Missing Moments

The Third Time Finn Asks Piper Out

Piper gave a tired smile and shook her head. "Another day, please. I'm too tired right now."

"Deal. I'll help you get it before Regionals, I promise."

"You're the best," Piper told her gratefully.

Amy smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder playfully. "I try."

Chuckling, Piper stretched her legs out and asked, "How'd you know I was here?"

"Finn told me. All of the boys are in Shakes and Ladders, and you'll never guess who's with them."

"LaTroy?"

Amy paused and raised her eyebrows. "How'd you know?"

"Finn."

"Ah..."

Piper observed her best friend for a moment, noting the frown on her lips and the way her gaze had gone downcast. Guessing what was running through her best friend's mind, she asked, "Weird seeing him?"

Amy pursed her lips for a moment then shrugged, slowly looking up to meet her gaze. "I just wasn't expecting it." She heaved a sigh then continued with, "I know it's been almost a year since we broke up, and we're kind of friends, but... I don't know. I just feel weird whenever I'm around him."

"He really hurt you," Piper pointed out reasonably. It had been hard to watch Amy get her heart broken at Regionals and then to find out that LaTroy hadn't wasted any time before getting together with Sloane. Time had healed wounds, of course, but Amy's friendship with Sloane had never been the same.

"Yeah, he did..." Amy muttered. She fell quiet for a moment before letting out a deep breath, tossing her shoulders back, and plastering a smile on her face. "But whatever, it's in the past, right?"

"Right," Piper nodded with a small smile.

A mischievous look flashed in Amy's eyes, and Piper was almost certain she knew what her best friend was about to bring up. "So, have any conversations with Finn today?"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head exasperatedly at Amy. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Hey, it's not every day a boy asks your best friend out." Amy giggled to herself then said, "Oh wait. Yeah it is."

"Shut up. He doesn't ask me out every day."

"Did he ask you out today?"

"Yes," Piper grumbled, and Amy's face lit up in glee. Ever since Finn had asked Piper out in Shakes and Ladders the other day, Amy hadn't quit teasing her about it. It was certainly a change in pace for their relationship considering it was usually Piper who was teasing Amy about her love life, not the other way around.

In an effort to wipe the gleeful expression off of her best friend's face, Piper added, "And I told him to leave it alone because I'm focusing on dance this season."

Amy frowned at that, giving her an exasperated look. "I think you should go out with him."

"Why?" Piper asked in surprise. Amy couldn't be serious. Could she?

"Piper, come on! He's cute, and Henry thinks he's really cool."

"If you think he's so cute, why don't you date him?" Piper suggested sarcastically before giving her a pointed look and adding, "You can go to the batting cages together."

Amy rolled her eyes at that. "Oh, give me a break. I was just trying to ease the tension after you turned him down."

"What tension? He never even reacts when I tell him no. I don't get it."

"I'm not interested in Finn like that," Amy continued as if she hadn't heard Piper. "But he's clearly interested in you. You should give him a chance."

"I barely even know him," Piper protested.

"But you could get to know him!"

Amy was grinning at her as Piper gave her a dumbfounded look. "Why would I want to do that?"

Her shoulders deflating dramatically, Amy sighed and asked pointedly, "Have you ever even been on a date before?"

"No, and I don't want to," Piper grumbled, averting her gaze.

Amy frowned at her, but her expression softened as a thought seemed to strike her. "Is this because of what happened with Josh?"

Piper sighed and shook her head. "No," she said seriously, but of course that wasn't true. Josh was the first boy that she had opened herself up to, and she'd just gotten hurt by him in the end. The wound he'd left on her heart was still healing, and she honestly didn't know if she'd ever be interested in another guy again. How could she when she could just end up getting rejected again?

That didn't seem like a risk worth taking.

"Piper, you can't let what happened with him control you for the rest of your life," Amy told her seriously.

"I'm not!" Piper snapped defensively.

Amy pursed her lips skeptically then shrugged and said, "Well, if you want my opinion, Finn is way cuter than Josh."

"Amy."

"Am I wrong?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as if challenging Piper to disagree.

Piper rolled her eyes and looked away from her. "Josh was cute, okay?" she mumbled. But she supposed Finn kind of was too. Considering how amusing Amy found this Finn situation, however, there was no way she was actually going to admit that to her.

Regardless, Amy smirked as if she knew exactly what Piper was thinking anyway. In an attempt to change the subject, Piper asked her how her day had been. Letting the subject of Finn go, Amy shrugged and said, "It was... good?"

Piper raised her eyebrows at that very underwhelming answer. "Are you sure?"

"Emily and Michelle wouldn't even consider me for the solo," Amy admitted. Piper started to apologize, but Amy continued before she could finish. "But Thalia asked me to fill in for a trio at AcroNation, and it went surprisingly well."

"Really?" It was surprising that Thalia would ask a dancer from another studio to fill in for one of her dancers, but then again, it wasn't like AcroNation was a competitive team.

"I actually had a lot of fun! The routine was all acro. I had a blast with them."

"Wow, that's great!" Piper told her excitedly. Maybe filling in for AcroNation was exactly what Amy had needed to get her spirits up. It had been a difficult season for her between all of the drama with her mom and feeling overshadowed by some of the other dancers recently.

They talked in Studio A for a little while longer before finally deciding it was time to head home for the evening. Amy helped Piper put her mat up then they walked out to the lobby together. As they went, Piper asked if Amy would want to hang out over the upcoming weekend.

"Oh, I can't. Lainey's soccer championships are on Saturday, and then I'm hanging out with Henry on Sunday," Amy told her. Lainey was her little sister, who preferred playing soccer to spending her days in the dance studio, much to their mother's absolute dismay.

Piper was disappointed by her answer since they hadn't had much time to see each other outside of rehearsals, but she supposed it was okay. "Maybe next week?" she suggested.

"Of course!" Amy agreed, slinging an around her shoulder excitedly.

Piper grinned, resting her head against Amy's as they walked out onto the street together. She sincerely hoped that they would actually be able to make plans for the next weekend. Amy had been so busy recently that Piper was starting to feel like she saw Finn more than her these days, and that was not a trend that she wanted to continue.