Boy Meets World

"Slip Away"

Series/ Sequel: Not yet

Summary: Some secrets you shouldn't keep...

Rating: R for strong (Altoids Sour strong) themes, mild language

Note: Yes, I realize that everyone and their mother have written/ attempted to write a "Shawn gets hurt" story. I may not be original, but I'm honest when I say that I had to write this.  Warning- this is a story containing abuse, self- mutilation, and attempted suicide. In short, this is heavy on the angst.

Setting: Fifth season, or during the gang's senior year at John Adams High. For those of you keeping track, this is right before graduation. And as usual, I bent the facts to suit my own selfish needs.

Feedback: Please? With Jack and Eric on top? Vixxxen@rocketmail.com

Disclaimer: They're not mine, blah blah blah Disneycakes. The doctors mentioned, the Petersons, and the Heaths are mine.

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Chapter One- Drop (Cory's POV)

   "And so class, we end our discussion about the Revolutionary War by stating that although..."

   I tried to stifle a yawn by faking a cough. Topanga shot me a look as she straightened up in her seat.

   "That concludes this class. Please read chapters 4 and 5 tonight."

   The bell rang and my friends and I rose and headed for the door.

   "Mr Matthews, may I speak to you for a moment?"

   I stopped and turned back to Mr Feeny. "What? Shawn and I didn't do it, I promise!" I blurted out.

   "It's nothing like that. Please sit down." Mr Feeny was wearing his 'I'm concerned and caring' face. Which was better than the 'you have really screwed up this time' face any day, in my book. I cautiously took a seat at one of the front desks.

   "Has Shawn said anything to you?" he said without preamble.

   I cocked my head to one side. "About what, Mr Feeny?"

  "His father."

   "No, I can't say that we've had any conversations about his father," I said warily. As much as I trusted Mr Feeny, I didn't want to talk about my best friend behind his back.

   Mr Feeny looked mildly surprised. "Well, I suggest that you boys have a talk tonight. You can go now."

   Confused, I walked out of the classroom to find my friends waiting. "What did you do this time?" Topanga demanded.

   I was about to tell her what Mr Feeny had said, but I thought better of it and said, "Nothing serious. Are we going to Chubbies or what?"

   Later, when we were sitting in our favorite hangout, I mentioned that I had gotten my acceptance letter to Pennbrooke.

   "Slacker! I started getting letters back in October." Topanga sat back in the booth and looked smug.

   I let that comment pass by and turned to Shawn, who had been unusually quiet. "Everything okay, Shawny?"

   "Fine Cor," he said, waving his hand in a dismissal.

   The girls started talking about the different colleges that had accepted them. I tuned them out and asked Shawn again, "Are you sure everything's fine? I can listen, you know."

   Shawn raised an eyebrow at me, but merely said, "I'll come by later, okay?"

   "All right."

   After that, we walked the girls home. When we finally got to my house, I told Shawn, "Come up to my room. Want something to eat?"

   "We just got done eating!"

   "What can I say? I'm a growing boy." I walked into the kitchen, greeted my mother and father, grabbed an apple, and went upstairs, where Shawn was sitting on my bed.

   "Okay, so, what's up?" I plopped on the bed next to him.

   He sighed and said, "My dad got another job."

   "Wouldn't that be good news? I mean, I guess it would depend on the job." I realized that my input wasn't necessary and shut up.

   "And they're making him go to this mandatory workshop for two months. It's in Boston."

   I stiffened. "You're not moving there, are you?"

   "Not if I can help it. No, that's not even the worst problem. Because of the... problems that he had, DCFS is... makingmegotoafosterhome," he finished in a rush.

  "Wait. Did you say foster home? But you're almost eighteen!"

  "Not until July. In order for me to finish the year at John Adams... well, it's a big mess."

  "Could you stay with us?" I said hopefully. As I said that, though, I realized that because of how the store was doing, my dad didn't need another mouth to feed.

  "Cor, you know I can't. But I really don't want to stay with another foster family."

  "I had forgotten about the Heaths. How old were you, ten?"

  "Yeah." Shawn sighed heavily and stated, "I would run away, but I'm so close to graduation."

  "Well, Shawn, you know I'm here for you." I slugged him on the shoulder lightly.

  "I know." He slugged me back. "Well, I'm going tomorrow, so I need to pack a few items."

  "Tomorrow! Why so fast?"

  "My dad's leaving tomorrow. The thing is, they told me that I would 'age out' of foster care before he gets back, so really, I'm only looking at being there for a month. And I can survive a month, right?"

  "Sure!" I said with heartiness that I didn't feel. "You'll do great."

  "Okay. See you, Cory."

  I walked Shawn downstairs. As he walked down the street, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him over the next month.

Next Chapter- Fall