A Little Too Much | Shawn Mendes (COMPLETED)

16 | Bad Blood

Allie's POV;

I get out of the car and walk up to the front door. Cindy opens it after I know and gives me a smile. "Allie, I'm so glad you decided to come," she says. I can see the aging on her face. Society must've been cruel to her. Funny, same here.

"Oh, who's this?" Cindy asks, a devious smile on her face as she looks between me and Shawn. Shawn steps in front of me with a smile. "Hi, I'm Shawn. I live across the street from Allie," he says. I shoot him a glare as Cindy flashes an 'are you two dating?' look. "We're not dating, just friends," I say to her as she invites us in. She looks between us again, obviously skeptical about us not dating. But it's true. Why is it so hard to go places with a boy? Everyone always assumes you're dating. It's impossible for a guy and a girl to go out somewhere together without being asked if they're a couple. I hate that, especially because Shawn and I don't feel that way about each other. Do we?

I sigh, shaking the thoughts from my head as I take in Cindy's house. On the outside, it's like a small cottage. It's a light brown and the landscape is covered with large shrubs and flowers. To most a one story house, but a peak in the middle with a circular window gives room for an attic. The door, I noticed when I knocked, is red, and the window shutters are gray. Inside is a small entryway that leads to the open concept floor plan. First is the kitchen, beyond that is a small dining table, and at the back of the house is the little living room. There's also a sliding glass door that leads to a small backyard with an old peeling fence. Past the living area, to the left, is another hallway that has two bedrooms and a bathroom. Right before the hallway leading. To the bedrooms is a winding staircase that I'm assuming takes you up to the attic.

We sit down at the dining table, Shawn and I near the couch, closer to the living area, and Cindy across from us. She's wearing clothes from what looks like a thrift store, her hair is messy and dirty and pulled up in a bun, a tired wrinkles have formed at the corners of her eyes and mouth, and bags under her eyes. She looks exhausted, it's all over her face and also on the way she slouches. She lifts a small rusty teapot that's whistling off the stove and pours herself a cup. "Would you kids like some?" She offers, extending the pot. I shake my head, and so does Shawn. She shrugs, setting the pot on an oven mitt on the counter.

"So..." I fidget with my sweater sleeve. It's getting to be near the end of September now, so it's starting to get cooler and the leaves are beginning to flake off the large tress all around. I'm not really sure what to say to Cindy, or even why I accepted her offer to come visit. It's not like she's going to fight for custody or anything. She seems pretty together, but not enough to take on another person. Surely I could pull my own weight, I'm used to doing all the work, but how could I go to college? Wait, why am I even thinking about college? I don't even know what I want to be yet, or even if I'll be able to go. I let out another sigh, and look to Cindy. "Um, what exactly were you into when you had me?" I ask. I don't been to be nosey, I don't think, but I do want to know the reason she gave me up. I'm hoping it will be justifiable, even though I didn't exactly have a perfect childhood to say the least.

Cindy shifts in her chair, glancing at the yard through the windows by the sliding glass door as she takes another sip of her tea. I notice she's become stiff and is gripping her mug so hard her knuckles are white. "Well, I grew up in a strict home," she begins. I raise my eyebrows. Seriously? If her parents were so strict, then how'd she manage to get laid and pregnant? Then have the nerve to give me up?

"My parents were always looking over my shoulder, making sure I was living up to my older brother's perfect standard." She rolls her eyes as she says this. She must've been a rebel child. "I loved the thrill that came with being reckless, so I snuck out all the time to go to parties and sometimes just to wander with friends. My parents found out one day and basically forbade me to do anything ever again, and they watched my every move after that. I got so sick of it and I couldn't take it anymore, so one night after they checked in on me, I grabbed whatever I could and took off," she finishes. I raise my eyebrows again. "Just like that? You just ... left?" I question. She nods, her facial expression hard to read. "And I never looked back. It wasn't much better on the streets. I dropped out of high school and tried to get a job so I could afford an apartment, but..." She trails off and focuses on something far off in the distance, zoning out. "Anyway, I heard about selling your body to make money, and I thought it would help me save to get an apartment, being the ignorant child I was. And then, after one of my... visits, I found out I was pregnant," she finishes. Seriously? I come from a prostitute? I'm quiet for a few minutes, going over everything I've just been told again.