Author's Note: Sorry about the fluffiness in the previous chapter. It was written late at night, and I really wanted to post. I also definitely wanted Shelby to tell Scott then. Keke and Katie, please accept my deepest apologies for the corniness! Sorry! Well, here's the last chapter. I think this is it for When Life Throws You Lemons. Sadly--I really loved this story, but I think I want to keep it short and sweet. I'd like to thank all my reviewers. You were the best!!! Read my other stories, and watch out for me on www.fictionpress.net. I'm writing an original fiction called Title? What? Oh, shit! And Keke, I promise much sarcasm! ;) So, thank you all again. And don't worry! I'm not leaving the fanfiction world, just trying something different. I still have a sequel to Perfect Love in an Imperfect World. And the story The Trick Who Wouldn't Quit isn't even nearly done… it's just taking a while to post. Also, One Always Wants What One Can't Have is not even close to finished! Well, on with this story.
Thanks to all these reviewers, you guys are the best!!! Jueee, Cold Blooded Jelly Donut, Flamingteen, Keke1, ScottnShelby4eva, ZombieGurl98, Poppyseed, Lildpcheercutie, Ashley, I Fading Silver I, Lyra Skywalker, Jess, Priscilla, Jessica…and any others that may read this in the future.
It always seemed like more, I guess you guys are just so loyal! Thanks, guys!
By the way, let me know if you'd like me to write a sequel to this story… I just finished the chappy and noticed just how much I could still do with it.
"Guys, this is Juliette, my girlfriend," Auggie introduced, the next Monday at lunch. Scott and Shelby had been sitting together, discussing what Scott was going to do about Elaine, when Daisy and David joined them. Auggie and Juliette were just adding to the group now.
Scott, who'd hung out with Juliette's crowd for four years, knew her well enough. David knew her from the party. Shelby and Daisy, however, were pretty much in the dark. Sure, Jules was just about the most popular girl in school, but Shelby and Daisy, who were kind of shunned from the social scene, didn't really care about popularity.
They all greeted her rather reluctantly, except for David, whom she'd helped enormously and who greeted her enthusiastically. The group didn't protest the addition, however, because she was with Auggie, and they all liked Auggie enough to accept his girlfriend.
"Shel, what're we gonna do about Jess?" Daisy asked worriedly, resuming the conversation they'd been having before the arrival of their friends.
"What about her?" Shelby said, getting anxious.
"Well, she's kinda staying at my house with alcoholic parents around, who've started getting kind of abusive," she stated bluntly. Juliette and Scott looked at her shocked, then sympathetically; they didn't know about her home life.
"Alright, well, I'll talk to Sean's parents, see if they wouldn't mind taking her in as well."
"So, you're staying there for good?" Scott asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Mmhmm," Shelby murmured back between bites of a sandwich.
"Man! Are you still jealous?" David sighed, looking at the slightly anxious expression on Scott's face. He signaled David to shut up, but Shelby'd heard.
"You're jealous? Of Sean?" she cried out. "Scott! Come on! This is ridiculous!" she sighed angrily.
"No! I'm not jealous!" he whined. She eyed him suspiciously, as did everyone else at the picnic table.
"You're the jealous type. It's the kind of guy you are," Jules said pensively. Daisy smiled at her perceptiveness. Shelby, on the other hand, scowled.
"Whatever it is, you've got to stop," she interjected angrily. "You have nothing--nothing--to be jealous of! Sean is a friend--only that," she said, calming down a little, but still remaining quite flustered.
Scott nodded and blushed.
"Well, Shel, you certainly do have a certain touch," Auggie observed. Scott scowled slightly, but then fixed his gaze on Shelby once more.
She smirked. "Nice, Auggie, sounds like a memo from the redundant department of redundancy." He shook his head, chuckling. She shrugged, and continued to eat. A few seconds later, Sean came up to the table to speak with Shelby.
"Speak of the devil," Daisy said sarcastically. He eyed her, slightly perplexed.
"Oh! Hey Sean, what's up?" Shelby said, scooting over, making room for him at the table. Scott sighed angrily and put his arm around Shelby. There was a unanimous rolling of the eyes, including Sean's.
"Give it up, meat," Auggie said, nudging him in the ribs.
"Sean, I'd like to introduce you to everyone. This is Scott, Auggie, Juliette, David, and you know Daisy," Shelby said, pointing to various people. "Guys, this is Sean."
"In case that wasn't already clear," Daisy added sarcastically. Shelby smirked at her, then turned back to Sean with inquiring eyes.
"Oh, I just wanted to know if we're heading straight home afterwards?" he asked.
"Uh, yeah, I think. Hey, do you think your parents would mind if Jess came to stay?" she asked, expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.
"You know what, I really don't know. It may go either way, but since Brian left for university, there is an extra room that my parents don't know what to do with."
"Oh, Brian's gone?" Shelby asked sadly.
"Didn't you notice? You've been around a while."
"Yeah, but I figured he was at a friend's or out partying. You know Brian."
"Oh, I know him all too well," Sean replied, laughing. "Alright, well, I'll see you later, Shel. Bye, guys," he said, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Jules snorted into her salad; Scott had the funniest mix of shock and annoyance on his face. Shelby gave him a warning glance and he wiped it off.
"So, who's this Brian guy?" Scott asked, once Sean had left.
"He's Sean's older brother. Geez, man, pay attention," David said, rolling his eyes. Daisy snorted and Shelby smirked. Scott ignored David and raised his eyebrows inquiringly at Shelby.
"Oh, we used to hang out a lot. He and Sean were like my big brothers," she explained. "Anyways, we gotta head to class." With that, the group was disbanding to head to class. Shelby, Scott, and David had Physics together; while Daisy had Psychology; Auggie had English; and Jules had Math.
"I'll catch up with you guys later, gotta get my books," David said distractedly to Scott and Shelby, while walking towards where Daisy was putting her books in her bag. Shelby rolled her eyes and Scott laughed.
"Right, books, whatever," Shelby said sarcastically, taking Scott's hand and leading him to class. "Scott, look, about all this Sean thing. Trust me. If you don't trust me, then this'll never work out," she sighed.
"Shel, I trust you… I just--it's everyone else I don't trust," he explained.
"Hey, trust Sean too. He's not someone you should feel threatened by… come to think of it, you shouldn't feel threatened by anyone!"
"Okay, I'll be good," he said cutely and kissed her.
"Guys, there's a time and place," Mr. Scarbrow whispered passing by them in the hall. Though he did do a double take at seeing those two together, he didn't say another word, smiling to himself.
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"So, what are we having a party for exactly?" David asked as they all sat around Sean's living room two Fridays later. Scott had tried really hard to befriend Sean. This effort was well received and the two had become rather good friends.
"Well, I guess we're celebrating several things," Sean said, walking into the living room holding drinks-- coke for the most part.
"Such as?" Juliette asked, whom the girls had warmed up to relatively quickly. She still didn't know a lot about their lives, and they didn't know about her's, but steps were being taken.
"Well, for one thing, my staying here permanently," Jess said, sitting down next to her sister.
"I must say, last week was not one I'd want to repeat," Shelby sighed. Sean's parents, who'd been infinitely kind and understanding with the two girls, had gotten them a lawyer and they were taking legal action. Their mom was as supportive as she could be though they had threatened to cut all ties to her if she didn't support them, so she'd let them stay at Sean's. Walt was arrested when she didn't deny the allegations against him. And Jess and Shelby were legally staying with Sean.
"Yeah, and I'm sorry to say it, but it's only gonna get worse," Daisy sighed, putting her arm around Shelby's shoulders and squeezing. All three girls were sitting on the couch.
"A second is our coming together and most animosity gone," Sean pointed out. Scott rolled his eyes and nudged him in the side. They both laughed and Shelby was instantly relieved.
"So, at least two of us are safe," Daisy said under her breath. Only Shelby heard her, and as the others talked about the latest sports match their school had competed in, she looked at her, surprised.
"What? You think Juliette has a problem?"
"Oh, yeah, look at how thin she is," Daisy pointed out. "Definite eating disorder. And by the way she always leaves for the bathroom, I'd say bulimia."
"You are good," Shelby sighed.
"It's what I've been told… besides it was in the cards."
"Oh, of course, I forgot," Shelby said sarcastically.
"How convenient," Daisy sighed sarcastically.
They rejoined the conversation at that moment. The rest of the night was spent playing games, talking, dancing and watching a movie or two. It was great to act as though they didn't have a care in the world, and several times, they actually fooled themselves. They all slept over at Sean's house as it was Friday and his parents went out of town to visit Brian, who was coming down next weekend. The second he'd heard about Shelby's lawsuit, he came down. Luckily this had happened over the last weekend so he missed no school. He was planning on returning the next weekend when there'd be a preliminary hearing. He and Shelby had been very close--nearly as close as Shelby and Sean.
So, they all spent a blissfully normal night and enjoyed every second of it. It was a great relief to have so much fun and not be afraid that parents or stepparents or something would come and hurt them.
And so the night went on. They all were fully aware that challenges were coming and with that knowledge, grew stronger than ever as a group.