Hiiiiiiiiii guys! Thanks so much for those reviews! Seriously, you guys are awesome! So, this chapter is definitely starting some very dramatic junk that I love writing. It's starting to build or "rebuild" Shane and Mitchie's friendship with trust. It may seem all depressing and you're gonna hate Shane and other peoples for a little while, but just try to understand his character and why he can be such a jerk.

The truth about Shane but mostly Alex's past is starting to be revealed and we are almost at the part where Shane finally tells Mitchie why he has so much anger and bitterness towards her and everyone else.

Now the question is, will Mitchie be the one that understands him?

Enjoy!


S E V E N T E E N


=Mitchie's P.O.V=

Darkness.

Darkness everywhere, surrounding me, engulfing the atmosphere.

Silence.

Silence filling it all, not letting a sound be born.

And Emptiness.

It was all nothing.

I think I was standing, but who knows, maybe I was floating. But there was a blanket of darkness around me, I could see nothing. I stood in nothing. Not a sound broke the silence. I hated it, feeling empty. I was alone and nothing could be more painful than the dark silence of nothing. But somehow, I raised my hand finding my body and slid it over my chest. There it was; my heart.

I listened and heard it through the silence, a delicate, steady beat. I wasn't alone, it was there. It comforted me, knowing I had something. I stopped to breathe, thinking how I got to this emptiness and only one other sound overpowered my heartbeat.

"Mitchie?!"

A voice replayed inside of me. It was deep, yet terrified. Why was the voice afraid? It was so smooth, rich like silk and velvet yet it was shattered by concern and stronger emotions I could feel, but not name. The voice cared, saying my name.

I listened closely and heard more, through my heartbeat and even the lovely voice, was more voices I heard not inside me, but far off.

"She fainted!"

A higher, feminine voice shrieked but with an accent. Oh Miley! She was worrying about something. Fainted? I fainted! My pulse began pounding, my heartbeat breaking from its even rhythm to a fast beat.

"This is all your fault!"

Another high voice screeched to someone, furious and accusatory. Alex. She was angry at someone else for making me faint. I tried to remember, tried really hard but nothing came to mind. More voices drank up the silence.

"You're the one that was fucking yelling at her! Do something, Alex!"

There it was, the silky voice that spoke my name with such feeling. It roared with infuriation yet behind it could I feel the worry burning, afraid something bad would happen, to me. The voice was still scared and I felt like only I could see that.

"Well maybe if you weren't going off to rape her t-"

"Shut UP Alex, just shut the hell up! You have no idea what you're even talking about! Now do something and get her to wake up!"

The voice was panicking. I was fine! I tried to move my lips to answer the voice, to tell it that I was ok, but my lips felt glued together like ice, unable to be melted. I screamed with all my power but my own silence was still here.

"What do you want me to do, punch her until she wakes up?! She fainted and there's nothing I can do! It's not like you even care what happens to her anyway, so why don't you just take her body and please yourself while she's unconscious!"

Oh Alex was so upset, her voice was trembling and cracking over her words. Please don't cry Alex! I frantically searched through the darkness for a way to answer them, but nothing. I was trapped without a damn thing to do.

"I do care."

I shivered at the passion in the voice's words. I could feel it inside me, how much he really cared. I wanted so badly to just answer them with one simple word! There was a fire stirring behind my lips, desperate to break free with a scream. My mouth was scorching to reassure the sweet voice I was fine.

"Enough! Just get me some damn water to pour on her! It's both of your faults for all that yelling! She loves both of you and seeing you fight made her freaking faint!"

There Miley was, defending me like a true friend. I heard noises, the shuffle of footsteps and was worried. They couldn't leave! My hand frantically found my chest, exhaling when the beat of my heart soaked through my ears. I let the voice's words all incinerate through my thoughts.

"What do you want me to do with the water? Give her a shower?!"

The voice demanded using sarcasm as a defense for how afraid he was. I felt relief churning through my veins when I heard his voice so close to me, to my ears and my heart. The warmth of his words made my toes and fingers tingle, stretching the sensation over my entire body.

"She'll be fine, just pour a little bit over her face. She's wearing waterproof make-up."

"Right, because ruining her mascara was the first thing on my mind, Miley."

I giggled on the inside at their words. I could feel it though, getting closer to them. It was indescribable the heat I felt as someone placed their hand over my cheek. I'm guessing it was my real body that someone was touching.

A drop of water splat onto my face and I could feel myself pushing through the dark silence of nothing. I felt closer to the voice, closer to my friends and away from nothing. More water dripped and more I was breaking free.

"Don't sprinkle it, Shane! She's never going to wake up like that!"

Shane?!


Without a pounding headache, I opened my eyes only finding 4 faces frighteningly close to mine. Nate, Miley, Alex, and Shane were all gawking at me with wide, worried eyes that each blazed with various emotions.

Of course, Miley smiled.

"MITCHIE! Oh my goodness, you're ok!" She leaped on top of my body, which I found pressed against a sleek, black leather couch of the Gray home. I numbly hugged her back with a small smile until she pulled away letting Nate and Alex give their hugs. When I turned my head Shane was gone.

I immediately shot perplexed looks to my friends and walked away from the couch, searching for Shane. I didn't understand it, but I had this sudden impulse to check on him, so I followed the feeling that guided me up the stairs and to his bedroom.

I pushed open the door, pausing once I stepped inside to admire everything. His room was the one thing that had changed drastically besides Shane himself. The only thing that remained the same was the soft, blue walls. His once small bed with neon green sheets with tiny footballs pasted over it was replaced with solid black sheets, blankets, and pillows. The small desk by the wall was changed into a large silver radio and above it was a sleek, black plasma screen TV. He no longer had a skateboard lying by his bed, but magazines and sneakers cluttering the wooden floor. But one thing caught my eye that had not changed, but had been added.

Right beside his bed pushed against the blue walls, was a black vanity. I assumed that not many people came in here besides Shane considering the clothes tossed around everywhere and soda cans aligning the shelf above his bed. My feet took me to his vanity and my heart stopped for the second time that night.

There planted on the vanity was a picture of us. I was only about 8 years old when the photo was taken, on my birthday. Shane was carrying me in his arms, both of us in bathing suits. I remembered him threatening to throw me in the pool, and as I was laughing and shrieked for him to put me down, Denise snapped the picture. It was one of my favorite memories, and I guessed, Shane's too.

"Mitchie?"

Shane's gentle voice broke from behind me, his lips innocently on my ear opposed to the seduction he was doing before. But this time, I did shiver and let myself lean against his chest pressed on my back.

He touched my cheek tenderly and that's when I realized I was crying. I pushed back a sob and turned to him, smiling through my tears. "Y-you still have the picture."

Shane's eyes squinted in confusion, but right now he looked more concerned that I was practically sobbing. I ignored that, and reached over taking the little silver frame in my hands, holding it against my heart.

For the first time in 6 years, I witnessed Shane Gray's blush. His eyes instantly expanded when he saw what was in my hands, jaw falling slightly, and his cheeks reddening. It was the most hilarious thing I would ever see in my life.

But the best part was he couldn't even say anything, he was so embarrassed, it was adorable! Shane was stuttering things, trying to make up a good excuse for having a photo of me right beside his bed, but he just couldn't.

"What are you doing in my room, Mitchie?!" He yelled, but only to protect himself. It was the return of the bitter "new Shane" voice I detested, but this time I was smirking.

"Aww is Shane embarrassed?" I mocked in a baby voice only letting the pink in his face stretch down his neck. I was shaking with laughter at his humiliation.

I stopped when Shane stormed away to his balcony, slamming the glass double doors behind him roughly. God, he was so sensitive! I put the picture down and followed him, gently reopening the doors in fear they would break off after his exit.

Shane was leaning against the black railing as far as he possibly could away from me. I could only see his black shirt, arms folded furiously into his chest as his muscles were flexing out and his head was facing down to the world below us.

I frowned, feeling guilty for teasing him. I didn't think it would bother him, since he teased me about tons of other things, why couldn't I? But maybe this was more personal. I walked over to him silently and placed my hand over his tight arm.

He didn't even look at me. I turned my head to inhale sharply before speaking to calm myself. "Shane," Nothing. "Shane, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. I was just joking; please don't be mad at me."

I watched him shake his head slowly but never looked at me when he spoke in a soft, frustrated tone, trying to keep his anger in check. Shane had always had a fiery temper. "Whatever Mitchie."

I sighed. Even when we were young, his cold attitude had upset me. I hated how he would build this wall around himself when someone had hurt his feelings. I use to be the only one to break it, but now I was unsure.

"I hate when you act like this." I grumbled to myself glaring at a car passing by. Shane tensed beside me, finally whipping his head in my direction.

"Me?! I hate how you take everything as a joke!"

His abrupt change of tone had me flinch. He was really pissed. But what sucked was, so was I. We had personalities that clashed with our opposite views of the world. So when Shane's temper flared up, so did mine.

"I hate how you can't take a joke, Shane!" I retaliated but was cringing on the inside of how angry I was suddenly getting. My heart was racing in this rush of emotions. I had never felt so frustrated in so many ways before.

"You were fucking LAUGHING in my FACE about something important to me!" He roared back, actually scaring me. Shane's hands were clenching the railing, eyes burning in infuriation, and his face now red again from his screaming.

I had a feeling we looked the same and both of us were panting. "Well I didn't know how sensitive you w-"

He growled stopping my sentence and thoughts immediately. "JUST . . . get away from me, Mitchie." His voice calmed down by the end, all fury melting from his features. His fingers slid off the railing letting both of his hands dangle freely off the edge.

I took a step back, at the same time my anger all vanished too. Suddenly Shane Gray looked hurt and vulnerable right in front of me. I closed my eyes in shame. We had been getting along so well, maybe even as friends then . . .

"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!"

Tears suddenly soaked my eyes and I was breathing heavy again. Before I was crying out of joy, unbelievably happy when I thought Shane still cared, but now I felt disgusted for letting everything we had crash and burn because of me, again.

I peek at Shane and he still refused to look at me. I nodded to myself, turning on my heel and walked away.


The drive back home was awful. Awkwardness between Alex and I was vaguely classifying it. Though we never locked eyes, I could feel we were both thinking the exact thoughts of what happened that evening. I didn't expect an apology, she had done nothing wrong. Alex was only trying to protect me and I already knew she hated Shane, but I was wrong.

When Alex parked the car, Miley was asleep in the back seat so I whispered my goodbye, climbing out of the car and went on a hunt for my house keys. I heard the slam of a door, turning to see Alex had gotten out and was following me to the house.

"Mitch, do you mind if we talk about something?"

I nodded slowly letting her come with me to my room. I threw off my heels happily, sighing and thanking the Lord I could take those painful things off. Alex laughed to herself and we both sat on the bed, facing each other.

Suddenly the atmosphere wasn't uncomfortable, but full of unspoken questions. Alex kept her face clean of any emotion, obviously waiting for me to start asking questions but I was waiting for her to start talking.

"Mitchie, I'm really sorry about yelling at you like that, but seeing you and Shane at a party full of alcohol and going off into Justin's house holding hands, freaked me out a little bit. I was so worried Shane was really going to hurt you. "

I nodded with a tiny smile, the best I could force in this crappy mood. "I understand Alex; don't be sorry, it's ok."

Her face remained blank and I knew this conversation had much more to it. "You know how when people are drunk they act differently? Some people just dance and do stupid stuff before fainting, others get really angry and let things slip, well Shane Gray doesn't do that. He's in full control of his body. When he fainted at Lillie's party, he had something much stronger than ever before and his body reacted differently."

She waited for me to nod to make sure I was listening and heard it all. "Like I said, he's in control but he just gets," Alex stopped to make a disgusted face.". . . hornier. He suddenly can do anything with his own seduction skills to make you get into bed with him. I know you would never do that normally, but Shane has a way." She finished in a whisper.

"But Shane wasn't drunk tonight." I argued weakly, just really wanting to go to sleep and forget about stupid Shane Adam Gray.

Alex laughed bitterly. "Yeah like I haven't heard that from girls! Shane says he's not drunk just so some girls will go along with everything cause they think he's for real, but he's not. Shane knows what he's doing even if he's wasted."

"How can I enjoy tonight, if I'm drunk?"

I paused, biting down on my lip. Why would Shane lie to me? He said we weren't going to do anything, just talk. Who do I believe? Alex is my friend, I trust her and she's trying to warn me of things that I could get hurt from, but Shane . . . My lips curled. He just wanted to get his sex! I can't believe I bought that! He doesn't care about me!

Alex sighed. "Ok, confession time. Do you wanna know why I hate seeing him with you like that and how I know so much about Shane's crap?"

My eyes returned to Alex. She was gaping at her hands clearly ashamed and slightly embarrassed of something. I nodded and held my breath waiting for her answer.

"Because . . . I was one of those girls, Mitchie. I let Shane get to me. But it wasn't just him. Justin took my virginity before Shane could." Her voice was so low, but I heard every word.

Seconds of silence passed. I really had no idea what to say to that besides that it made me hate Shane even more for doing this. Just when I think I know him, everything twists and I find myself realizing he's more different than I imagined.

"Are you mad at me?" Alex asked in a small, terrified voice.

I threw my arms around her, devouring her in a huge empathetic hug. She returned it, both of us squeezing each other for comfort. Somewhere in there, we both broke down in tears just being there for the other. I really needed this.

I slowly pulled back, shaking my head. "No of course not Lex. I'm pissed at Shane beyond reason, but never at you. I'm so sorry all of this happened to you and I totally understand why you did this."

"I'm not sure if I ever liked Shane though. Here's the real story: Justin and I have been friends forever. He liked me for a while since we were like kids, but I always thought of him like a brother. We got to middle school and met Shane and Nate. I always secretly thought Shane was like gorgeous, but Nate became my best friend. He always had this crush on Miley, so I didn't even bother and in silence, I was always crushing on Shane."

She took a deep breath, clearing off some tears. "But Shane never opened up to anyone about anything. Nate and Jason explained to Miley and I about you saying you meant a lot to him and he was really depressed when you left. Trust me Mitch, you have no idea how much he missed you. My feelings for him continued to high school, even when he was the popular, misunderstood jerk and player of the school."

"Also, Justin and I had started going out after 8th grade and my feelings for him were really strong then, I really liked Justin and we dated for about 5 months before he became popular with Shane and Nate and they ditched us. So about 6 or 7 months ago, Justin was having a party. It was the first time Miley and I ever went to one of those alcoholic parties so we didn't know what to do. I still had these twisted feelings for both Shane and Justin. We went to the party and didn't know what to expect. That's the night Shane really got to me. I saw Justin making out with this girl, Stella, and my heart broke. Suddenly Shane was there for me when I was crying the bathroom."

I rubbed her arms, wanting her badly to continue. I needed to know what happened, everything with Shane. Alex wiped her eyes again and went on.

"He was drunk and I was hurt, he made his move. Shane knew how I felt about Justin and he understood my pain, plus my feelings for him, and it happened. Miley found us the next morning and beat the crap out of him and that was it."

I pursed my lips, taking the entire information in. "What do you mean 'he understood my pain'? Does that have to do with what you were saying about 'she broke his little heart?"

Alex grinned softly. "You're very smart, Mitchie. Yes, it connects but I can't tell you anything. It's Shane business and you'll have to ask him."

"That's going to be hard when he hates me."

Alex raised her brows, puzzled. "What?"

"We got into a fight when we were in his room." I sighed jamming my fingers through my hair. Things were so complicated and messed up. I felt like it was impossible to try and make this work with Shane, but I couldn't give up on him, we were in too deep already.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mitch. All I can tell you is, her name is Mandy."

That night I went to sleep with a thousand questions swarming my thoughts, and only 1 answer to really hold on to.


There you have it! The truth about Alex with some Shane and Justin! I don't have much to say, except I'm working on the next chapter and I hope you all enjoyed this one. =)

Questions:

Who do you hate, Shane or Alex? (or neither)

Who is Mandy?

Are you enjoying this story?