Kenzie's Time to Meet the World

~25~ Life-Changing Realizations and Hope

"Ok, kid. Let's get this over with..." Shawn sighed, looking down. "Let's see, where to start. Well, as you know, your mom and I went to school together. Your grandparents were rich and prejudiced people. The only reason your mom didn't go to a private school was because she begged them not to put her in one." He smiled to himself. "She was a prankster. She was rebellious, although she still had perfect grades. She quickly became friends with Cory, Topanga, and I."

"When did you guys fall in love?" I asked softly.

He chuckled. "I wouldn't call it falling in love, kid. Not at first at least. We were best friends from the start... In the seventh grade, we found out that she was sneaking into school early to change out of the clothes that her parents wanted her to wear. When I confronted her, she told me that her parents didn't know who she hung out with or what she did after school."

"Wait, so she was lying to them?" I asked, trying to see if I understood.

"Your grandparents... they weren't nice people. They didn't want your mom associated with anyone less than her social status. Then, when we were thirteen or fourteen, her parents found out. Her mom came to school during Career Day, saw what she was wearing, saw that she was with me..." He took in a deep breath. "Her mom went psycho, and tried to take Gia home. Gia refused, and ran away. She came find me, and eventually we went stay with the Matthews family, and later Mr. Turner... We were always close, but after that, we just got closer..."

"Then why'd you break up?" I asked, confused. "You guys were in love... What happened?"

"We didn't want to." Shawn said, shrugging. "We had been going strong for years. We survived highschool together... Then, in August of 2000, her parents finally put their foot down. After all those years, they were furious, to say the least... and, they did the unspeakable. They forced her into an arranged marriage...."

"But wasn't she old enough to be independent...? She was over 18, right...?" I asked.

"Your parents were powerful people... they threatened her... they said that they were going to get legally involved, and sue her for some made up thing. She told me that she wasn't going to run from her problems anymore... that she would always love me... even up to her death, we still kept in touch... we met up secretly sometimes, and she told me all about you." He said with a smile, wiping his eyes.

I smiled a bit, before my face fell in realization.
"Wait, what did you say before?" I said, confused.

"They forced her into an arranged marriage." He repeated.

"No, before that. When did they found out?" I said quickly, my mind racing.

"August of 2000, why?"

"Shawn... I was born in January of 2001... that's five months later. I know for a fact that I wasn't born prematurely..."

"Oh my God..." Shawn trails off, putting his head in his hands.

"Shawn?" I asked in almost a whisper. "Did you and my mom...." He nodded slowly. "Oh my God..." I turned to him. "I'll get Cory." So, for the second time today, I got up and left, walking back to the diner.

The moment I walked back in, everyone crowded around me. "Is everything okay, Makenzie?" Cory asked. I simply pointed to the door.