Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Arizona

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Chapter Twelve – People Change...

After her and Shane's night out, and the next two after it, Mitchie felt...weird. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen Hayley in so long or maybe it was because she had been staying out for the past three nights getting tipsy or maybe it was because lately she hadn't been acting like herself or maybe it was all those things combined. Whatever the cause was, it was plaguing her thoughts.

She turned over and ran her hand over the empty space next to her in Shane's bed. He had left hours ago to go to the gym and had left Mitchie home alone to rest. He had apparently noticed how tired she was lately. Even though she was still quite young, her body just wasn't used to staying out drinking and dancing until the early hours of the morning but Shane seemed happier now that they were going out more so she wasn't about to complain and once again make him conform for her needs.

She also couldn't help but think about the fact that the words, 'they' or 'we' no longer applied to her and Shane. They now applied to her, Shane and Ashley. Its not like Ashley was annoying or anything, she was actually very sweet but what girlfriend wouldn't be slightly worried about the fact that their boyfriend's best friend was not only a girl, but one who could probably snatch him right from under her if she wanted to. There was so much Mitchie was thinking about she almost didn't hear her phone ring.

"Hello?" She said answering the cellphone.

"Hey, Mitch! Long time, no speak!"

"Hey Nate. Gosh, I know. I'm so sorry for not calling and checking up on you guys its just been kinda crazy here in L.A."

"Yeah, I've noticed. Hayley and I are making it a habit of watching you and Shane head into trendy night clubs on TV every night."

Mitchie's throat tightened at the thought of her daughter watching her enter night clubs. She hoped there was no coverage of her leaving because she would not want her child to see her stumbling out of a club. "From now on, try sticking to watching Barney instead of E! News, okay?"

"I will only if you promise to stick to going out to restaurants and not the latest 'happening' bar."

"Nate, if you called to rag on me for going out then I suggest we end this conversation now."

"That wasn't why I called...Okay maybe it was partially why but I really wanted to check up on you. Just judging by what I'm seeing on TV and the latest tabloids I happen to see-"

"I'm fine Nate, really. Shane and I are just having a little fun before we have to be mommy and daddy in a week or so." Mitchie hated lying but she didn't want Nate to worry. She knew that if Nate was worried, he would rely the reason why he was worried to his mom and dad and they'd just think less of her.

"Okay but if something is ever wrong, don't be afraid to call."

It was killing Mitchie how concerned he sounded after she had just lied to him. "Thanks,"

"Well, I better get going. I'm gonna be late for my play date with Hayley. Tell Shane and Ashley I said hi. Oh, mom and dad say hi too."

"Wait, Nate, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

Mitchie didn't want to ask this question but she felt like she had to. The little green jealously monster inside of her needed to know. "Was there ever anything between Shane and Ashley? You know, like...romantically?"

She heard Nate chuckle on the other line. "Nah, never. They've always been friends, best friends. I think they had a crush on each other at one point but Shane always had a new girlfriend every week, Ashley never wanted to risk ruining their friendship." Mitchie sort of sighed to herself. "Don't worry Mitchie, Shane wouldn't leave you for Ashley or anyone else. He's crazy about you."

"Thanks for the confirmation Nate." Mitchie said smiling into the phone as if he could see. "I'll talk to you later."

She placed her phone back on the dresser next to her as she ended the conversation with Nate. Best friends. There was something that still bothered Mitchie about Shane and Ashley being 'best friends'. Shouldn't she be his best friend? Or maybe Nate was talking in past tense as in, they were best friends but aren't anymore. Maybe she'd never know unless she asked the man himself.

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Shane laid on the workout bench lifting the heavy weights above his head, his eyebrows furrowed not because the workout was hard, but because he was deep in thought. Even though he knew he was doing no wrong, that he wouldn't ever think about cheating on Mitchie, he felt wrong not telling her that he was going to workout with Ashley. At the time it seemed like extra information she didn't need to know but now that he thought about, it seemed kind of sketchy that he would leave that out.

"Hey, you almost done here?" Ashley's voice cut through Shane's thoughts. He rested the weights on the rests and sat up to face her.

"Yeah, just about. I think I've gotten a good enough workout for today." Shane said looking down at his glistening biceps. Ashley handed him a towel and took a seat on the bench that was directly in front of him.

"So, you must tell me, how did you meet Mitchie?" She said crossing her legs, ready to hear the story.

Shane wiped his face and shook his head. "You really wanna talk about me and Mitchie? How about we talk about you? What have you been up to lately?"

"Psh, I'm always going to forever be a music video girl. My life sucks and is boring. Now, tell me about Mitchie!" She gushed slapping him on the knee.

"You really wanna know?" She nodded. "Like, the honest to God truth?" Again, she nodded. Shane took a deep breath and flung the towel around his neck. "Well about two years ago, around the time of Connect Three's last world tour, we stopped in Phoenix, Arizona and it just so happened to be Nate's birthday so we took him out and got him drunk. We stopped at this little bar. It was a desert in there, no one in sight. So while Nate was having fun being drunk, Jason and I ordered some beers for this bartender. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She had long shiny brown hair, the biggest chocolate brown eyes I've ever seen and the biggest, brightest, most amazing smile in the entire world. And when she asked us what we wanted to drink, her voice literally sounded like a thousand angelic harps to me, not even joking. So me and Jason order our drinks and he tries to tell me she's not interested in me and like the persistent guy I am, I didn't listen. So Jason goes to take care of Nate who was a hot mess by now and me and this bartender start talking..."

"So, who are those guys?" the bartender asked Shane, nodding toward Jason and Nate who were currently fighting over a song to play on the jukebox.

"My brothers. The one with the 'fro is Nate and the one with the awesome sideburns is Jason. We're celebrating Nate's birthday by getting him drunk. It's all brotherly fun." Shane explained staring intently at the bartender.

"If its all brotherly fun, why are you sitting here instead of over there sharing the fun with your brothers?" She asked with a smirk on her face.

"Because I'd really regret not being here talking to you." Shane said smoothly before taking a sip of his beer.

The bartender, earlier Shane had learn her name was Mitchie, shook her head and smiled. "You're quite the smooth talker Mr. Rockstar."

Shane squinted his eyes at her. "Wait, you know who I am?"

"Doesn't everyone know Connect Three, beloved teeny boy band?"

"Hey, there is nothing teeny about us or our music."

"Oh really? Isn't your latest song about 'partying on the weekend'? You guys are way too old to be singing crap like that."

"Okay and what is it exactly that you'd like us to sing about Miss Mitchie?" Shane asked taking another swig of his beer.

Mitchie scrunched up her nose as she thought causing Shane to hold back a smile that was forming on his lips. Even though in some small way this girl was insulting him and his music, she looked damn cute doing it. "I don't know, just sing something with meaning, you know?"

"Okay," Shane finished off his beer and slapped his hands down the the bar counter. "How about tonight, I write a song about...about the feeling you get when you think you've just had that 'love at first sight' moment? The song can be about how when you first lay eyes on someone you're so taken aback by their beauty that you've forgotten the faces of every other girl that you've ever met. How when you see their smile, not even the brightest stage lights can compare. How when you hear their voice, it makes the sleeping butterflies in your stomach awaken and flutter around like there's not tomorrow. How even though they insult you and everything your band stands for, there is a part of you that wants to know everything possible about this person. How about that?"

Mitchie stared at him, her eyes wide with wonder and slight smile on her face. She snapped out of her trance and walked over to the opposite side of the bar, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she did. Shane followed her and took a seat on a barstool where she could see him.

"What do you want, huh?" She asked turning to him.

"Come back to my hotel room." Shane asked with a smile. Once again, Mitchie's nose crinkled as she pondered his offer.

"I'm guessing if I go, we aren't going to be writing that song are we?" Shane sheepishly shook his head, his eyebrow raised. "Eh, what the hell? You've sweet talked me enough and its not like I have better things to be doing..."

Shane smiled to himself as he watched Mitchie walk from behind the counter to the side of him. "Just tell your brothers to leave, I'll lock up and we can go back to yours."

"...And the rest is kinda history." Shane finished, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Ashley stared at him with an confused expression.

"How is the rest history? I mean, we hung out after that tour finished and you never mentioned anything about her. Shane, I know there's something you're not telling me so, spill."

Shane though to himself for a second. Ashley was his best friend; he trusted her. The only people who knew about Hayley were his family but, Ashley was family to him so doesn't that mean she should know? He saw no harm in telling her, he just wasn't sure how Mitchie would feel about it. Then again, just judging from the times they hung out, Mitchie seemed to like Ashley so again, there was no harm.

"Okay fine," Shane stood up, grabbed Ashley by the elbow and pulled her into a secluded area of the gym. "After we hooked up, I kinda left her there and never even tried to contact her. That was until this past tour when we passed through Phoenix again and there was something in me that just had to see her. When we met up again, she didn't want to have anything to do me but you know me, I'm never one to just give up that easy. So I stayed behind in Phoenix and tried my best to win her over. When I finally did I ended up finding out that we had a kid together, her name's Hayley and she's too adorable. And that's pretty much the whole story."

Ashley stared at Shane with wide eyes. She shook her head as if she was trying to comprehend all of the information he had just given her. Shane stood there nervous, waiting for her response.

"So that why you left tour, for Mitchie?" Shane nodded. "And you guys have a kid together?"

"Yes but you have to promise me you will not tell anyone. She's not here in L.A. she's back home with my parents and Nate. She's probably gonna be here in a week or so but I really wanted to tell the public about her before she got here so there isn't a media circus when she does come." Shane pleaded. When Ashley didn't say anything, he clasped his hands together and looked her in the eyes. "Please, Ash, promise me."

"Alright, I promise. Can we get out of here?" Shane watched as Ashley walked over to their gym bags, grabbed hers and headed for the exit. He didn't know why she was acting this way but there was a part of him that didn't want to know.

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Ashley paced back and forth in her living room. Ever since she left the gym with Shane, she had been doing this for hours now. It was hard to continue with her routine of 'gym, shower and then lunch' when all she could think about is the conversation she had with Shane at the gym.

She had known the Gray family since before Connect Three blew up. She was in their first music video for one of their first singles so she had known the boys since they were still teenagers. They were so passionate about their music back then and now, it seemed to her as if that passion was no longer there, at least for Shane.

When she first heard that Shane just dropped out of Connect Three's second world tour because of a 'throat issue', she knew there was something more behind the story. Every time she called Jason and Nate to see what was really going on, they stuck with the throat story and neither Shane's parents or his friends of the staff at the record label knew what was going on. It was like Shane gave up on his musical duties. Now that she knew the true reason why he dropped the tour, she couldn't help but think about Shane differently.

Interrupting her own pacing, she grabbed her cellphone and dialed Shane's number.

"Hey, Ashley!"

"Shane, look I know we just got through hanging out but I was thinking if we could meet for lunch and talk-"

"Sorry Ash, I was planning on taking Mitchie out to lunch."

"Well, can I tag along? Then maybe all three of us could talk."

"Uh, I was kinda hoping it'd be just the two of us." Ashley went silent. He couldn't see but her mouth was hanging open. "But maybe we can do lunch some other time, okay?"

"Yeah, maybe." Without saying goodbye, Ashley hung up her cellphone. Suddenly, she knew the exact reason why she thought about Shane differently. He was no longer her best friend and she was no longer his. He and Mitchie were now 'BFFs'. Music wasn't his first priority anymore, Mitchie was. Shane wasn't the same Shane she knew and loved and it was because of Mitchie.

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Shane stared at his phone with a grimace. Why would Ashley just hang up like that? Before he could dwell on it any longer, he noticed Mitchie standing in his bedroom doorway.

"Is there something wrong with your phone?" She asked seeing the look his was giving his phone.

"No, its fine. I think there's something wrong with the person I was talking to, though." He said sliding his phone into his back pocket. He walked up to Mitchie, wrapping his arms around her waist as she threw her arms around his neck. "But I can't worry about that now because I have to take a certain someone out to lunch."

"Just the two of us?" Mitchie asked causing Shane to fret in confusion.

"Of course, who else would..." Shane released his hold on her and walked over to the bed to sit. He rubbed his face with his hands before looking back up at Mitchie. "I'm so sorry Mitch. I'm such a horrible boyfriend. I can't believe I've been dragging Ashley along with us all these nights..."

"You're not a bad boyfriend Shane," She assured him, taking a seat next to him. "You were just excited to catch up with your best friend. She is your best friend, isn't she?"

Shane looked up at her with a slight smile on his face. "Are you...jealous?"

Mitchie shot up from the bed and stood in front of Shane with her arms folded over her chest. "Sorry but I do not get jealous."

"Aw, that's so cute! You are jealous!" Shane gushed.

"Cute? How is that cute? I've been feeling like your number two ever since Ashley started hanging out with us and...its just not a good feeling." She confessed. Shane stood up and engulfed her small body in a giant hug.

"It's cute because you should know that you'll always be my number one." He said before giving her a peck on the forehead.

Mitchie eased in his arms. It felt nice to hear him say those words. Now she felt kind of silly for even worrying about Ashley. She should know that Shane wouldn't just cheat on her when he tried so hard to get her in the first place.

As Shane held Mitchie in his arms, he couldn't help but think about Ashley. He didn't even realize how awkward he was making Mitchie feel by bringing her along all the nights they went out. She had to sit there and listen to the two of them reminisce about all the fun times they had back in the day. He felt like a complete idiot. Then he started to think about the previous conversation he had just had with Ashley. There were rare times that he turned down an offer from her to hang out to be with his girlfriend but usually when he did, he wouldn't get that type of reaction out of Ashley. She just hung up in his face. She didn't say goodbye or anything. There was something different about her ever since their conversation in the gym but just like one of Connect Three's most famous songs said, 'people change and promises are broken...'. He just really hoped Ashley wouldn't break the promise she made to him.

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Thanks for reading! :]