A/N: This chapter should fill you all in on why Shane cared so much about Tess. A little look into the past...kinda. Anyhoo, enjoy!

BTW, there's something everyone needs to read at the bottom of the page. In the author's note.

"Shane! What is she doing here? You told me you weren't friends with her!" Although Mitchie and Shane had retired to another room, so as not to be heard, everyone in the next room could clearly hear what they were saying. Tess, Nate, and Jason sat in complete silence in Connect Three's living room. If you asked them, they would deny listening in, but that would be a lie.

"Mitchie, I can't help it if she lives here!" Shane yelled.

"Yeah, but you can help it that you're hanging out with her!" Mitchie shouted back. "You know what she did to Caitlyn and I! Or did you forget?"

"No, I didn't forget. But I wasn't the one hanging out with her. Nate's friends with her." Shane's voice was much louder than it was before.

"Then why didn't you tell me that?" Mitchie's voice had dropped to a much lower volume, and the other three had to strain their ears just to hear.

"Because . . . because I just found out recently. Trust me Mitchie, if I had known Nate was talking to her, I would have told you." Shane's voice sounded like a whisper in the next room. Tess looked down, clearly hurt by what Shane and Mitchie had said. Nate took note of this, and moved closer to her.

"Tess . . ." He said softly, reaching for hand.

"I should go." She said abruptly, standing up and leaving Nate's hand in midair.

"No, we want you to stay." Nate said, also standing. He gave Jason a look that said agree-with-me. Luckily Jason noticed this and nodded his head.

"Yeah, stay." Tess laughed, but it was a hollow and emotionless laugh.

"Maybe you want me to, but I'm pretty sure those two," She nodded at the door which Shane and Mitchie had disappeared behind. "Don't want me here."

"Maybe not, but I want you to stay." Nate whispered, taking her hand in his. Tess smiled wearily at him, but removed her hand.

"Really, I should get going. I need to . . . call my father." Nate nodded. He understood Tess's and her father's relationship. he wasn't sure if she was lying or not, but decided to let it go.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Tess nodded and headed for the door just as Shane and Mitchie emerged from their room. The tension in the air was so thick, Nate could barely breath. Tess and Mitchie stared coldly at each other before Tess stormed out the room.

"You know, Tess heard every word you said." Nate suddenly turned angrily on Shane and Mitchie. "You just couldn't have bothered to keep your voice's down could you?"

"Hey, this isn't her fault! If you'd have told us about you and Tess earlier this wouldn't have happened." Shane bit back, his angry tone matching Nate's.

"It's none of your business who I'm friends with!" Nate was now yelling.

"Right, because you and Tess are 'just friends'."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, come off it. We all know how you look at her. You obviously feel more for her than friendship."

"You're insane." Nate said darkly, his voice suddenly quiet. He walked towards the door, leaving the argument behind.

"Where are you going?" Jason yelled after him.

"To get some air." Nate barked back before slamming the door, making everyone jump.

"Nice going, Shane." Jason said, narrowing his eyes at him. With that, Jason grabbed Rainbow and retreated to his room. Mitchie sighed and took a seat on the couch.

"This isn't really what I had in plan for my vacation." She mumbled as Shane took a seat next to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I know. But everything'll be better soon. I promise." He whispered into hair. She smiled up at him, and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You better be right." Shane smiled cockily.

"I'm always right." He joked. They laughed and snuggled in closer.

--

"Tess?" A male voice spoke into the darkness. A light suddenly turned on in the far corner, Tess's slim figure illuminated under it. The light bounced off the shadows in the room, lighting up parts of Shane's face, and making him even more handsome.

"Shane." Tess's voice was as cold as the room they were in.

"Why'd you want to met here?" Shane asked, sitting on a wooden box. When Shane had slipped out from his room earlier, he went straight to Tess's room and asked to speak to her. She had told him she was busy, but she would meet him in janitor's closet on the fourth floor. He hadn't questioned the location, until now that is.

"Because no ones going to bother us here." She stated simply. They sat in quiet stillness for a few minutes until Shane brought up subject of his and Tess's past.

"I'm sorry, just so you know."

"No you're not." Shane sighed irritatedly. How was he supposed to apologize if she wouldn't listen to him? "If you were truly sorry, you would've reached out to me much earlier. The only reason you're apologizing now is because I'm friends with your friend, and you'll be forced to see me." Shane winced as he realized all of that was true. Tess had that certain way of always reading him perfectly.

"Okay, so that's true. But I'm still here apologizing now." Tess kept quiet waiting for him to continue. "I know what I did was wrong, but I just couldn't face you. Not after . . . not after everything that happened." He paused and waiting for Tess to respond to that. She didn't. She just sat in her corner, completely silent. Just as he was about to give up, she finally spoke.

"You really hurt me." Her voice sounded broken, like she was trying to keep from crying. "That summer before you left. Down by the lake . . . when you kissed me-" She broke off as a sob escaped her. Shane wanted to go over and comfort her, but he wasn't sure if that's what she wanted. "I was sure you loved me. Then you went away and became famous. That was bound to happen, you had too much talent to not get discovered. But I always thought, always believed, that you would remember me, and that one day you'd come back.

"Then, at camp, when I heard you were going to be a consular, I could hardly contain my excitement. Then you ignored me all summer. You didn't even give me a second glance. You were too caught up with Mitchie." Tess sounded bitter as she talked about camp. Hurt and bitter. "That's what hurt the most. Not that you had moved on, or that you didn't want me anymore. It's that you ignored me. You didn't even bother to say hi." Tess wiped the tears from her checks harshly, like if she was seen crying Shane wouldn't respect her anymore. "I had to do something to get you to notice me again."

Shane listened quietly as Tess retold their tale. Gosh, I'm such a jerk! He thought, knitting his brows.

"I'm sorry, Tess. I never meant to hurt you. I guess, the truth was, I was too afraid to talk to you again. I thought you wouldn't want me anymore. You know, since I'd changed. I was ashamed. Then I met Mitchie. She seemed . . . I don't know. She seemed to accept me. And I didn't think. I didn't think about anyone but myself. And that's what I'm sorry about. I'm sorry I hurt you and that I didn't think of you." Shane sighed, relieved to finally get all that off his chest. "Can you forgive me?" His question hung in the air for a few moments. Tess sighed playfully.

"I guess I could." They both laughed and Shane stood up, his arms open waiting for a hug.

"Get over here, girl." Tess stood up and ran into his arms. "I missed hugging you." He whispered.

"Me too." She sniffled and rested her head on his shoulder. They stood there hugging for a few silent moments. "Shane?" Tess's voice was muffled by his shoulder.

"What?"

"We can be still be friends right?" He laughed and hugged her tighter.

"I sure hope so!"

A/N: I didn't really like the ending of this, but I had no other way to end it, and I needed to get to the next chapter, just cause it's so much fun! YAY!

CHALLENGE:I would like to invite you all to join in a little challenge I've invented. All you have to do is describe Nate's personality (the one I've created, not the one from the movie). You see, I was thinking last night, and I could describe all my other characters, but I could describe Nate's! So, the winner of this challenge gets to be put in a future chapter of the story! Are you excited? I am. So that means leave a review to enter!

Peace.Love.Jonas.