A/N: so here's the third installment of 'Meetings At A Crossroad'. So I'll be gone for about three days as I'm going on camp and schools starting up and all that jazz so I'll hopefully be able to get one more chapter in after this by the end of the night but if not you'll have to wait till Saturday; sorry.

Anyway thank you to those who reviewed; it means so much :)

Hopefully this chapter and those to come won't let you down.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.


"All my friends are enemies

And they just turn their backs to my face

Their actions biting me

And all my friends are enemies

So I'm always on my own"

-Say Anything

'Are you alright?' Shane asked worriedly as I doubled over in laughter; my sides aching from bending and the force of my laughter.

I looked up at him to see that he and his brothers were sharing confused glances as a couple of girls started booing me for some reason. It finally clicked that to them, I was seen as being disrespectful to Shane so I sobered up before standing straight; my hair brushing against my back as one side of my top had slipped down and off of my shoulder.

'I am so sorry,' I apologised as Nate handed me a microphone so that the audience could hear me better, 'I didn't mean to sound rude; you just caught me off guard.'

'Nah it's alright; not like I gave you any warning,' Shane said with a crooked smile that made the butterflies in my stomach do a happy little dance.

'So…Mitchie, what's your answer for Shane?' Nate asked in an attempt to get us focused on the question.

'Oh, right! Well…um…' I trailed off as the crowd suddenly erupted in various screams of 'no'; some more vicious than others.

'Guys; seriously! Calm down!' Jason shouted as I awkwardly fiddled with my microphone after hearing someone shout out 'she's fat and doesn't even like you guys!' in a familiar voice.

'You alright?' Shane asked quietly whilst Nate and Jason attempted to calm down the audience.

'Course,' I said with a fake smile as all three boys turned to me once the crowd quieted down, 'alright so I'm going to have to thank you for the offer but…no.'

'No?' Shane said as his mouth dropped open in shock.

'Did she just say "no"?' Jason asked Nate as a few gasps and shrieks of disbelief escaped the crowd.

'Like I said, thank you so much for the offer and inviting me up here but I'm going to have to pass on the date offer,' I said before placing my microphone on the piano and turning to Nate, 'Can I go back into the crowd now?'

Nate gave me a quick look before turning to the side of the stage and waving over a large, dark skinned man, 'it's probably better you don't.'

'C'mon I'll show you out?' the bald man said in a gruff but kind voice once Nate had whispered something to him and I nodded obediently before following him off the stage.

'So it's alright for me to go, yeah?' I asked as I gently rubbed my stomach which was still sore from the crowd incident.

'Sorry, Miss, but Nate told me what happened and it's best you get checked out before you leave,' he said as he led me over to a paramedic that was waiting behind the stage.

'But I have to go find my friend; I'm meant to get a ride home with her and she's probably freaking out about where I went,' I explained as the lady with a first aid bag ushered for me to show her where I was in pain.

'We'll find her for you later,' the man said as I heard the boys saying their final goodbye to their audience and I suddenly wanted this check up to end before they could join me backstage.

'Can you lift your shirt for a couple seconds? I just want to have a better look,' the paramedic said kindly so I obliged and lifted my shirt above my waist so that she could see the damage.

I looked down myself and winced upon seeing the large red marking across my middle and was surprised to see the cut near my bellybutton that was bleeding. I replayed the incident to see how I could have cut myself but came up short with any answers.

'Nice piercing,' Shane grunted as he walked past me; not even bothering to ask how I was though he could spare a couple seconds to check out my stomach and belly ring.

Such a male. No questions, only perving.

'How is she?' Jason asked as the lady dabbed some kind of liquid onto a cotton ball.

'Not too bad; she'll just be in a bit of pain until the bruise goes away – this might sting,' she warned before pressing the cotton ball against the open skin; causing me to turn my head away and wince.

'You alright?' Nate asked quickly as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

'I'll be better when people start fussing over me,' I said with a bitter smile in an attempt to show that I was joking even though I was not.

A door slammed shut somewhere further down the hallway as the paramedic grabbed a beige bandage and began to wrap it around the bruise for some unknown to reason to me. The two remaining brothers shared a knowing look before shaking their head in annoyance.

'Shane.'

'What's his problem anyway? He was so nice up on stage before,' I commented as my body was tugged forward slightly because the paramedic had pulled the bandage too tightly as she wound it around me.

'Shane's…complicated; he was two identities. There's the one on stage where he's all nice and kind but then there's the more predominate one that comes to life when he's offstage; the jerk persona,' Nate said; enlightening me on the many faces of Shane Adam Grey.

'Sounds like he must be a bundle of joy on tour,' I said sarcastically which made both boys laugh.

'He's alright when you leave him alone,' Jason began as he reached over my outstretched arm to grab the small pin to secure my bandage before handing it over to the paramedic lady.

'But we can't say that we're not happy that this tour is over and done with and we can finally go home for a little while,' Nate finished just as the lady pinned me into place.

'All done; you should be good to go though you might want to take a couple pain killers before you go to sleep just in case,' She advised and I gave a grateful smile as I released my shirt so it could fall back down.

'Thanks; feels better already might be able to go for that five k run that I was planning to do later,' I joked as the lady smiled before walking off. 'Anyway I should probably get going and find my friend.'

'You sure you're alright?' Nate asked and I rolled my eyes.

'Ask me one more time, pretty boy, and you won't be,' I threatened lightly as I opened my arms and gave him a quick hug; remember how Sierra had once told me that the youngest band member hated "touchy-feely" fans though to my surprise he actually returned my hug.

'Pssh you couldn't take me if you tried,' he scoffed with a childlike smile as he released me from the hug.

'Only because you're body guards would probably kill me,' I retorted before turning to Jason and giving him a hug too. 'Thank you guys for everything; it's really been a rememorable night but…do you think I should go say bye to Shane?' I asked as I looked down the hall to where I assumed Shane's dressing room was.

'Unless you want a lamp thrown at you, I'd advise not,' Jason said seriously though I could not help but laugh.

'I really gotta go,' I said as I glanced down at my watch and realised I was already ten minutes late to meet up with Sierra, 'anyway thanks again and hope you have a brilliant break from touring.'

'Wait, where are you going?' Nate asked in confusion as I made my way over to the bright green 'exit' sign.

'Outside?'

'Mitchie, you just rejected one of America's most eligible bachelors under twenty years old in front of his biggest fans – you think they're gonna let that slide?' he asked though his tone had now changed from confusion to amusement.

'Well I gotta get out there somehow,' I said exasperation whilst flinging my arms up in the air.

'Tiny, could you help Mitchie out?' Jason asked the tall, solid man who had escorted me off stage.

'Alright but you guys gotta stay in the building till I get back,' he told the boys as he walked over to me and hooked his arm with mine, 'the last thing you're gonna want is to be separated from me when you get out that,' Tiny explained as we made our way to the door.

I looked over my shoulder and gave the boys a final smile and wave and silently wished that I had been able to bring a camera as Tiny pushed the door open and escorted me through the crowd; pushing a few girls who tried to get at me away.

'Is it this bad for the boys?' I asked after one particular girl actually tried to lunge at me screaming about how much of a bitch I was.

'No, they love the guys so they don't want to hurt them. I think they hate you,' Tiny said before pushing my head down as something can flying at me.

'You think?' I muttered before adding quick thanks as I tried to find Sierra.

Thankfully I could see my curly haired friend up a head and after telling Tiny that she was no threat, we walked over to her though where I was expecting a warm welcome I got a cold glare instead.

'Whoa, what's going on, Si?' I asked as I held up my free hand in a sign of truce.

'Don't talk to me,' she snapped icily and I looked up at Tiny as he gave me a puzzled look that said 'are you sure this is your best friend?'

'What did I do, Sierra?' I asked as I pulled my arm from Tiny's grip to I could force Sierra to look at me rather than at the busy road.

'You don't even like them yet you ditched me for them – some friend you are,' Sierra said before shrugging my hands off of her shoulder.

'Hey, I didn't choose to be pulled up on stage; they chose me and thank god they did because I almost got trampled to death by an ogre behind me,' I said; rationalising my actions although I should not of had to.

'Please; as if you didn't want the couple seconds of fame. Don't talk to me in the car ride home,' Sierra whispered as her Mum's silver car finally pulled up and she got into the front seat before slamming the door shut.

'You sure you want to go home with them? I can get you a taxi,' Tiny offered in his deep voice though I only shook my head no.

'You've done enough for me; besides it'll probably only make things worse if you helped me get home,' I said before wrinkling my nose up with a small smile, 'y'know…for a supposedly big, scary security guard, you're not that scary.'

'Only to the people I like,' he said with a deep chuckle before opening the backseat door for me, 'stay safe.'

'Okay…'I said; unsure of what he was implying.

Sierra may be mad at me but she wouldn't hurt me so what the hell is he talking about?

I slid into the backseat and buckled my seatbelt as Tiny closed the car door for me; I managed to give him a quick wave before Natalia, Sierra's Mum, sped off down the street.

'I'm very upset with you, Mitchie. First you leave my daughter then you spend your time with a stranger; do you even know that man's name?' Natalia demanded as she flicked her indicator on before turning right.

'Tiny,' I answered shortly; not wanting to argue with her but rather wanting to fall asleep in my bed before we have to move.