Mercy (Lauren/You)

twenty-two: something you believed you'd never do

"Do you remember Lauren?"

Shawn scoffed, opening his soda can. After taking a sip, he answered,"Do I." He said dramatically, shaking his head before shrugging."Why? Something happen to her?" He asked before taking another sip of his soda.

I shook my head slowly, staring down at my lap."Not...exactly." I replied hesitantly, chewing the inside of my cheek nervously. I felt his eyes on me, causing me to suck in a breath before speaking up."Something happened between me and her, and Camila found out and now I'm screwed because even though I know things about her past it...it still doesn't change the way I feel." I said all in one breath, causing me to take in a deep breath after then meet the boy's eyes.

His eyebrows rose, looking at me questionably as he said,"Something happen between you two?" He asked.

"Yeah..." I struggled to say. Releasing a breath, I continued."Lauren and I...we kind of...uh," I furrowed my eyebrows, looking up at the sky interestedly. I felt his eyes on me, probably his eyebrows furrowed too trying to figure out why I wasn't saying anything.

"Y/N?"

"We had a thing." I finally said, turning my head to meet his eyes. His eyebrow was quirked, probably wondering what I meant by that. I nodded silently to myself, knowing I had to say more."Like, you know, kissing -on the lips and we like, uh, had...sex and I -well, I-"

"Calm down, first." He interrupted me, a small smile on his lips making me furrow my eyebrows.

"Wait. Why are you smiling?" I asked, pointing my finger up at his face. He put my hand down, that small smile still on his lips.

"Because Y/N, it's funny that you're nervous about this. What did you think, I wasn't going to accept you or something?" I was hesitant, but nodded anyway. A frown was now on his lips."What made you think that?" He asked, confusedly.

"Well, for starters, religious reasons."

He groaned, throwing his head back and not even grunting in pain when his head hit the car. I raised my eyebrow, watching as he lifted his head up then shook his head.

"Why the fuck do people let themselves be guided with their religion?" Shawn exasperated, huffing after. He then turned to me, his eyebrows rose as he said,"Do you know many religions there are out there? Not only just know of them, but like really know about them. Because they are so many, and so many things to learn about them."

"Shawn..." I tried, but he continued.

"Look, I'm not telling you this to change your perspective on your religion or anything. I'm just telling you this because there are religions out there that believe the same thing, such as there being a higher power, the son of this higher power, the woman who gave birth to the son of this higher power...it's endless." He breathed out, and I raised my eyebrow trying to see where he was going with this."They all believe in something, they just have different ways of showing it and praising them. You know?"

Not really. But I let him continue.

"There's one thing they all have in common, it's the biggest thing that connects them all." He said, a happy chuckle escaping his lips after."Love. That's what connects them all, despite some differences. Don't you see, Y/N? Because of love, it makes us all the same..."