Ok, Shawn Talks to Topanga!
Lilmisswriter: Yes, it is, truly. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I just couldn't see C&T reuniting in this story, that wasn't where it was headed in my mind. As I have said before though, I think you'll like the ending if you just hang in there. I'm getting close, I can feel it. I am so glad you're enjoying my story.
BlueAngel: Thanks Again!
"Topanga?"
"Did I just hear someone say my name? I must be dreaming! Shawn Hunter doesn't talk to me, not anymore."
Topanga was standing right outside her front door, on her way to the mall for a little heart healthy shopping. Shawn had come over hoping to catch her there, he had decided that with Cory out of town he could finally talk to Topanga and let her know that he still wanted to be friends. He had figured that her reaction might not be the best one, it had been a month after all, and from what he'd been hearing she believed that he didn't want her around. The truth was far more complicated. He had not felt that the time was ever right to talk to her the past month, Cory was always there, and he was still unsure as to how to approach Topanga after all that had happened. She'd not gone on a single date since the break-up, and Shawn took that to mean she still loved Cory too much to move on. It was largely because of her recent date with Ricky that he had felt the time was finally right. He was in for a shock to be sure. Angela had not told him about Topanga's violent revelation, feeling that it would be inappropriate and not really her place.
Topanga was more than a little surprised to hear Shawn calling her name. She had been up most of the night, wrestling with her feelings and trying to weigh Feeny's advice. Did she want to go to Yale and give up completely on trying to win Cory back? Could it really be possible for someone to have two true loves? Feeny could have made up that story for all she knew, but the rational part of her didn't believe that. Now here was Shawn, yet another complication to deal with when she already had so much on her mind. What could he suddenly want with her now?
"Topanga, please! Should I simply start with I'm sorry? I know it's been a long time, but I didn't know how to approach you before."
"So you stayed away for an entire month?! You abandoned me at a time when I needed my friends the most Shawn! I know you and Cory are closer than you and I have ever thought about being, but I still thought we were really good friends. Couldn't you at least have said hello? Or called me once to see how I was doing?"
"I guess so. I'm sorry, I didn't know how to approach you, what to say. You had Angela, and Cory only had me."
"So that makes it ok? Because I had two friends who should have been there for me and he, the one who had a new girlfriend and was living it up by the way, only had one, our mutual friend had to leave me high and dry without so much as a hello in the hallway? That person really isn't much of a friend, now is he?"
"You're right, I've been a horrible friend, and you don't know how sorry I am. But I'm here now, so can we talk? I hear you went out on a date yesterday, did you have a good time?"
"Did I have a good time? Hummm let me think. I went out with a wonderful guy, who was sweet, and charming, and funny. He seemed almost perfect really."
"So you had a good time then? That's great."
"You didn't let me finish. I went out with a great guy Hunter, and you know what happened? He kissed me. Awesome huh? No, it wasn't. You want to know why? Because I realized that I am in love with Cory. That's right, Cory Matthews. Where's he? Out living it up with some ski bunny. So you tell me Shawn, did I have a good time on my date yesterday?"
"Oh god, oh god." Shawn panicked "What have I gotten myself into?" Aloud he responded, "No, I guess not, I didn't know Topanga, or I swear I wouldn't have brought it up. Is there anything I can do?"
Topanga started to fire back another scathing reply, but before she could she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing back toward the house she saw her Aunt peeping out the window. The last thing she wanted was for Prudence to see her arguing with Shawn, so, making a split second decision she gestured quickly at Shawn and then towards her car, which she started to walk up to. Holding open the passenger door she motioned him over "Get in."
"What?"
"I said get in, come on. If you want to talk you'll get in the car." Shawn decided to do as she asked and quickly got in. Topanga walked around to the driver's side, got in the car, started it up and drove away. "Ok, now as I started to say, No, there isn't anything you can do Shawn. What you could have done was be there for me this past month and you weren't. Can you turn back the hands of time? I don't think so."
"That's not fair Topanga, and you know it. Your friendship means the world to me. I swore I'd never tell another soul this, but I hate that you and Cory are no longer a couple. What can I rely on now? Still, I promised myself I'd support Cory, he's my best friend and I needed to be there for him. Surely you understand that? I'm sorry Topanga, I'd turn back the clock if I could, but can't you see that my reasons were just even if my actions were a bit on the stupid side?"
Topanga found that she couldn't really argue with that. Shawn was hurting for her and Cory, she saw that now, and when she took the time to think about it rationally, she realized that she shouldn't have been surprised by the way he had acted. He was just being himself. "Can I really persecute him for that? Besides, I might be able to find out if it really is over between Cory and me. If anyone should know, he would." So she swallowed her anger and her pride, deciding to lay everything on the line for the opportunity to keep a friend and find out once and for all if there was any hope of getting Cory back.
"Yes, sadly enough I can. Shawn Hunter was just being himself, and any friend of his wouldn't hold it against him. So bygones can be allowed to be bygones I guess, just promise never to do it again!"
"You have my word. I am so sorry about your date, I had no idea."
"It's ok. Can I ask you a question and be assured of your secrecy?"
"I guess."
"No, you have to promise."
"Ok, I promise. Ask me anything." Silently he mused "Why do I have the feeling I know what's coming?"
"Is Cory happy, really happy?" Topanga could not hide the pain and twisted hope that she was feeling when she asked the all-important question. Shawn noticed it, and as much as he would have loved to protect her, he knew she'd never forgive him for a lie.
"Yes, he is. He's in love Topanga, in love with Lauren. I'm sorry. I know it's not what you wanted to hear."
"So there's no hope then?"
"I honestly don't think so."
"Thank you for that Shawn, you've been a big help. I'm glad we're friends again, I've missed you hanging around."
"I've missed being around."
Topanga stopped the car outside of the apartment building where she'd driven to take Shawn home. "Tell Eric and Jack hi for me."
"Why don't you come in and tell them yourself?"
"There's something else I have to do first."
"Ok, well I'll see you around, and I promise next time to say hello." Shawn gave her his best sheepish grin
"You better." She responded, attempting to lighten the heavy mood. Shawn only waved and headed inside. Topanga drove away, but her plans for the day had changed somewhat. Instead of heading towards the mall she went in the direction of the public library. She was going to get online and find out what she needed to do to apply to Yale University. Shawn's honest answers had made up her mind about her future plans. She realized that the only thing that had been holding her back from making the decision to go for the Ivy League was a desire to stay close to, and possibly win back, Cory. Now that she knew that was impossible she was going to reach for the brass ring and do her best to get into Yale.
"Thank You Shawn." She whispered to the empty air "You'll never know what you've done for me today."
Lilmisswriter: Yes, it is, truly. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I just couldn't see C&T reuniting in this story, that wasn't where it was headed in my mind. As I have said before though, I think you'll like the ending if you just hang in there. I'm getting close, I can feel it. I am so glad you're enjoying my story.
BlueAngel: Thanks Again!
"Topanga?"
"Did I just hear someone say my name? I must be dreaming! Shawn Hunter doesn't talk to me, not anymore."
Topanga was standing right outside her front door, on her way to the mall for a little heart healthy shopping. Shawn had come over hoping to catch her there, he had decided that with Cory out of town he could finally talk to Topanga and let her know that he still wanted to be friends. He had figured that her reaction might not be the best one, it had been a month after all, and from what he'd been hearing she believed that he didn't want her around. The truth was far more complicated. He had not felt that the time was ever right to talk to her the past month, Cory was always there, and he was still unsure as to how to approach Topanga after all that had happened. She'd not gone on a single date since the break-up, and Shawn took that to mean she still loved Cory too much to move on. It was largely because of her recent date with Ricky that he had felt the time was finally right. He was in for a shock to be sure. Angela had not told him about Topanga's violent revelation, feeling that it would be inappropriate and not really her place.
Topanga was more than a little surprised to hear Shawn calling her name. She had been up most of the night, wrestling with her feelings and trying to weigh Feeny's advice. Did she want to go to Yale and give up completely on trying to win Cory back? Could it really be possible for someone to have two true loves? Feeny could have made up that story for all she knew, but the rational part of her didn't believe that. Now here was Shawn, yet another complication to deal with when she already had so much on her mind. What could he suddenly want with her now?
"Topanga, please! Should I simply start with I'm sorry? I know it's been a long time, but I didn't know how to approach you before."
"So you stayed away for an entire month?! You abandoned me at a time when I needed my friends the most Shawn! I know you and Cory are closer than you and I have ever thought about being, but I still thought we were really good friends. Couldn't you at least have said hello? Or called me once to see how I was doing?"
"I guess so. I'm sorry, I didn't know how to approach you, what to say. You had Angela, and Cory only had me."
"So that makes it ok? Because I had two friends who should have been there for me and he, the one who had a new girlfriend and was living it up by the way, only had one, our mutual friend had to leave me high and dry without so much as a hello in the hallway? That person really isn't much of a friend, now is he?"
"You're right, I've been a horrible friend, and you don't know how sorry I am. But I'm here now, so can we talk? I hear you went out on a date yesterday, did you have a good time?"
"Did I have a good time? Hummm let me think. I went out with a wonderful guy, who was sweet, and charming, and funny. He seemed almost perfect really."
"So you had a good time then? That's great."
"You didn't let me finish. I went out with a great guy Hunter, and you know what happened? He kissed me. Awesome huh? No, it wasn't. You want to know why? Because I realized that I am in love with Cory. That's right, Cory Matthews. Where's he? Out living it up with some ski bunny. So you tell me Shawn, did I have a good time on my date yesterday?"
"Oh god, oh god." Shawn panicked "What have I gotten myself into?" Aloud he responded, "No, I guess not, I didn't know Topanga, or I swear I wouldn't have brought it up. Is there anything I can do?"
Topanga started to fire back another scathing reply, but before she could she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing back toward the house she saw her Aunt peeping out the window. The last thing she wanted was for Prudence to see her arguing with Shawn, so, making a split second decision she gestured quickly at Shawn and then towards her car, which she started to walk up to. Holding open the passenger door she motioned him over "Get in."
"What?"
"I said get in, come on. If you want to talk you'll get in the car." Shawn decided to do as she asked and quickly got in. Topanga walked around to the driver's side, got in the car, started it up and drove away. "Ok, now as I started to say, No, there isn't anything you can do Shawn. What you could have done was be there for me this past month and you weren't. Can you turn back the hands of time? I don't think so."
"That's not fair Topanga, and you know it. Your friendship means the world to me. I swore I'd never tell another soul this, but I hate that you and Cory are no longer a couple. What can I rely on now? Still, I promised myself I'd support Cory, he's my best friend and I needed to be there for him. Surely you understand that? I'm sorry Topanga, I'd turn back the clock if I could, but can't you see that my reasons were just even if my actions were a bit on the stupid side?"
Topanga found that she couldn't really argue with that. Shawn was hurting for her and Cory, she saw that now, and when she took the time to think about it rationally, she realized that she shouldn't have been surprised by the way he had acted. He was just being himself. "Can I really persecute him for that? Besides, I might be able to find out if it really is over between Cory and me. If anyone should know, he would." So she swallowed her anger and her pride, deciding to lay everything on the line for the opportunity to keep a friend and find out once and for all if there was any hope of getting Cory back.
"Yes, sadly enough I can. Shawn Hunter was just being himself, and any friend of his wouldn't hold it against him. So bygones can be allowed to be bygones I guess, just promise never to do it again!"
"You have my word. I am so sorry about your date, I had no idea."
"It's ok. Can I ask you a question and be assured of your secrecy?"
"I guess."
"No, you have to promise."
"Ok, I promise. Ask me anything." Silently he mused "Why do I have the feeling I know what's coming?"
"Is Cory happy, really happy?" Topanga could not hide the pain and twisted hope that she was feeling when she asked the all-important question. Shawn noticed it, and as much as he would have loved to protect her, he knew she'd never forgive him for a lie.
"Yes, he is. He's in love Topanga, in love with Lauren. I'm sorry. I know it's not what you wanted to hear."
"So there's no hope then?"
"I honestly don't think so."
"Thank you for that Shawn, you've been a big help. I'm glad we're friends again, I've missed you hanging around."
"I've missed being around."
Topanga stopped the car outside of the apartment building where she'd driven to take Shawn home. "Tell Eric and Jack hi for me."
"Why don't you come in and tell them yourself?"
"There's something else I have to do first."
"Ok, well I'll see you around, and I promise next time to say hello." Shawn gave her his best sheepish grin
"You better." She responded, attempting to lighten the heavy mood. Shawn only waved and headed inside. Topanga drove away, but her plans for the day had changed somewhat. Instead of heading towards the mall she went in the direction of the public library. She was going to get online and find out what she needed to do to apply to Yale University. Shawn's honest answers had made up her mind about her future plans. She realized that the only thing that had been holding her back from making the decision to go for the Ivy League was a desire to stay close to, and possibly win back, Cory. Now that she knew that was impossible she was going to reach for the brass ring and do her best to get into Yale.
"Thank You Shawn." She whispered to the empty air "You'll never know what you've done for me today."