a/n: So... if anyone still is even interested in this story, or any of my stories, I'm truly sorry for taking so long to update. I can't believe it's been almost a year since I've actually written anything! I don't really have any excuse this time, I just wasn't motivated to write anything for quite a while. The only reason I've even written this is the fact I got a cool new keyboard & really wanted a reason to try it out (lame isn't it?). However, although it took me a while to write this chapter, re-reading this story has given me a few ideas on how to continue/finish it, so (no promises though!) I may actually be able to get a few more chapters uploaded within this year. Again, no promises! I've been super busy horseback riding, and if I have to choose between time for writing or horseback riding... well, I think it's an easy answer. ;P But with that being said, I will try to upload something, and maybe even post a chapter or two on my other stories. Sorry about this super-long, almost pointless a/n, please enjoy this next chapter!
BTW- I didn't mean to end it where I did, but when I tried to make a break in the paragraph, ff wouldn't save it, so I'm working on the second half of this chapter now & it should be uploaded tonight/tomorrow!
"I do believe you've missed a spot." I slid my finger across the dresser I'd just instructed Shane to dust, frowning at the invisible dust on my fingertip, and shook my head. "Sorry, it's not clean enough. Let's try that again. You know it has to be per-fect." I drew out the word, giving Shane a sly smile.
"Mitch!" Shane groaned, his eyes inspecting the dresser, "You know as well as I do that it's per-fectly clean. When are you going to stop getting revenge? Don't you think you've had enough fun already?"
"You think this is my revenge?" I couldn't resist laughing as Shane's eyes widened nervously. "Oh no, revenge hasn't even started yet. Luckily for you, Mary's not in town, because she is much more evil than I, and can you imagine what we'd come up with if we put our heads together? You wouldn't even stand a chance." I tried to hide a chuckle, because Shane was looking much too anxious at the moment.
"What's next?" He looked nearly beaten as it was, and I couldn't help but think that maybe he was right, maybe I had tortured him enough already. After all, I only had 6 days left with him, and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend them using him as my PA. Especially since he really wasn't all that good being a personal assistant at all. Maybe I should just call it quits and go do some things together that we both enjoyed.
"Alright." I sighed heavily, as if it killed me to even let him off the hook, "Maybe this is all I've got, and although I don't think you've truly learned your lesson, we do only have a little bit of time left with each other before your next big tour, so I suppose we could do something fun... well, something that you have fun with, should I say, because personally I'm having a blast having someone clean my house and wait on me hand and foot."
"Finally!" Shane threw the rag and cleaner down on the floor before throwing his hands in the air triumphantly. "So, what's the first thing you would like to do, considering we're both retired being PAs? It can't be too long though, because I do have rehearsals at 4."
"It's already 3 o'clock, Shane." I glanced at the clock to my right, raising an eyebrow at him. "Then again, do you mean 4 o'clock regular time, or 4 o'clock Shane Gray time?"
This time it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Mitch, you know I'm a changed pop star." However, the expression that he flashed at me was still very much the 'old' Shane, and I had to bite my tongue to avoid pointing that out. He really had been trying lately, and I wasn't having a super hard time noticing that he actually was changing. I didn't want to risk discouraging his good behavior, not while it was all still so new to him. "You really should give me some credit - after all, I haven't given in to the urge to sue anyone since the incident, and that's a new record for me." He paused slightly as he said it, and I knew even though he was joking about it, he still was uncomfortable with how he'd treated me, and others, before.
"Don't worry about it." I smacked his arm lightly as I offered him a smile, trying to lighten the mood a little. "You're a changed man, right? You've got enough time to set things right. Maybe someone else you've tortured needs a PA." I stuck out my tongue at him - I think I do that a little too much, but if it's not broken, don't fix it, right?
"Don't even suggest it." Shane shuddered, looking down at the cleaning supplies on the floor with disgust. "I can't bear another minute of it!"
"Hey!" I protested, faking indignation. "Are you saying I wasn't a fair employer? How dare you, after how easy I went on you! Maybe I'll change my mind about letting you off the hook..."
"No, no," Shane interrupted quickly, holding his hands in front of him as if to block me from smacking him again, "You were a good employer. I'm just worried that, uh... maybe the next employer won't be as forgiving or understanding as you are?" He quipped as I rolled my eyes at his lame, quick excuse.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your rehearsals?" I cut in, glancing at again at the clock, realizing how quickly time was passing. Shane followed my gaze and sighed, running his hands through his long dark hair.
"Probably. If I want to show my manager and brothers that I really am a 'changed man.'" Looking disappointed, he pulled open his huge closet and began pulling out a new outfit. Of course. Changed man or not, I still would never understand why stars had to always dress up for 'rehearsals'. No one really saw you, anyways, so who cared what you looked like? Then again, I wasn't in the pop star world, nor would I ever be, so I would probably never even begin to understand the fame-filled world that Shane lived in.
"You know..." Shane had suddenly popped up right in front of me, jerking me out of my confused thoughts. "You could always come with me... I mean, if you don't mind waiting around while we rehearse. Then we could always hang out after." He looked hopefully, but I still hesitated.
Did I really even belong in Shane's celebrity lifestyle? I wasn't so sure I wanted to be mixed up with Connect 3's events, considering what had happened last time. Shane must have seen my hesitation, because he quickly finished his sentence. "There won't be any fans there, I promise. Mostly it'll probably just be some of the staff who will be on tour with us, and they're not like the crazed animals that were at our last concert." He meant for me to smile, of course, but I still had doubts.
"Ok, I'll go." I heard the words, spoken in my own voice, but I didn't quite understand where they'd come from. I still hadn't fully decided that I wanted to come. However, there was still a part of me that was curious, and I guess my heart had determined I was going before my head had managed to work things out. "However, if you're wrong and I get mauled to death or something... it's all your fault. I want to make sure that's perfectly clear."
Shane's smile lit up his whole face, and I relaxed slightly. If I truly was going to be dating Shane, I would have to become a little bit more comfortable with Connect 3 and their world, and as much as I understood that, I still wasn't sure I was ready to throw myself in the middle of fanatic people. However, seeing the look on Shane's face at the moment made it seem like I had done the right thing.
"I'm not changing, though." I teased, laughing as Shane finally managed to decide on an outfit. "Us non-famous people have it so good - no one expects much out of us, so we don't disappoint anyone if we don't wear the latest clothes, even when we're just going to rehearsals." I looked down at my old jeans and worn tee, grimacing slightly. Oh well, it wasn't like I had any other options. The fanciest thing I owned was a summer dress Mary had forced me to buy once on vacation.
"You look fine, Mitch." Shane's smile was honest, and I lost some of the nervousness that was coursing through my veins, knowing he was being sincere. "Not everything in a celebrity's world is all a fashion show." At that, I couldn't hold back my laughter.
"Oh yes, only 99% of it is fashion, Shane. Excuse me for forgetting that 1 percent. Now, shouldn't you be getting into a suit or something for this event?"
I had been joking of course, but suddenly Shane looked distracted, his eyes flickering back over to the outfit he'd picked out, then glancing down at the plain jeans and shirt he was wearing. Deliberately, he put the outfit back in his closet before grabbing his bag. I frowned, somewhat confused, as he headed out of the door without even looking back.
"What was that about?" I was still confused as I followed him out, still trying to make sense of his strange actions.
"Fashion isn't everything, Mitch, it's only a rehearsal after all."
And while I was still mulling over what he meant, he grabbed his guitar and slid into his sports car as if nothing in the world had just happened.