Is It All Just Pretend?
Chapter 6: Paranoia.
"Mitchie!"
Mitchie snapped around at the sound of her name, her eyes attaching to a furiously waving Caitlyn Gellar. A gleeful smile was etched upon her face as she bounded towards Mitchie, her blonde curls bouncing humorously with each step.
"Where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you all day!" Caitlyn exclaimed as she reached Mitchie, her eyes wide and questioning.
"Oh you know…..places" Mitchie said quietly as she tried to disguise the sorrow in her eyes.
"Erm…..ok" Caitlyn replied, furrowing her eyebrows as she attempted to decipher what her friend meant. "Anyway, how did the double date go?" Caitlyn asked, her smile fixating once again.
"Ok" Mitchie whispered quietly, the wheels in her head turning ferociously as she tried to think of another topic.
"What's up?" Caitlyn finally asked after a moment of awkward silence, Mitchie's wheels disappointing her.
"Nothing" Mitchie said instantly, cursing her lack of subtlety.
"Really?" Caitlyn said, disbelief evident in her tone.
"Really." Mitchie stated bluntly, sighing as Caitlyn opened her mouth to speak once more, there was no secrets from this girl.
"Well clearly not, I mean, we're backstage at a Connect Three concert and you can't even manage to fake a smile! And seriously I need a little bit more information than 'ok'" Caitlyn rambled, narrowing her eyes as Mitchie remained silent, her features stony. "Mitchie!" Caitlyn groaned as she clasped onto her elbow, tugging her into an empty room. "What happened?"
Mitchie let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes slowly as she walked away from Caitlyn, beginning to circle the room they had discovered.
"I might be being over dramatic but I think- I think Shane was flirting with Ruby last night" Mitchie finally said, perching herself on a desk.
"What?" Caitlyn gasped, bringing her hand up to her mouth. "You can't be serious?" Mitchie said nothing, just nodded in her direction. "Are you sure?"
"I think so, I knew she would completely throw herself at him, but he didn't seem to mind" Mitchie replied softly, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears.
"What an ass!" Caitlyn declared, smiling as a small laugh trickled from her lips, momentarily disturbing her frown.
"And now I'm thinking that maybe he planned it from the start and he's just using me to make her jealous." Mitchie said sadly, trying to banish the tears from sliding down her pale face.
"What are you going to do?" Caitlyn asked tenderly, not wanting to upset her friend any further.
"I don't know" Mitchie shrugged, the truth was she hadn't really thought about it. The image of Ruby's hand upon Shane's was the only thing that swam round her mind, tauntingly and hatefully. "I think I should just carry on with it. I mean, it's not his fault, he doesn't know I actually do like him in that way. He's not technically using me, so I think, as a friend I should just help him the best I can" Mitchie said selflessly, deciding that she shouldn't bring Shane down just because of her own emotions.
"You're an amazing person Mitch" Caitlyn said softly as she engulfed her friend in a hug.
"I know...…it sucks" Mitchie added with a small laugh, thankful to have Caitlyn by her side.
"I know you hate her but I can't do anything about it now!" David muttered, his eyes showing the understanding he felt, but his voice strict and demanding.
"But I don't want to" Shane replied in a child like manner, running his hands through his hair like he always did when he was frustrated.
"Look, if you go out there and you publicly display the hatred you feel for her, the media are going to be all over you! The audience loves her, the media love her, they don't know what she's really like! If you let people see how much you hate her you will be the bad guy!" David said, his voice beginning to rise in volume. "I hate to say it, but one little slip could ruin your career……it's only three songs!" He warned, patting Shane on the shoulder. "Now, go get ready" He added before stalking off.
Shane groaned loudly as he buried his face in his hands, god he didn't want to do this! Especially not after the horrendous evening that they had all shared last night, not only had he had to put up with Ruby attempting to seduce him but she had also evilly planted the seed of paranoia in his head.
Did Mitchie have feelings for Thomas?
Shane shook his head, hoping he would also shake away the image of the pair in an embrace, lips touching, his hands caressing her body. He gritted his teeth as jealously poured through him uncontrollably, how could he be so hurt by something that was only happening in his mind? But what if it wasn't only happening in his mind?
"Shane, what's up?" Shane jumped, turning his eyes thankfully to Nate who had unintentionally pulled him from his pool of anxiety, suspision and most of all, paranoia.
"Nothing, I just don't want to sing with her" Shane said, the last word filled with as much disgust as he could possibly muster.
"I know, me neither, I'm just glad I'm on drums for those songs" Nate said, as he put an arm around Shane's shoulder. "You went to acting school, put those indescribable talents to use" Nate added as he stifled a laughter.
"I'm glad you find this funny" Shane snapped, attempting to stop the small smile that appeared on his lips.
"That's more like it, now go get ready we're on soon" Nate exclaimed, hitting Shane comfortingly on the back.
"Ok, ok I'm going" Shane laughed before walking into the dressing room.
"What is going on with that boy?" Nate asked himself as he watched Shane leave, his eyes clouded by unvoiced thoughts.
"Ok guys, we have a very special guest for you tonight" Shane exclaimed into the microphone, his forced words being greeted with a chorus of screaming fans. Shane took a deep breath as he looked backstage, his agent telling him to hurry up. "Ruby Jackson!" Shane declared, clenching his teeth tightly as he heard the music start, signalling only one thing…. her entrance.
"You warned me that you were gonna leave, I never thought that you would really go"
Shane closed his eyes as he heard her voice, how could anybody enjoy that? It was high-pitched, shaky and unbelievably different to how her records sounded.
" I was blind but baby now I see, I broke your heart and now I know. That I was being such a fool and didn't deserve you"
Shane plastered a smile upon his face as he felt a hand upon his shoulder, her rough and tight touch pulling him round to face her. Shane looked into her eyes, bringing the microphone up to his lips. This was going to be painful.
"I don't want to fall asleep, because I don't know if I'll get up and I don't want to cause a scene, but I'm dying without your love"
His voice hit the crowd, which suddenly erupted in screams and cheers, everyone seemingly enjoying the duet except for himself. Shane attempted to keep his face still, preventing the hard, hateful emotions from becoming visible, but it was becoming increasing more difficult, especially when Ruby leant forward, encasing her hand around his own.
Mitchie Torres was stood at the side of the stage, her eyes draining in each part of the Connect Three concert. She should have been happy, she should have been enjoying the experience. But how could she? How could she feel anything but hatred as she watched her best friend and her secret crush serenade the most disgusting thing in showbiz?
There he was, stood on the stage, in front of thousands of people, his hand entwined with hers, singing a song that had so much meaning. Mitchie took a deep, shaky breath as she saw Ruby take a step closer, their bodies almost touching, their lips inches apart.
The crowd was screaming, the wave of intense noise crashing against her, the audience seemingly loving their public displays of affection and desire. But she hated it, she despised it. She knew she shouldn't be angry with her friend for finding happiness, finding love, but at the same time she loathed him for it.
But Mitchie knew they would never find happiness together so maybe it was best if she should just let him go.
"How's he doing?" Mitchie jumped slightly as the voice hit her ear, she turned to see David stood behind her, his eyes fixated upon the pair on stage.
"At least he's doing the right thing!" David announced, a large smile breaking onto his face.
"What right thing?" Mitchie said slowly, returning her gaze to the repulsive couple that remained on stage.
"Oh, you know how much he didn't want to perform with her, it could have ruined him if he didn't go through with it" David told her, his eyes not moving from the stage. "Anyway I better make sure everything's ready for the next set" He muttered before disappearing into the darkness.
Mitchie bit her lip as she repeated the sentence in her mind, was it true? Did he really not want to perform with her? Mitchie felt a small flicker of hope and happiness ignite within her stomach, maybe she had exaggerated what she had seen, maybe it was meaningless. But as her view fastened upon the pair that were now embracing on stage she couldn't help but feel a little doubt, after all, it looked indescribably realistic.
"Mitch, where are you off to?" Caitlyn asked her friend who was stalking down the corridors of the hotel. "Oh my gosh wasn't that an amazing concert?" She squealed.
"Yeah, yeah it was amazing. I'm just going to see Shane, we have a 'date'" Mitchie told her quietly, making quotations at the correct moments.
"You're really still going to go through with this?" Caitlyn questioned, concern evident in her tone.
"Yep, like I said, he's my friend and I'm not going to let him down" Mitchie told her confidently, nodding her head simultaneously.
"Ok, good luck" Caitlyn told her before pulling Mitchie into a hug. "I'm going out with Nate but I'll have my phone if you need me" She added before wandering in the other direction, her green converse squeaking across the floor.
Mitchie continued her slow journey down the corridor, her eyes attaching to her own converse as they skimmed across the floor, slowly making progress across the tiles. Her mind swimming with the doubt that had settled unmoving in the pit of her stomach, deep down she knew she shouldn't be doing this. It was playing with fire, it was hurting her more than it was helping Shane and she knew that. But she had told him she would help him so she would. Besides, her little flicker of hope was still staying strong, gripping tightly onto the small threads of evidence that swayed in Mitchie's direction.
Well, that was until she turned the corner, her eyes fixating on a couple in the corridor, Ruby and Shane. Mitchie stopped walking, she didn't move, just watched. She watched as Shane reached behind him, opening his front door, his eyes fixed upon Ruby's features. And then it happened, Mitchie wasn't sure how it happened, she wasn't sure why it happened, but it did. Shane and Ruby were locked, locked by the lips, Ruby's hands moving to the back of his head as Shane moved backward into his room, their body's still attached.
Mitchie stood opened mouth as the pair disappeared, the door slamming shut as they ventured into activity which Mitchie presumed was inevitable. She still didn't move as the excruciating pain tore through her body, her heart sending shoots of betrayal and revulsion throughout her. She couldn't help the repulsion force itself through her, the urge to be physically sick causing her to succumb to tears, the oppression crushing each hope she had, and lastly extinguishing that one last flicker of hope.
A/n: *GASP* I'm not sure where that came from, I just felt a little bit more drama was needed!! :) Once again, I know you're probably fed up of reading this, but thankyou so much to you guys who have favourited my story and a giant, huge, collosal thankyou to you fabulous readers who take the effort to review!!!!!
I really do apologise for the cliffy, but I thought it was already running a tad too long. I'll update either tomorrow or the next day, reviews would be amazingly apprectiated! :) x