Chapter 2- Don't Tell
Mandeline wondered if going out for a drink counted as some kind of date. She hoped not. But Shaun was still waiting for an answer. Mandeline shrugged casually and said, "Sure."
Shaun smiled. "Ok. And I don't mean that we're going out for beer, in case you're wondering." And Mandeline HAD been wondering that. Instead, they ended up going to a smoothie shop. They each bought smoothies and sat at a booth away from the window. When they got settled, Mandeline asked, "So why were you crying so much?"
"It was the movie." Shaun replied. "It was just so sad.." He trailed off again.
Mandeline nodded knowingly. "It was." She paused. "But are you sure that's the only reason you were crying?"
Shaun nodded slowly. "Yeah.."
"Is it?" Mandeline doubtingly.
Shaun didn't answer for a minute or so. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Finally, he said softly, "No."
Mandeline gave him a little time to "recover". "Then what is it?" she asked, gently.
Shaun thought for a little while. Then he said, "I'd rather not tell."
"Oh." Mandeline understandingly. "I know how you feel." Shaun still looked a little downcast, so she said, "It's really all right, ya know."
"What?"
"To have a secret."
"Not all the time." Shaun said sadly. "Sometimes.." He trailed off.
"Sometimes, what?" Mandeline prompted.
"Well, sometimes, you're forced to tell. Like if you don't, it could ruin everything, but if you do, it still can."
Mandeline nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right. But have you ever thought about the ways it could get better if you DO tell?"
"Well, no."
"So how do you know it won't?"
"I.DON'T know." Shaun said.
"Exactly. So there's a chance it can. Get better, I mean." Mandeline saw a small smile form across Shaun's face.
"You're right." He smiled at Mandeline. "Thank you. For having this talk with me."
Mandeline smiled back at him. "You're welcome." They threw away their smoothie cups and walked out.
"Well, good-bye." Mandeline said and she started to walk towards the bookstore.
"Hey." Shaun called to her. Mandeline turned to him. "Where're ya going?"
Mandeline paused. "To the bookstore." She said after second thoughts.
"Oh. What are you gonna buy?"
"Just a book."
"Mind if I come with you? I'm supposed to get a book for. English class." He said.
Mandeline studied him carefully. She was beginning to wonder if Shaun just wanted to be with her. "No, I don't mind."
"Ok." They started off to the bookstore. Mandeline bought a copy of A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks and Shaun bought a Charles Dickens book. Mandeline figured he really didn't need it. So they paid for their books.
"I'm going to have to go home now." Mandeline said. "Good-bye." She turned and prepared to walk away.
"Hey, Mandy?" Mandeline faced him again and was surprised to hear him call her by her nickname.
"Yes?"
"Don't tell."
"Don't tell who?"
"About today. At the theater. Don't tell my--" he paused, and then said, "friends."
Mandeline nodded understandingly. "I won't." she assured. "I promise."
Shaun smiled at her. "Thank you." Then they walked their separate ways.
~ Authors Note ~ Sorry this chapter was so short (and DULL), but the long chapter before this one makes up for it. Please submit a review to tell me what you think! tbc!
Mandeline wondered if going out for a drink counted as some kind of date. She hoped not. But Shaun was still waiting for an answer. Mandeline shrugged casually and said, "Sure."
Shaun smiled. "Ok. And I don't mean that we're going out for beer, in case you're wondering." And Mandeline HAD been wondering that. Instead, they ended up going to a smoothie shop. They each bought smoothies and sat at a booth away from the window. When they got settled, Mandeline asked, "So why were you crying so much?"
"It was the movie." Shaun replied. "It was just so sad.." He trailed off again.
Mandeline nodded knowingly. "It was." She paused. "But are you sure that's the only reason you were crying?"
Shaun nodded slowly. "Yeah.."
"Is it?" Mandeline doubtingly.
Shaun didn't answer for a minute or so. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Finally, he said softly, "No."
Mandeline gave him a little time to "recover". "Then what is it?" she asked, gently.
Shaun thought for a little while. Then he said, "I'd rather not tell."
"Oh." Mandeline understandingly. "I know how you feel." Shaun still looked a little downcast, so she said, "It's really all right, ya know."
"What?"
"To have a secret."
"Not all the time." Shaun said sadly. "Sometimes.." He trailed off.
"Sometimes, what?" Mandeline prompted.
"Well, sometimes, you're forced to tell. Like if you don't, it could ruin everything, but if you do, it still can."
Mandeline nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right. But have you ever thought about the ways it could get better if you DO tell?"
"Well, no."
"So how do you know it won't?"
"I.DON'T know." Shaun said.
"Exactly. So there's a chance it can. Get better, I mean." Mandeline saw a small smile form across Shaun's face.
"You're right." He smiled at Mandeline. "Thank you. For having this talk with me."
Mandeline smiled back at him. "You're welcome." They threw away their smoothie cups and walked out.
"Well, good-bye." Mandeline said and she started to walk towards the bookstore.
"Hey." Shaun called to her. Mandeline turned to him. "Where're ya going?"
Mandeline paused. "To the bookstore." She said after second thoughts.
"Oh. What are you gonna buy?"
"Just a book."
"Mind if I come with you? I'm supposed to get a book for. English class." He said.
Mandeline studied him carefully. She was beginning to wonder if Shaun just wanted to be with her. "No, I don't mind."
"Ok." They started off to the bookstore. Mandeline bought a copy of A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks and Shaun bought a Charles Dickens book. Mandeline figured he really didn't need it. So they paid for their books.
"I'm going to have to go home now." Mandeline said. "Good-bye." She turned and prepared to walk away.
"Hey, Mandy?" Mandeline faced him again and was surprised to hear him call her by her nickname.
"Yes?"
"Don't tell."
"Don't tell who?"
"About today. At the theater. Don't tell my--" he paused, and then said, "friends."
Mandeline nodded understandingly. "I won't." she assured. "I promise."
Shaun smiled at her. "Thank you." Then they walked their separate ways.
~ Authors Note ~ Sorry this chapter was so short (and DULL), but the long chapter before this one makes up for it. Please submit a review to tell me what you think! tbc!