chap32

When the two finally pulled away from each other, Belle smiled up at him. Shawn couldn't help but smile back at the beautiful face gazing up at him as he gently ran his hand through her soft hair He leaned down to kiss her again and she side-stepped him, giggling.
"What now, Shawn?" she asked, the smile never fading from her face.
"I was just getting there" he said, taking her chin and kissing her again.
"No, no" she said, when they parted again. "I mean, what do we do now? Do we go back and announce that we're..."
"Together?" he interrupted, at her loss for words.
"Are we together?" she asked.
"Well, yeah, I think so" he answered.
"Like, are we dating or a couple or what?" she asked.
"Belle, who cares what our official standing is" he said. "I'm happy-you're happy. Who cares? We're together, that's all that matters"
"You're so sweet" she said, taking his hand in both of hers.
"But if people ask, we'll just say that we're together, for a lack of better words" he said.
"Are we going to announce it or just let them find out?" she asked.
"How about we just stay out here on the beach" he said, wrapping his arms around her tightly so that her head was trapped against his strong chest. "We'll just live out here together-forever"
"Shawn, that's cute and all but be serious for a minute" she said, her voice slightly muffled from being pressed so close to him.
"Alright" he said, rubbing his hands up and down her back for warmth. "Well, I don't think we should announce it-that's too weird. We'll just let them find out on their own"
"That's a good idea" she agreed. "But I do think we should tell Eric and Greta-tonight. They've been pushing for us this whole time"
"We'll tell them the very minute we get back" he said, before he buried his face in her hair.
"Good" she said, squirming slightly at feeling his warm breath on her neck and ear. He pulled away and held her face in his hands, studying it carefully.
"What are you doing now?" she asked.
"God, Isabella, you're such a dream" he said, his eyes sweeping over her petite features.
"What do you mean?" she asked, smiling at him.
"You don't know how many times your face came to me in a dream" he said, his thumb running lightly over her cheeks.
"Like when?" she asked, closing her eyes to his gentle touch.
"All the time" he said, continuing up over her lips. "Especially when I was away at boarding school. I knew that things weren't right when I thought that my own mother had sent me away but I wasn't there to figure it all out. My dad wasn't much of a help, he let it happen. And I felt so alone-no one really kept in touch with me. I was just alone"
"I'm so sorry, Shawn" she whispered. "I should have done more. I should have called or written or..."
"Shh" he said, putting his finger on her lips to silence her. "Forget about the past, that doesn't matter anymore. So I basically withdrew from everyone but people always found their way into my dreams. My friends from home and my family-but especially you. Your angelic little face saw me through so many horrible nights and helped me to get out of bed in the morning. So don't think that you didn't do anything for me-I couldn't have done it without you"
"Then why didn't you tell me when you got back?" she asked. "We could have worked past all the problems we had. We could have spent so much more time together, being happy"
"I was scared" he said. "I had these deep, strong feelings for you that constantly ran through me when I was away. But when I got back to Salem and saw you-it was just too much. So I pushed you away. I mean, my parents had sent me away, my mom acted like she hated me, everyone treated me like I had changed so much-I figured that my perfect girl wouldn't want me either"
"Shawn, you're all I want" she said. "We can't change the past but we can affect the future. And you're all I want-all I need"
"Mmm, you don't know how good it feels to hear that" he said, hugging her tight again.
"Well, get used to it" she said. "Cause I love saying it" She giggled hard and he couldn't help but smile at her.
"Well, now that we've settled that we just have one little problem to deal with" he said, grinning.
"What's that?" she asked.
"If...Belle minds her clothes getting wet!" he said, scooping her up in his arms. She screamed and wiggled around to free herself but it was useless. He hurried down to the shoreline with her in his arms and threatened to toss her in. She screamed and held on tight.
"Are you ready?" he asked, again holding her above the water where he stood up to his knees.
"Nooooooooo!" she screamed, as the waves crashed on his legs.
"Better get ready then!" he yelled.
"Shawn, if I'm going in there, you're coming with me" she said, tightening her grip on him.
"Really? You think so?" he asked.
"Yeah" she said.
"Is that the way it's going to be?" he hinted, and she finally caught on.
"Yup" she said. "If I'm falling, you're coming with me"
"Falling into what?" he teased, his lips moving closer to her.
"In love" she said, as their lips met again.