Love Story (A Shawn Mendes Fanfiction)

Chapter 31- Secrets

One Republic

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I got back to Toronto without any complication, no sickness anymore, but I was heavyhearted.

I knew I needed to tell somebody. I just didn't know who.

I saw Shawn waiting for me on the gate, a hood on and dark sunglasses, so that no one would recognize him. When he saw me he smiled and walked towards me, hugging me tight.

"I really missed you", he murmured in my ear and kissed my cheek.

I nodded, but I wasn't able to speak. Instead I just faked a smile and took the hand that he offered me.

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"You're weirdly quiet. Is something wrong?", he asked e as we sat in his car, driving to his apartment.

"I'm just tired, that's all. It was a long flight and I'm jetlagged. I just want to sleep.", I put my head against the window and closed my eyes, pretending to sleep, when really my heart was beating out of my chest.

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"Hey, how did you sleep?", Shawn asked me after I walked down the stairs into his living room 4 hours later. He was in the kitchen, making a sandwich or something. I was really hungry, but I couldn't ask him- I just couldn't talk to him.

"Good", I simply said and sat on the couch, turning on the tv.

He approached me slowly, sitting down as well, putting a plate in front of me with half a chicken sandwich on it. He just knew me too well.

I pressed a small smile and grabbed it quickly, eating it with big bites.

"Hopefully now you're mood get's better now.", he mumbled with his mouth full and I turned my head to look at him.

"I mean, do you seriously think I don't see that you're in a bad mood. I know you Nats. Could you tell me what's going on please? Or are we taking steps back in our relationship?", I knew that he was hurt by what I did, but I had bigger problems right now.

Especially since we had plans this afternoon.

"It was a little stressful with my parents. That's all. And I'm really nervous to meet yours.", I lied. Well, it wasn't really lying. I was terrified to meet his parents than afternoon. He kept telling me it wasn't important what they thought of me, but I knew it always kinda mattered.

But he seemed to buy it, because he softly smiled at me and lied down on the couch, with his head in my lap and I immediately put my hands in his hair to stroke it. It was some kind of reflex by now.

"Don't worry, they're gonna love you. Not as much as I love you, but only slightly less", he chuckled.

And that was the end of our conversation until we arrived in Pickering that late afternoon.

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They were already waiting at the door of the rustic house. It wasn't huge, but it was big and inviting, perfect for a family of 4.

As Shawn opened the door for me and I got out I felt the curious looks on me. I knew it was weird for them that I dated their son/brother for over a year now and never even met them. Well, it was propably weirder that my parents just found out. At least the Mendes family knew for a while.

"Hi, it is so nice to finally meet you Nathalie. You can call me Karen, this is Manuel and Aaliyah.", Shawns mum said and gave me a sweet hug. I immediately felt safe around her, mainly because I knew she was european too.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you Nathalie. Shawn never stops talking about you.", his sister said, shaking my hand and giving me a warm smile.

Then there was his father. I knew that they were closest, Shawn told me, so I was most terrified to meet him. But as I stood in front of him he smiled at me as well: "Well, you sure are as Shawn described you. It's so nice to meet you.", he first seemed to want to shake my hand, but then pulled me into a hug as well. Canadians, I could have expected that.

"It's so nice to meet you as well. Shawn talks a lot about you. It's an honor to finally meet you in person.", I said and smiled, a sincere smile.

"Shall we, then?", Mrs. Mendes... Karen said. And we all went inside.

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"So, Nathalie. You're german, right? Do your parents speak english as well as you do?", Shawns dad asked me and I swallowed the piece of beef before answering: "Well, my mum really tries to learn, but she doesn't use it as much as I do. My dad doesn't really want to learn anything and my brother is quite good at it. Even though he has the worst german accent ever.", I chuckled and Shawn did as well. He seemed to know somehow I was enjoying myself around his family, and his knee bobbing in the rhythm of the soft music in the backround showed me he was really happy.

"Well, at least you learned another language. That is admirable. Shawn here nearly failed french class. Did he tell you about that?", Manuel said and Shawn choked on his mashed potatoes.

"No, he didn't actually.", I turned to face him and it was the first time since I came back from germany that I actually properly looked at him. His hair curly as always, but a little longer than usual- I liked it longer, that's why he agreed to let it grow a little- he wore a tight, dark red long sleeved shirt, where you could see his arm muscles and his strong chest- he looked really hot. I quickly looked away trying to focus on my food.

"Well, I didn't quite enjoy this language. So..."

"Well, I learned latin in school and the only word I remember is donkey."

That made them all laugh.

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"I told you, you don't need to help me.", Karen said, as I carried the last few plates to the kitchen.

"I really want to. ", I simply said and put them on the counter.

"So, how are you feeling? I saw that you were kinda weird at dinner. I don't know you that well, but it was really obvious."

"It's just... I don't even know how to say it out loud.", Karen stopped loading the dishwasher and turned to me. I really felt like I could trust her with what's bothering me.

"Hey, listen. You can tell me. You're basically family now. And, between us", she leaned closer to me and I realized she smelled like flowers, "I've never told a secret."

"I'm pregnant", it burst out of me and I quickly put my hands over my face in shock.

But instead of throwing me out- like most people would when they just met the girl their son knocked up- she put her arms around me in a loving hug and it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulder. I hugged her back and whispered: "Thank you." over and over again.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, understand. I won't tell anyone. I keep it as long as I want to keep it. And, by the way.", she leaned back to look at me, "I'm happy to have you as my daughter- in- law."

"I see you two get along perfectly.", Shawn entered the kitchen and immediately hugged me from behind, planting a kiss on top of my head.

He didn't seem to be embarrassed to show me his affection in front of his parents. I liked how open they were in this house. It was incredible.

And if Karen was fine with me being knocked up, then so will Shawn- I hope.