"Get over here, bitch!" the voice rang loudly down the alley. A shiver ran down Shannyn's spine as she recognized the twisted speech. A tinge of a slur accompanied the voice, but it was unmistakable, especially since that day was permanently burned into her brain. Without even turning around to confirm her fears Shannyn darted out of the alley and into the safety of the nightclub, only to be greeted by ten newsboys and girls glaring daggers at her.
"So, Lil Miss Heartbreakah decided ta have a little fun wit' me boy Mush heah, eh? Mess around an' den tell 'im he's da one doin' da wrong thing. What kinda game yah playin', slut?" Jack asked as she walked in the door.
Racetrack nodded his head. "You's was jus' lookin' foah a good fuck, eh? And den tah get outta da relationship yah said yah still loved yah husband and you's was drunk."
Slurring slightly, indicating he himself was drunk, Spot spoke. "Yah husband's dead an' eithah up dere wit da heavenly faddah or boinin' in hell wit da devil, but eithah way he ain't heah!"
Even Spark looked at me with a look of betrayal. I thought we'd become friends that night, but then again, I thought they'd all been my friends.
Shannyn didn't want to deal with angry newsies after her encounter with the murderer of her dead husband on her tail, but since the latter was indeed following her she couldn't walk back out into the streets.
Without even bothering to defend herself she slid into the back room, propping a chair up against the doorknob and locking the others away from her. Curled into a petit ball she started to drift into a semi-sleep. And then the memories floated back to her.
**Flashbacks**
"Do you, Shannyn Williams take Andre Barjon to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the priest asked.
Without a tint on hesitation in her voice Shannyn replied, "I do."
Andre followed suit when asked, and the priest happily announced them "Man and wife."
"You may now kiss the bride."
And right there Shannyn knew that she'd never feel a love so bright as she did while kissing Andre. Even there, in front of all her friends and family she could feel the love that Andre had for her and the love she had for him. Even his little annoying habits that she'd noticed at the beginning of their courting had disappeared in her mind.
It brought back to her a quotation she remembered someone telling her once. She couldn't remember who'd said it first, but it was definitely true. "Love isn't finding the perfect person, it's seeing an imperfect person perfectly."
And that was how she saw Andre.
Perfect.
~*~*~*~
"Andre, why did you marry me?" she once asked him out of the blue.
He seemed surprised by the question but answered quick and without a beat, "Because I love you."
Shannyn smiled a bit, but persisted with the questions. "And why do you love me?" she asked.
"Because," he said, taking her hand, "you're sweet," he kissed her hand, "beautiful," he kissed her wrist, "amazing," he kissed her lower arm, "stunning," he moved further up her arm, "astonishing," he reached her elbow, "enchanting," upper arm, "exquisite," still her upper arm, "precious," he reached her shoulder now, "charming," her neck, "priceless," and he finally reached her mouth and said, with an air of finality, "and perfect."
"No one's perfect," she whispered.
"You're perfect for me," he answered, kissing her once again.
~*~*~*~
One warm summer day they packed onto a train and started off for the beach, nothing in their hands, and only a couple of dollars in Andre's pocket. When they reached the shore he bought ice cream for the two of them and they sat and watched the sunset. Their kisses that night were sweet as chocolate, and they couldn't stop, even though they were in public. Disapproving old ladies tutted at them, and even some tossed a "tsk, tsk" in their direction, but they just laughed them off. They were young husband and wife, they felt the need to express their passion physically, no matter where they were.
~*~*~*~
"I can't stop fate, I'm going to die. That's the all of it. But you have to promise - promise me right now - that you'll go on living your life. Remember me, but don't devote your life to me. Please, Shann, please," he begged that fateful night that brought an end to all the happy memories. "Promise me."
"I promise," she whispered, softer than anyone she'd ever heard before.
"J'aime tu," were his last words. The gorgeous "I love you," was attached to the bittersweet parting of two lovers.
**End Flashbacks**
"Damn it," Shannyn thought, "where's my pocketknife when I need it?"
Unable to ease the pain by hurting herself physically, Shannyn simply collapsed into a heap once again, sobbing so much her body shook.
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A/N: So I got my fluff in there. I actually didn't plan on fluff, but that's what happened. Yeah. Blame that on me listening to Train. I am the official longest Train fan I've ever met. I've loved them since 1999 when I saw them and Hootie and the Blowfish for my birthday. Beat that. Heh.
No shout-outs since I just wrote my other chapter. But yeah. Review, please. If you don't, then whatever.
Hope you like it.
Oh, and the whole part about the kissing up the arm, someone did that to me once. They didn't compliment me as they did it, but that was what led to my first real kiss. (Love ya, Brandon). Yeupp.
Next Chapter: So why is Andre's killer back? And who is he anyway? And how did he find Shannyn? BWAHAHA. I 3 cliffhangers.
