Just Friends?

Chapter Three
-------------


"Are you sure you're okay?" Tina asked, looking worriedly at her friend. Tina Benson was a gorgeous young woman, even in the plain baggy red shirt and beige pants uniform required for the job at the bakery/ice cream store. With her raven black hair and milky white skin, she was a vampiric beauty. At the moment, she was concerned about her closest friend.

She scooped a chocolate ice cream cone for the little kid, smiled briefly, then turned to the unusually quiet, unsmiling girl beside her. Tina had a bad feeling in her stomach that things had not turned out positively between Shawn and Jeanne.

"Tell me what happened, Jeanne," she said softly, patting the other girl softly on her shoulder.

"Nothing happened," Jeanne replied dully, giving the change to a young teenager who looked sympathetically at the girl before leaving. Tina felt her temper rise.

"Obviously something has happened," Tina said through gritted teeth. "Otherwise you wouldn't be looking as though a Mack truck just ran over you. If you don't tell me what happened, I am going to kill Shawn."

"I can't cry anymore, Tina," Jeanne trembled, her eyes already starting to fill up with tears. "Oh god... he..."

The door to the ice-cream store swung open, and a familiar person walked in. David Ginsbury. Tina's lip curled with contempt, her eyes sweeping down his well toned body almost reluctantly. David had been a thorn in her side for ages, since the first time they'd met. Jeanne got along swimmingly with David, though, as their families had been friends for a long time.

"Jeannie, are you crying?" David asked, concerned. She shook her head firmly, trying to conjure up a bright smile for her old friend, but a tear slipped down her cheek instead. She tried to wipe it away unconspicuosly, but David walked over to wipe it away tenderly. At the little gesture, Jeanne broke apart, starting to sob uncontrollably into his shoulder. He wrapped her into his arms warmly, stroking her long dark hair softly.

"Which bastard is making you cry?" the boy questioned, his jaw clenched. Tina's eyes met his from behind the counter, and she noticed, not for the first time, how striking he really was. With his pale blond hair, light green eyes, and bronze skin from constant soccer practice, David Ginsbury was hot.

"N-no one.."

Tina heard the little tinkle of bells announcing the arrival of a customer, and stopped when she saw Shawn standing at the doorway, his eyes glued to the scene before him. He had been there all along.

--------------------------------

His fist clenched over the assorted colorful buds in his hand, the fragile stems giving way under his tight, angry fingers. Shawn saw the tall guy holding Jeanne in his arms look up, and Shawn wanted to rip her from him.

"Shawn Donnelly, what are you doing here?" Tina called, her face set in a determined frown. Her light hazel eyes swept over him, asking a silent question. *What did you do to her, you fucker?* At the sound of his name, Jeanne lifted her red-eyed, tear stained face to meet his. His stomach swirled painfully at the sight of her ravaged brown eyes, holding a world of hurt in the dark pools.

"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice hoarse. When Jeanne tried to move from the man's grasp, his arms tightened around her, causing Shawn's jaw muscle to pulse in reaction. He focused on her face, feeling stupid with the flowers still clasped between his fingers. He could feel the chlorophyll from the broken stem seep into his hand.

"I... I wanted to say hello," Shawn replied. "It's the polite thing to do, you know."

Jeanne heaved in a shaky breath, and closed her eyes briefly. "Shawn, you were very clear about your intentions last night. I think it might be better for both of us to just... not speak to one another anymore."

His heart turned unnaturally at her quietly spoken words. His eyes took in the sight of her in the protective circle of the guy's embrace, and a cruel flash bred of pain crossed his pale eyes.

"Is he your new fuck buddy?" Shawn asked conversationally, unknowingly dropping the dead flowers onto the clean tile of the bakery floor. Suddenly, he felt strong hands grasp the collar of his shirt, then pushing him against the wall hard enough to make his head bang onto it.

"I don't know who the fuck you are, SHAWN, but you have no right to speak to Jeanne like that. If you do it again, I'll fucking kill you." David's green eyes bore into his with a consuming anger that matched Shawn's.

"I'd like to see you try, you little fag," Shawn shot out, pushing the other guy from him in disgust. He turned to Jeanne again, stopping at the pure emotionlessness on her features.

"Please leave the store now, Shawn."

"I'm not leaving." He knew he was being stupid, he knew he was being unreasonable... but he didn't know what the hell to do anymore. He didn't know how to fix it, he didn't know what to say for the first time in his life.

"I don't want to see you anymore," Jeanne spoke in that same colorless tone. "If you won't leave, I will." She slipped out of the apron on her shoulders, and looked at Tina briefly. "I'm going to take a break." Pushing past Shawn, she could feel her broken heart rip another few inches. She could smell faintly his Armani cologne, the soapy smell of his hair... and the memories flooded into her mind once more in a bone-breaking tide. She forced herself to be strong. She walked out of the store, half of her wishing he would run after her.

---------------------


Author's Note: Thank you all for your very kind comments, it always encourages me to write more, as I suppose anyone would. I will try to update at least once a day, I promise, but I feel a bit unsure as to what will happen next in this story. :( Please feel free to leave suggestions!