It's My Life • Shawn Hunter

57| The Grass is Always Greener

"I love you, you know that right?" Shawn told his girlfriend as the two of them walked through the school halls in the early morning.

Zoey smiled as she unlocked her locker and placed the books and folder in her arms into the metal storage. She closed her locker door and looked at her boyfriend.

"I love you, too." Zoey said with a warm smile. She stood up on her toes and planted a small kiss on Shawn's lips.

"Shawn! Zoey!" Cory called through the school halls. Shawn and Zoey pulled apart to see Cory rushing towards them. "Quick tell me about your weekend. A lot of dates I bet, huh?"

"Who counts?" Shawn asked.

"Six." Zoey simply answered. "Why do you want to know, Cor?"

"I want you to tell me about them, every single one, tell me like your life depended on it." Cory insisted in a serious tone.

"Cory, I'm no rocket scientologist, but, uh.... I'm sensing there's something wrong." Shawn said.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Cory questioned. "Does my life have to be in a horrible, boring rut to ask you how your weekend was? Come on! Throw a bone to your buddy."

"No!" Zoey gaped, her eyes widened and her mouth parted in shock. She knew exactly why Cory was acting like this. "You doubled with your folks again.

"Only on Friday and Saturday. But Sunday it was just me and Topanga at the mall." Cory said with a proud smile. "Yep. She bought me slacks."

Shawn sighed. "Oh, Cory, I think you have a problem."

"Yeah, I think so, too." Cory agreed with a heavy sigh.

"But you, my friend, are in luck cause, come on, what am I the world's biggest expect on?" Shawn asked.

Cory crossed his arms over his stomach and huffed. "Really not anything."

"Cor's right." Zoey spoke, agreeing with her best friend. "I can't think of anything you're an expert on."

"Okay. Okay, but I do know a lot about love, because I am in love." Shawn responded. He wrapped an arm around Zoey's waist and pulled her into his side. "And it sounds to me like you and Topanga are in a slump."

Cory shook his head. "No, we're terrific, Shawn. It's just... It's me. I've lost my edge. I'm not the same old dangerous Cory."

"Yeah, there's been talk." Zoey muttered.

"Really?" Cory asked, surprised.

"No!" Shawn exclaimed. "Look, here's your answer. I got a special invite tonight to a dance at Hamilton High. Why don't you come with me and Zo? Wear your new slacks."

"A party at another school? You know, this could be just what I need." Cory said, before he sighed in defeat. "Wait. I have plans with Topanga tonight."

"Change 'em." Shawn told him. "Tell her you need a night out with the boys... and Zoey. There she is. Talk to her."

Zoey looked across the hall to see Topanga standing near the lockers talking to a student from their English class.

"Okay, I will, but this is not going to be easy." Cory said, and Zoey simply rolled her eyes. "The key is to be direct and vague, yet obvious and subtle. Most important, I must stick to my guns no matter what she throws at me."

"Hi, Cory." Topanga greeted as she walked over to him.

Cory turned to his girlfriend before turning back to his friends with a defeated expression. "I can't go."