At Her Mercy

Chapter 12: The View

"and I never prepared for a moment like that, for a second yeah it all came back"

"Listen to me-, hear me when I say in the end you walked away, you made it out.."

Song: All These Years x Camila Cabello
(extended version)

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When they arrived Shawn gave Mer the time to marvel at the view from open windows and the decor of the high class restaurant. It was a bit too fancy for her taste as they were seated in a more secluded section for the evening which she was aware he paid to have for the two of them. She appreciated the privacy he wanted them to have but disliked that he paid for it.

Mercy dabbed the corners of my mouth with the silk napkin declining the waitress's offer of a refill on her drink. Across from her, Shawn went on with his third apology of the night. Throughout the course of their dinner he tried to refrain from prying into her past relationship but the ordeal weighed heavy on him.

Shawn's apology turned into him repeating the same words he had already spoken earlier in the evening and back the house. Mercy had opened herself up to him allowing him to ask the questions he desired the answers to most.

"Shawn, you don't have to keep apologizing. Actually please just stop."

"Oh I'm sorry-" Shawn picked his head up to see a look of disapproval on Mer's face before chuckling at the realization he started to apologize again. "I didn't mean to do it again. I just wish I was there."

"Yeah well, they say your freshman year of college is supposed to be one of the most fun, self exploring, freedom finding years of your life and I spent more than half of my year feeling trapped." She shrugged fiddling with the roses Shawn had gifted her earlier this evening. "You know Eric was a Junior and the head Social Chair of his fraternity. All the girls fawned over him and he, at first, only showed true interest in me. I was under his spell from the first day we met. He took advantage of me and I feel so stupid for not walking away sooner."

"Mer don't stay that. You are not stupid!" Shawn gripped her hand resting on the table sending a wave of comfort through her arm. "Listen to me-, hear me when I say in the end you walked away, you made it out. Not many can say the same. Don't you ever put yourself down for walking away when you did. If there is anything I know about you, I know you always give others the benefit of doubt. You aim to only see the best in people and you walked away when you could no longer see the best in him."

Shawn's words had moved Mer to tears but she held them back, blinking them away. Mercy nodded her head smiling across the table at him. "Thank you."

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"Where are we?" I questioned Shawn while peering through his tinted windows.

We had left the restaurant shortly after dessert. Shawn insisted he wanted to show me something before we called it a night. Our surroundings was nothing except for open roads and trees which I didn't expect out in Cali.

During the drive we had continued the subject of my ex, Eric, and how I finally came clean about the relationship. After all I couldn't turn up home with a bruised cheek and swollen eye without an explanation.

All Shawn did for the entire ride was listen which I appreciated. He would nod his head to show he was following along and occasionally grip the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.