this is friendship with a little hint of romance. (:
please enjoy it!
soundrack: "look at me" by keri noble
(listening to the song while reading is HIGHLY recommended.)

I shiver as the plastic guitar pick scratches roughly against the steel strings of my Starcaster; releasing the grip on the neck as the noise sounds. Exhaling slowly, I turn to the window and stare tiredly at the brightly lit venue. As I sat in the tour bus silently, parked in the parking lot across the street, I find myself wishing that I had stayed backstage with my band mates, laughing and helping clean up as was a tradition in Connect 3. A sick feeling washes over my body as I lay the acoustic guitar beside the couch I'm currently sitting on, laying down and covering my eyes with both hands.

"What are you doing back so early?" a female voice startles me. I sit straight up and end up bumping my head on the corner of the overhead cabinets. My hands find their way to my head and I rub the sore spot underneath a head of full hair. She gasps, setting the half-eaten cookie dough wrapper on the counter and rushing to my side. Gently, she sits beside me on the couch. Laughing, she removes my hands from my head and examines the bump. "Good going." she jokes lightly.

I smile pathetically at the girl, deciding to answer her earlier question. "I don't know, I felt a little sick." She leans over me and I find myself holding my breath as she grabs the chocolate chip cookie dough and holds it out to me.

"The best medicine." Mitchie grins, swiping a piece with her index finger and sticking it into her mouth. I fake a disgusted face for her amusement, before taking some for myself. The churning feeling in the pit of my stomach immediately ceases as soon as the chocolaty dough goes down. "Tell me what's wrong, maybe the doctor in me can help." she suggests, smiling genuinely. I can't help but return the smile, although I don't know why I am. I'm usually the more serious one.

"I don't know what it is. I just feel kind of irritable all the time, especially when I see all these girls around backstage asking for Shane and Jason. I don't usually mind them but sometimes …" I trail off, not really wanting to hint anything to Mitchie. She just nods her head. "And I just keep getting these headaches and something like heartaches. A pain right here." I point to the cavity containing the all-important organ.

She grins knowingly. "It sounds like you've come down with Nate Black Syndrome."

Bemusedly, I shift my body so that I'm facing her full-on. "Oh really, Doctor? And what's that?"

"In a nutshell," her eyes are sparkling with whim, "it's jealousy."

I can feel my face fall as I realize that what she's saying may actually be true. Shane and Jason always get the girl – Shane especially, for luring the girl beside me in. Sure they don't go out, but they might as well, the feelings are too obvious for my liking. I suck up the self-pity feelings as I stare intently into her shining brown eyes. She is dressed in a Connect 3 t-shirt that she uses to sleep in (so I've noticed) and a pair of those short cheerleading shorts, with her hair tied up and out of her face, disregarding her trademark fringe. "What about you? It looks like you skipped out on the concert tonight."

"I did." she answers plainly, downing another scoop of cookie dough.

"And why's that?"

"I've got Nate Black Syndrome."

I can't help myself from dishing out another one of my rare smiles. She smiles back and all of a sudden, it seems like everything around me is a blur. This is what Shane sees in her. Her complete control over anyone's emotions. "So what do you think is going on in there?" I nod towards the window facing the arena. She shrugs loosely and bows her head.

"Probably a bunch of girls hitting on Shane and Jason, and a lot of food and music and dancing."

"Well, we've got a gourmet selection of food," I hold up the cookie dough, "a fully charged iPod and a speaker system. All we need is some dancing to get ourselves into the game." I stand up and plug my iPod into the wall, setting it on shuffle. Mitchie laughs charismatically, standing up and smoothing out her fitted t-shirt. Just as I turn around to face her, the song 'Look at Me' by Keri Noble comes on. Wincing with embarrassment, I manage to crack a small smile at Mitchie's laughter.

"I love this song!" she giggles brightly. I sigh heavily, relieved.

"I listen to it sometimes when I'm stuck on a song. It's pretty pure." I shrug. Suddenly, Mitchie reaches up and places her arms around my neck. I stiffen at her gentle touch and turn to look at her, with a confused smirk on my face. She shrugs and lets the grin tugging on the corners of her pink lips seep through.

"You said you wanted dancing." she reminds me, removing her hands so that she could take mine in her and place mine on her slender hips. With a satisfactory smile, she reaches up again and snakes her arms around my neck. Taking a leap of faith, I hold my breath as I gently pull her in closer. She follows suit nicely and even proceeds to rest her head on my chest. I inhale the sweet scent of her fruity shampoo and my heart almost stops. Now I know what is so great about Mitchie Torres. Sure, she's one of my closest friends but I couldn't see her as more than that – and now I do. Now I see her.

"I, uh, don't really know how to dance." I confess pathetically, following the swaying movements that she's making. Her body trembles gently, indicating that she is laughing.

"I figured. Don't worry, relax. You're doing fine." she assures me, and something in her voice calms me down. I can move with her and even step into the lead.

"What if Shane sees us?" I ask hesitantly – always cautious.

"What if he does?" she murmurs gently against my chest. Her hot breath makes me swoon. The simple answer is enough to make me shut up.

"He doesn't know what he's missing out on by hanging out with those other girls."

"Those girls don't know what they're missing out on either."

Silence, all except for the music. I shut my eyes and savor the feeling of her warm body. "I'm cured." I manage finally, as the end of the song nears closer and closer. She lets out a small laugh to which I find my knees becoming weaker and weaker.

"Oh really? So the cookie dough helped, then?"

I smile one last time, staring outside the window at the black sky and blinking stars. This is more than enough inspiration for twenty songs. "A little. I guess I've just found my remedy."

oh, so cute. (:
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