A/N: I just wanted to say a quick thank you to the anonymous reviewer Jessica. Normally, I try to reply to every review so, thanks for your review! Also, I had a friend read this chapter and she suggested that I give the readers some idea of how long this story will be. I'm not sure how long this story will be, but it will probably be at least ten chapters. So, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!
Also, I just realized that I haven't but a disclaimer up on any of my chapters. Oops. So here it goes:
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to be.
Shawn had a long night. He sat up most of the night, rocking back and forth in terror and anguish. Verna came home in time for dinner, just as she said she would, which was about twenty minuets after Chet came home. Neither came into Shawn's room and he was indescribably appreciative for that. Although, even if they tried to get into his room they wouldn't be able to because Shawn locked his door, which still didn't give him any sense of safety.
Shawn laid on his stomach and fell asleep around three in the morning. He slept deeply and didn't wake up until noon. Shawn groaned and tried to stretch his stiff muscles, but his entire body screamed in protest. Shawn bit his pillow to keep himself from crying out and stayed perfectly still until he was sure that he could handle the pain.
Shawn laid there for a while, but finally stood up at 1 o'clock. Shawn staggered out of his room and into the kitchen. Chet was sitting at the table, staring into a cup of coffee, and Shawn wondered if he knew what happened. Bitterly, Shawn wondered if he even cared.
"Dad?" Shawn asked quietly, standing in the doorway awkwardly. Chet stiffened and glanced up at Shawn. Chet's face was pained, but also resigned, and Shawn instantly knew that Chet wouldn't help him.
"Hey, kid. How you feelin'?" Chet asked, his voice impartial. Chet's eyes were scanning Shawn's body, and what he found only appeared to make him more sad.
"Do you know?" Shawn asked, his voice passive and soft. He didn't want Chet to turn on him too considering he was the only ally Shawn had left in this place. Although, at this point, Shawn wasn't even sure if Chet was an ally or not.
"Yeah, Verna told me." Chet answered, picking up the cup from in front of him and taking a drink from it.
"And?" Shawn continued, his voice sharp with disbelief. He wanted Chet to say that he would never let it happen again and that he was going to kick Verna out, or he was going to pack their things and get them away from here. Chet was his father and Shawn just wanted him on his side. Fathers are supposed to protect their sons. Aren't they?
"You shouldn't be stressing your mother out so much Shawn. She just got back, and you're gonna go and chase her away again. Just try harder and be a good boy, alright? And make sure you don't tell anyone about what happened." Chet mumbled, looking away from Shawn in dismay.
"What?" Shawn asked, his voice sounding as if it were a thousand miles away. Shawn's body became numb. He couldn't feel himself moving, but he knew that he grabbed his jacket and was putting it on. Shawn also knew that Chet was saying something, but ignored him. A new emotion, more powerful then anything Shawn ever felt in his life, roared to life inside of him. The emotion reminded him of anger but it was stronger, and far more powerful. Whatever he was feeling, it was lethal.
"You are not leaving!" Chet said angrily, standing up and going over to Shawn. He grabbed Shawn's wrist where Verna did the previous night, although his grip was far gentler. Shawn yelped loudly and Chet released him immediately, his eyes scanning Shawn's face wearily.
"Why not? There's nothing here for me anymore." Shawn snapped, throwing open the door and storming out.
"Shawn, you're my boy. You can't leave-" Chet tried to convince him as he followed him out of the trailer.
Shawn turned to face his father, betrayal blazing in his eyes. "I hate you." Shawn spoke clearly. He wanted Chet to hear him, to hear this if nothing else. "I hate you!" Shawn screamed in Chet's face, pleased with the look of shock and hurt that replaced Chet's earlier jaded look.
"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Shawn chanted loudly as he ran from the trailer park, his heart pounding in his ears.
Shawn ran for a while, but he couldn't tell how long or to where. Shawn stopped finally and fell to the ground, panting heavily. His back was searing with pain and, despite Shawn's best efforts, salty tears worked their way down his face. Shawn was miserable. His back was burning, his face hurt and the bruises on his wrist were rubbing raw against the pavement he lay against. Shawn was also hungry. He realized with a jolt that it had been nearly an entire day since his last meal, which was yesterday at lunch.
Shawn laid on the side of some random road for a few minuets, until he could get a hold of himself, before struggling to his feet. Shawn glanced at his watch, Cory gave it to him for Christmas, and it was only 1:30. Looking at the watch reminded Shawn of Cory and suddenly, Shawn knew where he wanted to go.
Shawn started walking towards the school. He didn't know what he wanted to do. Shawn knew he didn't want to go back home to those people; if they could do this to him then they were not his family. But Shawn also didn't want to be an orphan again. He needed a family. Shawn knew that if he explained the situation the Mathews would let him stay with them again. But for how long? Three weeks again until they got sick of him? Or would it be shorter this time? Two weeks? One? A few days?
Shawn couldn't live with the thought of being not wanted, or getting kicked out, looming over his head. That left John. He knew that John would take him in again, but Shawn was hesitant to go to him. Shawn didn't want to admit that the 'family' he left John for was hurting him like this. Shawn didn't want to see the looks on John and Cory's faces when they found out but after his talk with Chet, Shawn knew that he had to help himself out of this situation- because no one else would.
Still undecided about what he wanted to do, Shawn arrived at the school. He walked by the front office and slipped into John's class, into the seat behind Cory.
"I need to talk to you." Shawn whispered into Cory ear, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His back was killing him after all that walking.
"Shawn?" Cory turned around and gasped dramatically, drawing the attention of the entire class onto him. Shawn's eyes narrowed in confusion. He was wearing a t-shirt, these people couldn't see his back. So how did they know? "What happened to you?" Cory asked again, his eyes more moist then usual as he stared at Shawn's face and his wrist.
Shawn glanced down at his wrist and saw five finger shaped bruises on his wrist and groaned. Doing so hurt his jaw, which reminded Shawn of the bruises on his face that he forgot to cover.
"Shawn? What happened to you?" Johnathan Turner asked, looking between Cory and Shawn in confusion and not a little bit of fear.
"Can we talk in private. Please?" Shawn begged. He sighed when John and Cory exchanged glances of worry. He knew that this would happen. Shawn never talked like that; with a pleading tone. They both knew that and were obviously worried about him.
"Of course." John answered, watching Shawn cautiously. "Read the second chapter while I'm out." John turned to address the class. "Come on." He said to Cory and Shawn, leading the way out of the room.
Shawn walked in between Cory and John and felt as though he couldn't breathe. Anxiety was pumping through his veins faster then blood, causing adrenaline to course through his body and making him tremble with anticipation. All Shawn wanted to do, now that he was here, was confess everything and have someone tell him everything was going to be alright.
However, when John turned the corner and knocked on Mr. Feeny's door all Shawn wanted to do at that moment was run. For some inexplicable reason, Shawn didn't want Mr. Feeny to know. He didn't really want anyone to know. It wasn't just his pride, although that was certainly a part of it, he also felt embarrassed by the whole situation. Shawn didn't want people to know that his mother was hitting him. He didn't want people to know that he was being hurt by the one person who was supposed to love him more then anything.
"Yes Mr. Turner?" Mr. Feeny said as he opened the door. John turned to gesture to Shawn but, in a split second decision, Shawn swapped places with Cory.
"I don't want him to see me like this." Shawn whispered into Cory's ear, his voice mildly panicked, and Cory nodded.
"Do you think we can use your office? We have a bit of a problem." John said, pointing to Cory and the little bit of Shawn that was visible from where he crouched behind his best friend. Shawn felt a little stupid hiding behind Cory like this, but it was either hide behind his best friend, or have Mr. Feeny see him covered with bruises. Shawn knew that Mr. Feeny would just want to help him, but Shawn didn't want his help. He wanted Cory and John's help.
"Ah, I see. What have they done this time?" Mr. Feeny asked, eying Cory exasperation.
"Nothing. It's just that..." John trailed off, glancing behind him. He seemed to understand that Shawn didn't want Mr. Feeny to know. John leaned in closer to Mr. Feeny and whispered, "Can I fill you in later?"
"Of course." Mr. Feeny answered back, his face now a mask of concern. "I'll be in the cafeteria if you need me." He said before leaving.
"Come in, guys." John said, ushering Cory and Shawn into the comfortable office. Cory sat down immediately, but Shawn hovered in the doorway, looking incredibly small and unsure of himself. "Why don't you close the door and take a seat." John suggested, trying to keep his tone easy and laid back. He didn't want to scare Shawn off before he even had a chance to talk to them.
Shawn nodded, closed the door and sat on the edge of his seat. Shawn was gripping his left wrist with his hand to cover the bruises and he looked down at the floor, suddenly very shy.
John took a seat on Mr. Feeny's desk and sighed. Now that he had a chance to get a good look, Shawn looked like a mess. There were large, purple bags under his eyes, a large bruise on his wrist that he couldn't completely cover, and two large bruises on his face. Shawn was sitting sort of hunched over, and John wondered what the reason for that was. He guessed that whatever the reason, it wasn't good.
"Shawnie, what happened to you?" Cory asked the obvious question, staring at his best friend in shock. Cory wasn't used to seeing his friend look so defeated and it was disturbing. Shawn shook his head, indicating that he wasn't ready to answer that question yet. Shawn knew that he was the one who asked them to talk but it was as if he lost his courage to tell them. What if they didn't believe him? Maybe they were going to think he was weak or pathetic and deserved what he got. Anxiety made Shawn keep his mouth closed tightly.
"C'mon Shawn. You've got to give us something." John tried, desperately wishing that Shawn would open up to him so he could hunt down whoever did this and kill them. Shawn mutely shook his head again and John sighed in frustration. Shawn obviously wanted to talk to them, otherwise he wouldn't have come to school today, so what was holding him back?
"Are you okay?" Cory questioned, wishing that Shawn would give them something to work with. Hesitantly Shawn lifted his head. He glanced at Cory, shook his head again, and looked back down. "You're not okay?" Cory asked, his voice higher then usual due to the stress of the situation. This time, Shawn nodded his head, his eyes filling with tears.
Cory looked at John and his eyes welled with tears in panic. Cory stared hard at Shawn as though he could force him to open up and force his wounds to heal.
John slid off of the desk and walked over to Shawn. John reached out and gently grabbed Shawn by the shoulders. Shawn flinched violently and looked up at him with fearful, tear filled eyes.
"I'm not going to hurt you Shawn. I will never let anyone hurt you again." John said emphatically, staring straight into Shawn's eyes as he spoke. Shawn wanted to believe him so badly. But he just didn't know what to do. "Shawn, listen to me." John said, his hands still placed firmly, but lightly, on Shawn's shoulders. Shawn looked into John's eyes, his face unbelievably vulnerable. "You don't deserve this. I can help you, but I need you to trust me." John said, sincerity ringing in every word he spoke.
"Okay." Shawn whispered, his voice cracking slightly. He stared at John for a minuet, then looked to Cory.
"What happened?" Cory asked, his voice gentle. He reached his hand out and laid it on Shawn's arm in comfort. Shawn sighed.
"It's a long story."