Crookedly in Love {a Shawn Mendes Fan Fiction}

8. Breaking Down

I stood outside the radio station in Toronto, twiddling my thumbs. I don't even know what willed me to come. But, I saw on the email that Nelson forwarded that I had a pass into this interview.

Shawn just told me I couldn't come. Some force pulled me here. He didn't know I was here, but I could still go in. Mel would just be in for a nasty surprise. But, at the same time, I didn't care.

I was sick and tired of her calling the shots in their two-way relationship. Shawn said he missed me. He still calls me. I still want to hear from him. He's my best friend in the entire world, and no one can just tell me to stop seeing him. It doesn't work like that.

These burning thoughts gave me the courage to enter the radio station.

"Hi, can I help you?" the receptionist asked, as I made my way inside the hustling and bustling environment.

"Hi, yeah, I'm Julia Peters," I said. "I'm here for -"

"Shawn Mendes," she finished. "Yeah, the group is here. They're in the dressing room. I'll show you."

I took in a deep breath. Shawn strictly said not to be there. And I was about to face Mel. But if I didn't stand my ground, if I just let it go, he would slip away. And I'd hate myself for not speaking about it.

She led me down a white corridor, brightly lit. She stopped at the door labelled 'Shawn Mendes' and pushed it open.

She let me go in, and everyone - his manager Andrew, Mel, his mother, and Shawn - turned to stare.

And for a moment, I swear I looked only at Shawn, and he looked almost ecstatic.

"Jules! I thought you had an appointment," his mother said, breaking the silence.

Mel shot absolute daggers at me, and I didn't have to look at her to know she wanted to kill me.

There was a faint moment that made me want to turn around and run back to Pickering, but I couldn't.

"Yeah, I - um - I got it moved," I said, tentatively. "Wouldn't miss Shawn's interview."

Mel went to sit over by Shawn and nudged him subtly. I pretended not to see.

"Hi, I'm Andrew," an older man with a warm smile said. I shook his hand. "I don't believe we met, but I've admired all your songwriting work. Honest hits."

I laughed, humbly. "Wow, thanks! I'm Julia."

I sat down on one of the couches, not knowing what else to say. Shawn hadn't even said anything to me when I walked in, and his mother must've noticed because she was eyeing him suspiciously.

Shawn got up.

"Hey Julia," he said politely.

I just smiled.

Andrew got up and checked his watch. "Come on, Shawn, let's go get your mic ready. Karen, did you want to see how it works?"

Shawn's mom nodded and they went off out of the room, leaving me with my dreaded nightmare.

"What are you even doing here?" Mel spat.

She wasted no time.

"I wrote this song too," I bit back. "As much as you want this stronghold over Shawn, you're not going to get it."

"He's my boyfriend," she argued.

"So? He's my best friend. I knew him before you," I retaliated. "Whatever. I'm not trying to argue with you. I know he's your boyfriend. I'm not looking to steal him away from you. I don't get why you even hate me. I don't love him. So stop trying to protect him from me. I'm not going to try and steal him."