F*ck Fate! (Book 3)

Chapter Eleven: Starting Somewhere

Shawn

I hated to admit how bored and lonely I've been since the break up. I had forgotten just how much of my free time had been spent with Meg recently. I barely remembered what I used to do before I met her.

In other news, I've definitely gotten hang of the register at work. I hadn't messed up another order in over a week, and I knew the menu by heart. I even had more hours now because Lisa liked how well I've been doing. I was grateful for both the distraction and the extra pay. God knows I needed it.

Dad was still getting his unemployment checks, but they only went so far. I used those to pay the house bills. My paychecks go for food. Ivy would help too, if she wasn't still too young to actually get a job. Although even when she turns sixteen in a few months, I wouldn't want her to have to help support this family. She still needed to be a kid for a couple more years, at least.

"Here you go," Lisa said at the end of my shift, handing me the familiar envelope. "Get out of here. You're done for today."

I stuffed my paycheck into my back pocket. "Thanks." I then hurried to clock and leave, needing to get to the bank before they closed for the day.

Fifteen minutes later, the check was deposited and I was heading home. I was so exhausted, having worked a double shift today. Franky had called out last minute this morning, so Lisa made me come in hours before I was supposed to. At least the day ended with being paid. The only good thing to happen to me in a long time.

Halfway home, my phone started ringing. I fished it out of my pocket and, seeing Ivy's name on the screen, sighed before answering it.

"I'm almost home, Ivy. What's going on?"

"Well, I was going to ask if you could go to the store? We don't really have any food here."

I let out another sigh and turned around. I had just passed the street the grocery store was on, so it wasn't too far out of my way. "Fine. What do we need?"

The list Ivy started rattling off was long. I ended up cutting her off at some point, telling her to text it to me. It'll make it easier for me to remember it all.

"Thanks!" she cheered, immediately hanging up the phone.

"No problem, Ivy," I said, despite the fact that she was no longer on the phone with me. "See you soon."

"Ivy, huh?" a voice said next to me, making me jump. "Moved on from Meg already?"

Turning, I saw that kid in a wheelchair. What was his name again? It's been a while since I've seen him - haven't even seen him at work.

"Moved on? What? That was my sister, you ass."

He smiled. "I'm only messing with you."

"Right." I turned to walk away. I couldn't understand why this guy kept showing up in the most random places. Sure, I hadn't seen him in two weeks, but that didn't mean he had to show up now.

"Where are you headed?" he asked, keeping pace with me.

I pointed ahead of us to the sign of the grocery store. Why did he even care? It's not like we were friends or anything.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked. "I need to get a couple things."

I shrugged. It's not like I could stop him from going. It was a public place, after all.

"I'm sorry if this is too abrasive or anything," he said when we got to the door, "but I heard you and your girlfriend broke up. I'm sorry to hear that."

I shrugged again. "It happens. No big deal."

I went straight for the frozen food aisle in the back, somewhat hoping he'd go down a different aisle and that would be that. But he kept following me.

"Still. I know it must suck. For the brief moment I met her, it seemed like you were happy together."

"Then I'm a better actor than I thought," I said without thinking. With a sigh, I accepted the fact that he was still here and wanting to talk to me. "So you and that guy, huh?" I asked, pulling some of the pre-made frozen dinners out of the freezer.

He nodded. "Yeah. We had a second date. I think it's going pretty well. You know, those things are incredibly unhealthy."

"So?"

"So... they're not good for you. I also can't imagine they taste that great. Is that really what you eat at home?"

I scoffed, letting the freezer door slam shut. "Are you judging me? You don't even know me."

He continued to follow me as I headed for another aisle. I hadn't even checked my phone yet, and probably wouldn't. I could only carry so much home with me tonight. Ivy was going to have to deal with whatever I could hold on my own.

 "What if I want to get to know you?" he asked. "I'm not saying we have to, I just think that we could be friends. Sorry, I tend to get lonely. Not many people like to talk to me."

"I can't imagine why," I muttered to myself. To him, I said, "What about your boyfriend? He not around often enough for you?"

"I..." He sighed. "I wouldn't call Lance my boyfriend. We've only been on two dates; we haven't gotten to the just hanging around phase of whatever this is between us. And my best friend spends a lot of time with her boyfriend. It ends up leaving me with a lot of "Andy time" to be bored in."

Andy. That was his name. I was glad I didn't have to ask him, considering he seemed like someone who never forgot someone else's name. That would have been awkward.

"Yeah, I feel that," I admitted, although I'm not sure why I did. I kept talking though. "Ever since I broke up with Meg, I haven't been doing much of anything. Work. Food shopping. Boring shit like that."

I was looking for a line to get on that wasn't too long when Andy stopped me. "Shawn... can I have your number?"

I took a step back from him, confused. Why would he want my number? "Don't you have a boyfriend, or whatever you guys are?"

"Aren't you straight?"

"Well..."

He didn't let me finish. "I'm only asking as a friend. We're both lonely individuals. What do you say to hanging out every once in a while? Friends, that's it."

There really wasn't much to say no to. I was getting lonely. It wouldn't hurt to have someone to hang out with that wasn't my teenage sister.

Nodding my head, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and handing it to Andy, with the new contact screen up. He put his number in while I started loading up my food onto the cashier's belt.

When Andy handed me back my phone, I realized he hadn't picked up a single item. "Weren't you going to get something?"

He smiled. "I got everything I wanted."