𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ━ shawn hunter¹

11│CUTTING THE CORD

"Please, Kenny—"

"—never call me that again—"

"—I don't have any other option! I don't want a real date, I just want a substitute one! I won't even kiss you if that makes you feel better. I just don't want to go alone. Oh, please, please, please, please—"

"Fine," he grumbled. "As long as you stop that whining. I'm only doing it because Celeste's studying right now and she's firmly in a no-distraction phase."

The redhead beamed at him (sometimes he was unnerved by how quickly she could change emotions which only proved his 'Gollum' nickname.) "Thank you! You're the best!"

🌎🌎🌎

The date wasn't going anything like Angela thought it would. She'd heard almost all of Juliet's stories from when she and Shawn had been together and they sounded wonderful. They'd been spontaneous, full of fun and laughter, thoughtful and memorable. None of them included how Shawn liked to lay on the table with his head resting on his outstretched arm.

"I want to thank you guys for bringing us here. I'm having a really good time," the dark-haired boy said in a mopey voice.

Trying to make the best of it, the brunette offered a smile. "Yeah, me too. I didn't know how it would be with, well, you know, the break up but that's obviously not the case at all."

Topanga gave her a pointed look due to her tone. "He's not normally like this."

"Shawn's a ton of fun," Cory added. "You know how he is."

The boy did not help his case as he let out a whine of complaint.

The blonde sent her fiancé a similar sharp look. "Talk to him."

Cory lifted his friend up by his shoulders. "Hey, hey. What's the matter, buddy?"

"I'm a little blue. It doesn't show, does it?" He'd even worn a blue shirt in the hopes that Juliet would make a pun out of it but the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"No! No, you are the life of the party," the curly-haired boy assured him. "Everybody is thrilled to be with you."

"I know I am," Angela said gently. "Come on, Shawn. You're acting like I've asked you to walk the plank."

"Can you point me in that direction?"

She rolled her eyes as he collapsed back onto the table. Cory shook him. "Hey. Hey, get up. You used to be so good at this." He froze at the sight of familiar red hair. "Shawn, would it make you feel any better if I told you that Juliet's here now?"

"Maybe a little," he replied, his voice muffled by his arm.

"Then cheer up. She's here with another guy."

Shawn lifted his head to watch the girl enter with a man he'd never seen before and he leapt into action. Quickly grabbing Angela's chair, he pulled it next to him and looped an arm over her shoulders. In a loud voice, he said, "so, I say, 'Feeny, if the sun never sets on the British Empire, when do they watch Letterman?'"

🌎🌎🌎

Juliet recognized the laughter right away. She thanked the hostess and grabbed Kendrick's hand to pull him over to the table. "Hey, guys!"

"Julie!" Shawn exclaimed brightly as he stood. "Glad you could make it! Pull up a chair for you and your. . . friend."

"This is my date," she corrected him forcefully. "Kendrick."