Then You Came Along

Chapter 2

As we walk into the school, I can't help but be conflicted about my feelings. I'm feeling excited that I'm really going to ask Shawn out this time around, and at the same time, I'm super scared. Well, what did I have to be scared of? This is our last year in high school. So what if I'm scared? If I get rejected, and somehow the whole school hears about it, at least the bullying would only last for a year, and then I'd be out of the school and thinking about college or working my life out in this town to raise money.

Giddy, Pen, and I had come to school earlier today because we wanted to catch up a bit on the summer and all our experiences together. Although we were all best friends, our friendship barely left the school premises. We barely spent time together in the town, in restaurants or parks. It's not that we didn't want to, but we never got the chance to. I am always so busy; if I am not working my part-time job, I'm babysitting my siblings at home. And they also don't have time. Pen spends most of her time in the library and in one after-school club or another, and Giddy lives in a strict house where they wish to have their eyes on him twenty-four hours a day. We've had some sleepovers, but that's as much as it gets.

If I become friends with Shawn, my life will probably get more interesting. I will probably do more and make many memories before graduating.

We walk into the busy hallway of our school, which is noisy and crowded; everybody is in groups talking about their summer, laughing out loud, and some are even crying. Then some lovers are engaged in a long dramatic hug and deep French kisses.

"Stop looking at them," Pen scolds me, tapping my shoulder and getting my attention and eyes away from the couple, who I'm guessing are three minutes away from tearing each other's clothes in the hallway. Some obnoxious students were already yelling 'get a room' at them. "It's weird," Pen added.

Giddy chuckles, "Are you imagining you doing that with Shawn?"

I blush, tucking my hair behind my ears. "No. Not really."

"Awn she is."

I smack Giddy, "stop saying things like that." However, I have a slight smile on my face.

"Look," Pen grabs my attention again, gesturing her head behind me. We are at Giddy's locker, waiting for him to settle in before we move over to my locker, then Pen's.

I turn around, and my eyes land on Shawn's back. I gulp, and my eyes go wide. I am not expecting to see him so soon, and alone he's usually with a group of friends, and they mostly have early basketball practice. He looks taller than I remember; his hair is shorter and nicely cut. His legs look longer, and he seems to have more muscles and be more tanned. I haven't seen his face yet, and I can already guess he looks more handsome. My face heats up as I look away but soon look at him again, unable to stop looking at him. I've been in love with Shawn for the longest time; you'd think the feelings would dwindle over time, but no, they just got stronger.

Giddy taps me, bringing my attention back to them in the present. "Go ask him out now, don't just stand there dreaming. Go on."

"I should really do it?" I ask them, biting my bottom lip in anxiousness. "I didn't think it'll be so soon."

"The more time you wait, the more opportunity you give him to get back together with Nelly." Pen explains.

I frown, "no, not again."

"Yes, so go say something to him. Even if you don't ask him, just say hi," Giddy says, pushing me gently forward.

I nod and turn around, taking slow and short steps toward Shawn. He is still at his locker, offloading books from his bag into it. I thought of what to say to him; Hi Shawn, I'm Anne. We've been classmates since freshman year. Remember me? Or I would say; hi, Shawn, I'm Anne. Do you want to go out with me sometime?