Author's Note: This chapter has been a chapter I've been playing over in my mind for a while now, it's one of those that I've had in my head from the beginning, some of you may not like this chapter. For those of you who reviewed/or auditioned thanks for all that. Auditions is probably what you're waiting for me to talk about well… I'll discuss that with you all later, for now on with the story. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LATE TYLER! SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS SO LATE AND THAT ITs SO SHORT.

Disclaimer: Give Me an N-O-T-M-I-N-E-! What does that spell? NOT MINE!

Chapter 12:

My eyes shot up to be greeted by a girl with some loud eating habits and rather messy eating, I looked straight up at her as crumbs from her bagel dropped on to my face. "Caitlin, in the future could you not eat over my face." I brushed the crumbs off my bed and onto the floor.

"Check that out." She then dropped the newspaper on my head, and walked over to my computer.

"Caitlin as much as I love you I'd rather you not drop things on my head." I pushed it off and tucked it under my arm. "What are you doing anyways?" As I peered behind her head to see what she was doing.

"I want to know if you're famous enough to be on Google."

"Why?"

"Well you were on HotTunes this morning." She replied.

"Ha-ha very funny."

"If you don't believe me it's on downstairs go check it out."

I stood up and walked down the steps, half way down them I remembered the paper tucked under my arm. I unfolded it and as soon as I saw the picture I dropped it. My eyes widened not believing what I saw, it was Shane and I from last night sitting along the beach, and he was placing the ring on my finger. I ran my hand quickly over the ring at the thought of it. What would people think the ring meant?

"She wasn't kidding." I whispered. In the next spilt second I tore off down the stairs into the kitchen and slid in front of the television.

I saw my picture appear across the screen, the one from early September, at the amusement park. It was then quickly replaced by snapshots from my date last night.

"The first time Shane's mystery girl showed up was early last September and now this familiar face has surfaced again. Last night Connect 3's Shane Grey was spotted not far from Navy Pier, accompanied with the lovely Brunette, whose identity has still yet to be confirmed. Paparazzi snuck up on the two unnoticed down by the beach were Shane slipped a ring onto her finger. The questions swimming around in all our heads it who is she? What does that ring mean? From the looks of it the relationship appears rather serious. Stay tuned as we learn more about Shane's mystery girl."

I sat down and turned off the television, this couldn't be happening I wasn't ready for the public eye to know about Shane and me. I then realized something the clicking from the bushes was paparazzi, I wacked myself on the head scolding myself How could I be so stupid. I stared at my dark reflection in the T.V. screen, I didn't know what to do, how to feel, I was completely lost without a map in this type of situation.

"Look you are famous enough to be on Google." Caitlin pronounced as she walked in with several freshly printed pictures in her hand. She sat down and slid them across the table to me. I flipped slowly through each of them barely looking at them. I pushed them away the second I got to the end of the pile and turned my attention to the pattern on the kitchen table cloth.

"Mitchie, look you knew this was going to happen eventually," Caitlin said

"I should have seen it coming though," I placed down the pictures "I heard clicking in the bushes last night, but Shane just told me it was my imagination running wild."

"Well look on the bright side now you know you're not completely crazy." She said trying to sound reassuring and funny at the same time.

"Caitlin your compassion truly overwhelms me." I rolled my eyes.

I felt my phone begin to vibrate the table, I peaked down at it and saw Shane's name, not knowing what to say to him, I quickly rejected the call and turned off my phone. I prayed Caitlin hadn't noticed this, she was too consumed with rummaging through the fridge anyways; at least I hoped she was.

"You should really answer that, he's been calling all morning." I saw her eyes come over the top of the refrigerator door, even though I couldn't see her face I could tell she had a grin on it.

So I ignored her and stood up, I quickly snatched my white furry boots/slippers sitting by the door. (A/N I saw some online and they are gorgeous.). "I'm going for a walk." I said with one foot out the door.

"Have fun."

I sat on the porch for a minute and pulled on my boots, I looked down at my outfit still in my flannels and white v-neck t-shirt, I thought of going back inside quickly to grab a jacket. Instead I just stood up and started walking. I walked along the sidewalk with all the fallen leaves crunching beneath my steps. I allowed my mind to wander briefly; I smiled as I thought of the extraordinary colors the leaves would change. I really did love this time of year and not just because my birthday happened to be several weeks away.

I arrived at the park near the elementary school and sat down on the bench and those thought I tried to avoid, ended up surfacing to my mind. Every time I'm seen with Shane, the lime light hits me dead on, and frankly I'd rather it be following someone else around, and not blinding me. This time I knew it wouldn't go away, and I wasn't ready for it, this time it wouldn't just be those kids at school it would be like everybody, and I mean everybody. Maybe my Dad was right that Shane and I were just caught up in this summer fling to realize where we were headed. NO! I stamped that idea out of my mind, the feelings Shane and I had were real.

I lied down on the bench pressing my face against its cold hard plastic, trying to escape my thoughts. I tried to recall my memories of going to school here and playing in this park. Anything that would take my mind off of what I knew had to be the unavoidable solution that I had come to. I looked up at the sky and stared at the perfect mid October sky.

I heard crunching of the leaves, signaling to me that someone was coming. I rolled over facing the back of the bench, knowing exactly who it was. I knew that what I was doing was childish and lying on a bench wouldn't hide me from him or keep him away from me. I was sure I looked stupid and probably resembled a hobo.

"Mitchie." His voice barely above a whisper.

I closed my eyes, not ready to face him. I heard no more footsteps, but could feel his presence close to me.

"Are you okay?" He closed the remaining gap between us with what seemed like two swift steps. I felt him place his hand on the small of my back, sending infinite shivers up my spine. "Caitlin said you might be here."

I gave him this childish silence, that I knew was worrying him.

"Mitchie," His voice coated heavy with pleads "please talk to me."

And then it hit me, not just mentally but literally. An acorn dropped on my head, and I was sure it was going to leave a bruise, but I also realized at that moment that I couldn't avoid the solution I'd drawn earlier. I opened my eyes and stared at the bench, I took a deep breath and exhaled letting the heat of my breath wash over the bench.

I turned around to look at him I hid the worry and nervousness in my eyes as best I could. I sat up and allowed him to sit next to me. We sat there for a while not saying anything, I think he was just happy I turned to face him. I kicked the woodchips and leaves on the ground for a while.

"Want to go for a walk?" Shane suggested.

I nodded and he took my hand, we walked around the park for awhile.

"Jared thinks we should do an interview," Shane said "you know to show the public we have nothing to hide from them." He was attempting to break the ice "Nate freaked out this morning when he saw well the paper, and the news report he actually thought I'd proposed to you."

I let a small laugh escape from my lips. "That does sound like Nate."

Shane smiled "So you are talking to me."

"Well actually there's something on my mind, and" I took a deep breath "I think maybe we should take a step back."

"Okay." He nodded and took a giant step backwards. I mentally slapped him, why did he have to make my insides melt, even when I was trying to be serious.

"Shane that's not what I mean." I looked him directly in the eyes. "Last night my Dad said something that didn't make sense until last night, and now it does. I think this music video and you going away thing is coming up at a good time." I looked away from his eyes knowing I didn't want to see the hurt in them. "My Dad said something about our feelings not being entirely true, and that we were moving to fast and completely unaware of what was going on in the world around us. And he's right I don't know if what we are feeling is true. So I was thinking," My voice began to shake "that we should take a break and when you come back figure everything out." I looked back up at him.

His eyes were glistening, and I could see tears falling from his eye, he took a finger and wiped them away. "Mitchie this is stupid I know what I feel for you and its all real, we're completely unaware of the world because when you're in love the rest of the world doesn't matter, and I love you."

"Shane, we need to do this."

"No we don't." Shane insisted. "Is this because of what's been happening today."

I took a step closer to him and took his hand in mine "I'm sorry, I need to do this for myself" I removed my hand from his and closed his around the ring I left sitting in his hand. I quickly turned around and started walking away.

"Mitchie!" He shouted after me "You know my feelings and they won't change."

Author's Note: DID YOU GUYS SEE THAT COMING? OH AND Guess What? I sprained both of my big toes…I found this totally and completely hilarious and painful! Okay, I was planning on opening all of the audition to everyone this chapter but I just don't have the time to go through them all at the moment, but that doesn't matter GO AUDITION IT'S OFFICIALLY OPEN TO ALL. Homecoming and Cross Country are over and done with for a year, which is sad because they are both awesome, but now I have more time for the story and should hopefully be able to update more! REVIEWREVIEWREVIEW! P.S. Sorry about the wait.

-the storm

p.s. I don't like how I wrote this chapter, it sounded better in my mind! REVIEW!

For the Audition:

The love interest will be around the age of 18 and I have some name selections for her, so I might change the name you supply me with a better option. This audition can be you in real life or someone you just made up.

Name:

Birthday:

Eye Color, Hair Color, Height, etc:

Clothing Style:

Personality:

Hobbies:

If you have any questions feel free to PM me. I hope to have some kind of narrowed down cast list for you by next week!