Author's Note: I know this is probably an overused and overdone plot, but I wanted to put my twist on in it. You could say this was a songfic, I guess it all depends on how you look at it. I'm not using the rap or the billion times they sing the chorus. Read and review, thanks!
Summary: AU. Shane Gray never faltered, never failed, and never lost his cool. But now, in one of the most unlikely places; his icy façade is melting and all he can see is her across the room. And she's got him burning up.
o.O.o.O.o
I'm hot, you're cold.
You go around like you know,
Who I am, but you don't.
You've got me on my toes.
The strobe lights never hit this corner of the club. It was dark and secluded, isolated, alone, the perfect hiding place for Shane Gray. He listened all too attentively to the tacky techno beat, letting the music pulse through his veins and fill his head. To be honest, he hated this music and never understood why he still came here and hid in this corner every other night or so.
Perhaps it was that it had already a part of his almost flawless and predictable routine. Around ten thirty or so he would arrive, unnoticed, unannounced. Two minutes later he would retreat to his table in the corner and light up a cigarette. He knew this was a nasty habit he needed to kick, and yet he hadn't found a good enough reason to. By then there was always a drink on his table and Shane would have a quarter of a glass left by the time he extinguished the burning butt. After tipping the glass back to down the rest of the alcohol, he would frown, sit back and close his eyes and let the music take over.
Looking up from the ash tray he has been staring at for the past five minutes, he stared across the room at the oddly matched couples dancing sleazily on the floor. To the right of the DJ stand the doors opened and two girls stepped inside. Shane froze, mesmerized. One of them stood there awkwardly, clutching her purse tightly to her waist and murmured something to her friend. Her hazel eyes were worried, almost afraid to be here, but her movements were anxious as her friend began dragging her across the floor to the bar. Shane sat up in his chair, his eyes wide and focused, a slight shiver running down his spine. His blood was burning, boiling almost, as his heart began pounding suddenly heating up his whole body. He shoved his almost nonexistent cigarette butt into the ashtray.
I'm slipping into the lava,
And I'm trying to keep from going under.
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter,
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby.
"This is ridiculous." He muttered to himself shaking his dark hair out of his eyes and forcing his glance back to his empty glass. In all of two seconds he had been pulled under by some random chick that had walked into the club. He tried convincing himself over and over that they were all the same, good for a drunk, one night stand, gone the next morning and hopefully burned from his memory. It felt like the magnetic pull of the Earth had shifted, (Shane couldn't think of a better excuse), as his stare was immediately drawn back to the girl.
She didn't look like she belonged here, that was obvious to him. He was a people watcher and could easily pick up what a person was all about and she didn't belong to this scene. They were still at the bar, her more spontaneous friend sliding a shot to her. Reluctantly she picked up the tiny glass and downed it as a look of pure disgust took over her innocent features. Her nose scrunched up and he watched as she coughed and sputtered something nasty to her friend. Shane laughed quietly to himself and another burning pull shot through him. By now he was leaning on the edge of his table watching this girl's every movement.
I fell (I fell)
So fast (so fast)
Can't hold myself back.
High heels (high heels)
Red dress (red dress)
All by yourself, gotta catch my breath.
It was like he was falling now as an undeniable rush shot through him and he couldn't stop the feeling. Shane shook his head a few times in an attempt to clear his head. He wrenched his eyes away from her once more. This was wrong, so wrong, he thought to himself. She was so pure and he was staring at her like she was a, well, his mind was so clouded he couldn't figure out how to finish his own sentences. Annoyed now, Shane yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and began to mindlessly fiddle with it to take his thoughts off this girl.
He flipped through all of his contacts, read every message in his inbox, sent a few desperate texts to Nate and Jason, his bandmates, until that gnawing anticipation returned. His glance shot back up and she was now being dragged to the dance floor and stripped of her long jacket by her friend. Shane was glued to her now, watching as she hugged her arms around her body and the red dress that hugged close to her and caught the random patterns of the strobe lights. Her face was now petrified and scared as she was surrounded by the other couples and singles dancing in a whirlwind around her.
He drew in a sharp breath as her friend grabbed her hands from her waist and spun her around to the music, her red dress flaring out and catching the air. She closed her eyes and threw her arms up catching the beat of the music. Shane's breath caught in his throat and he gulped as she fell victim to the music.
It felt like fatal attraction now. Shane couldn't tear his eyes away from her and she was unknowingly dragging him in with each passing second. The song had changed now and the rhythm was different. He noticed her movements had automatically and subconsciously changed when the beat of the music was altered. Her friend had disappeared; it seemed, seeing as she wasn't with her anymore. Shane figured she was probably off dancing with some random guy, or guys.
Walk in the room,
All I can see is you,
Staring me down,
I know you feel it too.
Her movements were hypnotic seeing as Shane had now just noticed the new drink on his table and the numerous replies to his previous texts. He was lost, caught up in her every spin, whirl, foot tap, blink, and breath. Everyone around her began to disappear and he couldn't have felt more alive (and more stalkerish.) Once more, the song slowed and stopped as the DJ began to speak. The girl opened her eyes, smiling sheepishly, and took a ragged breath. A blush began to creep onto her face and she stretched her neck to look above the heads around her to find her friend.
Unable to find her, she stood there awkwardly, looking around, hands folded across her chest. She was suddenly the same shy person she had been all of ten minutes ago when Shane saw her walk into the room. He looked down at his drink and ran his finger down the cool glass leaving patterns and lines on the condensation. His face was suddenly burning once more, and the same fire as before was raging in his blood beginning to overtake him. This time it had no mercy and wasn't going to let him go as easy this time.
A new feeling exploded inside of Shane on top of what had already been working in him. He felt a pair of eyes on him, digging into his soul and trying to uncover what was hidden behind the rockstar façade. Against his will, he looked up to try and find the mystery girl again and instead found a pair of hazel eyes curiously staring into his own. Shane's heart stopped and quickly began a ragged pattern, until it began beating rapidly and he felt his face heat up. She looked frozen to where she was standing, a thousand emotions running across her face. He wasn't hidden in a corner anymore.
I'm slipping into the lava,
And I'm trying to keep from going under.
Baby, you turn the temperature hotter,
And I'm burning up, burning up for you baby.
Without a second thought, Shane stood up from his table, fighting the now dancing crowd with only one thing in his sight. He hadn't lost or broken her stare and did not plan on it now. Pushing people aside, her still paralyzed form grew ever closer and the emotions in her eyes became clearer. He could tell she was fighting back the same uncontrollable and unstoppable flame that was burning in his chest. Shoving past one last person, he was now only inches from her slender form, unable to think, unable to comprehend.
"I'm Shane."
"Mitchie," she managed in a soft whisper. Shane's eyes wandered across her face trying to understand what she was thinking. She's probably scared to death, his thoughts screamed at him, what would you think if some random guy came up to you after staring at you all night.
"Listen," he started, "I'm not some creepy stalker, I promise I won't steal you and kill you," she giggled at his words, a sound that made his heart melt, "I-I just, can I buy you a drink?" He wasn't quite sure what his face looked like right now, Shane was sure that it was contorted in an expression of apprehension and worry, but with a strange calm on top of it all.
She looked down at the ground and a smile lit up her face as she nodded shyly. Mustering up all of her little courage, she linked her arm with his and leaned in close to his ear. Shane shivered at her sudden closeness.
"Don't worry," she whispered, confidence and understanding lacing her tone, "I felt it too."
This was definitely not as long as I hoped, but I've heard that Burnin' Up was a song about the sudden connection you make with a person at a party or something, almost like love at first sight. I just took it to the next level. Review please.