If Only

Shawn’s POV

She led us both out the door. I was walking next to Sam and my arm accidently nudged him. He elbowed me hard and we went back and forth. Then we paused when we noticed that Marie was in front of her car and had an eyebrow raised and her hip popped. At the same time we straightened ourselves into a military stance. She nods in approval and got in the driver’s seat.

“Why did you even come?” That’s what she said.

“Are you kidding me? It’s Marie. I tried to struggle but then I remembered that that girl could beat Jackie Chan in a fight.”

“Oh shit. I forgot” Sam said. Marie’s eyes could be seen in the rearview mirror and she was glaring at him, “And I will never forget again.” He said loudly.

It was getting dark outside and in a couple of minutes it would be pitch black outside. “You two are ridiculous. So, how about both of you tell me what you both are feeing at the current moment.”

“What are you? Our therapist?” Sam sneered; he received a well-deserved glare from Marie.

I jumped into action, “I feel betrayed, I’m not gonna lie.”

“You feel betrayed?” Sam asked laying it on thick with the sarcasm.

“Yea, betrayed, it happens when someone fucks things up with two or more people.”

“Kinda like what you did with Piper?” He smirked.

“Kinda like what I’m gonna do to your face if you don’t shut your mouth ya dunce.”

“Hey guys—“

“Hey! Don’t get on my case; you know damn well that this is your entire fault!!” Sam yelled.

“WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS?!” Marie started to sing over us.

“MY FAULT?! You’re dating the girl that I’ve had a crush on since 2nd grade! And you knew that from the start!!” I was trying to shout over Marie’s singing.

“THEY WOULDN’T HAVE YOU IN THE MAFIA!!”

Bump, Bump.

The car screeched at a halt. “What was that?” Sam muttered.

“Marie?” I whispered.

No answer.

“Marie?” Sam whispered.

No answer.

We both looked at each other for the first time without hatred burning in his eyes. “Marie?” we both whispered.

“…I just ran over Bambi’s mom...” her voice cracked. Her hands that were gripping the steering wheel slipped from it and she shakily got out of the car. We followed her till we were looking at the poor limp animal. “I’ve never hit anything before...”

“Well with your driving skills...” Sam started

“We can’t really lie and say we didn’t expect it.” I finished.

And Dear God, does she pack a punch harder than 85% of the guys I know. “OW!” Sam complained.

“FUUUUHHHUUCK You!” I howled.

Sam’s POV

We called in the road kill and oddly enough, they said to just leave and they’d get there when they get there. How inconsiderate. But we left anyways; this time with Shawn behind the wheel. We pulled over at the arcade, where a bunch of kids were jumping off the walls and had their eyes glued to the games. Marie dragged both of us in the place and had us stand facing each other. I had a perfect view of Shawn’s now yellowing eye. I smirked and the soreness in my cheek reminded me of what he was seeing and why he had a wide grin on his face. The bastard always wins.

“Now, as you can see, you both have hit a bump in the road.”

“Hey, that was your fault not ours.” Shawn objected, trying not to laugh. She pumped her chest out and held her fist up, as if to hit him. Needless to say, Shawn was scared shitless.

“Anyways,” she put her hand down and Shawn relaxed a bit, “You two need to make up because otherwise you both are going to make Piper more upset than she already is. Piper. I didn’t want to hurt Piper. I looked at Shawn and saw that he didn’t want to either. Her long blonde hair running its full length; Piper’s bright, intelligent and sometimes confused eyes. Her blue eyes, which were such the color that they almost were violet, like the sun setting at the end of the day. Although she scrubbed it every day when she came to school, Piper looked beautiful. She always wore a different set of sweatpants every day. Goodness, does that girl have a ton of sweatpants. Once, I looked into one of her cabinets in her room while she was downstairs, there were like 30 pairs of sweatpants neatly folded. She never wore a shirt that was below her collarbone. Piper came to school with absolutely no trace of make-up and still, a couple of guys would drop their books when she passed by, even though she was completely oblivious of it. Along with other guys, I always look forward to that one day o the month where she wears jeans. When it’s that day, all the guys are drooling and some of the guys that she passes by even get a boner. Don’t believe me? Most people don’t. But I am not exaggerating her beauty.

“Why are you smiling?” Shawn asked. He was looking at me with the weirdest look on his face.

“Umm, n-no reason.” I stammered, looking down.

“Well, I don’t want to hurt Piper.” Shawn said.

“Neither do I.” I agreed. Agreed? Did I just agree to something that douche bag said?

“Good. Then you both are going to have to be all buddy buddy for her.” She patted our shoulders and walked away until she reached a kid and made a gesture. She took her index and middle finger and put them to her eyes and then pointed them to us. The kid nodded as she put something in his hand. Marie turned around and started playing a game. The little girl, who looked around the age of 7, came over and stood in front of us, “Well, get on with it!”She tapped her foot and started counting the green bills in her hand.

“Look, I’m … I’m sorry.” Shawn forced the words out. My eyes widened.

“For..?” the girl moved her hands in a circular motion to get him going.

“I, Shawn Johnson, am thoroughly sorry that I beat the shi-” he looked down at the girl who was looking at him expectantly, “crud, out of you.” I had my mouth covered, trying to hid my laugh that was threatening to come out.

She turned on me, “and you?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Me?”

“Yes, you!”

“Um, I’m sorry…?” I said.

“And what are you sorry for…plumkin?” She looked me up and down and was probably referring to my wounds.

“I am sorry for…” I struggled to get the word out, “st-stealing… Piper from you

“Yea, you are” She was looking at her nails when she said, “Now, it looks as if my work here is done, tips are permitted.” Her hand whipped out.

I looked at Shawn, he shrugged. He dug a ten dollar bill out of his pocket and gave it to the little tyke. She glared at me. My eyed rolled and I took out a five dollar bill. She just looked at me. Another five dollars. She nodded and skipped away whispering in Marie’s ear when she let her.

“Well, that wa--” I started.

“Look, I don’t fully forgive you, okay? I most likely never will. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be friends. I’m doing this for Piper because I like her. And I understand that you do too. And I’ll let you have your chance, but if you so much as put a scratch on the sweet heart of hers you’ll look like an overly-ripe plumpkin.” Shawn said.

“Shawn, I just don’t want things to be awkward between us.” I admitted.

“And it won’t. Sam this whole thing…never happened. We’re still best bros,” to everyone else. He didn’t say it, but it was implied.

“Mk...” I looked down. His arm swung around me as he led me to Marie. Before she turned to look, I quickly put my arm on Shawn’s shoulder.

“That was quick.” She muttered, slightly narrowing her eyes.

“Yea, well we both didn’t want to get Piper’s feelings hurt from us, so we agreed bros over hoes.” Shawn hesitated before finally saying “hoes”

“Well that’s…good…”she led us out side and I heard her murmur, “I think.”

I lay in my bed with my eyes closed, lights off, skin pulsing, and sister snoring that night. I was still thinking about what Shawn had said. Was he threatening me?

Of course he is.

It still bothered me. Shawn and I used to be…friends. I guess you could call us that. There were those moments where we would fight over Piper.

”Aw, the car is full!” Piper pouted her lower lip adorably.

“You can sit on my lap!” I blurted.

It was just my luck that Shawn had said, “My lap’s open for business” at the same time I did. Piper soft, pink lips pulled at the corner; it was one of those rare days when she wore jeans. Today, they were shorts, showing off her long tanned legs. It was so hot out that almost everyone had their clothes off. All the guys had their shirts off. All the girls were in their bikinis; Except for Piper, of course, who had on jean shorts and a loose top, showing off the strap of her polka-dot bikini. She put her finger to her lip in an over-exaggerated “thinking” position.

Shawn glared at me, “Pipes,” I was so jealous that he had given her a nickname, “Come on, there’s my lap, or there’s spots over there.” He jabbed his thumb in my direction. My face. He was referring to my face; it wasn’t my fault that over the summer I had developed a serious case of acne. She shrugged.

I grinded my teeth, “Piper, at least my lap wouldn’t be infected with STD’s.” Shawn’s head snapped towards me. How that girl was oblivious to all this, I will never know. Shawn mouthed, “Too far” and glared at me while his muscles flexed. The girls in the car eyes went to his perfect body and they all sighed. I saw one girl, Stella; I think her name was mouth to Piper, “Shawn! Shawn, pick Shawn!”

“Lemme, narrow your choices,” an African American chick sneered at Piper, with the smallest bikini on the planet. She got up from her spot and lowered herself on Shawn, slipping her tongue down his throat, while straddling him. Gross. Was it just me, or was Piper’s eyes shining. No. A single tear fell from her eye and she slid into the car, putting her head on my chest. I just stroked her hair. Shawn looked over for the first time and I winked at him. He looked like he was about to kill me, then the girl, whose name I later learned was Sandra, forced his attention back on her.

I won this round. Even if she end up crying in the end

That was over two summers ago. My hair had grown out, my face cleared up, and that chick went to rehab after being accused of prostitution. Shawn and I were never really friends.

And we probably never would be.