Broken homes

The conversation

Later that afternoon, Angela found Shawn sitting alone at Chubbie's, mindlessly poking at his fries. The arcade noises buzzed softly in the background, but Shawn seemed lost in his own world. She hesitated for a moment before sliding into the seat across from him.

"Hey," Angela started gently.

Shawn glanced up, offering a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey. Everything okay?"

Angela folded her hands on the table. "No, not really. We need to talk... about Lily."

At the mention of her name, Shawn's face hardened, his shoulders tensing. He exhaled sharply, leaning back in his seat. "What about her? She's made it pretty clear how she feels. Trust me, I'm done chasing after people who don't want me around."

Angela's brows furrowed. "Shawn... that's not true. She cares about you. But she's hurting, and you both are too stubborn to admit it."

He shook his head, laughing bitterly. "Hurting? Angela, she's been treating everyone like dirt for months. She pushed me away, called me a drunk, and now she's all buddy-buddy with Nate? She's made her choice."

Angela softened her tone. "You know Lily, Shawn. She pushes people away when she's scared. And I think she's scared right now... of losing you, of being vulnerable. She just doesn't know how to handle it."

Shawn clenched his jaw, staring down at the table. "She told me I wasn't 'boyfriend material.' Remember that? And now, after everything... it's like I'm the bad guy."

Angela sighed, reaching out to touch his hand gently. "You're not the bad guy, Shawn. But neither is she. You both have been through a lot. I'm not saying what she did was right, but you care about her. I see it every time her name comes up."

Shawn's expression softened, the frustration fading into something more vulnerable. "Yeah... I do care about her. I always have. But what am I supposed to do? She made it clear I'm not what she wants."

Angela gave him a sad smile. "Maybe she just needs you to remind her you're still here. That you're not giving up on her, even when she's trying to push you away."

Shawn met her eyes, his voice quieter now. "What if I already did give up?"

Angela shook her head. "You wouldn't be sitting here talking about her if you had."

Shawn let that sink in for a moment, nodding slowly. "You're right... I guess I just don't know how to fix things."

Angela squeezed his hand gently before pulling back. "Start with honesty, Shawn. She needs you. Even if she won't admit it."

Shawn gave a faint, grateful smile. "Thanks, Angela. You always know what to say."

Angela stood up, smiling softly. "Yeah, well... someone's gotta knock sense into you two. Don't make me referee again, okay?"

Shawn chuckled. "No promises."

But as Angela left, Shawn stared out the window, the weight of her words settling heavily. Maybe it wasn't too late to fix things with Lily after all.