𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘆 (𝗯𝘅𝗯)

Seventy Three

"What happened? Are you okay?" Jaxon asks over the phone, his voice filled with concern.

Shawn shrugs his shoulders. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Do you know what happened?"

Shawn clears his throat. "Uh, overdose. He...He k-killed himself."

"Baby-."

Shawn places his hand over his face and shakes his head again. "Look, baby. C-Can you like...Take a week off and come down here?"

"Of course. Where are you? Is Gavin with you?"

"Still at the hospital. The nurse just told me the news. Fuck, I can't be around anyone right now I just need you, baby."

"Of course, Shawn. I'll call my professors and get things figured out. Just...Please stay calm, okay? I love you so much."

**
Shawn sats in the passenger's seat, staring out the window. Gavin looks over at him, "Food, Shawn. You should eat something."

Shawn doesn't respond and continues to stare out the window.

"Shawn!"

Shawn shakes his head and starts to bite on his fingernails. "I'm good. Not hungry."

"You haven't eaten in like three days. Come on, you need to at least east something."

"Not hungry."

"Shawn, you nee-."

"I'm not fucking hungry!" Shawn grabs the food bag and slams it down on the console. "Stop fucking buggin' me." He sighs and opens the car door, stepping out to lean against the car.

Gavin sighs and leans his head against the back of the seat. He gets out of the car and stands next to Shawn.

"Just speak to me, man."

Shawn rolls his eyes. "What do you want me to say?"

"How you're feeling. I know how you felt about your dad but it isn't easy to lose a parent."

"What do you know?" Shawn turns to look at him.

Gavin widens his eyes and crosses his arms. "Don't be a dick. You know I'm here to fucking help so let's try that again. Talk to me."

Shawn sighs. "I don't know. I don't know how to feel and I don't wanna feel sad over that stupid asshole."

Gavin places his hand on Shawn's shoulder. "No one will look at you any different if you're upset about him. He was an asshole but he was your dad."

"He wasn't my father. He was...He was just a person. A person who just so happened to be with my mom."

"Shawn-."

"No, it's whatever. I don't wanna talk about this anymore. Can we just go?" Shawn gets back into the car, slamming the door shut.

Gavin uncrosses his arms and shrugs as he gets back into the drivers seat. "Go where?"

"Anywhere but my house. I-I don't wanna go back into that house. Can we stay at yours, please?"

"Can't, remember? Mom is renovating. We could just go back to yours-."

"I don't wanna go back there. Let's just get a hotel."

"Uhm, we can't be mindlessly spending cash like that, Shawn. We need to save to...You know, prepare for your dads-."

"Then where are we gonna go?" Shawn cuts him off.

"Call Jaxon's mom."

Shawn groans and leans his head back. "That's so fucking awkward. His fuckin' sisters still live there. I'm gonna look like a bitch showing up there all distraught and shit."

"For experiencing a regular human emotion?" Gavin puts the car into drive, "We're going."

**
Jaxon hangs up his phone after calling one of his professors. He had got extensions for all of his classes except one as the professor was being unreasonably rude.

He decided he didn't care at this point. He was switching schools soon anyways and could easily make up the credit.

Jaxon stands up from his bed and walks out to knock on Kai's bedroom door.

Kai opens the door quickly and smiles. "Oh, hey! What're you up to?"

"Uhm. I'm going back home. Shawn's dad passed."

"What? What happened?"

"An overdose, apparently. He asked me to come down. I just wanted to let you guys know."

"Woah. When are you leaving?"

"I'm about to look up tickets right now. See the earliest I can get down there."

Kai nods. "We should come, too."

"But...You have school, and AJ has track."

Kai shakes her head. "Track season is over and most of my classes are online anyways. How's he doing?"

"I'm not sure. You know he's not gonna let his guard down around a lot of people."

"I know, I know."

"Okay well...Uhm, speak to AJ, let me know if you guys can tag along. I'm gonna go search up the quickest flights."

**
"Okay, baby. You said four hours?"

"Mhm. I'll be there by tomorrow night. Is that okay?"

"More than okay."

"Okay. Where are you staying tonight did you go back home?"

Shawn shakes his head and looks around Jaxon's room. "Nah, I found somewhere else."

"Oh?" Jaxon squints his eyes. "Where?"

"Uh. The room is like medium-sized...Bed in the center of the room. There's a white vanity with some old makeup on it...Oh, and a lot of pictures of hot guys on the walls-."

"What? Are you in my room?"

Shawn chuckles. "What gave it away? The posters?"

Jaxon smiles and shakes his head. "Oh my god. I told my mom to take those down!"

"It's kinda cute if I'm being completely honest."

"I'm glad you're there."

"Me too. Your mom is really nice. Made Gav and I dinner. Oh, I also finally got my infamous red hoodie back. Wearing it right now."

"No fair. Why'd you go into my closet?"

"Needed a hoodie. It got cold."

"Well stay out. I kept specific hoodies there for a reason and they're not for you to touch."

Shawn laughs again. "You mean my hoodies?"

"You gave them to me."

"To borrow."

Jaxon smiles. "Which translates to "to keep", you should know this."

Shawn chuckles and leans his head back. "Whatever. Too tired to argue."

"Cause you know I'm right."

Gavin walks into the room, Shawn's suitcase in his hands. "Hey. I went back to your place. Grabbed your stuff and...I cleaned up after your dad."

Shawn sits up in the bed and nods. "Thanks."

"Sure," He sits down next to Shawn, "You decided what you're gonna do about the house?"

"Nah. I haven't thought about any of that shit yet."

"No pressure. I was just asking." Gavin sets his hand on Shawn's back before standing up. "I'll let you sleep. Try to actually get some. You've been up for forever."

**