Unreturned Love

Chapter 13

Finn stared at Leeane, incredulous. It was a full minute before he could get his numb brain to start working. "Lee-Leeane?" Wha- What on earth are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same question, actually", she replied calmly, laying down the magazine by her side and giving Finn a steely eyed glare. "You owe me some explanations, Mr Gerald".

"I-what? Whoa, whoa, what on earth is going on? I thought you were at the hotel!".

"I was". Leeane nodded, then levelled her finger at him. "But you, being the smart-ass that you are, took so long that I actually managed to get here before you did".

"I was stopped by-" Finn started to explain, then snapped his jaw shut. He didn't owe Leeane any explanations, but he sure did owe Kayline some. And here he was, quibbling over some stupid detail when Kayline was still missing. "Look, I can't be bothered to argue with you now. Where's Kayline?" Finn snapped, testily. To his anger, Leeane remained in her seat, thoughtfully sizing him up. "Leeane, if you aren't going to tell me where Kayline is, I'm damn well going to find out for myself". With that, he started to move towards the steps, but was stopped.

"Stop" The single word, uttered with authority, halted Finn in his tracks. He turned, snarling, but was take aback by the icy glare that Leeane gave him. "Mr Gerald, much as I respect you as a teacher, I certainly am no about to let you into Kayline's room where she's just been upset with you".

"Oh, so she's on her room then?" Finn muttered sarcastically, throwing a glace up the stairs.

"Yes, but you aren't going to see her until you explain what happened to me".

"And how on earth do you propose to stop me if I decided that I am going up the steps now?"  Throwing caution to the wind, Finn took slow, menacing steps towards Leeane. He was built muscularly, and Leeane, the slim petite girl she was, would have never won him in a contest.

"By telling you that the only thing you'll achieve it to hurt her even more", Leeane whispered softly, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction by the abrupt jerk which shot through Finn at her words.

"What the- Fine. You want explanations? I'll give it to you", Finn spat at Leeane, who regarded him with a slight air of smugness. "Look, I did something when I was drunk. I regret it now, alright? But I've got to explain it to Kayline!".

"There now. Wasn't it easy?" Leeane smirked at Finn, who was seething with anger. "Alright", she continued briskly, "At least I know what's going on now.

"So can I go up now?" Finn exaggerated the request, rolling his eyes all the while.

"Mr Gerald. You gave her a hell of a fright. She's very vulnerable now. And if you dare hurt her once moer... Yoi won't be let off easily" This statement, issued calmly from a slim, petite girl, should have sounded ridiculous, but oddly, the power emanating from it told Finn that Leeane was not joking at all. With a quick nod, he turned his back on her and ran up the stairs.

Leeane watched him go up, then turned and walked out of the house slowly.

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Finn had never been to the second storey of Kayline's house, and regarded his surroundings with an air of uncertainty. Leeane hadsn't given him instructions on which bedroom was Kayline's. Just when he had decided to try out each room one by one, he heard a slight noise coming from one of the rooms. Trusting to his sense of hearing, Finn walked to the door and knocked.

"Lee?" He heard Kayline call out.

"No, it's me. Finn. Can I come in, Kayline?"

Silence.