A/N: Hello again! Thanks to your great reviews I've decided to update much sooner than I usually would. Hopefully you guys will enjoy this chapter - sorry if it's really short and gets a little dramatic - I was writing it while I was also on twitter, and there was TONS of drama going on there - Demi deleting her twitter, not being able to perform due to health reasons, and rumors about what had happened flying left and right. It was complete insanity, so at least I have an excuse as to why I might have made Mitchie over-react slightly later on ;) haha XD Anyway, enjoy & please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock (sadly) :( However, I do now own an official wardrobe piece from CR2, that Demi actually wore! haha XD
"Mitchie..." Slowly, I opened my eyes as I heard my name spoken, fighting back a yawn as I blinked, the smell of food filling the air. My mouth watering and my stomach growling - I'd failed to notice yesterday just how hungry I was - I sat up, my hands reaching out to feel for the edge of the bed. "Breakfast is ready." I flinched slightly as I heard Shane's voice from right beside me, and a moment later felt his hand on my arm, gently pulling me out of the bed.
"Yum." I replied, for a second pushing away all of yesterday's drama and focusing instead on the simple pleasure at the moment - breakfast.
"I hope you don't mind eating bacon and eggs, since that's all I can pretty much cook," Shane laughed, and I offered him a smile, feeling a glow of appreciation that he'd probably gotten up early just to have food ready for when she'd woken up.
"Of course not, it sounds delicious." I replied softly, following Shane has he continued to lead me through the apartment, occasionally swerving so as to help me avoid crashing into anything. It was awkward, and slow, making our way through Shane's apartment, and I was glad when he finally told me to sit down, and I sank into the cushioned chair gratefully.
"Here." I felt him shove a fork into my hand, and heard him set the plate down, and somewhat cautiously I lowered my fork, waiting until I heard it tap against the plate, and smiling inwardly to myself about the fact that eating hadn't been as hard as I'd imagined. Shane seemed somewhat surprised, too, because there was a moment's hesitation before he pulled out his own chair and sat down.
Slowly, bite after mouth-watering bite, I felt the hunger inside my stomach gradually diminish, and finally, I set my fork down, turning my head in the direction where I assumed Shane was, and thanked him.
A moment later, I could hear the clatter of plates as Shane cleared the table, and I sat, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the fact that I couldn't help him, despite the fact that I wanted to.
I jumped when I heard a second pair of footsteps approaching, immediately tensing, before I heard Shane give a friendly greeting to the other person, whom I now realized was Nate.
"Good morning, Mitchie." Nate's voice came from right in front of me, and I still winced slightly, although I wasn't truly afraid of him, but simply still somewhat in shock from everything that had happened yesterday. "Shane, you made breakfast? Since when in the world have you ever -"
"Shut up, Nate." Shane's voice was low, with a sort of growl in his tone, and I couldn't help the smile that slipped onto my face at the friendly arguing between the two.
"Ahh, they do look a little burnt, though..." Nate's teasing voice replied.
"They tasted perfect." I interrupted, allowing myself to relax as the two brothers continued their bantering, with Nate teasing Shane, while Shane tried his best to defend himself, although he failed pretty miserably. I smiled, listening to them as they went back and forth, and leaned back against the chair.
Someone's phone went off, and the bantering stopped, while I could hear both boys rushing off to find their phones. I rolled my eyes at their childish actions - however, some good humorous conversations were good after all the drama that yesterday had contained.
The ringing continued, and I frowned, wondering why neither Shane or Nate had answered their phone yet, and suddenly, I tensed as I felt something vibrate against my leg. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, because already, instantly, knew that it wasn't either Shane or Nate's phone that was ringing. And yet, I didn't remember having a phone on me, either.
My hand shaking, I reached down, my hand travelling along my jeans until I found the pocket I was looking for, and, cautiously I swallowed as my hand enclosed around what I could only assume was a phone. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the phone from my pocket and snapped it open, holding it up to my ear.
"Hello?" I hardly even dared to speak into the phone, but the word had escaped from my mouth before I could stop it. The line was filled with static, and for a second, I thought that the person on the other end of the line wasn't going to speak.
"Hello, daughter." I froze, my breath catching in my throat and my head pounding, feeling as though my body was on fire. I opened my mouth to respond - to cry, to scream, to ask why - but nothing came out except a choked noise. The line was filled with static, though, and although the man - my father - was still talking, I could only make out part of his sentences. "... I've sent someone... going to come and get you... have a lovely day, darling..." and the the phone went dead.
Shocked, terrified, and too frozen to even move, I didn't even flinch when the phone dropped from my hands, shattering on the floor below me. Shaking, tears forcing their way from my eyes, I pulled my knees up, wrapping my arms around them as I replayed his voice over and over again, the words taunting and powerful.
"Mitchie?" I heard Nate stop in his tracks and his surprised tone, probably seeing the broken phone and the tears running down my cheeks, but I didn't bother to turn around or try to respond. I could barely get any air into my lungs, feeling lightheaded and paralyzed, unable to move as I stared blankly ahead. "Mitchie?" Nate tried again, and when I once again failed to respond, I heard him shout Shane's name, a note of panic creeping into his voice.
I heard running footsteps which I knew belonged to Shane, and his breathless tone as he snapped "What?" before they both were silent. I heard Shane take cautious steps forwards, muttering my name hesitantly, before he placed his hands on my shoulders.
"Mitchie? Mitchie, what's wrong?" He shook me slightly, although I couldn't find the strength to respond to him, nor react to his fervently shaking me. "Mitchie!" He sounded panicked and winded as he moved to stand in front of me, his hand on my chin as he snapped his fingers, his voice now rising to a shout. "Mitchie, please relax, you're going into shock." He continued, although by now I could barely hear him, my thoughts were so rushed and panicked.
"C'mon, Mitchie, breathe!" He yelled, and suddenly, he'd slapped me in the face, hard.Jolted out of my thoughts, my cheek stinging, I jumped up, gasping as I sucked in air greedily, my head spinning. I heard Shane release a shaky breath a moment later, and Nate give a sigh of relief. "Mitchie, what happened?" Shane asked, although I still couldn't form the words to tell him about the phone call. Shaking my head, my hand on my throat, I backed away from the two of them, still gasping for air.
I was overreacting, I knew, but I couldn't help be feel terrified, escpecially because what I'd learned from Dr. Collins and Shane about my father. I jerked away as I felt Shane touch my arm.
"Don't touch me!" I yelled, slapping Shane's hand and stepping away, tears still flowing down my cheeks as I tried to level my breathing. I heard Nate ask if they should call a doctor, but I was too preoccupied with my own fears to hear Shane's response. Still sobbing, unable to hold myself up any longer, I collapsed to the floor, covering my face with my hands.
A moment later, I felt Shane once again grab hold of my shoulders gently, yet firmly, and I knew I couldn't push him away again.
"Mitchie." Shane's voice was firm, worried, and somewhat harsh as he shook my shoulders slightly. "Who was on that phone?" He asked, and I opened my mouth to tell him, but only choked on the words before I'd even uttered a single one.
"Shane, just let her calm down." Nate told Shane quietly, although I still managed to hear him. Ignoring them both, I ran my hands through my hair, tugging at it as I tried to force myself to stop hyperventilating. What had my father meant when he'd said that he'd sent someone to come and get me? Why had he even called, and where in the world had that phone come from?
Shane had backed away, probably only because Nate had forced him to, and finally, I'd managed to calm myself enough that I could speak.
"My dad." I whispered, and I heard a strangled sound come from Shane, as he stepped closer to me. "The phone call was from my dad." I repeated, still shaking, my breathing still not yet level. And for a moment, there was complete silence, and only our heavy breathing could be heard.
"What did he say?" Shane's voice was suddenly shadowed with anger, and although I knew he wasn't upset with me, I still shrank back slightly, wincing at his harsh tone. He seemed to realize I was already wound, and that his tone wasn't helping the situation.
"The line kept breaking up, but I did hear him tell me that he was sending someone to come and get me." I bit my lip as I finished, not sure of what to expect from Shane, or Nate - who before this, had no idea what a messed up father I had - and stiffening as I waited for either one to speak.
"I won't let them get you, Mitchie, you have to trust me on that. You're fine, you're safe -" Shane sounded so sure, so convincing, that I might have believed him, if it wasn't for the obvious fact that I wasn't safe, not if my father already knew where I was. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath, as I figured that the cell phone had probably had a tracking device on it, since most these days did.
"What's going on?" Nate broke in, sounding slightly overwhelmed and worried, and Shane cut himself off, releasing me as he turned to face his brother.
"Her dad's the reason she's blind." I could hear Nate give a small gasp, and I flinched automatically as Shane forced the words out of his mouth, sounding as if the words were sticking in his throat.
"Everything will be okay, Mitchie, you have to believe me." Shane's soft, hardly audible tone still caught my attention, and I gave him a small smile to let him know that I appreciated his effort to comfort me, although on the inside, they were not working because I knew, sooner or later, I would have to face my father - and my past.