Spin

Ten

[RORY]

I failed to hide my surprise as we pushed open the arched wooden front door, realizing it wasn't actually as heavy as it had seemed - there was just a sea of people behind it. I was on sensory overload, unsure what exactly to pay attention to - the cloud of cigarette smoke not dissimilar to the smog outside, the overwhelming scent of stale beer and cannabis, the half-clothed Instagram models dry humping one another, or the two dudes on their knees doing lines off of the stairs.

While there were a hell of a lot of other places we would rather be on a Friday night, preferably alone at home, we'd both felt the need to show face at Jack and Pete's party. It wasn't that it was a special occasion - they did the same thing most days of the week - it was just that we'd spent the large majority of July trying to get settled and moved into our new place. Between that and Finn working all of the time, we barely had time to see anyone besides one another.

I looked over at Finn and while I couldn't hear him over the pumping bass, I could read his lips. Fucking hell. His eyes met mine in silent plea but I shook my head, the deep pout I received expected. He sighed, shoulders raising in dramatic surrender as he exhaled and grabbed my hand, leading us through the crowd. I was less bothered but never immune to the blatant female gazes directed at him, their intentions nothing short of transparent - as if I were completely invisible.

"Well would you fucking look at that? Alert the press, mum and dad have come out of hiding."

"Funny, mate."

While Finn had filled me in on the existing situation between him and Jack, I didn't pick up on any tension besides the usual brotherly teasing. Finn glanced over at me, a subtle smirk etching into his cheek as he slung an arm over my shoulders.

"Ron Burgundy," Jack grinned, bending over to retrieve something out of the cooler on the floor. He popped back up with two beers, holding them out to us. "Libations for the ladies."

"I'm driving," Finn ignored the insult directed at him, denying the drink. Jack attempted to force it, shoving it into Finn's chest with no success. "Why've you got a cooler inside?"

"We've got three coolers inside and two in the backyard, fridge isn't big enough."

He shrugged, cracking the rejected can open and clinking it against mine. I couldn't help but laugh under my breath, taking a sip of the lukewarm beer. I knew Finn was a ticking time bomb, waiting for any excuse to bolt from the party.

"Where's Pete?"

"Just went to bang some chick upstairs," Jack took a swig of the beer, smirking. "So you'll be seeing him in approximately two minutes."

Like with most boys, the implication made Finn's hardened exterior crack, a giggle slipping from between his lips. As expected, he was a hot commodity and I found that the conversation between the three of us quickly grew to a much larger group - friends-of-friends and acquaintances fighting for his attention. I didn't mind falling into the background but was gracious Finn never made me feel that way, blindly drawing shapes along my spine as he spoke to some guy about a friend they had in common.

In tune with my every move, he glanced over as I pulled away and started heading to the kitchen. I gave him a quick smile, letting him know he didn't need to follow as I began my search for my likely inebriated sister. I grabbed another beer and made my rounds, arriving back in the living room where I'd started as I realized she'd been just under my nose.

"You come here often?" I nudged her, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. She was fixated on something across the room, barely giving me a second glance. "Okay rude, nice to see you too."