boundaries [s.m]

chapter twenty-nine

lately we're as good as gone - perfectly wrong, Shawn Mendes
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two weeks later, shawn was on his last day of the new york press tour, and aria was one week into university. she was already swamped in work, and swamped in her emotions; shawn hadn't phoned her once. she occasionally got the 'hey, i'm about to go to an interview, i love you' but nothing else.

"well, our boy is finally legal here, so i say we go to a bar," geoff says, patting shawn on the back, who chuckles, looking at the crazy group of friends he has.

"as much as i would love to, let's pass. we have a flight at 8pm tonight. and i'm not really wanting to go to a bar," he says, partly because of what's happening with aria, and partly because he doesn't want to drink.

"man, he's so whipped," mike chuckles, making the group laugh. shawn forces out a laugh, knowing it isn't because he's whipped, it's because he's informally fighting with his significant other.

"how is aria, by the way? why didn't she come with us?" zubin asks shawn, walking with him down the street to their hotel.

"she's good, she started uni last week, so she's getting really busy already. it's weird though, i've never seen someone so absorbed in their degree and work this early on," he says. "i mean, she is doing a degree and two sub courses."

"two?"

"yeah, she's doing a french class, and a coding and programming class? she literally wanted to do everything, but i think she capped herself at two to start with," shawn chuckles, trying to make it not look like they're fighting. "she's loving it though," he lies, not knowing if she is or if she isn't.

"three courses all together, she must be crazy!" zubin laughs. "is she coming on tour with us over christmas?"

"maybe, i'm not too sure yet," shawn shrugs, walking to the line of fans waiting outside the hotel. "i'll see you guys later tonight," he tells his band and crew members.

"get into a line!" jake tells the fans, as they respond, getting into a straight line, as shawn makes his way down, taking photos with each of them.

"shawn! how's aria?" a fan asks him, as he poses to take a photo with her.

"she's great, thanks," he responds with a smile, moving onto the next fan.

"where's aria? didn't she come with you?" another fan questions.

"no, she has uni," he chuckles, finishing up with the photos. "thank you everyone, i'll see you soon."
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it was around midnight, and aria was racing away to finish reading the book, tess of the d'urbervilles, for her english literature lecture the following day. she was half way through chapter twelve, and a quarter way through writing the notes for that page, when the front door of the condo opened up, and in stepped shawn, followed by his suitcases, and guitar.

shawn thinks aria is asleep, so quickly walks into the kitchen, not expecting aria to be sitting there, writing away.

"oh, you're still up?" shawn asks, jumping in slight shock. "i thought you would be asleep."

"yeah, i have loads to do still," she says awkwardly, placing her pen down on the paper. "how was new york?"

"good, the fans are loving the new music," he says, grinning slightly, before taking a seat opposite aria. "how's uni been?"

"stressful," she smiles sadly. "i uh, i got a call from my mum earlier this week," she says, biting her lip softly. "my grandmas ill."

"oh aria," shawn says gently, looking at her practically fragile composure. she's really been holding everything in. "what's happened to her?"