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"You think I was too hard on him?" Shawn asks me as we walk into school, "No, you had every right to react the way you did. I think you should've told him it was your brother though, it might have prevented the argument." I advise. "You're right." He sighs, "Go talk to him." I nod towards our lockers where Cory stands, shoving his backpack inside.

"My dad called from the white house today, he got to use the oval toilet." Shawn starts the conversation with a joke as he opens our locker, "Look, the only thing I want to hear from you right now is an explanation." Cory says. "About the tape? I'm sorry." Shawn apologizes. "That's not an explanation. Why did you rip out my tape?" Cory asks. Shawn hesitates, "It just happened, okay?" He begins to grow slightly annoyed. "Shawn, I caught those guys on tape stealing computers!" Cory explains in a loud whisper. "I could've won an award or something." He adds. "Cory, Shawn was doing you a favor." I butt in, "No. No Cass, I just think it bothers him that I'm actually good at something." Cory gets in Shawn's face, "No, that's not it Cory." I push him away from Shawn, "Cass, drop it." Shawn mutters, grabbing my hand and walking away. Cory then grabs Shawn's arm, "Shawn why are you acting like this?" Cory yells, "Cory let go of me." Shawn says, "Answer me." Cory demands "I said let go of me." Shawn yells and the whole hallway went silent. "Fine." Cory mutters and pushes Shawn's arm away and then Shawn let go of my hand and shoves Cory away from him, "Let's see what you got, Hunter." Cory eggs him on, "Guys, seriously?" I complain. "No. You don't want to do this." Shawn tries to deescalate the situation, "I do." Cory says punching his shoulder and they instantly begin to fight.

Everyone begins to surround them chanting fight, "Mr. Turner!" I call and he and Mr. Williams ran out to break up the boys. "Everybody get to class now!" Turner shouts, making the group of kids leave. "Hunter? Matthews?" Turner asks, surprised to see who's fight he broke up. "You guys know you were fighting each other?" Mr. Williams asks. "Cory started it." I blurt out, "Cass, it's fine." Shawn says, breaking from Mr. Williams grip, grabbing my hand and walking away. "No, no, no. I don't think so Shawn." Mr. Turner says, letting go of Cory and grabbing Shawn by the sleeve of his shirt. "Not until somebody tells me what's going on." He demands. "What do you want me to say? I'm good with a camera and he's jealous." Cory says, "That's not the reason, Cory! Not everything is about you, you self centered p-" "Woah!" Turner shouts over my anger, "We don't need you brawling it out too." Turner says. "You know when I'll be jealous of you, Cor? When you can do this." Shawn says before grabbing my face and kissing me. "Watch it, Hunter." Mr. Williams scolds him. "Mr. Williams, I've been inspired. I want you to enter me into that news contest." Cory says, "I'm afraid you won't have the time, Mr. Matthews." Mr. Feeny approaches us. "Detention?" Cory asks, "Let's not call it detention. I prefer 'hooked on Feeny'." He says and walks away.

"I'll talk to you at home." Turner says, pointing a finger in Shawn's face, "Get to class, all three of you." Mr. Williams says as both teachers walk to their classrooms. "Sorry I can't walk you home today." Shawn says as we walk away to class. "It's okay, don't worry about it." I say, rubbing his arm comfortingly. "I'll wait for you after school." "You sure?" He asks, slightly worried. I nod, "Of course."

++

"Hey, Cor. You really going back to the trailer park?" Shawn asks Cory as they leave detention. "That's exactly where I'm going." Cory explains, "Please don't go. Those guys are hardcore, I don't want you getting hurt." Shawn explains, "I can handle myself, Shawn." Cory says, walking away. Shawn punches the locker closest to him, "Shawny." I say, grabbing his fist, "Go tell him." I advise, "Let me walk you home first." Shawn says, wrapping his arm around the small of my back, guiding me out of school. "Shawn, you don't have to walk me home." I explain, "Cass, it's late. You're not walking home alone, besides, he said he can handle himself right?" Shawn shrugs.

"I love you, be safe." I say, kissing him softly as we stand down by Cory's house so my dad doesn't see us. "I love you so much." He says, resting his forehead on mine. "Go help Cory." I say, wrapping my arms around his neck, kissing him once more. "I'll be back later." He says, squeezing my waist gently. "Be safe." I sigh as I walk over to my house.

"Where have you been?" My dad asks, coming around the corner as soon as I walk inside, "I was studying at the library so I could use the books there instead of carrying them home." I explained, which wasn't fully a lie. I did go to the library while Shawn was in detention. "Yeah right." My mom scoffs; she's very drunk. "I was at the library." I defend my case. "Go to your room." My dad demands, "No dinner." He shouts as I walk up the stairs.

I sit on my bed and listen to my parents arguing. I wonder what it would be like to have normal parents like the Matthews. I sigh and lay down, staring at the ceiling thinking about how when I'm with Shawn I leave this world behind to a place where only we exist; our own peaceful little paradise. 

{s3}