the girl in the stands - shawn mendes

chapter thirteen

lauren,

"i'm going to shawn's. i'll text you on my way home" i said to my mom.

"okay" i heard her say very low.

i turned and looked at her. she was being really quiet.

and she was crying.

"mom, are you okay?" i asked sitting next to her.

"yes. i'm fine" she assured me.

"you're crying" i stated.

"we will talk later, please just go see shawn. i'll be fine" she said.

"i don't want to leave you like this"

"lauren, go." she said.

"okay, okay" i said at last and kissed her cheek then walked out the house.

i drove myself to shawn's house.

we had plans to go see a movie tomorrow after school but he didn't know i was coming over right now.

i drove over there. i walked up to the door and knocked lightly.

the door opened a few seconds later and shawn saw me. he smiled.

"lauren." he let me inside.

"hey, i didn't really want to-"

and he kissed me.

"you don't have to explain why you're here. i'm so glad you are" he said and kissed me again.

we pulled away. "but there's a slight problem"

"what?" i asked.

"my mom is here" he said.

"isn't that a good thing?" i asked.

"no. she never acted like she cared until recently. so it's weird. but she came over tonight because she said she had something for you" he said.

"oh" i said.

i followed him to the living room.

"mom, lauren is here now so it would be a good time to leave" shawn said to her.

"lauren. hi" she smiled standing up.

"hi" i said back.

"is it okay if i have a word with her?" she asked looking between me and shawn.

he looked at me for approval and i nodded.

"i'll be upstairs" he said and kissed my cheek then walked up to his room i'm guessing.

"please, sit" she said.

and so i did.

"i'm not- i haven't been the best mother to shawn or aaliyah since my husband went away. it was tough to get through and i never knew how to take care of kids. that was jack's job always and my son has never been happy with anything in his life then you came along. he really likes you and i hope you stay because i don't think he can live without you." she said.

i didn't really know what to say to that.

she stood up and walked to the kitchen then she came back a few seconds with a dress.

it was red with little flower type stuff on the edges.

a dark red. and it was stunning. beautiful.

"this dress runs in the family. i wore it with shawn's father.. and looking at you.. i just, i think you would look beautiful in it and i heard you guys are going to homecoming so i think you should have this dress." she smiled.

"what? i-i can't take this." i said.

but it was gorgeous.

"i want you to have it for the night, please take it." she smiled.

"thank you." i smiled and took the dress.

—

i walked inside my house and saw my mom was still in the same spot.

i had the dress in my hand.

and my dad wasn't here.

"where's dad?" i asked her.

"he's gone" she stated.

"gone? what do you mean?"

"i mean he left us"

"what? why?" i asked. i put the dress down and sat next to her.

"i locked him out" she said.

"woah mom" i said.

"i know" she said.

"you look tired. go to sleep. we will talk more in the morning" she said.

"alright" i said. "night"

"night, lauren"

i grabbed the dress and walked to my room.

i hung it somewhere and took a picture and sent it to hailey.

hailey: omg so gorgeous 😍 where'd u get it???
lauren: shawn's mom 😂