Shannon

I knew this was coming. That doesn't make it any less exciting or anything.

Shannon!


After a week Eddie still hadn't moved back in with the Bakers. Shannon hadn't seen him at school either.

"I saw him once in the hallway but he disappeared into a classroom before I could catch up." Amanda once said.

"I see him all the time, we have intro to psychology together." Aberdine told Shannon at lunch. "We all have the same lunch period but I never see him in the cafetorium."

"Why hasn't he moved back?" Shannon asked.

"Dunno. You should probably ask him if you ever see him." Aberdine was about to take a bite of her sandwich but stopped. "Oh, I won't be at the planning committee meeting tonight. I have to be home early."

"I'll let them know you're not going to be there." Shannon sighed and rested her head on the table.

The planning committee was as hectic as ever. They were already in a frenzy planning for the Valentines Dance in a week.

"Where's Aberdine?" Damien asked Shannon.

"She said she couldn't make it tonight."

"This is an important week! We can't have her just running off when things get tough." Damien stormed off and started barking orders at a group of other students that were talking in a corner.

After a long meeting the committee finally was dismissed for the day. Shannon trudged to her locker to gather her homework and head home. The school was empty save for the janitorial staff cleaning up. Her shoes echoed as she walked through the empty halls. Even the rest of the event planning committee had already gone in the time it took her to go to her locker.

As Shannon opened the front door of the school to walk home she saw Eddie walking towards the parking lot next to the school.

"Eddie?!" She cried.

Eddie stopped and looked up. He smiled and waved at her.

Shannon ran down the steps and tackled Eddie with a hug. "Where have you been!? How come I never see you at school? Why aren't you around at lunch?"

"One at a time!" Eddie said pushing Shannon off him.

"Why don't you eat lunch with Aberdine and I?" She asked.

"I will after I take care of somethings."

"What things?"

Eddie sighed. "I'm setting up some summer courses." Shannon looked startled. "Relax. I'm not failing or anything. I just want to be able to apply for the Universities I want to. Some of them have very strict entry requirements and if I don't take the extra courses in the summer I'll end up in high school for an extra two years just to make up the grades."

"How come I never see you around school?"

"We just have different classes in different parts of the school. I have a class with Aberdine though!"

"I know, intro to psychology. She told me." Shannon looked at the ground.

"What is it?" Eddie asked putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Why haven't you moved back yet?" She asked.

Eddie took his hand away and sighed. "It's complicated." He finally said.

"Just tell me!" Shannon demanded.

Eddie turned away and stood silently for a moment. "My step dad wants me to move back in with the family."

"But how are you getting too and from school? They live far away don't they?"

"Now that I'm old enough to drive my dad is having me drive to school." He paused. "I got my license the other week."

"I still don't understand." Shannon said. "Can't you just move back until the summer like usual?"

"Look," Eddie said, "it was either this, or I transfer to a closer school."

"So you chose this?" Shannon looked at Eddie with sad eyes.

"I'd miss my cousin too much." Eddie admitted. "Plus without me around who's going to reign in Amanda?"

Shannon hugged and Eddie, a tear streamed down her cheek but she wiped it away before Eddie noticed. "So you promise you won't go away?" She asked finally.

"At least not until University." He smiled. "C'mon." Eddie motioned to a beat-up car in the student parking lot. "I'll give you a ride home."