Indecisive Heart

Chapter 9

Christmas was fun, I got most of the things I asked for (except a car). Today is New Years Eve. The day I've been dreading for weeks. I haven't gotten any texts from Finn since he texted me Merry Christmas. I know he told me to text him over break, but I felt weird texting first. I didn't want to give him the wrong idea. I texted him anyway this time, because I wanted to make sure this party was still happening.

1:45 Hey Finn! Is this party still happening tonight?

1:50 Yoo Sadie! Of course it's happening! I'm so excited. It's just me, a couple of my friends, and you and Rory. I hope you don't mind, most of my friends are guys from the basketball team lol.

1:52 Awesome! That's totally fine. Is there anything I should bring?

1:55 Nope. Just bring yourself and Rory! I've got everything under control. Party starts at 8, but you can come earlier and help me set up some stuff if you want.

1:56 Perfect! Can't wait!

1:58 See you then :)

I called Rory and told her we're going early. She said "You know, just because we go earlier doesn't mean that kiss is going to come any earlier." I could hear her smirking through the phone. "Rory, we're going earlier to help him set up. He told us not to bring anything, so we're helping out by setting up." "Yeah, riiiight" she said.

When the time came for me to get ready, I was sitting in front of the mirror in my room. Someone was knocking on my door.

"Sadie," Sophia came in. "Are you getting ready?" "Sort of. I don't know what to wear, or how to do my hair." She looked at me through the mirror and said "Just be yourself. If he does like you, he'll think you look amazing looking like you normally do. What's the point of changing your look then?" She has a point. "Okay you're right, but show me how to put lip gloss on." She laughed and started going through the make up I had laid out on my dresser. I don't have much, just the necessities.

When I was all ready to go, Sophia looked me up and down and said "See! You look great just as you are, plus a little lip gloss." We laughed. I did look pretty normal. I was wearing clothes I normally wear, but my outfit was definitely nicer than sweatpants and a hoodie. It was a party outfit, my style. I was wearing ripped jeans, a cute sweater, and converse. My hair was down and I had some peach lip gloss on.

I called Rory and told her to get ready to come and pick me up. Sophia told me to remember not to think about it, and to have fun. She wished me luck and gave me a hug. After that, she left and I looked at myself in the mirror one more time. I was ready to go.

It was 7:20 when I went downstairs to wait for Rory. My parents were both sitting on the couch waiting for me to come down. My mom said "I'm shocked, you look relatively normal. Are you wearing lip gloss?" I put my head down as my dad said "Are you sure you want to go through with this? You know it's illegal for an adolescent to drink alcohol under 21. If anything happens you call me and I will come get you."

"I'm going to be fine, guys. I'll be with Rory and I made her promise not to leave me alone. You both know I am not a party person, but there won't be too many people there. It's just Finn and his friends from the basketball team, plus Rory and me."

I heard Sophia and Olivia yell from upstairs "FINN GALLAGHER?!" Oh no, this is going downhill fast. Where is Rory??? I put my head in my palm as I heard them running down the steps. My mom tried to calm them down. "Now girls, calm down. Sadie is just going to a little party with her friend." Olivia replied, "Yeah, at Finn Gallagher's house! Are you his friend? How did you get invited?"

Sophia said "THAT is the boy you were talking about? I'm sorry Sadie but I would've never guessed!" I NEED to get out of here before Sophia tells the rest of my family everything I *shouldn't* have told her. I heard Rory pulling in the driveway.

My dad said "What do you mean Sophia?" and I interrupted, "On that note I have to go. Happy New Year everybody!" I gave Sophia a deadly look as I closed the door. Hopefully she got that message.

I hopped in the car with Rory and said "DRIVE." She said "Well! Someone's eager to see Finn!" She was smiling. I countered, "Please, I'm eager to leave that house before they all question me and why I'm actually going to this party."

Rory gasped, "And why is that Sadie? Why are you going to this party? Everybody knows you don't do parties."

"First of all," I said, "It's a small party. And secondly, I don't know."

"I think you do." Rory smirked. I rolled my eyes. "Rory, can we not talk about this now? I'm trying not to think." She seemed confused and kept driving.

When we arrived at his house, it was 7:30, and nobody else was there yet. "Hey guys! Come on in." Finn said as he greeted us at his door. "My parents are at my uncle's house for the night so you've escaped them this time." Finn laughed. What does that mean, "escaped??" And "this time??" Will there be another time?? I let out a fake, nervous laugh as he led us toward his kitchen.

"So I just have a few things here that you could help me set up and put out to eat. After we get this done I'll need help setting up the party games downstairs." He explained.

"Sounds fun!" Rory exclaimed. He looked at me and I smiled and nodded. "I'm going to go down there now and see if I can get the karaoke machine to work. Just come down when you guys are done with the food." He left.

Rory immediately turned to me and said "Sadie!! He's totally checking you out. He couldn't take his eyes off you! And If I'm not mistaken, you seemed to be checking him out too." She gave me a nudge. Was he really looking at me that much?

"I hadn't noticed." I shrugged. "Well of course you didn't, you were too busy looking at him!" She did a little dance and started to put chips in bowls.

I was starting to really overthink all of this. Rory was putting ideas in my head that I didn't want there. I just have to do what Sophia said and not think. When we finished with the food, we went downstairs where Finn was finishing up with the karaoke machine. "I think I got it! Wanna give it a try?" He asked. "I most certainly will!" Rory said as she grabbed the microphone.

I sat down on a couch and Finn sat on the same couch, on the cushion right next to mine. I scooted over as close as I could to the edge, just to have some space between us.

As Rory sang "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake, Finn started to talk to me. "So are you excited for this? I've been waiting all break for this party!" He smiled and looked me dead in the eye.

I smiled back and said "Absolutely! It looks like you have a lot of fun things in store for us!" He responded "For sure, I have a lot of fun games that we'll play while we wait for midnight to come!"

"Like what?" I asked. "You'll just have to wait and see." He said with a wink.

Rory finished her song and the doorbell rang. Finn got up and said "That's probably my buddies, come on up and we can eat now!" He ran up the steps but Rory stopped me from following. "This is it Sadie." She said, "This is what you've been thinking about for days, weeks even. What you choose to do with this night is up to you, and I will stand by you no matter what. I'm rooting for you." She shook my shoulders and told me to look alive, and then we went upstairs. Finn was welcoming in about 6 other guys all from the basketball team. We said hi to them and then we all started to eat.

After we were full and we had relaxed for a while, Finn said "Alright, I think it's time for the real party to start." He got up and went to the fridge. All I could think was that he was going to reach in there and pull out alcohol and this would all be ruined. I heard clanking of bottles, this was it. He closed the fridge and turned around holding... root beer bottles. Phew. Then he started walking and said "Let's go! Everyone downstairs!" We all got up and followed suit. It was 9:30.