Never Be Alone (Shawn Mendes Fanfic)

Chapter 35

Jeffrey attempted to sit up higher in the hospital bed. "Okay, what do you need to tell me?"

I began to feel sick to my stomach, but not in a bad way, it was from being so nervous. I guess you could say that was bad. 

"Alyssa what did you need to tell me?" Jeffrey probed anxiously. 

"Oh, um, my dad is going back to work," I smiled.

Jeffrey smiled back, but it seemed forced. "That's great. I bet you all are relieved."

"We are, especially my dad."

"Is that all you needed to tell me though?"

Okay, this isn't what I had imagined when I decided to first tell Jeffrey how I feel about him, but this will have to do. I took a deep breath and sat down in the chair that was situated beside his bed. "I wanted to tell you that..."

Just then a nurse entered the room. "It's time for your next round of pain meds," she told Jeffrey. She was brunette and pretty. She looked young too, probably in her twenties.

"I'm okay. I'm really not in that much pain," Jeffrey replied.

"Are you sure?" The nurse asked.

Jeffrey nodded. "Yes. I'm good."

"Well okay. Let us know if you happen to change your mind."

"I will."

The nurse smiled at us before exiting the room, about the same time Britney appeared at the door.

You have got to be kidding me!

"Hey!" Britney greeted us.

"Hi Britney," I told her. I felt a stab of disappointment, but maybe it just isn't meant for me to tell Jeffrey how I truly feel.

"Britney, I hate to be rude but can you come back later?" Jeffrey asked her. "Alyssa was about to tell me something important."

Britney's expression was a mixture of shock and sadness. "Oh! Okay. I can come back tomorrow if you'd like?"

I quickly stood up from the chair. "No, that's okay," I told her. "Jen and Savannah are waiting for me out in the car. We're going to get me a dress for prom."

"Are you still going to the prom with Shawn?" Britney asked.

I glanced at Jeffrey before answering. He had a pained expression on his face. "Um no, Shawn and I decided it would be best to just be friends, and nothing more."

"I'm sorry. Who are you going with then?" Britney asked, curious as always.

"Jen and Savannah," I answered. "We decided that we don't need dates to have a good time at our prom."

"That's true," Britney said surprising me. However, that didn't surprise me as much as what she said next. "I came here to get this guy to go with me, even if it's in a wheel chair." She put her sights on Jeffrey. "A source told me today that we are on the ballad for prom queen and king."

Her words were like a punch to my stomach, and it must have shown.

"I think it's time for you to leave now Britney," Jeffrey snapped.

"No! I'm going. I don't want to keep Jen and Savannah waiting any longer. I'll see you both later," I told them before leaving the room before either of them could comment.

"Well, how'd it go?" Jen asked with a smile, once I got into her car.

"It didn't. Britney showed up before I could say anything."

"Seriously?" Savannah asked from the back seat, clearly annoyed.

"Yeah. She said she and Jeffrey are on the ballad for prom queen and king."

"That doesn't mean they have to be a couple," Jen stated. 

I shook my head. "I can't do it. I just can't tell him yet." My chest hurt. I just wanted to go home and crawl into my bed, under the covers. But life goes on and I needed to get a dress.

After about an hour of shopping, I found a dress I was happy with. It's light blue with a fitted sleeveless bodice and classic halter neckline. It has a plunging deep V-neckline with sheer mesh side cutouts. A thin waistband along the midriff is followed by a short pleaded A-line skirt. It wasn't as fancy as the dress that Shawn got for me, but it was still beautiful. It was also affordable. Lucky for me, it was just under three-hundred dollars, which was the total amount I had saved. While I was there, I went to the shoe store where I had bought the satin black high heels for the other dress, and did an even swap for a pair of shiny silver heels. 

I hadn't originally planned to spend that much on a dress since I was going to give half of my savings to my parents, but my mom said we would be okay without the money since my dad was going back to work. Plus she and dad still had money in their savings to get by.

When we got back to Jen's car, I looked through my cell phone. There were three missed calls from Jeffrey and one voicemail. I saw where he called while we were in the mall, but I ignored them on purpose. I decided to listen to the voicemail: "Alyssa this is Jeffrey. We still need to talk. Please call me back as soon as possible."

*****

The next morning, after first period, Britney met me at my locker. "Guess what?" she asked. Her face was lit up and she was wearing a bright smile.

"What?" I replied, not sure I really wanted to hear the news she was so excited about.

"My source was right. The ballads for prom queen and prom king are being handed out today, and Jeffrey and I are on it."

I forced a smile. "That's great news. I'm happy for you both."

Britney's expression suddenly turned serious. "I think you're lying. I don't think you're happy for us at all."

I slammed my locker door shut and glared at her. "Well, if you're so sure - then why are you telling me. Are you just rubbing it in my face?"

"No Alyssa. I just wanted you to be happy for me. I had never planned on you falling for my boyfriend," she said softly.

I let out a sigh. I didn't want to fight with her, instead I felt defeated once again. "Can you do me a favor?" I asked her.

"Like what?"

"Will you take Jeffrey his assignments after school today and tomorrow?"

Britney smiled again. "Yes. I would love too."

"Great! I'll see you around," I told her before I left her standing at my locker.

Savannah had been standing in the hallway a few feet from us, probably waiting for me. "What was that all about," she asked me once I reached her.

"That was me surrendering...for good," I answered, and I kept walking down the hallway toward my next class.

Copyright © 2019, R.J. Snow