It Was Always You (Shevine: SBCIYD Part 2)

Chapter 2: Rhythm of Conversation

Shayne's POV (Boo-yah, a new point of view)

My brother Marcel circles around me while he runs with his friends, laughing and playing like a 5 year old, even though he's turning 11 soon. He kind of reminds me of Blake in that way, of how my parents told me Blake acted when he was younger. I think it's cute, though, but I just hope Marcel becomes mature soon. Which is one reason I don't want to bring him to LA; if he goes, and we have to be around Blake and Blake's friends all summer and fall, he's going to be really hyper. Plus, Marcel will be missing school for half the year, so I guess I'll sign him up for tutoring in LA somewhere then. Anyway, because my parents are staying home, he's my responsibility, unfortunately. I'm going to LA for some fun, not to babysit! Whatever. Maybe I can dump him on one of Blake's friends and just forget about him being immature. Marcel isn't my kid, who cares?

From beside me, my best friend Sam sighs noticably. "What, am I ruining your day by forcing you to babysit?" I ask him.

Sam shakes his head, dark curly hair falling into his eyes before he swipes it to the side. We're sitting on the swings together at the park, watching as Marcel and the two eight year old boys I babysit run around, playing some game I don't understand. "Nah," Sam says. "It's just that I won't see you for a while... once you leave, y'know?"

I nod slowly, looking down at my Converse, digging into the sand underneath the swing. "Yeah, I know. I'll be ditching school for this, so it better be good. The tour better not get cancelled or some sh*t."

"You swear as much as your cousin," Sam jokes, referring to Blake. I laugh and shake my head, and he continues. "Nah, he's worse. Anyway, changing the subject. You're too smart for University now! You'll be fine. You're still the smartest girl in Ada, Oklahoma."

I smile at him. He smiles back, showing off his perfected teeth now that his braces were off. He'd had them for three years, and now that he's perfected his look, the girls go crazy for him; the fluffy, curly dark hair, blue eyes, he's got muscles, he's a football player, everything. The only thing about Sam is that he isn't in school. He's been living at home since he finished high school, which was 6 years ago. He has a job at his father's car dealership, and personally, I doubt Sam will get anywhere. His dream is to be an NFL player, but I don't know how good he is.

"So Marcel's gonna go?" Sam asks, watching as my brother faceplants into the sand by the playset. "He'll be missing school, then, right?"

"Yep," I say. "I'll take him to tutoring or something during this summer, when Blake's not on tour yet. We got a few months of nothing in LA before the tour, so... I just hope everything goes as planned."

"Well, with your luck, I mean, what can go wrong?" Sam says.

"What do you mean?"

"Your cousin is famous, you're the prettiest girl I know, you're also the smartest girl I know..." Sam runs a hand through his curls. "You got pretty much everything anybody could ask for."

"Well, if you want my cousin, take him," I snicker. "All I get from Blake is a postcard once a few months and unwanted attention. The girls in my university only pay any attention to me because they think I can get them tickets to the next Blake Shelton concert... and no, I can't. Blake does nothing for me, so the least he can do is bring me along on this tour. I hardly even know him! He left us when he was seventeen, and I was seven. All I remember is playing with him when I was like six, and hardly even then. He was so into music. So into it, and fame. So I'm hoping, just praying I'll finally get to be with my cousin."

Sam chuckles at me, his eyes boring into mine. "Well, I can tell you one thing. The attention from the girls doesn't even matter. Just ignore them. The guys you can trust, because they probably don't even know Blake at all, and if they do, they'll assume your last name is a coincidence. Like I did when I met you. And I know guys will like you for more than being a famous guy's cousin; I'd know."

I feel nervous. I fiddle with my light brown hair, pulling it all to one side and then the other. "What do you mean, Sammy?"

"I'd know because you always have my attention," Sam says, his blue eyes locked onto mine. I look away, down at my shoes, but I feel the need to look back up. I fight it. "Always."

I don't know what I feel. I love Sam, yeah, but as my friend. I've never had a boyfriend before, much less someone I even liked. I doubt anyone has ever liked me, and now the guy everyone likes, the guy who's on the football team as the quarterback, tells me this? How do I even know if this means he likes me that way? I don't. He's probably just talking about friendship, that's all. The idea of love scares me, and I can't even imagine it with my best friend. I've known Sam since I was ten, when he told me my name was pretty cool, and that we should be friends. Somehow, we've been together since.

"Sam," I choke, looking away. I watch Marcel play with the other boys for a minute before speaking. "I don't know if I can do this," 

"What?"

"Leave. I mean... it's not like I'll be gone forever, but... but what if I like it there? What if... I can't bring myself to leave when it's time to? I mean, I don't want to turn into one of those brainwashed celebrities, who only care about themselves. Blake included... he still could have stayed here! He and Miranda moved to a different part of Oklahoma when he could have come back, and lived near his actual family. I don't want that, Sam. And what if I meet someone, like a famous person, and I... actually like them? Like, in a love way?"

Sam looks at me like I'm a lunatic, and then smiles. I try not to stare at his dimples. Or his hair. Or anything. "Shayne, you're crazy! I know how much you hate celebrities, but man, I doubt they're brainwashed. At least not all of them. You don't have to worry... if you fall in love with a celebrity, it's no big deal. Most of them are full of themselves, and only date rich people. Shayne, stop worrying. You're overly nervous, alright?" Sam places a hand on my shoulder and laughs at me. "Shayne Shelton. It does have that ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Maybe my name will get famous," I say. "Not me, just my name."

"Like they'll use it in movies and books," Sam smiles. "And give you credits. You'll be so cool."

"I am so cool," I say, and jokingly flip my hair. "You're just Sam Portman. Plain old Sam Portman, living in Oklahoma, who will never achieve his dream of being a National Football League player, and who will instead work at his dad's car dealership for his whole life."

Sam gives me a look and says, "Shut up!"

I laugh, but I know the conversation is over. The kids and Marcel look bored, sitting on the slides and picking at the sand. I turn to Sam, and he shrugs at me.

"I have to go. I'm leaving for my cottage tomorrow for the week, so... I guess this is goodbye," he pauses, biting his lip, "for a long while."

I nod, and stand up. He does too, and pulls me into a hug. "I'll see ya, Sam," I say. Suddenly, as he stops the hug, before I can stop anything he leans over to me so his face is inches from mine. He pecks me on the lips and starts to walk off.

I just stand there, dumbfounded. He just kissed me. My best friend. So I guess he really does like me. That's odd. I'd never have guessed he felt that way; he can get any girl in Ada, Oklahoma, but he goes for me; Shayne Shelton, the girl three years older than him, non-athletic (because athletics are his life), and who's about to go to LA for a long time and meet a lot of new people. How could he just do that? Open a new door in our friendship like that? It's just crazy. I don't know what to do, what to feel, or how to feel. How does one 'feel'? How does one aquire 'feels'? I, personally, would like a feel, so I can know what the h*ll is going on inside my head.

What the h*ll is going on inside my head?

A/N: hey guys! I hope you liked the new perspective. Shayne is going to have her perspective in the story now, so there are three. (: Sorry if this chapter was really boring and reeeallly short, I just had to introduce Shayne and her feelings about celebrities... ;) by the way, Blake hasn't told his family about Miranda yet!! So Shayne is totally oblivious. I'll state that in the next chapter, but it's important to know. Anyway hope you enjoyed!