"Please Jason?!"
"I want to say absolutely not!" He remarked bitterly. "But I'm afraid that you're going to give me your puppy dog eyes again."
"Does that mean...?"
"Yes," Jason said finally, through gritted teeth. "But you have your phone on you at all times, and if he tries anything..."
"Thank you!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him. She kissed him on the cheek before grabbing Caitlyn, who in return, grabbed Nate.
He had apparently agreed to take them to the nearest mall, he grabbed the keys to their rental car and followed after them grudgingly.
The security team was somewhere behind them as Nate drove down the road; he was a good driver, more careful than the other two.
Which gave Caitlyn the perfect excuse to make fun of him.
"Hey Natie. I think that lady on her motor-scooter just passed us," She called out, making her best friend giggle in the process. "Oh! And look. She just gave you the finger."
"You're lucky you're cute, Cait." He muttered, changing lanes. "You are so freaking lucky that you're cute, and that I love you. Now shut up."
"So," Caitlyn muttered as she helped her friend apply sample makeup. "What are you going to do if he tries to kiss you?"
"Kill him," Nate replied bitterly from the chair a saleswoman had oh so graciously brought out for him to sit on.
"Wan I talking to you?" She asked, shooting him a warning look.
"Sorry if I'm not comfortable with the idea of some pretty boy shoving his tongue down my best friend's throat."
Mitchie laughed and reached out to pat his cheek. "If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first person I call,"
"I'd better be."
"So," Caitlyn said again, whispering so he wouldn't hear. "Do you want him to kiss you?"
Truthfully, she did. She wanted to erase her kiss with Shane from her mind, and she hoped that kissing someone as sweet and as cute as Jake Ryan, would do so.
Yeah, right,
"He's late!" Mitchie cried again. She would have thrown herself down on the bed, the only thing stopping her was the realization that her two friends had put a lot of time and effort into her hair and makeup.
"Oh my god!" She said suddenly, causing Hayley to jerk as she did so. "He's not coming! He stood me up! I'm such an..."
"Mitch!" Nate called from the living room of their hotel suite. "Jake's here. C'mon. Hurry up!"
She squealed, her negative thoughts vanishing just as quickly as they had appeared.
Hayley, in an older sister fashion, reached out and grasped her hand, doing the same to Caitlyn before heading for the door.
"Gentlemen," She addressed the group of boys. Jake looked uncomfortable with the three, fit Connect 3 boys. "I give you, Miss. Michelle Torres."
Mitchie laughed, stepping around her friend to join the rest of her friends. Jake's jaw dropped.
And if Shane hadn't been fighting it with everything he had, his would have as well.
She was beautiful, she was always beautiful, but the dress she wore was the perfect color for her skin tone and hugged her in all the right places.
The dress was yellow, tight around her neck and sleeveless. She wore her new black leather jacket (she had joked to Nate and Caitlyn that she was never taking it off.) She had on a new pair of gray, ankle boots, and around her neck was the necklace Shane had given to her for her birthday.
At first, she wasn't going to wear it. She thought it might ruin her plans of trying to forget their kiss, and trying to bury her feelings for him. But it was beautiful, and she loved it so much.
And it looked amazing with her dress.
"You look beautiful," Jake muttered as he kissed her on the cheek. "I'm so sorry, Mitchie. I promise, I can explain everything-"
"Later." She said with a laugh, letting go of him. She wrapped her arms around Hayley, and then Caitlyn, thanking them both for putting up with her craziness.
Nate hugged her next, leaning in close to whisper into her ear. "Remember our deal."
"Yes, Nathan." Mitchie rolled her eyes, giving him a light shove. "I promise."
"Keep your phone on," Jason warned. He kissed the side of her head. "And you. You'd better take good care of my sister,"
"I..." Jake's hand met with Jason's, and he winced as the twenty one year old guitarist squeezed back tighter than he needed to. That move earned him a jab in the ribs, curtsey of his sister. "I...Promise. I won't let anything happen to her."
"Good," He said honestly. "Because if you did, I doubt anyone would be able to find you."
"Where would I..."
"Don't ask," Mitchie warned, wrapping her hand around his wrist. She began to lead him away, only to stop again. "Don't answer," She warned Jason.
"Shane!" She called, grateful to see him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burrowing her face into his chest. "Keep him distracted. Please."
"Hayley's here," Shane reminded her, smiling genuinely. He rubbed her back, shooting Jake a sideways look. "I don't think he'll be too worried. But I do promise to lock him in the hotel basement if he does try to decide and go after you,"
She giggled, hugging him again. "You're the best, you know that? I love you."
"I love you too, Mitch." He leaned in to hug her again. "And just like with Monica Edwards, if he fucks with you, I'll fuck with him. Now go, have fun. You deserve it,"
"Yeah, my car," He started with a sigh, glancing over at her. "I'm sorry, it broke down," As he spoke, the car started making the crazy noise again, the one he had given her a lengthy imitation of just minutes before.
"Oh, oh." Jake hissed, hitting the steering wheel. "Oh no..."
"What's happening?" Mitchie asked, raising an eye brow.
"Nothing! It's all...good!"
"Are you sure?"
Without answering, he stopped the car and got out. He didn't expect her to follow, but he was about to learn that Mitchie was not a normal girl.
He was trying to use his IPhone to see the engine. She reached out and took his phone away, going to settings to made the light brighter so he could see better.
"You're really sweet." Jake told her, flashing her an apologetic smile. "But I don't know if I trust your car repair advice. But you know, you're kind of a technology geek in a way."
After an amazing dinner, Italian, her favorite, he drove her somewhere a date had never taken her.
"The park?" She asked, raising an eye brow. She giggled as he opened her car door, reaching up to take his outstretched hand. "That's so cute!"
"I try," Jake flashed her another smile, he hadn't let go of her hand, it seemed, for the entire night.
It was a nice feeling, not exactly what she had expected, but it was still nice.
They sat down on a bench, and it took almost all the courage he had to stretch his arm out and wrap it around her.
"Thank you for tonight," Mitchie began, resting her head on his shoulder. "I really needed it,"
"You are one of the most amazing girls I have ever met," Jake responded with a knowing smile. "It was my pleasure, Miss. Torres,"
She realized just how nice it was to be able to sit there, having someone hold her, and to not have to say anything. She liked the quiet.
All too soon, though, the peaceful moment ended.
Rain fell from the sky, soaking them rather quickly. Jake grabbed her hand, ready to run back to the car in any hopes of staying dry, but she wouldn't budge.
He turned back to look at her, his eyes widening as he once again tried to pull her away. "Mitchie-"
She cut him off, flinging her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. He seemed surprised at first, but all too soon, he was kissing her back.
"Mitchie!" Jake said again, letting out a low chuckle. "I...Umm...Wow. That was..."
"Amazing," Mitchie finished. It had been, if anything, amazing.
Deep down, only known to her, also, slightly disappointing.
And yet, she found herself leaning up to kiss him again, and again, and again.
Jake laughed and wrapped his arms around her, before giving his idea a second thought. He leaned down and scooped her up, carrying her whilst running back to the car. He made sure he was in, before sprinting over to his own side.
"That," He muttered, cupping her cheek. "Was amazing, Miss. Torres. And a perfect way to end our first date,"
"Look who's back," A deep voice greeted as she started towards the elevator. "And just two minutes before her curfew. Great job, Mitch."
"Look who's bitter," Mitchie retorted, she kicked off her shoes before turning to face him, crossing her arms as she did so. "What's your problem."
Shane tossed her his phone; he was on the HotTunes website again. And somehow, they has already gotten a picture of herself kissing the young, beautiful, blonde actor.
"So?" She laughed bitterly. "What's it to you, Shay? I kissed a boy. Wasn't that the plan? You said we couldn't be together, so this is me, moving on."
"Let me ask you something," Shane got to his feet, wrapping his hand around her arm and dragging her off to the side, where they could get a decent amount of privacy. "Do you really like this guy, Mitch? Or are you just trying to piss me off?"
"Who I date," She hissed, using just as much venom in her voice as he had. "Is really none of your business, Shane. So please. Just stay out of it,"
"Is this what you want, Mitchie?" He demanded, pressing her further up against the wall. "Tell me. Right now,"
"Yes," Mitchie was lying through her teeth, not that he would ever notice. "This is really what I want."
Shane reeled back as if she had slapped him. He looked her up and down, his eyes cold, before turning on his heel and walking away.
