Unfold

Chapter Twenty-Two (22)

UGHHH sorry friends, I've been SO SICK ALL WEEK SKDNSOFNSK.
I went to the doctor, they gave me a SHOT. A SHOT. I couldn't walk. Now I'm on all sorts of steroids and antibiotics all from trying to TEACH THROUGH A COLD. 
I had to split this chapter up, but I will do everything in my power to give you more updates this weekend! A blizzard is hitting Toledo and I'll be stuck here! Plus, no work Monday! I HAVE NO EXCUSE! HARASS ME SO ILL UPDATE. YOUR HARASSMENT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, and so do your votes and comments. Ugh love you guys so much. You guys make dreams come true.
readers: wAN dos SHAHWT find out JEN a streppr?
Me: SOON, FRIENDS, SOON.
Sorry; this is the cold medicine talking. HERE U GO
God bless you all!
________________________________

Jean couldn't handle what this night had become. The guilt of dancing for money, for Shawn's kindness that she didn't deserve...it was too much. She didn't know what she wanted; she was just tired of feeling so alone.

She ripped off the black dress that she had worn to work that night and chucked it into the corner of her room. She ripped open the top drawer of her dresser and grabbed some shorts and a T-Shirt. Her tennis shoes were still lying by her front door from the morning before when she ran with Shawn and Tyler.

She started running down the sidewalk, not really sure where she was headed. Five minutes in, she knew this was a terrible idea; not only because it was the middle of the night, but because she had spent the night drinking. She didn't care, and she pushed herself through the pain.

She wondered how many more people she could drive away. Her parents. Anthony. Terry. She sometimes wondered if Jasmine left because she couldn't handle her. Now Shawn; quite possibly the best person she would ever know, and she had just about destroyed all there was with him too.

When she thought she couldn't go any further, she forced herself to run faster. She ran until she was too tired to think about anything but the pain that was in her body.

***

"Did Jean not come to lunch yesterday because of Samantha Tracy?"

The words were out of Zeiler's mouth before she had even finished opening the front door. She and Shawn both looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak first. Tyler walked into the room and Zeiler put a hand up to stop him in his tracks.

"Zeiler, I have no idea. Jean wouldn't tell me. What's up with Samantha?"

Zeiler shook her head, a mischievous smile on her face. She handed her phone to Tyler, who narrowed his eyes in confusion as he started to read whatever it was she gave him.

"Really?" Shawn asked, waiting for both of them to finish reading. Tyler closed his eyes and handed the phone back to Zeiler.

"I'll let you two handle that one," Tyler said, putting his hands up and walking back towards his room. Zeiler didn't skip a beat before putting the phone in front of Shawn, revealing a ridiculously long text message.

"Woke up to that this morning," Zeiler said, resting her chin on Shawn's shoulder as they both scanned the phone. "She was apparently talking to Kim in the bathroom at church. They were discussing if you and Jean were dating. Then they found out she was in there the whole time."

"And they texted you about it?" Shawn asked, looking up from the apologetic text to Zeiler.

Zeiler shrugged. "She said she felt guilty and convicted all night and wanted to make sure that Jean didn't take it the wrong way."

Shawn handed the phone back to Zeiler and pressed his palms into his eyes. "What did she say exactly?"

Zeiler shook her head. "If she felt the need to text me about it, I'm guessing it's not something she's proud of."