"Honey, Angela, could you hand me that comb?" Shawn pointed to a blue comb on the cluttered bathroom counter as he squeezed uncomfortably between his girlfriend and the wall for a quick peek in the mirror.
Angela focused intently on her reflection, brushing on a light coat of mascara before retrieving Shawn's comb from the entourage of makeup and hair supplies.
"I tell ya, Ange, you have done some job on my bathroom," Shawn said, unable to stifle a laugh. "This place is officially 'girlified.'"
Angela could only smile as she carefully painted her lips with a deep burgundy gloss. In the two weeks she had been living in Shawn's apartment, the battle for mirror space had become a daily ritual, and the smallest aspects of living together had begun to take their toll.
Shawn couldn't deny that he'd had to make major readjustments to his life, but sacrifices seemed so much smaller when Angela was involved. The makeup on the counter may have been a pain, but it was all worthwhile in Shawn's opinion. After all, there was no greater feeling than sleeping in and then waking up to find a surprise love note scrawled on the mirror in the steam from Angela's shower.
My God, he's gorgeous, Angela thought as she watched Shawn combing his hair in the mirror. Shawn had been so patient, so tolerant of her "girlifying" his bathroom, his apartment, his life. Angela flashed him a sweet smile as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.
"So how do I look?" she asked, finally turning around to face him.
Shawn planted a soft kiss on the top of her head and stepped back to admire her beauty. "Beautiful," he answered, "just ravishing."
Angela thanked him with a brief kiss on the cheek before scurrying out of the bathroom, finally allowing Shawn to breathe comfortably and study his own reflection. He ran one hand through his hair as he noticed a small blemish on his forehead and dark circles under his eyes, the result of staying up late the previous night to watch movies with Angela.
As striking as all of Shawn's features were, the one aspect of his reflection that really caught his attention was the irrepressible smile that just wouldn't seem to go away.
Their life together was priceless, Shawn decided, suddenly unable imagine how he'd just spent an entire year without her there by his side. The two of them were perfectly suited for this kind of living arrangement.
Shawn thought about how amazing the simplest things in life could be when he and Angela were together. Watching television, for example, used to serve as a mundane way to pass the time. These days, he cherished the hours spent in front of the TV with Angela, whether they were cuddling quietly, fighting over the remote control, or kissing passionately with no regard to the TV whatsoever. This was the good life, Shawn thought, smiling.
His silent reflections were interrupted by the sound of his girlfriend's voice coming from the other side of the apartment. "Shawn, how long do you think this party is going to last?"
Shawn laughed to himself as he thought of all the possibilities for the evening. Cory and Topanga were throwing a surprise birthday party for Cory's older brother, Eric, and anything was bound to happen when Eric was concerned.
"Well if Eric doesn't somehow manage to burn down the apartment with the candles from the cake, I figure we'll be back here in a couple of hours," Shawn answered.
Angela only laughed; she knew as well as anyone how crazy Eric could be. When he wasn't coming up with insane plots to stay out of trouble or avoid real work, Eric Matthews somehow managed to create chaos with his unbelievable naivete. Underneath his exterior as an immature, carefree clown, however, those who knew Eric best could recognize a giving spirit and heart of gold.
"I wonder if turning 23 will make Eric realize that he's finally an adult?" Angela asked as she and Shawn prepared to head out the door.
"I dunno," Shawn answered, opening the door and placing one arm over her shoulders. "I hope not." The two exchanged understanding smiles and stepped out of the apartment, walking slowly, leisurely, hand in hand.
By the time Shawn and Angela had reached the Matthews's apartment, the only component missing from the party was the guest of honor himself, Eric. Angela giggled at the sight of the party's decorations; colorful streamers, glittery party favors, and games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey lined the crowded living room. Adulthood for Eric? Not a chance.
"Okay people," Cory announced loudly over the party-goers' small-talk and laughing, "I told Eric to be here at 8:30. It's 8:42 now," he said, glancing at his watch. "We should expect him in about five minutes."
A roomful of confused expressions faced Cory's way. Cory couldn't believe that these people, the guests at Eric's party, even had to give it a second thought. "Oh, come on!" he finally exclaimed. "It's Eric!"
The crowd still looked a little unclear as to why Eric would be so late. Cory was astonished. "We live on the fifth floor of this building. Eric never comes over without spending a little quality time playing on the elevators," Cory said more softly, in mock-patience.
A sense of sudden understanding swept through the room, as the guests, including many of Cory and Topanga's co-workers and friends from school, went back to their mingling. Shawn and Angela joined the group, as Shawn finally got the opportunity to introduce his classmates to the girl he'd talked about constantly for the past year.
"Alright, guys," Topanga took her turn to quiet the group. "Eric is due here any minute. You all know the drill. Lights off, you hide behind the furniture, and when Eric comes in, you jump out and yell 'Surprise!'" she explained hurriedly.
The party guests were quick to follow instructions, not making so much as a peep while they awaited Eric's arrival. The sound of footsteps nearing the door put them all on alert, as they watched Eric clumsily walk through the apartment's entrance.
"Cory?" he called out into the darkened apartment. "Topa--"
"Surprise!" He was interrupted by the cheerful greeting from his family and friends. After taking a split second to process exactly what was going on, Eric grinned brightly, reflecting sincere happiness on his goateed, but still very youthful face.
"Aww, you guys are the best," he said, thanking his younger brother with an affectionate pat on the back. He hugged his sister-in-law tightly as the party experienced its official beginning.
Eric Matthews had first come to New York a year ago, with Cory, Shawn, and Topanga. He had just graduated from college and was ready to embark on a new life, and while this change had certainly given him a new sense of energy, Eric's insane tendencies could not be eliminated so easily.
"So how much you wanna bet that Eric's gonna wind up pinning the tail on some unsuspecting party guest?" Shawn joked to Angela as he poured two cupfuls of sparkling red punch for them.
Angela began to laugh when Cory unexpectedly joined the couple, tugging impatiently at Shawn's shirt sleeve. Shawn lowered his brow in confusion, finally understanding that the time for a friend-to-friend chat had come.
"Alright," Cory said sternly, as the two men walked to a quiet corner of the living room. "What's happened to my best friend?"
Shawn was surprised. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, this is the first time I've seen you in over a week," Cory stated, obviously concerned. "Is everything alright?"
Shawn couldn't help but let out an innocent laugh at how unnecessary Cory's concern was. "Cory, Cory, Cory." He shook his head, grinning uncontrollably. "Life couldn't be better. It's just that I've been spending so much time with Angela lately..."
Cory cut him off immediately. "Hold on. Remember what you told me before, about you, you know, making this arrangement more permanent?"
Pressing his lips together tightly, Shawn thought for a moment before responding to Cory's inquiry. Unable to keep a secret from his closest friend in the world, he released a heavy sigh and reached deeply into the front right pocket of his baggy jeans.
"Cory, you're going to keep your mouth shut about this", Shawn instructed as he opened his hand to reveal a tiny velvet box. "I'm gonna do it, Cor. I'm gonna propose to Angela."
An excited smile danced across Cory's lips. He was overjoyed that, possibly for the first time ever, Shawn was getting to live the kind of life that he truly deserved.
Shawn remained silent as his eyes shifted from the delicate box in his hand to the slender woman standing several feet away. Angela was the sole source of light in the crowded apartment, as far as Shawn was concerned. She was beautiful, loving, caring, and if all of Shawn's prayers were answered, she would be his forever.
Cory slowly reached out to take the box into his own hand. Opening it carefully, he exposed a breathtakingly beautiful diamond and silver engagement ring.
"Shawnie, what'd you do, rob a jewelry store?" Cory asked dryly, absolutely stunned.
Shawn shook his head and snatched the ring back before Angela could see it peeking out of the open box. "I never said anything, but I've been thinking about this for a long time. I started saving the money for this before she ever left for Europe."
Cory couldn't believe what he was hearing. Studying his friend's face, he placed his hands on Shawn's shoulders. "I'm proud 'a ya, Shawnie." He smiled. "I really am."
Before Shawn could respond, the party had shifted into full gear, with none other than Eric at the reins. "Okay everybody, I'm gonna light the candles," Eric announced, stiking a match. "Oooh, fire..." He admired the flickering flame and twirled the burning match between two fingers.
A terrified look petrified Cory's face as he ran toward his brother, leaving Shawn standing alone to consider his plans for that delicate silver ring. He glanced at Angela once more, then back at the ring. He felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth and returned the ring to his pocket just before re-joining his love in the company of friends.
Angela focused intently on her reflection, brushing on a light coat of mascara before retrieving Shawn's comb from the entourage of makeup and hair supplies.
"I tell ya, Ange, you have done some job on my bathroom," Shawn said, unable to stifle a laugh. "This place is officially 'girlified.'"
Angela could only smile as she carefully painted her lips with a deep burgundy gloss. In the two weeks she had been living in Shawn's apartment, the battle for mirror space had become a daily ritual, and the smallest aspects of living together had begun to take their toll.
Shawn couldn't deny that he'd had to make major readjustments to his life, but sacrifices seemed so much smaller when Angela was involved. The makeup on the counter may have been a pain, but it was all worthwhile in Shawn's opinion. After all, there was no greater feeling than sleeping in and then waking up to find a surprise love note scrawled on the mirror in the steam from Angela's shower.
My God, he's gorgeous, Angela thought as she watched Shawn combing his hair in the mirror. Shawn had been so patient, so tolerant of her "girlifying" his bathroom, his apartment, his life. Angela flashed him a sweet smile as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.
"So how do I look?" she asked, finally turning around to face him.
Shawn planted a soft kiss on the top of her head and stepped back to admire her beauty. "Beautiful," he answered, "just ravishing."
Angela thanked him with a brief kiss on the cheek before scurrying out of the bathroom, finally allowing Shawn to breathe comfortably and study his own reflection. He ran one hand through his hair as he noticed a small blemish on his forehead and dark circles under his eyes, the result of staying up late the previous night to watch movies with Angela.
As striking as all of Shawn's features were, the one aspect of his reflection that really caught his attention was the irrepressible smile that just wouldn't seem to go away.
Their life together was priceless, Shawn decided, suddenly unable imagine how he'd just spent an entire year without her there by his side. The two of them were perfectly suited for this kind of living arrangement.
Shawn thought about how amazing the simplest things in life could be when he and Angela were together. Watching television, for example, used to serve as a mundane way to pass the time. These days, he cherished the hours spent in front of the TV with Angela, whether they were cuddling quietly, fighting over the remote control, or kissing passionately with no regard to the TV whatsoever. This was the good life, Shawn thought, smiling.
His silent reflections were interrupted by the sound of his girlfriend's voice coming from the other side of the apartment. "Shawn, how long do you think this party is going to last?"
Shawn laughed to himself as he thought of all the possibilities for the evening. Cory and Topanga were throwing a surprise birthday party for Cory's older brother, Eric, and anything was bound to happen when Eric was concerned.
"Well if Eric doesn't somehow manage to burn down the apartment with the candles from the cake, I figure we'll be back here in a couple of hours," Shawn answered.
Angela only laughed; she knew as well as anyone how crazy Eric could be. When he wasn't coming up with insane plots to stay out of trouble or avoid real work, Eric Matthews somehow managed to create chaos with his unbelievable naivete. Underneath his exterior as an immature, carefree clown, however, those who knew Eric best could recognize a giving spirit and heart of gold.
"I wonder if turning 23 will make Eric realize that he's finally an adult?" Angela asked as she and Shawn prepared to head out the door.
"I dunno," Shawn answered, opening the door and placing one arm over her shoulders. "I hope not." The two exchanged understanding smiles and stepped out of the apartment, walking slowly, leisurely, hand in hand.
By the time Shawn and Angela had reached the Matthews's apartment, the only component missing from the party was the guest of honor himself, Eric. Angela giggled at the sight of the party's decorations; colorful streamers, glittery party favors, and games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey lined the crowded living room. Adulthood for Eric? Not a chance.
"Okay people," Cory announced loudly over the party-goers' small-talk and laughing, "I told Eric to be here at 8:30. It's 8:42 now," he said, glancing at his watch. "We should expect him in about five minutes."
A roomful of confused expressions faced Cory's way. Cory couldn't believe that these people, the guests at Eric's party, even had to give it a second thought. "Oh, come on!" he finally exclaimed. "It's Eric!"
The crowd still looked a little unclear as to why Eric would be so late. Cory was astonished. "We live on the fifth floor of this building. Eric never comes over without spending a little quality time playing on the elevators," Cory said more softly, in mock-patience.
A sense of sudden understanding swept through the room, as the guests, including many of Cory and Topanga's co-workers and friends from school, went back to their mingling. Shawn and Angela joined the group, as Shawn finally got the opportunity to introduce his classmates to the girl he'd talked about constantly for the past year.
"Alright, guys," Topanga took her turn to quiet the group. "Eric is due here any minute. You all know the drill. Lights off, you hide behind the furniture, and when Eric comes in, you jump out and yell 'Surprise!'" she explained hurriedly.
The party guests were quick to follow instructions, not making so much as a peep while they awaited Eric's arrival. The sound of footsteps nearing the door put them all on alert, as they watched Eric clumsily walk through the apartment's entrance.
"Cory?" he called out into the darkened apartment. "Topa--"
"Surprise!" He was interrupted by the cheerful greeting from his family and friends. After taking a split second to process exactly what was going on, Eric grinned brightly, reflecting sincere happiness on his goateed, but still very youthful face.
"Aww, you guys are the best," he said, thanking his younger brother with an affectionate pat on the back. He hugged his sister-in-law tightly as the party experienced its official beginning.
Eric Matthews had first come to New York a year ago, with Cory, Shawn, and Topanga. He had just graduated from college and was ready to embark on a new life, and while this change had certainly given him a new sense of energy, Eric's insane tendencies could not be eliminated so easily.
"So how much you wanna bet that Eric's gonna wind up pinning the tail on some unsuspecting party guest?" Shawn joked to Angela as he poured two cupfuls of sparkling red punch for them.
Angela began to laugh when Cory unexpectedly joined the couple, tugging impatiently at Shawn's shirt sleeve. Shawn lowered his brow in confusion, finally understanding that the time for a friend-to-friend chat had come.
"Alright," Cory said sternly, as the two men walked to a quiet corner of the living room. "What's happened to my best friend?"
Shawn was surprised. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, this is the first time I've seen you in over a week," Cory stated, obviously concerned. "Is everything alright?"
Shawn couldn't help but let out an innocent laugh at how unnecessary Cory's concern was. "Cory, Cory, Cory." He shook his head, grinning uncontrollably. "Life couldn't be better. It's just that I've been spending so much time with Angela lately..."
Cory cut him off immediately. "Hold on. Remember what you told me before, about you, you know, making this arrangement more permanent?"
Pressing his lips together tightly, Shawn thought for a moment before responding to Cory's inquiry. Unable to keep a secret from his closest friend in the world, he released a heavy sigh and reached deeply into the front right pocket of his baggy jeans.
"Cory, you're going to keep your mouth shut about this", Shawn instructed as he opened his hand to reveal a tiny velvet box. "I'm gonna do it, Cor. I'm gonna propose to Angela."
An excited smile danced across Cory's lips. He was overjoyed that, possibly for the first time ever, Shawn was getting to live the kind of life that he truly deserved.
Shawn remained silent as his eyes shifted from the delicate box in his hand to the slender woman standing several feet away. Angela was the sole source of light in the crowded apartment, as far as Shawn was concerned. She was beautiful, loving, caring, and if all of Shawn's prayers were answered, she would be his forever.
Cory slowly reached out to take the box into his own hand. Opening it carefully, he exposed a breathtakingly beautiful diamond and silver engagement ring.
"Shawnie, what'd you do, rob a jewelry store?" Cory asked dryly, absolutely stunned.
Shawn shook his head and snatched the ring back before Angela could see it peeking out of the open box. "I never said anything, but I've been thinking about this for a long time. I started saving the money for this before she ever left for Europe."
Cory couldn't believe what he was hearing. Studying his friend's face, he placed his hands on Shawn's shoulders. "I'm proud 'a ya, Shawnie." He smiled. "I really am."
Before Shawn could respond, the party had shifted into full gear, with none other than Eric at the reins. "Okay everybody, I'm gonna light the candles," Eric announced, stiking a match. "Oooh, fire..." He admired the flickering flame and twirled the burning match between two fingers.
A terrified look petrified Cory's face as he ran toward his brother, leaving Shawn standing alone to consider his plans for that delicate silver ring. He glanced at Angela once more, then back at the ring. He felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth and returned the ring to his pocket just before re-joining his love in the company of friends.