Butterflies || Shawn Hunter

Chapter 6: Your Topanga

I felt pretty nervous as I finally found the apartment building Shawn was living in now. He had recently moved in with Eric and his half-brother, Jack. We hadn't seen each other all summer, since we both had been busy. I ran my fingers through my hair before adjusting my blue jean overalls over my yellow t-shirt. I knocked, anxiously rocking on my heels as I heard loud footsteps beyond the door. I forgot how to breathe when Shawn answered with only a white towel around his waist.

"Hey," he breathed, tucking his damp hair behind his ear.

"Hey," I echoed, leaning to see Cory behind him with a video camera up to his eye. "Um... What are you guys up to?"

"Oh. Cory was just filming a documentary."

"Why, um, are you, you know, only in that," I stammered, hoping my face wasn't too red.

"Because Cory thought it would be a good idea to film me in the shower," he seethed, turning to his friend with an upset expression. His hand was still gripping his towel to keep it up as I tried to look anywhere but at his bare chest.

"So, it's good to see you again."

"You too," he genuinely expressed, me jumping when a girl appeared behind me.

"Hey, is Jack there," she wondered as I went to stand by Cory.

"No, he's not here right now."

"Drop the towel," Cory hissed under his breath.

"What," Shawn whispered back, looking over at his friend like he was crazy.

"Make it look like an accident. I can use it for my European version."

Shawn slightly shook his head before facing the girl again.

"Kiss her," Cory quietly said next.

"You know, I'm studying acting. I can do an impromptu love scene," the girl shared.

"Okay," Shawn caved, them kissing each other. I winced as I studied my white sneakers, feeling a pang in my heart when they both said, "Whoa," in unison afterwards. I couldn't help from rushing out of the room, wishing the elevator worked faster when I saw Shawn in the hall. "Wait! Where are you going?" He stopped the doors from closing all the way with his arm, his blue eyes dancing between mine.

"I figured you were busy with that girl," I mumbled.

"Since when do you care if I'm with a girl," he questioned, joining me in the small space as we traveled downwards.

I couldn't help but keep my eyes glued on my shoes, feeling shaky and scared of this conversation. "I don't. I just... I have to get home."

"But you just got here." He stared at me in disbelief as I exited the elevator.

"I'll see you in school, okay?" I barely stole one last glance before racing home.

"I can't believe Cory did that to you. He knows how you feel about Shawn," Topanga expressed in the senior hallway on Monday.

"I guess he thinks we're just friends or something," I shrugged.

"This is ridiculous. You two were made for each other, and you deserve to be together. It's our senior year, the last year before we might all go off to separate colleges or something."

"Look I've been friends with Shawn for a long time now, and if he's not interested then that's fine. The main thing that scares me is losing him as a friend because of my feelings."

"You can't keep them bottled up inside. You need to tell him," she emphasized.

Maybe she was right, but I went at least another month staying silent, until something happened that changed everything. Shawn found a purse, and he was convinced that he was in love with the girl who owned it.

"I didn't even know you liked Sno-Caps," I softly said as we sat on the turquoise couch in the senior hallway.

"They're only like the best movie theater snack ever," he replied, munching on another one as I pressed my lips together sadly.

"And you don't even like classical music."

"I never gave it a chance. I listened to it and I actually like it," he grinned, me messing with my fingers as I felt my heart breaking. "She even uses kiwi mango lip balm, which is like the sexiest flavor out there right now."

"I guess if you say that she's perfect, then she is." I faked a smile as his own grew wider, missing when he used to be able to detect my pain.

"I'm meeting her at Chubbie's today. Cory found out who she is, and I'm going to give her her purse back. This girl could be my Topanga."

"I hope she's everything you dreamed about, Shawn." I should get an award for how much I was acting.

"This is ridiculous. You should tell Shawn how you feel before he gets serious with someone else. What if this mystery girl is everything he dreamed? I'm not saying she is, but stranger things have happened," Topanga spoke as we hung out after school at my house. "Do you really want to lose him for forever?"

Her words found me going down the staircase in Chubbie's, all decked out in that red dress I bought while at the mall with Shawn last year. I paused when I caught sight of him standing before the girl, who was claiming her purse. That's when I stepped in, not paying attention what she was doing as he stared at me blankly, blinking a couple of times.

"Listen Shawn, there's something I have to say. I might not order Sno-Caps at the movie theater, or listen to classical music, and I'm still using strawberry lip balm, but we've been friends for awhile now, and I think that has to count for something. Cory and Topanga knew each other for forever before they started going out, and you might think this girl is your Topanga, but she's not. Your Topanga is standing right here. Maybe it's crazy I'm doing this, but I couldn't let you fall in love with another gir-"

"She has a boyfriend," he calmly interrupted. "This is exactly why I've never gone out with a girl for more than 2 weeks. I was afraid of getting hurt. I've seen the pain in my father's face every time a woman walks out because he's not good enough. And what I was worried about happening just happened. Now I'm in pain."

"Did you hear what I just said," I softly asked.

"Yeah. I'm sorry but I can't do this right now, Kimberly." I strained my neck to watch him jog up the steps, leaving me to wallow in my own pain.

To be continued...

A/N: Hey guys, sorry if it was boring how much this chapter followed some of the episodes in season 5. It's just they were some of my favorite moments, so I wanted to include them. And I also wanted to do the "to be continued" thing, since that's what they did in the real purse episode. Anyway, please remember to comment, vote, and follow. Thank you so much! <3