Finley’s P.O.V
I walked home after Eli and I parted ways, not really willing to go home and face my mother. When I reached my house, I could see lights on in the living room and I decided to sneak my way to my room. Sneaking past the windows where I could see my mother and father talking to each other, my mom gesturing wildly, I got to the tree that was outside my bedroom window and hoisted myself up into it, climbing slower than usual because I didn’t want to be found.
My window was unlocked and I carefully stepped into my room, turning to face the outdoors as I closed my window and locked it. When I turned around, I almost had a heart attack when I saw Luke leaning against my doorframe.
“Luke, what are you doing here?” I asked; hand over my quickly beating heart.
“I should ask you the same question,” he said, crossing his arms.
“This is my room,” I deadpanned.
“This is true,” Luke said, “But, that,” he nodded towards my window. “Is not your bedroom, and I would like to know why my sister took off and was gone for most of the day, like she usually is.”
This took me aback. “You know I leave?”
“Duh,” Luke rolled his eyes and stepped into my room. “I live next door; you don’t think I can’t see you from my window? It faces the tree too.”
I was stunned. “Well, damn.”
Luke chuckled. “Don’t worry, little sis, I’m not going to tell on you. I’ve used that tree when I’ve really had to.”
“You have?” I asked. It seemed like all the secrets were coming out today.
“Yeah,” Luke said. “I’m pretty sure you know that I used to sneak out, like, all the time.”
“Well, I knew that,” I said, waving my hand in the air. “But I didn’t know you used the tree.”
“You have to get creative when parents ground you,” Luke said.
I shuffled my feet awkwardly. “So… can I help you with something?”
“No,” Luke said, smiling brightly. “But, just so you know, I like you with Eli, unlike some certain people we know. Don’t leave him, I need a cool guy friend like him,” Luke added.
I shook my head, laughing at my brother slightly. “You know, I think you only want me to keep dating him so you can keep Elike alive.”
As he was leaving, Luke winked at me.
…two days later…
My mom had never apologized to me, and I never brought up the subject, so we managed to avoid each other; me with school and her with work. When I came home, I would go straight to my room and not come out until I knew she was asleep. My dad worked the night shift, and Luke was too busy with Allie to pay much attention to me.
The first time my mother and I conversed since our big fight was today, about an hour ago, when I came out of the bathroom and she was passing it.
“Finley,” she called.
I winced and turned around slowly, facing her. “Yeah Mom?”
“I wanted to talk to you about a rumor I heard about your boyfriend,” she said.
I groaned internally and I really wanted to just leave. “What is it?”
“I heard from some of my friends,” she began. “And their children go to your school, and I asked them about Eli, and they told me that he was covered in tattoos.”
I almost laughed in her face. “Eli doesn’t have any tattoos.,” I said, waving her off.
“How do you know?” she shot back.
“Because I haven’t seen any,” I replied shortly. “And I’ve seen his bare arms, Mom, if he was covered in tattoos I would have seen them.”
“I don’t like him,” she stated, crossing her arms.
I rolled my eyes. “I know you don’t like him, Mom.”
“So why are you dating him then?”
“Because I like him, and that’s all that really matters to me,” I said, feeling my temper growing short.
“But I’ve heard from several people that he’s a bad influence, Finley, and that he hasn’t dated anyone, only has flings and I don’t want him to hurt you-”
“Well, Mom, you’re the only one doing hurting here,” I snapped.
Ignoring her shocked expression, I pushed past her and into my room, pulling out my phone to call Eli.
So I’m lying with Eli now, at his house, watching the outside as it rains. It was raining earlier, and Eli had been outside when it started to pour. His shirt was a little damp as I rested my head on Eli’s chest, lazily drawing circles on his stomach. When my fingers accidently circled a little lower, his breath hitched.
“Fin,” his voice was slow, lazy, dripping with sleep. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
Cheeks flushed, I immediately pulled my hand away and started to sit up. Eli grabbed my waist and made me stay where I was.
“I was kidding,” he murmured.
“I know,” I said. “But I’m not used to that kind of t-teasing.”
“You’re stuttering again,” he observed. “You don’t stutter when you’re around me,” he sounded slightly sad and disappointed.
I kept my eyes down, feeling slightly ashamed. Eli put two fingers under my chin and made me look at him.
“Fin,” he said firmly. “I won’t tease you if it makes you uncomfortable, okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered.
Eli’s eyes softened and he pressed a kiss to my forehead, lingering there for a while. I let my eyes close and I sighed in contentment. Eli lied back down, pulling me with him. After a couple minutes of lying there together, Eli grunted and sat up, pulling off his shirt.
“What are you doing?” I asked, keeping my eyes away from his bare chest.
“Taking off my uncomfortable shirt,” he responded. “It’s a little damp from the mist.”
I nodded and tried not to stare, but I couldn’t take my eyes away. I examined his muscles, his abs and defined biceps before my eyes traveled to his chest, where I frowned.
“You have a tattoo?” I asked, brow furrowed.
Eli glanced down at his chest self-consciously. “Um, yeah, why?”
I huffed in response. “I just told my mom that you didn’t have one.”
Eli laughed. “Well, no one knows about it, except you.”
“What about the rumors?” I asked him, knowing full well that many people at school though that he was absolutely covered in ink.
“Not true,” he responded easily. “You’re the only one that knows for sure.”
“I’m honored,” I said.
Taking a step forward, I brought my hand upward, tracing his tattoo, which was a simple black outline of a heart where his was. Eli watched me, simply standing there.
“Why a heart?” I questioned.
“To remind me to love even though I’m not,” Eli said quietly.
I nodded vaguely, remembering his parents and how they ignore him, tracing the heart again.
Eli kissed me gently and I rose up on my tiptoes to kiss him better, and as I felt his lip ring against my lips and I touched his heart tattoo that was over his heart, I realized that rather than just having a heart tattooed over his own, it was like it was my heart, stuck on him, and permanently with him.
Because I think I love him.
Just a little bit.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR WOO-HOOO GO 2015 YAY NEW YEAR AND GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?!?!
ALL ABOUT THAT BASS WAS THE #1 SONG OF 2014?!?!?!
AND THE FROZEN SOUNDTRACK WAS THE #1 ALBUM OF 2014?!?!?
AND GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY WAS THE #1 MOVIE OF 2014?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!
WOOOOOHOOOOO I'M NOT DRUNK I PROMISE I'M TOO YOUNG TO DRINK ANYWAY BBYEEEEEEEEE
LOVE YA!
-T A Y L O R