In which she falls for her brother's best friend
❝When I need a friend, You're the one that I choose, We're better together, Whenever we get stars in our eyes, Synchronize❞
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Oh so now he lives with us?!"
It was the night where Shawn showed up to the Matthews' residence with a few bags. Brooke looked at him in shock. She wasn't avoiding him but she was avoiding her feelings for him. School was a few hours long, survivable, and she was always in class so she barely saw him. Why was he here now?
"Come in, Shawn" Amy said from behind. "What is he doing here?" Brooke mouthed to Eric who was far away from the main door.
"Chet and Virna are out of town for a few days. And he's still a minor, so..." Eric shrugged. "Good Lord" Brooke huffed.
"Why? What's with you?" He looked at Brooke suspiciously. "Nothing."
Ever since they were back from the ski lodge, Shawn hadn't even spent one night over which was a bit unusual since he was at their house almost all the time.
"You can keep your things in Cory's room" Amy offered.
"Eric, Can I sleep in your room today? Please?" Brooke looked at him. "Why?" He asked.
'Because my room's right opposite to Cory's and I don't wanna see Shawn'
"Because...uh...we don't spend enough time together, don't ya think?" Brooke shook her head. "C'mon in, drama queen."
Brooke went to Eric's room as her eyes landed on the double-decker bed. She threw her bag on the top bunk as Eric and Brooke sat on the floor, deciding what games to play.
The morning was sooner than she thought it'd be. It was 6 in the morning. The time when the family was usually asleep. Brooke walked down and sees Shawn standing in the kitchen, probably preparing his own breakfast.
Her eyes widened for a split second, before she turned around to walk back into Eric's room.
"I can fix two bowls of cereal if you stay" She froze in place.
Brooke turns around and stares at him. He looked like he woke up just a few minutes back...He was still in his pajamas. his hair were messy and his eyes were slightly droopy and he had sleep imprints on his right cheek. H
'Yet, he looked pretty'
"S-Sure" She murmured and sat on the table, playing with the hem of her shirt.
"You've been distant since we got back" He casually said, placing the bowl of cereal on the table. "No I haven't..." "I can tell when you lie, Brooke" He smiled slightly.
"I just...thought that..." Brooke sighed. "You seemed busy with all those girls and I just tho-"
"You thought I'd just ignore you because now there are more girls here?" He raised a brow. "No! No, I mean- well, yeah." Brooke sighed. "Back at the lodge, there was only one grade, from which, many girls had cancelled. I didn't think you'd wanna spend more time with me since we were back." Brooke shrugged, making Shawn sigh.
"Brooke, c'mon, I'd never do that to you!" He reasoned.
"I know! It's just that...Shawn we used to be so close! Almost inseparable! And then high school started, priorities changed. You always had a girl with you and we drifted. I guess that trip allowed us to reconnect. I know you ended the doubts but I still felt that we spent time because girls weren't there. Now that we're back, I thought I'd give you some space" Brooke slowly started confessing as Shawn listened attentively.
"Man, Brooke, I'd never do that to you...treat you like a second option. You think those girls whose names I barely ever know are more important to me than my childhood friends?" Shawn pushed his bowl of cereal in front as he locked eyes with Brooke. "I know, it was stupid but I couldn't help those thoughts, really" Brooke shrugged, as he placed his arm on her shoulder, sending chills down her spine.
"You can always come talk to me. Nothing matters to me more than friends. I promise"
'Friends. Right. That's all that we are and can be'
"I'm sorry I made you feel that way." Brooke smiles a bit and nods as her heart melts due to the genuine apology. 'BROOKE STOP!' She scolds herself.
That same evening, she laid in bed. Shawn being out with Cory gave her enough time to think things through. She found herself entangled in an internal struggle, grappling with her conflicting emotions and attempting to suppress her burgeoning feelings for Shawn Hunter. How could someone who reveres commitment and loyalty, fall for someone who changes girls faster than he changes his clothes? There was something that day that she felt. And she was sure...or at least hoped that Shawn felt it too.
Brooke just couldn't overlook the potential consequences that loomed before her. There were so many cons. So why was this getting harder by each minute?!
She pondered the cons of losing herself in her attraction-- the potential disruption it could cause within their tight-knit circle of friends, and the high possibility of heartache if Shawn's playboy nature never stopped, or how Cory would react to everything.
She hoped it was just infatuation. This has to be a normal, stupid high school crush. Cause anything more than that was a risk to her friendship with Shawn, the chemistry of their friend group and her relationship with her brother.
She grew up watching movies and series that screamed 'First love hurts'. But if the first love happens to be a player, your childhood best friend, and your brother's #1...then pain becomes an understatement.
As much as Brooke tried to deny it, she couldn't help but feel an undeniable attraction towards him, a force she desperately fought to suppress. She knew the consequences of surrendering to her feelings could jeopardize everything, yet she couldn't ignore the connection she felt whenever Shawn was around.
These feelings were testing her patience. It's like they skyrocketed so quick. It seemed so weird that just over a weekend, Brooke was questioning if it was a crush or love. What was that all about?
