Chapter 20

"Oh Shit!" Amy exclaimed.

"What?" Destiny said. "Amy you don't believe this crap do you?"

"No Destiny. I don't." She turned around and glared at Matt. "Unlike some people!" Destiny could see Matt over Amy's shoulder. Destiny got up and walked to the doorway.

"Matt! I would never hurt..." Destiny said then she noticed Shane. "Shane." Shane turned away from her. Destiny pushed past Amy, "Shane, baby, it's not what you think..." Destiny stopped behind Shane, her hand on his shoulder. "I love you Shane. You have to believe me..."

Destiny could hear the tears in his voice when he replied. "Destiny, I don't know what to say... Why was Shannon carrying you into your apartment?"

"Because I slipped on the ice, and sprained my ankle. It was so bad I couldn't walk on it. Shannon is my friend...Shane! Damnit, turn around and look at me! Look me in the eye and tell me you believe this shit!" Shane sighed, there was no way he could hide it now. He turned to look at her, the tears running down his face. Destiny reached out to wipe them away when she noticed the hickeys. She felt like she was going to throw up. "Shane...how could you?"

"I'm so sorry Destiny...I didn't think! I was so hurt! You guys spend a lot of time together, how many times has Shan answered the phone when I've called? You are updating his website for him, making him dinner... going dancing with him! Damnit Destiny! That should be me! Not Shannon!" Shane was screaming now too.

"Shane, don't talk to her that way! It's not her fault you're gone!" Jeff yelled at Shane.

"Fuck you Jeff, stay out of this!" Shane hissed.

"How could you think that of me? Of Shannon? I was only trying to be his friend! Do you guys have any idea how much he misses you when you are gone? How much it hurts him that you guys are on the road and he's not? He is so lonely! You guys don't see the look on his face when you drive off! Or when he watches you guys on TV! I do! We are friends, nothing more! I love you Shane. I can't believe this!"

"Can we all just calm down? You guys are gonna wake everyone up!" Amy said.

"Let's all go to our own rooms and talk about this tomorrow." Matt was trying to be reasonable.

"No way am I stayin in the same room as him!" Jeff said, he lowered his voice but the anger was still there.

"Me either!" Amy said.

"I don't have a room!" This from Destiny.
"OK, Shane can stay in here with me. Amy, Destiny and Jeff can stay in the other room. Let's all just get some sleep, calm down and think about all this."

"Fine!" Amy said as she grabbed her bag. "Come on Destiny!" She took Destiny's hand and propelled her to the other room.

Destiny sat on the bed, Jeff on one side Amy on the other. The tears were flowing freely down her face. None of them said anything. Jeff put his arm around Destiny and held her to him. "Destiny, I am so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"There isn't a whole lot to say. I don't expect you guys to take my side in this. Shane was your friend way before I came on the scene."

"It's not a matter of taking sides Dest." Amy said. "Shane is wrong this time. He's doing to you what all those girls have done to him, and it isn't any more right for him than it was for them."

"I think I'm gonna take a walk. Think about things."

"Be careful."

"I will."

Destiny walked for a long time. Trying to decide what to do. She still hadn't decided when she made her way back to the hotel. She saw Shane sitting on the curb, He was smoking. She came to a stop in front of him. "I didn't know you smoked..."

Shane tossed the butt across the ground. "I quit several months ago..." He looked up at her and could feel the tears coursing down his face.

"I'm sorry Destiny..." In the sunlight the hickeys on his neck were even more apparent.

"I don't know what else to say..."

"There isn't a whole lot you can say Shane. You know who did this don't you?"

He shook his head yes, and said: "Mandy."

"But you could have believed in me Shane, so it's not entirely her fault."

"I know." He couldn't look her in the eyes.

"I guess she wins huh? I guess she gets what she wants. Goodbye Shane." Destiny could feel the tears stinging her eyes.

Destiny turned and walked away. Shane sprung to his feet, the tears still running down his face.

"I love you Destiny!" He called after her. She just kept walking, right out of his life.