Like I said, my almost-love story might have to be changed for this story.

As of now, it has to be absolutely different.

Don't ask.

Chapter 2: How Did This Happen?

The water stopped in my throat. I choked, coughing and spitting, as a loud uproar made the walls shake. Caitlyn stared at the stage with huge eyes before noticing me, doubled over in my seat, gasping for air. She pounded on my back, and eventually I was able to breathe…barely.

No one had heard me. I was surprised that the school was still standing. Never had I ever heard so many screaming teenage girls in one room (Mind you, the auditorium is not the biggest in the world.).

But that didn't matter.

How in the heck….what the…what?

My mind was racing like an over-used computer. I felt slightly dizzy.

Connect 3? Here?! At my school?!

Wait…

SHANE, HERE AT MY SCHOOL?!!!!!!!!!!!

The summer's memories rammed into my mind…

Me and Shane, laughing by the lake…

Canoe-riding…

Singing onstage at Final Jam…

Sierra didn't even know these things for God-sake! What was going to happen if the rest of the school finds out?

Ultimate, popularity, I thought. Ultimate, over-bearing, suffocating popularity, for me and my friends.

Uh oh.

Sure, at Camp Rock it was fine, because it was a small camp.

But HERE?! At Wyckoff High School, home of the near 500 kids? And that's only the sophomores!

I was wrenched out of my racing thoughts by the movement onstage. And I realized barely ten seconds had passed.

They were coming onstage.

My eyes locked on Shane. He wore his usual rock-star wanna-be getup; black skinny jeans, gray converse, leather jacket with a spotless white shirt underneath. I found myself half smiling at the sight. Poor Shane…caught in the Almost-Rock-Star but Really-A-Pop-Star days.

Hah.

He bounded ahead of his cousins, who were waving and smiling, totally enjoying the fan-dom. Shane, however, wanted to talk.

Typical Shane.

"Hey, guys," was all he could get out before the room exploded in screams. Nate and Jason gathered around him, and they waited for everyone to shut up.

As did I.

Did he know I attended this school? He knew I lived here, but did he know I went to this school?

Would I ever see him in the halls? Would he recognize me? Caitlyn did, despite my new haircut (layered with side bangs) but would he?

Did he have a girlfriend?

The last thought caught me off-guard, but by then everyone was silent and eagerly (well, the girls at least were) waiting for the famous person to speak.

"Well, we're all really excited to be here," Shane said. Someone shrieked, sounding tortured. "We thought it'd be best to settle down for a year or so, go back to school…"

"So Jason here can actually graduate," Nate cut in, smiling. Jason went crimson and grabbed the mic.

"For the record, I passed woodshop with an A plus," he defended himself, and I realized Jason was repeating senior year.

"With his birdhouses," Nate snickered.

"Okay, thank you guys," Shane said, taking the mic back while everyone laughed.

Everyone except me. I was frozen, yet aware of the clenching and unclenching of my stomach.

"Anyway," Shane said. "We hope you'll treat us just like everyone else. Let's make this year rock, okay?"

The girls screamed. "YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

I rolled my eyes. Shane, the ladies man, trying to get everyone participating.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

"Scream it! WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS YEAR----?"

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!"

I still have not regained full hearing.

"Thank you guys, beautiful crowd. Later!" Connect 3 left the stage and everyone burst into excited talking. I numbly got up, leaving Caitlyn behind, and stumbled back to homeroom. The teacher spoke for a few minutes before letting us go. I was out the door and hyperventilating by my locker in less than 30 seconds.

Ohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigod.

What was going to happen now? Would Shane and I ever see each other, and regain our friendship?

Would he even remember me? I remembered him, duh, but what if he just ignored me?

Shane isn't like that, I told myself, wrenching my locker open, even though I didn't need anything.

You only knew the dude for eight-weeks, an annoying voice pointed out. I slammed my locker.

No.

Suddenly I was certain of what would happen. We'd meet, say hi, maybe plan to call each other and move on.

Nothing was going to happen between me and Shane Gray! Nothing! We'd be friends, like we were at Camp Rock. No one else will know we knew each other for eight weeks before, and that would be fine.

No one, I repeated over and over again.

I didn't find out how wrong I was until my A.P. Science class….

Sorry so short but I need to update other stories!

Oh and Trust me, my love story is OVER and it ended BADLY which means IMPROVISING!!!!!! Read and Review!! I want at least 15 reviews before the next chapter, okay?

-Alyssa.