What Should I do? | Shawn Hunter

ix. Protecting Each Other

CHRISTMAS WASN'T KARDERN'S favourite holiday, mainly because after his mother left, his father didn't really bother with him anymore, and Christmas was yet another reminder of what he should have and yet didn't. Christmas was supposed to be a time when families come together and yet it just reminded Kardern how his family was broken

But everyone In Karden's life seemed to enjoy Christmas and that left him feeling uncomfortable but at least Shawn got it. They had an understanding nobody else had and it was nice despite the situation being not so nice. Kardern finally had someone that understood him and didn't make him feel so alone and judged for dealing with the hand he got in life the only way he knew how and Kardern in return was the same for Shawn acting as a sounding board for the problems that Cory wouldn't understand 

Shawn had made it a weekly thing to pop over to Kardern's house ever since that one time he did when Cory was busy and as much as Kardern would like to complain about said visits, he found them to be nice and Kardern had taken it up himself to start helping Shawn with bits and pieces of his homework (I'm helping Hunter! It does not mean doing it for you. Oh no don't start giving me that face. No. No. I'm not doing it for you") as much as Shawn tries to coax Kardern into trying to get him to do it with him

So it wasn't a surprise when on one of their weekly nights. Shawn turned to him and suddenly blurted out "My dad got fired, which isn't a surprise. He isn't very good at holding down a job but you know the timing and everything. I swear every time I get a good thing in the year. The world seems to make up for it by taking something else away from me"

"What do you mean about a good thing in the year?" Kardern asked, taking time to digest the information he was given. He knew by the widened eyes that Shawn did not mean to blurt out the fact that his dad had been fired and so instead gave him the chance to talk about something else until he felt alright to talk about it 

Shawn seemed surprised and relieved about the question that Kardern was asking and he sat there quietly for a few minutes which Kardern let him do it, until Shawn finally spoke "The world it gave me you and now I let me get my hopes up and now the world is reminding me that I should never hope for anything"

"The world gave you me?"

"Well yes, you're kind and hopeful and kinda nerdy because do you really need to read that many books? But you're also one of my best friends besides Cory and I know I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up eventually just like everything else in my life you and Cory will just disappear" 

"I will not leave you"

This time Shawn looked angry and hurt as he stood up from the sofa "You say that now! But you can't promise that, because you don't know what's going to happen, and the thought of you and Cory leaving me well it hurts worse than anything"

"Okay well then I promise to take it one day at a time with you, but you Shawn Hunter are far too good to end up alone" Kardern swore with promise full in his voice. Shawn Hunter was a good person and he wouldn't want the boy to think it was any other way 

They spent the rest of the time that Shawn Hunter was at the Osborn residence watching movies on the DVR and Shawn trying to make Kardern laugh with his horrible jokes that  had sort of turned into a game at one point 

It had come to an end when the phone rang and Kardern picked up and Cory was instantly screaming down the phone for Kardern to join him and Shawn in a game of basket ball (he had not yet called Shawn's house) and when Kardern informed him when Shawn was, he just excitedly told him to bring Shawn with him and then they can tell each other what they got for Christmas like they had been all week 

Kardern promised he would bring Shawn along with him but didn't say anything to Cory about the other thing he wanted to do. Kardern relayed all this to Shawn but smiled and said that they could just come back and watch movies if things didn't go as planned.