Lights Out

6 - The truth

"Ummmm, remember when you said I looked like Oliver Taylor?" Finn said sheepishly, "well, you were right because, I um... I am."

"WHAT?!?" exclaimed Thea, "you lied to me? This is why you kept dodging personal questions." She got up from the table and stormed off. 

"Wait!" Shouted Finn-Oliver, but Thea didn't care to wait around for his explanation.

Esme was right, she thought. It was weird that I knew nothing about him apart from his name. Now it turns out I didn't even know the truth about that. As she stomped through the snow she realised the sun was setting and she was far from town. She sighed, realising Finn or Oliver or whoever the hell he was, was her only option of a lift home. She heard jingling bells behind her and spotted an awkward looking Oliver coming along the path in the sleigh. Saying nothing, he reached out his hand and helped her jump in. Thea might have been mad but she wasn't stupid. A sleigh ride with a liar was a lot better than the long walk to her chalet.

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The 15 minutes of the sleigh ride were feeling like forever as an awkward silence had descended between them. Thea was appreciative that he had decided to give her space but part of her wanted an explanation. Her fury had begun to die down and she was questioning if she was a drama queen for storming off into the snow like she had.

Finn / Oliver Taylor cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I lied," he said quietly. "I know I had the opportunity to tell you the truth when you told me I looked like Oliver Taylor, but I loved getting to be a normal guy in an après ski bar for once in my life. People always recognise me and want to know me because I'm Oliver Taylor the F1 driver. I liked that you wanted to get to know me as Finn."

Thea's heart melted a little. She could understand his reasoning but it didn't change the unsettled feeling she had about getting to know him under false pretences. "Why did you pick Finn?" she asked, after a short pause.

"It actually wasn't really a lie. My full name is Oliver Finley Taylor and a lot of my close family call me Finn. I really am sorry you've gotten mixed up in all of this. I should have told you who I really was, I just didn't want to change your perception of me or how you acted around me. I wanted to be a stranger in an après ski bar who met a pretty girl and took her on a date, rather than a celebrity with all the baggage that entails. It was selfish."

Thea looked over at Oliver and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She took his hand, watching a glimmer of surprise watch over his face. "It's ok Oliver, I think I understand. It just felt very strange knowing that the person I'd started to really like wasn't a real person at all..."

"I'm still the same person," Oliver interrupted, "and everything else I told you was true. I just left out some details about my job and my life that might identify me. I like you too, Thea. It's why I was afraid of the truth."

The sleigh was nearly in the town now and Thea could see the twinkling Christmas lights up ahead. She knew it was now or never and Oliver seemed to have been having the same thought as he leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I really am sorry," he said. "My friends and I are having a little party tonight - just some dinner and drinks, nothing special, if you want to come and bring your friends...."

"I don't know Oliver," Thea replied "this is all so complicated... I like you but..."

"Then come and we can talk later," Oliver interjected. "No pressure, but I'd like to get to know you now that everything's out in the open. Oh and bring swimsuits, we have a hot-tub."

Thea hesitated slightly before nodding her head. What had she got to lose? Besides, a party was a party and her friends would kill her if she turned out a party with an F1 driver, however complicated the circumstances. "Ok, text me the address and we'll see you later I guess."

Oliver shook his head, "don't worry, I'll send a car. Be ready for 8pm."