Shawn flipped mindlessly through the television channels trying to find something that looked remotely interesting. It was Sunday afternoon and there was nothing to do, thanks in part to the downpour that the clouds unleashed hours earlier.
Shawn was home alone at the moment. Jon had some mysterious meeting with Mr. Feeny that morning and hadn't yet returned. Audrey wouldn't be over until two.
After finally settling on a Batman cartoon he had seen a dozen times already, Shawn stretched out on the couch. With a bang the apartment door swung open and connected with the wall. Shawn sat up just as Jon stormed in. He gave the door a hard slam shut and disappeared into his bedroom.
For a moment Shawn just sat there with a surprised look on his face. Rarely had he seen Jon so upset. Something had seriously gotten under his friend's skin. Of course, had it been him, Shawn wouldn't have been too happy to have to meet with Feeny on the weekend, but he knew that wasn't Jon's problem.
Shawn debated on whether or not to question Jon now or wait. He decided on the latter and gave his gaurdian a chance to cool off.
Fifteen minutes later, Jon reappeared, calmer, but still visibly agitated. Shawn gave him a questioning look, but Jon had busied himself in the kitchen and didn't see it. Shawn wandered into the kitchen and leaned against the island in the center of the kitchen where Jon was viciously mincing a tomato.
"I think it's dead already,Jon," Shawn pointed out, testing his teacher's mood.
"Huh?" Jon stopped what he was doing long enough to glance up. "Oh, hey, Shawn. When'd you get in?"
Shawn raised his eyebrows. "A while ago," he shrugged. "What's up? How'd the meeting with Feeny go?" He saw Jon tense immediately and clench his jaw.
"Fine," he muttered and returned to reducing the vegetable to a pulp.
"That great huh?"
Jon said nothing.
"C'mon, Jon. What happened?"
"I don't want to discuss it."
Shawn tapped his fingers against the counter top. He furrowed his brow in concentration.
"That meeting wasn't about Audrey was it?" he asked worriedly. He vaguely recalled Jon being worried that Feeny might have found out about them spending so time with Audrey outside of school. Shawn knew that it would be trouble if that happened, though he wasn't sure why.
Jon put down the paring knife. He looked at Shawn for a moment.
"Yeah, it was," he said shortly. He picked the knife up again. Shawn waited for him to go on, but he offered no details.
"Soooo? Jon, you've got to tell me what he said!"
"George doesn't think that Audrey should go on the New York trip."
An indignant "what?" escaped from Shawn's lips.
"That's right," Jon confirmed. The knife came down on the last quarter of the remaining tomato.
"He can't do that!" the boy exploded, jumping back from the island. "No! That's just wrong!"
Jon shrugged indifferently. "He's the principal. He can do what he wants."
"But why?" Shawn paced the living room. "Why would he do that? Jon, you've got to do something!"
Jon started to say something, but was cut short by Audrey walking in.
Immediately, Audrey sensed that something was wrong. Shawn stared at her and Jon didn't look up from what he was doing.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Shawn flopped disgruntedly on the couch with his arms folded across his chest.
Audrey dropped her purse by the door, then walked into the kitchen.
"Jon?" she said, looking at him in expectation. "What happened?"
Jon looked at her for a long moment as though he was trying to figure out the best way to deliver some horrible news.
Audrey glanced at Shawn briefly, wondering if they had gotten into an argument.
"I had a meeting with Mr. Feeny this morning."
Audrey looked alarmed. "On a Sunday?"
Jon nodded. He had quit on the tomato and instead leaned on his elbows against the counter with his hands clasped in front of him.
"He tried calling you all day yesterday," he began.
Audrey raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Guess I should've invested in an answering machine," she murmurred. "If he was trying to reach me, why call you in?"
Jon sighed. "Tomorrow your NYCU faculty advisor is coming to town for a convention and wants to have a conference with you, me and George about the progress of your internship."
Audrey frowned. "That doesn't sound so bad. That's fairly normal. I don't get what the big deal is."
"There's more to it," Jon replied. "He wanted to go over some stuff with you yesterday concering the conference, but when he couldn't get a hold of either you or me and he called Eli."
Color drained from Audrey's cheeks.
"Oh, no."
"Yeah," Jon grimaced. "He found where we were. And is, consequently, taking you off the New York trip."
"What?" Audrey's jaw dropped. The same indignanty expression Shawn had earlier came over Audrey's features.
"He can't do that," Shawn complained coming up behind Audrey.
"He's taking me off the trip for what?" Audrey wanted to know. Her eyes flared angrily. "For going to New Jersey on my own time? It's not like that had anything to with my performance in class."
"So he really can't do that, can he?" Shawn demanded as though Jon could do something about the situation and simply wasn't.
Jon straightened up. "Look, I'm not exactly happy about this either, Shawn. But what can I do?"
Audrey chewed her bottom lip in anger. "Did he give a reason why?"
Jon rolled his eyes. "Apparently, taking Shawn in was a violation of protocol. Befriending my student-teacher was blurring the line of decency, and spending the day at a theme park with my student teacher and a couple of students of stepping way out of bounds. I don't know!" He through his hands up in disgust. "He grilled me like I'd shot someone. I swear I can't do anything right!"
Shawn glared at the sink. "What's his problem anyway?"
"He thinks there's something going on between Audrey and me," Jon informed. He grabbed a dish towel and started to clean up the tomato mess.
"That's none of his bloody business," Audrey spat.
Shawn continued sending the sink death glares. He was upset that Feeny seemed to be trying to break his friends up before they had a chance to get together. He just knew that Jon and Audrey belonged together... just like, well, Cory and Topanga. By taking Audrey off the trip, he felt like the principal was personally attacking him. He knew that Feeny hadn't been overly pleased that Jon was taking care of him. Why, he didn't know. Now it seemed like he was trying to keep Audrey away from him. To stop him from having a real family, until his dad returned with his mom Again, he didn't know why.
"I'm not going to New York without Audrey," he told Jon pointedly.
Jon sighed again, feeling as though he was responsible for this entire mess. He had known that being with Audrey so much would lead to trouble. He should have put a stop to it in the beginning. Maybe it wasn't too late to do what he should have done a long time ago...
"Don't worry, love," Audrey reached over and smoothed back the hair that had fallen into the boy's eyes. "I'm going. You'll see."
"This is the bizarrest thing I've ever seen," Alan said. "Well, second bizarrest. The junk Cory and Shawn dreamed up was the first."
"Yes, well, the death of so many squirrels is quite strange," Mr. Feeny replied. He was standing in the Matthew's kitchen discussing the sudden spike in squirrel fatalities.
"Though not as strange as our newest neighbors," Amy said, closing the back door behind her.
Alan smiled bemusedly. "So you met Tony, huh?"
"No, actually I met Muriel. She's very odd." Amy's face was marred with confusion. She didn't know quite what to make of Muriel Koposki. "Apparently, she thinks that you're poisoning the squirrels?"
Alan shrugged. "So does her husband."
"Are you having a dead squirrel problem too, George?" Amy greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.
"Yes, unfortunately," George smiled.
Alan leaned over to get a kiss from Amy as she came by. She walked on past him.
"I'm really worried about what's causing this," Amy said, with a frown. "What if it affects the kids?"
"Well," Alan tolded her. "Animal Control's been called. They're going to be out tomorrow afternoon to see if they can't come up with an answer."
George pinched his brow together, deep in thought.
"Speaking of the children," he said slowly as though he were still digesting some information. "I know it's not likely...but I can't help wondering if..."
"Cory and Shawn are somehow involved in this?" Alan finished with a small smile.
George nodded.
"Yeah, we thought that too," he said, leaning against the kitchen table. "But we ruled them out since they spend most of their time at Jonathan's place."
This tidbit of information piqued George's curisoity.
"Really?" he said trying to maintain an air of indifference concerning the boy's free time.
Amy smiled as she folded a hand towel and placed it near the sink.
"Yeah," she said, "they've been spending quite a bit of time with Jonathan and Audrey."
Struggling to keep his expression emotionless, George regarded Amy steadily.
"With whom did you say?"
Chubby's was packed with young people. The jukebox was blarring as loud as possible. Cory wove his way through the crowded while skillfully carrying a tray full of food. He spotted Topanga's long mane and zeroed in on it. Moments later, he presented the tray to her.
"Oh, thanks, Cory," she said taking her soda and returning to her conversation with Allora Lohan.
Allora Lohan was one of the most popular girls in the sophomore class and, more importantly, one of Topanga's best girl friends. In fact, she was close friends with Cory and Shawn as well. Her dark blond hair was long, though not quite as long as Topanga's. It fell to her waist like tangible strands of light, glimmering and glistening in the light. Her hazel green eyes sparkled with interest as she conversed with Topanga. Her smile was endearing and appeared often.
As Cory watched the girls talk, he quietly admired how Allora was as good as she was beautiful- just one of the many things she and Topanga had in common. The only thing that would make this double-date perfect would be if Shawn had been Allora's date instead Alex Jennings, a guy with whom he had nothing in common with. Cory found it impossible to carry on a conversation with him and wasn' sure if Alex was capable of such a remedial task; the only word Cory had ever heard him utter was "hey".
Of course, there wasn't much of a need for talking when you were eating, so Cory proceeded to stuff his mouth with hamburger.
After they finished their dinner, Cory, Topanga, and Allora got lost in talk about the sophomore trip to New York and Audrey. They weren't even aware that Alex had wandered off and failed to come back.
It was almost thirty minutes after they hadn't eaten that Allora suddely sat up.
"Oh, my!" she exclaimed as though she had forgotten an important appoinment. "I'll be right back."
Cory and Topanga exchanged perplexed looks. Cory shrugged, but Topanga worriedly twisted a lock of hair around her finger.
When Allora finally came back, Topanga immediately jumped on her with rapid- fire questions.
Allora held up her hands to stop the on-slaught.
"Whoa, Topanga!" she cried in surprise. "I just went to the bathroom. That soda really went through me."
Topanga narrowed her eyes. She picked up her friend's cup which was still full. "You've barely touched this."
"So?" Allora eyed her quizzically, if not defensively. "What's wrong with you, Tippy? Why the third-degree?"
Topanga sat quietly for a moment, contemplating her next words. "There's something going on with you, Lora," she replied softly. There was a twinge of sadness in her voice. "Something you're not telling me."
Allora bit her lip, then reached across the table and squeezed Topanga's hand. "Hey, I'm fine, girl." Topanga looked up at her and she smiled. "Really."
Topanga nodded, but Cory could tell that she wasn't reassured.
As Cory walked Topanga home later that evening, she was distance and silent.
"Everything okay?" he asked with concern.
Topanga stopped and looked up him with large, tearful eyes.
"I'm worried about Allora."
Cory frowned. "How come? She seemed fine to me."
Topanga nodded. "But you're not around her as much as I am. Cory, there's something really wrong."
Cory guided her up the steps to her front porch and motioned for her to sit with him on the op one.
"Why do you think there's something wrong?"
Topanga sighed and clasped her hands around her knees. "There's so much- so many little things. I don't know where to begin."
Cory pulled her long hair back from her face. "It's okay. Just pick something and go from there."
"About two months ago," she began. "I noticed that she stopped eating normally. You know, when we'd hang out, she wouldn't order anything but a diet soda and tell us she had already eaten. I didn't think anything about it at first, but then it started happening all the time." Topanga pused to collect her thoughts. "Then she started where really baggy clothes all of the sudden. And you know how she always wore the trendiest clothes before."
Cory nodded at this. "Yeah," he said thoughtfully. "I kinda wondered about that. Then I figured it was just a girl thing."
Topanga shook her head. "It's not. About the time she started wearing those clothes, she started eating with us again. But not like she use to. I mean, Allora's always been careful about what she's eaten, but never overly so. Now she's been eating insane amounts of food all in one sitting. And then she always disappears into a bathroom half an hour after she eats. And she's been losing do much weight, too."
Topanga turned suddenly and clutched Cory's hand. "Cory, I'm scared that she might be bulimic!"
"Whoa..." Cory sucked in his breath. "Topanga, are you sure?"
Topnaga's shoulders sagged. "No, I'm not," she said morosely. "I'm only familiar with what our psychology book lists as symptons of an eating disorder and I don't know that any of those sypmtons apply to her."
Cory could see the despair in her eyes. He put his arms around her and hugged her close. He understood how it felt to want to help your best friend in the whole world, but not knowing exactly what the problem was or if you could do anything about it.
"Have you tried talking to her about it," he asked.
"Yes," was the muffled response as Topanga lifted her head. "But she won't talk to me. She just says she's fine and that I worry too much. Am I reading too much into this, Cory? Should I leave her alone?"
Cory regarded her for a minute. Topanga was a caring and passionate person and though sometimes she did jump to conconclusion and was wrong about them- her intentions were good.
"No," he said. "It would be better for you to be wrong and say something to her, than to be right and say nothing."
Monday morning brought with it added stress. Jon hadn't seen Audrey yet that morning and was dreading conference that was minutes away.
With ten minutes until seven, Jon headed to Feeny's office and was dismayed to find that Audrey was not yet there.
"Jonathan," the principal looked up briefly from his notes and motioned for the young man to sit down.
"George," he returned apprehensively. The office suddenly seemed too small. Jon shifted uncomfortably.
After what seemed like an eternity, Audrey walked in with a smile followed a man in his mid-fifties wearing a crisp steel gray blazer and slacks and white button-down shirt.
Mr. Feeny pushed his chair back and stood up. Jon followed suit.
"Ah," George smiled as he shook hands with the NYCU professor. "Alexander Kessington, this is Jonathan Turner."
Alexander's smile widened. "Good to finally meet you, young fellow," he said in precise British accent. His brown eyes sparkled as he winked at Jon. "Our Audrey has spoken so highly of you."
"And you, too," Jon returned, relaxing slightly as he shook the older gentleman's hand.
As they took their seats with Dr. Kessington statigically positioned between the young people, Audrey caught Jon's eye and gave him secretive smile.
Dr. Kessington was a jovial man who obviously held Audrey is high regard. He, as it turned out, had attended college with her mother and was thrilled to be overseeing Lizzy's daughter. George couldn't help but wonder if the man wasn't unduly prejudgice towards the girl. Nevertheless, George couldn't do anything but agree with Dr. Kessington's assessements of Audrey's ability and performance.
The meeting took little time to complete and soon the four were discussing school in general. To George's surprise, the professor began to directly inquire about the sophokore class and what feild trips they were echeduled to take. George had no choice but to tell him about the New York City trip.
"Oh, marvelous," the doctor gushed. "It will be fabulous to have Audrey back in town."
Jon gave Feeny a curious look. How was he going to explain the fact that Audrey wasn't going?
George straighened his tie and cleared his throat before answering. "Miss Andrews isn't going," he said shortly.
Dr. Kessington laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, George. Of course she's going. Who else knows the city better, other than Jonathan? You need them both there." The merriment in his voice dissipated as he added. "I except to see her there," he said. "There's no reason that she shouldn't go. She has proven herself to be responsible and capable. Besides, there are meeting that she is required to attend that weekend at the school."
Feeny knew he was cornered, he just wasn't sure how it happened.
"Well," he said clearing his throat once again. "You're right of course. Well, Miss Andrews, it looks as though you'll be going to New York after all."
Jon tried to surpress his surprise. He glanced at Audrey, who was smiling coolly. She wasn't a bit surprised by Feeny's change of heart.
After the conference was dismissed, Dr. Kessington shook hands with Jonathan and told him that he expected him to drop by the campus while he was in New York. He turned to Audrey and kissed the topm of her head.
"Do be a sweet girl and at least give an old man a ring while you're in town."
Audrey grinned. "Of course."
After the doctor bid farewell, Jon took Audrey by the arm as they walked down the hall.
"Boy, is it a good thing you have those meetings at the University to go to, otherwise, there's no way George would have let you go on the trip."
Audrey gave him a funny look. "What meetings?"
Jon stopped walking. "The meetings Dr. Kessington referred to."
Audrey shrugged innocently. "There are no meetings that weekend."
Jon stared at her, trying to make sense of things.
"Hey!" Shawn jogged over to them, with Cory in tow. He looked hopefully at Audrey. "How'd it go with Feeny?"
Audrey gave him a smug look. "I'm going, naturally," she winked.
"All right!" Shawn pumped his fist in the air. Cory shared in his friends happines though he wasn't sure why Shawn was so happy; he didn't know that feeny had taken her off the trip.
Audrey looked over Shawn's head at Jon. "Didn't I tell you that Dr. Kessington was an old friend of my mum's?"
Jon blinked. "Yeah, so?"
"I told him what happened and he said he'd take care of it."
Jon shook his head and smiled. "So no meetings that weekend, huh?"
Audrey grinned triumphantly. "No meetings."
"So," Cory leaned against the lockers waiting for Topanga to get her things. "Did you talk to her yet?"
Topanga shook her head, sending a cascade of bangs into her face. "Not yet," she replied running her hand through her hair and securing a lock behind her ear. "I'm going to catch her on the way to third period."
"Okay," Cory gave her kiss. "Then I'll walk with Shawn, you two can talk in private."
Topanga regarded him fondly. "You're so sweet. I'll see you at lunch."
Cory smiled and went off to find Shawn.
Topanga spotted Allora at her locker and ran over to catch her.
"Hey, Tippy!" Allora greeted her friend enthusiastically.
"Hey, yourself." Topanga couldn't help but notice that Allora was back wearing more fitted clothing or that she looked so frail.
Moments after they had exchanged greetings, the girls were surrounded by a group of other girls from their grade.
"Wow, Allora," a tall, gorgeous brunntte named Annie exclaimed. "Look at you! You're so thin!"
"Yeah," Lauren echoed."You must have lost ten pounds at least! Just last month that sweater was so snug on you. And now look! It's just hanging on you."
Topanga suddenly became quiet and withdrew a bit from the girls. Intently, she watched Allora's reaction to their comments.
Allora beamed. "Yeah, it's amazing what happens when you stick to a strict diet and exercise like crazy."
"Well, whatever you're doing, girl, don't stop," Annie laughed. "A few more pounds and you'll be perfect!"
Topanga saw Allora visibly pale.
"W-what do you mean a few more pounds?" Allora caught a lock of hair and nervously twisted in her thin hands.
"Oh," Annie smirked condescendingly. "Another five pounds and you'll be rid of that baby fat. Then it's top of the pyramid for you."
Several of the other girls echoed her sentiment. When they left they seemed to have taken Allora's spirit and cheerful mood with them. The girl slumped against the lockers looking absolutely defeated.
Topanga slid over to her and put her arms around her friend.
"Don't listen to them," she said firmly. "They don't know what they're talking about. They're just stupid, superfical ditzes."
Allora nodded but there was a far away look in her eyes.
"Hey, Topanga," she said straigthening up and smoothing out her skirt. She broke free of Topanga's embrace. "I've got to go to the bathroom before. We'll talk about whatever you wanted talk about at lunch, 'kay?"
"Okay," Topanga said to Allora's retreating back. She stood there alone, wondering what to do.
Jon passed Topanga in the hall on his way to his class. The look on her face made him stop; she looked lost.
"Hey, Topanga, you okay?"
She looked at him and gave him a weak smile. Her eyes effectively conveyed the misery she felt.
"Mr. Turner, what do you do when you think a friend is in serious trouble but you don't know for sure if they are?"
Jon studied her for a moment. It couldn't give her much of an answer with such vague information.
"What kind of serious trouble?"
Topnaga half-shrugged. "The kind that doesn't hurt anyone else but them."
"I don't know, Topanga," he admitted. "But if you think your friend is in real trouble, them sometimes the best thing to do is tell someone; an adult who can intervene."
Topanga nodded, staring in the direction that Allora had disappeared in. "Thanks, Mr. Turner."
Jon was about to leave when he thought better of it.
"I'm always available if you want to talk," he said. After pause he added, "And if you don't think you can talk to me, then you can always talk to Miss Andrews."
This got the girl's attention. There was a glimmer of hope in her sad eyes.
"I may just do that, Mr. Turner."
The day was a cause for celebration as far as Shawn was concerned and Jon agreed with him. And to celebrate, Jon decided that they should go out to eat and toast to Audrey's being put back on the New York trip. Audrey agreed, so long as they didn't go to Hannigan's.
Shawn was in seventh heaven. It was just Jon, Audrey, and him.
As it should be, he thought, watching his friends in the front seat talk.
Somewhere deep down inside, guilt tugged at him. It told him that he had no right to be so content when his father was out there somewhere searching for his mother, who obviously didn't want to be found. Chet Hunter still hadn't called his son.
Shawn stared out the window. He just didn't understand what he had done to drive his parents away. Was he really so unlovable that this cross-country chase his dad was on just an excuse to get away from him? There was no one, it seemed, who could answer any of his questions.
His attention returned to Jon and Audrey. He entertained the idea of them getting married and adopting him. It wouldn't be the same as being with his real parents- it'd be more like living with a favorite aunt and uncle, but at least he would know that they wouldn't take off on him. Of course, that would never happen anyway. His being adopted anyway. But Jon and Audrey getting together wasn't so bizarre.
Please, he said silently gazing at the twilight horizon. Please, let my dad call me. Just once. So I know he still loves me.
Shawn felt a hand on his knee. Audrey was watching him intently.
"He'll call, Shawn," she said softly. "He will. You just wait and see."
Shawn gave her a weak smile.
"I hope."
Audrey let go of his knee. She held up her hand, palm facing him with her index finger, pinkie, and thumb extended and the middle two fingers tucked down.
Shawn smiled at the sign language. He mirrorred her sign.
"I love you, too," he smiled.