S I X T E E N


=No One's P.O.V=

=Friday Evening=

Mitchie Torres watched her two best friends buzz around her bedroom with amused eyes. It was just a party and the young girl didn't understand why all the girls dressed up for it, caking on make-up they didn't need, wasting their money on the most expensive shoes and clothing, and used up hours to get ready. The party started in 40 minutes and Mitchie hadn't even begun to get ready.

Miley Stewart on the other hand had been preparing herself for the past 2 hours just curling her hair to perfection, applying make-up, and picking out a proper outfit. Though she didn't understand why, with the chance of Nate being there, she wanted to look and feel beautiful.

Alex Russo was dressing herself nicely along with Miley, but her thoughts were jumbled as she did so. Her past with Shane was exactly that, The Past. She was positive her feelings for him didn't run further than brotherly, but he did provide her with an unforgettable memory like many other teenage girls and worried that physically she was still attracted to him.

"Mitch, you at least need to start picking something out!" Miley reprimanded shrilly while squeezing her feet into a pair of baby pink pumps. It completed her outfit of a white halter style dress, pink floral designs and a black jacket. She placed a small, black butterfly shaped burette in her hair before smiling at her reflection, pleased.

"Fine." Mitchie sighed, standing up off her bed in her simple baggy T-shirt and sweatpants and tramped to her walk-in closet. She proceeding in easily curling her hair into perfect chocolate wringlets and painting on black eye liner, mascara, and clear gloss to her lips. Next she changed into something that would be fun to watch Shane squirm at. Mitchie slipped into a tight, white low cut dress with the long sleeves touching her hands and falling off her shoulders, decorated by thin bloody red stripes and charcoal black pumps.

"Ok Mitch, now you're just asking Shane to throw himself at you!" Miley giggled as Alex wasn't paying attention. Mitchie blushed but internally was giggling as well. Shane wasn't getting anything, at least not tonight, so why not have some fun with this?

"K I'm done, are we ready to go?" Alex asked stepping out of the bathroom in her turquoise spaghetti strap top with a silver belt, black skinny jeans, and silver heels. Her hair was straightened perfectly and had greenish blue eye shadow, blush, and pink lip gloss. All 3 girls looked far too beautiful for any guy to touch.

"Yes, let's go!" Miley cheered, linking the three girls together by arm, and they strode to Alex's car for a fun night.

=Mitchie's P. O.V=


Alex pulled up in front of Justin's large beige colored house with a grimace. Miley and I reassured her we would be there the entire night in case something would happen with her ex, but I was partially lying.

As we climbed out of the car, my phone rumbled with a text.

U wouldn't let me drive u here, u least owe me a dance, Torres

-Shane

I was smirking to myself as we approached the front door. You could hear Alex sucking in deep breaths as Miley pressed the door bell. I texted back with a smirk, mirroring his own.

Dance and sex? Hmm, that's gonna cost ya Shane.

-M

The door swung open revealing our good friend Caitlyn thankfully. She gave us each a hug, probably the only sober person here, and led us to the backyard where the pool was as well as drinks, the dance floor, and drunk idiots.

Ur worth every penny I got, Mitch. Where r u?

-Shane

Miley skipped over to the dance floor as Alex and I found a nearby table. She glanced at my phone half amused and half curious.

"Who are you text-flirting with?"

My cheeks flooded scarlet. "I'm not 'text-flirting' with anyone, Lex. I'll be right back, I'm gonna find something clean to drink." She laughed and nodded allowing me to quickly plod to the refreshment table, preparing myself for Shane while making sure Alex had no idea. Nothing to freak out about right?

Don't worry and have fun. I'll find you later ;)

-M

I'd rather have fun with u.

-Shane

My lips pouted as I reached over to get myself a plastic cup, filling in with what I hoped was water. I sniffed it before taking a small sip and lazily glancing around at the swaying bodies grinding on the dance floor, some people laughing at tables, and even others making out in corners. My phone vibrated.

I found u.

-Shane

As soon as I looked up, I was met with his eyes, light and happy changing them to a buttery yellow. He was dressed in a black regular V-neck under a green jacket, black skinny jeans, and green converse. It was something I expected the old Shane to wear, and that made my heart shiver.

He smiled purely, completely un-intoxicated as he strided right over to me swimming with the scent of cinnamon. His slid his hands to rest softly on my hips, just holding me in front of him and I think I felt a small butterfly pop in my stomach.

"Hey." Shane breathed, his breath the aroma of simply water. It shocked me he wasn't wasted like the last time we were at a party together. I even genuinely smiled (just for a second)

"Hi," I slithered my tiny hands down his muscular biceps until they reached his strangely soft hands that were hooked on my body. I wanted to pry them off, especially since some people were staring, but strangely, I didn't. "You're not drunk. What's the occasion?"

Shane chuckled leaning towards me. His lips trailed up my neck, yet he wasn't touching me, just breathing warmly against my skin. He stopped to blow a breath against my ear before whispering. "How can I enjoy tonight, if I'm drunk?"

Damn, Shane was actually good. I was trying my best not to shiver the way he was touching me and all he was doing was breathing! I smirked, deciding to play along, and traced his jaw delicately with my index finger. "Shane Shane Shane, I hope you mean us just hanging out, because you're not getting this dress off, understand?"

His hand roved up, smoothly gliding over my back, and he left one on the small of my back, the other hand twirling a lock of my brown hair. "Yes, I know, but for the record, you look delicious, Michelle." Shane gave me a once over, his eyes darkening slightly with lust.

I felt myself blushing, but smirked. "Thanks."

"So, do I get my dance now or later?" Shane quizzed, keeping an arm around my waist and guided us away from the drinks table. The pulsing loud music was just a few feet away yet I heard his every word perfectly.

"Not gonna happen, Gray. I don't dance. I'm more of a music girl." I argued but Shane wouldn't have it. I had a feeling I would end up on that dance floor with him one way or another.

"Sure, sure." Shane nodded with his smirk. "Then what does the lady want to do?"

I flexed a brow. Shane was actually going to do whatever I wanted tonight? Now I was really going insane trying to figure out what the hell his motives were. "Let's talk by the pool!"

I caught a glimpse of his surprised, but amused expression before I snatched his hand and pulled us over to the pool. I slid off my painful heels, letting my bare feet graze the top of the chilly water, sighing in contentment.

Shane chuckled and took his shoes and socks off as well, rolling up his tight jeans and stuck his feet in, scooting beside me. Now it was my turn to be surprised. Why was he going along with all of this? If he really wanted sex, all he had to do was get me in the house, and do that seduction crap he was doing earlier.

I snapped my eyes up from their gaze on the pool water when I felt Shane's hand over mine. His eyes were swelling with questions but he started with a simple one. "What are you thinking about?"

I pursed my lips, gently swinging my legs around in the water. "Why do you always ask that?"

"I asked you first, Torres." Shane playfully narrowed his eyes which I of course returned.

"What's your point, Gray?"

He sighed in defeat. "Ok, I ask you that because you always have this face when you're thinking. It makes me curious what spaces you out all the time."

I glimpsed back at him as he waited for my answer. "I just . . . think about a lot of things, things that confuse me." I answered biting my lip. Something flashed in Shane's eyes when I did that, but I couldn't read what it was.

"Do I confuse you?"

"Frequently."

Shane laughed, same as before, a musical, gentle sound. I really liked hearing him laugh, seeing him happy opposed to that bitter jerk he pretended to be.

I watched warily as he looked around before standing up, putting on his socks and shoes and removing his jacket. He then extended his hand to me. Confused, I placed my palm into his large, soft hands allowing him to tug me off the ground. He waited patiently as I put on my shoes.

"What's going on?" I questioned getting more and more worried as Shane gave a throaty chuckle and laced our hands together.

"Relax Mitch, I'm not gonna rape you! I just want to get away from here for a little while."

The tone of Shane's voice was so genuine and begging that I couldn't tell him no. He really wanted to go somewhere, not in view of his friends, alone with me. Shane astounded me more and more each day.

We managed to scurry through all the people to the glass doors before a very pissed off voice hissed behind us. "What are you two doing?!"


=No One's P.O.V=

=A Few Minutes Earlier=

Miley exuberantly rushed to the dance floor. She didn't care if everyone around her was drunk or thought she was just a loser. Miley was a naturally care free, happy girl that just wanted to live her life.

She danced around to the fast beats of the song blasting, laughing happily at nothing until someone caught her eye. There sitting alone by pool's edge was Nate. He didn't appear drunk or high, so Miley bounced over to him.

Kneeling beside the 16-year-old, she smiled sweetly. "Hey Nate, are you ok?"

He glanced at Miley. She was always there to check on him, always around to catch him even if he didn't necessarily want her to be. Suddenly Nate was longing for his Smiley again. "Um yeah I'm fine."

Nate did his best to make his tone come out lighter than his normal monotone. Miley grinned anyway, just pleased he didn't ignore her. "Thanks for um . . . asking." He fumbled the words off his lips and gave a closed mouth smile.

On the inside, Miley felt crushed. She was dying to see his rare exposed teeth grin he only shared when he was happily laughing. She hadn't seen it in so long. Miley wanted to be his Smiley Miley again.

"You're very welcome, Nate." Miley softly giggled and stood up, turning on her high heels and began walking back off to the dance floor.

"Wait!" Nate yelled, surprising himself. Miley nearly gasped and spun herself around. "You don't have to go." He whispered, but clearer than anything, she heard him.

He said "you don't have to go" but Miley could hear the words in his heart translating that to "please don't go". She beamed, returning to him and the two sat in perfect silence.


=Back to Mitchie=

Basically my heart iced over. Not because I was angry, oh no, because I was scared. My eyes flew up to Shane expecting him to release our hands and flee or yell at the person behind us. Instead, he tightened his grasp of my hand and slowly rotated to the person that addressed us.

I followed him, my heart pounding as fast as the music. The only thing I found myself doing right now, was clutching onto Shane's hand and never would I have imagined myself doing that until now.

My stomach plunged and rolled inside me when I saw Alex's disapproving eyes. I tried to locate my voice but it was useless, I was frozen right beside Shane.

He bravely narrowed his eyes. "What Alex?"

She was shocked as I was at the icebound tone to his voice. But unlike when I heard it directed at me, I didn't get chills this time and maybe that was because Shane was defending me.

"I repeat, because obviously you're stupid enough to not hear it the first time, what are you doing?! Where the hell do you think you're taking her, Shane?!"

Alex was beyond infuriated and I wondered if this was a bad time to come clean. But what was there to say? Shane and I are "sorta friends right now and you should know the twisted reason for this friendship is because he wants to sleep with me". Yeah, that would blow over lovely.

Shane looked down at me for the first time not glaring down at me. He was searching my eyes for something, studying me like I hated before fearlessly bringing his eyes back to Alex.

"Where we're going is none of your business, Russo so back off." He growled back. As if it would do something, I stupidly tugged on his hand as if a warning him to be nice to my best friend. Would you believe me if I told you he took a deep breath to calm himself after I did that?

"She's my friend, Gray not yours! It is my business where you take her. All you're gonna do is take her to a bedroom and break her heart like you've done a billion times to other girls, and I am not ok with that."

Now I was stumped. Alex was right in her own way. She was just trying to protect me from what she thought was danger. I sighed and let my fingers slip my Shane's hand. He whipped his eyes to me, but I wasn't looking at him.

"Alex, Shane isn't going to hurt me. We're just going somewhere to talk and that's it. I'm going to be fine, don't worry." I tried to reassure her, but Alex shook her head.

"Dammit Mitchie, when are you going to get over this stupid obsession that you two are going to be friends again? Shane does not care about you, get that through your head! All he wants is to hurt you just like she did and broke his little heart."

I think my heart stopped. Was it because of Alex's words? Was it because the truth was cutting me? Was it because when Alex said those things about Shane, a terrifying black fire exploded in his eyes?

"ALEX!" Shane screamed louder than the music, but I couldn't hear him even when he was right next to me. My eyes slowly shifted from Alex then to Shane. The tears that suddenly filled his eyes had me loudly gasp.

I heard Justin's voice as he ran over to us then saw Nate and Miley approaching. Shane was ready to rip Alex's face off and vice versa while the others were confused. Miley was shouting things at me before her voice rose to concern and then all their eyes rushed to me.

I inhaled ruggedly feeling dizziness dominate my brain and things began to blur around me. "Mitchie?!!" Was all I barely heard break from Shane's worried lips before my head hit the ground and the lights shut off.


Uh oh Cliff Hanger! LOL I've always wanted to write something that was dramatic. =) Thanks SO much for my 6 reviews! That awesome so I couldn't wait to update! Probably won't have any chapters tomorrow, cause I'm gonna be really busy but I wanted to have this out!

Yay! We got some Niley! And a lot of Smitchie flirting. LOL I love writing them and all their little comments.

Questions:

What do you think set Shane off?

Is Alex really looking out for Mitchie or is it jealousy?

What's gonna happen to Mitchie?