Author's Note: I'm speechless. Did my readers seriously give me SEVENTY-THREE reviews? That's... that's... I don't have words, so I'll just give a huge thank you to Princess.KaylZ-808, Troyella4everinluv, shayoom, jblover101, havefaithrestart., Florchuchizz, SHAWTii328, Lega, cuppycakes, kymie29, House.Cam-xx, Clana621, whiteclick101, Aria (anon.), SecretSoltice, dancerPat, jonasbrotherlove227, IAMSOAP, StroodleDoodledFuhn, mina (anon.), Nicole Kathrine, loverof2day, You Are My Brand of Heroin, xoxojoejonas, Bree (anon.), xXriujooXx, epobbp, JaBoyYa, MitsukixTakuto 4 ever, butterflygoodbye, WalkingInDarkness737, choirsinger, ScribblingKunoichi, Konnichiwa Minna, GreysAnatomy-TamoraPierce-Fan, tangledshadows, Noorah, brucas224, Anglefacedcutie, Maiqu, aly05, Goodnite-And-Goodbye, Paupu, if.looks.could.thrill, KungFuDuckie-x3, SaphirePhoenix, jax (anon.), hollywoodgal205, DancerGirlMitchie, MissMadi, McMuffin, BlackBeauty613, Marissa-Xtreme Haley Fan, AmandaMandyME, creative-writing-girl13, pyrolyn-776, OhcaeHaras, The Sushi Monster, LosingTrack, kymie29, charmedNluckyP3, geek'd, BlackMidnight1, jensfer, EllsBells08, PutYourSmileOn, meminenotyou, sailor-moon-mew-rasberry, Banana Bun, katie (anon.), QueenSusanLovesKingCaspian18, mangostango, monko25, NorthernLights25, Runaway Rockstar, and Interlocking Pieces. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to get this many reviews for one chapter before, so thank you!
Also, before I forget: about the cabin idea, I was inspired by pyrolyn-776, so if you liked that twist to the story, thank Pyro, not me, because she thought of it. :)
Please enjoy this chapter, even though it's from three different POVs, something I don't usually do!
Second Chances
by PiperPaigePhoebe01
Chapter Seven
The rest of the day passed without further incident. Mitchie often saw Shane on her way to their few lessons, as did Lola and Caitlyn, but they all ignored each other as best as they could. Mitchie and Caitlyn tried to think of a solution to their rehearsal problem, but everything they came up with fell flat. By the time they returned to their cabin that night, they were exhausted.
"What are we going to do, Caitlyn?" Mitchie asked, plopping down on Lola's bed.
"I don't know," Caitlyn said. "I mean, we could practice here whenever Shane isn't, but how do we know how long he'll be gone? And he could accidentally come in while we're rehearsing and find out..."
"Lola could keep watch?" Mitchie offered.
"Sometimes, yeah," Caitlyn said. "But what if we want to practice and she's not here? Then we won't have anyone to keep watch while we practice and Shane could easily barge in."
Mitchie sighed. "Good point," she said. "We just don't have many choices, Caitlyn. Either we practice here when Shane's not here or we risk practicing somewhere else. We're going to risk getting revealed either way, if we really do want to sing in Final Jam."
"I guess," Caitlyn said. "Of course, we could always go into the forest to practice—there's a few places to take a guitar and stuff. We'd have to be careful how long we stayed out, though, since we shouldn't stay in the forest after dark."
"That could work," Mitchie said.
"Hopefully," Caitlyn said.
"It better work," Mitchie responded. "If it doesn't, then what would we do then?"
Caitlyn dissolved into silence for a moment and Mitchie thought about what she just said. She had never thought of this latest complication, not until Caitlyn had brought it up, and now that she knew about it... how in the world was she going to practice? If Shane never found out about her being the girl with the voice, it was going to be an utter miracle.
I hope he doesn't find out on his own. If he does... it would be bad.
"I don't know," Caitlyn said suddenly, "but we shouldn't think of that, I think."
"Yeah," Mitchie agreed. "I think we should just try to practice, and if he finds out, then... he finds out. We'll figure out where to go from there."
Caitlyn smiled. "Okay."
"So, we decided?" Mitchie asked Caitlyn. When she nodded, Mitchie stood up. "All right. I think I'll go upstairs and work a bit more on my songs, maybe work on the song I want to sing for Pajama Jam."
"You want to sing at Pajama Jam too?" Caitlyn said, surprised. "You didn't tell me!"
Mitchie turned with her foot on the bottom step, a mischievous smile on her face. "Oh, I didn't?" she said. "I'm sorry; it must have slipped my mind!"
She couldn't help laughing as she imagined the shock on Caitlyn's face, but she didn't turn around. Instead she bounded up the stairs, emerging on her floor a second later. As she saw Shane lying on his bed, however, she froze, wondering if he had heard her. Sure enough, the answer came quickly, when Shane bolted upright, looking at the top of the stairs.
"Hi," Mitchie said softly.
Shane looked as though he wanted to yell, but kept himself contained.
"Hi," he said. "What are you doing?"
"Um... sitting?" Mitchie said, walking over to her bed and sitting down. "What are you doing?"
"Thinking. And sitting," Shane said shortly.
Mitchie nodded.
There was silence.
"Listen," Shane abruptly said and Mitchie looked over at him. "I don't like this situation any more than you do. This sucks, and there's nothing I wouldn't do to get out of this cabin, but my uncle is clearly not going to let us out of here until Final Jam. That's just the type of person he is. So I'd prefer it if we weren't constantly in fights. I still don't like you, but..."
"We should be civil, I guess," Mitchie said.
"Yeah."
"This would be much easier if you would listen to my side of things, Shane," Mitchie said.
"There's nothing you can say that will make me forget what happened last summer," Shane said quickly. "I'm willing to cut out the fights, but that doesn't mean we have to talk."
Mitchie rolled her eyes. "All I was asking was for you to hear my side of the story," she said. "I wasn't asking you to like it or agree with it. I just want you to hear it."
"There's no point."
"Oh?" Mitchie said, leaning back on her bed. "Isn't there a point if hearing my side helps us get along?"
Shane didn't answer.
"Well?"
Silence.
Mitchie shook her head—Shane was being immature by not responding. They had only been at camp for a day, but Mitchie had already learned not to let Shane get to her any more than he already had. Except he was annoying her.
"Shane," Mitchie said.
"I guess," Shane grumbled finally.
Mitchie smiled. "Much better."
Shane rolled her eyes at her. He glanced out the small window beside his bed—it was pretty much dark, considering Mitchie and Caitlyn had only gotten back from the Open Mic Night a few minutes ago and that went on much longer than expected.
"I'm going to bed," Shane mumbled. "And I'm changing."
Mitchie blinked. "Thanks for the info, Shane."
"Not funny," Shane said in a frustrated voice, as if he didn't know why in the world they were having a halfway civil conversation with each other. "Now, don't look."
"Wasn't planning on it," Mitchie said, swinging her legs over the left side of her bed, away from Shane, staring fixedly at the wooden wall as a creak from Shane's bed alerted Mitchie to his movement.
There was a sound as though a zipper was getting pushed down, then a rustling of bags opening and clothes moving. Mitchie rolled her eyes as she heard and not saw Shane drop his shirt and jeans in the beginning of a pile next to his bed.
Then there was the rustling as Shane apparently pulled something over his head.
"Okay, you can turn around now," Shane said.
Mitchie did so just as Shane sat down on his bed. Shane had changed into some sort of black undershirt and boxers. Mitchie blinked a few times at his choice of sleepwear, but turned away quickly as Shane glanced in her direction.
"My turn, is it?" Mitchie said easily, wishing more than anything that there was a bathroom in their cabin.
"Sure," Shane said, turning around.
Mitchie quickly took out her pajamas—a blue spaghetti-strap top that she quickly followed with a tank top in the same color and green pajama bottoms—and pulled them on, diving into bed as soon as she had them on.
"Done."
Shane nodded and glanced once in her direction, then slipped into his bed, turning off the light on his bedside table. Mitchie sighed—she wasn't able to work on her song, after all—and turned off her own light, snuggling under her covers and closing her eyes. The last thought Mitchie had before she fell asleep was one hoping that this awkward peace between her and Shane would last for a while yet.
-
Shane listened to Mitchie's soft breathing.
He found it hard to believe they had actually had a halfway civil conversation with each other, yet that was exactly what happened. Admittedly, they hadn't said anything useful, but at least neither of them had yelled at each other—not that Shane didn't want to, of course. If he had his way, he would have yelled at her, but he knew that if he did, Caitlyn and Lola would get angry with him once again.
And I don't particularly want to get slapped again.
Shane shifted on his bed, now facing the wall. This whole situation was ridiculous. No matter what his uncle or Caitlyn said, he believed he was acting the only way he knew how. Sure, it got him in trouble, but oh well.
The only thing I could do then was yell, but apparently we're never going to get out of this situation unless I try to be nice, so I don't really have a choice in the matter anymore.
Either I be nice or I leave Camp Rock.
Personally, he would take the first option over the second any day—that's why he grudgingly agreed to stay in the cabin, even though the idea of being with three girls, all of whom didn't like him, was not one to be happy about.
Shane groaned lightly and buried his face beneath his pillow, trying to block out the thoughts of the long summer that was about to follow him. He closed his eyes, tried to block out thoughts of the next month, failed miserably, and yet still managed to finally slip off to sleep, his last thought before sleep overcame him being one of the mystery girl, who now seemed like the brightest spot in this entire summer.
-
The next morning dawned bright and sunny. As Brown headed down to his first vocal class of the morning, he smiled at the sight of the aspiring musicians alternatively heading down to the mess hall for a late breakfast or hurrying down the dirt path to the first class they were going to that morning. It was always fun to watch them, but at the moment, Brown had more important things to think about.
I have no clue what's up with that nephew of mine...
He hoped that sharing a cabin with those three girls would knock some sense into him, but he could never tell—his nephew could be awfully stubborn sometimes, especially when he believed that he was right and that he could act in any way he pleased. He never seemed to realize that he couldn't just act whatever way he wanted to, and that was something Brown had to get out of him.
He's much too stubborn for his own good.
Being with those girls might help him get over that.
Admittedly, though, that wasn't the only reason he wanted Shane to share a cabin with Mitchie. You see, Brown had a secret—he was nearly one hundred percent sure that Mitchie was the one Shane had heard last year. It might sound insane to some people, but for Brown, it made perfect sense. Mitchie had the voice to carry off the lyrics Shane had sang to him last year, judging from her performance last year in his class.
And it was well-known Brown had a sixth sense about things like that.
Brown smiled. If he was right, then he knew something good was going to come out of it. If Mitchie had figured out his loophole last year in his statements, this could have been resolved already, but...
Hey. This way is much more fun.
Brown reached the cabin his class was taking place in. He had a plan, and hopefully it would work. Most of his plans of this type usually worked, but then again, Mitchie and his nephew weren't part of the normal crowd.
But maybe that was a good thing.
Brown smiled a bit more as he entered the cabin, looking around at the class gathered in the room. Music was playing from a CD player in the corner, and everyone was dancing and singing along. He cast his eyes over the group, noting Mitchie, Lola and Caitlyn dancing close to each other in the middle of the room. Shane was in the very back of the room, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Hello, all!" Brown said loudly to the class. "Did you start all the fun without me?"
"Brown!" a few people said as they saw him. Someone else turned off the music, leaving the class in silence. Somehow, everyone grew silent, waiting for Brown to begin his lesson.
"All right!" he said, clapping his hands together—time to put his plan in action. "How many of you would-be singers write your own music?"
Several people rose their hands, Mitchie among them.
Good, good, she's not denying it.
"And how many of you are willing to share these songs? We'd all love to hear them!"
No one's hand went down.
Even better.
"Hmm."
Brown pointed to each person in turn, biding his time until he reached Mitchie.
"You," he said, his finger pointing to Mitchie. "The finger doesn't lie, as you know. So, why don't you come up and sing a Mitchie Torres original? I'm sure you've got a lot of songs ready."
"Well, one or two, but—"
Brown shook his head. "Obey the finger."
Mitchie took a deep breath. "Well... okay," she said, standing up.
She walked up to the front of the group. Brown glanced at the group, specifically Shane—his eyes seemed to narrow, but he sat up a bit straighter in his chair, clearly interested.
"Go ahead," Brown said, smiling.
Mitchie took a deep breath, then began to sing, her voice a bit more developed than Brown had remembered it as. He found himself concentrating on the lyrics to the song, the way any good singer makes you do.
The night is getting darker
And soon the stars will be falling down to rescue us
Sing a song for me
Lift me higher with your words
Sing that cold melody
So follow me onto the moonlight sidewalk
And take my hand
Grip it tighter
And don't let go...
Mitchie trailed off, looking apprehensively at Brown and the crowd. Everyone looked incredibly impressed, causing Mitchie herself to look incredibly surprised. Brown, however, smiled broadly, feeling victorious.
Those lyrics reminded him of one other song he had heard.
I was right, he thought. That voice is meant to carry off a song like that.
And the song Shane's mystery girl sang.
Brown easily congratulated Mitchie on her song, deep in thought.
There was no doubt in his mind that Mitchie was the mystery girl Shane was looking for. There was also no doubt that Mitchie knew, and was not going to tell Shane until much later, when they actually got along.
If it was possible, his smile got bigger.
He just knew his punishment was going to pay off...
-
Author's Note: Heh, I love Uncle Brown, don't you? He is just so fun to write. And the scene where Shane changes... hehehehe, that was so much fun to write too. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and, believe me, the drama between Shane and Mitchie is far from over, so stay tuned!
Oh, and the song Mitchie sang is Demi Lovato's song, Stronger, just so you know, and I definitely don't own it, just to insert that disclaimer here.
Also, about my question last chapter—I decided to write a collection of ShaneMitchie ficlets. If you go to my profile, you'll see a new story titled Finding Each Other. The first ficlet is up, so if you haven't seen it and would like to read it, I wouldn't mind a bit more feedback! I'd really appreciate just getting more people reading it, as well, because I think it'll be a really nice collection.
And again: Please review, even though I don't think I have to tell you that now... :)