Shawn and Belle Fan Fiction.  Section one: Letting Down the Walls
Chapter 16

"Yeah?" he asked, sitting up and squinting into the light.  The door opened wider and Belle slipped in.
"Are you sleeping?" she asked.
"No, not at all, come in" he said.  She let herself in and sat down on the edge of his bed.
"It's freezing in here, why do you like it so cold?" she asked, hugging her arms to herself.
"Oh, here, sorry" he said, pulling back his sheets.  Belle crawled up the bed and slid into the bed, not close to him but still within touching reach.  Shawn looked at her-she looked so cute in her pjs, with her hair pulled back.  She laid back and they sat in silence.  Shawn shifted and Belle rolled over on her side, propping her head up on her hand. 
"Shawn, why were you embarrassed to show your grades to your parents?" she finally asked.
"I don't know, I just didn't want to" he said.  He looked at her and she waited.  "Not good enough?"
"Nope, try again" she said, pulling the sheet up higher..
"I don't know" he said.  He laid back, staring up at the ceiling.  It felt so easy to talk to her right now, in the dark.  He looked over at her and could just see the outline of her, with her light hair shining in the moonlight.  *What would Philip do if he knew where she was right now?* he thought to himself, laughing when he pictured his reaction.
"Well?" she asked, bringing him back to reality.
"I would have shown them, just not in front of everyone" he finally said.  "I mean, they weren't as good as yours"
"They almost were" she said.  "They were still good.  But you should have known you can't beat me" she added, laughing.
"That's it, you're asking for it!" he said, reaching over and grabbing her.  He began to tickle her and she tried to squirm away from hjs grasp.  Shawn held on and tickled her stomach.  He almost yelled out but was afraid of waking people.
"Shawn, no please" she whispered, trying to fight him.
"No way" he whispered back, still tickling her.
"Shawn, stop, NOW" she said, forcefully pulling away.
"Now, don't tell me you're mad" he said, watching her.
"No but you made me have to pee" she said, jumping up and running to the door.  Shawn laughed and settled back again.  He heard her coming back so he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.
"Shawn?" he heard her whisper.  She came closer.  "Shawn?" she asked, standing right over him.
"Prepare for your punishment!" he said, grabbing her and pulling her on top of him.  He began to tickle her again but this time she did it back.  They continued for some time, rolling around and giggling.  Finally, exhaustion made them stop.  Belle laid back next to him, their shoulders touching.  Shawn yawned.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm keeping you up" she said, climbing out of the bed.
"No, don't go" he said.  Belle didn't want to go and she could tell by the pleading in his eyes that he didn't want her to go either.  But he yawned again and Belle began to feel tired.
"Get some sleep, Shawn" she said, turning to leave.
"Don't I get tucked in?" she heard him say, and she turned around again.  She looked at him, as he grinned up at her, and at the bed they had messed up with their wrestling.
"Ok" she said, as he slid back under the sheets.  She pulled it tight across his chest and tucked it in.  She brushed a stray piece of hair off his forehead and Shawn closed his eyes and settled into his bed.  She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.  Shawn smiled instinctively as she pulled away.  She saw him smile and turned quickly away.
"Night" she said, slipping out the door. She shut it behind her and leaned against it.  Tears filled her eyes and she drew in a deep breath, as a wave of emotion passed over her.

    Belle woke up early and heard Shawn snoring lightly through the door.  She smiled and threw back the covers.  She went to look out the window, where it was already incredible hot and sunny out.  Her head was still swimming from last night so she decided to go for a run.  She pulled her hair up and pulled on her sneakers, a pair of mesh shorts, and an old t-shirt.  She stretched on the back porch and took off jogging down the beach.
     Shawn woke up sometime later and went ouside.  No one was there so he poured himself a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice.  He went outside and settled in a chair on the porch with his breakfast.  He remembered the tickling match from last night and smiled at the memory.  He was almost finished eating when he saw someone jogging up the beach.  The person came closer and he realized it was Belle.  She came running up the stairs and joined him.
"Morning Shawn!" she said, stretching against the wall.
"Morning" he said, sitting back and watching her.  She walked over to him and plopped herself at his feet.
"Mind if I have some juice?" she asked, taking the glass and drinking it before he even answered her.  Shawn smiled and reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a quick squeeze.
"Eww, you're all sweaty" he said.
"Well, yeah, that happens when you get off your lazy butt and do something" she said.
"I'm not lazy" he retorted.  "I'm just unmotivated".  Belle laughed and Shawn leaned up and st his chin on top of her head.
"Tell you what" he said.  "Next time you go running, I'll go with you".  Belle turned to look at him, here eyes shining.
"You're on" she said, jumping to her feet.  "I'm going to go get changed, meet me here in 20 minutes to go to the beach".
"Sounds like a plan" Shawn said, picking up his bowl.  Belle opened the door and jogged down the hall to her room.  Shawn followed and changed quickly.  He came back out to find Belle standing in the hallway wearing her bikini top with her surf shorts.
"Going for the underdressed look?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her.
"Shawn, I'm 15 years old, I'm supposed to dress like this" she said, starting to get defiant.
"I'm just kiding" he said, stopping her.  "Besides, if I looked as good as you in that, I would wear one too"  Belle punched him playfully and they went down the hall, laughing and shoving each other.  They were almost out the door when they heard his mom calling his name.
"What?" he yelled back.  Bo peeked around the corner.
"Your grandparents are on the phone, come say hi" he said.  Shawn groaned and started to walk back in.  Belle started to follow.
"Go ahead without me" he said, stopping her.
"I don't mind" she said.
"No, really, go find us a good spot and I'll be down in a minute" he said.  Belle shrugged and lugged all their stuff down the beach.  She found a spot and spread their towels.  She looked around and noticed that the house next to them was finally occupied.  There was a large group sitting out there and she noticed a few boys her age.  As soon as she saw them she sat down so they wouldn't see her but it was too late.  She caught their attention and was so embarrassed by their staring that she wouldn't take her shorts off.  *Hurry up, Shawn* she said to herself.  After a few minutes, the one boy got up and came over to her.
"Hey" he said, crouching down next to her.
"Hi" she said, quickly.
"I'm Jason, I'm staying over there with my family and some cousins.  What's your name?"
"Belle" she said, quietly, as she explained who she was there with.  They chatted for a  few more minutes and Belle became more comfortable with him.
     In the meantime, Shawn came jogging down the beach.  He stopped short when he saw the boy with Belle.  Even from the distance, he could tell that the boy was flirting with her.  He became angry and was about to burst in but stopped himself.  He knew Belle and knew that if he did that, she would become angry and not talk to him.  And he didn't want that to happen.  Shawn had decided last night, after she had left his room, that he was going to try and win her affection.  He was tired of hiding his feelings from himself and from her.  *I've got to do this or I'll spend the rest of my life wondering what could have happened* he thought to himself.  "And I will not let someone like him ruin it all for me" he said to himself, quietly.  He calmed himself down and walked down to join them.  Jason saw him coming and quickly stood up.  Belle turned to look.

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