Finley's P.O.V
Eli wasn't at school today. I never realized how much of a loner I was until my only friend wasn't at school. Despite my own desires, I missed him. I spent the lunch hour in the library pathetically reading and re-reading the same line in my book, glancing up every two seconds to see if Eli was going to appear out of nowhere, flinging himself down next to me, knocking me sideways as usual.
He didn't.
Sighing deeply, I shut my book and gathered my things, deciding that I'd head to my locker with two minutes remaining of the hour. I trudged through the halls, finding the nearest staircase that led to the basement. After locating my locker (the right one) I dropped my things on top of my other books and closed my locker door. As soon as I clicked the lock shut, the bell rang. Sighing again, I hitched my backpack farther up my shoulder and set off, ready to face the crowd of seniors fighting to get to their next class.
I picked a staircase that came out really close to my next class, which happened to be history. As I was walking up, someone's shoulder slammed into mine, making me fall backwards, grasping at thin air as I tumbled down the steps. Luckily, I was only about five steps up, so I didn't fall that far. I landed hard on my butt, getting the wind knocked out of me as people continued to walk on, completely ignoring me.
I clutched my backpack tighter as the people trapped me from getting up, blocking me with their legs. When I tried to get up, I would have to shrink back in the corner, gasping for air as the legs were closing me in, keeping me trapped in the corner. I was stuck, inside a box that was way too small for me, and for the first time in a while, I could feel my lungs started to close up, my breathing becoming shallow, and the world starting to spin.
Seizing my chance, I scrambled through a break in the people walking, as the four minute bell had rung, and I made a beeline for the bathroom. Locking a stall, I sank against the door, letting my backpack fall as I clutched at my chest, trying to get the air through my lungs. Tears forced their way to my eyes, making themselves fall, tracing patterns on my cheeks, making my skin glisten with my pain. I sniffled, trying to calm myself down.
Where was Eli?
Eli was always here when I freaked out, when I couldn't breathe, when I was crying when I didn't want to. He was here when I was having my anxiety attacks. He was here to help me breathe. So where was he now?
Not here, that's for sure.
I gasped for air, feeling like I'd rather rip my lungs out through my throat if it would make the struggle to breathe stop. Of course, I thought of the Fault in Our Stars as I was spluttering and crying and gasping for air. I imagined this is how Hazel felt. If this is how she lived all the time, her life truly sucked.
I squeezed my eyes shut as I took in a deep breath through my nose and out through my mouth, the way they tell you to breathe but no one every does, and luckily, after a couple breaths I calmed down enough to breathe normally. I still sniffled, wiping tears from my eyes. Glancing at my phone, I noticed that it was about halfway through history and I just decided to stay in the bathroom until I had to go to my next class.
That thought made me pause. I barely ever missed school, much less a class for something that wasn't absolutely needed, and it was surprisingly easy to not care. I grabbed my phone to see if I had any messages from Eli, as I had texted him asking where he was.
He didn't answer me.
Sighing, I rested my head against the bathroom stall door. I didn't really want to get up, but the good girl in me made my body move, made me trudge down to my history classroom, and made me stammer awkwardly in front of the class when I had to explain why I was almost a half an hour late.
...
Sighing deeply and blowing my hair out of my face, I unlocked my house's front door and walked in, dropping my backpack on the floor by the stairs. I was walking past the living room when I saw Luke and Allie cuddled up on the couch, reading a book together. Luke's feet were up on the coffee table, and Allie was resting her head on his chest, using him as a pillow and one of Luke's arms was around her while the other one was holding the book.
"You two are so cute," I said, stepping in the room.
Luke looked up, his eyes giving off the impression that he was tired. "Go away Finley."
"No," Allie said, sitting up, making Luke make a sound of protest. "You can stay," she smiled at me.
I took a seat in the armchair opposite them slowly, not wanting to disturb them. "What's up, guys?"
"We were just reading this book called Legend," Allie said enthusiastically. "It's a really good series, have you read it?"
"Yeah," I smiled at her energy. "It was a good series, the ending of the last book hurt though."
"Shh!" Allie slapped a hand over my mouth. "Don't spoil the ending!"
I licked her hand, which didn't exactly work. Allie raised her eyebrows at me while I made a few muffled sounds that could pass off as words.
"Licking me won't do anything," Allie countered, her hand still over my mouth.
"You licked her hand?" Luke exclaimed. "Ew, Finley, you can't just lick my girlfriend!"
"What, you don't want her spit?" Allie teased, removing her hand from my face and wiping it all over Luke's lips.
He spluttered and wiped at his lips viciously. "Ew! Allie! That was Finley's spit! That's indirect kissing! Ew! Incest!" with those marvelous words of disgust, Luke fled the room, probably to scrub his mouth to remove my germs from his lips.
Allie rolled her eyes as her boyfriend complained like a little girl from the bathroom. "God, he's such a baby."
"Yeah," I agreed quietly, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear.
Allie studied my face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I said, wondering how she could tell I had a crappy day.
"You just look tired, and done with the world," Allie said. "It's a common look on college students."
I chuckled a bit at that one. "Well, I'm no college student, but Eli wasn't at school today."
Allie cocked an eyebrow. "The guy who's dick you were thinking about?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, that one. He wasn't at school today."
"And you missed the D!" Allie exclaimed, clapping her hands together once.
"No, I do not miss the D, I just... I was kind of lonely today," I confessed.
"Oh... I get it now," Allie said. "You have a crush on him," she stated knowingly.
I blushed, ducking my head down. "Is it that obvious?"
"Well, Eli reminds me a lot of Luke, and Luke's an idiot, so Eli probably has no idea," Allie said cheerfully.
"What about me?" Luke asked coming and plopping down next to Allie wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Nothing," Allie answered for me, sending me a knowing wink. "Just girl stuff."
...
I sighed deeply, pushing my chair back from my desk as I read over the poem I just wrote in my notebook. Why I kept writing in there after Eli found it, I have no idea. It just seemed strange if I didn't. Usually writing poetry depressed me, so I grabbed my Ipod and climbed up to my roof, careful to be quiet because I knew Luke and Allie had migrated to Luke's room, and who knew what they were doing in there.
Playing Ed Sheeran's new album, I settled myself against the roof tiles and closed my eyes, enjoying my solitude. I opened my eyes when I heard something moving on the room near me. I wondered if it was a raccoon, sitting up and pulling an earbud out as I squinted into the darkness.
"Fin," a voice whispered and that's when I knew it was Eli.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered to him as he settled next to me.
"I was driving past and I saw you up here," Eli shrugged.
"Why weren't you at school today?" I questioned, pausing my music to talk to him.
"I was sick."
"I missed you."
"I missed you."
"So if you're sick, why are you climbing on my roof?" I asked.
Eli shrugged. "I was driving past to get medicine and I saw you and made the split-second decision to come visit you."
"Oh," I said.
"Yeah."
It was quiet for a second before I spoke again. "Eli?"
"Fin."
"I'm glad you climbed a roof to visit me when you're sick."
"Me too, Fin. Me too."
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hey guys :) so, i think i confused a lot of you when i said i temporarily lost my sister, she's not dead, she just ran away for a day then came back. i knew that she was okay by the night she left, so it's all cool. thanks for your concern though, it was really nice of you guys to give me support :) on another happier note, yay, i'm updating! so, i imagined the ending a different way, but i can't remember what it was so this is it. eh. i don't like it. Anyway, important news, my sister(the one that ran away) started an account on Wattpad, it's called @larryhere so you should all go follow her (she's badass) so yeah..... that's pretty much it, please enjoy this update bye!
Love ya!
-T A Y L O R
ps i can make covers now and i made a really good one for luke hemmings i'm so proud who wants to see it?