A/N: I was disappointed to only have received two reviews, but I'm hoping you guys will give me more this time. Thanks to everyone who did review and favorite or alert this story. It means the world! I hope you like this chapter!
-LizzyBeth(:
Disclaimer: Seriously? Me owning Camp Rock? Not going to happen.
Chapter Two
I can not honestly say that I know a single soul that has never heard of 'The Golden Rule.' To be quite frank, I don't think anyone can. But despite this, I also lack the ability to recall someone that actually knows exactly what it is. Still, I'm no stranger to manners, and my parents were always quick to scold me if I weren't using them. Which recently, had been more often than not, but that's beside the point. I have manners. Or at least, I know what they are. And this…well my parents would have been ashamed. The reaction most of the world's female's would have if they discovered Shane Gray in their car? A scream, tears, over-the-top excitement, unconsciousness, gosh I wouldn't be shocked if they let go of the wheel and launched their bodies in his direction. But my reaction was none of those.
I stared.
And when I say stared, I mean wide, completely blank, eyes off the road and latched onto his pretty little face.
Creepy? Yes. Dangerous? Extremely.
But I couldn't stop. I just could not detach my chocolate orbs from the pop-sensation. And as I continued my unearthly gaze I finally found the answer to an incredibly dumb question that has always been lurking in the back of my mind.
The Golden Rule: Never, ever stare at a teenage heartthrob like he's an alien on a unicycle. Especially, if you are driving a car.
"MITCHIE!" I heard a yell of terror. And I immediately snapped to attention, forcing my eyes to the road, only to find a huge semi driving toward us.
I let out a piercing scream, as my voice reached levels I never knew to be possible. My body momentarily in shock, as the truck appeared closer and closer. This is it. I'm going to die.
Before I knew what was happening my truck swerved chaotically to the correct side of the road, and looking down I saw that Shane's hands had somehow managed to grab control of the wheel, which dismissed all ideas of supernatural forces.
Instantly I grabbed the steering wheel, my mind too traumatized to notice the tingle that shivered down my spine as my hand brushed against Shane's when he drew his back.
I exhaled a breath I wasn't aware I had been holding, shakily.
I cautiously glanced at Shane, to examine his frozen position, obviously not quite ridding of the shock just yet.
The silence was even more eerie than before, but I too was recovering and my mouth remained shut. Seeing as I was the cause of this whole ordeal, I planned on keeping it that way.
"Sorry." I spoke barely above a whisper. Well, I guess things don't always go as planned.
The way his head slowly rotated toward me was unnerving, and I was met with blazing eyes.
"Are you kidding me? SORRY? You almost KILLED ME?" His voice so outraged, I couldn't even find a reply as it was a complete contrast from the tone he had used before.
"You don't tote people around in your car, if you can't even DRIVE ONE!" The words tumbled from his lips and I knew he was right, but after everything I had gone through within the past few hours, all my emotions erratically combined and I found myself yelling right back.
"Um, EXCUSE ME? I didn't ask you to hop into my car! I just graciously let you in! Yeah, I'm SORRY I spazzed when I found out a flipping celebrity was sitting within breathing distance, because THAT'S totally normal!" I furiously cried, in a voice just as loud as his, focusing on the road at the same time.
"You should be considering yourself LUCKY this celebrity is in fact within breathing distance and in your car! Don't yell at me, because you know darn well that I'm right!"
I huffed in annoyance. "Your pretty little face is FINE, so how about you quit being an egotistical JERK, and SHUT UP?"
He growled and glared at me menacingly, but I wasn't giving up and threw him a look to match. Realizing this was becoming a competition, he contorted his face into yet another look of disdain. My eyes sharply rotated from the road, to Shane's as we narrowed our eyes at one another repetitively.
Suddenly my lip twitched, and before I knew it I was slightly laughing.
Shane shot me a confused look, "What?" The flicker of anger disintegrated.
I just nodded my head, staring at the car in front of me, chuckling, "You are insane."
I hastily elaborated at the odd look on his face, "You're a freaking pop star, yet you hitchhike and jump in random people's cars. One second you're silent and freaked out, the next you're screaming at me like a craze! And despite your absolute nutty-ness, you've made me smile for the first time in months." I swallowed at the last confession, realizing I had most likely said far too much.
Silence filled the air, and I was seriously growing annoyed with all these awkward moments that kept occurring. But my mind was put at ease when for the first time, he broke it.
"Rock star. I am and always will be a rock star." He spoke softly. His position was shifted, so that his back was pressed against the door, and his head rested in the hands of a gorilla. I mean, they were pretty big.
The deep brown eyes of Shane Gray were focused on me, and I realized they looked so much better in reality than they did on magazine covers. "You have big hands." I announced.
The smile that graced his features almost caused me to break out into one also. I wasn't even the type to get all affected by that sort of stuff, but this guy…I would've traveled the world and back to see that smile again. I know, completely crazy. "I have big hands?"
I nodded in confirmation, "Oh yeah. Not like freaky big, but cute big."
As his short laugh sounded, I could have sworn I caught a glimpse of heaven, "You. Are. Weird."
"Cute weird." I retorted.
"If that's what keeps your eyes on the road and not glaring at me…" He shrugged amused.
"Hey!" I scoffed. "You started it!"
His eyes twinkled as they rolled, "Are we really going to sit here and act like a bunch of kindergartners?"
"No. We're going to sit here and act like a bunch of very cute weird kindergartners, with very cute big hands!" I joked.
Shane laughed and accidentally released a soft snort. His face immediately turned a deep crimson in embarrassment.
I scrunched my face up in mock disgust, "I can see headlines now… "Shane Gray, face of Connect 3, let's out an extremely obnoxious and repulsing snort in front of the incredibly beautiful, amazing, Mitchie Torres, leaving the poor innocent girl with only one word to utter from her precious lips…" My voice held a completely over-exaggerated flair to it.
"You know, I think that's a bit too long of a headline." Shane remarked.
Ignoring his comment, I gestured for him to respond correctly, "With only one word to utter from her precious lips…"
He rolled his eyes, "And what might this dreaded word be?"
I desperately tried to contain my smile as I paused dramatically. "Ew."
Our eyes met simultaneously and we both burst into laughter. Staring at Shane as I laughed leaning forward in my seat, I realized I'd missed simple joking like this. The feeling that erupted within me as my lips spread across my face far too widely, and breathing grew difficult, was thrilling. Gosh how I'd missed this…I missed them. Laughing used to be a regular occurrence with my family, before I…
And just like that my laughter abruptly halted, and I stared hard at the pavement through the windshield as tears threatened to stream.
Shane stopped laughing as he noticed I had, and I subtly attempted to face my body slightly in the other direction to hide my tear-filled eyes.
"What's wrong?" He asked slightly worried.
I shrugged nonchalantly, but didn't answer.
"Come on, tell me." He pushed, a concerned note to his voice.
He was met with nothing but silence.
"Mitchie…" He said a little more forcedly.
"I'M FINE SHANE!" I yelled, shedding one lone tear as I whipped around to face him.
He looked surprised, but quickly softened his features as he made notice of my tears.
I sucked in a breath, "Sorry. I just… I haven't laughed like that in a while and it brought back some memories." I stated quietly, fiercely wiping away the tear.
He carefully studied me, "Don't sweat it. I'm sorry…about whatever happened."
I nodded, pushing back the tears that welled up in my eyes yet again. "So…um, why are you in my car?" I said with a light voice, desperately trying to change the subject.
"Because you pulled over on the side of the road and let me in." He answered easily.
I rolled my eyes, relieved and thankful he allowed our previous discussion to end, but annoyed with his short reply. "You know what I mean."
"No, I'm not sure I do."
I glared at him, "Shane."
"Yes?" He smiled sweetly.
I squeezed the wheel more tightly and let out a deep breath. "Why, were you standing on the side of the road holding your thumb out? And please answer me, because you're really testing my patience right now."
He seemed to contemplate for a moment, "Nah." He grinned.
I looked at him viciously and he held up his hands in defense. "Okay, jeez. Only kidding! But it's a long story."
"Well, we've only got to sit in here for, I don't know…twenty hours, so?" I exclaimed temperamentally.
He pondered it for a bit longer. "How about this, I'll tell you why I'm in this car, full story, if you tell me why you were crying."
I stiffened. I thought he'd let it go. Curse him.
"No." I said sharply.
He sighed over-dramatically, "Well, no answers for Mitchie dear."
"That's not fair!" I retorted.
"It is."
"No! It's not! I'm simply wondering why you hopped in a stranger's car when you have enough money to call a private jet, and you are asking for my whole life's story."
"Ah, so this is pretty big, huh? Well, good start. Just keep it going and you'll get your answers." He spoke as if this were an everyday conversation.
I practically shook in anger, "You prick!"
He put his hand to his chest, "Ouch. Normally, I'd respond with a comeback ten times more brilliant, but seeing as you are emotionally disoriented, I'll let it slide." He smirked.
I shut my eyes tightly, before remembering I was driving a car, and opened them, "You are really ticking me off. Are you trying to send me into cardiac arrest, Shane?"
He laughed.
I opened my mouth to respond, when my stomach grumbled in hunger.
He smiled, "Who's releasing obnoxious and repulsing things now?"
I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. How about we stop and get something to eat?"
Immediately his face turned bright red, and he twitched uncomfortably, "Um…how about we don't?"
"Why not? I don't know about you, but I'm starving." I asked, curious as of to why he was acting weird.
"I um, I don't really have any money on me." He spoke, obviously embarrassed .
I almost smiled, "Shane…you don't have to worry about it. I'll pay."
He shook his head, "Absolutely not." He refused.
I sighed, "So, what? You're going to let yourself die of hunger?"
He hesitated before shrugging.
"Oh, come on!"
"Fine," He replied. "But only because I'm starving."
"Sweet." I said and merged lanes, to exit the freeway. "So, shall we head toward the greatest fast food restaurant of all time?"
We grinned at each other.
"McDonalds."
"Wendy's."
Both of us said at the same time.
"What? McDonalds? You have to be kidding!"
"Wendy's? Gosh, I'd rather puke." I protested.
"How can you eat McDonalds? Isn't their food made from cow parts, or something?" He pulled a look of disgust.
"Very yummy cow parts." I said dreamily.
He mock gagged, "You seriously will go into cardiac arrest if you keep eating that crap! Have you even tasted Wendy's? Anyone who has, and holds at least half a brain, knows it's delicious!"
"Of course I have!" I said indignantly.
His eyebrows rose in disbelief, "You seriously have never had Wendy's? That's just…awful."
"I said I have, in case you're incapable of hearing!"
He brushed me off, "I know what you said. But I mean really…? How can you say it's nasty if you've never tried it? That's probably why you like McDonalds! I bet it's the only fast food you've ever had!" He accused.
I only frowned, which caused his eyebrows to rise up even further if possible. "Oh my goodness. You…ANIMAL!" He gasped.
"Shane! I said I have had Wendy's before!" I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, but you were lying. And I just can't believe that you haven't ever tried anything other than that god awful McDon—I can't even say it anymore." He shivered in horror.
I blushed, "I'm not lying."
He looked at me before laughing, "Yeah, a piece of advice? If you ever feel like lying, don't. You suck at it."
I blushed even more, "Okay, okay, so maybe McDonald's is the only fast food place I've eaten in. Big deal."
"Um, very big deal!" He looked at me as if I had fungus on my face.
"I'm faithful to McDonalds and McDonalds only. After tasting it once, I had no desire to try anything else." I huffed.
Shane smiled cockily," Well, babe, you are going to be unfaithful today."
I frowned, "Never. And don't call me babe."
"Sorry, babe." He said flippantly.
"Well, we really aren't going to Wendy's now!" I smirked as his face fell.
"No! I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry! See, Mitchie? Please let us go to Wendy's!" He grabbed my arm desperately.
I stared into his eyes in amusement, "Only if you tell me why you're in this car."
He frowned and dropped my arm, "No way."
"Well, no Wendy's." I sang.
I struggled to contain my laughter at the disgruntled expression on his face as he inwardly battled with himself.
He sighed, "I guess we are going to McDonalds."
I almost frowned, because I thought for sure he would have caved, but stopped when I realized there was never anything bad about going to McDonalds. "Good, because we're almost there."
Shane sighed dejectedly, and remained silent for the short ride.
His slumped position caused me to glance occasionally at him guiltily, until I finally pulled into the McDonalds parking lot. Hopping out the car quickly, I ran to Shane's side of the car just as he got out and shut the door, pushing him backward.
"Uh uh, no one enters McDonalds with a frown. This is a happy place." I forced an overly done smile on. "See? Now, smile."
He shook his head. "Oh, pwease!" I pouted, jutting my lower lip out.
He rolled his eyes a slight smile gracing his lips.
"Good boy." I playfully patted him on the head.
He shoved my hand away before carefully fingering his black locks, "Hey! No touchy the Shane master's hair!"
I let a smile slip as I looked him up and down. He looked pretty scruffy in his dirty t-shirt and gym shorts, but still had an incredibly sexy appeal to him as he carefully weaved his fingers through his short hair. "You are such a girl."
He frowned, "No need to be rude! You're the one who destroyed my hair!"
"No I didn't. To destroy it, it would have had to look good in the first place." I teased.
He gasped. "You take that back!"
"Never!" I said and darted for the other side of the car.
Shane chased me in circles, until I finally saw an opening, and ran toward the fast food joint.
"Hey!" I heard him cry behind me as I opened the door, and rested my hands on my knees breathing heavily, only to find everyone inside staring at me.
"Uh…hi." I said awkwardly.
"That was no fair!" Shane whined as he entered seconds after me, only to stop as he caught the gazes of everyone staring. "Uh…"
"Oh my…y-you're…SHANE GRAY!" A blonde, teenage girl from the back shouted in shock.
"Crap." I heard Shane say wide-eyed.
Then before I could blink, the girl ran and tackled him to the floor in a hug.