Heart And Soul

❝𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭❞

"You know ice cream tastes better when you're depressed than happy,"

My spoon hovers in mid-air while Kai and I exchange looks before turning to look at Avel, who was happily munching on his ice cream, "you concern me more than she does right now, Avel?"

I snorted, "that's saying something since I'm the one who should be saying that" I added.

"But am I lying?"

I rolled my eyes dropping my half-eaten ice cream on the table, "Okay, fess up, what's this all about?"

They gave each other a look, "what can't a couple of guys take their friend out after the hell she's been through?"

They can't be serious right?

I smiled "no because it's your nature to distract not spoil so if this is some secret-like heist to get me to talk to Dean, I'm going to go home and pretend this never happened,"

I stood up from my seat, "okay, wait...it's not like that but it does have to do with Dean!"

Bastard.

He got his friends to do the dirty work, "okay, look, I understand why you don't like him or want to see him and it's understandable. But he's going through something and quite frankly you're the only person who can get him talking."

"We're here as concerned friends and it's selfish to ask you to help him out after what he did to you, but we don't know what to do anymore with him. You're the person he's opened up to the most and I'm just asking you to find out what's wrong for us so we know what we're dealing with and we can help him through it,"

"If you're so concerned talk to him yourself instead of me or better yet get his stepmother to talk to him. Aren't they close or something? She'll get him to talk."

"She's out of town for a meeting and won't be back for a couple of days."

I licked my lips, "look as much as I would love to help you guys out. Really I do but Dean and his problems are currently not my concern. I wish the best for him really, but I have enough going on for myself right now and I don't need any more of it,"

"Half an hour. That's all we're asking for. Just a half hour and if you get nothing then you can leave, and we won't ask for something like this again."

I bit back a groan, "the shit I do for the two of you...hurry up, I don't have all day to play pretend,"

🌹🌹🌹

Heading upstairs, I took one step at a time until I was outside his bedroom door. Kai and Avel stayed downstairs in the living room and waited while I forced myself to shove down every ounce of bitterness towards Dean and knocked on the door before turning the door handle.

I sighed and I thought my depressive state was bad but my god he was worse. Patting around the wall, I found the light switch and flicked it on as he drew the covers over his head.

"You know hiding under the covers doesn't make your fake sleeping any more believable." I dropped the bag of his hoodies on the end and sat on the edge.

"I know you're not in a mood because I said we weren't getting back together and quite frankly I'd like to be toxic and believe I'm the only person with an actual reason to be depressed so what's yours?"

He stayed silent, unmoving under the sheets, "okay then, if you don't want to talk then suit yourself and drown in misery." I got up from the bed making my way to the door, "you'll end ups hating me more than you already do if I told you,"

"I'll be the judge of my level of hatred for you, thank you very much."

He flung the covers off his body and sat up. I had to force myself not to let my eyes fall down and stare at his naked torso.

"Why are you here? I thought you want nothing to do with me and you were done,"

I sighed, "you really suck at feelings, don't you? It doesn't take a single day to get over your feelings for someone and if you do, then well you're just an asshole...I'm also giving you the last shred of kindness I have towards you, and this is how you want to waste it?"

He wet his lips, "look if you're not going talk to me while I'm offering, talk to them okay? I don't appreciate eyeing lured out with food to be asked into checking up on you." I swung open the door.

"Also, you might want to take your clothes out of that bag outside. Riona left you a long-lasting gift with them so have fun." I headed downstairs, "I tried and got nothing so you two deal with him."

They both sighed, "it was worth a shot."

I sighed, "for what it's worth it's got to do with what went down over the last few days. He said I would hate him more than I already do if he said anything if that helps you out in any way."

"Thanks, Finn."

I nodded before I headed out to my car and went home for the day.

I leaned my head back, trying to get the look on his face out of my head. I shouldn't be thinking about him. I shouldn't be concerned about him no matter how bad it hurt seeing him so upset but I couldn't focus on him right now.

I had to focus on myself. On getting better and being better. I never want to put myself at risk where something like that could happen again.

Dean needed to be an afterthought.

I had to make him my afterthought.

Getting home, I traded my shoes for slippers and headed into the kitchen and dropped into the seats, "what are you making tonight? Seems to be a little much for the three of us."

He sighed, "yeah, it's not just going to be the three of us tonight?"

I raised a brow, "Are Knox and Katie joining us?"

"No...someone you don't know,"

A smirk tugged onto my lips, "may I presume that it's a love interest than father?"

"No...Not a love interest...just a close friend from work."

"So, a potential love interest then?"

He sighed, "go get cleaned up and come help me finish up, would you? I had enough questions from you brother when I told him and that was enough."

I chuckled and went upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner before I came back down and helped him out with his cooking just to make sure he didn't burn anything or over season the food and possible gross her out or him depending on my father's current taste in love interest.

This was going to be one hell of a night that was for sure.