The Professor: AKA My Mom's Best Friend (GxG)

XXV

*Lindsay's POV*

"Shannon! Talk to me, baby!" I shouted after her as she stormed into the main house. The car ride was incredibly awkward, with her not saying a word the whole time. 

Both Mom's and Alex's heads popped up from the couch, observing the confrontation. 

"Were you flirting with that girl?" Shannon asked angrily, heavily placing a new wine bottle against the marble benchtop, cracking it open. 

"Oop," Alex whispered, "not cool, Lindsay."

"Alex, not fucking now," I growled, shooting daggers her way. 

"Lindsay!" Mom scolded.

"Lindsay!" Shannon yelled, "you didn't answer my question."

I looked between Shannon, my mom, and Alex, suddenly feeling the centre of attention. 

"Jess, baby, let's go fuck in the park," Alex husked, causing me to roll my eyes. With Alex and Mom out of the house, it left just Shannon, I, and the deafening silence. 

"Well?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. A perfectly sculptured eyebrow. She was so beautiful. The way the dim lights from the kitchen ceiling lit up her face, accentuating her features. She looked like an angel. A very pissed off angel. 

"You were! You were flirting with her!" She accused, taking a swig out of the bottle of wine. 

"W-what? No! No, Shannon!" I tried to explain, realising I had zoned out while staring at her, seeming guilty. 

"Don't even try to deny it, Lindsay. I was stupid for thinking that I could fall for someone again. Not after India. It's like my mother used to say, 'you can't trust anybody but yourself'. Fucking true, aye?" 

"Shannon, I was not flirting with that girl. I had never seen her before, she meant absolutely nothing to me. You mean something to me! Everything to me! I wouldn't sacrifice that. For what? Some lousy hook-up? I don't have that little respect for you."

"You're right," Shannon mumbled, walking towards her bedroom. 

"Thank you! I knew we'd sort this out," I sighed.

"No, you're right, Lindsay. What you did was disrespectful. You disrespected me. How can I trust you?" 

"Shannon! W-wha... h-ho... pl-l...," I stammered, following after her like a lost puppy, down the hall.

Shannon arrived at her bedroom door, pushing it open, before spinning around to face me. 

"Just leave me alone, Lindsay," she whispered, shutting the door in my face, leaving me alone and cold in the dark hallway. Only a door separated the two of us, yet in that moment, it felt like we were light years away from each other. 

Walking back to my guest house, my heart felt heavy. Like it'd been ripped from my chest, chucked in a blender, then fed to sharks. My heart ached for Shannon, now more than ever. She was my comfort, my calm place, but also the one who had caused this emptiness, this hurt. 

Climbing into my bed, I didn't realise the silent tears that were trailing down my cheeks, let alone my nails digging into the palms of my hand. My jaw clenched, unable to calm it down. The anxiety washed over my body, absolutely destroying me until all that was left was a shell of a human. 

I couldn't fathom how one woman could impact me so profoundly. Her love, affection, made my heart melt. Made me think about our future, envisioning a life, forever, with her. Yet, she also had the power to take that love away. To destroy me. She had become my lifeline, my home, she had my heart. Thinking about losing her, it was too much. Willing myself to sleep, I shut my eyes tightly, until the image of Shannon closing the door on me became a distant memory. 

I just hoped she wasn't closing the door on us. 

~~~

Waking up the next morning, my eyes ached. My head felt heavy, my chest, hollow. I was a zombie, acting on auto-pilot. From the bedroom, to the bathroom, to the kitchen, to the couch. Which is where I stayed, for the next four hours. Just me, my ice-cream, and my favourite television sit-com. 

I didn't know how or why, but I ended up at Shannon's door. Hand knocking, as I stood there, looking like an absolute wreck.

"Lindsay," she whispered, upon opening the door, "I've been expecting you."

Holding the door open for me, I walked into her room, not knowing whether to sit or stand. With Shannon sitting back on her bed after closing the door, I decided on standing in the corner, leaning against the wall, out of habit. 

Before Shannon could get a word in, I asked, "Do you trust me, Shannon?"

Her eyes raised to meet mine, and I couldn't decipher the flood of emotions hiding behind her eyes. 

"I-i...," she mumbled, falling short of forming a sentence.

"It's a pretty simple question, Shannon. You either trust me or you don't. Yes or no."

"I don't trust anybody, Lindsay," she whispered, looking down at the floor. 

"We can't have a loving, functioning relationship without trust, Shannon. I am invested in this. I think about our future. Sharing cuddles and smooches as we travel the world, hand-in-hand. Going any place we want, at any time. I want that future with you, Shannon. Our future."

"I care for you, Lindsay. So much. That's what makes this so difficult. I don't trust it. I don't trust that you could love me as much as I love you. That anybody could love me," Shannon sighed.

"I love you, Shannon. With my whole heart," I smiled, "wait, did you just say you loved me?"

"Of course I love you, Lindsay. I started to fall for you instantly. I imagine our future. Buying a big, old house with you, some place where our three children can build treehouses and ride their bikes. It just, seems so unattainable."

"But it is attainable, Shannon. I'm willing to try, I will forever! You just have to trust me."

"I-i need some time to think, Lindsay."

Nodding my head, I led myself over to Shannon, looking down at her. 

"I'll give you time, Shannon. Just please come back to me. I am head over heels in love with you."

Leaning down, I placed a gentle kiss on Shannon's forehead, before letting myself out.

Deflated and exhausted, I was exiting Shannon's bedroom with more questions than before I entered. 

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- T.J Starc