𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑹𝒀 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑩𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑺, Sheldon Cooper

20 | A Carnival and a Teacher

★

Y/N's POV
Given that I'm suspended from school, I find myself lying in bed all day, doing absolutely nothing. This isn't my usual routine, but I can't think of anything better to do. I wish I could be more productive like others my age, but I just can't muster the energy anymore. Sheldon was my only motivation, and now that he's out of my life, it's tearing me apart. He's with Paige now, so why should I even care? I should have seen this coming from a mile away.

knock knock

"Hey, are you awake Y/N?" I hear my mom's voice drifting through my bedroom door. I shift my gaze from the window to the door and reply, "Yeah, come in." Mom enters, holding my favorite pink and white mug. "I brought you coffee. It always cheers me up," she says warmly. I take the mug, savoring a sip. "Thanks, Mom," I express gratefully. Despite the pain from yesterday, I appreciate her gesture. "I was thinking we could do something today," Mom suggests with a smile, aware of my reluctance. "I'm not sure, Mom," I murmur, staring at my mug. "How about going to the church carnival? You used to love it," Mom's eyes sparkle with excitement. Memories of joyful times at the carnival flood back to me.

I gaze at my light pink wall, pondering if it's a good idea. I really want to go, but what if there's problematic people there? I'm just not feeling up to it. Yet, all I've ever wanted is to spend time with my Mom. I see she's improving and making an effort, and I can't help but feel thankful for that. "Alright, Mom, I'll go," I say, noticing her eyes light up. She gives me a tight hug and exits my room. Maybe it will be fine. I go to my closet to find an outfit when I realize that half of my wardrobe is still at Sheldon's house. Well that's just amazing..

Sheldon's POV
"Sheldon, I'm literally gonna beat your ass," my sister scolds me. I told her about what happened with Y/N, and even though I knew it wasn't a good idea, I needed someone to talk to. I came home this weekend to visit my family, but I had no idea they were planning a trip to the church carnival today. Missy, I didn't actually chea—" "You are literally the smartest yet dumbest person ever. How could you fumble Y/N? Like, wow." Missy rolls her eyes before sipping her coffee.

"What's going on?" my mom asks, entering the kitchen with a worried face. "Nothing. Mom, do I have to go to the carnival?" I ask as she dials numbers on the phone. "Yes, you're going," she replies. I roll my eyes. I hate the carnival, especially on sunny days. I'm not a huge fan of the sun. It emits harmful ultraviolet radiation that can damage my skin and increase the risk of skin cancer, so staying away from it isn't just a preference for me. "Mom, I need an umbrella," I tell her. "What do you need an umbrella for? It's going to be hot and sunny," she replies. "I think you've answered your own question," I say.

°‧🫧⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Y/N's POV
My mom and I approach the front of the carnival, enveloped by the sounds of laughing kids and cheerful chatter. I notice a large crowd gathered around the dunk tank, where Pastor Jeff is the main attraction. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the crowd, I decide to find something else to do. "Mom, I'm going to get some popcorn. I'll be right back," I tell her. She nods, and I make my way to the popcorn stand.

"Can I please have two small popcorns?" I ask the lady at the counter. As I wait, I glance down at the rings on my fingers, then look up and spot a familiar face. "Georgie?" I call out. "Oh, hi Y/N. Where were you last night?" he asks, sounding genuinely concerned. "Well... I decided to go back home," I reply, unsure if I want to tell him about what happened with Sheldon. "Really? I was wondering why I saw Sheldon come home last night without you." I look down at my shoes, trying to hide my emotions as I've been trying to forget about the whole situation.