𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀, shawn mendes

chapter ten

halley finn
toronto, ontario
———

        "shawn, how are you so fucking talented?" i breathed, completely in awe of that mini concert i just got. he was truly just completely and utterly gifted when it came to music.

his eyebrows raised and i knew he was gonna have some snarky remark. "because my momma made me this way," he smirked and we both bursted out laughing.

"hmm...guess i'm gonna have to meet your mom now, see this momma..." i finished laughing and smiled, "tell her how shit her son is." i deadpanned.

"and you ruined it," shawn sighed sarcastically, "i thought i was impressing you."

why would he need to impress me? i thought, "is that so? there's no need, i think you're a talented guy."

shawn smiled like he had just won an oscar. he picked up his notebook and guitar and brought them into the other room, quickly returning and jumping onto the couch.

he leaned his arms across the backrest and for the first time i saw two things: how buff he was (hush) and the cool tattoos across both biceps.

"what do-" he said, before i cut him off, "what do your tattoos mean?"

he sat up excitingly, ready to tell me this story. he seemed rather happy that someone had asked about it, and i thought it was adorable.

"this one," he began, pointing to the guitar on his right forearm, "is obviously a guitar, and it's reflected on waves, with the skyline of toronto, and then a sound recording of my mom saying 'i love you'." fuck, these were heartfelt.

i nodded and he continued, this time pointing to the bird on his right hand, "this is a swallow...and it's a reminder that home isn't necessarily a building or house, but instead the people you love and love to spend time with, since the bird is the sign of sailors."

i continued just staring and smiling as he explained the other three; one was an elephant he had matching with his mom on his finger, the other was the number '8' on his finger that represented his birthday...and then the other was his tattoo that he got to remember his second album 'illuminate'.

i was leaning forward on my knees when he finished, and he honestly made me think of getting a tattoo. "do you want to get more?" i asked.

"mhmm," he hummed. "i'm planning on getting one for every album i make...and then anything else heartfelt that i decide to get as well. aaliyah and i have been talking about getting matching ones when she turns 18."

i admired how much shawn loved and cared for his little sister. aaliyah was the sweetest person ever, but you always have the misconception that brothers and sisters can never get along. they were honestly the cutest siblings ever and i loved that they remained so close even though they were at different stages in their lives.

we talked for a little bit more about my sisters and decided that we'd watch a movie for the next little bit while i waited to leave for my flight. shawn grabbed the remote and scrolled through netflix, searching for a good movie.

"what kinds of movies do you like?" he called out as i returned back to the couch with two bowls of popcorn. i sat down beside him and looked up at the television.

"i'm not gonna make you watch a romcom, shawn," i smiled, "so you pick."

"what? i love romcoms!" he retorted happily and i was pleasantly surprised. add that to the things i like list, thank you.

after a few more minutes of finding the right movie, we settled on set it up. it had just come out a few weeks ago and i was good friends with zoey, the main actress in it.

the movie played, we ate popcorn, and we laughed and smiled at the exact same parts. it's like we were movie-viewing soulmates.

"is that pete? i didn't know he was in this!" shawn squealed when a familiar staten island comedian showed up on screen.

"you know pete? i want to be his best friend so bad," i chuckled at him, "we'd have so much fun."

"well maybe i'll get you guys to start hanging out. i know him from when i was on snl." he said and for the first time i remembered that shawn was like famous famous. since we'd been in this city for the last week, i've completely forgotten about anything that goes on in the press or through paparazzi. it was fucking exhausting pretending to be perfect.

i knew LA would be worse, but i couldn't be more excited to go home and see hailey, zendaya, and my sisters of course. the only things i'd miss from here were auston and shawn, but the leafs were coming to the west coast in two weeks and i assumed shawn would need to come west for some reason.

———

the movie ended and i checked the clock to see that it was about 7:00. i decided that i'd leave and give shawn his space, and i'd get to the airport ridiculously early and stop at a restaurant.

"alright, thank you for the hangout...but i'm gonna go. i gotta stop at the mall," i lied to him, "i guess i'll see you around." i walked over to my jacket and started stuffing it over my arms.

"you're leaving already?" he jumped up from the couch, almost looking desperate for me to stay.

"yeah, gotta go back to the homeland," i dryly chuckled, him walking towards me and leaning on the counter while i picked up my things.

"okay...i think i have everything," i said, lifting up my suitcase. "thank you for the toronto tour."

"bye..." he drawed out the word as i opened the front door. i walked out the hallway and down to the lobby, sad to leave this city.

— notes!
yes i did just watch
top gun maverick and
yes i am in love with
glen powell yes sir