Unfold

Chapter Twenty-Three (23)

UPDATE CITYYYYY; also look at the banner photo. I AM STUCK IN A BLIZZARD. MORE UPDATES TO COME (PROBABLY...HOPEFULLY.)
I already had most of this chapter written since the last one got too long. Let me know what you think!
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It was weird; bringing to light the part of her life that brought so much darkness. The memory that haunted her dreams most nights. She had kept it hidden in hopes that would make it to go away. Eight years later, she realized that wasn't happening.

She told him every detail from the passenger seat of his car. She stared out the windshield at her closed up coffee shop, eyeing the blinking security alarm she could see through the window. She couldn't bring herself to look anywhere else. 

She told him how she stayed back in the woods and how Jake kissed her, about how she was excited but then she was scared when he started pushing things too far. She couldn't help the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She tried her best to keep her voice level. She hoped Shawn wasn't judging her.

"The worst part," she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Was he just kept saying it was okay through the entire thing. Maybe to convince himself, or maybe he thought he could actually convince me if he said it enough." Jean shook her head and looked directly at Shawn. "But it wasn't okay, Shawn." She choked as her words came out and she covered her mouth. "Nothing about it was okay."

Shawn moved the center console that was separating them and silently moved over to wrap his arms around her. She pressed her face into his neck and he stayed there, squeezing her tighter. She clung to him like she was hanging onto her life. He finally pulled back looked her at her face, taking the sleeve of his sweatshirt and wiping the tears from her eyes. She laughed when he did this, wiping her own face.

"I don't want to see how I look right now," Jean said through her tears. Shawn pulled down the sun visor, the lights automatically illuminating around the mirror. Jean covered her eyes and groaned, pushing the visor back up. Shawn laughed softly.

"I'm sorry, not the time to be funny," Shawn said, smiling softly and looking her in the eyes. She couldn't describe the feelings within her when he looked at her. She couldn't help but throw her arms around him again.

He pulled her back over to his side, holding her in his arms as put her feet up in the passenger seat. He stroked her hair as she leaned her head back against his chest. It was weird how comfortable she felt, but after just telling him what she kept hidden for nearly a decade, letting her hold him felt like nothing.

"Jean, I'm so sorry," Shawn said. "That's a lot to carry around. Do you know where this guy lives?" Shawn asked. Jean couldn't see his face but she laughed through her tears.

"I don't even know his last name."

"Dang it," Shawn muttered under his breath. "He's lucky, then."

Jean turned to look at Shawn's face. "Shawn, what would you do?"

He smiled, the back of his head leaning back on the window. "He would definitely get a stern talking to."

Jean smiled and shook her head at him before turning back around. "That's what I thought."

"Are you insinuating something?"

"No, I'm just saying you're too nice."

"Your friend Bret punched me in the face, but who ended up taking you home that night?"

She turned back towards Shawn, her jaw hanging open but unable to hide the smile behind it. Shawn didn't move, that same lazy smile on his face and his eyes filled with amusement, enjoying every second of teasing her.