Clark, Mr Alton…and Mr Manson." The small woman spoke, scepticism in her tone, Mitchie even detected a hint of dread at the mention of 'Mr Manson'
"..Yeah.." Mitchie said slowly, her eyes wondering around the large room.
"Straight down that corridor, room 224." The girl informed Mitchie, her finger pointing down a lengthy corridor. "They've been expecting you."
Mitchie nodded as she turned away from the girl, a slight tremor passing through her spine at the term that she had heard twice today. There was something strangely ominous about the term 'They've been expecting you', it was the sentence that was most commonly heard during a horror movie, right before the young, unsuspecting girl was slaughtered.
Mitchie shook her head, hoping that her irrational fears would plummet from her ears. But still, why was she here? What did she have to do with Shane's record label? Mitchie winced as she bit down on her lip harshly, her blood thumping around her head irregularly. Her eyes surveyed the golden 224 that glistened upon the wooden door, her clenched fist hovering in the air before she pushed herself to knock, somewhat incredulously.
"Come in." A loud booming voice seeped through the door. The voice clearly belonged to a male, a male that struck horror into Mitchie's chest. She stiffened slightly before she forced herself to enter the room. She swung open the door, stepping in.
"Close the door." The same voice ordered her. She did so accordingly. Mitchie studied the three people in front of her, all sat at the other side of a large table. The male speaker, who was rather large, brown hair upon his head as he sat in the middle of the table. He had another man to his left, he was rather big, but small in comparison, he was bald, and had his head held high. To the right was a red-headed woman, her hair pulled back tightly, thick-framed glasses balanced on her nose, her lips were pursed and she held a sour expression upon her face.
"Michelle Torres, I presume?" The middleman began, his voice dauntingly deep. Mitchie merely nodded, her voice contorted with nerves. "I'm Jonathon Manson. I'm the head of Packard records." Mitchie stayed silent as the man spoke, nodding once again.
"This is Jane Clarke, you spoke with her on the phone." Jonathon announced as he signalled to the bitter looking woman, her head jolting as a way of a greeting. "And this is Keith Alton." He informed Mitchie, motioning to the other man who remained still.
"Erm...that's all very well." Mitchie started, gaining a gust of confidence. "But why am I here?" She questioned politely, noting that there were no seats for her.
"We need to speak to you, regarding yours and Shane's relationship." The woman, Jane, stated forming quotations around the word 'relationship'. Mitchie chewed on the inside of her gum as to stop herself from snapping completely.
"What about it?" She asked, unable to keep all of the loathing from her voice.
"Well, I'm afraid, that it's not doing well for out numbers and we're going to have to ask you to stop." Jane stated, watching as Mitchie laughed, she then stopped abruptly, her mouth falling open as she realised the seriousness of the situation.
"What!?" She exclaimed, slightly bemused by their request. "You can not be serious?"
"We are deadly serious. The fans, they don't like the guys being in a relationship. We don't want to take a hit like that. And, on top of that, Shane had become distracted lately and is unwilling to go on long trips and that….is down to you." Jonathon told a flabbergasted Mitchie, his words coupled with disgust. "So, it has to stop." He said bluntly.
"Well, you really don't have a say in mine and Shane's relationship." Mitchie spat, Jane rose to her feet.
"Oh, yes we do." She barked back, smacking her hands on the desk and causing Mitchie to jump, she composed herself quickly.
"No, you really don't." Mitchie hissed, stepping forward, a distraught look on her face. "Besides, Jason and Nate both have girlfriends.." Mitchie trembled.
"Yes, yes, that is correct." Jonathon stated absent-mindedly. "BUT..." He bellowed before Mitchie could retort. "Jason is dating a model, a well known and very popular model. And Nate is dating an up and coming music producer, I believe you know her..?"
Mitchie nodded timidly as she was engulfed with an over-whelming jealously towards Caitlyn.
"Shane was the last single guy, every teenage girl in the world has their eye on him. He is the bad boy of the press, he's the favorite. You can not have him!" Jonathon shouted, yet he remained still and serene. "The press hates you, it's not realistic that he should end up with you...you're nothing. Do you really think you deserve him?"
Mitchie opened her mouth to defend herself, but she couldn't, she knew, deep down, that she didn't deserve him.
"You care about Shane, don't you Michelle?" Keith spoke for the first time as he rose form his chair simultaneously, shimmying around the table so he could stand in front of the clearly intimidated Mitchie.
"Yes…yes." She whispered, backing up as she realised how beefy the man was, her lips pressed into a hard line.
"Then, you know how much he loves being in a band with his best friends?" He questioned.
"Yes."
And Mitchie did know, they had had a conversation only a few weeks ago. Shane had explained how he used to be a shy little boy, unable to express himself, but he, Jason and Nate had formed a band and he had felt alive for the first time. He had told her that performing was one of the few things that made him truly happy. 'Besides you of course' he told her, that dazzling smile on his face.
"Well, if we don't think Shane is putting enough effort in, if we don't like the number of fans they have, they will be dropped, Michelle. Do you want to be the reason for Shane's dreams falling apart?"
Mitchie froze, her mind taking in the words that seemed inexplicable to her. This couldn't really be happening, could it? She took a second to breathe, tears filling up in her eyes as she realised this was her reality.
"You can't…" Her voice cracked. "You can't do this." She wanted to scream, she wanted to shout, but she couldn't, she was numb.
"Oh we can, if you don't break up with him, we will drop Connect Three." Keith spat menacingly.
"But…I love him." Mitchie whispered, her back now pressing up against the wall as the tears fell from her eyes.
"If you really love him, you'll let him go." Jonathon said softly, trying to portray some variation of an understanding emotion.
"Please, please don't do this." Mitchie pleaded, her view blurred by the unstoppable tears. "Please, you can't."
"We can, my dear." Jane piped in, her words patronising. "Will you do it?!" She demanded.
"Yes…for…for Shane." Mitchie murmured, unable to believe the words that were coming out of her mouth, or the words that were being thrown against her.
"That's the right choice, you don't want to be the reason behind his failed career, do you?" Jane said in a manner that suggested she was speaking to a child, her glasses creeping forward on her pointed nose.
"N..no." Mitchie choked out between her sharp breaths and unstoppable tears.
"Of course you don't." She replied with a smirk as she brushed back a lose strand of firey red. "Now, you can't tell him we had this conversation, or we will make it so that they can not even play on the streets!" Jane snapped. Mitchie nodded, hitting her head against the back of the wall as she tried to fight back her tears.
"Well, I'm glad that's settled." Jonathon declared, rubbing his hands together. "Run along Michelle, you have till the end of the week." Mitchie looked at the three suited people, trying her best to show them the hatred that she felt, she managed to hold back anymore tears until she left the room, slamming the door behind her.
And then she crumbled, falling to the floor and wrapping her arms around herself, questions swarming her mind.
How could this be happening?
How could they do this to her, to them?
How would she break up with Shane Gray, the love of her life?
A/N: So....what did you think? *Smiles nervously*
I really hope you liked it and it would be beyond awesome if you could press that little button and give me a review, even if it's short, and even it's saying you hated it.
Until next time my loyal readers. (If you want me to continue.) Emma. x