//

It was nearly two months and a half later, after Shawn and I broke up. It felt so long ago to me.

At school, Topy approached Cory and I.

"Why are all those guys talking to Shawn's girlfriend?" she asked us as we watched Jennifer talk to the crowd of boys.

"Well, Shawn and Jennifer broke up this morning," Cory answered.

Oh, yeah. Jennifer and Shawn dated.

My cousin and my ex-boyfriend dated.

Any other girl, I was okay with Shawn dating but he dated the girl who made my life miserable and even he admitted he didn't like her.

"Yes," I mutter quietly. "It's a good day today."

"Look at her. She's already on the prowl," Cory spoke.

"Well, how's Shawn taking it?" Topy asked.

"Are you kidding? Shawn is Shawn. You can't keep Shawn down," Cory stated.

I glance down at my sad friend. "Shawn, get up," I tell him.

"She dumped me. She dumped me good. And I didn't even see it coming..." Shawn said.

"Look what they done to my boy," Cory spoke, kneeling next to him. "I haven't seen you this upset since..." he glanced at me. "Since almost two months ago."

I knelt down next to Shawn. "Look, Shawn, if it's any consolation, I think you can do a lot better than my cousin," I state.

"You think so?" Shawn asked.

"Totally," I answer.

"Betty, you were better than your cousin," Cory told me causing me to hit his shoulder.

"Okay, so she's pretty. She's tall. She drives a new red convertible. Oh, heck, I'd go out with her," Topy stated.

"Not helping, Topy," I tell her.

"Okay. Okay. I didn't want to say this when you were going out with her, but if you ask me, Shawn, Jennifer Bassett is one stuck-up, conceited girl," Cory stated.

I sigh in happiness. "Thank you for bringing that up again. She so is," I say.

"Do you think so?" Shawn asked.

"Oh, yeah. Nose way up in the air, and, frankly, Shawn, I'm not so sure it's her real nose," Cory said causing me to laugh.

"You mean...?" Shawn asked.

"Plastic. Just like her personality," I explain. "So you're really not missing out on anything. So get up and be Shawn."

Shawn stood up. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Shawn walked over and approached Jennifer. "You know what I think, Jen? I think you're conceited." Jennifer gasped as Cory and I laughed. "Yeah, that's right. Conceited and stuck-up and...something about your nose."

Jennifer touched her nose. "What about my nose?"

"Um..." Shawn stuttered.

"Who said something about my nose?"

"Um..." Shawn glanced back at us causing me to look away.

I turn back to Jennifer smirking at Shawn. "So it was your friend, Cory, and my cousin who made you say these bad, bad things, hmm?"

"Like I'd ever tell you," Shawn replied until Jennifer kissed him which made me stare at the floor, clenching my fists. "Cory Matthews, son of Alan and Amy, grandson of Nana and Sam. Betty Cooper, daughter of Andrea Cooper."

"How could you sell out my Nana?" Cory questioned.

Jennifer glanced at me before turning back to Shawn. "You know, I've been thinking. Maybe there still could be something between us."

She grabbed him, bringing him closer to her and brushing his nose.

She's antagonizing me.

Wait, what do I care?

"I'd be willing to give it another try. Just as long as you're not mad at my friends," Shawn replied.

My fists clenched tighter until my knuckles began to turn white.

"No, Shawn. They're your best friends. How could I ever come between you and your best friends?" she said, walking with Shawn but not before hissing at Cory and I.

"Did you see that?" Cory questioned.

"Yeah, I saw that," Topy answered.

"Well, what do you think it means?"

"Nothing good for you or Betty."

"Your cousin scares me," Cory tells me but I was too angered to answer, I was trying to calm myself down.

"Betty?" Topy called.

I exhaled slowly, unclenching my hands, ignoring the searing pain I felt in my palms. "Yeah?" I ask calmly.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm great," I tell her.

***

Later, Cory and I went to Chubby's, we approached Shawn's booth.

"Shawn, hey," Cory greeted, sitting in the booth as did I. "Listen, I was just curious. What does it mean when a girl goes-" He mocked Jennifer's hiss.

"Cory, come on. She was just being playful," Shawn stated.

"Playful like a spider when it catches a fly and sucks out its head meat?" I ask.

"She was upset, you know?" Shawn defended. "I mean, after all of those terrible things you guys said about her."

"Shawn, we said them to you, to make our best friend feel better about being dumped," Cory stated.

"Not to mention, you said some pretty horrible things yourself when you first met her," I add.

"May I speak freely?" Cory asked.

"I don't think that's wise," Shawn told us, glancing behind us but I didn't pay attention and neither did Cory.

"Well, maybe I'm just not wise," Cory stated.

"And I'm going to speak either way," I add.

"But I think Jennifer, or should I say Zathrak the undead, is a stuck-up, manipulative, cold-blooded-"

"Monster who-" I caught onto Cory's pause, not even looking behind us. "Oh, crap."

"She's right behind me, anticipating my head meat, isn't she?" Cory asked.

"Hello, Cory. Cousin," I heard Jennifer say.

Cory raised his palm up. "All hail Zathrak."

"Shawn," Jennifer began, approaching Shawn. "You and I have been working so hard to make this relationship work," she looked at me while she spoke, "But there are some people who only want to tear us apart, so I don't think we should allow those negative presences in our lives."

My mouth comedically fell open. "Jennifer-"

"Do you?" she asked Shawn.

"Well, now, Jennifer, I'm not quite so sure I see it that way," Shawn replied.

Jennifer pushed Shawn down into the empty booth in front of us before practically making out with him.

I sucked in a deep gust of air as I clenched my fist.

I was the only person who ever kissed him like that.

He even told me that I gave him the best kiss of his life.

Cory wrapped an arm around me. "Betty, breathe," he told me, making me exhale.

"I'm fine," I state.

Cory covered my eyes anyway, not that I was complaining because now I was sick to my stomach.

I just leaned into his chest as he still covered my eyes.

"Wow! Suddenly everything is so clear," I heard Shawn say, probably still in the booth.

"Then you see my point?" I heard Jennifer reply.

"Yes. Yes. You're a really good debater."

As Cory had one hand covering my eyes, he rubbed soothing circles my back. "Think of happy thoughts," he told me.

"I'm at Disneyland," I kept muttering to myself.

They sat up for a moment causing Cory to remove his hands from over my eyes but I didn't move from him. "It's okay," he told me.

"Is it?" I ask. "She's supposed to be good to family, why is she this way to me?"

"I thought you didn't care about what Shawn did," Cory told me.

"I don't but she just can't interfere with my life, date my ex-boyfriend just to make me miserable." I took Cory's hand, placing it over my eyes again. "And it starts again."

"Remember Disneyland," Cory told me, rubbing my back.

"Betty, Cory, could you come here for a sec?" Shawn spoke suddenly.

Cory uncovered my eyes, pulling me out of the booth. "Oh. Maybe this is good news," he told us.

"I have a bad feeling about this," I reply.

***

It was closing time at Chubby's and Cory and I were still here because we were moping around since Shawn dumped us as friends.

That was like a knife to the heart.

"Get up, guys," Topy told us.

"He dumped me. He dumped me good," Cory told me.

"No, he dumped us," I muffle, hugging Cory tightly like he was my emotional support.

"And I thought, 'Oh. Maybe this is good news'," Cory added, squeezing me just as tight.

***

I was over at Cory's house, waiting for Cory to come downstairs when Eric was writing away on some paper.

"'Eric Matthews. Look at me. Look at me! A one-woman show'," I read.

"Oh, yeah. Man. See, for me, this would be 'man'," Eric replied, crossing a word out.

"Yeah. So you're writing a play?" I ask, sitting at the table.

"Yep."

"About you?"

"Yeah. You know," he said, handing me the script. "Can you tell me what you think?" I ask.

"Okay," I say, grasping the script and reading it over.

To be honest, it wasn't that good. But I'll tell you one thing. I wasn't going to be mean to the guy.

"It's great," I lie. "So who's going to see this?"

"My parents, Cory, Mr. Feeny..."

"Are you sure Cory or Mr. Feeny will care about this?" I ask.

"Oh, they'll care," he stated. "They'll care because I'm a human life. And when you look at my human life, there's all these amazing moments that just pop out. Landmark moments, that when you put them down on paper, they just explode right off the page."

"Aw," I say.

"Wake up, damn you," Eric told himself.

"Well, do you want me to help?" I ask, trying to distract myself.

"Not this time, blondie. This is my show, I have to do this on my own," he replied. "If I ever get it done."

"Oh," I say, slouching on the table.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"You don't want to know," I reply. "It's rough."

"Come on," he said, pushing the paper aside. "You can tell me."

"I don't want to talk about it," I say before I look at him. "But a kiss will make me feel better."

Eric shrugged. "Aw, what the heck?" he replied before pulling me close to him and pressing a long kiss to my cheek making me giggle. "Better?" he asked.

I nod, still smiling as Cory came downstairs. "Kind of."

"Hey, Cor," I greet as the phone rang to which Eric got up to answer it.

"Hey," he greeted back, taking Eric's seat. "Has he talked to you yet?" Cory asked, referring to Shawn.

I shake my head.

"Nope. No Dory or Detty here," Eric spoke over the phone.

"I think that's him now," I tell Cory.

"Eric, that's for me," Cory told Eric, getting up to answer the phone.
"Thanks. Shawn?"

I stopped listening after that, resting my head against Eric's shoulder as I read the rest of his script because if Shawn wanted to talk to me and would've told Cory to give me the phone.

Two minutes later, into their conversation, Cory spoke, "Betty, Dawn wants to talk to you."

That surprised me but I got up, grabbing the phone. "Thanks, Cor."

I guess Eric was eavesdropping on their conversation because he told Cory, "I want my own room."

I placed the phone next to my ear. "Shawn?"

"You're supposed to call me Dawn," he said in worry on the other line.

"Why, is Jennifer there?" I ask.

"Dennifer!" Shawn corrected. "No. She's at the mall."

"So why are we-" I began but stop with a sigh. "You know what? This is ridiculous. How can you let some girl, my cousin, tell you that you can't see your best friends? It's wrong and it hurts. Cory knows it and I know it." I pause when I don't hear him speak. "Shawn, are you still there?"

I heard him chuckle. "Yeah. I was just listening to the sound of your voice..." That made me smile, making my heart speed up. "And thinking about the old days."

The old days? That's what they're called now. The dating days?

"I gotta see you," I whisper.

"No. No. We both know that's impossible," Shawn replied.

"Because of her?" I ask. "You're really going to let her stand in the way of what we had?" I paused. "...Our friendship." I sigh. "Shawn, if you won't see me, then Cory and I will come right over there and see you."

"No! No! Don't come here," Shawn objected worriedly.

"We refuse to be ignored," I tell him.

"Okay, I'll see you, only you but just this once," he replied.

"That's all I'm asking for," I say.

"The library, tomorrow morning, 8:00."

"The library it is, then I'll step aside forever," I reply, fidgeting with the locket he gave me that I was still wearing.

I go to hang up the phone but I stopped, holding the phone to my ear one last time, hoping to hear him say anything like 'I love you' or...

I don't know but there was nothing so I hung up the phone with a heavy heart.

When I turn back to the dining room table, Eric was gone but Cory was still there.

"What did he say?" Cory asked.

"He wants to meet up at the library with me but...only me," I tell him, sitting beside him.

"Oh," Cory said with a hurt tone. "Okay."

I took my best friend's hand. "But I don't have to go if you want to. You can take my place instead."

"No, it's okay. You go, I'll get another chance to say goodbye," he told me.

"Cory, are you sure?" I ask.

"Yeah, you go, I'll get another chance to see him. Promise."

I hugged Cory, resting my head on his shoulder. "You're the best, Cor."

"But if I may," Cory spoke up, making me pull back from the hug. "I think you should tell Shawn how you still feel about him."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"That you still love him."

I sigh. "Cory, I...I don't."

"Betty, please. I know how you feel about Shawn because of the way you look at him. You're not over him and you should tell him that before he marries Jennifer and he becomes your cousin-in-law."

I gape. "You don't think that would happen, would it?"

"I think might she might force Shawn too," Cory replied. "Betty, just talk to him. See how he still feels about you."

I look at Cory. "You won't let this go, will you?"

"No, probably not," Cory answered.

"Fine, I'll talk to him about that...stuff. But no promises he feels the same way," I tell him.

But I was still insecure and was still unsure of what I wanted even after all this time.

I was more insecure now that he was with my beautiful cousin who could do no wrong in the family.

***

I was at the library at 7:40, waiting in a section of the library once the time turned to 8:00.

"Betty, this is ridiculous," Topy told me as we hid behind a book section.

I watched Jennifer come into the library talking with Shawn.

"It's not ridiculous because she's right there," I whisper.

"Regardless, you should see your best friend without sneaking around," she stated.

I look at Topy. "I see you without sneaking around. Is that good enough?" I ask.

"Betty, you know what I mean," she replied.

"I can't. If I walked right up to Shawn with her looking, she'd end me. Know why? Because she hates my guts and she's stronger than me," I reply, looking back to Shawn and Jennifer who were still talking before he pushed the Cinnabon to her. "He gave her my Cinnabon," I say. "Topy, if you would please..."

She nodded. "Stay here," she told me before approaching. "Hi, Shawn."

"Oh, Topanga," Shawn said in surprise before he motioned to Jennifer. "Do you know-"

"Hi," both Jennifer and Topy said.

"Look, I just came from the classics section," Topy told him. "You know, classics. Old favorites? There's something there you might be interested in."

Shawn stood up, catching on. "Oh, okay, thank you, Topanga. Just going to go check out that book, then."

He walked over to the classics section where I was standing. "Shawn," I whisper.

"Betty. Is that you?" Shawn questioned.

I smiled. "No. It's the audiobook section," I sass. He pulled back a stack of books taller than me. "I'm not that tall," I tell him.

"Sorry," he told me before he pulled out some books that reached my height.

"Hey, Prince Charming," I greet from the other side of the shelf with a smile. It's been a good while since I've called him that. "I was kind of hoping you'd come alone."

"Yeah, I tried, but you-know-who wouldn't hear of it," Shawn replied. "I think she suspects."

"Hey," I say, placing my hand softly over his though the small gape on tree shelf below. "I understand that she's important to you. I won't get why but that's none of my business."

Shawn grasped my hand tighter, interlocking our fingers. "We both knew this would happen eventually."

"Getting older," I added.

"Meeting new people," Shawn said although I haven't been with anyone else for two and a half months while Shawn has been dating a lot of blond girls lately.

Blond? Don't know why?

"Having relationships with those new people," I say with a sigh.

"Which means there's less time for..."

"Best friends," we both say simultaneously.

"It's only natural," Shawn replied.

"Sure. Natural," I huff but smile. "But that Cinnabon was for me, wasn't it?"

Shawn chuckled. "Betty."

"You know me too dang well," I giggle quietly. "We gotta meet. All of us, Cory, you and me."

"But where?" Shawn asked.

"Paris," I thought although that was a bad idea because I was mostly broke.

"That's the first place she'd look," Shawn replied.

"Well, if not Paris, then where?" I ask.

"Someplace no woman like Jennifer would ever look," he stated.

"Okay, I'll figure it out," I tell him. "It might take some time but..."

"Betty, we don't have a lot of time," he said.

"Okay, you're right," I tell him. "We're just going to have to find stolen time to sneak off and to only talk..."

"That's no life," Shawn said.

"It's all we have left," I reply.

"Shawn," Jennifer called.

I detached my hand from his as Jennifer approached, backing away from the shelf as Shawn placed tree books back. "You've been over here an awfully long time." She paused. "Is she here?"

Shawn nervously laughed. "She? I have no idea of any he of whom you speak. Run," he said in a random sentence until I realized he was saying the last part to me.

I practically dropped to the floor as Jennifer looked in every gape to see...nothing because I was staying real low.

"See? I, uh, told you she wasn't there," Shawn replied.

"Fine," she stated. "Walk me to French class?" She said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, you seem so tense. I'll sit behind you and rub your shoulders?"

"Yeah. I'd like that," he muttered as she and Jennifer walked away.

I sighed sadly as Topy walked back towards me. "I used to sit behind him and rub his shoulders."

"Come on, Betts," she told me, grabbing my hands.

"I don't wanna," I said but she shocked me by forcefully pulling to my feet and wrapping my arms around her, almost as if she were trying to give me a piggy-back ride but I was getting dragged. "Does this mean I have to go to class?" I ask.

"Yes, Betty," she replied in a motherly-tone.

***

Later Cory and I were prepping dinner at his house. I was cutting vegetables and he was pulling beef brochettes out of the oven.

"Company, huh?" Mr. Matthews asked, coming downstairs.

"It's adorable. They've been at it all afternoon," Mrs. Matthews added. "Honey, do you need some help?"

"No, thank you, Mrs. Matthews," I answer.

"Mom, I said dinner was at 6:30 sharp. Here it is 7:02 and nowhere to be seen," Cory said in frustration.

"Calm down, it's okay," I tell him.

Topy came through the door causing Mr. Matthews to say, "There she is. Everything's okay."

"Topanga, you have no idea how much he loves you," Mrs. Matthews told her.

"And she has a great best friend," I add.

"We'll just get out of your way," Mr. Matthews told us, backing away with Mrs. Matthews.

"Sorry I'm late, but the pie took forever, and I wanted it to be perfect for your guys' big dinner tonight," Topy said.

"It looks perfect," I say, placing the pie down for her.

"Thanks, but I'm afraid we've both wasted our time," Cory told her.

"He'll show up," Topy told him.

"Yeah. He'll show up. In the meantime, I'll just stick my beef brochettes back in the oven until they're ruined!"

I hugged Cory from behind. "Cor, come on. Have a little faith. I want him here too."

"Look, Cory, I've got to go to dinner with my parents, and you have got to lighten up, mister," Topy told him as the phone rang. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

"Oh, let him worry for a change," Cory replied.

I looked at the phone as it continued to ring, "Oh, who am I kidding?" I say before walking over and answering, "Hello?"

"It's me," Shawn said on the other line. I motion for Cory to stand by the phone with me, the phone was in between us as we listened to Shawn. "Look, uh..."

"You're not coming," Cory stated.

"I just can't make it tonight, man."

"I see."

"Is that okay?" Shawn asked.

"Well, if you're asking me am I hurt, no, I'm not hurt."

"It's just that Jennifer invited me to her country club."

"And you couldn't very well tell her you're having dinner with us?" I ask him.

"Betty, she found my box of Cinnabon receipts," Shawn said.

My eyes widen. "I told you to burn those."

"I couldn't, and now she won't let me out of her sight," Shawn replied.

"Shawn, our court's open," I heard Jennifer call from a distance.

"Look, I gotta go. I'm sorry," Shawn told us.

"I'm sorry, too," I say.

"Me too but I'm not hurt," Cory stated.

I was about to hang up the phone but I stopped, holding the phone to my ear one last time like before, hoping to hear him say anything.

I don't know but there was nothing so I hung up the phone with a heavy heart once again.

"He doesn't even like tennis," Cory stated while I sat down at the dining room table.

"Betty, Cory, look at yourselves. You're wrecks," Topy stated.

"I'm fine, Topy, I'm just perfect," I reply dryly, dropping my head onto the cold surface of the table.

"Don't you see, Topanga? Shawn doesn't need us anymore," Cory said, making frown as he picked my head up off the table, pulling me into a side-hug, holding onto him like he was my emotional support.

"He's got Jennifer now," I mumble.

"Look, Cory, when you and I first started going out, I never kept you from seeing Shawn because I understand that there's something about a best friend that no one can replace," Topy stated.

"You understood that?" Cory asked.

"Of course," she replied. "Betty, you understood too, right? That's why you never kept Shawn away from Cory too when you guys dated?"

I nod. "Of course understood that. I'm glad you do too?"

"Why would I spend the entire day baking a pie that I know I'm never going to eat?" Topy asked to reassure Cory she understood.

"Because you're a sweet girl," Cory tells her.

"And Shawn deserves a sweet girl, too. A girl who understands that a best friend is part of who you are. And if she doesn't accept your best friend, then she's really not accepting you," Topy stated.

"Shawn had a sweet girl and she still loves him," I admit.

"Betty, you have to tell Shawn something," Cory stated.

I nod, now sure this time as I detach from Cory. "Yeah. Okay. So what do you think I should do?" I ask.

"I think you should forget about dinner here, Cory will clean up the kitchen, and, in about an hour, go have dinner at Chubby's," Topy directed.

"But I wanna go," Cory said.

"Why?" I ask.

"In about an hour," was all she told me.

***

I stood in the corner, finally glancing towards the entryway as Shawn entered Chubby's.

"Cory? You, uh, wanted to see me again?" Shawn asked.

"No. Actually, there's somebody else who wanted to see you," Cory answered which caused me to step out in front of Shawn.

"Hi," I greet with a small smile.

Shawn smiled back. "Hey."

"Well, I know you two don't get to see each other very often anymore, so I'll just wait outside," Cory stated slowly before exiting. "Unless I'm needed..."

"Cory, we'll just be a minute," I tell him.

"Okay," he said, defeatedly.

"That's some friend we have," Shawn told me.

"I've always thought so," I admit before glancing back at the pool table. "So, shoot some pool?"

"I'll rack," Shawn answered.

"I'll break," I stated, doing so as I grabbed my own pool stick, putting chalk at the top. "You know, Shawn, we used to be able to play a game of pool without the specter of...evil my cousin hanging over us. Not that I'm saying your girlfriend's evil or anything."

"No. No, of course not," Shawn stated, placing the small triangle to the side as all balls were racked.

I place the chalk down before scratching at my nose anxiously, saying, "Look, if you're going out with her, then there's gotta be something real nice about her that haven't seen...all my life." I stood in front of Shawn. "I mean, all I want is for you to be happy."

Shawn chuckled as he looked at me. "Thanks, Betts, but it's so hard to take you seriously with chalk on your nose."

"Oh," I say, brushing my nose. "Did I get it?"

"Nah. Here, let me." Shawn cupped my face with both of his hands and brushed the chalk away with his thumb before giving my nose a small honk which made me giggle but push his fingers away.

"I really missed you, Shawny," I tell him honestly, instinctively leaning into his touch because his hands were still cupping my face.

"Me too," Shawn admitted, taking a step closer to me, his eyes flickering to my lips then to my eyes as I felt my heart speed up in anxiousness. "So much..."

I don't know what happened next but Shawn leaned closer to me and so was I, about to connect our lips together for the first time since we've broken up. His lips barely brushed mine...

"Shawn!" someone called, loudly, making the both of us jump apart from one another. It was Jennifer who was being followed by Cory. "How could you do this to me?"

"No. No, no, no. This isn't Betty," Shawn tried to lie. "This is cake. Well, obviously, it's not cake, the kind of cake you're used to, but I can explain."

"Shawny," I call.

"No. No, no. I can't. How did you know I was here?"

"I got an anonymous tip on my cell phone," Jennifer admitted.

"But from who?" I question. "I mean, the only one who knew we were here is Cory and..." I pause. "Oh! Topanga."

Topy entered back. "Yes. It was I who made the call," she spoke.

"But why?" Cory asked.

"It's time she knew. That's right, Jennifer. The Golden Trio have kept their relationship alive, despite your evil attempt to keep them apart." I glanced at Shawn before looking back at Topy. "Because, in the end, Jennifer, true friendship is stronger than the allure of a cheap kiss." She got in Jennifer's face, looking up. "Hey! I'm talking to you up there!"

Jennifer turned to Shawn. "So, even though you swore you wouldn't, you've been sneaking behind my back to see your friends."

This psycho bitch.

"Yeah, I have," Shawn admits.

"Look, I don't have time for this," Jennifer said, stepping closer to Shawn. "I'm giving you an ultimatum. It's her..." She grabbed him and kissed him, making me look away at the ground in sadness. "Or it's me."

Shawn turned to me now. "Okay, what do you got?"

He doesn't love me anymore. I know that now.

"I can't top that," I tell him. "But I'll support you unconditionally and if you need me, ever, you know where to find me." I look up at my cousin. "You win again, Jennifer."

I began to walk out but Shawn stop me. "Wait, wait, wait. Hold on." Shawn turned back to Jennifer. "Look, Cory's my friend, okay? And so is Betty. And Topanga. Now, if you can't be friends with my friends, then I'm not so sure I want to be friends with you."

"Consider yourself dumped, Shawn," Jennifer told him but he only looked at me, ignoring her as if she wasn't there. "Did you hear me? I said you're dumped."

Shawn looked back at her. "It doesn't bother me this time, Jennifer, because this time I realize I'm getting more than I'm losing. And..."

"What is it?" Topy asked.

He looked at me. "I love you, Betty."

Shock took over my expression as Cory gasped dramatically. "You already knew that," Topy reminded him.

"Oh, yeah," Cory said.

Shawn continued, "I never stopped before and I won't stop now no matter how many times you dump me."

"She's just wasting your time, Shawn. Eventually, you'll be wanting to be done with her and want me back."

"No, I don't think so," I spoke to her, crossing my arms. "Because while you may be richer than I am, more popular than me, I'm the better person because I don't break up a group of friends for my own selfishness or even...at all. At least I know you can't replace a best friend with a girlfriend, you..." I pause. "I'm not even going to insult you. I refuse to stoop to your level of being that low."

Jennifer scoffed in anger. "Well, I hope you'll be very happy together."

She stomped out of Chubby's causing Topy to say, "I guess you guys want to talk so I'll give you a minute."

She walked out as well with Cory, leaving both Shawn and I.

"Did you actually mean what you said, Shawn?" I ask.

"Yeah, I did," he answered. "Even though we were broken up, I just couldn't get over you. You're the only girl in my life I could never move on from. I love you more than anything. I mean, I even dated more girls with blond hair and green eyes than I ever have. And I'm sorry if I'm ruining our friendship more but-"

I walked up to him, grabbing his face and bringing our lips together. He kissed me back, wrapping his arms around my middle, pulling me closer to him.

After a moment, I pulled back, smiling at him. "I love you," I tell him.

"But what about everything you said. Figuring out what you want-"

"I know what I want, Shawn," I tell him. "You. I want to be with you through everything we go through, we might have a few bumps in the road but I'll always want to be with you through everything."

Shawn smiled. "That was the best kiss of my life, " he told me, making me giggle. "So can I kiss you again?" Shawn asked.

I chuckled. "Nothing would make me happier."

***

You all lived!

These two were only broken up for 3 and a half chapters (2 months in their time and 4 days in ours) and got back together.

You're welcome. The best couple ever is alive once more and Betty finally stood up for Jennifer.

But can we take a moment to appreciate the supportive friendship Betty and Cory have because they were so underrated.

Sorry to the low-key Eric and Betty shippers but it's not gonna happen for a while but they'll still have a good relationship.