20 ○ shawn

17

WARNING: THIS SUCKS SO BAD OMG

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New York, 7:00 pm

March 6, 2015

reason #13: wondering

"Layla..."

"Sh!"

Shawn groaned, removing his gaze from Layla's face and looking back up in the sky, wondering what they were still doing in the abandoned building roof, and why she wasn't allowing him to go home yet. It wasn't like he didn't want to spend more time with Layla; he just didn't know why the reason for the day was taking longer than usual.

After another minute, he tried again, "Layla,"

"Shush!"

"What are we doing right now?" he continued to ask, but Layla didn't answer. She just continued to stare at the stars, making Shawn curious and wanting to read her mind. "Layla!" This time, he held her shoulder and shook her desperately. "Answer me! What are we doing here still? Can I go home?"

"Do you want to go home and leave me here?" Layla challenged, lifting an eyebrow upwards and turning to face Shawn. She pushed her glasses up her nose and had no smile on her face, just a grim one.

"Um, no, but like..." He stuttered, and was relieved when Layla burst out into giggles.

"I'm kidding," she assured. "But you're wondering what we're still doing here?"

"Yes." He was still confused.

"Great! 'Cause reason number thirteen is that: wondering." She explained and fell backwards, so that she was lying down. Shawn waited awhile before he joined her, lying on his back, as well. "Except, it's more than just a simple question like that. It's more like wondering about the secrets of the universe - answerable or not."

"Deep." Shawn remarked, earning a joking scowl from the girl beside him. "But I've got a wonder: Why are the words fuck, shit, bitch considered curse words?"

"You really need Jesus, Shawn. That mouth of yours is considered a sin itself." Layla exclaimed over-dramatically, and Shawn just rolled his eyes. He nodded towards Layla challengingly, so she could attempt to answer his question. "But I don't know about that; it's a human construct. I've got a wonder: Why is the colour green called green?"

"Are we the only alive ones in the universe?"

"We can't be. Will I die tomorrow?"

"I hope not. Subjects - created or discovered?"

"What do animals think about?"

"How can one describe a colour?"

"How can one make a new number or letter?"

"How can someone real be as pretty as you are?" He blurted out, eyes widening the moment after he said it. He didn't mean to voice his thoughts. Seeing Layla underneath the moonlight with a wide smile on her face made him think about her beauty in the first place. "Uh, I mean- uh..."

"So wondering...reason number thirteen," Layla changed the subject, avoiding Shawn's stare. She thanked the night for being dark, so the blush on her cheeks weren't as visible to Shawn's eye. "I just decided that last minute, ya know. There are just a lot of things going on in my brain...I dunno. It's kinda lame. But it amazes me how the human brain can wonder so many things, yet the human, itself, can't manage to answer it all."

Shawn stayed quiet for a while - mostly because he was still embarrassed about blurting out what he was thinking, but also because Layla's words struck him. "Seriously, Layla, how are you so deep today?" he questioned playfully, earning one of Layla's giggles again.

"It's late. I'm voicing out my before-going-to-bed thoughts."

"Speaking of which...are we done for today?"

"Yeah, we're done with the reasons for today."

"So can I go home?"

"No, you can't. But you can inform your mom right now that you'll be staying the night at your friend's house." She told him, and his heart suddenly picked up pace.

"W-what? I'll be sleeping at your house?"

Layla laughed, "No! We'll be sleeping here." She took off her glasses and set it aside, closing her eyes right after.

"What? Layla, you're crazy! We can't stay out here!"

"Why not?"

"Because, what if we get in trouble, or something? What if someone else comes along and kills you?" His eyes was wide, his heart pounded faster, and the thought of a person coming all of a sudden to kill Layla made him angry.

Layla exhaled a sigh, opening her eyes and looking at Shawn. He was blurry, along with the rest of her surroundings, but she knew he was still there. "Then I'll protect you, baby boy. Now c'mon. Text your mommy and tell her you'll be sleeping somewhere else. I'll make sure to wake you up when it's time." She closed her eyes again, getting into a comfortable position - or at least the most comfortable she could be against a hard surface.

Shawn was cynical about the whole idea, and his stomach jumped slightly at the nickname Layla called him. He studied the girl who lied in front of; he scanned her position and his eyes landed at the innocent smile on her face as she fell asleep. He didn't know what it was, but he found himself texting his mother anyways, scooting a little closer to the girl and closing his eyes, feeling butterflies just with her presence.

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