strings• Fack ☆

Twenty Seven

Finn

i woke up on Wyatt's living room couch the next morning, Jack leaning against my chest and snoring softly. i smiled tiredly down at him and breathed in the strong scent of morning breakfast emanating from the kitchen. i lifted my head to see everyone spread throughout the living room on the floor and opposite facing chairs. i was the only one awake. It was the first time we were all in a room with each other. Jack, Chosen, Jeremy, Sophia, Sadie, Millie, Wyatt, Jaeden, Caleb, Gaten, me, and...and..and no Noah. i frowned, remembering he hadn't come to the concert last night, but shrugged it off.

i slid jack off of me carefully and watched as he made a groaning type of sound before turning over and replacing me with the couch pillow. i walked into the kitchen to see Wyatt's mom humming and strolling around the kitchen carrying all sorts of measuring cups and pans.

She jumped slightly when she saw me and put a hand to her heart. "Oh goodness!" She chirped, looking at me with a very cheerful smile. She shook her head, "This is such a surprise!" She threw her head back and laughed, setting her pan down on the counter. "i couldn't believe it was you when i came home last night from my work juncture and saw you guys asleep all over my furniture!" She let out another hearty chuckle and i gave her a small smile.

"i could hardly believe any of you were here. Well, besides Sophia, Jaeden, Chosen, Jeremy, and Jack, but it's been so long since I've seen you! Millie and Sadie look just wonderful! And i can't believe how Gaten and Caleb got so dang tall!" She took a deep breath, clasping her hands together and coming forward to wrap me in a warm embrace. It was a nice, but a very uncommon motherly embrace.

She pulled away, and threw her hands in the air. "It's been almost..well.." She let out a sigh and mentally started trailing off. "Almost two years." i added and like a cartoon character come to life, she looked at me in such disbelief again i thought she was going to explode.

"Has it really been that long? My, my, time flies." She giggled, going back to the stove. "i saw you and little Jackie all snuggled together, same with Wyatt and Jae Jae! i didn't realize it was so cold last night!" i stifled a smirk. She was the living embodiment of "Some people are gay, Karen." i smiled silently to myself at this. It was good for Wyatt in a way though. If he were to ever come out, she'd faint for sure but then slowly ease into it until she was asking Wyatt and Jaeden when she was gonna get some grandchildren.

"It was lovely seeing you again, Mrs. Oleff." i smiled. "I'm gonna go see if anyone's up." "Sure thing, sweetheart." She smiled back and you could see how much her and Wyatt resembled each other. They both warmed up rooms with their grins.

As i entered the living room again, i saw everyone was up and on their phones, except Jack. "Finnnn." Millie looked up, jumping towards me and shoving her phone in my face. "Look! Look! Looook!" i smiled down at her phone as i saw that she had taken a photo of Jack and i laying together last night watching the movie. "That's pure art, mills." She nodded and ran back over to the couch. i came and sat next to a still sleeping Jack and looked curiously at him. "How the hell is he still sleeping?" i laughed, asking no one in particular. Wyatt let out a joking sigh, "Jack never stops sleeping."

i smiled. "Should we let him sleep?" Sadie asked, leaning forward. "Nah." Gaten said, jumping up and landing on top of Jack. "What the f-" Jack began to yell, falling off the couch and landing on the ground, Gaten on top of him. We all laughed and he sat up, still slightly bewildered. Noticing his surroundings, he smiled. "You guys are dicks." He laughed and Chosen reached over to pull him up.

"Dicks or not, let's eat." Caleb said, climbing over Jeremy to get to the kitchen. "All you do is eat, Caleb." i said, getting up to follow him. He scoffed, "You say that like its somehow a bad thing."

—-
Noah

i went to sleep bored. i woke up bored. They probably had fun at the concert. i wanted to go, and yet i didn't. i wouldn't let myself. My grandma wouldn't let me. i frowned, remembering i still hadn't seen Caleb, Gaten, Sadie, Wyatt, Sophia, or Millie. i also frowned knowing Wyatt and Sophia had introduced their new group of friends to everybody. i could see Sadie, Gaten, Caleb, and Millie already becoming best friends with Chosen, Jeremy, Jaeden, and jack.

There was something off about Jack. He seemed to be particularly close to Finn, despite the fact i thought they had just been introduced to each other as everyone else had. Suddenly, i had a heated thought. Was Jack gay? i ignored it. i shouldn't care about that anyway. Finn and i aren't together. Why does it matter if he hangs around other gay boys. Even if they're cute...and ride skateboards ..and wear beanies..and are named jack Grazer. "Damnit." i mumbled, shoving the blanket off of me and sitting up.

No wonder Finn probably liked Jack. Jack was adorable and happy...and i was depressed and ugly. Jack was so much like Finn it made me mad. Everything about Finn that makes him absolutely gorgeous, Jack also has. The curls, the freckles, the dark eyes, the wide grins. If Jack liked boys and if Finn liked him, i shouldn't be mad. Stop being mad. I'm not, I'm sad.

i didn't like Finn the same as i had when we were 15, but i loved the memory of him. It was happy. i wanted that memory again, just maybe with someone that wasn't Finn. i felt a fleeting thought in my head. They're so much alike. If jack was gay....if jack liked boys...would he ever like me?

—-
I'm SO sorry...oof I'm evil.

-bailey