Tell Me Where You've Been

Chapter 9: Testing The Limits

~Shawn's POV~the next morning @ school
I can't stop thinking about..Austin, that..idiot. And what he did. Speaking of...
"Lauren, babe, stop," Austin laughs, rambunctiously. "Hey Shawn, what's up bro?"
I watched him as he waved bye to Lauren, and walked closer to me in the hallway. He tries so hard to act innocent.
"Why are trying so hard to hurt Camila?" I ask him, trying to hide my anger.
"She actually left early for class as usual," Austin doesn't answer my question.
"I didn't ask where she is!-I asked why you do it!" I angrily ask him.
"Do what? I have no idea what you're talking about," Austin tries to brush it off.
I grab his shirt collar, "We both know what you did. Tell me why!"
"Fine," he sighs, as he grabs my hands and I let go. "She's so naive. She thought she could change me. She actually believed that fib I told her. But don't tell her I didn't go to Texas, please. She gets annoying when she asks so many questions."
"How can you say that?" I said, clenching my fists.
"What? You want to fight, song boy?" I watched his tall figure move toward me. He was obviously stronger than me, as he was maybe three inches taller.
He smirked at me, then stepped forward and shoved me to the ground. I sat there dumbfounded for a moment, then felt my jaw suddenly jolt as he blew a punch at my face.
"Stop!" I yelled at him, as I finally got my mind together.
"What? C'mon, gay boy." He stopped moving, and looked like he was in thought. "Even you couldn't date Camila."
Then, like a fire exploding in my chest, I stood up and started throwing punches at him. I hit him once and his face jerked in an unhealthy manner. "You-"
He kicked my back, hitting me in the stomach and pushing me into the lockers. "What? I'm doing you a favor!"
"The only person you're doing a favor is the devil." I put my foot against the locker, and launched myself into him. He fell down, and I kicked his side.
Lauren came back running. "Get up, Austin!" She looked at me. "You can't lose to this loser!" He stood up and hit me in the cheek as I stared at her in disrespect.
"Don't you worry, Camila trusts me." He hit me again, this time in the mouth, and I felt my lip bust.
Lauren rolled her eyes at the thought. "I guess she doesn't have a mind."
I looked up at Austin, right as he was about to hit me with another punch. I hit him, this time extremely hard, right in the eye.
"Austin! Oh my god, Shawn!" Lauren yelled, as I teacher came out and saw us.
Austin was turned around for a moment. Then he was back at me, swinging. In between punches, I uttered the words, "You... don't... deserve her-" Click, lights out.
---
"Shawn! Wake up!" I hear a voice, distinctly. Camila's. I weakly sit up, as Camila and I make eye contact.
"Are you ok?! What happened?!" Camila asks, very concerned, as she helps me up.
"I'll explain later-what time is it?" I try to change the subject.
"The bell for 2nd block just rang," she replied," and-"
OVER THE SPEAKER: Would Shawn Myers please report to the principal's office immediately?
"Better get going," I tell Cam, as I point to the way of the office," See ya."
"No way I'm letting you walk to the office alone with that busted lip," she says, as she catches up with him.
--
"I'll wait outside, go," Camila pushes me towards the office.
I look back at her, as I see her worried her expression and continue to walk toward the office.
"Austin," I murmur under my breath, as we make eye contact. He smirks.
"Mr. Myers, it has come to my attention that you were the one to start this fight. For that, you'll be suspended for 2 days-you both will," Principal Nelson states.
"But sir-" I plead to explain.
"There is no explaining. You started the fight, Shawn," Austin cuts me off.
"It doesn't matter. Even if Shawn started the fight, you continued it, Austin. Therefore, you're both suspended."
---
~Camila's POV~
What's taking Shawn so long?-what even happened in the fight? Why did even happen-Shawn has lots of explaining to do.
After a few minutes of waiting, Shawn finally comes out of the principal's office with his busted lip. And then followed by...Austin..with a black eye. I should've known...
"Austin, you're here?" I ask him, as we make eye contact.
"I was gonna surprise you at lunch...but here I am," he smiles as he embraces me into a hug.
I let go, as I see Shawn walking off to the nurse..I hope. "I'll meet you at lunch, ok?" I tell him, as I notice that Austin has a grasp on my hands. I give him a look, as he lets go. I catch up with Shawn.
"Did you think I was going to let you go to your second block like that?!" I threaten.
Shawn doesn't look at me, he just keeps walking.
"Do you even want to tell me why you started the fight?" I ask him, as I try to stop him. I grab his wrist. "Shawn, talk to me."
He just turns to look at me, saying nothing. I give him a worried look, he lets go of my grasp and runs up the stairs.
---
~Austin's POV~
Everything is handled. Ah, finally. Shawn will officially not tell her. Of course, he wouldn't want what happened to Victoria to Camila.
"You handled that loser right?" Lauren asks me, as we walk out to the courtyard for lunch.
"Which one?-Shawn, I handled perfectly fine. He is not gonna say a word to Camila about us," I sigh in relief, as I put my arm around Lauren.
"Good," Lauren smirks," What about Camila?"
"Only for a few more days, babe," I smile at her. She smiles at back.
~Shawn's POV~
I wish I could tell Camila..but I can't. Not until it's a good time.
I see Camila approaching, as Austin reels her in. She gives me a look, as she goes back to Austin.
"Just tell her the truth," a familiar voice comes behind me. Julia.
"I can't," I vaguely answer.
"You're hurting her even more," Julia explains.
"She's so positive that she already changed him," I sigh. "Plus, I'm actually hurting her less.."
"You tell her. And I'll make history repeat itself."
Shivers run through my spine.
"Oh what history repeating?" Julia asks, oblivious. I really do say my thoughts out loud. Good job, Shawn.
"Something bad. And if I tell her, Austin will make that bad thing repeat," I run my hands through my hair, trying to calm myself down. I sigh with frustration.
"You really must care about Camila, huh?" Julia asks, smirking.
"She's my best friend, ok? If anything happened to her.." I feel tears developing. I close my eyes and rub my cheeks to get the drops off of my face.
~Julia's POV~
I feel so bad for Shawn. Austin really put him on the fence.
"At least talk to her. She's showing concern for you, Shawn," I try to give him good advice.
"Are you forgetting the whole reason I started it?" Shawn asks me, as his phone buzzes.
"You gonna get that?" I ask him. He gets his phone and shows me his text from Camila.
"If you were her friend-best friend, you'd meet her..for band rehearsal," I advise him, as I read the text. Band rehearsal, right. They're in a band...almost slipped my mind.
~Shawn's POV~
Of course I'm her best friend.
~Camila's POV~
He's my best friend. Of course, he's coming. I mean, unless that moment in the stairwell was a sign that he broke off our friendship..but it's Shawn. He's my overprotective mom, of course, he wouldn't.
"How are you so sure that Shawn'll come?" Austin asks me.
"Is that even a question?!" I snap at him, bursting into giggles.
~AT REHEARSAL~
Where's Shawn? It's been 15 minutes already!
"I'm sure he's on his way," Danielle chimes in,"...with flowers and chocolate."
"We're just friends," I tell her for the millionth time. I sigh," Just tell him that I'm waiting in the vocals room," I start walking towards it.
---
I thought he could tell me anything...
I was about to walk out of the vocals room, till I see the doorknob twisting open and see Shawn through the glass.
~Shawn's POV~
"Hey..sorry I was late," I begin the conversation.
"I was starting to think that you didn't want to be friends.." She sighs.
"Never. We will always be friends," I develop a smile. Wow, first time I smiled today.
She smiles back," Now do you want to tell me what that fight was about..?"
"What we really need to talk about is why you're being the overprotective mother today," I change the subject, as she tries to hide her laugh.
"Fine, we'll actually practice now," she reluctantly says.
I really wish I could tell you the truth. But just not now. It's time to test my limits.