Chapter 37
Chris sat in silence, not wanting to tell Shannon what was on his mind. He was sure that she knew it was about her, but he just couldn’t tell her; something was holding him back. The doorbell rang and Shannon slowly stood up. She leaned down and gave Chris a kiss on the forehead, "Can we talk about this later?" Chris nodded his head and Shannon was walking towards the living room. As she opened the door, she turned around as Chris buried his head in his hands. She frowned as she made her way towards Mandi and Lance. "Hey," she said to both of them. Lance came over and gave her a hug, as did Mandi. "Mandi? Jess? Can I talk to you guys alone for a few minutes?" They both said yes at the same time and the three girls went off into another room.
When in the other room, Mandi was the first to speak up. "So. . is this about Chris?" Shannon looked at her funny, "How did you know?" She laughed, "Just a guess. So what’s up with him?" "Well, there is something bothering him, and he won’t tell me. He should know that he can tell me anything, I mean, we ARE the best of friends." Jess chirped in, "Maybe he is afraid." Shannon crinkled her nose, "Afraid of what?" "Afraid that it will change your relationship." Shannon shrugged her shoulders, "I don’t think that anything could change the relationship we have, it would only make it for the better." Mandi asked quietly, "Does he know that?" Shannon shook her head, "I don’t know." "Then you should make him know that. Show him how much he means to you." Shannon let out a half-smile, "Okay, I’ll try. Thanks."
The three girls walked back into the living room as they were greeted by their boyfriends. Mandi sat on Lance’s lap and playfully flirted with him while Jess took a spot next to JC on the floor. The only spot left was between Chris and Joey. Shannon sat down and Chris put his arm around her, pulling her close. He still had the sad look she saw minutes before, but he seemed to shine when he looked at her. "Does he care about me?," she thought to himself. She looked at him and noticed something about the look. It was the same look that Justin had given her just months before. It was the look that Jess and JC gave each other, and that Mandi and Lance gave each other. It was even the same look that Joey gives his snackey cakes. "Does he love me in that way?," she thought. She thought about asking him about his true feelings and telling him how she felt, but she didn’t want to do it in front of everyone.
A half an hour later, the pizza arrives. Everyone went outside except for Chris. Shannon was the first one outside, but when she realized that Chris was still inside, she went after him. Chris was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "Aren’t you coming out?," she asked him. He looked up with a look of love in his eyes, "Yeah, in a few." Shannon smiled, "Good, can we talk later? It’s really important." Chris nodded and said yes. She lightly lifted his chin and softly kissed him on the lips. He looked at her with confusion in his eyes, "What was that for? I don’t deserve it." Shannon leaned back, "What? Why don’t you?" The tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at her, "I am nothing special. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough. You’ll soon realize that I am nothing great and you will move on." Shannon sat down beside him and held onto him, "Chris, you really don’t understand. You are so much a part of me. If I ever lost you, I don’t think I could go on." Chris wiped his eyes and looked at her again, "But why? I’m not Justin." Shannon took his hand and held it tight, "No, you aren’t. But that has nothing to do with it. You know that even before I met Justin, when I was an average fan, that it was Chris Kirkpatrick that caught my attention, not Justin Timberlake." Chris looked at her, "If it was me, then why did you get the hook up with Justin?" Shannon ruffled his spikey hair, "Is the old age getting to you? You were with Dani. And besides, Justin came onto me. I wanted you so badly, but I knew I couldn’t have you." Shannon held onto Chris as Mandi walked into the room, "Are you two coming out? We’re waiting for you." Shannon quietly said yes as Mandi went outside again. She turned to Chris and lifted his head. Chris was looking into her eyes as they kissed again, "I never got to tell Justin how much he meant to me in the time that he was here, but I will make sure that you know it in the time that you are here with me. I love you, I really do." "I love you too," he answered back softly.
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