Teacher (Mr Mendes)

Chapter 19

Shawn's P.O.V

The day had finally come. This was it. She was going to meet my parents. I smiled as she approached my to do my tie.

"Are you nervous?" I asked her. She twitched her nose and shook her head, "I'm sure it'll be fine. I mean, who wouldn't like me?" She let out a small giggle and I turned up the corners of my mouth.

I gave her a quick peck before grabbing my jacket and taking her by the hand. I looked into the brown eyes next to me and nodded, signalling that it was time. She returned my gesture before we hauled a taxi.

The restaurant we arrived at was fairly posh and my parents had recommended it to me beforehand. I noticed them sitting in the corner as we walked in, and we made our way over.

They stood up as we approached and took me into a bear hug. "There's our son. How are you doing at the new college?" 

I had started a new teaching job at the university down a few street. A new slate, a new reputation. My last week at Kingson may as well been hell. After Zac had gone to the headmaster about me and Cassiopeia, the news spread like flies. Every look I received may as well have been a look of disgust.

But now I couldn't be happier, I have a great girl on my arm, and a great job. 

"Mum, dad, I'd like to introduce Georgia to you." I gestured to the small blonde who was clutching onto my arm. She faked a grin and pulled my parents in for a hug, one by one, before returning to her place by my side.

I lied. I most definietly could be happier. And sure, she wasn't Cass, but she was great. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.  

I don't know who disappeared from who's life. i don't know if she decided to leave without a trace or if I distanced myself so much, she felt pushed away. But what I do know is that I shouldn't have let her go.

"So Shawn, when's the wedding?" I opened my mouth to answer but Georgia took the liberty in answering for me, "a month today," she replied.

It wasn't meant to go this far. I'll admit, Georgia was a rebound but I got so caught up in the fantasy of being happy but I got pulled down this path of commitment. Now I've been shoved back into reality. That reality being that i couldn't be happy without her. I couldn't be happy without Cassiopeia.

And that was the moment, sitting in a restaurent with a girl I was pretending to love, did I change the way things would be. I took Georgia by the hand. Her smile didn't falter once, as if she was on a mission to keep up the act of being fake happy all the time, when I spoke the words, "I'm sorry but I'm not marrying you. I'm not in love with you. I have to go."

I ran out of the door into the cold open night, leaving my parents with their mouths hanging open. And I felt felt liberated. And I knew what had to be done. 

I forgot everything then, all the things that could go wrong, all the things that had gone wrong. Because the only thing on my mind at that moment was that what I wanted most was to marry the girl I truly love.