Chapter 13

The video had 11,000 views in four days.

Jean had spent most of her energy trying to report the video to different social media sites, but nothing was being done. People she barely knew were tagging her. She was getting friend requests from very shady looking people. The comments were the worst. They were almost worse than the video itself.

Some people were defending Jean and were reprimanding the people for filming. This made Jean feel better. However, there were also the people who judged her- from her actions to her character; her physical appearance to her clothing. Then there were the genuinely creepy comments that made her stomach sick at the sexual suggestions. She couldn't take it anymore.

Jean ended up deleting her social media pages to try to forget about the entire thing. She convinced herself that without anything to be traced to, people wouldn't recognize her in public. It was dark in the video, and even though there was a segment where they zoomed in closer on her face, she prayed that nobody would be paying enough attention to recognize her.

She wondered if Shawn was being harassed as much as she was. She doubted it; it was mostly his profile in the video and the back of his head as he's walking out of the building and out of the shot. Plus, like everyone said, and the reason the video was popular, he moved so quickly it took you by surprise.

He was the cool hero, she was the drunk slob. He basically had a fan base going at this point. Jean tried to remind herself that this would blow over, and things would settle down soon, but it seemed to be worse in the town. The majority of people who shared the video started the comments. Nobody cared about her before, but all of a sudden since they had an algebra class together in 9th grade, it was worth talking about.

She knew it was getting out of hand when she saw Brooke in the hallway.

"Hey, superstar," she said as she dug her key into her apartment lock. She looked over her shoulder at Jean with a devious look on her face. Her stomach sank as she already knew what she was referring to.

"Did you see the video?" Jean asked, worried.

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "Who in Bellevue hasn't seen it?"

Jean bit her lip and looked down to the ground. She's only been back to work since the video had been released, and at that point nobody had seen it yet. Now it seems like everyone knew. She wondered if her customers would mention it. What would they think of her?

"The guys at work are the ones who showed me. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was you. They want to meet you, you're a celebrity."

The thought of men who were regulars at a place like that watching the video of her made her sick. There was nothing she could do about it, no taking it back.

Brooke must have noticed the grimace on her face because she smirked at her.

"Are you my friend, Jean?"

Jean was taken aback by the question.

"Of course."

"Then you'll quit judging me and my place of employment and come visit." Brooke smiled at her teasingly.

Jean felt her face to white. Go to a strip club? She barely made it out of a college bar alive.

"Please Jean, I want you to see that it's not as bad as you think."

Jean swallowed hard. "Brooke, I don't know..."

"Think about it," she said, winking at Jean and walking into her apartment.

Why was she asking her again? Did she think Jean was loose and letting go of her previous morals because she had one terrible night that just happened to be recorded for the world to see?

****

Shawn knew that when a student brought up the video to him that he was in trouble. 

"Was that you?" the outgoing freshman boy asked. "It was you. Who was that girl? Your wife?"

The next hour when the kids were transitioning, he saw a couple of girls whispering outside his door and peeking in. When he glanced up, they scattered. They weren't students of his.

Shawn knew he needed to clear his name and bring some understanding to the situation. If it was already this popular, he couldn't imagine what couple more days would entail. He wondered how Jean was doing...

Shawn walked into the principal's office during this planning period that morning.

"Mr. Lewis," Kelly Garver said, looking up from her computer and turning in her chair to face Shawn. "What can I do for you?"

Shawn took a seat across from her and clasped his hands together.

"I've seemed to have caused quite the commotion among the students," Shawn said. "I'm not sure if you've heard?"

"Have the young girl's tried asking you to prom again?" Kelly said with a smirk.

Shawn laughed and put his head in his hands. "No, thankfully not. There was something that happened over the weekend."

Kelly's face grew more concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Shawn nodded. "There was an incident in a public place with an acquaintance of mine. I was not with her, but she was causing quite the scene and was intoxicated." And probably drugged, but Shawn didn't feel it necessary to add that part. "Anyways, people were recording on their phones and nobody stepped up to help her. I quickly escorted her from the bar and took her home. The video however, has gotten lots of attention."

Kelly's eyebrows were rose in sympathy. "Were you also intoxicated in the video?"

"No ma'am."

Kelly nodded her head, processing what Shawn had just told her. "Could you show me the video?"

Shawn felt his heart drop in his chest, but knew that he couldn't say no. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He found it in a message someone had sent him.

Shawn didn't know where to look when his boss's eyes were glued on his phone. At this point, he knew exactly at what sound cue he would make his appearance. Then the audio erupted and he saw Kelly raise her eyebrows.

"That's definitely escorting her out," Kelly said, the corner of her mouth turning up into a smile as she handed his phone back. "I can see how that might be gaining you lots of attention."

Shawn nodded.

"Now, as you know, teachers are held to a bit of a higher standard. Had you been the one thrown over someone's shoulder, we would have a very big problem."

Shawn looked to meet her eyes. "Of course."

"Now, you've been here three years and I've only heard wonderful things about from both the faculty and the students here. I know you're professional, and I know you would never do anything to jeopardize your position. I appreciate you approaching me with this right away."

Shawn waited for her to continue.

"I would suggest just addressing it to your classes. Be honest with them, tell them the truth, that way no assumptions can be made. If this video is as popular as you said, you might want to send out a staff email also explaining what happened so other teachers know how to address it. Also, that way we have documented proof of your statement, should any parents later question it."

Shawn took a deep breath through his nose. He hoped nothing would be blown out of proportion. Tyler would surely get a kick out of the staff email.

"Maybe this can be a teachable moment for all of us," Kelly said, shrugging her shoulders. "Dangers of over drinking. That young lady is lucky you were there."

Shawn wondered. Would the video have gotten as popular had he not intervened? Probably not. It was definitely the highlight. He wasn't even planning on picking her up like that when he walked up to her. It just kinda happened. She felt weightless in that moment. He just hoped he hadn't completely ruined her life.

He needed to see if she was okay.

***

Jean was waiting for the last customer to leave the dining room. She had to mop the floors tonight, but Terry wouldn't let them stack the chairs until everyone was gone. She also wasn't allowed to ask people to leave. And this person was taking their time.

She just wanted to go home. Two strangers had asked if she was the girl from the video that evening. Each time Jean ignored their question, unsure of how to answer. How were that many people seeing it this fast? She needed to move out of this town.

Jean had already closed everything behind the counter. Who drank coffee at nine at night? Did they plan of not sleeping? She looked at the walls and wandered back and forth to the breakroom. She glanced at the schedule that Terry had just printed.

Her heart quickened in her chest.

She saw hours listed for two days the following week. For over two years now, Jean worked close to 40 hours. She had the same schedule every week. Now she had only ten hours scheduled over two days. Surely it had to be a mistake. Maybe Terry assumed Jean would know her hours and don't bother putting them on the schedule.

Jean heard the bell and she knew the customer left, but she couldn't stop staring at the schedule. She pulled out her phone and quickly texted Terry to ask if there was a mistake.

As she was waiting for a response, she studied the schedule, seeing Margo picked up lots of hours. Margo was new though, she had just started at the beginning of the year. Why was she being scheduled by herself when Jean should have been?

Jean's phone buzzed in her hands and she saw the words from Terry.

Nope! No mistake! :)

Jean felt her hands began to shake as rage filled her body. She knew. Terry has seen the video and was angry with Jean. If there was ever a person Jean would veto not to see it, it was Terry. The smile at the end of her text made everything even worse. Her phone buzzed again.

There's been a lot of questions and comments made about you this week from customers. I know it's been a rough year for you, so maybe some time off would be good for your mental health. :)

Jean dropped her phone on a nearby table and stared at the wall. Terry was punishing her. She was being passive aggressive. Did she think that Jean just worked 40 hours a week because she thought it was fun? This was her rent, her food. The comment about her mental health, it pushed her over the edge. She wanted to respond to Terry with all sorts of obscenities.

The door rang again. No! Jean thought. She didn't lock the door and now someone else came in. She couldn't handle this. She charged out into the dining room.

"I'm sorry, were—"

Jean stopped dead in her tracks to see Shawn. Jean blinked a couple of times, shocked to see him standing in the middle of the dining room. She stared at him to make sure she wasn't losing her mind as she processed everything.

She wasn't sure why, but relief flooded through her at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly, stepping around him slowly to get to the door. She twisted the lock and spun on her toes to face him. "I didn't mean to yell."

Shawn smiled and walked over to the open sign and flipped off the switch. "It's okay, I was expecting to have to knock on the door."

Jean stayed with her back against the door, still in shock from the events that just transpired. She had no idea what to say. She couldn't believe he had come back. He smiled and walked over to a nearby chair and sat down. What was he doing here?

"You just now closing up?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah," she said, still feeling the emotions from Terry's text. "There was just this guy who stayed twenty minutes past close and wouldn't leave."

"I know, I passed him in the parking lot walking in," Shawn said. "Don't worry, I beat him up."

He grinned at her and her heart leaped. She turned away from him and grabbed the nearest chair and placed it on top of a table. Shawn didn't wait a second before standing up and grabbing a chair himself.

"You don't have to help me," Jean said quietly. Shawn ignored her and continued stacking chairs.

"Don't be silly," Shawn said. "I'm distracting you, the least I can do is help."

Jean knew that there would be no convincing him not to, so she continued to stack chairs. She glanced over and saw the muscles move in his arms and she quickly looked away. What the heck was he doing here? Surely she had put him through enough grief. Why was he coming back for more?

"So," Shawn said, putting the chairs up and looking over his shoulder at Jean. "That video has been the talk of the town."

Jean bit her lip. It was most likely costing her her job.

"Yeah, I guess." She was on the verge of tears right before he walked in and she was trying to hold them back. She didn't want to ruin more of his clothes.

She walked to the back to get the mop bucket. She rolled it into the dining room. Shawn was leaning against one of the tables. She smiled at him quickly before diverting her eyes to the ground. There was too much going on. She didn't know how she was going to pay her bills. She was barely getting by as it was. If she had only just said no to Jasmine, if she wouldn't have drank so much...

"Jean?"

She kept her eyes on the ground as she started to scrub the floor. "Yeah?"

Shawn didn't answer and she kept mopping. Suddenly his hands were on the mop, and she stopped what she was doing to look up at him.

"I'm really sorry about what happened," he said softly. "The video...I wish I could go back and not make such a scene."

Jean let go of the mop and took a step back, realizing how close she was standing next to him. She smiled at him weakly.

"Do not blame yourself. I'm the one who made the bad decisions. Who knows how the video might have unfolded had you not stepped in?"

"Well," Shawn said, leaning into the mop and looking down at the ground. "Regardless, I'm sorry you're having to deal with it. It's unfortunate that we live in a time where one mistake can be shoved in your face over and over."

Jean watched as he started moving the mop back and forth across the floor. Who was this guy? He was turning out to be more mysterious than she anticipated.

There was something about him that put her at ease. Being as handsome as he was, she'd usually be a nervous mess. However, she felt like she could be honest with him. He was easy to talk to. She knew he had always been a charming person; she had never known one person to not like Shawn Lewis.

"Shawn, you don't have to do my job for me," she said, leaning against one of the tables and smiling at him. The corners of his lips turned up as he continued to mop.

"Am I doing it well?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Good. How long have you worked here?"

Jean shook her head, embarrassed to tell him. "Way too long. Since graduating high school. Six years now."

"Nice, so you must know all the secrets about this place."

She wasn't sure if he was trying to make up for what had happened to her by showing up, but she was glad he was here. It was a distraction from the terrible situation she just unveiled. She decided to play along.

"Yes..." Jean said. "I do. Like I know Terry always has a bottle of scotch in her desk drawer."

"Should we go drink it?" Shawn joked.

Jean remembered how mad she was at Terry. "Probably, but let's not."

"Okay, what else?"

Jean looked around the dining room. "All the pictures are bolted to the walls." She walked over and tried to move the picture. "I'm not sure if they were like that when they bought the building or if Terry is just that untrusting."

"I need to meet this Terry." 

Jean just shook her head at Shawn who laughed in return. He continued mopping the floor.

"Oh!" Jean thought. "It's really bad, but I carved my initials into my favorite chair. I haven't been caught and it's been 3 years."

"You're a tyrant," Shawn said. "Also why do you have a favorite chair?"

Jean slid across the floor over to the corner. She took down the chair that sat in the very back corner. She pointed to the small JA that was carved near the back of the seat.

"The design in the wood looks like a smiley face right here," Jean said, pointing to the lines in the back of the chair. "Also, it's right by this picture that I love."

Jean sat in the chair and looked at the picture of the beach at sunset. In the distance you could see the silhouette of two elderly people walking side by side.

"I just like it," Jean said. "You just know those two old people are just talking about whatever. I just think it's cute." She got up and tried to move it. "I wish I could steal it for myself, but, bolted."

Shawn laughed and continued to mop around Jean's feet. "I've just learned so much."

She couldn't believe how easy he was to talk to. Jean sat on the table and asked Shawn about teaching. He told her about the different things he taught, some of his more memorable students. He told her about meeting his roommate at orientation and how he was now marrying her cousin.

"That's awesome! When's the wedding?" Jean asked.

"It's coming up soon," Shawn said. "July 21st."

Jean felt her heart sink when he said that day. That was the same day as Amy's wedding was going to be. The last time she had heard from Amy was when she told her that Anthony was engaged. There was no way she was still welcomed.

"Seems to be a popular day for weddings," Jean said, trying to keep a straight face. "What are you going to do about the roommate situation?"

"So I own the house," Shawn said. "My parents lived there and then moved, so I bought it at a good price. To be honest, I'm sure Tyler and Zeiler will basically still live there although they're getting their own place. However, our friend Scottie is going to move in, which is nice, because he basically lives there already and just eats all our food."

Jean imagined how nice it would be to have a small close knit group of friends. She had only really only had one close friend at a time her entire life.

When Shawn finished, he put the bucket back in the back of the house. Jean clocked out on the register.

"Oh, another secret," Jean said. "The alarm only gives you ten seconds to get out, so you literally have to run for your life. I've never been able to figure out how to change it."

"My goodness."

"It's intense," Jean said. "Hold the door for me. Usually I leave a dry trail from the alarm to the door on nights when we mop, but I forgot to tell you."

Shawn shook his head. "What happens if you don't make it?"

"We die."

"Oh wow."

Jean slid over to the alarm and hesitated with her fingers over the buttons. She looked over her shoulder "You ready?"

"I believe in you, Jeanette."

Jean chuckled at the use of her full name, and she quickly typed in the code. She began to quickly shuffle across the dining room towards Shawn as he cheered her on.

She almost made it to him, but he made her laugh and she lost her footing and hit the ground before she even knew she was slipping. She started laughing so hard and Shawn reached forward to pull her up, trying to stop himself from laughing as well.

"This is it," he said, basically dragging her out the door. When he pulled her out and shut it, she couldn't stop laughing. Shawn started laughing as well.

"Did we make it?" he asked. "Are you alright? You fell hard."

Jean wiped her eyes as she tried to catch her breath from laughing too hard. "Yes, yes I'm fine. We made it."

"Non Slip shoes are a thing, I think."

"Thank you, sir, I'm aware," Jean said playfully, beginning to walk towards her car. "Well thank you for coming out and doing my job for me, and for beating up that guy."

Shawn shrugged and he unlocked his own car and stood by his driver's side door. "He asked for it." He stopped and smiled at Jean. "Goodnight Jean."

As Jean closed her car door. She realized she was still smiling. She quickly wiped her mouth with her hand to try to stop it.

As she drove away, she had nearly forgotten about Terry, her problems, and those stupid smiley faces when she saw the red and blue lights flash behind her.

————————————————————————-

UGHHHH when are Anthony and Jean gonna get back together AM I RIGHT?

Jk.

But for real, will Jean ever catch a break?

IN THIS WORLD WE WILL HAVE MANY TRIALS BUT COME ON JEAN SEEMS LIKE A DECENT PERSON CUT HER A BREAK

Spoiler: Jean will be okay especially when she ends up back with ANTman 🐜 (another spoiler that doesn't happen)

I am sleep deprived y'all. Don't teach Kindergarten, it will wear YOU DOWn. (But you'd love it too 🥰 )

GOOD NIGHT MERRY CHRISTMAS
VOTE COMMENT REPORT MESSAGE ME take me to dinner BUY ME FOOD

goodnight friends ❤️