A/N: I know I haven't updated in a while. It feels like a while anyway. I just got a little stuck on this chapter. I mean, I know where this story's going, I know what's going to happen in other chapters, I just had trouble writing this. And then I was walking home and I started writing it in my head and I knew exactly how the rest of this chapter was going to play out. Funny how that happens. Okay, I've been rambling, sorry. On with the story!...

P.S. Not Long Till Christmas Now!! :) An x-mas oneshot maybe as a present for all the wonderful people who make an effort to review? I mean, only if you want one...

"Are you ready for the grand tour?" Shane asks with an excited grin, pulling at his shirt as if he's wearing a fancy suit "this way". I laugh and follow after him as he leads us through the rooms. We start with the bottom floor, lounge room, music room (where they have a piano, a key board, a set of drums and three different guitars), the kitchen, one of the two bathrooms and a small veranda out the back. Then there was the top floor, the guest room (temporarily me and Mikayla's room), the second bathroom, Jason's room, a small study and lastly…

"And this is my bedroom" Shane announces, eyes on me as he speaks, wiggling his eye brows suggestively. Mikayla scoffs, rolling her eyes and I ignore her, giggling flirtatiously as I peer inside. It's dark and it takes my eyes a moment to re-adjust but once they do I can see quite clearly. His deep blue curtains are closed, letting in only a faint glow of sunlight. He has a lot of music stuff, song books lying everywhere just like my room. I spot a stack of old comics in the corner which puts a smirk on my face, a large stereo system and stacks of CD's. In fact it reminds me a lot of my room.

"So… what do you guys wanna do today?" Shane turns to us and I snap out of my thoughts, pulling my eyes away from observing his book collection and looking straight to his soft eyes. I can see Mikayla shrug out of the corner of my eye and Jason isn't really concentrating, he's staring out the hall window at a small bird hopping merrily along the window sill. Shane looks at me, eye brows raised and I try and think.

"…Shopping?" I ask with a bright smile, I could use a new pair of shoes and I've never been shopping in L.A. before. Mikayla and Shane simultaneously groan and I can't help but laugh at how similar they can be sometimes. Shane shakes his head, heartily disagreeing and then goes back into thought mode.

"There's this umm… nice little café. It's just a couple of streets away. I could show you, for future reference while you're here, and we could have something to eat…" he trails off, looking unsure of his suggestion. I have to say though, plane food is crap and I'm feeling pretty hungry about now. I turn to Mikayla with a questioning look. After a look of conformation from her I turn back to Shane with an eager grin.

"Sounds good, let's go".

"I'm glad we're here. I'm glad we came" I whispered and forced myself to look up at the ceiling, anywhere but at her "I feel like… I don't know. I feel like it's going to be good. I feel excited, liberated, nervous…" I muttered, and then I just let the words spill out, because this was my best friend and I wanted to be able to talk to her again "What if Shane doesn't like me anymore?".

"You really like him, don't you?" Mikayla asked, sounding annoyed. I sighed and started counting the black spots on the lamp shade to my right. There where a lot of them, I wondered if they made shadows on the walls when the light was on. I counted up to twenty three by the time she talked again.

"I think he still likes you. The way he looks at you, get's nervous around you.. He still likes you Mitch" she tells me softy, squeezing my hand. I turn back and offer her s small smile for her effort. If it was anyone else she would have said much more, would have encouraged me to go out with him, offered to help out. At least she was trying though.

"Thanks.." I replied, still not completely confident though. I was in dire need off a pep talk and she could tell.

"Mitchie" she whispered and I kept staring at the patterns on the doona cover "look at me!" she commanded, lifting up my chin and leaving her hand there, holding my face gently as she looked me in the eyes "Your gorgeous! And even more than that, your funny and smart and incredibly sweet. You have the most beautiful personality to match the beauty you have on the outside. Anyone would be lucky to have you!" she told me and I just knew I was turning a violent shade of red.

"Again, thanks…" I mumbled, wishing I could stop looking at her gorgeous eyes. She smiled brightly and pressed her lips against my cheek. It was brief, and afterwards she quickly sat up and said we should head down stairs. It burned though. And it sent my mind into a frenzy.

The street outside the tinted windows are rolling by so fast I hardly have time to take it in. We've only been driving five or so minutes down the busy, midafternoon L.A. streets. Mikayla and me are sitting at opposite sides of the back seat, as far apart as possible. I'm in one of my very rare 'angry at Mickey' moods. I know it's not her fault, she's just trying to go back to the way we where before and act how we used to. It drives me insane though. It feels like she's teasing me, flirting and then pulling away and it leaves my emotions all a wreck, tangled up in a confused muddle.

She's staring out her own window quietly and the two boys are sitting up the front, Jason driving and Shane fiddling round the radio boredly. He's looks nervous and being so quiet. I want to know what on earth's going on inside his head.

"One song, about a girl. Can't breath when I'm around her. I wait here everyday. In case she'll scratch the surface. She'll never notice. I'm not in love, this is not my heart. I not gunna waste these words about…"

A low crackle and then he changes the station, scrolling along till he finds another. At first it's fuzzy, only just sounding like music, then he finds the frequency and it comes through loud and clear. I re-adjust to the different tempo, listening intently to the lyrics.

"Did you think that I would cry on the phone? Do you know what it feels like being alone? I'll find someone new. Swing swing from the tangles of, my heart is crashed by a former love. Can you help me find a way to carry on again. Dreams cast into the sky, I'm.."

With a groan he leans forward again and changes the station. Crackle, fuzzy, clear. A new song floods my ears. I glance up at the review mirror, moving round slightly till I can see his eyes reflected in it. They stare right back at me and I blush before looking back out the window again.

"Your just the girl all the boys wanna dance with and I'm just the boy who's had to many chances. I'm sleeping on your folks porch again dreaming. She said, she said, she said "Why don't you just drop dead?"."

"Shane, would you stop changing the bloody station!" Mikayla suddenly bursts out, glaring at the back of his seat. Shane freezes, his hand just a centimetre away from the radio again, and quickly pulls back guiltily. I look back at Mikayla and she's staring at her feet, feeling bad for going off at him. The song continues, filling the car, and I stare back out the window. We're surrounded by shops now, cute, quaint little shops and small cafes.

"I don't blame you for being you, but you can't blame me for hating it. So say, what are you waiting for? Kiss her, kiss her. I set my clocks early cos I know I'm always late"

"We're here!" Jason pipes up happily, putting the car into park. The song comes to a stop as the car does, pulling up along side the footpath. We all hurry to get out, ripping off our seat belts and pushing open the doors with force. I look up at the sign painted on the café's window 'Tiger Lily Café' in striped orange and black letters. Shane walks in and heads straight towards a table near the window without a moments hesitation so I quickly follow and take the seat beside him. I don't want to sit next to Mikayla today, I want to be distracted by this gorgeous pop star and his silly charm.

"Do you come here a lot?" I ask Shane, as he seems so at home here. I can imagine him coming and sitting in this same spot every day. I always find comfort in routine and familiarity. Don't get me wrong, sometimes you have to take risks and try something new, life would be boring if you didn't! I just like familiarity, it's like a comfort blanket, it makes me feel safe. That's what Mikayla's usually like for me. Or she used to be…

"Yea, I guess I do" he shrugs casually and gives me a shy smile as he picks up one of the menu's and opens it up on the table between us "we can share, there are only three menu's ". I smile extra bright and shuffle in a little closer to him. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Mikayla scowling as she takes a seat across from me, but this just makes me feel happier. Sort of. I want to make her jealous. I know that I can't, I never will, but I so badly want to. I want her to look at me and Shane and realize she wants me. That will never happen though. At the same time, I hate it when she's upset. I love to see her smile.

Me and Shane both lean in a little closer, alternating between looking at the menu and shooting each other flirting smiles. Suddenly I feel a sharp pain as another shoe kicks my shin. I look up and around. Well I doubt it was Shane, and I don't think Jason would have done it, he's much too nice. My eyes settle on Mikayla. Dark bangs are falling in her face as she smiles innocently at her menu. Innocent people don't smile idiotically at the menu's though. She lets out a high yelp as I kick her back and the boys both look at her, worried and confused.

"Bug" she mutters "It just surprised me". She's blushing lightly but still smiling as she looks back at her menu. Her foot bumps mine and I bump hers back and why can't I keep smiling? I know I was angry at her but I can't help it, there's this giddy feeling bubbling up inside of me as we muck around. At first it's just kicking and bumping, then it's light brushing, now her foot trails up my leg a little and I feel a hot blush spreading over my cheeks. My mind drifts back to the park weeks ago, the way he foot rubbed against mine and her fingers trailed over my skin, tracing the lines on my hand. I want to be angry, I think she deserves it for how she's making me feel, but all I can be is shy and bashful, all I can feel is a nervous fluttering in my stomach and tingling heat on my skin.

"Hey Shane, can I take your orders?". I quickly look up as the voice invades my mind and find a waitress holding up her pad and pen, waiting patiently. Ha, I knew it. 'I guess I do?', she knew his name, he's obviously a regular. I grin and quickly look at the menu, looking it over and trying to decide in a rush.

"Just a coffee" he answers. Damn, I was hoping he'd say 'the usual'. I don't know why, it'd just feel.. like a movie I guess.

"A coffee and a large chocolate chip cookie" Jason adds, looking so mature I have to hold back a giggle.

"An orange juice and a large fries" I have finally decided, I know it's not true, but I feel like the orange juice cancels out the unhealthy-ness of the fries. When she finishes writing down my order I give her a warm, friendly smile. Joanne her badge says, that's a nice name. It sounds like a waitress's name too. She looks about twenty four, has golden curls, a strawberry smile and twinkling eyes like green glass washed smooth by the ocean.

"And last but not least, an ice chocolate" Mikayla tells the waitress, smiling cheerfully. The waitress nods, smiling at Shane one last time before walking away. My hand is resting on the edge of my seat when I feel another hand brushing over the top of it lightly. I look down and see Shane taking my hand in his. I blush and smile at him. What am I doing? Shane's holding my hand and Mikayla's foot is still resting on mine. I feel weird. And… how come the feeling I get holding Shane's hand doesn't even compare to the one I get when Mikayla barely touches me?