Bad Reputation | S.M.

Chapter 9

The car ride back to my apartment was completely silent and I could feel the tension between us. I kept looking out the window, not wanting to discuss or cry in front of Shawn. I felt bad, but I knew that I couldn't involve him in my life, he was too good for that. I rested my head on the door, trying to wrap my soggy sweater around me to keep warm, but of course it was no use. I felt my eyes grown heavy, but before I could fall asleep I felt something warm was placed over me I looked up a little bit to see Shawn placing a blanket on me when we were at a stop light. Somehow a little question always came to mind, what am I doing with my life? Before all of this happened I was prepared for everything the world threw my way.

Soon I began to doze off and did not hear a single thing until we came to a complete stop. I didn't bother to wake up due to the fact that it just could've been a stop light and I fell into a deep sleep.

"Nicole, Nicole honey wake up." I heard a woman's voice say. I opened my eyes to see a woman dressed in blue scrubs and I was laying on a small couch.

"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"It's time." The nurse frowned and I could feel my eyes tear up. I looked to my left to see my mother standing by his bed side and the doctor preparing the final things. I stood up slowly and saw my dad laying on the bed, lifeless. I slowly began to feel the tears fall down my face and I could see my mom slowly start to break down as well, holding on to Jacob while the nurse took Hunter outside. I held my dad's hand in mine and looked at how sad and frail he looked. I never wished to see my dad like this and somehow this was God's plan for my family. Who knew this was the day that my world would go to shit, my birthday. The worst day of my life.

"Mrs.Ortega, it's time." The doctor said to my mother. She slowly nodded and placed a kiss on my dad's forehead. The doctor unplugged each and every wire and tube, until all we saw was my father's passing.

"Please, please don't leave me." I started to sob like crazy. "Please daddy!"

"Nicole, Nicole wake up." I heard someone's voice. I violently woke up and looked to my left to see Shawn. We were parked in front of my apartment and I was shivering.

"Sorry." I shook my head, clearing my throat. 

"Are you okay? You're crying." He wiped my tears away with his thumb. 

"Yeah I'm fine." I sniffled and took off the blanket, leaving it on his center console. "Thank you, I'm sorry for today, really Shawn."

"If anyone should be apologizing it should be me." He slightly smiled. "I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship."

"It won't, trust me." I smiled and opened the door. A kiss. I was scared of a fucking kiss and the reason being? I have no fucking clue. I shook my head before getting out of the car and turned around to look at Shawn. He looked happy on the outside, but I knew that this day was going to bother him as much as it bothered me. "Thank you Shawn."

I closed the door and made my way up to my small, musty apartment. Once I reached my door I took a deep breath in, slowly letting it out as I opened the door. The apartment was dark and everything was in the same place I left it except the dirty dishes piled up in the sink. I looked at the clock on the stove to see that it was around ten. Time for some homework, luckily I only had math and physics to do. I went up to my room and played some music on my old stereo. Before I started any work I quickly showered, changing into some shorts and a baggy t-shirt after I was done. I took out my books and began to work until it hit one in the morning since I kept getting distracted.

"Fuck." I laid my head on my desk when suddenly I heard my phone buzz. "Ugh who the hell is it at this freaking time." I looked up at my phone and saw that Shawn had texted me a video. I furrowed my eyebrows as I opened my phone. I looked at the video and it was him singing with a message under it.

Sexy Shawn: Thought you might like this, you're the first one to hear it...

I played the video and his voice instantly made me smile. It was one thing I really needed to make my night better. So I responded.

Me: This made my night, thank you. 

I don't know what else to say, but all I know is that I went to bed thinking about tonight, a grin on my face.

-

I woke up a few hours later to my alarm going off like crazy. I groaned and slowly got up from bed. I hated mornings with a passion, but thankfully I didn't have morning practice today. I quickly brushed my teeth, did my hair, put on my clothes, and made my way to the kitchen. Time to follow my same routine all over again. Cook, clean, wake up my brothers, feed them, and finally go to school. After school is a whole different story, but the best part will soon be Christmas break where there will be zero homework, snow everywhere, and not having to get up early as much.

"Guys! Wake up, breakfast!" I yelled as I served my brothers their plates. I checked the time to see it was already 6:30, shit time goes by fast. The boys ran to the kitchen, taking their seats and throwing food at each other.

"Hey, stop throwing shit." I said and put their plates down. They began to eat and I went back upstairs to grab my stuff and looked at my phone to see another text from Shawn.

Sexy Shawn: Do you need a ride to school this morning?

I smiled.

Me: No, I'm fine thank you for asking though. I'll text you later!

I don't know what Shawn Mendes was doing to me, but it felt different.