Bad Things

21. Everything

And I could try to run, but it would be useless
You're to blame
Just one hit, you will know I'll never ever, ever be the same
I'll never be the same
You're in my blood, you're in my veins, you're in my head.

- Camila Cabello.

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HEADS UP:

Some of you may have the strong urge to throw your phone or computer out the window or into a wall. Haha. Please do not do this until at least reading to the end. Also, some may need tissues!

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The lights were harsh and the bed hard in the small holding cell located in the rear of the police station. As Shawn had been escorted back there, he'd counted five cells total—all of which served as a temporary containment for drunks, druggies, people who were put there while police conducted some of their "investigation" to determine whether or not the charges against them stood, or if their dads refused to come bail them out.

Shawn happened to be both of the latter. The phone call to his father had been enlightening, to say the least.

"You went there?" his father had asked, his voice laced with incredulousness.

"I had to," Shawn said, his forehead pressed against the cinderblock wall beside the phone. "She's—"

"I told you not to cross, Cabello, didn't I?" his father interrupted. "But you couldn't just listen to me, could you? You let your dick lead you once and look where it got you. Now you're going to do it again? I told you to sign the damn papers and just be done with all this nonsense."

"That 'nonsense' is my girlfriend," Shawn said, pausing and adding quietly, "and my son." The word son rolled off his tongue as if it weren't the most frightening word in the world. "I'm not turning my back on them. No matter what."

The line went silent for several seconds, and Shawn thought maybe his father had hung up.

"Dad?"

"You're nineteen-years-old now, Shawn. According to the law, you're an adult. If this is the decision you want to make, then I can't stop you." He paused. "But I don't have to support you in it or bail you out of it."

"Dad—"

And then there was nothing but dial tone.

Shawn had resisted the urge to slam the handset back onto the cradle.