The Secret Life // A Shawn Hunter fanfic

Sixty ➵ J. C.

A month later
The magical, spellbinding miracle of Christmas was almost here. This was my third year officially of enjoying the holiday season. I would portray in something for once, and since I had a steady job that balances between the exteriors of school and work, I would be able to afford more gifts for my other friends. This year, since I didn't have a job last year, I was functioning a saving system for my aunt. It was more like a specialized thank you if anything. Guaranteed if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have family to connect with. She was all I had for blood relatives. Aside from my maternal grandparents, who reside in Connecticut. It was a hasty drive, considering that there was going to be quite the blizzard.
It was a Sunday afternoon, pleasant and careless all in one. I was filling out a scholarship for college. Shawn happened to be nestling beside me, fumbling with the tendrils of my hair.
"How long is it going to take you to work on that thing?" Shawn questioned, his impatience level exceeding past a hundred. I couldn't help but form a slight smile at his frequent complaining, when all he wanted was so little and could earn everyday. It was just simple kisses and cuddles he would never stop confiding in. It just goes to show how affectionate and strong our love was.
"I'm not sure Shawn, I told you it would be a while, it's for my future." I responded.
"Aren't I a part of your future?" He implied, such a silly question he was indicating. Of course he was.
"You're Shawn, you always will be. It's just we are juniors now, we have one more year of dealing and tackling with last minute attempts of benefiting our careers. You should be doing this with me." I replied. This response didn't try to somehow please him, even though it was the intention. Sighing, he lifted off the bed and started to wander around my room. He cushioned on the soft carpet, directly sitting in front of the bookshelf. Reaching for one of them, looking to be a thicker hold, he began to flip through them.
What was he looking at?
"You were so young." Shawn commented. A scrapbook? A yearbook? A photo album?
My eyes drifted off my scholarship paper, instead of peering repeatedly back and forth. It was hard adjusting to two subjects at once, so my mind was shape shifting a lot of crowded scenes. I plopped off the bed and placed a seat beside Shawn, trespassing on a treasure of memories. It was younger pictures of me and my grandparents, some with my mother, a few of my mother and father, and my aunt. All from my maternal side. Pictures consisted of me on milestones that never concerned anyone in a worried manner. Milestones that were painted of childhood escapes. Me riding a bicycle on training wheels at the age of three, me customizing myself as a princess for Halloween like typical toddlers, and me enjoying moments with my family. However, what truly stood out to me was my pictures with my grandparents. I couldn't remember them much and it was frustrating. It was like the actions of my dad in the previous life forcefully erased al of my memories away.
"What are you looking at?"
Our heads popped up and gazed up to find my aunt fixated in my bedroom door. Figured in like a perfectly situated puzzle piece. Her arms were crossed, but she didn't have a serious expression, nor comedic. She seemed to be relieved, if I had to study her.
"A photo album. There are multiple pictures of me with Grandpa and Grandma, but I can't remember them. Seemingly." I admitted. She stepped closer to me and sat beside me and Shawn. I handed her it in a closed form, and she flipped to a random page, happening to come across a heartwarming picture of me with them. I sat on my grandpa's lap, with my grandma beside us. We all wore similar hues of the color blue.
"Oh." Aunt Lori frowned.
She lifted her frown into a sly grin, a trick rousing up her sleeve.
"What?"
"I was thinking, and it's perfect since you're here too Shawn–that we will be visiting Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas this year."
Glee and anxious hovered over me. My grandparents? I was finally going to see my grandparents! It's been way too long. Far too long. I was gleaming with excitement.
"That's amazing."
"Yeah, but wouldn't you want to just be you and Jasmine?" Shawn asked innocently. The lost hope in his eyes skewed through me, telling me he didn't want to disrupt the reunion we'd be cherishing.
"No, I insist Shawn. You're family."
Those six words stood out to him. It was easily comprehensible and enabled a clear interpretation. He was a part of the family. If it wasn't for him, my aunt and I would of never reunited. It was mainly the three of us, added to it was Shawn's parents.
"Thank you." He acknowledged. His hand reached for mine, fitting perfectly in enticement. My aunt informed us the updated date of when we were meeting, while Shawn arranged it with his parents; they were accepting of that.
:::
It was the final week of school and it was killing me. I wished it was Friday already. My aunt said we would be departing Saturday night and arriving back home by Tuesday evening. Shawn seemed utterly nervous for some reason, and I wasn't sure what. Or why, for that matter. After a discussion in Turner's class, with Cory and Shawn both yeeping and snoring, I met with him after that hour. He leaned against the lockers as I was getting my books out from my locker. Once I was gaining a hold of them, caressing them firmly against my chest, I turned my attention back to Shawn. He leaned in for a kiss, but I denied his gesture.
He pouted his lips in a playful manner.
"What, no kiss?"
"Tell me why you're upset."
"Huh?"
He scrunched his face and furrowed his eyebrows. Even though he was confused, it was still the cutest expression in existence.
"You seem upset, why?" I asked him, gaining a hold of his hand. He pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. He was trying to encourage himself to speak his mind.
"Well, the other day, when I was peeking through your photo album, your grandparents seem.. rich. And you know, I'm not from that. I want to back out of this, for multiple reasons. I don't know how I would exactly get along with them," he spoke, insecure about his background. There were moments when he was like this and everything turned out to be okay in result.
"Oh Shawn," I began to reassure,"don't worry about them, it'll be okay. I'm quite nervous too, considering I haven't seen them in over a decade. It'll be alright."
He formed a reassuring smile, stealing a kiss from me. Seconds after, he pulled away.
"When did I ever get so lucky to find such an amazing girlfriend?" He asked.
I smirked back.
"Hmm, maybe you're just lucky then." I replied. He cradled an arm around me, gliding us to our next period class.
"Maybe I am."
❤︎