It's Okay not to be Okay

Roses and Red Colored Sunglasses

Pt.1 Roses and Red Colored Sunglasses 

Shawn wakes up to his phone ringing at four thirty in the morning. He reaches blindly for it, It’s Gus.

"What, Gus?" Shawn asks groggily.

"We have a new case, Shawn. The chief wants you here ASAP."

"Okay, be there, buddy." He says it slowly into the phone, before ending the call.

Shawn rolls out of bed and looks at himself in the mirror. He looks terrible, tired, and he smells.

He changes out of his pajamas and puts on a comfy, green, long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and his leather booties. 

Slipping on his leather jacket, Shawn walks out and puts on his helmet.

He gets on his motorcycle and drives to the station. When he gets there, he mounts the bike.

Shawn leaves his helmet where his bike is and walks inside, bringing his phone.

He notices the staring right away. He hasn't shaved in months and his hair is long enough to pull back into a ponytail. Neither he nor Gus have gotten a case in months.

Shawn hides the blush threatening to appear on his cheeks as he walks into the Chief's office.

"I'm glad you could make it, Mr. Spencer."

"I wouldn't miss it, Chief."

Chief Vick hands him an extra file of the case, which he tries to read. The key word being tried.

The words were swimming together and when the Chief started talking it sounded like Shawn was underwater.

Shawn closed his eyes, trying his hardest to focus. There were too many thoughts and they were loud.

Something snaps him out of his feverish mind, "...you okay?" And, "...doesn’t look so good."

"I'm fine." 

"Are you sure?" It was Gus.

Shawn didn't know what it was but in the pit of his stomach something akin to anger began to boil. He grit his teeth together to prevent himself from yelling. 

Shawn smiles and says. "I said I'm fine." It was more harsh than he imagined.

He repeats those two words "I'm fine" over and over again until even he starts to believe it.

Chief Vick, Carlton Lassiter, Juliet O'Hara, and Burton "Gus" Guster go from shock to concern in a matter of minutes.

Shawn’s phone buzzes. It’s Abigail. His eye twitches. "I have to take this…" he mumbles, walking out of the room.

The four occupants in the room stare at each other. Who could be calling Shawn Spencer?

“Abbs,” Shawn says with as much enthusiasm as he can muster.

“Where are you, Shawn?”

“I’m on a case.”

“You are SUPPOSED to be home with me, Shawn. How else am I supposed to protect you?” Her voice is filled with concern.

“Protect me? Protect me from what?”

“From those people you call your friends, of course.” Abigail’s voice is sugary sweet but he can hear the angry desperation in it.

Shawn’s voice sounds like a choked whisper. “But they’re my friends, right? They wouldn’t hurt me.”

“I don’t know, Shawn, they always seem to be yelling at you.”