Is It All Just Pretend?
Chapter 5: Double dates.
"I'm sorry for putting you through this" Shane muttered sincerely as he and Mitchie walked to the lobby side by side. Mitchie looked up at him, sorrow in her eyes yet a smile fixed solidly upon her lips.
"It's ok, really" She whispered genuinely as the pair continued to walk, Mitchie biting on her lip as dejection poured through her.
"Are you ok?" Shane asked abruptly, placing a hand on her shoulder so as to stop her walking forward, his body turning to face her.
"Yeah" Mitchie replied immediately, but Shane was not convinced, raising one eye brow as a way to penetrate her barrier. "Really, I'm fine," She said sternly before beginning to walk again, concentrating on keeping her 'I'm fine face' faultless.
"Ok ok, I believe you" Shane exclaimed despite the ball of doubt harbouring in his mind as he mirrored her actions, continuing to walk. "You know I'm here for you right? If there's anything wrong, anything at all, you can always talk to me about it" Shane added, keeping his eyes in front of him, but Mitchie turned to him a small, appreciative smile creeping on to her face.
"I know" Mitchie whispered, blushing slightly as Shane turned to her. "But I'm ok, really" She added, not wanting him to worry and especially not wanting to confide in him the reasoning behind her emotions. Instead of either, she settled upon taking his hand, a wave of bliss flowing throughout her limbs as they walked harmoniously.
Mitchie desperately tried to force a smile onto her face, trying to focus on the good deed she was attempting to perform, but her heart was still aching with every look at Shane, every thought of him. Her head was telling her she had to stop her false relationship with him, she knew the pain would be excruciating when she was no longer aloud to grab his hand. But she wanted to enjoy every moment of it, knowing that the only way she would ever be able to touch him so intimately was if it was pretend.
"Holy hell" Mitchie whispered to Shane as they both caught a glimpse of Ruby, both slowing down a little and both completely lost for words. She was wrapped in a figure hugging pink dress, a dress that left little to the imagination and her heels leaving her towering over the slender male by her side.
"This is going to be hard" Shane mumbled under his breath, perking up minutely as he felt Mitchie's thumb glaze over his skin reassuringly.
"Shane honey" Ruby squealed, as she leapt forward engulfing him in a hug, forcing him and Mitchie to separate. Mitchie stood uncomfortably next to the embracing pair, her feet fidgeting as she felt a strange pulverising sensation within her stomach.
"Hello, I'm Thomas" Said the slim man who approached her, the slim man who Mitchie presumed to be Ruby's date, he extended his hand to Mitchie who took it politely.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Mitchie"
"Enough of that" Ruby's voice cut in, wrenching apart the introducing pair and wrapping herself around Thomas. "Shane, this is my boyfriend, Thomas"
"Hi" Shane said, waving hello to the uncomfortable looking man who seemed too wrapped up to be able to shake another hand.
"Well shall we go?" Shane asked as he entwined his arm around Mitchie's waist and pulled her closer, their bodies meeting desirably.
"Why not?" Ruby declared, her eyes narrowing as she studied the look of pure devotion on Mitchie's face as she looked up at her man.
"So..." Shane uttered as he rolled his eyes, begging for the awkward air to disperse. The foursome had arrived at the restaurant about fifteen minutes ago, they had mutely studied their menus, the occasional word being thrown out into the atmosphere but silence being the main factor on the night out. That was until Ruby turned to Mitchie disdain in her voice and her eyes showing pure loathing.
"Mitchie. Where did you and Shane meet?" She asked, her eyes brows raising as she hoped the secret would be revealed as soon as possible.
"Camp Rock" Mitchie said confidently, taking a sip of her water, and flickering her eyes over to Shane for a second.
"Where did you have your first date?" she questioned a little more demanding.
Shane stifled a laugh as he realised what she was doing, testing Mitchie like she had done to him earlier. She was trying to catch them out.
"We had a canoe ride" Mitchie smiled, sliding closer to Shane in the booth. He happily draped his arm around her shoulder, placing a lingering kiss upon her forehead.
Mitchie tried desperately not to blush as his perfect lips brushed against her skin, she knew it was wrong, she knew she shouldn't be enjoying it as much as she was. It was tainted love and it wasn't real, but as pathetic as it was Mitchie would soak up every inch of the emotionless, dead love that she could.
"Oh, ok then" Ruby sighed, her thick, red lips transforming into a frown. "Thomas, why don't you go get us some drinks" Ruby exclaimed in a demanding manner, her elbow digging sharply into Thomas's side after a moments hesitation.
"Oh, sure, why not? Mitchie would you mind giving me a hand?" Thomas sighed monotonously, the sentence sounding remarkably rehearsed.
"Erm, ok" Mitchie said slowly as she pulled herself from Shane's grip, some what reluctantly.
"Great" Thomas declared, his words sounding enthusiastic yet his face tiresome and exasperated.
"So how did you and Ruby meet" Mitchie asked as herself and Thomas reached the bar.
"Oh, erm, I'm her agent" Thomas stated, his hands moving uncomfortably through his hair as he attempted to catch the servers attention. "Look, don't give into what she wants ok?" Thomas said suddenly, turning to Mitchie sharply.
"What? What does she want?" Mitchie asked, leaning her face a little closer, Thomas mirroring her actions, his lips inches from her ear.
"Shane" He whispered into her ear, Mitchie's eyes widening as she realised what he meant. "And she will stop at nothing" Thomas added before pulling away. "She's a bit stubborn" He whispered, a small chuckle accompanying his words.
"I'd noticed" Mitchie replied, not being able to help the laugh that joined Thomas's. "Wait, why are you telling me this?" She questioned, her head leaning to one side slightly as she attempted to decipher than man in front of her. He possessed a tall, slim physique and brown hair which settled gracefully over his ears, his eyes were a piercing blue and he was far from unattractive.
"Because you seem like a nice person, and well, Ruby isn't" He said bluntly, before turning to the bar man who had appeared. Mitchie stood there silenced by his words, how far would Ruby go to get what she wanted?
"So Shane?" The words dripped from Ruby's lips, her hand moving consciously across the table, nearing Shane's. "Do you like my dress?" She questioned seductively, standing up from the table and giving him a little twirl before returning to her seat.
"Very nice" Shane replied dully, as his eyes stayed fixated on the very interesting pepper pot that lay in front of him.
"I thought so to" Ruby said sharply, clenching her teeth as she realised her plan was going to be more laborious than she had previously thought. "I see Thomas and Mitchie are getting on well" Ruby suddenly said, her lips forming a smirk as she watched the pair talking comfortably at the bar, Shane spinning around to look at them as well.
"I'd be careful with him Shaney, as much as I love him, he's been known to stray away. It's his charm, it's unexplainable. He could talk a nun into bed" Ruby rambled, watching intently as she noticed Shane's hand transform infuriatingly into a ball. She narrowed her eyes, the anger that now possessed his features convincing her that his and Mitchie were in fact in love, despite how much she wanted to believe it was a lie.
Shane watched wrathfully as he saw Thomas lean forward, his lips intimately close to Mitchies ear, their bodies almost touching. Shane felt the burning sensation of jealousy tear through his throat as he watched Thomas step back, a laugh escaping Mitchie's lips as they continued to talk.
"That doesn't look too good" Ruby voiced as Shane turned back to her, no longer wanting to watch the transaction between the pair.
"I don't care how smooth he is, Mitchie loves me and I trust her completely" Shane snapped, but inside he doubted whether the whispers were as innocent as he forced Ruby to believe. After all, she wasn't really his girlfriend, she didn't really love him, and she was allowed to flirt with men, she was allowed to date. That was the very moment the regret hit Shane the hardest. Why hadn't he just asked her out for real? That had always been the plan…..but he had been too scared!
"We're back" Mitchie's voice cut in to Shane's thoughts, wrenching him from his sea of regret and self-loathing. "Miss me?" She asked playfully as she returned to her seat.
"We were fine without you actually" Ruby said abruptly before Shane could answer, an unfavourable scowl being thrown in Mitchie's direction. "We were having a nice little chat" She spat, reaching forward and placing her hand upon Shane's, who didn't pull away.
Shane felt the hand attach to his own, but his eyes were once again glazed over, his mind thinking about Mitchie. His mind swamped with the moment he had chosen not to under go the proposition of extending their friendship to something more. He hadn't be able to go through with it, it had been too hard and he had wimpishly added the word 'pretend' to the sentence before she had time to think other wise.
Mitchie's eyes fell upon the two hands, why wasn't he pulling away? Why was he letting her hand touch his own for more than a second? What had happened in the short period of time she had been away? Maybe he still did posses untameable emotions for his ex-girlfriend, maybe he hadn't been as honest as she had thought. Was she being used to make Ruby jealous, after all, she had been the one to dump him, maybe he yearned for her once more.
Mitchie couldn't control the fierce emotions coursing through her as she sat uncomfortably watching the scene in front of her, Ruby sliding her hand seductively off of Shane's, letting her fingers traipse over his own before placing them on Thomas's chest. Mitchie sat in silence for the rest of the evening, hatred and confusion swimming through her mind. Humbly answering the inquisitions that were thrown at her with one word answers, her mind desperately trying to unravel the equation in front of her. The same hallowing question dominating her mind.
Why didn't he pull away?
A/n: So they're both fighting against jealousy, why are they both so oblivious!?! Well, it wouldn't be a very interesting story if everything was all fairytales now would it ? :)
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Until next time my loyal readers!!! x