i finally dont have a super duper long post! i know - sighs - some of you like those extremely overbearingly long chapters. im sure there are many more to come in the future. :)
first i must say wow. over 500 reviews. seriously. you guys. like this rocks. i cant imagine a better group of reviewers ever! your all so into the story and i love that! im so surprised you even like it. thank you for being awesome. all of you get a permanent spot on my wall of totally wicked people.
sorry ive been gone for soooo long! i went to orientation and had softball tourneys and work. and its just been hectic! i have a day off so i can foresee some more writing in the near future. im sorry this has taken forever for me to upload! and i seriously do not like this chapter. its icky and i just dont like it. ive edited it like five times and i still dont like it. its mainly a filler. moving things along to the next big event. which has not yet been decided. ha. okay so i really am going to stop now. i hate when i ramble. and i know you all do too.
disclaimer: i own nothing of camp rock. althought i do own this witty humor. ha. it humors me it may not you. enjoy! :)
Chapter Twenty-Five: That's How You Know
Everybody wants to live happily ever after
Everybody wants to know if true love is true
How do you know he loves you
How do you know he's yours
Does he take you out dancing just so he can hold you close
Dedicate a song with words meant just for you
He'll find his own way to show you
With the little things he'll do
That's how you know, that's how you know
He's your love
That's How You Know: Amy Adams
Shane and I pushed through the crowd now gathering along the outside of dance floor. Someone banged into my side which halted me. I bent over gasping for breath trying to ignore painful throbbing consuming my body and failed. Shane noticed instantly and grabbed my hand.
"Slow breaths," he instructed pulling me behind him.
I did as I was told and continued until we'd pushed to the middle of the crowd. Caitlyn's body was draped over someone else. My breath caught in my throat as she moved slightly and I saw a limp Nate lying on the ground beneath her. Quickly moving into action I grabbed my best friend by the middle and hoisted her up off the ground. She beat mercilessly at the air screaming for Nate.
I held her close to my chest hearing her sobs shattering my heart. My eyes looked to Shane who was on the ground next to his cousin, his best friend. His face was white as can be, scaring me. His eyes flickered up for a second and I asked him with my eyes. He shook his head, uncertain. I squeezed my shocked friend even closer, telling her everything was going to be alright.
Sirens sounded in the far off distance. Heads and eyes searched the darkened sky, the same question on all our minds – what happened? Mark had appeared beside Shane easily scooping his son into his strong arms. The unprecedented worry and fright on his face was enough to send tears spilling from my own eyes. The sirens were right on top of us now, the crowd parting so Mark could meet them.
Shane rose slowly, still staring at the space Nate had just occupied. When he finally met my eyes I had to hold back a sob that gurgled in my throat. He instantly wrapped his arms around Caity and I tears falling from his own mistakenly beautiful eyes.
"Come on, I think Jason drove here," he said quietly. "We can follow the ambulance to the hospital."
Together we supported her, walking toward the parking lot. We spotted Jason and Stella hurrying to an SUV ahead. "Jason!" Shane called out stopping his cousin. Stella glanced at the broken Caitlyn and raced towards us. She took her out from under Shane's arm and helped me get her into the car. The three girls sat in the back comforting Caitlyn as much as she could. Jason and Shane navigated themselves to the nearest hospital since we had lost sight of the ambulance – natural.
No one dared to speak in fear of upsetting Caitlyn even more. My confusion was so great that I almost asked at one point. I hated not knowing what was going on. This must have been how it felt for Shane that night in the record shop and then at the hospital – not knowing what was going on. It sucked, I wish I knew.
"Jason," I finally braved, "do you know what's going on?"
His knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard. My voice broke through a trance of his. He glanced back in the mirror and frowned slightly.
"Has this ever happened before?" I asked again.
Shane and Jason shared a look between themselves that didn't go unnoticed by me. I felt Caitlyn stir underneath my arm. Her sobs had lessened, tears still dripped down her cheeks silently.
"We don't know what's going on," Jason said robotically, keeping his eyes on the road.
He was no help. "Caity," I said softly, "what happened?"
She sniffed, wiping her arm across her nose – gross but forgiven. "We were dancing and then we stopped to countdown for the New Year," she said quickly, her voice higher than usual. "The fireworks had just gone off and I was about to turn around to look at him, and I saw him on the floor."
"So he fainted?" asked Stella, her inner nurse coming out.
Caity shrugged, unknowing. "I would assume so but how?"
"I don't know Cait," she said softly, hugging her reassuringly. "I'm sure whatever it is he will be okay. He's tough."
"I hope so," she sobbed, her head falling back to my shoulder.
The rest of the ride to the hospital was wrapped in silence. I ran my hands through Caitlyn's hair soothingly hoping it would take her mind off Nate, although I knew it wouldn't. While we were driving I was thinking what if it would have been Shane passed out on the floor? What would I have done?
I didn't have time to think much further than that. Jason pulled into the emergency parking lot and we each bolted out of the door as soon as it was off. Caitlyn was the first one through the door followed by Jason and Shane. I walked; my body was still in recovering stage and couldn't manage this sprint to the door. Stella hung back with me feeling like she would only be in the way.
"She's really torn up isn't she?" Stella asked me as a huge burst of cool air hit us walking into the surprisingly quiet waiting room.
"She can be high-strung about certain things," I told her. "She cares almost too much, not that it's bad, but it just makes her more sustainable to break downs. And since it's with Nate she's extremely worried."
"She didn't seem this worried about you."
I shrugged. "I guess she's had to grow used to seeing me beaten time and time again. It's new for Nate to be the one hurting."
Stella nodded understanding me.
"I have a question Stell," I stated slowly.
She turned to face me. "What is it?"
"Well I promised Caitlyn I would have you check me out. She thinks I might have done some damage to my head," I said nonchalantly.
Stella's eyes about popped out of her head. She rushed forward to hold my face. "What are you talking about? Your head? Where does it hurt? Are you feeling dizzy?"
I pushed her away. "I was brushing my hair today and found dried blood on the back of my head," I said turning around so she could look at my hair. "Caity looked and said there was some type of gash in it."
Being persistent yet careful of my tenderness, Stella parted my hair feeling certain places for bumps or something nurses feel for. "You definitely have something," she murmured touching the wound. "I'll take a closer look at it when we get home."
"Thanks," I smiled.
"Stella, Mitchie we're going to the room. They've got him stabilized," Jason called from the hallway.
Stella caught up to Jason taking his hand, adorable. I blushed at how simple a gesture – that wasn't even directed at me – could make me melt. I'm such a romantic it's ridiculous. My own boyfriend – whoa, it's so weird to be calling him that – walked back to me, his face expressionless.
"How are you doing?" I asked him peering up into his saddened eyes.
"I'm alright, how about you?"
"I'm fine," I lied walking down the hall after Jason and Stella.
Hospitals were like a plague to me. I avoided them as much as I possibly could. Although it seems I've been to more than I would have liked the past month – damn those worrying fools. I don't think people understood just how horrified of hospitals I really was. Just by walking down the extra quiet hallways made my skin crawl. I wanted to turn around and race back to the outside, the normal. Seeing as that wouldn't seem very friend-like, I stayed in Shane's shadow hoping it would hide me from all the unmentionable catastrophes lingering in the air.
Wordlessly I grabbed at his hand, capturing the shaking hand in my own. The unnaturalness of his anxiety was rubbing off on me; he wasn't helping in the keeping my mind off the whole being in the hospital thing very well. Me being the oh-so amazing person I was tried to calm him down and get his mind off Nate as best I could ignoring the uncomfortable state I was currently in.
"You want to know something funny?" I asked as we stepped onto the elevators that would take us up to Nate.
"What?" he asked yet really didn't care.
"Never mind I won't tell you since you're clearly not in the mood," I said shortly, crossing my arms over my chest and staring at the rising red number glowing above the door.
The slight anger in my voice obviously crossed through his worried mind since he quickly moved in front of me, his face filled with a new worry – one for me. I was so selfish. Why did I have to sound angry when I said that? I wasn't really angry at all; I was just trying to loosen him up some. Now he thinks I'm actually mad at him when he's worrying about Nate, which he should be doing.
"I'm just kidding," I said cracking a smile before he could rant about how sorry he was for upsetting me. "I know you're scared for him. I am too, but I don't want you to hurt yourself in the process. He is going to be okay."
He nodded – it was all he could do. The feel of his hand slowly reaching for mine sent a splash of heat down my spine then rose all the way back up to my cheeks. The elevator dinged, and we exited hand-in-hand.
"It's weird to be the one on this side," I said aimlessly spotting Jason and Stella turning a corner ahead. "I'm usually the one in the bed being inspected upon by millions of doctors and their equally stupid interns – against my own will of course."
He shook his head at me unable to speak. I don't know what he would say either way. It's wonderful not to have to stare at your broken body for once Mitchie. Yeah, I could hear it now.
Jason and Stella ducked into a room at the end of the next hallway. Lights flickered from above which made me wonder how many people actually came down this hallway on a regular basis. A nervous chill cradled my spine as we poked our heads in the room behind Jason and Stella.
Caitlyn was perched on the side of Nate's bed holding his weak hand in hers. From my spot at the door I could already see the tears streaking down her cheeks. My heart clanged in despair for my best friend. This must be how she always felt watching me get beat time after time. Here she was wondering why the hell her boyfriend was in the hospital. Did it ever stop for her? Hadn't she been tortured enough?
My best friend intuition kicking in, I crossed the room and held Caity close as she broke down again and sobbed on Nate's slowly rising chest. His eyes were resting casually. I would have figured he was sleeping, he looked that peaceful.
Soon enough the small hospital room was pushing the limits on the occupant allowance of the room. The entire Color Clan was present in the room along with a few extra friends like Tristan and Raine. I held Hollace in my arms rocking her back and forth silently, brushing the silent tears from her rosy cheeks. My other hand was a frequent visitor of Shane's. Ever since he set foot in the room his eyes became stony and glazed over. He uttered not a single word to anyone. The only time we communicated was through our eyes. And they were telling me that he was scared. I hoped that he hadn't looked like this after all the times I'd gotten banged up. It killed me to see him now, but knowing I may have put those looks on his face tore me up inside.
A sharp knock on the door drew the entire room's attention off Nate for that one millisecond. A man in a crisp white lab coat entered, my eyes narrowed instantly. "Only family members are allowed to be in here," he said in an over confident voice.
"We're all family," a low growl sounded from Shane.
I squeezed his hand in fright. The unknown severity of this situation was going to start killing me if someone wasn't going to give us some answers soon.
The doctor glared at Shane for a while before deciding it was better not to argue with a room full of frantic people. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Nathaniel Black has been stabilized by our excellent staff and shall be awakening shortly from the drugs."
The room filled with elated sighs, along with overexcited cries from Caitlyn and Laurie. I kept my eyes on Shane's face, watching his worry lines slowly flatten back into his adorable face.
"What happened to him?" Laurie asked amongst all the tears.
"I'm sorry to tell you Mrs. Gray that you're son has Type 1 Diabetes," the doctor announced blatantly, "which means his body isn't producing enough insulin needed to take sugar from the blood to his cells.
Happiness pushed aside by the statement, gasps and frightened sobs sounded from the huge family. "He will be okay though right?" Caitlyn asked her hand clutching Nate's tighter than normal.
"With the right diet, exercise, and awareness Mr. Gray will continue to live a somewhat normal life. I have gathered some pamphlets for you to look through if you would like," he said handing Laurie some papers without any further explanations. "If you don't have any questions I would ask you all too quietly leave Mr. Gray alone. He's extremely tired and needs some rest."
"Can't he come home tonight?" Caitlyn was the first to ask.
The doctor shook his head. "It's New Years and already very early in the morning. We decided it was best to keep him here to let him sleep peacefully. When he awakes in the morning we will allow you to take him home."
The doctor exited the room without answering any questions that Laurie was firing at him. She gave Nate a peck on the cheek before bounding out of the room, in all her pregnantness, after the doctor. The rest of the family said their goodbyes and quietly left the tired boy alone. Soon it was just Caitlyn, Shane and I sitting atop his bed all staring at him curiously.
"What an asshole," I muttered once everyone else left the room. "He didn't explain anything at all. This is why I hate hospitals. I hope you two heard me right. I hate hospitals. So from now on I never want to be in one again, and if I am it better not be me on the bed."
"Oh stop being dramatic Mitch," Caitlyn sighed. "The only reason we put you in the hospital is because you never go yourself. If you go for so long with how you have been it could end up seriously bad in the future. We are only looking out for you."
"Guys," Nate finally croaked immediately ending the rift between Caitlyn and I, his eyes cracked open slightly, "are you two seriously going to fight over hospitals right now? Mitchie, you know we just love you and we want you to be healthy. And Caitybug, you know how much she does hate them. Don't get all worked up just because I'm in one now."
Caitlyn ignored him and proceeded to hug him excitedly. "You're awake!"
"Way to state the obvious," I muttered sarcastically.
"Mitchie," warned Nate before Caitlyn could open her mouth to retort, "let it go."
"I'm not the biggest fan of hospitals, okay," I said shivering as I said the word. "Although I do have to say it's much better to see you in the bed than have everyone looking at me."
Nate laughed quietly understanding my twisted comment. "Glad I could be of use for you."
"How are you feeling?"
He shrugged, yawning widely. "Tired and weird. What's wrong with me?"
The three of us all shared a look. Somehow it ended on me and I glared at the two of them. Why was it that I deserved to give the bad news to him? I mean Caitlyn was his goddamn girlfriend, and Shane was practically brother. So why me?
The look in both their eyes said it all – I'd been in this position before. Well, I don't have diabetes but I'm guessing they think since I've been in hospitals and have practically been beaten to my almost death a million and one times before that I am good with giving or receiving bad news. I'm going for a long shot with this because I honestly have no idea why they want me to tell him.
"You have Type 1 Diabetes," I mumbled grabbing a hold of his hand Caitlyn wasn't pulverizing.
Two things happened at that moment that shocked the hell out of me. First, Nate's eyes widened slightly but not in the way I would have expected them to upon hearing he had this disease. Second, Shane jumped off the bed, sprinted to the door, and slammed it behind him leaving us all in a state of shock. My eyes were glued to the door contemplating on whether I should chase after him or stay with my friend in need.
I turned back to find Nate smiling softly at me. "Go on, he's a little upset at the moment right now."
"You could definitely say that again," I murmured hopping off the bed. I bent down and kissed Nate on the forehead.
"Tell me one thing," he called quietly as I made my way for the door.
Smiling to myself I turned and nodded shortly. "Yes."
I shut the door but not before hearing Caity ask Nate what the hell that was about. Once outside in the creepy ass hallway I spotted Shane a couple hundred feet ahead crouched on the wall, his head between his legs. A sense of urgency to reach him crept to my legs and I half-ran half-hobbled down the deserted hallway. As soon as I reached him I plopped down at his feet, situating myself so I was tucked underneath his raised legs. If someone walked by right now and saw us here I was sure we would receive a variety of strange looks.
I picked his head up with my hands and cradled his gentle face. What I really wanted to do – which was yell at him for acting like a complete lunatic in front of Nate – disintegrated from my thoughts. Tears fell from those startling eyes landing with a little plink on the tile floor. Redness filled his eyes and they were slowly growing puffier from the excessive crying. People used to tell me it was adorable to see boys cry, but this seriously broke my heart.
"Gray," I demanded softly, "what is going on with you? I've never seen you like this before. It's scaring the hell out of me."
A blubbered laugh jumped from his throat. "I'm scaring you? That's something new," he said mockingly.
I hit him gently. "Come on, talk to me. We are together now; I think there is some written rule in the land of relationships that says you must tell me what's wrong with you."
"Oh really? There's a book of this you say?"
"Maybe not a book per se, more of a scroll. Yeah definitely a scroll, it sounds way cooler," I said offhandedly.
He laughed for real this time. "There needs to be a scroll that explains how the mind of Mitchie Torres works."
"At least I'm getting you to smile," I said dropping my arms to rest on his bent knees. "This scroll rule must be working somehow."
He chuckled shaking his head at me. A silence fell over us as he glanced off staring at something in the floor next to me. Avoiding my eye contact, something was seriously up with Shane Gray.
"Really now," I said pulling his eyes back to mine, "what is wrong? We know that Nate has diabetes but that's not the end of the world. It isn't some deadly disease that is killing him. Diabetes is such a common sickness, and so many people are living with it today that you wouldn't even know it if someone next to you had it. I don't know if this Nate thing is really bothering you or if something else is."
Sighing he looked up to the ceiling. "I knew."
"Knew what?" I asked oddly.
"I knew about his diabetes," he said it with a hint of disgust like it was a disgraceful word.
"How? Why?" I asked more confused than ever. Sometimes he spoke in riddles and I've yet to figure out that part of him.
He shook his head again continuing to stare at the extremely appealing white cracked ceiling. "A couple years ago Nate started getting really bitchy to say the least. He was always such a kind hearted being," he added with gusto which made me laugh. "So being the curious person I am I typed in his awkward behaviors into the wonderful Google and out popped websites of diabetes. At the time I thought nothing of it. Nate couldn't have diabetes; there was no family history of diabetes so it didn't seem right for him to have it. I let it slide for once."
"More recently he's becoming more agitated like that one time. Other symptoms were popping up too, he was always tired and hunger but kept losing weight. I brought my concerns to him and he brushed them off like they were yesterday's peanut butter and jelly crumbs. Jason and I had talked about it but never decided to do anything. We left Nate to choose what he wanted to do and how he wanted to go about it. Now I feel terrible that I didn't tell Mom or Laurie. We would have been able to find out sooner."
I stared at him for a long time after he finished talking – just stared. He was beginning to become uncomfortable – I could tell. "Sooo," I dragged out trying to comprehend the ridiculous statements he just told me, "basically you're freaking out because of something you have no control of. It's not like Nate is seriously ill. Yeah, diabetes is a big deal but it's not cancer. He just has to be careful and more aware of what he eats and to watch his insulin levels. He is going to be fine Gray."
"What's with the Gray thing?" he asked amused, light finally shining back in his dreary eyes.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "I kinda like it. It's like a nickname."
He gave me one of those no-shit looks. "It's one of the best I've ever heard of," he said sarcastically. "I mean honestly, how did you ever come to think of it?"
"Beware Gray, I do own the rights to sarcasm and you were not given permission to use it," I scolded him with a wag of my finger.
His full throated laughter filled the barren halls lifting my spirits along with his own. The pure happiness of the laughter lightened the mood greatly.
"So I've come to the conclusion that you are the biggest worrier ever!" I proclaimed struggling to my feet.
He was faster and pulled me up along with him. "I can't help it. I'm used to having to worry for the wellbeing of all my family. Now with you added in the mix plus this diabetes thing with Nate the worry meter is on a serious overdrive."
"I am fine," I said firmly walking ahead of him to show him just how fine I was. "See, no injuries here. I'm indestructible."
"I'm beginning to wonder if that's actually true," he murmured mostly to himself.
I slowed to catch back up with his lackadaisical walk. "Are you okay now? Or do I need to say another clever comment to get you laughing?"
"You are a piece of work you know that?" he laughed quietly, giving me one of those side-eyed smiles that always seemed to catapult my heart to the heavens.
"I guess I should have shown you the scroll of guidelines that came with me. I think you would be able to understand a little easier."
His laughter sailed through the hallway bringing even the dullest lights to life. "I think I'm going to be just fine," he said slinking his arm over the tops of my shoulders. "I mean it's gonna be hard to get used to the whole diabetes thing but I'm sure everything will be fine."
"Good," I smiled, completely satisfied with myself for turning Shane's gloomy attitude into one of joyous sunshine – Mitchie Torres, future psychiatrist.
"Plus I have this really amazing girlfriend that can talk me through anything," he smirked. Hearing the word girlfriend slip from his full mouth sent chills clattering down my spine.
"I'm still not used to that," I replied truthfully.
"It's only been an hour or so," he laughed gruffly, his hand finding my burning cheek. "You're not supposed to be used to it yet Mo."
The past hours replayed through my brain at top speed: the dancing, the confessions, the question, the fireworks, the scream. Too many things happened at one moment for me to actually enjoy the fact that I was now the girlfriend of Shane Gray. If you'd have told me that I would be dating Shane Gray a month ago I would have first given you an extremely dirty look and then probably said something along the lines like do you really take me for a whorish slut that would want to be with the womanizing Shane Gray. Look how quickly a couple weeks can change the view of one person.
I looked up at him through my half shaded eyes. His wide blue/brown eyes held my attention and only wanted that of mine. The compassion hidden amongst those glittering orbs was spilling out in ways I'd never been able to read them before.
"I don't think we've had our first proper boyfriend, girlfriend kiss," I purred fluttering my eyes – see what he's done to me!
"Funny," he chuckled huskily, those lips parting just slightly enough, "I was thinking the exact same thing."