Crookedly in Love {a Shawn Mendes Fan Fiction}

43. Watching

I stood in the lobby of our hotel, waiting for Shawn. We were invited to a charity gala, where Taylor was attending. I was adjusting my blue dress, which was a slender fabric with a slit down the side. 

I rubbed my lips together, spreading across the pink colour. 

"Julia," Shawn said from behind. "You look beautiful as always."

I nodded in appreciation. He leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. We were being watched. He took my hand, and I let him guide me to the limo that was awaiting us just outside the doors. I pressed my lips together, nervously. 

As I got in, through the blinding lights from the cameras, I saw Selena get into a limo in front of me. She was watching us intently, and I had no idea why. 

"Julia?" Shawn asked. 

I was hovering outside the door. I looked over at him and then back at Selena. She had turned away and gotten into the limo. 

That was very strange. Although, it could also be nothing. I shook it off and got into the car. Shawn climbed in behind me, and then we were finally alone. We sat a seat apart, a space between us. 

We rode in silence. There were so many things that were racing through my mind to say, but they all sounded alien. Like I was talking to a stranger. "How was your day?" "You excited for tour to start?" 

It sounded like I didn't know him at all. 

"We're here," Shawn said. I looked up, and there were flashing lights everywhere again. People were crowding around the limo. He looked back at me. "You ready?"

I nodded, shifting over to be sitting next to him as he opened the door. 

Screams from the outside became loud and pulsing, as we stepped out. Shawn helped me out of the car, and I adjusted my outfit. We were all smiles, holding hands. We walked through the red carpet. 

We posed for the cameras shouting our names, asking us to look their way. Shawn leaned in and whispered something in my ear, driving fans wild. 

"This is nuts," was all he said. 

I laughed, looking over at him. His mouth was so close to mine. I suddenly felt very comfortable with him because everyone thought we were together. Everyone thought this is how we acted always, when we were together and alone. 

Little did they know we were farther apart when we were alone. 

I brushed a strand of his hair away from his face. He gave me a knowing glance. That the only way we could be together and act the way we wanted deep down was in public. Not in private. 

He leaned in and kissed me. I missed his mouth. His lips. His hold on my waist. I let the kiss go on longer than needed. 

I pulled away. "Shawn," I said, but he couldn't hear me. Everyone was screaming, straining to get a shot of us sharing an intimate moment. 

An intimate moment we could only have in front of people. 

I looked over, and I saw Selena's eyes on us, calculated. 

"Shawn, I know this sounds weird, but is Selena watching us?" I asked. 

He turned around just in time to catch her glimpse. Selena averted her gaze elsewhere. 

He nodded. "Remember, her and Taylor are obsessed with our relationship." He shrugged it off, but I don't know. She wasn't looking in a happy or admiring way. 

She was observing, judging. 

We went inside and were instantly greeted by champagne at the door. Taking two flutes, we walked into the grand ballroom. We were given a table number, where we were seated with Taylor and Selena. 

I smiled at both of them, and they returned the friendly gesture, but I couldn't help think there was something off about Selena's behaviour. 

I put my phone on the table, as I adjusted my dress. 

"Do you want anything else to drink?" Shawn asked me. I shook my head. He got up, and I turned away to talk to the others at the table. 

As Shawn came back, he nudged me. I looked up and he pointed to my phone. 

"Why is Brad calling you?" he wondered. I looked down, and sure enough, there was his name lit up. 

Out of instinct, I quickly declined the call and put the phone back in my pocket. 

"I don't know," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. 

"Have you been talking to him?" Shawn wondered, his tone on the edge of tension. 

I looked around the table, and I could tell people were watching us to see if there was something wrong with the happy couple. 

"Shawn," I said, smiling. "We're at a charity event."

"Then, let's go somewhere else," he said insistently. 

We got up. "We're going to get another drink," I said, and they all smiled. 

"Have fun!" Taylor shouted. 

Shawn hastily grabbed me and drew me near as quickly as he could. I knew he was upset, but he had to know I hadn't heard from Brad since our recording session. 

"When were you going to tell me you've been seeing Brad?" he asked. 

"I haven't been!"

"Oh, yeah right."

"Shawn, I'm serious. The last time I saw Brad was the last time you saw Brad," I said, insistently. "I haven't talked to him in so long."

"You declined the call pretty quickly. Like you had something to hide."

"Oh please," I rolled my eyes, leaning against the bar. 

"You can't expect me to take this lightly. Especially since he practically confessed his love for you last time we were all together."

"Shawn, what does it matter to you?" I said, through clenched teeth. 

I felt someone squish up behind us trying to get a drink at the bar. We stepped closer together. 

"It matters because we're supposed to be together," he said. "We agreed to be with each other publicly."

"And our private time was supposed to be our own time," I countered. 

"Yes, but if that private time suddenly includes another person, I'd prefer to know so that I'm not blindsided. So that I know there's a third person involved in our secret."

"Well, there's not."

"Okay," he said, tersely. 

"There's not. I don't know what Brad wants, but I'm pretty sure he still thinks we're in love." 

He took in a deep breath. "Julia, I don't know about him. I don't like him."

"Oh God," I said, rolling my eyes. 

"I'm serious. Ever since we got together, he's been trying to pull us apart. Even though he claimed he wanted to stay out of it all, he still told you he loved you."

"Of course you're not going to like him, Shawn. Trust me, he's harmless."

"Julia, promise you won't date him. Promise you're not getting involved with him again."

"Shawn, I can't promise you that. In any event, why do you care? You're not really my boyfriend."

"Julia, I'm always going to care about you. You can't just lose me."

I turned around and bumped into someone. "Oops, sorry."

We looked at Selena, who was carrying two drinks from the bar. "Oh, not a problem." 

She smiled, uneasily, looking over at Shawn longer than needed. I looked over at him, and he gave me a strange look in return. 

As Selena walked away, I said, "Maybe she likes you."

He laughed as if that couldn't be true, but that's what I honestly thought. He leaned in because we knew everyone was watching. I kissed him softly. 

"Let's go back," he whispered. I followed suit, and we sat down at the table.