Shanon once more

The next segment of Shannon's story! This actually played out a lot differently in my head than I imagined. I like it anyway.


"No, press A. That's not A. Press A. No. Just. No! You're doing it wrong"

"This game is stupid." Shannon said not for the first time that night.

"You're not playing it right, that's why!" Carl said. "Here let me." Carl reached for the controller.

Shannon pulled away in defense. "No! I'm getting better!" She protested.

"No, you're really not." Carl leaned back on the sofa and continued to watch Shannon struggle with game.

They had been in the basement for hours. None of the other guys there said anything. They just gave Shannon the controller and sat there watching her play silently. If Carl hadn't been talking to her the entire time Shannon might have left it was so awkward. Most of the other boys had left at this point.

Amanda come down the stairs to see if Shannon was there.

"You've been in the basement all this time?" She asked from the step.

Shannon turned and saw Amanda looking confused. "Hi, Amanda!" she called, "I'm playing video games!" she announced proudly. She turned back to the game and continued to fail at everything.

"I can see that." Amanda said walking over to the couch where Shannon and Carl sat. The other boys just leered awkwardly.

"Hi, Amanda!" Carl said. "You don't know me. I'm Carl."

"Hi, Carl." Amanda said dismissing him. "Shannon, we gotta go."

"Ok." Shannon paused the game handed the control to a nearby boy who took it and quietly mumbled a thank you in reply. "It was nice to meet you, Carl." Shannon said as she happily bounced off.

"Same, to you. Bye, Amanda!" Carl called off to the two girls as they left.

As Shannon and Amanda walked home Shannon couldn't help but smile. The party was more fun than she thought it would be, she was glad she went. Amanda seemed to be in a sour mood.

"What's wrong?" Shannon asked.

"I just expected tonight to go way differently." Amanda said. She sighed and looked at Shannon. "I won't lie. I told Cassie to throw this party and to invite Jeremy so you two could spend some time together talking. Of course she didn't invite him so he never showed."

Shannon just stared unsure of what to say.

"At least you had a fun time." Amanda finally said.

"It doesn't seem like you had fun." Shannon said.

"I spent the whole time arguing with Cassie."

"About what?"

Amanda looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, tell me. It'll make you feel better." Shannon gave Amanda a hug. Amanda laughed and finally relented.

"Cassie is jealous of you. She likes Jeremy and doesn't want you to hook up with him. That's why she didn't invite him."

Shannon stopped smiling.

"I don't know why but she seems to hate you. She told me to kick you out of the party. I told her no and she told me she'd kick me out of the party. I even asked Jasmine what she thought of you, ya know, since you guys have Art class together. But Jasmine's too spineless to stand up to Cassie."

"So what happened then." Shannon asked.

"That's when I came and found you." Amanda looked Shannon in the eye. "How did you end up playing video games in her basement with those guys?"

"Carl invited me. And I just, kinda didn't realize how long I was down there." Shannon shrugged.

"I guess it doesn't matter." Amanda said. "Come on. Wanna sleep over tonight? It's pretty late and I doubt Meredith and Fredrick would like you coming in at this hour. We can head over to your place first thing tomorrow morning." Amanda looked at Shannon expectantly.

Shannon thought Amanda looked really sad. She had a feeling she wasn't asking for Shannon's sake but more for her own. "Sure. It'll be like back when we were in elementary school!"