Disclaimer: I don't own Camp Rock or any of its characters. Especially its characters. Because that would be slavery. Which is frowned upon in most societies. Along with Cannibalism.

"So, Mom, I've noticed you and Shane are being quite friendly towards each other now," Mitchie simpered sweetly during lunch. It didn't help that Shane walked through the doors, as if on cue, and waved to me. I waved back, then turned back to my daughter.

"You gonna tell me how you knew him previously?" She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, knowing she had me in the perfect position.

"Will you let it drop if I tell you?" She nodded. "I grew up next door to him and-"

"No way! That's awesome!"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we grew up next door to each other and eventually became best friends and-"

"Seriously? That's-"

"Awesome, I know. Are you gonna listen or not?" Mitchie pantomimed locking her lips and stared intently at me, leaning forward on her elbows. I rolled my eyes as she smiled, then continued.

"I met him when I was five, and we became friends. Then, when I was eleven and he was thirteen, he came here-"

"I knew it!" She slapped the table loudly and stood up as she pointed at me. "I knew he went here!"

"Michelle Alexis Zingale, would you sit down and listen? You're the one who wanted me to tell you."

"Ooh. Full name. Scary." I crossed my arms and stared at my daughter until she sat back down and locked her lips again.

"Shane came here and won Final Jam. We got into a fight a few days before he left for Hollywood."

"So how did he manage to recognize you? I mean, the last time he saw you, you were eleven, and now you're an old fart," she said casually.

"Hey! I'll have you know that 36 is not old!" I exclaimed. "Besides, that wasn't the last time we saw each other. He came back to Loch Arbour five years later. He'd turned into an annoying, rude, jerk-throb, and his manager sent him there in hopes that he would 'reconnect with his roots' or something and change. He snuck up on me while I was playing guitar and-"

"And he totally recognized you, right?"

"Wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Right."

"But-"

"He got caught up in Hollywood drama and completely forgot about me."

"That jacka-"

"Finish that sentence. Go on, I dare you." Mitchie pressed her lips tightly together, then smiled at me.

"So, over the course of the summer, I reminded Shane of his childhood," I said, picking up a piece of bread and playing with it as I spoke. "Eventually he gathered up enough courage to ask me out." As I saw Mitchie open her mouth to interrupt me yet again, I shoved the piece of bread I had been playing with into her mouth. I smiled sweetly at her as she stared at me incredulously, then I continued. "We dated for about a month, but then a week before he left again, we got into another fight. The last time I saw him was the day he left for California again. I was still furious at him, so when he came over, I kicked him out."

"Mom! You kicked a WORLD FAMOUS pop-star out of your house? Why?" Mitchie looked completely stricken, like she couldn't believe her ears. This is why I didn't want to tell her. I didn't want to drag my kids into my dramatic past, and I knew Mitchie would flip out. People were staring at us now, so I forced her to sit again and pulled her chair close, shoving my face in front of hers.

"First of all, keep your voice down," I whispered. "And second of all, he hurt me. In more ways than one. I had a good reason."

"But, he was world famous! Even then!"

"I know that!" I rubbed my upper arms again. Memories of those fleeting weeks with Shane, from twenty years ago, came flooding back. At first they were pleasant, the times at the lake, forcing Shane to face his fans, reminding Shane of who I was, being asked out by Shane... I couldn't help but smile at the last one. But along with those memories came more painful ones to deal with, and soon it became too painful to bear. I grabbed my purse and kissed Mitchie on the forehead.

"I have to go. I'll see you later," I said in a monotone voice. Then I all but ran out the door. Mitchie had agreed to have Katie shadow her today, so I didn't have to worry about keeping an eye on her. So I headed to the empty theater, the one only really used for Final Jam.

I plopped down on the vacant piano bench and just scowled at the keys. I would have been perfectly happy to just teach here for a couple of months and then just go back to me normal life in the sleepy little town of Guilford, but nooooo. Shane just had to show up and screw it all up. Last night I'd dreamt of kissing him. Kissing him! Even when I was dating him, I'd never dreamt of kissing him! What the hell was I supposed to do with that? I still wear my wedding band, for cryin' out loud!

I screamed in frustration and punched the wall behind me. Instantly, my eyes widened, and I howled in pain. The bench tipped over backwards as I shot up, hopping around and cradling my injured hand to my chest. Clearly that wasn't the greatest idea I've ever had. I carefully flexed my fingers, wincing as my knuckles screamed in pain. I snatched my purse from where I'd dropped it on the floor and stomped over to the nurse's cabin. Surprisingly, she didn't even question me when she laid the bag of ice on my hand.

After a few minutes of poking and prodding, she concluded that my hand was not broken, but that I should be careful when I use it. I trudged to my cabin, hoping to get even a few minutes of sanity. Of course, though a few seconds after I flopped face-first onto my bed, the door opened again.

"Hey, Mitchie?"

"Whaaaaat?" I whined. I knew it was childish, but I didn't want to be bothered by anyone. Especially Shane.

"Okay, geez, Grumpyface. I was gonna ask if you wanted to go for a canoe ride, but if you're gonna be all snippy about it..." I could hear the smirk in his voice, and it only fed my annoyance. I huffed in response and rolled over so my back was to him.

"Okay, see normally that would have gotten at least a smile out of you," Shane said, crossing the room. The side of my bed sunk down as he sat on it. "What's up?"

"Bad day," I mumbled into my pillow. "Really bad day." I willed him to go away in my head. I heard and felt him get up, and for a moment thought that it had actually worked, but then he lifted me up from the bed and set me on my feet.

"Shane!" I shrieked, a wave of deja-vu crashing over me. He took my hand and began pulling me down towards the docks. Apparently he was taking me out for a canoe ride no matter what I said. I huffed angrily as he slipped the life vest over my head and dropped me into the canoe. I attempted to get out and get away before he could push the boat off the shore, but he caught me before I'd taken two steps and shoved the boat into the lake. I sighed in frustration. There would be no escaping him now.

"So, Mitchie, how's life?" Shane smirked at me.

"Well, I'm teaching at a summer camp that I'd really rather not be at, my oldest daughter is asking me nonstop about my famous childhood friend, and now I'm being forced to go on a canoe ride with said friend slash ex-boyfriend. How do you think my life is?" I snapped back. Shane jerked his head back.

"Well, I think it sounds great," he muttered, still rowing towards the middle of the lake. Acting on impulse, I stood up and leapt out of the canoe, landing with a huge splash in the water.

"Mitchie!" Shane yelled, though I'm not sure whether it was because I'd jumped or because I'd gotten his hair wet. I swan all the way back to the shore, but paused as i heard a very familiar voice singing in the mess hall.

"Who can say for certain?
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory's so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are my forever love
And you are watching over me from up above?

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there

A breath away's not far
To where you are"

"Mitchie?" I called, pushing the door open. My daughter jumped up,, then relaxed as she realized it was me.

"Hi mom," she said timidly. "You heard, huh?" I nodded. It didn't take a genius to guess who the song was dedicated to, and I opened my arms to my eldest daughter. She ran to me, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. Moments like these were so rare now, and I held her tighter.

"I miss Daddy so much," she murmured.

"So do I, baby. So do I." I replied, and we stayed like that for a good long time.