LAST TIME (SHANE POV)

"Shane. I really need you right now. Something...I..." She burst out into tears. I instinctively reached out to her. She grabbed my hand and hugged me.

"What happened?" I muttered.

"My grandma...just...just...died." Mitchie said through tears. "I need someone and you're the first person I thought of."

"Yeah. I'm here."

Now

It was like this: Once my mother had told me, I'd broken down. She'd comforted me but I told her I had to go talk to my friends, which she easily understood. Halfway to Caitlyn's cabin, I realised I didn't want to talk to her. I mean yeah I wanted to tell her later but right now...it wasn't her I needed. It wasn't Caitlyn that kept coming to my mind and whom I knew could help me. It was Shane. Shane-freaking-Gray.

I stopped halfway to Caitlyn's and headed to Shane's. Maybe he was mad because I hadn't forgiven him. Maybe he would be bitter, but I had to try and I really needed him. It's like when something awful happens and there's just that one person who could help. Mine was a stuck-up popstar.

I stood outside his door and knocked. The tears began to fill my eyes to the brim once I got hit by a wave of sadness again. I kept having these random memories of my grandmother and they would hurt like hell. Shane opened the door.

"Mitchie?" He said shocked, I couldn't tell if he was happy or sad. I just gave a soft nod and walked in. "Mitchie?"

"Shane. I really need you right now. Something...I..." The tears finally came, sliding down my cheeks rapidly. Shane held his hand out to me and I grabbed it. Next thing I knew I was hugging him.

"What happened?" He said quietly, his voice dripping with concern. God, why had I doubted him? Oh right...diva temper...

"My grandma...just...just...died." I choked out through sobs. "I need someone and you're the first person I thought of."

"Yeah I'm here." He released me from the hug and led me to his bed, gesturing for me to sit down. He placed his arm around my shoulders and I leaned my head on him, the tears slowly stopping. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just..." I sighed, silent tears streaming my face. "My grandma was always there. Every birthday, every other weekend, I saw her so much. And she was so strong. I don't know how she...how she lost to the cancer."

Shane was silent. Most people would have said they were sorry or something or would have tried to cheer me up. Shane knew better. He just let me sit there, crying on his shoulder. He knew that I didn't want or need to talk, I just needed comfort.

"She was 79." I stated. Shane opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off. "She had colon cancer for a year. She fought so hard, but my mum just told me...she passed away in her sleep. They're holding off the funeral until we return."

I wiped my eyes and lifted my head from Shane's shoulder, expecting him to move his arm from my shoulder. He didn't.

"She sounds amazing." Shane said. I nodded. "She had to have been to raise your mom so well who raised you so...amazingly."

I giggled at Shane's double use of amazing. I don't know how he did it, even in a situation where I was vulnerable and crushed and just feeling horrible...he made me laugh.

"When my family had trouble when I was about eight and we got...evicted, she was right there. She allowed us to live there and made everything alright." I admitted, surprising myself. I'd never told anyone besides Sierra that. It was just too personal. "She was the one who convinced my mom to start the catering business."

I scooted back a bit so that I was leaning against the wall and was fully on Shane's bed. I knew I probably shouldn't have just done that, but it was Shane. It was okay...at least it felt okay. Shane scooted back to sit next to me.

"How long were you there?" He asked simply.

"Until I was 11 and the business took off. She kind of raised me at a really important time. The time when you're not really a kid anymore but still not a teen." I smiled at the memories, Shane clasped my hand in his. "She also inspired my musical love. She used to be on Broadway, she had an amazing voice."

"That must be where you got your talent." Shane grinned, I felt myself blushing a bit. He squeezed my hand and tilted his head to face me. "Why not Caitlyn?"

"What?"

"Why didn't you go see Caitlyn?" Shane asked again. "I thought you hated me."

"I thought I did too. But then...I was going to see Caitlyn." I began. "Halfway there, I realised I didn't want to see Caitlyn. I...I was at the point where I was in shock and just wanted to break down. Still am, really. And I knew it wasn't Caitlyn who could help me through...now. It was a certain popstar."

"Who? Nate?" Shane joked. I laughed. He could make the stupidest jokes but still be utterly adorable.

"Of course." I raised our hands up in front of him. "That's why I'm holding hands with Nate right now."

Shane chuckled. I scooted closer to him, feeling sad again. I leaned against his shoulder once more for support. Talking about my grandma had helped. Telling someone who didn't know had made it feel like she was living on.

"Before I left for camp, my grandma drove over to my house with a package." Shane unclasped our hands and moved his arm back around my shoulders, I slightly moved so I was less on his shoulder and more on his chest. I knew any girl would kill to be where I was, sitting here with Shane Gray lying against him. "It was really small, but I knew I'd love it no matter what. She handed it to me saying 'Michelle, you've got a chance of a lifetime here. This is for good luck in case I don't stay around to see your fame.' She handed it to me and inside was this."

I reached my hand to my neck and pulled the chain out from under my shirt. I found the small pendant, a guitar. Inscribed on it were the words Dream, Live, Believe. I unclasped it and dropped it in Shane's hand for him to see. He inspected it quietly.

"This is beautiful." He murmured. I nodded. "And true."

"She always told me I would be big one day." A few tears slid from my eyes and down my face. Shane reached over and wiped them away. I giggled softly. "You always do that."

"I don't like seeing your tears and thinking I can't do anything about them." He shrugged as well as he could with me against him. "So I...make them go away."

"You're so not Shane Gray." I laughed. He softly hit my arm. "I mean... You're not the Shane Gray everyone knows. You're...my Shane Gray."

"Oh so I'm yours, am I?" Shane teased. I felt my cheeks flush a bit at how that sounded. "I'm just kidding, Mitch. Here do you want your necklace, now?"

I nodded and reached to take it from his hands. He shook his head and indicated me to sit up. I did as told and felt him move my hair to the front around my shoulders. He slid the necklace around my neck, giving me goosebumps when his calloused fingers brushed against my skin. I blushed, knowing he had to see them. He clasped the necklace in the back and then moved his hands. I looked over at him.

"I don't get why you're not mad." I blurted. It had been on my mind the entire time. "At me. For being...a bitch."

"Mitchie...I can't be mad at you for what you said and did." Shane looked downward. "Because it was true. But I realised I'm willing to...to try a hundred times harder than I ever would have before, for you."

Maybe it was because my emotions were running haywire or maybe it was just how touching Shane was being, but I felt a few slow tears slip down my face. Shane leaned forward.

"I'm starting to think, I make you cry far too much." I laughed, stopping the tears. He stood up suddenly, his slightly wavy hair falling in his face. It was too cute. "Come here."

Shane grabbed my hand and starting walking. I followed behind, stumbling a few times due to my clumsiness and obscured vision. Shane just chucked and kept leading me. Finally we reached a small clearing. I gasped. The lake apparently led into a river which ran through the woods. The clearing was right along the side with boulders by the shore.

"How did you...?"

"First year at Camp Rock. Nate and Jason were mad at me for not liking this song that they had collabbed it. It really wasn't good.." I laughed softly. "Anyway, I had to get away from them yelling at me and everyone saying I was a jerk for disappointing my friends and everything. So I ran into the woods and just...stumbled upon this place. Ever since then, it's where I come to write songs and just think."

I stepped forward towards the edge of the river and set down on the ground. I pulled my silver sandals off and dipped my feet in the water. It was cool but not ice cold, it felt great in the heat. Shane came up and sat next to me, crossing his legs instead of following my suit.

"You know, if you need to still talk...We can." He reassured me. I nodded a bit.

"I think...I think for now, I'm okay. I feel like since I told you the most important things about her, she's living on." I looked up at Shane, seeing his face was still lathered in concern. I placed my head on his shoulder. "No really. Maybe later. Plus once you made me laugh, I started to realise my grandma would want me to keep going. Be my own person. To keep dreaming, believing, and living even though she isn't."

"I know what you mean." I caught Shane's golden brown eyes. "My Uncle died about two years ago. He was my mom's brother so no relation to Brown. He was more like a father figure than an Uncle really. And then he died and it was like...part of me is missing."

"Is...Never mind." I muttered softly. I slowly lowered her hand from Shane's shoulder and placed it in my lap.

"Go ahead. Ask." Shane nudged my shoulder.

"Well you said father figure..." I started warily. "What about your actual father?"

"Oh...Well he wasn't really around a lot." Shane pawed at his fringe, covering his eyes. I reached over and brushed it away, telling Shane not to hide. He smiled softly. "I mean, he had really demanding work and with three kids it was really hard to be a good dad. We never really did all of those typical dad things so my memories are mostly with my uncle."

I didn't know what to say. I mean I'd always had the impression that Shane had this perfect life but now...now I was seeing more. I'd learnt he'd had an absent father and two siblings.

"I guess you're lucky you had your uncle when you were younger." Was all I could muster. Shane nodded. I sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm really bad with reacting at personal things. That was lame."

"No it wasn't." Shane laughed. I rolled my eyes. "No really. You're right. A lot of kids don't even have that. And my uncle was a really great guy."

"You know, Shane..." I moved my hand from my lap and placed it to the side of me in between Shane and me. "You're the only one besides my family and friend Sierra, who was actually there during that time, who knows about my family living with my grandma."

"You're the only one who knows about this." Shane gestured all around us. "I've never even told Nate or Jason. As far as I know no one else knows this place exists."

"I'm glad you showed it to me, Shane." Shane placed his hand atop mine, smiling.

"Me too, Mitch, me too."