It's My Life • Shawn Hunter

21| Boy Meets Girl

At school, the entire class was watching a video about puberty in the dark. Zoey couldn't be bothered watching it and instead she was drawing all over in her notebook.

"This movie's rated H for hurl." Cory stated.

"Mr. Matthews, clam down and watch the film." Mr. Feeny said from the back of the classroom.

"The changes won't all be physical. Sometimes you'll feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster." The video said before showing an actual roller-coaster. Zoey rolled her eyes. "For instance... you may occasionally feel aggressive, or weepy."

"Shawn, Zoey, I'm feeling so vulnerable. Do either of you have a tissue?" Cory asked. Shawn and Zoey couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry, Cory." Zoey said, before Mr. Feeny shushed him.

"And remember girls, you'll get your hormonal telegram... well ahead of your boy classmates. Girls, be patience while they catch up to you. Eventually, everyone hears the Mores code of puberty." The video explained.

"I got your Morse code right here." Shawn said, before he made a fart noise from his pit. Zoey chuckled.

When the video was over, Mr. Feeny turned the film off before turning the lights back on. Zoey stretched her arms before sitting back against her seat.

"The film is meant to help you understand the metamorphosis your bodies will soon be going through." Mr. Feeny explained to the class.

"How?" Cory questioned. "That movie's a hundred years old. The telegram boy was played by George Burns."

"I welcome the change that will transform me... from a caterpillar into a butterfly." Topanga spoke, and Zoey gave her a look.

"You say butterfly. I say a hairball with wings." Shawn muttered.

Shawn, Cory and Zoey turned to each other, smiling widely.

"Ha!" The three of them shouted.

"That's a beautiful outlook, Miss Lawrence." Mr. Feeny said as he walked to the front of the class.

"Beautiful?" Cory scoffed. "I've seen hormones turn a normal guy's face into crater r us."

"Yes, there will be side effects, but those, thank goodness... will be the province of your seventh-grade teacher." Mr. Feeny responded.

"If it happens." Cory pointed out.

"Oh, it will happen." Mr. Feeny told him.

"Maybe, maybe not." Cory said, shrugging his shoulders.

Zoey leaned forwards. "Cory, it's going to happen sooner or later."

"Zoey, look. I'm young and I'm fast. I can dodge hormones for days - years if I have to. I'm going to stay twelve till I'm forty-two. And Shawn's in with me on this the whole way. Right, Shawn?" Cory asked. Zoey looked over to see Shawn staring at Hilary, who sat on the other side of him. "Shawn?" Cory snapped his fingers at him. "Shawn?"

Shawn couldn't stop looking at Hilary. Zoey shifted in her chair, uncomfortably, as she turned back to the class. She did not like the fact that he was staring at Hilary.

The bell rung.

"About time." Zoey said as she quickly gathered her things and was the first one out of the classroom.

••••

After class, the three of them were in the cafeteria for lunch. Shawn and Cory got out of their seats and went over to the vending machine, while Zoey sat at the table. She looked over to see Hilary walking past Shawn, which made him turn to her.