Pinn - Memories

Chapter 4

WARNING

The following chapters (including this one) include scenes that may be triggering for those with anxiety

Finn's POV

Before I know it, Piper is heading to the door. She reaches the hallway, turns the corner and runs into the first room on the right. I get there just after her, seeing her shift to the wall and slowly slide down it. She curls up like a foetus, arms around her legs, trembling, sobbing, broken. I don't know why and I hate seeing her this way. Something big is definitely up. First she lies about her mum picking her up and now this.

I slowly walk towards her and sit against the wall, by her side. I put my hand on her shoulder, rubbing my thumb against her skin.

I turn towards her. She's still sobbing and shaking. 'Shh... it's ok. It's ok', I try to comfort her.

'N-no, it's not', she staggers.

Piper's POV

He stops rubbing his thumb and freezes. I sit up straight and we exchange a long glance in silence. I've never realised how amazing his eyes are. Deep blue like the depths of the ocean. Maybe that's why he was named Finn?

'What is it?', he whispers, continuing to look longingly straight at me. It feels like he's staring into my soul. I look away, biting my lip. I have to tell him something. But he can't find out about what happened with Josh. It's mortifying.

'I... I...', I start, stammering, continuing to shake.

Finn starts rubbing his thumb again and whispers, 'Hey, it's ok. I'm right here. Deep breaths. In... out. In...out.' I breathe with him and slowly everything starts to return to normal – my body, my heart.

When my body returns to a still state, I continue, 'It's... stupid, really.'

Finn frowns slightly and says solemnly, 'Whatever it is, you're clearly really upset by it, and that means it isn't stupid. Me suggesting a shark chasing fish for the finals routine – that's stupid. But not this.'

I can't help but laugh at that. He always knows what to do to make me feel better.

I ramble, 'It's just that... I never thought I'd see Lily and Miss Angela again. And now she's an alternate and that's fine because it wasn't her that said all those things to me but then her mum came into the studio and it just brought back all these memories and I can't, I can't...'

Finn turns to me and pulls my body towards him, gently putting his arms around my waist. I wrap my arms around his neck tightly and bury my head in his shoulder. The tears come rushing back and for a few minutes we just sit there.

I pull my head back slightly and see a large wet patch. I look up at him, 'I ruined your shirt'. I sniff.

'I really don't care about my shirt, Piper. I care about you'.

I lean forwards again, my head on his shirt. We stay there until the tears stop rolling.

I take my arms off his neck and return to the wall. Finn stands up and stretches out his hands. I grab them and he pulls me off the ground.

He gestures towards the door with his head and says softly, 'Come on, let's go.'

I nod and follow him out the door. He begins to walk back to the studio when I freeze. He looks back at me, raising an eyebrow.