Chapter Fourteen

Weeks went on with no contact with Shawn. I spent most of my time with Cory as Shawn had to cut him out of his life as well. Jennifer was manipulating Shawn and wanted complete control of his life. She wanted him all to herself and didn't care about his feelings. As much as I thought I was hurting because of everything, I knew that it was affecting Cory way more. He and Shawn were like Bert and Ernie, a package deal. Cory wasn't even sure how to cope with things. They had resorted to sneaking time together in the school library or calls at pay phones.

One particular night, Cory practically begged me to help him cook a big dinner for him and Shawn to catch up. I only agreed in hopes that I could leave before Shawn got there. We had been in the kitchen for hours and Cory was becoming more and more agitated as time went by.

"I said 6:30 sharp! Doesn't being on time mean anything to anyone?"

I rolled my eyes.

"When has Shawn ever been on time?"

He shrugged in disappointment. Just then, Topanga came in through the back door.

"I'm sorry, Cory, but the pie took forever and I wanted everything to be perfect for your big dinner tonight."

"Well, it seems like we've all wasted our time."

Topanga and I looked at each other.

"He'll show up,"she said to him.

"Yeah, he'll show up. But in the meantime, I'll just stick my beef brochettes back in the oven until they're ruined!"

Just then the phone started to ring. Cory paused. He knew it could have only been Shawn and he was afraid to answer.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Topanga pressed.

I nodded at him to go on and answer it. Cory answered the phone hesitantly.

"You're not coming?"

My heart sank for Cory. He had done the most to just spend a little time with Shawn but he was throwing him out of his life. All for Jennifer Bassett? I mean, what did this girl have? Besides, incredibly rich parents, expensive clothes, a car, and model looks...well, I guess she had a lot. A lot of what I didn't have. Any did it honestly make Shawn happy to be with her? The thought made me sick to my stomach and I slowly sank into the kitchen chair.

"Cory, look at yourself! You're a wreck! And Sky, you too! You clearly both can't live without Shawn. I think it's time that you guys told him how you feel."

Cory and I looked at each other with wide eyes. My eyes looked away from his in sadness. Even if Cory and Shawn made up, I didn't think that Shawn and I would ever get back together. I let my trust issues and logic get in the way of what I really felt. I screwed up and there was no looking back.

"Shawn doesn't need me anymore and he doesn't see how much he needs Sky."

"Shawn and I are over, but there's still hope for you and him, Cory. Jennifer is out of control and she's got Shawn wrapped around her finger, but you're his best friend. He's always going to need you," I said.

Topanga nodded.

"Shawn deserves a sweet girl. A girl that understands that a best friend is apart of who you are, and if she doesn't accept your best friend then she isn't really accepting you. Jennifer isn't that girl. But Sky, you are and you need to talk to him. You too, Cory."

I wasn't sure if Shawn would even understand where we were coming from. It seemed like all he cared about was Jennifer's tongue down his throat.

"You're right. What do you think we should do?" Cory asked.

Topanga thought for a second and smirked.

"I think you should forget dinner here, clean up the kitchen and in about an hour, go and have dinner in an hour at Chubbie's."

"Why?"

"In about an hour," she said before rushing out.

Cory and I looked at each other in confusion. I knew that Topanga definitely had something up her sleeve. I sighed as we both started to clean things up.

Sure enough, in an hour, Cory and I were making our way into Chubbie's. Much to our surprise, Topanga was already there waiting on us and leading us to the pool table.

"What's going on?" I said.

"Just wait for it,"

Just as she said that, Shawn walked in. He was wearing a white country club outfit and my stomach turned. That definitely wasn't him.

"You wanted to see me, Topanga?"

"Actually, some other people want to see you."

Shawn's looked over to Cory and then over to me. I missed the way he looked at me.

"I know that you guys don't to see each other very often anymore so I'll just wait outside," Topanga, smiling at both of them.

I started to walk out with her but Shawn called me back.

"Skylar, please stay."

I paused, but still nodded and slowly walked over to the boys.

"Shoot, some stick?"

He was trying to avoid talking to us about what was really going on, but that was true Shawn fashion. I watched as he and Cory set up as I sat in the corner on a stool.

'Why did he want me to stay? Last time, we spoke, things went horribly wrong.'

"You know, Shawn. We used to be able to play a game of pool without the specter of the Wicked Witch of the West hanging over us," Cory laughed before catching himself.

Shawn looked down at his feet, awkwardly.

"Not that I'm saying that your girlfriend is the Wicked Witch of anything..."

"No, of course not," Shawn mumbled.

He knew that if Jennifer even caught him here, she would throw a temper tantrum.

"If you're going out with this girl, there must be something real nice about her and if you're happy...then I'm happy," Cory said, shooting me an apologetic look.

It was hard to watch the two of them make up and have Shawn still hate me. Even seeing Shawn wipe the chalk off Cory's nose made me jealous.

Just then I heard a scream. I looked to see the devil, herself, Jennifer.

"Shawn, how could you do this to me?"

I rolled my eyes and stood up. I was in no mood for her.

"How did you even know I was here?" Shawn shouted.

"I got an anonymous tip on my cell phone. And what's she doing here?" She sneered.

I shot her a look of daggers right when Topanga came in.

"It was I who made the call. It was time she knew. Cory and Shawn kept their relationship alive despite your evil attempt to keep them apart. Because, in the end, true friendship is stronger than the allure of a cheap kiss."

Jennifer gave a frustrated sigh.

"Even though you said you wouldn't, you were just sneaking behind my back to see him?"

"Yeah, I have," Shawn sighed.

"Look, I don't have time for this. I'm giving you an ultimatum. It's him or this..."

She leaned in to give him another kiss. I had seen enough and stepped in before she had the chance. I pushed her back.

"No. I've had enough of you sinking your claws into him!"

Shocked but angry, she stepped forward, but I didn't flinch.

"And what are you going to do about it? He's done with you, you can't give him what I can."

"And what's that, a throat infection?"

She snickered.

"Cute, but what can you really offer him? He was probably just using you for a good grade."

I gasped a little. I had never even thought about that before, but Shawn failed tests with or without me and the fact that she had the nerve to say that made me want to slap her across the face.

"Wait, hold on. Don't talk to her like that! Cory is my friend and so is Topanga. And if you can't be friends with my friends then I'm not so sure I want to be friends with you."

"And what about her?" Jennifer fumed with her arms crossed.

"Skylar is...she's the girl I should be with. She's the girl I should've been with this entire time. Not you."

We watched Jennifer turn a dark red.

"Consider yourself dumped, Shawn."

Shawn just stood there in silence.

"Did you hear me? Dumped!"

He sighed.

"This time it doesn't bother me, Jennifer, because this time I realize that I'm getting a lot more than I'm losing," he said, pulling me closer to him.

Jennifer hissed, giving Cory and I a sinister look and stomped out of the room. We all let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, gang, the good thing is everything is finally back to normal. No more secrets, No more lies. No more sneaking around," Cory spoke.

"Not quite, just yet," Shawn said looking at me.

Topanga nudged Cory and pushed him out of the pool room so Shawn and I could talk.

"I-" we both started to say at the same time.

"You first," I said, giving him the floor to talk.

He pulled me closer to him so that I was looking directly in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let her talk to like that. I shouldn't have talked to you like that. I was just so angry about what happened with Claire. You didn't trust me, but I know why you didn't. I shouldn't have been sneaking around, I should've told you what was going on and I shouldn't have been so defensive when Cory questioned me. If I would've told the truth, things would've gone a lot smoother. Forgive me?"

"No, forgive me. I should've trusted you. I knew that you wouldn't hurt me like that, but sometimes I get scared. You're too good to be true and I think it's wild that you decided to be with me. You had Jennifer Bassett and you gave her up for me."

He lifted my chin up with his hand.

"Why is that so hard to believe. I really like you, Skylar and I can't imagine a world where I'm not with you. I can't be with someone that doesn't like my friends and doesn't get me. You get me and that's all I could ever ask for."

A single tear ran down my cheek. Shawn quickly wiped it away and looked at me in the eyes.

"Let's never break up again, okay?"

I nodded and placed my lips against his to form the kiss that I had been longing for.

"Never."