Three Empty Words (S.M.)

chapter 4

"Matt," he's looking at Alicia. I pick up her phone. "Matt." i say again. He's not paying attention. And now Shawn's at my side. "Matt!" I say, louder. He finally looks at me.

"What, Autumn? What could you possibly need?" I show him the picture and he just sighs and shakes his head.

"How did she get it?" I ask him. He shakes his head again. "How. Did. She. Get. It." i say through gritted teeth.

Matt closes his teeth together. "Think about it, Autumn. Think. About. It." I can see Shawn disappearing from my vision. "Who is the only person who has that picture?" And then i realize what he means. Shawn.

*Autumns POV*

Shawn looks down at me from by my side as i look up at him. "Autumn, i can expla-"

"Explain what, Shawn? How you exposed me and Matt to his girlfriend? There's not a right explanation for that." I drop the phone and begin to walk away, leaving Matt attempting to comfort a now-awake Alicia on the floor.

I hear Shawn start following me. "Please, Autumn. Just hear me out."

I stop, turn around, and cross my arms in front of me. He just looks at me. "Well?" i ask.

He looks confused, "Well what?"

I scoff, "Well you have one minute to explain yourself and make up however many excuses possible, so go for it."

Shawn just stands there. He looks down at his feet, twiddles his thumbs. He looks up again, but not at me, behind me. I wish he'd say something. The crowd is receding but there's still some people waiting to see what he's gonna say. And then he says it, "I can't tell you here."

Tears gather in my eyes, "Yeah, best friends. What happened to that?" I turn around before i break in front of everybody. And there, right before my eyes, is French Tips. "Really, Shawn?" I say to him one more time and then i walk away.

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The rest of the day goes by in a blur. Matt tries to talk to me but i don't let him. Alicia and her crooked nose gives me glares. Shawn doesn't even try to meet my eyes. And from Ali and everybody else, i just get stares and sympathetic smiles. Life's just great. And to make everything just so much better, i get home and Austin decides to be oh so nice to me.

"What's wrong with you?" He throws me against the wall, my arm hits something sharp.

"Nothing, Austin. Nothing at all." i try to walk away but he puts his arm under my chin, pinning me to the wall by my neck.

"Then what's this?" He wipes a tear from my eye.

"Huh, how'd that get there?" I narrow my eyes. "Can we not do this while Alex is here?"

He scoffs and rolls his eyes, "Whatever." He lets go of me and goes to his room.

Really, all i wanna do now is lay down and cry with maybe a box of ice cream. But instead i go see Alex. I walk upstairs to her room and stop by the door. i watch her play for awhile, i watch as she has a tea party with her stuffed animals. "Hear you go, Fred. Your tea, Jeff." She says. And then something else. "Would you like sugar with that, dad? How about some creamer, mom?" five seats around the table, one for Alex, two for mom and dad, and two for Fred and Jeff.

I clear my throat. "Hi, A." She smiles at me and runs into my arms. "How was your day at school?"

She hugs me tight, "It was good, sissy. But i missed Mom and Dad a lot today." I swear, this girl.