𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ━ shawn hunter¹

12│WELL HAVE A GOOD TIME THEN. . .

"Oh— um," she hesitated, seeing as she hadn't told any of her friends about her new hobby. "Nothing much. What about you?"

"Taking a walk," he answered. "It's been awhile."

"Um, yeah." She wished she could sound more intelligent but all she could focus on was how intently his blue eyes were looking at her and the slight quirk of his lips and— well, never mind. She cleared her throat. "Anything new?"

"My dad's back in town," the dark-haired boy told her, though he didn't sound happy. "He says he's gonna stay but we both know how that's going to turn out. I had to get away from him and Jack."

"Oh. Erm— I'm sorry?" It came out as more of a question.

"Thanks," Shawn said wryly. "Anything new with you?"

She hated this.

She hated how they were acting like strangers, as if they'd never spent the best year of their lives together let alone their entire childhood. She hated how they were reduced to pleasantries and awkwardness even though they could both feel the pull to be together. But most of all, she hated how much she missed him because it would be so much easier if she had no feelings for him at all and they really were strangers. (But then again, who would she be without him?)

"Not really. Um, see you around?"

"Yeah. Yeah, definitely." They began to continue past each other, only for him to stop and call after her: "hey, Julie?"

She turned around, hating the hope that built up in her chest. "Yeah?"

Shawn tried to keep his tone nonchalant. "Are-are you still seeing that Kendrick guy? Not that I care, obviously," he added.

"Oh," the redhead said again. "Um, no. It didn't work out." After all, he never knew that the date was a sham.

His expression softened. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "'S alright. I wasn't expecting it to." Even if it had been real, he wasn't you.

He looked like he wanted to ask something else (and even went so far as to open his mouth to speak) but in the end he just offered her a faint smile and a nod before he placed the headphones back on his ears. Juliet watched him go longingly, wishing she had the courage to put their relationship back on track. They were older now, though, and she wasn't him— she couldn't chase after him like he had her during middle school.

(Sometimes people had to grow father apart before they were brought closer together.)

🌎🌎🌎

Juliet had— for once— been in her dorm when they got the news. Cory and Topanga were practicing their vows and Angela was "subtly" eavesdropping on them. The phone rang out in the hall and the curly-haired boy went to get it, only to return wearing an uncharacteristically somber look on his face. Her heart ached for her best friend as she recalled the angry expression he'd worn when he told her about his father. They rushed to the hospital as fast as they could. 

They found him asleep out in the waiting room and Cory woke him gently. He greeted them tiredly as he woke: "hey, guys. I was just. . . resting my eyes."

"How's Chet?" Topanga questioned him, her voice full of concern.

"Well, the doctor says that he might need bypass surgery."

"Is it okay if we go in and see him?" Angela asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, he'd like that."

As she made to follow the girls into the room, Juliet felt a hand reach for her wrist. She twisted around to meet the boy's gaze and before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around him. Even though it should have been awkward, it was anything but as he hugged her back. She could feel him bury his face against her shoulder as his head bent slightly to accommodate their height difference. She could hear the quiet, shaky breath he released as his arms tightened around her to pull her close. He reluctantly released her after several long moments but their contact was prolonged as her hand ran down his arm to catch his fingers.