Five minutes. I only had FIVE minutes! He was going to be here in FIVE minutes. I considered banging my head against the wall, maybe then he would stop talking in my head.

'You're aware that I can still hear you, right? And I don't think you should bang your head against a wall…trust me, it hurts.'

I screamed. How was I supposed to get any privacy, when he wouldn't leave my head alone?

'Stop moaning. You're not the only one who's pissed.'

'I don't control my thoughts pop star, so why don't you just shut up?'

I fell back on my bed, closing my eyes. I didn't want him to come here. I didn't need him to come here. For all I knew, this was just some freaky occurrence. By the time I woke up tomorrow…this would be over. I was sure of it.

'Oh please. You don't honestly believe that, so stop trying to convince yourself.'

My eyes shot open. 'You know, I already have my conscious telling me what to do, I don't need you telling me what to do too. And you know it doesn't exactly help that you can hear what I'm thinking.'

'Just so you know, I'm rolling my eyes right now. Oh, and I'm about to ring your doorbell…'

I launched myself off my bed, running downstairs before mom or dad could get to the door. Behind me, I could hear her say, "Mitchie? Is everything alright?"

'It will be if you stay over there.' I yelled back, "Yeah, yeah. Everything's okay."

'Aww, don't want mommy dearest to meet your new boy toy?'

I clenched my teeth, opening the door. Before he could get a word in, I'd grabbed his wrist, pulling him into the house. I whispered, "Say a word and die."

I pictured all of the things I would do to him if he made a noise, but surprisingly he didn't react. I couldn't even hear him in my head. I dragged him up the stairs quickly, careful to avoid my mom and dad.

Once we were safely in my room, I sighed. "Look, I don't know what we're supposed to do about this but we can't tell anyone."

He glanced at me curiously, before staring down at my hand…which was still wrapped around his wrist. I blushed, embarrassed, letting go of it as if it were on fire.

'Damn, she let go.'

I blushed again, before gasping. 'Maybe if I…'

Without a second thought I touched his arm, surprised when I could no longer hear his thoughts. Aloud I said, "Can you hear me?"

He knew what I meant, and his eyes widened. Jumping back, he screamed, "Oh, fuck no!"

I launched forward, pinning him against the wall with my body. I put my hand over his mouth. "Shut up."

He relaxed and I let go. As soon as I did, his thoughts entered my mind. 'Shit. The only way to turn this thing off is to TOUCH her? Shit.'

I winced before reaching out to touch his arm again. "Stop thinking so much, it hurts my head."

He snapped back at me. "What am I supposed to do? I'm hearing your thoughts, and apparently the only way to shut the damn thing off is to touch you. What am I supposed to do with that?"

My hand, wrapped gently I should add, around his forearm refused to let go. If not hearing his thoughts meant that I had to touch him, then so be it. I liked my privacy. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I was officially protective of my privacy. Him in my head? Privacy eliminated.

"I don't know," I whispered. My hand slipped for a moment, and I knew he heard me think, 'God, are we going to end up sleeping together, too?'

Of course, I meant it as just sleeping next to each other, but his male brain immediately went to the gutter. Stupid idiot.

'Sleeping with her…hmm…'

I slapped his arm, grabbing a hold of it with a force I didn't know I had. I didn't want to hear what he was thinking at that moment. The nightmare was enough, reality was something I didn't want to deal with.

I sighed, before looking into his eyes, which were beautiful I should mention. I hadn't noticed before, but his hair, his eyes…so beautiful. The blush returned. At that moment, I was thanking God that he couldn't hear what I was thinking. His ego was big enough, thank you.

"It looks like we're going to have to do something neither of us wants to do," I finally spoke.

He blinked. "Which is?"

I closed my eyes. "Wow, I didn't think it was possible, but somehow, you sound even dumber when you speak."

He glared. "Will you just tell me what we're going to do already?" Then he smirked. "Or perhaps you should let go and we'll do this the…fun way."

I glared right on back. "We're going to have to," I swallowed, embarrassed by what I was about to say, "be together as much as possible." I closed my eyes, anticipating his reaction.

"I guess you're right."

I opened my eyes in shock. "What?"

"I said, 'I guess you're right.'"

"I just didn't expect you to, I guess."

He took his free arm and messed with his hair. "Look, I'm supposed to meet my girlfriend of mine today." He looked to me expectantly.

Instantly a wave of jealously swept over. But he was Shane Gray, and it was to be expected. Besides. He was acting like a jerk. "And I should care because…?"

He gave me the same 'you're an idiot' look that I had just given him. "Because you're coming with me."