Shawn's P.O.V.

I lied down on my couch as I waited for Maya to arrive as she was supposed to help me babysit Chloe and have a stayover.

I swiped around the photos in my gallery, looking at all the idiotic and funny pictures Maya had clicked with me. Half of the gallery was filled with similar pictures as she had some sick obsession with the puppy filter on Snapchat, and she would always drag me with her. My mind hopped around the nostalgic memories as I remember the first day of my school.

It wasn't any coincidence that Maya was chosen to be in charge of me. I personally asked my father to request the director to make her in charge of me. As I think about it now, it wasn't a coincidence either that my father just asked Maya for the direction to the office among the clusters of students walking around the corridor at that instant. I pointed him to her telling him to ask her for it. Though he shot me confused glares but did it anyway.

One might think after hearing this that I was some kind of a creep or I had love at first sight. But I didn't believe in love at first sight. It was utterly, completely bullshit.

I wasn't sure why but what attracted me the most when I laid my eyes upon her was that I saw the reflection of my mom in her. She meant the world to me. I wasn't that expressive when it came to emotions and feelings, but she was the most important thing in my life. After she was gone, I felt a part of me gone too. I wasn't the same anymore.

Losing someone close is a very loathing pain but losing a part of you with that someone is a kind of pain on a whole different level. 

I never felt peace again after the day I lost her. I kept myself busy with all the hustle, so I did not have the time to miss her. But it was exhausting. Physically and mentally.

The toxicity increased on a peak that I was an inch closer to hitting my dad and Chloe. Although I never did, I still felt the guilt that would feed on my soul everyday. We couldn't continue living there. We had to leave. We had to leave the place that my mom spent years building into a home, where she took her last happy breaths. I thought I'll never find that part of peace ever again.

The moment I stepped inside the school premises, I instantly hated it. I despised all the nasty longing looks shot on me by the girls as I made my way inside the school building. Not that I hated the attention. Actually, on the contrary, I loved having attention from the girls and the jealous glares from the guys. But I wasn't in the mood for teen high school dramas at that moment.

My eyes wandered and then lingered upon a girl who stood by the pillars of the building, watching and taking in the scenery quietly, all alone. I didn't know how that was possible but I saw my mom's reflection in her. She always used to tell me that she had been an introvert all her life. She would visit places that nobody had a hint about, quietly stand in a corner and enjoy and appreciate the little things in nature instead of joining in all the hustle and bustle of other students and hear them whining about how their boyfriends or girlfriends were swooning over another person or how their dresses look ugly on them. I felt a sudden urge to know her that I had never felt in my entire life and that made me even more curious as to know why.

“SHAWNIE!” Chloe called as I snapped out of my thoughts.

“Uh... Yeah. Yes, Chloe?”

“I've been calling you for three hours!” She complained as she pouted her lips.

Yeah. She had a habit of calling minutes into hours. Don't ask me why.

“What is it, Chloe?” I asked as I sat back up.

“When is Maya coming here? I want to play with her. It's already 5 p.m!” She voice pitched high as she rubbed her palms on my cheeks.

She loved caressing and stroking her palms on people's cheeks saying that by doing it, she transferred all her love inside their bodies.

She could be so cute sometimes that I feel like keeping her inside the house and never let any boy take her cuteness and innocence. Not that I'll ever let it happen. She wasn't getting any boyfriend before 30!

“She's probably on her way. She can reach here anytime. Until then, you bring out all the toys here in the living room.” I suggested.

“Good idea, Shawnie!” She planted a kiss on my cheeks and ran off to her bedroom.

Moments later, the doorbell rang and I immediately jumped out of the couch and opened the door.

“You won't believe what just happened!” Maya squealed as she barged into the living room and hopped on the couch.

“Well, hello to you too.” I greeted mockingly. 

“Cut the crap. Sit here now. You're not gonna believe it!” Maya squealed again, patting the velvety material of the couch.

I, instead, walked into the kitchen to make something for the three of us while I could feel her showering daggers on my back. I turned my head, signaling her to start talking as she narrowed her eyes on me but started talking anyway.

“You're never gonna believe who came to me this morning!” She started, and she folded her legs up on the couch.

“Who?” I asked simply, searching for flour to make pancakes.

“Mason!” She told.

I raised my eyebrow, my back facing towards her as that way she can't figure my expression as I recalled the episode.

*Flashback*

The day Maya told me about Olivia and Mason.

I waved her goodbye as she left my place after we baked a handful of cookies. Chloe loved her and started asking me when she was returning already.

I looked over at the wall clock and realized that I soon had to go for football practice. It can be a little too much sometimes but anyhow, I loved it.

I snatched my cell phone from the couch and dialed Noelle's number. She was Chloe's permanent babysitter and lived two houses away. She picked up the call and I asked her to babysit Chloe, and she agreed, saying that she will be here in a few minutes.

“Chloe, I called Noelle. She will be here any minute. I'm going to my football practice. Be a good girl till then.” I called out to her.

“Okay, Shawnie.” She yelled and with that, I took off from the house.

It was a ten-minute walk to the ground. I usually reach thirty minutes earlier for some stretching. Not that it mattered before, but now it did as Mason too used to come early, joining me with the warm-ups. And as always, he was here before time and flashed me a small smile yanking his head up softly and turned on to his warm-ups.

I felt a sudden urge to punch his face as an immediate rage crushed into me and I strode towards him and before he could have his time to react, my fist collided into his jaws taking him aback and landing straight onto the ground.

He shot me a furious yet confused glare as I stretched my hand forward to pull him up, and he took it.

“What the fuck, man? What was that for?” He growled as he inspected whether his nose was bleeding or not. Gladly, it was.

“That was for being a complete dick to Maya.” I replied, stretching my arms and taking a step forward.

“What are you talking about man?” He huffed, unable to understand what this was about.

“Maya told me about you guys. How great friends you guys were once upon a time and then how you guys turned your backs on her and made sure to make her life in this high school a living hell.” I spat.

His expression immediately shifted from resentment to guilt. He dropped his head down and stood like a dummy for a complete five minutes before I took the initiation.

“What you did to her...” I began, stepping forward and subtracting the distance between us, “Was worse than what Olivia did to her. You let Olivia do all the wicked things to her and in the end, you chose her over Maya. How could you do that with someone as amazing as her?” I hissed and turned back to walk away.

“She is.” He mumbled softly, his head still hung low.

I turned back with a cocked eyebrow and a confused expression.

“There isn't a single day when I don't regret the things I did. The guilt eats me up once in a while but I can't do anything about it because Olivia gets furious every time I bring out that topic. Maya and I were friends since the freshman year before Maya brought Olivia to our group. I lost count of how many times I've admitted to Olivia about my remorse and that I wanted to at least apologize to her, but she would threaten me not to, or she would leave me and I couldn't do anything about it.”

I shook my head in disbelief. Was he really serious? 

“That just showed what your friendship with Maya meant to you. If you can't say a simple one-word 'sorry' only because Miss Olivia will break up with you then it just shows how insecure Olivia is and how pathetic you are for letting that hold you back. I won't waste any more of my time on you. And frankly, she is better off without you guys.” I said and started to walk off.

“But if your friendship with her ever meant something to you, at least give her a heartfelt apology. She deserves that, to say the least.”

“I'll see what I can do. And Shawn...” He trailed off before resuming, “I'm happy you're friends with her. Don't leave her like us.” He said in a remorseful voice.

“I don't plan to.” I replied, walking off.

***

“What did he say?” I asked in my most surprised tone, flipping the pancakes.

“He came to my house, and I was shocked. Heck, the word shock will be an understatement. He then took me to a park. He was hesitant at first but then started with the small talks.” She got up from the couch and made her way to the kitchen counter and took a seat, her elbows resting on the counter, and her chin on her palms.

“I asked him to cut the small talks and get to the point. What came out of his mouth was nothing I expected. He said he was really sorry for what he did to me. He told me an incident that happened a few weeks ago woke his conscience, and he finally gathered the courage to show up at my doorstep.”

“Hmm... I wonder what that might be.” I fabricated with a nonchalant tone.

“Me too.” She admitted, her voice trailing off.

“And how do you feel about it?” I asked, trying to suppress my curiosity.

She didn't respond.

“I meant how do you feel now when he finally apologized?”

“Um... Good?” It sounded more like a question.

“I don't know how I should feel about it. Should I be happy that he finally apologized or should I be angry he didn't do it when he was supposed to? I finally felt a relief when he was apologizing but at the same time, I felt my blood boil remembering everything they did to me. But then, there is a difference between me and them. I don't hold grudges. What's the point? Life is too short to be resentful. I believe in Karma and I'm pretty sure it was Karma that hit him. So I forgive him.”

“That's good to hear. You know-”

Our conversation was interrupted by the sudden ring of the doorbell.

“Are they here?” She jumped out of her seat in excitement. I nodded, and she stormed off to the door to welcome them.

The squad gathered in, being goofy and weird as always, and scattered around the house. Maya, Lexi, and Maddie started gawking something on Lexi's phone, and the boys moved towards the kitchen and gave me a side hug.

Did I mention that these four people left Brooklyn and shifted to Manhattan just for me? That's exactly why I call them Family.

“Dude, did you keep some for me?” Andy inquired as he examined the batter frying on the pan.

“Yeah. I made plenty of them.” I told as I tossed the last piece of the pancake into the plate.

I served everyone with their pancakes except for Maya and mine.

“Shawn!” Maya whined from the living room.

“Coming right up.” I responded as I served the pancakes in a white crockery plate with strawberries on the top stuffed with whipped cream, just the way she liked it.

I approached her, walking as graciously as I could, and her impatience was evident on her face. How I loved to test her patience in moments like this.

“Here you go.” I set the plate on the table and scooted near David.

“Dude you never made something like that for us. The strawberries, the whipped cream.” Andy whined that invoked the attention of others, and they all peeked at her plate at the same time.

“Yeah, Shawn. You never did something like this for us.” Lexi witted and Maddie giggled under her breath.

I looked over at Maya, and she sure seemed a bit awkward.

Sometimes, I want to slaughter all my friends.

“You guys ne-” 

“Shawnie always makes Maya pancakes like this because she told us once that she likes it.” Chloe intruded in saving me from the awkward conversation. That's my sister. I thought to myself.

“Uh yeah.” Maya stated.

“Anybody wants to play Jenga with Chloe?” I asked, immediately standing up from my seat and headed upstairs to bring it, not bothering to wait for their answers and stormed up.

I am not having this conversation with them. Not right now.
                                    ~

“Shoot!” David groaned after losing for the gazillionth time. “This game is a conspiracy.” 

“If you don't win, that doesn't mean the game is a fraud.” Andy mocked, shoving a weak punch into his ribs.

“I'm tired. Shawn I'm going to sleep. Could you lend some of your clothes?” Maya asked while rubbing her eyes.

“Sure. Come with me.” I led her to my room and handed over my black hoodie and gray sweatpants to her.

“Could you please...” She motioned towards the door.

I, as dumb as I could be, followed the direction and realized, “Right. Yeah. Okay. Oh okay, I'm standing out.” I sheepishly walked out flinching my face. Dammit. 

I patiently waited outside the door waiting for her to change and heard  “I'm done” from the other side of the door. I was about to twist the doorknob when my phone rang with a call. I withdrew my hand from the knob and walked towards the balcony led by the hallways. It was an unknown number, so I answered the call and before I had the opportunity to say hello, my coach began chattering about extra practices tomorrow.

After attending the call for twenty minutes about how we should be determined to bring the championship trophy to our school this year, I made my way to my room to check up on Maya.

I slowly entered the room, making sure not to give rise to any kind of noise, and walked towards the bed. Maya had already dozed off, her blanket half lying on the ground. A small smile spread across my face as I shook my head and bowed down on the floor and tucked her in, pulling the blanket up to her chin. I stroked the strand of hair that covered her face behind her ear and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. 

“You're really a piece of work Tinkerbell.” I whispered into her ears as I failed to wipe off the stupid grin on my face.

David entered the room, probably to call me but halted on his way. 

I stood up on my feet and exited the room, followed by David. I looked around at the house to hold on my sight at something to avoid looking at David's mischievous gaze.

“You like her, don't you?” I glared at him, awed by his straightforwardness but had to answer anyway.

“She's nothing like I've met before. I don't exactly know what but something about her is just so... intriguing. She loves her own company and prefers to be a lone wolf but deep down, I know she wants to be surrounded by people she loves who love her back. There is just something about her.”

“You like her?” He repeated as if he didn't listen to what I just said.

I heaved a sigh of defeat.

I turned my gaze towards the half-opened door and peeked inside to see that heavenly face.

“I do.” I admitted. More to myself.

I lied.

This wasn't just a small crush that might get over in a few months. This wasn't just liking. This was so much more than that. And I was yet to find out.

Hey guys! I hope you're all doing good. I can't believe it's already October and I haven't studied a single chapter (╥_╥)
Only God can save me now!
Comment down did you like this chapter? I hope Shawn's thoughts and feelings are a little clear now. But... This isn't the last P.O.V. of Shawn so worry not ;)
Comment down your thoughts.

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I'll see you guys soon.
Stay tuned♡.

~Loveya~( ˘ ³˘)♥