[Shawn]

"Why are you walking to school today?" I ask catching up with her.

"Because it's really nice outside. Don't you like it?" She smiles as her hair blows through the wind.

"Yeah" I chuckle. "You look really nice today"

To be honest, she looked better than nice, but she told me that she just wanted to be friends. If I wasn't such a coward, I would've just told her how I felt up front. But I respect her choices, and I don't want to push her.

If being friends with her again is as close as I could get, then maybe it's not that bad.

"Thanks" is all she says.

I know that before she struggled with accepting herself. I don't know if that's changed at all but, I'd at least like her to feel beautiful.

"Is something wrong?" I ask after moments of silence.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm just really tired. I didn't really get much sleep last night" she chuckled. I can see that she clenches a to-go coffee mug in her hands.

"Oh okay"

--

"So how was your date with Mel?" Ethan asked, while munching in his tuna sandwich.

"Dude your sandwich reeks! And you wonder why no girl wants to hang with you" Brandon scrunched his nose.

"Hey I hang out with the female race!"

"Right. I mean look at you! You don't have any muscles" Zach paused pulling up his shirt. "See I'm like a Greek God. Girls don't go for scrawny nerds" zach chuckles.

"Hey come on guys! Ethan just hasn't had his growth spirt" I shrug.

"It's senior year. If he hasn't got one by now...then you might as well kiss your chances at scoring a girl goodbye" Zach ruffles Ethan's hair.

"Oh get off of me!" He pushes Zach off of him, adjusting his glasses. "Anyway enough about my girl problems, so how was your date with Melanie?"

"It wasn't a date." I sigh. "She said she just wanted to be friends with me"

"Friends with benefits?" Zach wiggles his eyebrows.

"No Zach. Friends. Just friends okay? She shot me down before I had the chance" I bite my lip. "But I respect her choice. Maybe I wasn't good enough for her"

"Friends shemends. Come on Shawn! She totally digs you! She just hasn't accepted it yet. Just ask her out again" Zach crushes his milk carton in his hand and throws it straight into the trash can, causing a lot of girls to stare in awe.

"Look Zach. I respect her. I'm not gonna push it"

"You are literally the most depressing guy I've met" Brandon shakes his head.

"Yeah since when have guys ever respected a woman's feelings? We keep pushing till we get what we want" Ethan nods.

"I'm not like you guys! I don't expect you to understand because none of you have actually fallen in love" I pick up my lunch tray and leave the table.

Suddenly I'm not feeling hungry.

{Melanie}

Luckily today I haven't seen Savannah and her crew. What Shawn said to me this morning had my spirits up and I'm glad she isn't here to ruin it.

I check myself once again in the mirror in the girls bathroom.

I sigh and leave with Savannah's toxic thoughts still roaming my head.

"Hey" I hear from behind me.

It's Shawn.

"I didn't know you had this lunch period" he smiles.

"I don't" I sigh. "Just skipping, I guess.." I trail off.

"Oh." He chuckles. "I'm ditching too. Maybe we can hangout?"

"Sure" I pause as he joins my side as we walk down the hall. "What's up?"

I could obviously tell something was up with him. Hopefully I can get it out of him.

"It's nothing, I didn't get much sleep either last night" he sighs.

"You know you can tell me what's actually going on right?" I see right through his lie.

"Ugh okay" he pauses. "I got into a fight with some of my friends over this girl and that's why I left lunch" he says.

"Do you all like her or something?" I question.

"No no no. I like her" he gushes.

"Is it Savannah?"

Not that I care who he dates or likes for that matter. I just don't want him liking someone like her.

"No" he says to my relief. "I'd rather not talk about it though"

"Oh okay" I nod.

This was the usual Shawn.

During that lunch period it felt like we were finally back to the way we used to be, and I couldn't be happier.

//

-ily xx