AN: Okay, first off: I'm SO SO SO SORRY about me not updating. I mean it, I've been so busy with school, and I've been focusing on The Real World: Camp Rock. I'm so, so sorry.

Disclaimer: I own squat but the plot.

The next day, while I was hoarded with thought about Alex, Shane showed up in homeroom. I had been getting the cold shoulder from Alex, and it was really hurting me. But then... Shane came.

"Hello ," He said politely to the homeroom teacher. She smiled coyly. She was a young teacher, who thought affairs with students were 'no biggie'. "Is Mitchie Torres here?" He asked, his tone still the same polite tone, but his face was slightly disgusted. Her smile disappeared, and she gestured for me to get up. I stood.

"Yes?"

"Shane would like to speak with you..." She gave me a curious look, and then looked back at Shane, "In.. the hall?"' He nodded his approval and took my hand lightly, leading me towards the hallway.

"So, is there a reason for this little meeting?" I asked coldly, not in the best mood since yesterday.

"Yeah," He said quietly. "I was wondering... what made you... do this?"

"Do what?" I asked, pretending not to know.

"Don't play dumb." He accused. "Tell me the truth, why did you change yourself?"

"Because... because I wanted to be noticed." I admitted, then my eyes widened as I realized what I admitted to.

"By who?" He whispered.

I refused to get caught in the truth, so I lied slightly. "Er, everyone. School sucks when you're invisible."

"Oh." He said looking down. "Can I show you something?"

"Yeah," I said cautiously, afraid he'd whip some sort of prank out, like whipped cream, and attack me with it. (Shut up, I know it's stupid and irrational.)

"Look," He said, pulling a paper out of his pocket. It was a picture of a thirteen year old boy, with glasses, braces, and overall gawkiness.

"Who's this?" I asked, confused.

"Me." He said simply.

"You?" I gasped. "But..."

"You remember when I left, right? I was a geek too... no offense. But I was, and then I came back. It just so happened that I came back when I started... looking good." He said.

"Your... your kidding." I said.

"No." He said, not a hint of a joke in his eyes.

"Oh." I whispered. He looked me in the eyes for a moment and then pulled me back into homeroom.

"She's back, I didn't want to keep her too long." He said. "But I might come back tomorrow." He turned and winked at me. I stared after him, until I couldn't see him, and then sat down at my table next to Nate and Alex. Nate greeted me, his friendly eyes sparkling as if he knew. But Alex ignored me. What is going on here? I thought to myself.

After homeroom I went to Algebra, and Shane smiled at me, patting the seat next to him. Before I sat next to him, Hannah stole the seat. When suddenly it hit me.

Why, was he suddenly being nice to me now, but he wasn't back when I was ugly. And if he was once a nerd, why wasn't he nice to me?

I glared at him, knowing something was up. He frowned and gave me a curious look. I continued to glare until Algebra was over, and then moved on to my next class. By the time it was lunch, I was fuming.

I sat down next to Caitlyn, and she gave me a weird look as I continued to stare at Shane's table.

"What's with you?" She asked eagerly. She was a popular people hater, and so when someone was glaring at the popular table... she got excited, of course, and wanted to know why.

Before I could answer Shane approached my table, flashing his Crest Whitestrip smile at me, and then doing that backwards nod that guys do to Caitlyn.

"So, what were all that evil looks for in Algebra?" He asked, leaning in intimately. I cringed away, he noticed. "Don't be afraid, Mitch." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not afraid, I'm disgusted." I snapped.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"That wasn't you in the picture." I accused. "You lied. Everyone knows if you've been through something horrible, you're nice to the ones who also go through it. If you were a nerd, you would have been nice to me when I was ugly, as well as now." I explained. As I told him my "problem" his frown disappeared, quickly replaced with guilt.

"They were right, you are smart." Shane said, raising an eyebrow as if he were impressed.

"So?" I asked stubbornly.

"It wasn't me..." He admitted.

"So why'd you do it?" I asked.

"I'll never tell." He smiled. As he walked away, I couldn't help but remember how he said "they". Could that mean the HM Cru, and... and Alex? I couldn't stop thinking about Alex the rest of lunch. I had the strangest feeling that I had lost, or forgotten, something important. But I didn't know how that connected to my Alex situation.

But then, after school, she came over. It was raining, and Alex lived next door, but her hair was still sopping wet. I'd never seen her in sneakers before, but she was wearing a pair of black converse, with the skinny jeans she always wore. She had the funkiest wardrobe out of the entire Cru. She always wore skinnies, with interesting T-shirts, and cool scarves and rings and beanie hats. But it was a rule that the Cru wore heels or UGGs. Ughhhh, ew.

"Mitchie," She said. "I'm sorry, can I explain?"

"Sure," I nodded solemnly.

"Kay," Alex smiled slightly, but she knew she was not yet forgiven.

"So what happened?" I asked timidly.

"Well, it all started when the Cru saw me talking to you after we got off the bus yesterday..."

AN: Okay, so there you go! Again, I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated in so long. Well, please review. I'll update as soon as possible, promise! Also, please vote for me in CuteRockstar101's awards. They're coming to a close on Valentine's day, so hurry! ;) Thankssss byeeee!

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