You Belong With Me

Two

Piper let out a groan as she pushed the pillow over her face, trying to fade out the beeping sound of the alarm. She eventually decided that turning it off would just be the simpler solution, rolling over in bed and hitting the top of it until quiet settled over the room. She stared at the alarm clock, her vision still blurry. The clock read 5:30 am. Great, another school day to look forward to. And this wasn't just any normal school day, it was Finn and Claire's 3 months' anniversary, and Finn spared no time excitedly rambling about it to Piper all weekend. She pulled the covers off her, feeling the cold air hit her bare arms. True to Piper fashion, she picked a white shirt and a brown cardigan with faded jeans, pulling her hair into a messy bun. All she could think about was the dreadful day ahead, and she didn't even notice her mom in the kitchen until she spoke

"Hey Pipes!"

Piper grabbed a cereal bar from the kitchen island, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek

"Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" Piper asked, munching on her food

"Vacation day. You walking to school with Finn today?"

"Nah, probably just taking the bus. His bitch of a girlfriend is driving him and I won't get in any car with her"

"Language!" Her father exclaimed, coming down the stairs

"What? It's the truth"

"Doesn't mean you should call anyone that" James said, running into the room with Gabriella following him

"Give me back my book!" She shrieked

"If you want it, come get it"

"Enough from both of you. You're gonna cause a mess" Deborah said, picking up a book herself and settling on the couch in the living room (yes, books are lying around everywhere in the Dean household).

"With the hatred you have for that girl, I'd think you liked Finn or something" Gabriella smiled as she wacked James with the book, which she finally got a hold of

"Oh come on guys, you're both adults. Stop the childish behaviour"
"But Dad-"

"Gabriella Arellano"

"fine" she hit James one last time before sitting next to Piper on the kitchen island

"Well, this hasn't been fun at all, and I've got to go" Piper snatched her bag from the floor, waving goodbye at her family

"Bye bye sis! Don't kiss any guys okay?"

Piper rolled her eyes as she heard James questioning (rather angrily) about these "guys she was kissing", her sibling's noises fading as she closed the front door.

She pulled out her phone from her pocket, and realized that it was way too early for the bus to arrive. She was not going back in there to be drilled by James about her non-existent boyfriends, so she decided that sitting on the bench and reading a book would be the perfect solution. Calm, peaceful, with no interruptions, it couldn't get better than this.

She grabbed her book from the black bag next to her on the bench, carefully stroking the cover. Wuthering Heights. Piper found Heathcliffe and Catherine's love infatuating, because however impossible their love might've been, Heathcliffe went insane because of how strongly he felt for her. Call her insane, but in a messed up sort of way she found that romantic.

"of course it's that damn book"

Piper looked up to see Finn walking towards her, his face holding a mischievous smirk. She admired how good he looked in a plain white t-shirt and a pair of Jeans, his messy hair ruffling in the wind-

"I mean, isn't this like the 10th time you've read it?"
She was snapped out of her reverie by Finn sitting next to her on the bench, his eyebrows raised.

"well it's not my fault you don't know how to read, is it?"

He rolled his eyes, leaning back on the bench

"For your information I do enjoy reading, just not the same book a million times"

"oh yeah?"
"in fact, I've read that particular book"

"Mhm yeah, then what do you think of Catherine?"

She was sure he hasn't read it, and hoped the question would catch him off guard

"I mean, she's innocent in the story. She loved Heathcliffe, but had to marry some other dude. That Heathcliffe guy is nuts though"

Oh. So he has read the story

"I mean, if you think about it, he only went insane because of his love for Catherine and the pain of seeing her married to someone else. He loved her so much he started talking to her ghost after she was dead Finn. That's romantic!"

"Pipes, if you think that's romantic I really think you need some help"
"Oh hush, as if you're any better with your girlfriend"
"I really think you should give Claire a chance. Maybe you two could become great friends"
"Oh yeah ofcourse. She'll drag me shopping and, oh yeah, scream about some boy bands! How cute!"

Finn laughed, his blue eyes scanning Piper's face. Before she knew what was happening he moved his hand to her face, tucking a curl that had fallen loose from her bun behind her ear.

"It was in front of your face. That must've annoyed you"

Piper didn't know what to say. Finn's tone was casual, as if what just happened didn't faze him in the slightest. Piper was the total opposite. She could feel her heart rapidly beating inside her chest, the breath knocked out of her. Before she could get any words out a car honk sounded next to them, the blonde in the car holding a furious expression.

"See you later Pipes!" He smiled and waved at her, making his way to the car.

Claire embraced Finn as he got in, and Piper turned her face to avoid seeing the make out session that was undoubtedly happening. This was going to be a long day.