-- present --
11:49 p.m.
Shawn finished taking a shower after being pushed in by his brothers. He dried off his hair with a small white towel, hanging it up on a chair before climbing into bed.
"So how do you like it so far?" He asks me.
I prop myself up on my right elbow, my chin resting in the palm of my hand. "I love it."
"Yeah?" He asks me.
I nod, "yeah."
"I'm glad." Shawn places his right hand on my left hip, his fingers dipping under my shirt and lightly scratching at my skin.
"I really enjoyed talking to your parents. They're both sweet." I say.
"My mom's sweet." Shawn says.
"And your dad isn't?"
"He doesn't like what I do."
"Parents don't always support what their children do. My parents--" Stop talking, Jasmine. Don't mention Chicago.
"Your parents what?" He asks me.
"They..." Stall him. Lie, make up something! "Remember how I told you on our first date that I wanted to study art and be a journalist?"
"Yeah," he says.
"Well, they don't think it's a serious job for me."
"That's stupid. If it's something you're passionate about, they should just let you do what's best for you."
"Speaking of first date..." I scoot myself closer to him, hitching a leg over his body as I sit on top of him in a straddle. "Why didn't you mention that we went on a date before?"
"In high school?" He asks me.
"Yeah."
"Who told you?"
"Why does it matter?" I ask. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want to creep you out." Shawn says. "How would you feel if I told you, yeah, we dated for a bit before you had a concussion. That's why you don't remember me. Babe, I'd be weirded out if some girl said that to me."
"Can I ask another question?"
"What is it?"
"Who's Stephanie?" Shawn goes silent. He looks at me for what feels like eternity.
"Where'd you hear that name?" He asks me, firmly placing his hands on my hips.
I shrug. "Who was she?"
"Jasmine, who told you about her?"
"They didn't tell me anything, just her name. Who is she?"
He sits up and looks me in the eyes. "Who told you?"
"Why does that matter?" I ask.
"Because..." He sighs. "She was my first."
"Your first what?"
"My first everything." He sighs, lying back down on the bed. I lower myself and lie down on him.
"She was the girl you were talking about that night?" Shawn nods. "Can I know the story?"
"We were friends for a long time. When she turned fifteen and I came back home for summer vacation, we developed feelings for one another. And one night, there was this party and we..."
"Had sex?"
"Kissed." He says. "And then we went skinny dipping late at night a week later and that's when we...you know, did it."
