the girl in the stands - shawn mendes

chapter six

lauren,

i was sitting on the bottom bleacher watching shawn run out there as they were playing at his practice.

he was all sweaty but also really cute out there catching balls.

i loved watching him.

i decided to take a picture.

he's good at football, he's obviously the best player out there.

he works harder than the rest of those guys.

*

"hey, did you like it?" shawn asked coming out the locker room.

"yeah you were great out there" i said.

"not my best but yeah" he said.

"you were good, shawn" i said.

"thanks. i'll drop you off" he said.

"okay" i smiled and we walked to the parking lot walking close to each other.

*

"thank you for staying." he said as we were standing yet again by the front door.

"of course. i had fun watching you run and catch a ball" i smiled.

"i hope you'll come back" he said.

"i will" i nodded.

the door swung open.

"lauren." my dad.

"hi, dad" i said.

"you're late and who are you?"

"hi, sir. i'm shawn. a friend of lauren's." shawn said.

"shawn. alright. you can go now" he said literally pushing shawn away.

i gave him an apologetic look.

"i'll call you later" i said as he walked off to his car.

my dad brought me inside.

"that was rude" i pointed out.

"who is he?" my dad asked me.

"he's a friend" i said.

"you shouldn't let boys interfere in your life. you need to worry about school and grades so you will get into yale just like me and your mother" he warned me.

"yeah blah blah blah yale. got it" i said and went to walk away.

"excuse you?" he said.

"dad, i don't care about yale" i said.

i heard a gasp. my mom walked in.

"what did you just say?"

"i said i don't care! i don't care about yale. it's not my dream it's yours and i could care less. i don't want to go to yale. you want me to!" i said.

i was getting annoyed.

"that is not true! you want this just as much" my mother walked forward.

"no, mom. you want this more than i ever have. you and dad. i want to be happy, i want to meet guys and go to football games, i want to be an actress, i don't want to get into a silly college halfway across the world" i said.

"you should sleep on it" she said.

"it's the afternoon" i stated.

"right, well you need to study" she said.

"yeah whatever" i mumbled and walked to my room.

i locked the door and fell to the floor against the wall.

i called blake.

"yelloo" he said.

"i tried talking to my parents again about yale and college and stuff" i sighed.

"anything?"

"nothing. they shut it down once again. i just wish they understood me. but they never will" i said, feeling sad.

"i'm sorry, lauren. you want to stay the night?"

"no, i should stay. but thanks"

"how was the football practice with shawn?"

"it was amazing. he's a great player. and he's cute when he's running around on the field."

"i don't want to picture that" he said.

"he asked me to his sisters wedding this saturday and i'm going. our second date." i smiled.

"so the whole football practice thing doesn't count as a date?"

"no way. it's not a real date." i said.

a knock on my door made me jump up.

"i have to go. i'll talk to you tomorrow" i said and hung up.

i opened the door seeing my mom.

"i'm about to study" i said quickly.

"that's not what i'm here for" she said and walked in.

"then what are you here for?" i asked.

"there's a boy?" she asked with a glow in her face.

"uh yeah. there is. i know you and dad want me to cut him off but i won't. i like him" i said.

"thats what your father wants, i think you should continue seeing this boy. he seems to really make you smile and that's all i want" she said.

"all you want for me is to get into yale" i said sitting down.

"i hear you, lauren. you don't want yale. you want other things in life. your father is set on yale for you. i hear you, sweetheart" she sighed.

"i don't understand" i said confused.

"your father is a difficult man. i'm always on your side." she said.

"thank you, mom" i said.

"love you." she smiled as she walked out the room.