In Mr. Turner's class, Zoey was sitting at her desk, reading Robert's Frosts' poem while Topanga stood in front of the classroom, reading out loud while the class listened.
"'Two roads diverged in the wood and I took the one less traveled by, and that made all the difference." Topanga read out.
"Okay. No, what do we take from this poem?" Mr. Turner asked.
Topanga was about to responded when two sleeping noises interrupted her, a loud snore coming first followed by a 'yip, yip, yip...' Zoey just rolled her eyes at the boys lack of interest in the poem.
Mr. Feeny entered the classroom and noticed the boys'. "Interesting. In my class, Mr. Hunter handles the yipping."
Cory woke up and jumped at the sight of both teachers staring down t him. His eyes widened and he turned to Shawn in panic. "Shawn! Shawn, it's both of them."
Shawn sleepily rubbed his eyes as he looked between the teachers. "Oh, no. Now I don't know which class I slept through."
"Mine, Hunter." Mr. Turner told him. "Remember The Road Not Taken?"
"A remarkable poem in which the poet in which the poet tells us that we make choices in life and each one put us on a new road that can have a profound effect on our destinies." Mr. Feeny explained.
"Mr. Feeny, how does a poem about a guy on two roads have anything to do with our lives when we can't even drive yet?" Shawn asked.
Mr. Feeny patted Shawn's shoulder. "Isn't he fun?"
"I like to think of him as job security." Mr. Turner responded.
"Mr. Matthews, what was your last choice in your life?" Mr. Feeny wondered.
"Well, I did just get a job for Christmas break." Cory replied. "I'm a gopher for Little Pauly's restaurant."
"And I got me this soft, cushy union job down on the docks. This year, I'll finally be able to buy nice presents for my friends and family." Shawn added, looking over at his girlfriend. After all the years he'd never given her a present, he wanted this one to be different.
Zoey smiled. "And I'm working at the café downtown with my mum."
"Alright, I want you to keep a journal about the choices you make over the next week. Then I want you to write a paper on the potential of those choices to change your life." Mr. Turner told the class.
"Mr. Turner, what if my choice is to not do the assignment?" Shawn questioned.
Mr. Turner pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Mr. Feeny. "You want this one, George?"
Mr. Feeny shook his head. "No, no. Your class. I get them after lunch."
Mr. Turner looked back to Shawn. "Well, then you would get an F, not get into college, spend your time hanging out at the local convenience store, waiting for them to bring in a new batch of lottery tickets."
"And that would change my life how?" Shawn wondered.
••••
According to the radio news at breakfast, it was the coldest morning of the year. That didn't surprise Zoey. She could feel the wind creeping in through the spaces between her scarf and coat and the sky above was raw, threatening white.
Zoey was making her way to the Matthew's house for her break. Working as a cashier in a café became one of her furthermost experiences in this industry. Love and passion in this field enables her to keep on working in the café during Christmas break. The reason behind this is that Zoey just loved working with her mother.
Zoey shivered as she walked into the Matthews' household from the back. Cory was eating cereal at the kitchen table.
"Hey, Zo." Cory greeted with a smile.
"Hi, Cor." Zoey greeted back, rubbing her hands together. "Is it possible to have some coco?"
"Sure." Cory simply answered, getting up from the kitchen table. Then a second later, Shawn walked through the back door, practically shivering and shaking to death from the weather outside. "Shawn. A little breakfast?"
"Lunch." Shawn corrected. "I'm on lunch."
Zoey furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "It's 8:30 in the morning."
"I've been working in the docks since 3 A.M." Shawn grumbled, still holding himself for warmth. "Do you know how cold it is at 3 in the morning?"
"Nippy?" Cory guessed.
"Yeah. Nippy." Shawn sarcastically repeated. "Do you wanna watch me break my ear off?!"
Zoey wrapped an arm around Shawn, gesturing him to sit down at the table. "Sit, darling. Cory will make you some chocolate."
"I thought you said it was easy on the docks." Cory said as he walked over to the cabinet.
"That's what it said in the brochure." Shawn replied, removing his beanie and gloves. "So I shove up this morning, and the wind-chill factor is, like... Jupiter, so I go up to the boss and say....." He then mimicked himself shivering, mumbling as if he was speaking. "And he goes, 'Yeah, but you took the job'. And I go...." He repeated his shivering and mumbling. "And he goes, 'That's nice. Christmas presents for your friends'. And I said..." He mimics the mumbling and shivering once more. "And he goes, 'Oh, look. Turkish freighter.' And all of a sudden, in comes in Turkish freighter."
"Unexpectedly?" Zoey wondered as she sat down at the table.
"Out of the mist it came." Shawn replied. "That's my wonderful job, guys - 3 in the morning, 50 below, unloading the same Turkish freighter that brought in the Outbreak Monkey. Do you know something? If I go, you go!"
Shawn marched over to Cory and shoved his freezing cold hands across Cory's face, making him jump at the change in temperature.
"Ahh! Ahhh!" Cory cried out, pushing Shawn away. "Now you get no coco!"
"So, how's your jobs?" Shawn wondered, looking between his best friend and girlfriend
Zoey shrugged. "It's fine. I mean, being a cashier in a café is easier than it looks."
Cory nearly grinned but held it back. "It's tough. It's very tough. It's brutal."
"You got a cushy job!" Shawn exclaimed.
Cory's face broke out into a grin. "Yes!
••••
Later in the day, Zoey and Shawn had managed to have time to spare and was down at Little Pauley's restaurant to see Cory in action, working at his cushy job.
"Yo, coffee boy, if I might." Mr. Fontaine called.
"Watch me make 20 bucks." Cory whispered to his friends before he rushed over to their table. "Yes, sir, Mr. Fontaine."
Mr. Fontaine gave him a $20 bill as he usually did and Cory grinned, immediately turned to go show off to his friends.
"Buh-buh-buh." Mr. Fontaine muttered, stopping Cory.
"Oh, yes of course there's the other part. Where I do something." Cory said with a sheepish smile.
Mr. Fontaine slid an envelope to him. "You take this envelope, you go the mailbox on 14th and Pine."
"And make sure no one sees you." Mr. Martini added cryptically.
"Nobody." Mr. Fontaine repeated sternly. "Put this in there."
"Okay, okay." Cory muttered, nodding slowly as he tried to think of how to word his next words. "Now you both know I'm not one to ruffle feathers but, uh, there is no mailbox on 14th and Pine."
Mr. Fontaine motioned for Cory to come closer and he patted his cheek with a chuckle. "Today there's gonna be a mailbox on 14th and Pine."
"And Mr. Fontaine is never wrong about mailbox placement." Mr. Martini added.
"Okay." Cory said, shrugging before he grabbed the envelope only to notice it was blank. "Um, I, uh, once again if I may, if you really want this mailed you should consider putting a stamp on here and maybe even an address."
Mr. Fontaine smiled. "You're a noticer, aren't you? I noticed that you're a noticer."
Zoey sighed and leaned into Shawn's side. "He's working for the mob, isn't he?"
"Yes he is." Shawn replied.
"We better help him." Zoey insisted.
Shawn smiled brightly at the two men. "Not to worry, the envelope is definitely getting to where it's supposed to, right, sir?" The men nodded, pleased, and Shawn quickly pulled Cory away. "Do you have any idea who you're working for?"
"Yes, Mr. Fontaine, Mr. Martini, and Sam." Cory replied with a smile. He then noticed the look on his best friend's face. "Why? What's going on?"
"Nothing, nothing. Not a thing." Shawn assured, casually shrugging his shoulder. "You're working for the mob."
Cory's eyes widened and his jaw dropped before he slowly glanced back at their table to see the two men smiling at him.
"But the nice mob?" Cory asked desperately.
Shawn and Zoey shared a look before they turned to Cory.
"Yeah, the nice mob." Zoey replied and flicked Cory on the forehead at the dumb question.
"Ow!" Cory cried. "All right, I have to quit, I have to quit. I-I can't work for the mob!"
"Little more cappuccino over here." Mr. Fontaine called.
"Every time I try and get out, they keep dragging my back!" Cory exclaimed as he began to hyperventilate. He turned and walked back to the table. "Mr. Fontaine."
The older man raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, what is it?"
"I quit." Cory announced and gave the envelope back. "You can't keep me here."
"We'll miss you." Mr. Martini admitted with a warm smile.
"I-I don't like to be threatened." Cory continued.
"You make a fine cup of cappuccino." Mr. Fontaine said with a chuckle.
"Thank you, thank you, but I-I gotta go, bye." Cory said, feeling relief wash over him. He ran over to his friends, almost tripping on his own feet. "Come on, let's go."
"Slow down, Cor." Zoey muttered as she grabbed onto him to keep him from falling.
"Come on, Shawnie!" Cory called as he dragged Zoey to the door.
"Coming." Shawn responded but he didn't follow them, instead he walked to the mobsters.
••••
The next day, Cory and Zoey were once again at Little Pauly's restaurant because they had found out that Shawn was now working there. The two were hiding behind the bar as they waited for Shawn.
"Shawn!" Cory whispered and the two jumped up when he finally came up to the bar.
"Cory? Zoey? What are you doing here?" Shawn asked in confusion.
"No. What are you doing here?" Zoey huffed. "You should be at school."
Shawn shook his head with a chuckle. "Oh, come on, guys. Jobs like this don't come around very often." He gestured to Cory. "You know that. You worked here."
"Yeah, but I quit when I found out that things weren't, you know, as the FBI would prefer." Cory explained.
Shawn rolled his eyes. "You know, this is just a nice family restaurant in a quiet neighborhood. Nothing's going on here."
Then all of sudden a loud bang ran throughout the restaurant. Shawn dove onto Zoey and pulled her to floor, shielding her with his body as Cory fell onto the ground with them.
"It was a car backfiring." Zoey said after a moment of silence.
"Yeah. Yeah. Looks like it was." Shawn agreed.
They all continued to stay on the floor.
"When why are we on the ground?" Cory wondered.
"Cause it's fun, and we do everything together." Shawn replied, not wanting to admit that it because he was scared the next bang wouldn't be a car backfire.
The three stood back up. As Shawn stood up, he offered Zoey his hand and helped her up.
"Look, Shawn, we all know a job like this cannot lead to anything good." Cory told him.
"He's right, Shawnie." Zoey agreed as she played with his hair gently.
"It doesn't lead anywhere, okay? It's just a job for a couple days so I can buy decent presents for my friends." Shawn explained.
Cory sighed. "Yeah. We just worry it's gonna change you."
"It's not gonna change me." Shawn reassured them.
"Scusi, Shawn. Mr. Martini called.
"Un momento, per favore! Lo parlo con il mi amico." Shawn instantly answered. He turned back to the two and frowned at their unreadable expressions. "What?"
••••
It was the day before Christmas Eve. Zoey decided that she will spend the day over at the Matthews' since her mum was working a late shift at the café tonight. Zoey was sitting at the kitchen table while Cory was going through the cabinets.
"Ho ho ho, my best friend and girlfriend." Shawn sang as he walked into the kitchen with a wide grin on his face.
Zoey furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Shawn holding out a present to her. "What's this for?"
"Christmas Eve's not till tomorrow night." Cory pointed out.
"I know that, but I just bought you the best presents I ever actually paid for, and I wanted see your faces light up like a happy little elves." Shawn explained, handing presents to Cory and Zoey with an excited grin. "So, light up. Light up, little elves!"
Zoey opened her gift and her eyes widen. It was a shiny gold locket. She couldn't help but smile. She immediately opened it and was speechless at the two photos inside. The left pendant had a photo of the when they were kids and the right had a photo they'd taken after they started dating.
Cory's jaw dropped when he opened his gift. "It's a watch. A very expensive watch. Which I can't accept."
"Why not?" Shawn asked in confusion.
"Because of where the money comes from." Cory answered as if it was obvious.
Shawn frowned as he sat down. "I had it engraved with your name."
"'To my best friend, Cory'." Cory read out softly and smiled. "Shawn, thanks."
"I literally have no words." Zoey admitted as she continued to stare at the locket
"Hey, listen, now that you finally bought your friend and girlfriend a nice gift, you can quit your job, right?" Cory wondered.
Shawn chuckled. "Cory, it's easy money. How can I quit easy money."
"Listen, I made $160 working there. You can have that. That's even easier money. All you have to do is quit." Cory insisted desperately.
Shawn shook his head. "No, man. Spend it on Topanga and your family, don't worry about me. I'll see you around."
"Shawn, wait." Cory called after, before Shawn could walk out of the house. "You're still going to be here tomorrow night for Christmas Eve, right?"
Shawn smiled and nodded. "Hey, don't worry, don't worry. That's a tradition I'd never miss."
"Hey." Zoey called out, standing up and approaching her boyfriend. "Thanks for the locket. I appreciate it. Not because of what it costs, but because of who it's from."
"You're welcome." Shawn said, placing a small kiss on her lips.
••••
Shawn wasn't at the Matthews' household. He was waiting outside one of Mr. Fontaine's warehouse on Christmas Eve with a box. When his shift was over he'd gone to say goodbye to the mobster before he left but ended up getting roped into a late night deal. He was given $200 for this 'favor'.
Shawn glanced and saw Zoey showing up at the warehouse. He hadn't counted her on her being there but he hadn't been completely surprise. That was the type of friend she was after all.
"What are you doing here?" Shawn asked.
"Come on, let's go." Zoey said simply. "You're working much too hard. Now, we're having Christmas Eve over at Cory's house. Nothing you're doing here could be nearly as important, so come on. Let's go."
"I got paid for a job, and I'm gonna do it." Shawn told her, his nose red from the cold.
"Ooh, loyalty. I like that in a worthless little coffee boy who they don't care if he lives or dies." Zoey responded.
"I've never had money like that before, Zo. It makes me feel like somebody to be able to buy nice presents for my family and friends." Shawn said reluctantly.
"I'm sure that's a real nice feeling. But buying presents doesn't make you somebody, Shawn." Zoey pointed out. She then gestured to the box nestled under Shawn's arm. "Hey, what's in the box?"
"I don't know what's in the box." Shawn snapped defensively. "I have nothing to do with this box. I am merely the box holder."
"No, come on, open it up. I wanna see what's inside. I wanna see your face light up like a happy little elf. Open it up, my little elf." Zoey said, repeating Shawn's words with a sickly sweet smile.
"Zo, you know, I don't wanna spend my life in front of a convenience store waiting around for the next batch of lottery tickets." Shawn grumbled as he sat down on one of the wooden pallets.
"Shawn, he was exaggerating." Zoey told him.
"Yeah, well, it rang pretty true to me." Shawn responded.
Zoey pursed her lips. "So this is it. This is the road you're taking."
"This isn't a road, this is a box. And as long as I don't open this box, I don't know what's in it. There's a teddy bear in this box." Shawn explained, trying to make himself better about the situation.
"A teddy?" Zoey wondered and nodded tightly. "Okay, okay, so come over to Cory's house, we'll put the teddy under the tree, and at the end of the night we'll play a little game called 'Let's Guess the Street Value of the Teddy'."
Shawn sighed heavily. "How'd this get so complicated so fast?"
"I don't know." Zoey replied truthfully, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess that's how they get you. They find a guy who feels like he's nowhere in his life, and they make him believe that where he should be is on a street corner holding a box, in the middle of Christmas Eve."
"Yeah, well, maybe this is my street." Shawn muttered. "You know, maybe no matter what I did, this is where I end up like that poem says."
Zoey shook her head. "No. No, see, the poem says you have choices in your life. And every choice you make means something. I mean, Shawn, we're only sixteen years old, and you and Cory got fooled by a couple of guys who look like our uncles. I mean, do you see how easy it is to end up on the wrong road?"
"Yeah. And I knew all about them, too." Shawn said, chuckling dryly. "I didn't walk away. You see, I figured I'd just get them some coffee, make some money, and get out before it got to this?"
"Then why are you here?" Zoey asked, grabbing his hand.
"I don't know. I guess I thought I was one of those street smart guys. But now, I'm a little scared." Shawn admitted, tightening his grip on her hand for comfort.
"You know, Shawnie, Cory didn't see this coming at all." Zoey told him, trying to make him feel better. "I mean, he thought the devil was supposed to be some guy with horns and a big tail."
Shawn sighed and stood up. "Zo, it's Christmas Eve. You should be with your family."
"No." Zoey decided. "No, see, that would be the wrong choice. See, the difference in the poem is that that guy had to chose his road alone."
"So you don't think he had a best friend/girlfriend?" Shawn asked quietly.
"No, I guess not. But according to this, you do." Zoey responded, showing him the locket he gave her yesterday. "I'm here with you no matter what. With or without presents."
"Two rods diverged in a wood." Shawn said, recalling the poem. He then paused. "And I choose the one that leads back to Cory's house."
"Good." Zoey said happily before grabbing the box. "Let's take this back first."
"Wouldn't it be funny if there really was a teddy bear in there?" Shawn asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah. Don't you wish life was like that?" Zoey laughed as they walked away.
"I'm beginning to see that it's not." Shawn responded.
••••
Shawn and Zoey were back at the Matthews' house and were just in time for everyone to exchange gifts.
Shawn wrapped an arm around Zoey's waist, kissing her temple. He was deeply thankful for the special, unique, amazing person in his life who support him, uplift him, comfort him and bring joy to his soul. He absolutely loved Zoey.
"Okay, folks, everybody get together now. Real close. Look right here, into the camera. Okay, I have it set." Mr. Feeny called before he rushed over to the couch. "Everybody smile." He nudged Mr. Matthews pointedly. "Smile."
Shawn kept his arm around Zoey and everyone smiled brightly for the photo.
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PUBLISHED: June 9, 2018
WORDS: 3455