Jason stared at Elora as she danced across the stage, his mouth hanging open.

Nate glanced at him. "Dude, a spider is going to make a web in there," he said. "Close the hatch." He shut Jason's mouth.

"OW!" Jason glared at Nate. "Thanks! You made me look away from watching Elora and you made me bite my tongue!"

He turned back to watching the performance. Elora made a turn just then and her gaze landed on Jason. She made a face at him and danced to the other side of the stage.

Jason stared for another second, then turned to Nate, eyes wide, face crestfallen. "What does that mean?" he asked, voice quivery.

Nate looked back at Elora and sighed. He patted Jason's shoulder. "I think that mean she thinks you're an idiot, buddy."

"Darn," Jason said. "I was going for major idiot. Aww, man. I need my birdhouse." He walked to his bag and looked through it. Then he turned around and glared at Nate again.

"I had too, man!" Nate exclaimed defensively. "It's not healthy! You like birdhouses too much!"

"Oh, I love birdhouses!" someone said behind them.

Jason spun around and found himself face to face with Elora. He stumbled back a step. "Uh…eh….eh…eh…h…h…hi."

"Amazing," Nate muttered. "A girl that actually likes something Jason does. Birdhouses, of all things!"

Jason stared at the girl. "Y…you really like b…birdhouses?" he asked weakly.

"Oh sure!" Elora said. "I love peeking inside them to see if a bird made a nest in them."

Jason chuckled nervously. "Hah. Excuse me." He raced behind a wall and victory danced. "YES!!"

Elora giggled. "Does he do that often?" she asked Nate.

He shrugged. "Only when he gets a new birdhouse kit. Consider yourself honored."

Jason appeared again. "So, um," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking down. "I thought…you did pretty well…onstage, you know…"He reddened slightly.

Elora smiled. "Thanks," she said.

Shane and Mitchie ran up. "There you guys are!" Shane said. "Come on we're up next! We're playing 'Play My Music' first then we're singing duet, Mitchie. Wait here."

"Oh, shoot," Nate said. "Where's my guitar?"



The boys rushed off. Mitchie smiled at Elora. "Welcome to my world."

Elora nodded. "So…" she said. "Is Jason always so…funny?"

Mitchie nodded, rolling her eyes. "Every day."

"Cool," Elora said easily, looking away.

"Why?" Mitchie asked suddenly.

Elora blushed. "No reason," she mumbled. "He's nice."

Mitchie nodded. "Uh huh," she said. "You like him."

Elora's head snapped up. "NO!" she said to loudly and too quickly.

Mitchie winked and walked away to watch the performance.

00

Tess had always been one for gossip. She followed Mitchie around and watched the duet.

They ran off stage. Shane caught Mitchie's arm and pulled her into him. "You were great," he murmured.

Mitchie smiled. "Thanks," she said. "You were, too."

Shane leaned down and kissed her gently.

Tess's eyes widened. They were going out! She watched them snuggle for a second before racing off.

Oh, she thought, this is rich! So wonderfully rich!

Mitchie and Shane had no idea they had an audience. There song had been the last one of the concert, so everyone else was, supposedly, in their own busses.

Shane smiled. "We should go," he said.

"Do we have to?"

Shane grinned wider and pulled Mitchie along beside him. She sighed. "That was a great concert," she said.

"I know. You were great."

Before Mitchie could comment, Peggy ran up. "Hey guys," she said. "A bunch of us are heading to a nightclub nearby. Nate and Jason already said yes, but they said we should double check first with you two."



"Sure," Mitchie said. "Why not?"

"Great! See you there!" The girl ran off, not noticing Shane's arm, which wound tightly around Mitchie's waist.

Once at the nightclub, Mitchie went straight for the food. "I'm starving!" she announced, grabbing some chips. Shane joined her and grabbed some M&M's.

"Me, too," he agreed, pouring them into his mouth.

The déjà voo hit Mitchie hard. Suddenly, it was Tommy Jenkins standing there, not Shane.

She swallowed hard, remembering his parting threat. "This isn't the end." She gulped again.

"Hey, Mitchie? You okay?" asked Shane.

Mitchie looked up. "Fine!" she gasped. "Never better."

Shane frowned at her slightly. "You sure?"

Mitchie nodded. "Yep."

Shane sighed. "Sure," he muttered. "I'll be right back." He walked away. Mitchie stared down at her feet.

"Tell him," she told herself. "Tell him why you're so worried!"

But she couldn't. She hardly had the guts to tell him she liked him in the first place last year. No way could she tell him this.

Shane watched Mitchie from the other end of the room. She looked down and then her shoulders sagged. He sighed. He knew he had hurt her feelings but he was so sick of the evasiveness, feeling like he was being left out of something.

His gaze wandered to the dance floor. Nate and Caitlynn were hip-hoping it away, Caitlynn arching her back as she twisted. Nate stared, smiling. Then Shane caught sight of something that made him stare.

Elora and Jason were DANCING! Close. Very close together.

"What the heck?" Shane muttered. "Has the whole world gone wacked?"

The pretty girl was showing Jason some basic moves, and then they were doing them together. The way he stared at her! It was true love, no doubt.

Shane shook his head. "Crazy," he said.

A slower song stared. Nate and Caitlynn left and joined Shane by the sidelines. Jason and Elora stayed put.



Nate followed Shane's gaze. "Scary," he commented.

"Very."

Mitchie suddenly ran up. "Shane, I'm sorry," she said.

Nate and Caitlynn exchanged a glance. "We'll be over here," Caitlynn said, taking Nate's elbow and pulling him away.

Shane looked at Mitchie, bewildered.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him outside. Shane followed her, confused.

Mitchie faced him then blurted out her story. "See, at the party after I pushed Tommy in the pool he said it wasn't the end. I'm just…worried what he might do. And if I see something that reminds me of that party I get really guilty because you don't know and oh, I'm sorry, Shane!" Tears ran down her face.

Shane stood shocked for a second, then embraced her hard. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered.

Mitchie shrugged. "I don't know," she sniffed.

Shane tilted her head up and smiled. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm not mad. Stop crying." He leaned down and gently kissed her. She relaxed.

Suddenly, lights flashed everywhere. The couple broke apart.

Paparazzi! They must have been hiding in the darkness.

The lights were blinding. Shane grimaced, then grabbed Mitchie's hand. "Inside!" he hissed, dragging her along behind him. They ran inside and slammed the door.

Shane groaned. "Now I'm gonna get it!"

"And I won't?!" Mitchie asked. "After the article last year, I had to swear up and down to my parents that we're just friends! When they see that…" she groaned.

No one noticed them in the excitement of the night club. Mitchie hid her face in Shane's shoulder, shaking.

They both were gonna get it. Big time.