𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ━ shawn hunter¹

24│MISSING PIECES

Nothing was different with Cory, though, which was a relief and lead him to spending more time with the boy. He'd also been doing a lot of thinking— a rarity for him, but it still wasn't about his schoolwork. He'd been thinking about his favorite redheaded girl who'd been noticeably absent for most of the summer and what that might mean. As he and Cory played basketball in Cory's driveway, he finally decided to talk about his theory. "Hey, Cor?"

"Yeah?"

"D'you think Julie's been acting. . . weird?" he asked as he passed the ball to his friend.

"Uh, no?"

"Well, doesn't it seem like she's been. . . avoiding us? And have you seen how nervous she gets around me?" He caught Cory's pass and bounced the ball around his legs.

"I thought that was just Jules." 

The curly-haired boy held his hands out for a pass. As Shawn threw him the ball, he answered, "it's not. And I've been thinking—" He paused to roll his eyes at the boy's dramatic gasp. "—that maybe it's 'cause I've spent so long hovering over her that she's gotten fed up and doesn't know how to tell me, so I'm gonna back off."

Cory gave him a surprised look and almost missed the next pass. "Are you sure? You've been pushing her since before we met."

"Exactly. I'm thinking that if I pretend not to like-like her then maybe she'll change her mind and realize she likes-likes me. Then, I can surprise her and say my feelings had never changed. She called this sort of thing something. . . uh, reverse psychosis I think?" He shot the ball which swished into the net. The curly-haired boy caught it and began to bounce it again. 

"What if you don't notice that she likes-likes you?"

"Impossible," Shawn scoffed. "I know her better that she knows herself, just like she does for me. I'll know if she changes her mind— but you have to promise not to meddle."

"Me? Meddle?" Cory asked innocently as he passed the ball to his friend.

"Yeah, you better not tell her my plan 'cause if you do, I'll knock your head off."

🌎🌎🌎

[1993]
[November]

Cory and Shawn sat in the high school cafeteria, slightly uncomfortable at being just a duo. Their third member was sitting at nearly the other side with her new friend, Jack. The blond boy had waved her over and she'd joined him eagerly. Now, the two of them had their heads bent together to talk about what was probably a book as the redhead had just started The Tale of Two Cities.

Shawn leaned his head on his hand as he watched the girl longingly while intermittently glaring at the blond boy fiercely. Cory sighed for what seemed to be the umpteenth time as his best friend continued to ignore him as he preferred to stare at Juliet and Jack.

"You could go join them, y'know," Cory told him.

"I know nothing about The Story of Three Towns or whatever they're reading," Shawn said grumpily. "Look at them over there, being all smart and good-looking. It's not fair."

The curly-haired boy rolled his eyes, again reminded of the weight of his own two secrets he was keeping, but the threats from the red-haired girl and dark-haired boy kept him silent. "Well, it's not like you're hideous, Shawnie."

"I hate him," the boy grumbled, heedless of his best friend. "His stupid, perfect hair. Those dumb blue eyes. If Julie liked blue-eyed people why couldn't she like me? He's too charming for his own good. And he's apparently rich. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was an improved version of me."