boundaries [s.m]

chapter twelve

Be my summer in a winter day, love, I can't see one thing wrong between the both of us - Shawn Mendes, Fallin' all in you
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his hands fumble with his keys, sliding the metal into the lock, and unlocking the white door, flipping on the lights, holding the door open for aria. she mumbles a soft thank you, whilst shawn nods, heading straight to the kitchen, where he pours out a glass of neat whiskey.

"want one?" he offers to aria, holding up his glass. she nods, and he quickly pours out another glass, putting an ice cube in hers, because that's how she likes it.

"can we sit outside?" she asks gently, taking the drink from his hands. he nods his head, leading her outside, straight to the balcony, where they both walk up to the rail at the edge, leaning against it, and feeling the wind kiss their skin.

"shawn, you aren't annoyed with me, are you?"

"of course not," he responds softly, taking a sip of his drink. "just brian."

"i've ruined your friendship with him," she mumbles, looking away, and folding her arms against her chest. shawn stays silent, knowing deep down that their relationship led to the failure of his friendship, but not wanting to admit it because he loves aria too much.

the sun begins to set in the distance, casting an orange hue over the city scape, almost blending into the CN tower, painting the skyscrapers with colour and soft ambience, making the night seem magical, yet intense.

shawn looks down at aria, who continues to look out at the city unfolding in front of her. he examines the way her cheeks are hit with light, glowing in the slightly later sunset, compared to recent weeks. he looks straight to her eyes, which don't even notice shawn staring at her, they're too focused on trying not to cry, and too focused onto the scene in front of her.

"aria," shawn hums, finishing his drink in a shot, and unfolding the empty glass from her hands, placing it on the floor, along with his. "dance with me?"

"but there's no music-" shawn cuts her off with a chuckle, playing slow dancing in a burning room by john mayer from his phone, before sliding it back into his pocket.

"now will you?" her cheeks flush gently, as she nods, letting her hands find shawns, as he pulls her further away from the ledge, the the middle of the terraced balcony. he places his hands on her waist, as she shuffled herself into his grasp, placing her hands gracefully onto his shoulders.

"i have my ballet performance this week," she tells him gently. "will you come?"

"of course," he responds, swaying her slightly, following the beat of the song. "aria?"

"hmm?" she looks up from his chest, her eyes beady, dreamy, and slightly peaceful.

"i don't want you to think that i'm upset with you about what's happening with brian, because i'm not. i'm upset with brian more than anything," he says to her, making some wave of relief pass through her. "i just- i don't know what's exactly going to happen, and that scares me. i don't know what's going to happen between us, and i don't even know what's gonna happen with my friends."

"i'm so sorry," she whispers, making shawns face scrunch up in confusion.

"why are you sorry, gorgeous?" he asks, making her heart swoon but drop at the same time. "i never want to hear you utter those words again."

"this is just so hard on you, and i can't help but feel so utterly guilty," she whispers. "and now it's all gonna change."

"why is it gonna change?"

"shawn," she mumbles, anxiousness filling her. "i got into harvard."

"you did? aria, congratulations hunny! i'm so proud of you!" the massive smile on his face settles all the dread that is echoing around arias expression, as he lifts her up, twirling her about on the spot, before putting her safely down on her feet, and cupping her cheeks. "that's amazing! why should it change anything?"

"the distance, shawn," she says to him gently. "and i don't even know, because i got accepted to toronto too, and-"

"no, aria, harvard has been your dream for forever, you can't just let it go," he says to her, the two of them still dancing, as the song changes to gravity.

"but has it? i only applied because my dad went there, and he wants me to go to the uni he went to, as a legacy, since liam didn't get in," she explains. "i just don't know."

"i mean, it would be great if you stayed here, but why did you apply to harvard if you didn't even want to go?" he says, guiding her to one of the outdoor sofas, sitting down, holding onto her hands in her lap.

"just to make my parents proud, i guess," she mumbles, looking up at shawn, and letting out a small sigh. "but since last summer, since when we got together, i want to stay here. with you."

"then move in with me," he says gently, squeezing her hands. "you're gonna be eighteen soon, anyway. move in with me."

"shawn," she blushes, looking at him with a small smile.

"it gets a little lonely on my own, and you're already here all the time, so what's the difference? let me take care of you, you're all that matters to me."

"summer," she says to him. "i'll move this summer."

"okay then," he grins, kissing her forehead softly, bringing her into a hug. "god, i'm so in love with you."

"trust me, shawn, i'm even more in love with you," she replies, shutting her eyes.

shawn was certain that aria was the one. he never wanted to let her go.