Restoration [Shawn Mendes] AU

Chapter 35

Michelle made her way to Shawn's building and up to his floor in no time. She stood in the hallway as the elevator doors closed behind her, taking a few calming breaths before heading to his door. She knocked on the door a couple of times as her heart raced, hoping that coming over wasn't a huge mistake. Shawn opened the door, giving her one of those million dollar smiles that made him so damned attractive and invited her inside.

"Hi Chelle, come on in!" he said as he stepped aside for her to enter.

"Hi! I come bearing leftovers. I didn't know if you'd already eaten or if you'd be hungry or not. Anyway, it's leftover lasagna I made for the girls last night. I think lasagna is always better on the second day," Michelle said, feeling like she was rambling and should stop talking, but he was making her nervous and that wasn't normal.

"Thanks! You didn't have to do that, but yeah, I agree lasagna is always better the second day. I didn't eat yet, but if you want to eat later, we can warm it up," Shawn replied, wishing he'd stop feeling awkward.

What the hell man? You're making this weird. Calm the fuck down.

Michelle handed the plastic container to Shawn then took off her gloves and unzipped her jacket, putting her gloves in the pockets before taking it off and laying it on the wooden bench beside the door. Shawn took the container and walked over to the kitchen to put it in the refrigerator. He asked Michelle if she wanted something to drink, thinking they could both use a drink to calm down and act normal with each other again. The awkward tension between them was unbearable. He hadn't felt like this around a female since his first middle school party when he had to play 7 Minutes in Heaven with his 12-year-old crush. He needed to get his cocky, smartass mojo back ASAP and maybe a little alcohol would help, it for damn sure couldn't hurt.

"Um...yeah, some wine if you have any...or a beer. It doesn't matter," she answered, feeling the heat flare on her cheeks for no apparent reason.

"I have some rosé. Is that ok? Sorry, we're all out of white zinfandel," he smirked, knowing that would push her buttons after last night's discussion.

"Really Mendes? You think I'd drink white zinfandel around you after last night's storytelling? Never gonna happen my friend," Michelle replied, shaking her head.

"I don't know, it could happen," he answered, walking over to hand her the glass of wine, as he took a swig of beer from the bottle of Heineken he'd just opened.

They both sat down on the leather couch, awkwardly looking at each other before Shawn moved to set his beer bottle on the coffee table just for something to do other than look at Michelle.

Jesus this is not going well, calm the fuck down!

"So what did you do all day?" Michelle asked, searching for some topic, any topic that might spark some sort of conversation that could replace this embarrassing stiffness between them. They had never been like this with each other, not since the first time they met in the Registrar's office. They had talked so easily from that moment on and this wasn't normal at all.