Chapter Twenty Three- Don't Forget
Everything she yelled went in one ear and out the other. I had heard it before, plenty of times. I didn't care anymore. She had dragged me inside and sure enough, my mother was there standing beside the kitchen table with his mother and Shawn's Dad was nowhere to be found. I cringed a few times when her voice shot through my ears loud enough to make them bleed. I stood against the door, looking down at the floor. When she went momentarily silent, I took it as my opportunity to finally speak.
"Just let me say goodbye to Shawn. Then I'll come willingly. I'm not going anywhere until I do." I said, trying to be as stern as I possibly could. My aunt, mother and Shawn's mother all exchanged looks. "I just," I said lifting my eyes from the floor. "want to say goodbye."
"I'd let you if he was here, sweetheart. I have no clue where that boy went off to."
My heart sank. "I'm not leaving until I say goodbye." I said again, but this time through gritted teeth.
Shawn's POV
I stood against Cory's bathroom door. "Come on, man. How long does it take to brush your teeth and comb your hair? We go through this every morning." I complained. I was exhausted. Between the no sleep I had gotten and worrying over Harley and Sarah and now having to trek my way to school to do work, my brain was warning me that it was close to an overload.
"Just go downstairs and get something to eat. I'll be down in a minute." He called through the door.
I rolled my eyes. How typical. He was worse than a female and I knew due to having a mother and a sister. I didn't see my sister much but when I did, most of her time was spent in front of a mirror. Though I knew not all girls were like that, it just appeared to be most. I made my way down to the kitchen and stood in front of the fridge, staring into it. Thoughts of the past couple of nights plagued at my head. I wondered how Harley was doing, where Sarah had run off to, how I was even going to bring it up to Cory. Hell, my parents didn't even know. The cops brought me home, but my Dad was too intoxicated to remember and I couldn't have told you where my mom was even if you offered me money, just for the simple fact that I didn't know. I never did. I must have been staring into the fridge for what seemed like forever because before I knew it, Cory was downstairs and the kitchen was crowded with everyone but his Dad.
"Careful Shawn, I don't want to refrigerate the rest of my house, just my milk and fruit." Amy joked, frying up some eggs.
"Sorry Mrs. Matthews." I softly said. I shut the door and then made my way over to Cory, sitting down slowly.
It was silent for the most part, the only sound coming from Amy finishing up the eggs and distributing it equally between all of us. Once she set our plates down in front of us, she shot us a small smile and then vanished upstairs; for what, was beyond me. Eric sat across from Cory and I, and Morgan sat on the other side of me. She had pig tails and was wearing a super colourful dress; one of which could probably be seen from miles away. Our plate consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, a piece of toast and strawberries and blueberries. Definitely one of the reasons I loved being there in the mornings. I was on my second bite before the Matthews' side door flew open and my Dad stumbled in, still intoxicated from the night before and angry. I frowned and stood up. "Dad, what are you doing here?"
All eyes were on him. "Get your ass home, boy. That Sarah girl is there as is her mother and aunt. What's this about you hurting some kid for some kind of revenge gag? You're even more stupid than I gave you credit for, boy." He lurched forward and grabbed me by the back of the neck, practically dragging me to the door.
Cory and Eric were both quick to stand up and come to my aid, and Morgan was quick to get up and run and go get their mother.
"Whoa, Chet, calm down. What's going on?" Cory asked, being the simple problem solver he had always been. Eric's eyes stayed glued to my Dad, and I could tell he was ready to do what was necessary. Or in other words, he was dead set in big brother mode.
"You got crap in your ears , boy? I just told you what was going on. Move it, Shawn." His grip on my neck tightened.
"Is Sarah okay?" That was all I cared about. I was used to my Dad hurting me; was nothing I hadn't experienced before. I wasn't used to my friends being hurt though, whether it was physically or mentally, and that wasn't okay to me. I refused to stand by and let anyone of them be so.
"Just get your ass movin'."
I gave Cory and Eric a look and both of them seemed to read it. They stepped off to the side and I followed my Dad willingly. It was a miracle he hadn't driven there the way that he was. I suppose it was just lucky I didn't live far away or he probably would have. I spent the next few minutes helping him back to our trailer and when we eventually arrived, I was quick to enter, not caring if he took another step or tripped and fell to the ground. He was the least of my worries.
Inside, my mom sat at the kitchen table, pulling apart a sandwich on a styrofoam plate, and Sarah's aunt and mother stood near my mom. And Sarah was standing closer to the door. Her attention had been to her shoes but was quickly diverted the second the door to my trailer flew open.
"Shawn!" She practically cried, running towards me. I hurriedly opened my arms and pulled her into a tight hug. I squeezed her hard and then looked around as she cried into my chest.
"What," I started. "is going on?"
"She's leaving Shawn. Their taking her back to Pittsburgh." My mom lit up a smoke.
My heart froze and I looked at her aunt and mother. There was no mistaking them being sisters. The only difference was her mother looked more snobbier and better dressed. You know, if you were into the whole business woman New York look. "You can't. Why?" Was all I managed to mutter out, my grip on her tightening. I was determined to keep her safe, and where she belonged for as long as I could. Wait, where she belonged? I wasn't sure if that meant in my arms, or in Philly, but I definitely didn't have time to debate it.
"You know why." Her mother took a step closer to us. Sarah didn't move. "Because of you, and the way that you live, you've corrupted my daughter. You nearly took a boy's life! Or did you forget that? I won't let you corrupt her anymore."
I shook my head. "It's not like that at all. It was an accident!" I shouted.
My dad finally stumbled in and moved past all of us, somehow making it into his favourite chair. He cracked open yet another beer and seemed completely oblivious and uncaring to everything going on. His job was done. I glared at her mother. Her aunt stayed silent but looked just as menacing.
"The accident was letting her move here! I knew it was a bad idea yet for some God mistaken reason, I let her anyways. Well, no more! Say your goodbyes and move on. She's done here!" She shouted back.
Her mother grabbed her by her shoulder and attempted to pull her away from me. I held on like a cobra to it's prey. There was no way I was letting her go. Not under those circumstances.
"No!" I inched backwards, so much that my back hit the frame of the door that my Dad had luckily slammed shut behind him.
"No?" Her mother's blue eyes seemed to be on fire, anger swimming through them viciously. "Who do you think you are, little boy. You are good for nothing. You will never BE anything except another paycheck the government has to hand out. Now let her go and move!"
"Whoa now, see here," my mom stood up. "That's MY boy you're talking to like that."
Sarah's aunt finally stepped forward. "Okay, this has gone way too far." She said mostly to her sister. "Sarah, say your goodbyes and let's go. I'm very sorry to offend you, Mrs. Hunter."
"It's Verna. And it's not you that is offending me, it's your snobby rich bitch sister. Think you're better than everyone because you wear fancy suits and work in a fancy building?" She pointed her finger at her. "I've got news for you, sweetheart. We all bleed the same blood and guess what? At the end of the day, we are all going to die and rot in the same kind of graves. You are no better than anyone."
In the 15 years I had been alive, I had never seen my Mom defend anyone, including me the way she just had. When she wasn't running, she was fighting with my Father, working or pretending to play house by picking through the fridge in attempts to cook a meal and act like everything was okay. It was her way of pretending that we were all happy.
Sarah's mother turned around and glared at her. "Am I supposed to feel bad for you? And the way you people live?"
"Okay, enough!" Her aunt stepped in again. She grabbed her sister by the arm and pulled her back. "What the hell is your problem? She, as well as her husband and son are not your problem. Just stop it. Let Sarah say goodbye and let's go. Seriously, this has gone way too far."
And at that, her aunt gave me a look and practically dragged her out the door. Funny how the night before she had no problem saying things similar as such to me and now she was defending me and my family like some big hero. Pft. What a joke.
The trailer was scarily quiet and Sarah's face was still buried in my chest, her grip painfully tight. I looked at my Mom and she gave me a weak smile, her eyes glimmering. She stood up and somehow managed to convince my Dad to leave the room. Another good and rare she had done in a very long time. I respected her a little more for respecting me and the need to properly say goodbye. Hesitantly, I pulled Sarah away from me and wiped away a few of her tears with my thumbs. "Are you okay?"
She stared back at me, her normally bright blue eyes sad and dark. "No." She whispered. "I would do anything to stay."
I hugged her again. "I know." I whispered in return. "Can you promise me something?" I asked, my chest aching. I had never wanted to not let go of someone so much in my life. She nodded into me. "When you turn 18, come back to Philadelphia and find me. Don't forget me." I practically pleaded. "I'll be here waiting. We can go anywhere you want. We can do anything you want."
She pulled herself away from me this time and looked at me, a hint of confusion colouring her pale face. "Shawn," she started.
I then leaned down and pressed my lips lightly to hers. It may not have been the smartest thing to do due to her already being upset, but I couldn't help it. It was a total in the moment thing and it took me months to come to the realization that I had actually been wanting to do it for a very long time, but never had the courage. I knew she was with Jason and I never wanted to be one of those guys that ruined a relationship for my own selfish pleasure. Our kiss lingered for a few seconds before I pulled away. Her lips were soft, and needing, almost. Her eyes were still closed when I pulled away and a hint of guilt and regret pinched at my heart. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go out on such a big whim.
"I could never forget you." She finally spoke. "You're my best friend. And you're the main reason I don't want to leave in the first place. I promise, Shawn. And I promise not to ever forget my promise." She leaned up and gave me another quick kiss, a tear sliding down her damp cheeks. "Just don't forget about me. I swear on my life, I'll be back for you."
And at that, she was out my door and I was left standing alone. My eyes burning, and my heart feeling heavy. Maybe there was more I could have done to make her stay. Did I really just let the one person I cared for just as much as Cory and Topanga leave? I believed her promises. But two years was a long time. Two years was a long time to be able forget everything even if it wasn't intentional. It was two years to meet other people... better people; to have a better life. Maybe this was just my life. Maybe I was just destined to lose everything I was so desperate to keep around. I sunk into the frame once more and then whirled around and punched the wall with a loud grunt. I couldn't let her go. I couldn't let everything I had worked so hard to keep and build just fall apart. I didn't care what her aunt and mother said. She was either going to stay, or they were going to drive to Pittsburgh with a new hood ornament. I rushed out the door and made me way into the normally crowded parking lot. Which for once, wasn't crowded. There were two cars sitting still, and neither one of them had Sarah in them. She was already gone.
Gone out of my life faster than she came into it. Why was I so dumb? Why couldn't I just have one thing go right? Why did the people I cared most about have to always leave? I sank to my knees and just sat there. I felt defeated. I was done. More done than I ever had been.
Nothing was ever going to be the same.