Love Under Construction

20. Baggage Claim

Spencer's POV

"Aye, it's me! Open up. I need my suitcase."

"Spence, what the fuck are you doing here?" Shawn answers, strangely, after a few knocks.

"I need my suitcase that you borrowed last month. And I need to tell you Billy pushed back filming for a week!" I say as I squeeze past him. "Damn, Shawn! Why are you being weird? Let me in."

"I got to tell you some—"

I hear him, but I can't take my eyes off of the out-of-season Michael Kors bag sitting on the arm of the couch.

"What's— going on?" I say as I start to put two and two together. "Is Yonni here?"

He watches me with guilty eyes as I point to the bag and look around the empty room.

"I can explain," he says and I wait for him to say more. "Umm... the other night at the bowling alley— well before the alley. But at the alley—-"

"—I've been your friend since I got off the plane, almost a year ago, so whatever you're trying to say to me, just say it." I tell him as I scan the room a few more times with curious eyes.

"We linked up at the bowling."

"What do you mean linked up?" I ask seriously. "How long has this been going on?"

"There was no foul play! I swear! We were headed to get the edibles but she had to use the bathroom. So we stopped— it was a bathroom— we were high and drunk. I mean— I liked her before. But she was hung up on you.—- You were checking for that chick Olivia and I guess she finally saw you weren't feeling her."

"I bet this ain't the first time!" I state as I try to make sense of his jumbled words. "Why the hell would you not tell me you had feelings for her?"

"It is! And she liked you, not me. So me, telling you, wouldn't have done anything to help my cause. I played it cool. And you never appreciated—"

"—-Don't tell me what or who I appreciated, Shawn!" I cut him off. "Because you don't know shit about that! Matter of fact! I should've known by the way you used to bring her up in every conversation we had!"

"I get why you're upset! But hear me out!"

"And Yonni, you can stop hiding!" I interrupt him as my voice echoes through the house and it takes a few minutes, but Yonni comes out of the bedroom in his robe.

"Spencer, it's not what it looks like," she says and I really don't want to hear her right now.

"Look, I'm not even mad. Y'all deserve each other!" I say sarcastically.

"You didn't want me!" She says loudly as she tries to justify their sneaky behavior. 

"And I still don't!" I counter and she looks embarrassed by my response. "But it's not about who wanted who—- it's the principle. And he's supposed to be my boy."

Shawn's head drops slowly. "You're not wrong, bro! But you have to understand, I wanted to tell you. It's just the thing with your mom and possibly losing your acting opportunity— I couldn't add more to your plate."

"Yeah whatever— but good thing y'all have each other! Now can I have my bag so I can leave?" I say dismissively.

"Really? That's it? We can't talk about it?" Shawn asks.

He had more than enough time to talk to me about it. But he chose to be a snake in the grass that I, obviously, kept too high.

"Do you have the suitcase or not?" I ask seriously before he walks away.