A/N: What's up, staaars and studs! New oneshot. Yet another Shan/Andie one. No idea why most of my oneshots tend to be about them. Anyway. I was reading this book called Just Listen and this kinda unfolded in my head. I'm working on a sequel to Lips of An Angel since everyone liked that oneshot. But, I hope you enjoy this one. Read. Review. Above all, ENJOY! Vote on the poll and check the request, please. Peace and love!
NO OWNAGE: Sadly, I don't own Shannon. Julie would have a problem with that. OWNAGE: I do own Andie.
She wants to move out. It's not that I blame her or anything, I just don't want her to go. Tiara doesn't wanna move in and without Andie, it'll be quiet. Too quiet. I mean, before she came home from England, I was used to being by myself. I've just gotten so accustomed to having her around. She makes breakfast every single morning, she bakes when she's upset. I don't I can ever get the smell of cookies out of my house. But, I like it. Yet another reminder of my best friend. Or is she more than that? People say that a guy and a girl can't be best friends. Andie and I listened to that crap all through junior high and high school. I disagree one hundred percent.
A girl and a guy can be just friends, but at one point or another they will fall for each other. Maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever. So where do my feelings for Andie fall? I'm sure as hell that they're not temporary. I think it was too late. When I finally decided to tell her how I feel, she shows up engaged. When Andie and Ken broke up, I could've made a move. She'd told me that she loves me. The brilliant thing I said? I told her that we were just friends and that I didn't feel that way about her. She locked herself in the bathroom that night. I swear to God, I'd thought she'd killed herself. But, she'd only fallen asleep in the bathtub.
"Still mad at me?" Andie asks, coming into my room.
"I could never stay mad at you," I grin as she joins me on the bed.
"Good. Because this is what's best for me."
"Is it?"
Andie frowns at me, playing with her hair. She doesn't need me to protect her anymore. Her father's in jail and I've never seen her this happy. Beth says that she and Ken are attempting to reconcile. I can't let happen, for my own selfish reasons and for Andie's sake. I grab Andie's hand, lacing my fingers with hers. These little gestures used to mean so much until I fucked everything up. Andie jerks her hand away from mine, shaking her head slowly. Maybe her feelings were never real. I mean, she was drunk when she confessed. Besides, if she truly loved, she'd tell me. Any feelings for me were never brought up. I can't keep doing this to myself. Two nights ago, Andie made it perfectly clear that she had no feelings for me. Then, she proceeded to blast a playlist on her iPod.
"I'm not going far," Andie says. "Just a small apartment in the neighborhood."
"Would it make a difference if I told you that I don't want you to go?" I ask.
"No. But, it's sweet to hear."
"Stay with me."
I whisper the words in her ears, watching as her eyes slip shut. I straddle her slender body, pinning her arms to the bed. Andie's eyes flick open as she attempts to push me away. I won't get up until she promises to stay. Even she knows that. My lips move closer to hers and she doesn't attempt to stop me. When my lips are about to touch hers, she turns her head. My lips end up brushing across her soft cheek. I bury my face in her neck, breathing in her familiar scent. Her hair smells so good. I'm such a creeper. Andie pushes me off of her and gets off the bed. She's already packed a suitcase.
"Where are you gonna stay?" I ask. "You still haven't found an apartment."
"I don't know," Andie replies.
"Then stay here."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I can't."
When she looks back at me, I can see the tears in her eyes. She keeps sending these mixed signals. I don't know what to do. I don't want her to go, but I want her be happy. She could be happy with me. I know it and somewhere deep down, so does she. I could never hurt her. I'm not Ken. Her past won't make me think any differently of her. I've known her since she was eleven and I know everything about her. Her favorite music (rock), her favorite movie (Beetlejuice). I could go on and on. But, I won't. none of it will make any difference. I just need to get good and drunk. I need to be numb. This doesn't hurt as much when I'm drunk. I leave Andie in my room and head downstairs.
I grab a beer from the fridge and station myself at the kitchen table. Everywhere I go, I find something that reminds me of Andie. Her clothes are strewn all about my room, her cell phone's sitting on the table. She's literally everywhere. It's hurts more than you'd think. Before I know it, I'm on my fourth beer and I'm not even drunk yet. Of course. The one time I wanna be drunk is the time I can't get drunk. I can't help but think about everything Andie and I have been through together. Back then, I never thought that it would all slip right through my fingers.
Prom night.
Out of all the memories that I have of Andie, our senior prom is the one I cherish the most. It was even because that night she was my first. Just holding her in my arms as we lay in the back of my Dad's pick up truck. It was so perfect. I can't think of any place I'd rather be. If I could go back to that night, I'd tell her that I love her. Would my life really be all that different? At this moment right now, would we be together? Or would we not even be friends due to some ripple in time? It's so scary to think that way. Life without Andie is like life without breathing.
Andie comes downstairs and sits across from after setting her suitcases in the living room. She's really gonna go. God, her face is full of pain. I just wanna hold her in my arms and whisper that everything will be okay. But, I ruined that. She could be mine right now. Now Andie's leaving and things won't be the same. I don't think that our friendship will be the same. I want it to be. But, I just don't know. I never thought that my secret feelings would lead to this. I guess it really isn't good to keep things bottled up. Andie moves towards me, her iPod in the palms of her hands.
"Just listen," she whispers, shoving the device into my hands.
Before I can ask what she's talking about, she's gone. Just listen? To what? I've heard nearly every song on her iPod, half of them she got from me. When I turn the iPod on, I see that her background's a picture of us. We're asleep on Matt's couch, Christmas Eve circa 2008. I remember that night. Andie had a fever and was in my arms the whole night. She wanted to lie down and I wouldn't let her out of my sight. It wasn't the first time she'd fallen asleep in my arms. I never thought it'd be the last. I could go after her. I'm physically capable of doing that. But, I won't. I'm too fucking chicken.
* * * * *
Andie's iPod is still on my kitchen table later that night. Just listen. I can't get those two little words out of my head. Listen to what? The music? I put the headphones in my ears, scrolling through her playlists. Metallica. Armor for Sleep. White Tie Affair. All-American Rejects. The list just keeps going on. But, one playlist catches my eye. Shannon. That's all it says. The tracks aren't labeled, save for just numbers. After much consideration, I hit play. My heart jumps into my throat when the first songs plays.
You Belong With Me, Taylor Swift. I think I know what she's trying to hint at. The Horror of Our Love plays next, followed by Fall For You. Twenty songs later and I feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. I know this playlist. Whenever we fought, she'd play these songs. I never knew they were about me. It never even crossed my mind. I'm about to shut the iPod off when I realize that there's twenty-one tracks. After a bit of static, I hear Andie's voice.
"Hi, Shannon. I'm sure that you figured out by now why I wanted you to listen to this. I couldn't say it in person. That night when I was drunk, I just blurted my feelings out. When said that we were just friends, I was crushed. I didn't know to do. So, I pretended that I didn't feel anything for. Stupid thought things would be easier this way. But, it's not. That's why I had to move out. I can't live with you, it hurts too much."
There's a pause and I can hear her shift uncomfortably.
"I love you, Shannon. I've loved you since that day we met. I always will. Now I understand that we just weren't meant to be. I get it. Maybe at one point you did love me. Maybe you still do. I can't know for sure and it hurts to even think about. I'll see you around, Shan. Who am I kidding? You probably didn't even listen to this."
Silence. The track stopped. All these years and she's loved me back? I really am an idiot. How could I not realize this? I have to see her. I grab my keys and dart of the house, jumping into my car. I have a pretty good idea of where she is. After driving for a couple of minutes, I end up at Matt's. He opens the door after I knock and I push past, calling out for Andie. She steps out from the kitchen, briefly glancing at me. I pull her into my arms as she squirms against me.
"Shannon…" Andie groans."
"Shh," I tell her. "Don't think or judge; just listen."
She nods.
"I love you," I whisper. "I've always loved you. Things with your dad, it never felt like the right time to tell you. And when I finally got the courage, you had Ken."
"But, what you said that night--"
"I got scared, And. I just blurted things out."
She moves into my arms and rests her head against my chest. This is where she's supposed to be. In my arms. I never realized how perfectly she fit right here, her heartbeat one with mine. I look down at her and she steals a kiss from my lips. She grins, biting on her bottom lip. My hands move to her hips as hers move around my neck. I guess now was the right time, the right moment. This is perfection, I don't care what anyone says.
"Does this mean you're not moving out?" I ask, kissing her.
"We'll see," she teases, shaking her ass as she walks away.
She looks back at me and blows a kiss. I love that little grin of hers. I absolutely love her when she smiles. This was how it should've been for all these years. But, it's better late than never, right? I have her and she has me. I'm happy.
A/N: I decided that I wanted to give them a happy ending for once. Hope ya liked! Review. :D