The limo, nor the bus, was in sight as Elora and Jason left the restaurant, laughing and joking.

"So she really jumped on your tour bus?" Elora was asking.

Jason nodded, chuckling. "It was crazy," he said. Hesitantly, he reached out and took Elora's hand. She smiled at him.

"What should we do while we wait?" she asked. "Oh, hey, a newsstand! I wonder if they have that article…" she pulled Jason down the sidewalk.

They stopped short, looking at the cover of every single tabloid.

Shane and Mitchie, outside the night club, kissing.

Elora picked up the PEOPLE magazine and flipped to the article.

"Oh, so that's what set off the paparazzi," she said. "I get it now. What were they thinking?"

Jason read the article over her shoulder. He winced. "Déjà voo," he said. "It's the same trash as that article last year."

"Oh, yeah, I saw that," Elora said. She glanced at Jason. "Should we bring it back to them?"

Jason shrugged. "I guess so. Look, there's the picture of Nate and Caitlynn!"

They started laughing. Nate was stumbling back and Caitlynn was standing there, hands on hips, obviously having just pushed him. It was hilarious.

"One, please," Elora said. She paid the guy and they left the stand. Elora looked at the picture again and began laughing.

"Oh, classic," she said. Her fingers were still entwined with Jason's. She sighed.

Jason was quiet for a second. "So…" he said softly as they stood by the sidewalk. "I, um, had…had a nice…time," he said slowly. "Did you?"

"Of course," Elora smiled gently. "It was a lot of fun. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Jason murmured.

They looked at each other. Elora smiled. Jason returned it after a second.

The limo, of course, chose to pull up at that time.

"Want to come back with me?" Jason asked. "We can show them the magazine."

"Sure," Elora said.

Jason opened the door for her, then climbed in after her.



Once back at the apartment, they opened the magazine.

Something caught Jason's eye. "Uh, oh," he muttered. "Look." He pointed to the line as they entered the elevator.

Elora read it out loud.

"It seems our favorite celebrities are, in fact, a couple now. Photographers spotted Shane Gray and Mitchie Torres kissing outside a night club in D.C…"

"No, no, down here," Jason interrupted, pointing.

"Oh." Elora continued to read.

"It seems the article about them last year has given the couple an idea. What is to come out next of their daring relationship?"

00

Mitchie threw the magazine down. "UGH!" she exclaimed. "Now what? My mom is sure to see that! UGH!"

She flopped back on her bed and threw the pillow over her face. "I'm not getting up," she warned the other people in the room.

Shane was sitting on the other bed. "As much as I loved being popular in high school," he sighed. "Now I really wish they would leave us alone."

Nate and Caitlynn were sitting in the armchair. Nate leaned his head back against the back of the chair. "Well, nothing we can do about it now."

"What angers me is that it wasn't the article last year," Shane muttered. "What kind of freaking trash is that? God." He rubbed his temples.

Elora and Jason stood awkwardly in the doorway.

Finally, Elora spoke. "Oh the other hand," she said, trying to be optimistic. "There's a hilarious picture of you and Nate, Caitlynn."

Everyone looked at her. Mitchie even slid the pillow off her face.

Elora looked back. "Geez, tough crowd," she muttered. "I better go. 'Bye, guys. See you later, Jason."

"'Bye, Elora," he said, watching her leave. He sighed happily, ignoring his friends watching.

Mitchie resumed hiding her face. "If my mother calls," she said, voice muffled. "Tell her I moved to Japan."



Shane's parents burst in the door. He barely looked up at them.

"Shane," his mother sighed. "Come here."

He silently followed.

His mother held up a copy of Life and Style. Shane groaned.

"About that…."

His mother held up her hand. "Save it," she said curtly.

"What were you thinking?" Michael demanded.

"She was upset!" Shane defended himself. "There was…a conflict back at her house and she was crying."

"You had to outside?" Samantha asked.

"I thought we were alone, okay?" Shane said. He looked at the ground. "Why do you even care?"

Samantha closed her eyes. "Because we're your parents."

"And that's my fault?" Shane demanded. He sat in a chair and sighed. "Look, I made a mistake. But it's the celebrity life. Every time you sneeze, it's in the tabloids."

"Mitchie is barely getting into this life and already you're causing her to be in every magazine?" Michael asked.

Shane started to protest, but then closed his mouth. "I never thought of it that way," he admitted.

"Mitchie is barely eighteen," Samantha said quietly.

"You saying we should break up?" Shane demanded, his heart falling.

"Well…" Michael and Samantha looked at each other.

Shane stood up. "We'll talk," he said.

He sadly left and returned to the other room. He stretched out on the bed and sighed.

"Live and learn," he muttered. Mitchie looked at him, then came over to the bed. She sat down next to his head and smiled.

"Don't worry," she said in her soft voice. "We'll get through this. It's not that bad…not really."

He caught her hand, eyes still closed. "Maybe," he agreed.

Nate sighed. "Well, what are you going to do?" he asked Mitchie.

"Face the wrath of my mother," Mitchie said. "Once she calls."



"Have fun," Caitlynn said.

Mitchie rolled her eyes. "I intend to."