antisocial

[ 17 ]

Finn was pooled over with warmness as he felt two pairs of small hands wrap around the back of his waist. He tugged on a grin, smelling that so, so familiar scent of delicate dandelions and syrup.

Jack must've noticed immediately as he squeaked out, "Uh, see you around, yeah?"

Finn nodded oddly then Jack quickly turned on his heel, walking away.

"Friend of yours?" Millie whispered sweetly between the small gap of his shoulders.

"I guess you could say that," he mumbled as he swiftly turned around, looking down at the innocent brunette. He took off his helmet, which immediately let off a strong odor of sweat.

Millie grimaced, scrunching up her nose, which Finn found it oddly adorable.

"You stink."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he said lowly, bringing his face closer to her, making the younger girl giggle.

Millie pulled her head away, grinning from ear to ear whilst Finn plastered a fat frown.

"I don't get an afternoon kiss?"

Millie lets go of a lopsided smile, tilting her head. "I'll give you one once you hit the showers."

Finn tried to wink as he gritted his teeth. "Arghh, Captain."

"You're such an idiot," the brunette rolled her eyes with a laugh.

Finn brought his lips closer to her ear, whispering honeyed sweets to her. "I happen to know that Miss Brown is very fond of idiots."

He could hear her breath hitch quietly and as he looked up, her eyes were half lidded whilst her lips were slightly gaped open - the drunk-in-love type of look.

"You're right," she murmured, lips moving close. "I happen to be very fond of idiots."

Sometimes, Finn wondered how he got so lucky with someone like her.

He ended up getting his afternoon kiss after all; chaste and sweet.

Yes, he was the luckiest boy in the world.

• • •

It was things like this that kept Finn up at night, wearily.

His dorm was dark and quiet; the green laced curtains that hung around the frame and the ticking from the bushes outside that scratched onto the glassed windows.

He should sleep, he really should, but his brain refused to shut off. It was like a clock; time goes on and it still ticked. Tick. Tock. Tick.

Finn's body was weak. He was tired. He was irritated.

Why can't I fucking sleep? He wanted to scream but his lips were too numb to move.

He couldn't just wake up Caleb now. That would be completely unfair and what would've been his next excuse? I keep having nightmares of my mother or Hey, I can't sleep, can you tell me one of your Nana's stories?

Bless Caleb, for being such a generous friend unlike Finn himself, finding different ways to get the freckled boy to sleep. It wasn't the first time Caleb pulled something off like that; whispering stories of his Nana's adventures on countless nights. Finn couldn't help but envy that, how vibrant and pleasurable it was in those stories; having Caleb's Nana speak up for women's rights and being one of the descendants to the African-American population.

"It's hard," Caleb whispered on one lonely night. "It's hard to fit in a society that criticizes and judges for who you are and let me tell you something - never stop being who you are Finn, even if people can't see it."

That night he cried into Caleb's arms. Cried out all of the pain and frustration that bubbled furiously in the pit of his stomach because he was tired. He was tired of feeling empty and he needed to rest.

His lonesome eyes flickered to his phone that sat anonymously on the nightstand. He quickly grabbed it, unlocked it and dialed Millie's number.

Finn felt stupid. Utterly even, because, this pretty creature, who the curly-headed boy adored heavenly, wasn't like him. She wasn't abnormal and a mess like Finn. God, he didn't deserve her.

Everything went back to reality once he heard the angelic voice that sang to the heaven's. "Hello?"

"Good morning," he croaked out, pulling a weary smile on his lips.

"Jesus Christ Finn, it's like two in the morning."

"More like twelve."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny," she said. He could hear her quiet breathing drifting off as if she was about to sleep and Finn panicked, wanting to say the words please don't leave but she already started to speak.

"What's keeping you up at night?"

"You."

"I'm going to end this call."

Finn knew she was doing harmless teasing but that made his heart sink heavily.

"Can we talk?"

"About what?" she whispered slowly.

"Anything. Life, the universe-"

"The universe?"

Finn smiled. He turned to the side and clung to his pillow, thinking of it as Millie.

"Well you know," he started, twirling the tip of the blanket. "Living in any universe. A universe where we don't have problems, even a universe with a bunch of puppies."

He could hear Millie giggle on the other side of the line. "I've always wanted to go on a boat ride in Italy. Where I hold onto a parasol and maybe you'll sing me one of those French songs."

"And I'm the one who is cheesy," he scoffed playfully.

"Shut up," she said. It became quiet again, and Finn felt like he was quivering.

"Can that be a universe?" she asked, gentle as can be.

"Being in Italy?"

"Yeah, with just the two of us?"

"With just the two of us," he confirmed solemnly.

He could hear Millie yawn and he curled himself in a ball under the blanket, feeling vulnerable than ever.

"Are you going to leave?" he whispered, too quietly that he could not hear himself.

Millie must've picked it up because she said, "Not unless you want me to."

Finn closed his eyes then opened them, looking out to the glassed window. "I don't want you to leave."

"Okay."

"Okay."

With that, he could hear Millie's breathing steadily on the speaker and Finn stayed awake.

He could still hear the clock ticking one click at a time and the quiet rustling of the bushes.

>> End of Chapter 17 <<

[Halloo, really sorry for a late update. School starts next week and I'm literally stressing out !1! For once, I'm actually pleased with this chapter (':]