Stupid Vanville Vanity, Shauna thought, as she stood in the bookstore staring at the rack that held several copies.

The main cover shot featured Channing Tatum, which is why she had been drawn to picking up the magazine earlier that morning. But it wasn't until after she had purchased it and sat down with a cup of coffee.

Shauna wasn't sure what glaring at the rows of Vanville Vanity would do to help the situation.

After Serena told her and Dawn out of the shop, Dawn received a call from Lucas asking if she'd like to grab breakfast before work. Needless to say, the love struck girl had rushed off with an apology for leaving Shauna alone.

Having gotten used to amusing herself for the past week, Shauna hadn't minded and let her feet carry her back to the bookstore where she had been only a few hours ago. Anyone who might look at her would probably think she was just admiring the many Channing Tatum smiling at her. Okay, so seeing his face on the cover did help calm her down but whenever her dark eyes flickered to the corner of the covers where Serena's pictures were, Shauna felt a roaring inside her, wanting to let it out.

She wanted to knock all the copies off the rack then use them to make a bonfire.

Sadly, she realized that such an act would probably get her arrested.

Unless...

...she bought every copy of the VV and then burned them! Shauna grinned, imagining taking a picture of the Vanville Vanity bonfire and sending it to the editors.

But then again, they wouldn't care because in the end, they would've gotten her money anyway. Besides, she really couldn't burn something with that celebrity's face on it.

Shauna let out a sigh, feeling useless. She wanted to rush back to Serena's shop and just be there. Even though Serena hadn't really said much about it, insisting she was fine. Which Shauna would just have to trust her.

With another sigh, Shauna dragged her feet over to a small table in the cafe area and plopped down in a chair.

Opening up her purse, she pulled out her copy of the magazine and flipped it to page 29, her eyes scanning the photos once again. That's when she heard it, she raised her eyes and realized that several citizens of the store were whispering and eyeing her but as soon as her gaze landed on them, they turned away, talking to themselves.

Shauna pulled out a pen.

She uncapped the pen and stared down at the photos of her and Gary. She wished she could get her hands on him and find out just how they knew she was a fortune teller.

The first thing she did was scratch out the caption "Fake Fortune Telling Fling" that was printed above the pictures of her and Gary. Next she drew a line between herself and her "date" in the picture where they were sitting at the restaurant.

After dividing the photo with her line, she began the real art. First, swirly glasses for Gary then horns atop his head. But only if she had a red marker. She continued drawing on his face in the first picture then moved onto the one of him carrying her.

"Wow. I've never really considered growing such an ugly mustache."

The pen dropped from her hand as Shauna's head turned up slowly. She snapped the magazine shut before picking up her pen and stuffed both back inside her purse, blushing slightly at being caught doing such a childish thing.

"Aw no hello Gary, how you doin?"

Shauna responded with a glare and noticed more heads were now turning their way as Gary pulled out the chair across from her and sat down like they were old friends.

She opened her mouth to tell him that he wasn't welcome when she noticed something.

"Whoa. What happened to you? Another date beat you up?"

At this, Gary frowned and a hand went up to the touch area under one eye.

"This Little Maria, would be the work of some friends of yours."

"Serena only punched Ash. When did she go back and give it to you?"

"Not Serena. Some random biker men."

Biker men?

Oh.

Shauna started laughing and starting banging a hand on the table. " they actually did it? They found you and beat you? Oh man I wish I had been there!"

"I'm so glad my injuries provide you with amusement."

Shauna wiped a few tears that had leaked from her eyes and chuckled. "Yeah I'm glad too. Sorry about them though. I didn't think they'd actually find you. But they're harmless, really."

"Oh real harmless."

Finally calming down Shauna now fixed her face into a glare once more. "Anyways, what are you doing here? Didn't I already make it clear I was done with you?"

"Can't a man just have a chat with a woman?"

"Sure. But I don't see any men and this woman isn't really the chatter," Shauna said and stood up to leave.

Gary held up his hands. "Okay okay. I get it. I was a jerk. Please, just...sit down. I only want to talk. Really."

Shauna raised an eyebrow then heeded wearily, perching on the edge of the seat. If he said one wrong thing, made one wrong move, she was gone.
There's about ten pairs of eyes watching them so blatantly.

"You admitted you're a jerk. I'm listening."

"Ah. Right." Gary rubbed his hands together then ran his thumb over his lips, stopping where Shauna had bit him then lowered his hand to the table. "I want to apologise."

"Come again?"

"Well, to be honest, I hadn't planned on apologizing but I happened to see you in here while I was browsing and just decided to come over. I've been feeling bad about, well, you know. To tell you the truth, I've never had a girl reject me like that and it's been bothering me to no end."

"So let me get this straight. You are apologizing for Saturday not because you feel bad for what you did to me but because you think it'll just make you feel better about yourself? Wow. Talk about having some twisted morals."

"Ugh. No. That is not why. Okay well maybe a bit. At first anyway. I was thinking about everything and I realized I probably shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that. I'm used to girls sort of falling at my feet and doing what I want. But you were different and I guess, more innocent than all the others so I just wanted to say I'm sorry for ruining your Saturday night."

"Mmhmm. Right so I think I'm going to go call a doctor for you now."

"Are you by any chance ever serious?"

"Oh I'm quite serious. I think if we tell them you're going insane to the point of being nice, they might just see you right away."

"You don't believe me," Gary said.

Shauna looked at him. "No. I don't. This is probably some sneaky plot to try and make me fall for you so that you can have a second go at me because I'm the one that got away. Well I don't think so. I'm not like the cabaret girls you're used to."

Gary groaned and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. You're not like them which is exactly why I'm apologizing! I have no intention of trying to 'have a second go.' I'm just trying to...to..."

Shauna waited for him to find his words as he paused for a moment, struggling to think.

"To be friends. I guess."

"Friends?"

He shrugged. "Is it so bad? I've never had a female friend before if you can believe it."

"Oh I believe it."

They sat in silence for a minute, Shauna weighing the sincerity in the words of the player before her. She had to admit, he certainly looked sincere.

here he was, Mr. Playboy Prince himself, womanizer extraordinaire, humbling himself before her, a mere fortune teller who he had only just met and had no reason to seek out, apologizing for his antics towards her.

Shauna appraised him once more then slowly smiled. "Since you are genuinely apologizing, I will accept it. I also apologize for being so nasty to you when we first met and for, um...well..."

"Apology accepted." Gary grinned. "So friends?"

"Friends."

"Great! So you'll have to tell me how the whole being friends with a girl works since I've only ever dated girls."

"Well," Shauna said through gritted teeth, trying to keep the smile plastered on her face towards her new friend.

"You can start by removing your hand from my knee."

"Oh sorry" Gary grinned, pulling his arm away however the next word made Shauna blow up "it's just that...well, it's soft an-"

At this, Shauna glared more, Raising her flat hand upward and swung swishy at Gary face with immense force.

Next chapter is final.