Circles In The Sand (On Hold)

The Flow Of Tears

As the sunlight streaked in through the window and illuminated only a sliver of the bed, Shawn leant on one elbow as he watched his girlfriend's chest rise and fall as she slept.

Sleep hasn't come easily to her, in fact she had tossed and turned so violently Shawn had moved to the sofa until he knew she was properly settled. Even when he returned to bed he had struggled to sleep, instead listening to her mumbling in her sleep as her arm wrapped protectively over her stomach.

Shawn didn't like secrets, he knew the trouble they could cause but Camila was keeping one from him and no matter how much he promised it would be okay she wasn't willing to share it with him.

8am and she was still fast asleep so Shawn decided to get up and pop out for some breakfast, Camila was determined today was the day they would start shopping and cooking for themselves so Shawn thought it was probably a good idea to eat something that wasn't likely to kill them both first.

Slipping on some track pants and a hoodie he was busy hunting for his shoes when he heard something vibrating. He tried to ignore it but on and on it went so he decided to follow the sound. He found it eventually hidden under the laundry basket in the bathroom. Camila cell phone.

Picking it up he looked at the screen 6 msgs from an unknown number. He tried to open it but it required a finger print. He shook his head whilst dropping the phone back to the ground. What was she hiding? Why was she hiding her phone??!

"What are you doing?: asked a sleepy voice from behind him

"Your phone was vibrating so hard I thought you didn't need me anymore" he smirked but didnt feel like it was funny, this was a secret between them and he hated that "6 unread texts and it's only 8am, who's so eager to speak to you?" He asked whilst picking the phone from the ground

"No one" she snatched the phone from his hands and began walking back to the bed "Its probably a wrong number"

"Pretty insistant for a wrong number" she flopped down onto the bed and rolled so she lay with her back to Shawn. "Camila, honey, I'm here for you, whatever's going on I need you to tell me so I can help you"

"Its nothing" she all bu t whispered into her pillow as she brought her knees up to her chest

"Baby please don't lie to me" Shawn lay down on the bed next to her and spooned her, wrapping his arm over hers that protectively hugged her tiny bump.

"I don't want to talk about it" her voice was cold as he felt the bed once again vibrate

"Talk to me. Please"

"Its Callan"

"Jacob's friend?" Camila just nodded and kept her back to him "What does he want?"

"The same as everyone else at school, to humiliate me" Shawn smoothed his hand over her hair and kissed her neck gently "Your mom obviously didn't want everyone knowing her son had a mental health issue so she just told everyone he'd had a couple of bad months and needed time away. The guys at school decided that it was because of me and now they are determined to make me pay" lifting her phone from under the pillow she pressed her finger to open it and then handed it to Shawn.

He clicked on the messages, there were hundreds of them all with the same vitriol calling her a whore, asking for sexual favors, questioning whether the baby was Jacob's or Shawns and then there were the photos, manipulated to show Camilas face on another woman's naked bodies sometimes alone, sometimes with men.

Shawn could feel his blood begin to boil as he clicked on one after another, each one worse than the one before

"I will sort Callan, don't worry about him, he won't bother you again"

"Its not just him. They have a bet on whether the baby comes out looking like you or Jacob. Sara is the only girl that's talking to me right now and I know her mom has told her to make other friends because she doesn't want her being lead astray by me" One tear was quickly followed by a second and third

"Camila..." Shawn pulled her tighter to him as she dissolved into sobs "Baby..."

" Mrs. Strangeways makes me stand apart from the other girls during sports class. She says it's to prevent me from over exerting myself in my 'condition' but really it's just to make a fool out of me. Everyone look at the idiot. The loser. The teenage girl that's so dumb she got herself knocked up" she sobbed loudly as she moved her hand from her stomach to her face, covering her eyes and feeling the weight of the last 6 weeks come crashing down on top of her.

"You're none of those things, You're strong and you're beautiful and you are going to prove all of these people wrong. We are going to prove them wrong. Please trust me on that"

Turning over, Camila wrapped an arm around Shawns waist and snuggled her face into his warm chest and tried to calm herself. His hand smoothed over her hair as he whispered kind words into her ear, telling her all the things he loved about her. Eventually the sobs stilled in her chest and her breathing became steady.

"Shawn" she whispered, afraid of the words that would come next "Do you ever regret deciding to keep the baby?"

"No" he didn't even hesitate, his answer strong and resolute "Do you?" He asked, pulling away slightly so he could look at her when she answered

"No" she whispered against his chest "Not for one second, not when the messages won't stop or when the name calling gets too much, not when I'm stood alone at the other end of the sports hall with everyone pointing and whispering, not when I can't sleep for my mom and dad screaming at each other. The baby is part you and part me and that can never be wrong can it?"

"Never" he said against her mouth and he pressed a soft reassuring kiss to her lips that were now salty from the flow of tears. "Why don't you have a shower, I want to speak to Roozhan and then let's get this 'shopping' situation started. Okay?" She just nodded as he kissed her once more "Behave yourself in the grocery store and I might even buy you ice cream"

"Can we add it to soda and make an ice cream float?" Her eyes were wide and hopeful but Shawn just screwed his face up in disgust

"Is that one of those disgusting pregnancy cravings they warn you about?"

"No, this is the result of me watching too many 80s movies since I have no friends and no life anymore"

"Okay then fine, shower, shopping, ice cream and soda and then maybe we can watch one of those 80s movies you have become so fond of. How does that sound?"

" It sounds like 'I love you Camila without have to say the words" she rubbed her nose against his and snuggled close, thanking her lucky stars that she had walked in to the Northern Soul Coffee Cafe that day and fallen head over heels for 'Shawn From Table 14'

*Please let me know what you think of this story so far and if there's anything you hope will happen in the future. That helps me to write a story that you enjoy reading

*votes and comments are like saying you are enjoying it without having to say the words 😉