Is It All Just Pretend?
Chapter 4: Manipulations.
Caitlyn Gellar was curled up on her bed, her thumbs moving feverishly over the keys of her phone, a concentrating and serious look etched upon her face. She glanced up from her phone, her eyes perusing the room and then gazing upon her best friend and hotel roommate Mitchie.
She was lying on her bed, her head facing the wall in front of her, her usually sparkling and blissful eyes glazed over. It was the same look she had been possessing for the last couple of hours, Connect Three, herself and Mitchie had just returned from lunch and all four of them had noticed Mitchie's strange behaviour. She was practically silent, giving only one-word answers and grunts of acknowledgement, her mind clearly elsewhere. She had barely eaten either which is what had worried Caitlyn the most, Mitchie was a real girl, she would never starve herself, she would never forbid herself something she enjoyed, meaning something important had forced her to lose her appetite.
Caitlyn studied her friend for a second longer, watching as she clenched and unclenched her fists, her breathing slightly irregular and every so often her brows would furrow, a picture of sheer confusion carved onto her face.
"Mitch?" Caitlyn's voice finally cut through the silence. "Mitchie?" Caitlyn added once again after receiving nothing, Mitchie's eyes remaining transfixed on a particular spot on the wall. "Mitchie!" She repeated, this time a little more demanding and this time Mitchie's head snapped up, her eyes locking onto Caitlyn's.
"Yeah?" She asked, her voice a little hoarse and attempting to sound carefree.
"What's wrong?" Caitlyn questioned, uncurling her legs and perching herself on the end of her bed, making certain to analyse Mitchie's every movement.
"Nothing, I'm fine" Mitchie replied, enforcing a strained smile upon her face.
"Really?" Caitlyn asked, raising one of her eyebrows and crossing her arms over her stomach. Mitchie looked at her, her lips quivering slightly as she fought against the interrogating stance that Caitlyn had practised to perfection.
"Ergh, no not really" Mitchie finally crumbled, caving under the vehement, scrutinising gaze.
"Works like a charm" Caitlyn smirked, unfolding her arms and moving off of her bed, gently perching herself next to Mitchie. "Want to tell me what's bothering you?"
"No" Mitchie mumbled as she sat up, finally succumbing to the untameable frown she possessed. "Actually-" Mitchie added suddenly as she tucked her legs underneath her and turned to her best friend. "It's Shane"
"What about him?" Caitlyn asked, concern flooding her voice. "What did he do? Is it the couple thing?"
"You ask so many questions" Mitchie exclaimed with a small cheerless laugh.
"Sorry" Caitlyn whispered, shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, what happened, I'm all ears"
"Well" Mitchie began, before pausing, should she really be telling anybody this, would speaking the words make them a little too real? She shook her head and closed her eyes slowly, taking in a long, deep breath. "I think I like Shane" She blurted out, keeping her eyes shut tightly so as not to see her friends reaction.
After an elongated period of time past without as much as a mumble from Caitlyn, Mitchie was forced to open them once more. She was greeted with a contemplating Caitlyn, her eyes fixated on Mitchie's face, her mouth slightly open yet coupled with a small knowing smile.
"As in, more than a friend?" Caitlyn finally asked, catching Mitchie by surprise.
"Yeah" She said slowly, looking down sorrowfully.
"Well that's great!" Caitlyn exclaimed, beaming but receiving a shocked glare from her friend.
"How is that good? Shane doesn't like me!" Mitchie snapped, causing her friend to jump a little.
"You don't know that, he might like you" Caitlyn offered, not believing that Mitchie's feelings were unrequited.
"No, he doesn't. And yes, I do know it" Mitchie started "And before you ask how, it's obvious isn't it, if he did like me then why didn't he just ask me out for real?" Mitchie asked her voice cracking slightly as realisation hit her, hard. She had not thought of that previously, the thought proving that he only saw her as a friend.
"Oh" Caitlyn whispered a little deflated.
"Exactly" Mitchie murmured, shocking herself when tears began to swarm in her eyes.
"Oh Mitchie don't cry" Caitlyn declared as she shuffled to her friends side, wrapping her arm comfortingly around her shoulder. "I think you need to break up with him, well- you know stop your pretend relationship" Caitlyn voiced, confusion dripping from her tone.
"What? I can't do that" Mitchie said immediately, scrambling out of her friend's grasp so as to see her face.
"Why not?" Caitlyn asked seriously.
"B-because he needs me, and because I said I would" Mitchie hesitated. "I can't just stop now and humiliate him in front of Ruby"
"I know where you're coming from Mitch, but it's not your problem to face. I don't think it's smart for you to go along with this relationship scenario, especially when it's what you actually want" Caitlyn told her, thinking deeply about what her friend was venturing into.
"But- I can handle it, I don't want to let him down" Mitchie mumbled, as she leant her head on Caitlyn's shoulder, knowing all to well that she was right.
"If it's what you want to do, I can't change your mind. I'm just worried you're going to get hurt Mitch. It might seem all ice-cream and rainbows right now, but it's going to end" Caitlyn said wisely, replacing her arm on her best friends shoulder. "Why don't you tell him?"
"I can't, it'll just ruin our friendship. And don't tell me he might like me back, I'm not going to take the risk" Mitchie stated before succumbing to the tears that pushed themselves violently from her eyes.
"Ok Mitch, whatever you think is best" Caitlyn sighed as she let her friend sob upon her shoulder.
A few hours later.
"Shaney, oh Shaney"
Shane Grey hastened his speed along the corridors of the hotel, desperately trying to escape the shrill screech of his name that was currently echoing around the halls. It was quickly coupled with the sound heel's crashing hastily against the floor and unfortunately for Shane they were getting closer.
"Shaney sweetie" Shane inwardly cringed as she squawked his name, he quickly turned a sharp corner, hopefully moving fast enough to confuse her. But his attempts were ineffective as he felt a hand attach itself to his shoulder, spinning him around furiously.
"Oh, Ruby. I didn't see you there" Shane said, sighing exasperatedly. "I'd love to talk but I'm taking Mitchie out to dinner." He informed her as he began to turn his body in the direction of Mitchie's room. But before taking a single step in the right direction he heard a slow, patronising clap being released from behind him, he took a deep breath before turning once again, his eyes laying upon Ruby's knowing smirk.
"I really do have to applaud you Shane, I mean, it was quite a convincing show this morning. The kiss in particular was very realistic" Ruby declared, finally ceasing the movements in her hands, Shane opened his mouth to talk but was stopped by Ruby's palm being held in front of his face. "Shane, darling, I know this isn't real, it's all a façade. I know you're not over me" She drooled, a destructive laugh following her words.
"And why do you think that?" Shane asked, raising his eyebrows as he stepped a little closer to the blonde, hoping to intimidate her into silence. "Do you know what?" Shane added before she could reply. "I don't care at all what you think, all I care about is Mitchie. You don't believe me? So what? I think I'll get over it!" Shane spat, letting a smile drift across his features as he realised how taken a back Ruby was.
"So you're telling me this relationship is real?" Ruby asked as she pursed her lips.
"Yes, I am" Shane said confidently, surprised by how convincing he was.
"Where did you meet?" Ruby said bluntly, desperate to catch him off guard.
"Camp Rock" Shane replied immediately, crossing his arms over his chest victoriously.
"Friends first?" She questioned.
"Yep, the second we met we were great friends, then after a couple of weeks I asked her out" Shane said calmly, causing a deep, hateful scowl to dominate Ruby's stone like features.
"First date?" She spat.
"Canoe ride at the lake" he said with a smile, watching as Ruby took a step back, her eyes showing her concentration as she contemplated another question. "Well, if that's all?" He said with a laugh after an extensive silence. "I have a girlfriend to take out"
"Wait!" Ruby snapped before he could turn.
"What now?" Shane near yelled, annoyance clear in his tone now. "I've passed your stupid little quiz, so what?"
"If your so positive about your relationship with Mittie then you won't mind a little harmless double date" Ruby said slyly, brushing her hair seductively behind her ear.
"It's Mitchie" Shane said stubbornly, emphasising both words carefully. "And I really don't think that's necessary"
"Oh, I think it is" Ruby smiled. "Of course if you're too scared that I might find out that your relationship isn't genuine, then we can leave it" Ruby added manipulatively.
Shane swung his head back, he had been well and truly captured in one of Ruby's controlling and malicious schemes. He had to accept or she would always doubt their relationship, but could he really force Mitchie to have to spend over two solid hours with her? He took a deep breath before looking Ruby straight in the eye.
"Fine. But only to prove to you just how much I care for Mitchie" He snapped before turning his back on the grinning women.
"We'll meet you in the lobby" She called after the deteriorating figure before licking her lips prosperously. This was all she needed, some time to analyse the couple, some time to prove their relationship was a lie and lastly, some time with Shane.
A/N: So a double date hey? You can find out what happens in the next chappy, what's the betting it doesn't go smoothly? :)
Thankyou to everyone who is favouriting and putting alerts on my story but most of all thankyou to all you guys who take the time to review, I love reading them!
aberlasters: (I meant to put this note in the last chapter) I definitly haven't ruled out a sequal for Loving You, at the moment I can't think of a set storyline for it so I don't want to rush it :) But the second I think of a plot that I think is good enough I will start writing!!
Reviews would be awesome, you know what to do!