~ Special Authors Note ~ ok, I just read over Chapter 4 and I realized it's
kinda confusing, so here's what's been going on since the last chapter:
Shaun realized that he's in love with Mandeline. So he wants to ask her
out, but Mandeline wants to know why Shaun has been hanging out with her.
So they get in a fight because Mandeline thinks that Shaun played some kind
of prank on her, but he really didn't. Get it?
Chapter 5- The Truest Words
All throughout the school day, Mandeline wondered if Shaun had asked her on a REAL date. She had agreed to go to dinner with him, but only because it was the only way he would tell her the truth. When school finally ended, Mandeline walked home by herself.
"Dad?" she called when she got inside of her house.
"Mandy?" she heard her father say. "Is that you?"
Mandeline laughed as she walked into the kitchen where her dad was sitting. "Yeah, Dad. Who else would it be besides ME?"
"Oh, I don't know....." he paused. "maybe your mother." The reverend said sadly.
Mandeline's smile disappeared. "You still miss her don't you?" Mandeline said gently.
"I always will." A long silence followed. Mandeline remembered the day her mother died. She was only five years old. She remembered asking her father where she was, but her father would only say, "She's gone to a better place." like a lot of parents did.
"Well, um, dad?" Mandeline said after the long silence. "I'm going somewhere dinner for tonight."
Mandeline's father raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? With who?"
"Just.....a friend."
"A friend, huh?"
Mandeline nodded.
The reverend hesitated for what seemed like eternity. "Well...okay." Her father finally agreed. "Just be home before 10, understand?"
"Sure, Dad. Thanks." Mandeline gave her father a kiss on the cheek and went upstairs to find something to wear. Never in her life, had she found choosing what to wear so difficult. For example, if she dressed too formal, Shaun would think that this "dinner" meant a whole lot to her. But if she dressed too casually, he might think that she didn't care at all. Finally, she settled on some dress pants with a top.
Around 7 o'clock, the doorbell rang. Surprisingly, when she opened the door and saw Shaun, her heart leapt and she grew shy. Shaun was wearing fresh khakis and a neatly pressed shirt. 'Wow, he looks good.' Mandeline thought. But she quickly pushed the thought away.
Shaun smiled shyly at Mandeline. "Hi."
"Hi." Mandeline said, returning the shy smile.
Shaun reached up and held out some beautiful roses out to Mandeline. "These are for you."
Mandeline smiled. "Oh, Shaun, you didn't have to."
"Well, I wanted to and I figured it couldn't hurt..."
"They're beautiful. I'll put them in water right away." Mandeline went inside the house. Shaun heard her tell her father that she was leaving. A few moments later she came back and said, "Ok, I'm ready."
"Ok." Shaun led her to his car and opened the door for her saying in a weird French accent, "Step right in, Mademoiselle." sweeping his arm in a wide circle.
Mandeline giggled. "Oh, stop it."
A little while later, they were at a beautiful Italian restaurant. One of the fanciest in town.
"This is a really nice restaurant." Mandeline said as she looked around their table. There where about 4 forks and other pieces of silverware that they knew they were not going to use. They had about 3 plates each all different sizes, and there were four courses. Their waiter was a tall thin man with a mustache, which was curled on edge. He talked to them with a strange accent, so that Mandeline and Shane had to stifle their laughter. They ordered their drinks, then their meals.
Shaun hadn't talked a lot so far, since he was so nervous. "So...are you excited about graduating?" he asked, while they were waiting for their food.
"Very much. Are you?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"So, where are you planning to go after we graduate?"
Shaun raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Well....um, I don't know.....yet. where are you going?"
"College."
"Yeah? What college will you be going to?"
"I hope to get into something good, but I'll take whatever I can find."
Shaun nodded and saw their waiter with a tray with two savoring dishes balanced on it. "Hey the food's here."
The meal was very fancy. The food was perfect and everything was beautiful. They talked about this and that, whatever they could find to talk about. Soon, the meal was over and they got back into the car. As they drove along, Shaun said, "It sure is a beautiful night."
"Yes it is." Mandeline looked out of her window to see the twinkling stars and the full moon. They drove peacefully; the only thing making a sound was the car rolling and the nighttime sounds.
"Do you, uh, mind if we just talk a short walk?" Shaun asked nervously.
"No, a walk would be nice." So they got out of the car and started walking along a small beach. As they were strolling, they awed the beautiful night sky. There was a cool breeze in the air and everything was absolutely perfect. A sweet smell surrounded them and the wind blew wistfully against their faces. They had been walking for only a little while when Shaun slipped his hand into Mandeline's. Mandeline put no resistance at all.
"On, such a beautiful night...it seems as if anything is possible." Mandeline didn't know what made her say that, but on a night like this, she felt it was too perfect to hold back any thoughts. She felt a little dazed. Like she walking through the clouds and gliding through the air. There was light feeling about her. Something..nice.
Shaun smiled. "Yeah...."
Mandeline laughed lightly and suddenly snapped back to reality. "Sorry." She said, embarrassed. "I don't know what made me say that. I guess it just slipped out."
"No, it's Ok, really." Shaun looked at Mandeline and decided that this was it. This was the time he would let all of his feelings soar. The time when he would express his deepest thoughts. The time he would remember forever. The time when he would confess his love. He was getting nervous. Whenever he would look at Mandeline, he would grow tense again. There was just something about her. She was just so peaceful and undisturbed. And she had changed him in a way. She showed him reality, hope, and what lies ahead. He wasn't the man he used to be. He wasn't the rebellious teenage boy who skipped classes to go to the bar. But he was the mature young man who now believed that there was still hope for him in an adventure called life.
He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to say something, but instead Mandeline suddenly said, "Shaun?"
"Uh, yeah?" his confession would have to wait.
"What's it like?"
"What's what like?" he was a little confused.
"Being popular."
Shaun was surprised at her question. It seemed so unlike her to ask that. Furthermore, why would want to know what it was like?
Shaun shrugged. "It's ok, I guess."
"Is that all? Just ok?"
"Why do you want to know what it's like?" Shaun said trying to get off the subject. He felt guilty talking about his circle of friends, since they used to tease her constantly. He was even ashamed to say that he was the one who nick named her Ms. Virgin Mary. He and his friends used to play pranks on her all the time. Sometimes they would accidentally on purpose flub up one of her good-willed projects or fundraisers or one of the guys would wink at her and say, "Hey, baby, can I have your number?" But that was then..
"I was just wondering." Mandeline said. She was beginning to sound cross. "I mean, is it fun breaking the rules? Is it FUN hurting peoples feelings?"
Shaun furrowed his brow. Then he realized. "Mandy, if you're talking about the way we used to tease you, I'm sorry. I really am. That'll change now. I promise." For some reason, Mandeline didn't look at Shaun in the eye anymore. Instead she pulled her hand away from his. Shaun was right about the teasing part. Mandeline was still hurt from the things Shaun used to do with his little "in-crowd". And now he was trying to be friendly to Mandeline as if she would forgive him right away. That hurt a lot.
Mandeline looked up and a bird soaring through the air suddenly caught her eye. It flew out to the ocean with its wings spread out in wondrous freedom. Shaun must have caught her gaze because soon he was looking right at her. Mandeline looked deep into his eyes, staring into a world that she'd never been in before. Suddenly she was getting lost in a world of brown and gray swirls. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She shook her head slightly trying to snap back to reality, and the weight was there again. She looked at Shaun again and saw the softness of his eyes. They were light brown were tiny specks of gray that somehow made them even more breath taking. She looked away and it was then that her heart started beating furiously and she knees weakened.
"Mandy." He said gently. "Look at me." She looked at the ground for a few seconds then back up to him. "Listen to me. Look, I'm sorry if I've offended you in anyway. But you have to understand. I'm not that person anymore. I never really was." He paused. "I know that you're still mad about the things I used to say. And if had the chance, I would turn back the hands of the clock and take all of that away."
"You don't mean that." Mandeline said in disbelief.
"Yes, I really do." Shaun sighed. There was silence for a long moment. Then Shaun broke it by saying, "Mandy, if you don't want to believe me, then that's fine. But I just want to say one thing." He paused nervously, trying to gather his thoughts. "I think you're an amazing person, Mandy. You're good-hearted, compassionate... You're everything that anyone could ever ask for." He took a deep breath and cupped his gently touched Mandeline's cheek to make her look at him. And he finally said the truest words he ever said in his life. "I love you."
~ Authors Note ~ you have to forgive me on this chapter. I really didn't know where to take it and, well, sorry if it's too cheezy. I read it over and I realized it sucks =(. Please don't be too harsh on the reviews though! Tbc!
Chapter 5- The Truest Words
All throughout the school day, Mandeline wondered if Shaun had asked her on a REAL date. She had agreed to go to dinner with him, but only because it was the only way he would tell her the truth. When school finally ended, Mandeline walked home by herself.
"Dad?" she called when she got inside of her house.
"Mandy?" she heard her father say. "Is that you?"
Mandeline laughed as she walked into the kitchen where her dad was sitting. "Yeah, Dad. Who else would it be besides ME?"
"Oh, I don't know....." he paused. "maybe your mother." The reverend said sadly.
Mandeline's smile disappeared. "You still miss her don't you?" Mandeline said gently.
"I always will." A long silence followed. Mandeline remembered the day her mother died. She was only five years old. She remembered asking her father where she was, but her father would only say, "She's gone to a better place." like a lot of parents did.
"Well, um, dad?" Mandeline said after the long silence. "I'm going somewhere dinner for tonight."
Mandeline's father raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? With who?"
"Just.....a friend."
"A friend, huh?"
Mandeline nodded.
The reverend hesitated for what seemed like eternity. "Well...okay." Her father finally agreed. "Just be home before 10, understand?"
"Sure, Dad. Thanks." Mandeline gave her father a kiss on the cheek and went upstairs to find something to wear. Never in her life, had she found choosing what to wear so difficult. For example, if she dressed too formal, Shaun would think that this "dinner" meant a whole lot to her. But if she dressed too casually, he might think that she didn't care at all. Finally, she settled on some dress pants with a top.
Around 7 o'clock, the doorbell rang. Surprisingly, when she opened the door and saw Shaun, her heart leapt and she grew shy. Shaun was wearing fresh khakis and a neatly pressed shirt. 'Wow, he looks good.' Mandeline thought. But she quickly pushed the thought away.
Shaun smiled shyly at Mandeline. "Hi."
"Hi." Mandeline said, returning the shy smile.
Shaun reached up and held out some beautiful roses out to Mandeline. "These are for you."
Mandeline smiled. "Oh, Shaun, you didn't have to."
"Well, I wanted to and I figured it couldn't hurt..."
"They're beautiful. I'll put them in water right away." Mandeline went inside the house. Shaun heard her tell her father that she was leaving. A few moments later she came back and said, "Ok, I'm ready."
"Ok." Shaun led her to his car and opened the door for her saying in a weird French accent, "Step right in, Mademoiselle." sweeping his arm in a wide circle.
Mandeline giggled. "Oh, stop it."
A little while later, they were at a beautiful Italian restaurant. One of the fanciest in town.
"This is a really nice restaurant." Mandeline said as she looked around their table. There where about 4 forks and other pieces of silverware that they knew they were not going to use. They had about 3 plates each all different sizes, and there were four courses. Their waiter was a tall thin man with a mustache, which was curled on edge. He talked to them with a strange accent, so that Mandeline and Shane had to stifle their laughter. They ordered their drinks, then their meals.
Shaun hadn't talked a lot so far, since he was so nervous. "So...are you excited about graduating?" he asked, while they were waiting for their food.
"Very much. Are you?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"So, where are you planning to go after we graduate?"
Shaun raised an eyebrow. "Oh. Well....um, I don't know.....yet. where are you going?"
"College."
"Yeah? What college will you be going to?"
"I hope to get into something good, but I'll take whatever I can find."
Shaun nodded and saw their waiter with a tray with two savoring dishes balanced on it. "Hey the food's here."
The meal was very fancy. The food was perfect and everything was beautiful. They talked about this and that, whatever they could find to talk about. Soon, the meal was over and they got back into the car. As they drove along, Shaun said, "It sure is a beautiful night."
"Yes it is." Mandeline looked out of her window to see the twinkling stars and the full moon. They drove peacefully; the only thing making a sound was the car rolling and the nighttime sounds.
"Do you, uh, mind if we just talk a short walk?" Shaun asked nervously.
"No, a walk would be nice." So they got out of the car and started walking along a small beach. As they were strolling, they awed the beautiful night sky. There was a cool breeze in the air and everything was absolutely perfect. A sweet smell surrounded them and the wind blew wistfully against their faces. They had been walking for only a little while when Shaun slipped his hand into Mandeline's. Mandeline put no resistance at all.
"On, such a beautiful night...it seems as if anything is possible." Mandeline didn't know what made her say that, but on a night like this, she felt it was too perfect to hold back any thoughts. She felt a little dazed. Like she walking through the clouds and gliding through the air. There was light feeling about her. Something..nice.
Shaun smiled. "Yeah...."
Mandeline laughed lightly and suddenly snapped back to reality. "Sorry." She said, embarrassed. "I don't know what made me say that. I guess it just slipped out."
"No, it's Ok, really." Shaun looked at Mandeline and decided that this was it. This was the time he would let all of his feelings soar. The time when he would express his deepest thoughts. The time he would remember forever. The time when he would confess his love. He was getting nervous. Whenever he would look at Mandeline, he would grow tense again. There was just something about her. She was just so peaceful and undisturbed. And she had changed him in a way. She showed him reality, hope, and what lies ahead. He wasn't the man he used to be. He wasn't the rebellious teenage boy who skipped classes to go to the bar. But he was the mature young man who now believed that there was still hope for him in an adventure called life.
He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to say something, but instead Mandeline suddenly said, "Shaun?"
"Uh, yeah?" his confession would have to wait.
"What's it like?"
"What's what like?" he was a little confused.
"Being popular."
Shaun was surprised at her question. It seemed so unlike her to ask that. Furthermore, why would want to know what it was like?
Shaun shrugged. "It's ok, I guess."
"Is that all? Just ok?"
"Why do you want to know what it's like?" Shaun said trying to get off the subject. He felt guilty talking about his circle of friends, since they used to tease her constantly. He was even ashamed to say that he was the one who nick named her Ms. Virgin Mary. He and his friends used to play pranks on her all the time. Sometimes they would accidentally on purpose flub up one of her good-willed projects or fundraisers or one of the guys would wink at her and say, "Hey, baby, can I have your number?" But that was then..
"I was just wondering." Mandeline said. She was beginning to sound cross. "I mean, is it fun breaking the rules? Is it FUN hurting peoples feelings?"
Shaun furrowed his brow. Then he realized. "Mandy, if you're talking about the way we used to tease you, I'm sorry. I really am. That'll change now. I promise." For some reason, Mandeline didn't look at Shaun in the eye anymore. Instead she pulled her hand away from his. Shaun was right about the teasing part. Mandeline was still hurt from the things Shaun used to do with his little "in-crowd". And now he was trying to be friendly to Mandeline as if she would forgive him right away. That hurt a lot.
Mandeline looked up and a bird soaring through the air suddenly caught her eye. It flew out to the ocean with its wings spread out in wondrous freedom. Shaun must have caught her gaze because soon he was looking right at her. Mandeline looked deep into his eyes, staring into a world that she'd never been in before. Suddenly she was getting lost in a world of brown and gray swirls. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She shook her head slightly trying to snap back to reality, and the weight was there again. She looked at Shaun again and saw the softness of his eyes. They were light brown were tiny specks of gray that somehow made them even more breath taking. She looked away and it was then that her heart started beating furiously and she knees weakened.
"Mandy." He said gently. "Look at me." She looked at the ground for a few seconds then back up to him. "Listen to me. Look, I'm sorry if I've offended you in anyway. But you have to understand. I'm not that person anymore. I never really was." He paused. "I know that you're still mad about the things I used to say. And if had the chance, I would turn back the hands of the clock and take all of that away."
"You don't mean that." Mandeline said in disbelief.
"Yes, I really do." Shaun sighed. There was silence for a long moment. Then Shaun broke it by saying, "Mandy, if you don't want to believe me, then that's fine. But I just want to say one thing." He paused nervously, trying to gather his thoughts. "I think you're an amazing person, Mandy. You're good-hearted, compassionate... You're everything that anyone could ever ask for." He took a deep breath and cupped his gently touched Mandeline's cheek to make her look at him. And he finally said the truest words he ever said in his life. "I love you."
~ Authors Note ~ you have to forgive me on this chapter. I really didn't know where to take it and, well, sorry if it's too cheezy. I read it over and I realized it sucks =(. Please don't be too harsh on the reviews though! Tbc!