Stockholm Syndrome // sm

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Morning," I mumbled to Shawn as I rubbed my eyes. "What's going on?" I asked him as he held his phone to his ear.

"Nothing. It's just my dad. He wanted to know what the check was for. It was meant for leaving, but it's okay cause'... because were not leaving anymore." He declared, turning his back on me to face the window. "I'm so sorry dad. I think I was drunk when I agreed to the plan. She probably poured alcohol into my drinks or whatever."

"What do you mean?" I asked, wondering where all of this was coming from. "I did not!" I defended myself and Shawn turned to look at me.

It looked as though he had been crying. The Christmas lights around us revealed the redness of his eyes and the tear streaks down his face. He held a finger to his lips and I nodded slowly, wondering what he was doing.

Was he lying to his dad about what happened? Does he really believe lying is going to get us somewhere?

"Okay dad. I-I promise. No more. I understand." He mumbled and then looked at the phone. "G-Goodbye."

He ended the call and I walked up to him, holding his free hand and he tossed his phone on the couch. "What happened? Why did he call?" I asked.

"I told him the truth. If I hadn't, he would have froze my bank account, kept people here to watch us, and taken away my phone. I convinced him not to." He explained and I nodded.

"We're stuck here?"

"Seems so. I'm so sorry beautiful." He apologized and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I have you... so it's gonna be okay." I admitted, wrapping my arms around his waist. "I love you."

"What?" He whispered and pulled away from me. "You what?" He asked me and I looked up at him.

"I love you Shawn."

"No. No you can't." He pushed me away and I watched as he paced around. "You can't love me."

"I do though-"

"You can't love me." He repeated as he ran a hand through his hair. "You're practically trapped here with me. There's no way you can love me. You think you do, but you don't."

"What do you mean? Why are you acting like this?" I interrogated as he stopped and glanced at me. "I thought it was us against the world? Don't you love me too? You and I. Me and you."

"No, no we can't. I'm practically a criminal Jennifer. We can't. You can't. I-I can't." He dismissed my statements and I approached him, grabbing his arm softly.

"Why are you acting like this Shawn?"

"Because-Because what we are right now - everything we've done, everything we said, everything we feel, is wrong. We can't do this. You're supposed hate me, and I'm supposed to just... I don't know. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Just... just be here." He practically shouted, turning away from me and running his hands through his hair.

I felt like my whole world was crashing, or whatever I had rebuilt from before. It wasn't fair. How could he say this was wrong? After all we've been through... why does he choose now to tell me this?

"I don't understand-"

"You don't have to." He cut me off, gently grabbing my wrist. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?" I asked and he shook his head. "What did you do?"

"You'll see. Just... Just go upstairs and go back to bed. It's been a long day, a long night. You'll need your rest." He kissed my head and then walked away.