Hey my awesome readers! I just wanted to say a few quick things:

I am watching TV while I write this. My laptop rocks. And, I might get my files back from the old computer! I'm working for longer chapters, too. Isn't that awesome?!

Some people are wondering why I turned Caitlyn into a jerk. Let me say this: Caitlyn is based off my best friend in real life, seeing as this whole story is like my diary, only with different characters. I know, you'd think "How could your best friend do that?!" and all I can say is: She made sure not to do it anymore…with a little "talk" from me.

Chapter 7: How the heck did that happen?!

"Looks like my search is over."

"That depends on who you're looking for. Hi, I'm Mitchie."

Shane's smile brightened the whole room as he shook my hand. "I'm Shane. You up for a canoe ride later?"

I felt my insides turn to Jell-O, my heart start to pound. "I wouldn't miss it," I stated.

--

"Wha-oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah!"'

I woke up with a start. My laptop alarm clock went off in my ear and I fumbled for my lamp.

Crash.

"Oh, dang it!" I growled, fumbling for my laptop. The screen lit up and I shut the music off. My lamp laid in two on the floor.

"Mitchie? What broke?" My mother called.

I groaned. "My lamp, mom, I've got it."

"Don't touch the glass!" she warned.

"Got it," I called back and sighed. Another dream. Another dream about Shane. Why can't they go away?

I struggled out of my twisted sheets, showing that I hadn't slept well, and walked to my mirror.

My reflection scared me. I had dark circles under my eyes, my hair was a twisted, mangled mess and I'm sure I went to sleep with fewer pimples…Did I even have pimples last night?

I groaned again and grabbed a comb. "Okay, comb, work your magic," I grumbled then sighed. Here goes nothing.

I stumbled down the hallway to my locker, and leaned heavily on it. My life was worsening drastically. Ever since Shane had started on that Emily chick…I couldn't sleep, I didn't eat…or, didn't want to...I stay up forever and wake up exhausted…And my skin! It's not like I never got pimples, 'course not. But now…ugh. I have one on my nose, around my nose, a few on my forehead…luckily they are little-ish and not to brightly pink. Still…they were there.

I opened my locker and pulled my books out. Sighing, I put them into my bag, shut the door, and waited for Caitlyn or Sierra.

Sierra, as usual, came up first.

"Hey, so you know what?" she asked. "I got my brown belt yesterday."

I struggled to remember what kind of martial art she took.

"Uh…cool. What's it for…Thai Chi, right?" I mumbled.

"Karate," she said, not skipping a beat.

Suddenly, Jason appeared next to her.

"Morning, Sierra," he said. "Hey, Mitch."

"Hey," I muttered.

"Hi," Sierra said softly. I rolled my eyes. Is everyone crushing on Connect 3 in this school?!

Actually…yes.

"OH MY GOD JASON! I LOVE YOUR GUITAR PLAYING! CAN I HAVE AN AUTOGRAPH?!"

I rolled my eyes. Just then, Caitlyn showed up.

"Gotta go," Jason said when he'd realized a line was forming for autographs. "C'mon, Sierra. Aren't you going the same way?"

She nodded and they left.

Caitlyn watched after them with wide eyes. "Oh, my god," she said.

"What?" I asked. "Oh, hey did you hear those kids, the Jonas Brothers, music video for 'Lovebug' premieres on Sunday?"

"Really?! Oh, I love Nick," she sighed. "But what I'm talking about is Sierra and Jason!" Her voice dropped to an excited whisper. "They like each other!"

My jaw dropped. "Really?"

"It looks like it," she whispered, still.

"But…I thought they were best friends," I said slowly.

This is the truth. When Jason switched tables because Shane and I would steal his water bottle, Sierra followed. And bada boom bada bang, it was BFF central.

"They are! But look at you and Shane-"

"There is nothing between Shane and me!" I interrupted. And there never will be.

"Not yet," Caitlyn said matter-of-factly. "But there will be, Mitchie."

"No there won't," I said. "He hates me."

"No he doesn't!" Caitlyn exclaimed. "You're his friend!"

"Barely. I don't think he even knows I consider him a…a…a best friend," I forced out.

"He will," she said firmly, finally drawing out her first book.

I rolled my eyes. "Hurry with that, will you? I don't want to be late…again."

"I, personally, don't care if I'm late."

I jumped slightly at the sound of Shane's warm voice. I turned slowly and stared at him in fake annoyance.

"Shane," I said. "You only have a few years until college. Don't you want to get a good education and get a good job?"

"You saying being one of America's most popular teen boy-band isn't a good job?"

"What about if C3 gets cut out?" I retorted. "You'd be out of business, buddy."

"It's called money," he said slowly.

I rolled my eyes again and returned to Caitlyn. "Hurry up," I repeated.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she muttered, pulling the last of her stuff out and shutting the locker. All three of us started down the hallway towards our classes. I walked in silence…as usual.

And, as usual, no one noticed.

"So, Mitchie, how are you doing on your language arts essay?" Caitlyn asked finally.

"Oh, good," I said. "I have it almost done…I think."

"Oh, cool," she said, then returned her attention to Shane. I felt anger rising in my veins.

She should really know who not to flirt with, I thought angrily. That is my future boyfriend she's talking to…

I stopped my mind in its tracks. Whoa! Did I really just think that?

I'm in trouble now…

Another lunch period.

Another twenty minutes of pain and love.

Yay?

I sat down and started to unwrap my chicken sandwich. It was the only really edible thing in the cafeteria, which was why I got it practically every day.

Across from me, Shane was sitting with nothing in front of him, as usual. I used to call him anorexic, but I ignore it now. He never eats anything, so why make a big deal of it?

Again, his overall…handsomeness, his beauty, caught me breathless. It just wasn't fair. I'd never get out of this friendship thing. Ever.

When was I going to accept that?

He smiled at me briefly, before turning his attention back to Emily as she slid onto the bench a few seats down from him.

"Hey, you can sit here," he said in his perfect voice. My plastic spoon I'd gotten for my pudding started to bend in half in my fist.

Snap.

"Oh, crap," I muttered. Gunnar chuckled and I realized he'd seen the entire thing.

Dammit, I thought, then froze. Had I just cussed in my mind? God, I'm falling apart!

Emily, meanwhile, had beamed at Shane and slid closer to him. He seemed okay with it, but I was fuming.

Caitlyn sat down next to me and smiled. "You okay?" she asked me quietly. I looked down, ignoring the red tinge everything had taken on, and grumbled back

"Since when am I okay? Since when am I happy?"

"Oh," she sighed. "You're going to make me cry, Mitchie."

"Don't," I snapped. "I'm not worth it. I'm just not worth it."

"Yes you are! When are you going to see you do mean something?" Caitlyn exclaimed.

"When it's the truth," I muttered.

"Hey, guys, I read Twilight," Sadie said happily. "And I'm finishing New Moon. Usually I hate reading but this book was awesome!"

"I told you," I said, happy to change the subject. "Reading is awesome and Twilight's a great book. I hate Edward, though."

"WHAT?!" Sadie exclaimed. "I love Edward!"

"I prefer Jacob," I said easily. "Werewolves over vampires, no tie."

"No way! Jacob is such a jerk. Edward really loves Bella."

"Oh, please," I snorted. "Edward's love is like a joke. No one falls in love that fast…"

I stopped myself cold.

People could fall in love that fast.

Just look at me.

"…and his love just doesn't seem true," I found myself saying. "At least with Jacob, you know it's true."

The boys were watching the little debate like we were crazy.

"I will never understand girls and Twilight," Shane finally muttered to Gunnar.

"I still haven't read the book!" Caitlyn said.

"Read it!" I said. "You can borrow my copy."

"I don't know," Caitlyn sighed. "I've never been a good reader."

"Well, here's your chance to start!" I said happily. "C'mon you'll love it. Trust me. My friend Danielle read the Twilight books, all four of them, and she loves reading now. She used to hate it."

"I do hate it," Caitlyn muttered.

I sighed, shaking my head. "And that is why I'll be going to college and leaving you suckers behind. Seriously, am I the only smart one here?"

"Hey, I'm smart!" Sadie protested. "I just hate reading."

"Oh. Right, sorry, Sadie," I said. "I guess I'm just the only one who loves reading, though."

"Pretty much," Shane said, grinning a teasing smile at me. "Bookworm." I glowered and rolled my eyes.

The whistle blew, telling us it was time to go outside. I hopped up and followed Shane outside. He raced for his bench that he always sits at. I followed as fast as I could, and slid on a split second after him. Gunnar and one of Shane's other friends, Lawrence, slid on the other side of him and there was a brief struggle to slid the other end off. Poor Shane was caught in the middle.

"Oh my god!" he exclaimed at one point. "I'm trapped!"

"Pretty much," I said.

"But I bet you like that, huh, Mitchie?" Gunnar grinned. "And Shane doesn't know it!"

"He already knows I like him," I said hotly.

Shane was quiet.

Two Hours Later, at the end of last period before Homeroom...

"Guys, guess what?!" Emil cried as she bounced up to us.

"What?" I asked.

Her reply made me freeze in my tracks, pain erupting in my stomach.

"Shane asked me out!"