The Girl Who Made Life Worth Living

Chapter 8: I Think I'm in Love with You

This chapter jumps through a month of relationship building, so enjoy some fun and some emotion! Sorry for the dramatic tone shifts haha.
- Erin (author, they/them)

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Finn's phone buzzed and he pulled it out.

Nora: r u still working at chickenz ?

This was the first time in the 2 weeks since the trial that she'd contacted him, and that was all she had to say?

yes. why :Finn

Nora: ill get a job nearby

just for me? 😏 :Finn

Nora: yes idiot

He was only being sarcastic when he'd asked, so the sincere yes felt like a slap to the face. Finn shook his head and put the phone down, his face feeling warm. At this point he both loved and hated her random clinginess.

~~~

Now that summer break had begun, the customer stream at Chickenz was a more even flow throughout the day. Finn wished it was always like this. Walking down the sidewalk, the shopping center was refreshingly empty too. The sky was clear and blue. It was all peaceful.

Finn reached the park and grinned at the familiar shape sitting in between roots of the large sycamore tree.

With his hands in his pockets he approached her. "You're back here."

Nora proudly smirked up at him, "Guess who got hired at Rachel's Closet?"

Rachel's Closet was a small chain of trendy young women's clothing, and there was one in the shopping center.

"I dunno, must be someone pretty cool to be working there. Too cool for me," Finn pretended to start walking away.

"No!" Nora reacted excitedly, shutting her notebook closed as if ready to shoot after him.

Finn faced back to her with an amused smile.

She was wearing an oversized black T-shirt that had a lime green logo on the breast, which brought out the color in her eyes. Her jeans weren't as baggy as usual; she must've finally gotten some clothes of her own.

"What?" she asked.

Finn realized he'd just been staring at her. "Nothing," he responded as he sat on one of the raised roots. "So when do you start?"

"Tomorrow. And I told them I'd have to be done by four thirty, so I can see you after." Nora was beaming at the thought; it was adorable.

It made Finn feel special. He'd never had someone go through so much effort just to be around him. But he wasn't special, she was just lonely. He looked down at the bare ground in front of him, focussing on the scuffing sound of his all-black sneakers slowly sliding across the dirt. "Nora, am I still your only friend?" In a weird way he wanted her to say yes; he wanted to be special to her even if it was based on loneliness. For some strange reason, he wanted to be her lifeline.

"Yeah," she answered blankly.

Guilt enveloped his wants and he tried not to grimace at his selfishness. "What about the other foster kid you're living with?" he looked back up at her after regaining control of his face.

Nora gave a quizzical look. "Jackson?"

"I don't know. Is that his name?"

"Yeah, his names Jackson. We don't really talk."

"Maybe you should, maybe he doesn't have any friends either."

"Oh, he definitely does," Nora said with some attitude. "Him and his friends make fun of me any chance they get."