"Hey, Jase. Where are you going?"
Damn. He thought. He'd been hoping to sneak out the front door while his band mates and sister sat on the couch, watching their interview over and over again. Nate had been the one to just turn around and see him reach out to grab the door knob.
"Yeah, Jason." Mitchie mimicked. "Where are you going?"
"None of your business." Jason replied.
He reached for his coat, ready to make a quick getaway, but the second oldest band member moved to stand in front of the door.
"Look at the way he's dressed, you guys." Shane accused. "You know what this means, don't you? He's got a date!"
The two teenagers were at his side within seconds, bombarding the twenty one year old with a million and one questions.
"Guys!"
Jason clamped a hand over both of their mouths, dragging the two kids back to the couch. He threw them down before finally letting them go. Slowly but surely, Mitchie had been bringing out a new side to Nate, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it yet.
"Okay. Fine. Let me have it."
"What's her name?"
"When did you meet her?"
"When do we get to meet her?"
"Is she cute?"
"How long have you guys been dating?"
"When were you going to tell us?"
"We haven't been dating for that long. Yes, she's absolutely beautiful. If she wants to come over for a drink, then you can meet her tonight. She's a model, and I met her during my solo photo shoot two months ago. Her name is Hayley, and I didn't think I could keep it a secret for much longer."
Surprisingly he'd managed to say the sentence in one breath. He watched his friends carefully. "You guys done? Cause I'm gonna be late."
"No, no." Mitchie waved him away. "She sounds great, Jasey. I can't wait to meet her."
"She's heard a lot about you, Mitch." He replied. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Shane's in charge if anything goes wrong, alright? I'll have my phone on me all night. Be good and listen to the guys. Love you."
"Love you too."
Shane wrapped his arms around the two fifteen year old's and leaned forward. "Now don't stay out too late, young man."
His comment made the group of four crack up before the oldest band member was literally pushed out the door.
Now, the oldest teen in the room turned to face the others. "So. What do you guys wanna do tonight? The house is all ours."
Nate and Mitchie shared a devious look before they ran up to their respective bedrooms. Shane watched them leave. He ran a hand through his hair, thoroughly confused. Of course, his suspicion soon ended as the two teenagers came back down the stairs with pillows in their hands.
"Oh good lord," Shane muttered. He reached out and tried to grab her, but Nate covered her with a hit that sent him flying backwards.
"You just had to teach him how to be a kid, didn't you?" The rock star growled. He grabbed the nearest pillow, chucking it at the curly haired teen.
"You're next." He warned Mitchie.
Mitchie grabbed Nate's pillow and chucked it at him before throwing her own.
Shane shook his head, a dark smile appeared on his face. He dive bombed her, knocking her down onto the plush carpet. "Nate! Help me out here!"
Both boys held her down before beginning to tickle her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she laughed. Her laugh was enough to make them keep going, and it made them grin as well. Mitchie's smile was contagious.
"Truce!"
"That's not gonna work this time, Mitch. You started this! And now, Nate and I are going to end this!"
She looked up at the curly haired guitarist, he offered her a wink and she grinned. Nate would always be on her side.
"Shane!" Nate called out suddenly.
The older boy looked up, alarmed. It was just the moment of distraction he had been hoping for. Nate wrapped his arms around his brother figure and trapped him in a headlock. Mitchie joined him on holding the rock star down.
"That's it!"
He stood up, grabbing Mitchie around the waist and Nate by the front of his shirt, dragging them both towards the back door
"I can't trust you two together right now." He announced, shoving Nate outside.
He slammed the door shut, and locked it, letting Mitchie drop to her feet only to grab her arm and steer her back towards the leather couches.
"You asked us what we wanted to do!" She pointed out, trying to free herself from his grasp. "You did this to yourself, Shane."
"I didn't think you guys were going to attack me!" Shane joked, chucking a pillow at her. "Here. Isn't it past your bedtime, or something?"
Mitchie tossed it back to him. "Maybe you should go to bed!"
"You go to bed."
"No, you! You are so annoying! God, Shane! How does your girlfriend put up with you?!"
"Why?" He teased. "Are you jealous? And by the way, right now, I don't have one."
Both teens began to laugh, grinning knowingly at each other. But all too soon, Mitchie stopped laughing and watched him carefully.
"Why do you act like that?" She demanded. Her comment made him stop laughing, and he looked her at intently. "A jerk, I mean. Why do you act like such a jerk out in public?"
"Hey, being a jerk is part of the rock star image." Shane replied distractedly. No one had ever asked him that before.
"Keeping up an image can be tiring."
"But it keeps the posers away." He admitted. "I... I don't know, Mitchie..."
He didn't know what made Jason's little sister so different, he'd never told anyone that before, not even Nate and Jason, who would have understood exactly how he felt.
"I never know if people are hanging with me for the free stuff, or for the parties."
"Oh, definitely the free stuff." Mitchie joked, trying to lighten the situation.
And yet, she also wondered why, exactly, was Shane Gray telling her this when he barely knew her.
"Funny."
"Come on, I know you really not a jerk. I mean you defended me from that reporter the other day, and those screaming girls seem to like you."
"Which brings me back to the whole jealous thing."
"I take that back!" Mitchie declared, slapping his chest before getting up to run. "You are a jerk!"
Shane chased her, but by the time he caught up to her, she had let an annoyed looking Nate back inside.
"God, you jerk!" Nate joked as he shoved the older boy. "It's cold out there!"
"Sorry, man." Shane replied, but he didn't look very sorry. "I didn't know that the door was locked!"
The two fifteen year old's shared a look.
"Get him." They said together before running to retrieve their pillows.
