Some Things Never Change [SHAWN MENDES]

May 5, 2015

I was home for a month-long break from touring. My parents insisted I go to school during this time, which was pretty ridiculous. My tutor hadn't moved at the same pace as my teachers, so I was ahead in some classes and behind in others. I did the best I could but it's not like my grades really mattered since I'd recently made the decision that I wasn't going to college. My mum and dad's reasoning for attending school was that it kept me grounded by ensuring that I was a normal teen when I was home. Unfortunately, I wasn't treated like I was normal except by my closest friends. Everyone else saw me differently now. Girls who wouldn't give me the time of day before suddenly started flirting with me, and guys who used to make fun of me now wanted me to autograph their CD of my first album.

Handwritten had dropped the month before and it was selling better than expected. Today was a big day because my song "Stitches" was hitting the airwaves as it was officially released as a single. It had been available on iTunes earlier for those who pre-ordered my album and was a fan favorite, but now that it would be on the radio, it had potential to be my biggest song yet. I'd filmed the video and was excited for everyone to see it because I'd had to do some badass stunt work.

My parents let me skip school since I had a couple phone in radio interviews to promote the song. Later, my friends came over to celebrate with me. All of the guys had drawn stitches on their faces with a sharpie marker which was fucking awesome. Ceci must not have gotten the memo because her face was bare. It had taken a lot of persuading to get her to come over since she didn't love hanging out with the guys.

It was a really warm day, so we sat around the pool in my backyard eating junk food.

"Who is the most famous person you've met so far?" Ian asked.

"I dunno. Maybe Ellen?" I answered.

"She's great, but that's a pretty lame answer," Brian said. "Who is the hottest chick you've had the pleasure of meeting?"

"Um, I guess Fiona," I said, blushing as I remembered the occasion.

"Thank you, London!" I called out to the small crowd at The Garage.

I hurried backstage eager to greet my mum and my UK family who'd been in attendance. When I got to the large room where a buffet of food and drinks awaited me and my band, my bodyguard pulled me aside.

"There's someone who wants to say hello to you," he said with an amused smirk.

"A fan?" I asked.

"Not exactly. She's out in the hall."

He led me to the corridor and there was Fiona Slattery leaning against the concrete block wall wearing tight leather pants and a blue halter top. She smiled when she saw us and pushed off the wall to walk towards me. The heels of her boots were so high that she was close to my height.

"Hello. I'm Fiona," she said.

"Hi, I'm Shawn."

She laughed. "I know that. Would I be here if I didn't know who you were?" Her accent was thick which I found very sexy.

"Oh right. Sorry."

"Great show. I love your new songs."

"Oh, uh, thanks," I responded awkwardly.

My bodyguard stepped back in the room to give us some privacy, but we weren't alone for more than a second before my family appeared at the end of the hall, waving and calling my name.

Fiona looked at the approaching group and leaned towards me. "Call me when you turn eighteen, love." And then she left.

As I watched her go, I considered pinching myself because this was so much like the scenario my friends had dreamed up months ago, minus the part where she fucked me.

"Too bad you didn't hook up with her," Brian said.

Ceci turned and looked at the screen door. "You might want to censor this conversation. Karen and Aaliyah are in the kitchen and could hear you."

That temporarily shut my friends up but as soon as we were in the basement later that night, the subject of sex came up again.

"So has that cherry been popped yet?" Matt asked me.

"For fuck's sake," Ceci muttered under her breath.

I was sick of being asked this question every time I was back in Canada with my friends. Most of them were still virgins, so why were they obsessed with my status?

We were streaming one of the local pop radio stations to see if "Stitches" was in rotation and miraculously it came on as I was about to answer Matt's question. The room fell silent as we listened to the whole song.

"That was our very own Shawn Mendes from Pickering, folks! I'm pretty sure that song is going to be a huge hit for the sixteen year old singing sensation!" the DJ enthused when the song was over.

I looked at Ceci and she gave me a smile as she mouthed, "I'm so proud of you!"

My heart did a flip flop in my chest and I was suddenly struck with the desire to cross the room, take her in my arms, and kiss her. I couldn't do that, of course.

"You never answered my question," Matt said.

I hated lying, but I couldn't take this bullshit anymore. "I'm not going to give any details out of respect for the girl, but yeah, I did get with someone I met in Atlanta."

The guys started clapping and making whooping noises.

"You've got to give us more than that!" Brian shouted.

I had to think on my feet, which wasn't my strength. "She was, um, a college student and she was staying at my hotel so it was easy to sneak her into my room."

"Was it good?" Ian asked.

"Fuck yeah it was. The third time was the best, though. That time we did it in the shower." I figured if I was going to lie, I might as well go all in.

I glanced over at Ceci and she was looking at me with such disappointment, which was such a switch from how she'd been looking at me a minute ago. She shook her head and got up off the floor, hurrying up the stairs without saying a word.

"She's such a prude," Matt said. "She's also a snob. I swear she thinks she's better than all of us."

"She is better than us," I responded. "And don't talk shit about her."

"Yeah!" Brian added as he threw a pillow at Matt. "You're talking about the woman I love!"

"Jesus, man," Ian said with an eye roll, "you've been hot for her for years and she never even acknowledges your existence. Shawn's the only one here she ever really talks to."

"One day she's gonna wake up and realize that I'm the guy for her. Just you wait!" Brian told him.

"It's more likely that she'll fall for Shawny-boy considering they've known each other forever and are always having to spend time together at family events. He's totally going to steal your girl," Ian joked.

"He wouldn't do that to me," Brian asserted. "It's against the code. And we all know she's like a cousin to him. It would be incest for them to get together. Right?"

It was time for lie number two. "It's gross to even think about her that way."