Strings | s.m (✔️)

Chapter Nineteen

How many chapters should this book be? Just wondering ok back to the story

When I wake up, The whole house is silent and I realize that no one was home, so I find myself walking downstairs and staring at the empty area. There was always something unsettling when I was in a house by myself, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the fact that everything was dead silent, that there wasn't any laughter in the air.

I begin to hum a song I was working on as I heat up the omelet and eat my breakfast. After I'm finished I clean my plate and am about to watch tv, before I notice a faint sound and widen my eyes to the fact that the TV was already on. Mom never leaves the tv on.

Which meant that someone was in the house.

I grab the largest knife in the kitchen and start my prayers, scared that whoever may be watching isn't the friendliest. As I tip toe into the living room I freeze for a moment at the corner, then jump in plain sight with the knife in my hands.

"Stand back you- Shawn?" I ask, confused. Sure enough the brown haired boy was in front of me, and couldn't stop laughing. I turn to see that the show that was on was The Berenstain Bears, which was what Shawn and I always watched together when we were younger,

"Nice to see you too." He says smiling, and I feel heat rush into my cheeks.

"Seriously Shawn, I look like garbage, so if you could please leave."

"No you don't!" He objects, and I raise my eyebrows. Nonetheless I seat myself beside Shawn, then remembering that I have a cold and getting up.

"Aw no, where are you going?" He asks, and I sigh.

"I'm sick Shawn, I'm not going to let you get a cold too."

"I insist. Then we can be sick together."

"Well, I'm practically freezing." I say, spitting out another excuse. I was pretty cold, but I didn't want to give him a cold. Shawn pulls off his blue hoodie, now in a white t-shirt. He hands it to me and I roll my eyes on how stubborn he was being before putting it on and smiling at how warm it was, not to mention the smell.

"Thanks." I say, still standing.

"No problem, that's what friends are for. Anyways, sit down already, Brother Bear and Sister Bear are about to go trick or treating!" I can't help but sigh. What we're all of these signals? Are we friends or not? After standing for about a second more I shrug and walk over, sitting next to Shawn. I begin to start watching the old show before looking over at Shawn and slightly smiling at how into this he was. His eyes gleamed and truly, he looked like a little kid. I stare at him for a little more, admiring his features before realizing that I had just checked out Shawn Mendes, and wipe my eyes before fixing them at the tv screen.

"Two-tall and his no good gang are up to no good again." Shawn says, and I can't help but laugh. Throughout the rest of the episode I notice Shawn stays interested, and when the credits roll in I can tell he looks disappointed.

"Hey," I start, trying to cheer him up, "remember when we built forts out of chairs, blankets, and pillows? Let's do it again."

He gives me a thoughtful smile. "I'm supposed to be cheering you up, not the other way around." I also think he's going to decline before he runs over to the dining room and grabs four chairs. Grinning, I rush upstairs and smile, pulling out two blankets.as I rush down the stairs I make eye contact with an overly excited Shawn, causing my grin to grow even bigger.

I drape the blankets onto the chairs and Shawn places pillows over every edge so our 'roof' doesn't fall over. We rush inside of our new fort and each grin at each other like the first graders we are.

"Shawn, can you sing to me, please?" I say, dragging out the last word. Shawn gives me a smile and tells me to get my guitar, and I rush upstairs and back, the instrument now in my hands,

"Okay, what should I sing?" He asks, and I shrug, before an idea pops into my head.

"I Know What You Did Last Summer. I can even pretend to be your girlfriend for the duet." I say, jokingly.

"Camilla isn't my girlfriend. She's more of my sister, and that would be incest. Which is gross."

"Alright, I get it. I was just teasing. And sing Photograph, by Ed Sheeran of course." I tell him, and he nods his head, starting to strum the guitar. Soon enough he's singing and I can't help but smile. His voice was so angelic, as if God thought, hey, why only bless him with good looks, humor, and kindness, but also an amazing voice?

Too soon the song is over, and I start clapping, causing Shawn to roll his eyes playfully at me. We begin to talk about a bunch of random things, then playing a game of Would You Rather? Let me tell you, Shawn can make some pretty weird ones off the top of his head.

"I'm home!" I raise my eyebrows at my mother's voice. Shaw was already home from work? That meant it was around seven, and the "get better if you value your life" sandwich Shawn made me was my lunch.

"I'm with Shawn in the living room!" I yell back. For some reason my mother and I always yelled at each other in the house, unless we were sitting right next to each other. The weird thing is though, my mother and I never fight, so I'm not exactly sure how we got the habit.

"Hi Shawn!" My mom says loudly, and I hear her put down her purse on the table and walk over as Shawn says hi back.

"Well will you look at that, the old indestructible fort." I pop my head out and wave to my mother, who can't help but roll her eyes playfully.

"Hey, you're family and ours are going out to eat tonight, so you two better get ready. We'll be heading over there by eight, and no, Arabella, you aren't wearing sweatpants. It's a fancy place, so dress your best." My mother says, and Shawn and I rush out of our tent.

"Bye Shawn." I say, giving him a brief hug before he leaves. When I shut the door my mom is staring at me with a smile.

"So, you and Shawn, huh?" She says, and my eyes widen.

"No thanks. We're friends. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get ready."

As I rush upstairs, my mom isn't silent for a moment before yelling back a reply.

"That's what they always say!"