Separately Together

Chapter Four: 2/2

"Are you sure you don't want to move in?" Liz gave me her special puppy dog eyes that only she could pull off. We were outside of the bar getting ready to leave.

"You and Finnic just got engaged, Liz. You two need your space for ... things." I scrunched up my nose in disgust. The last thing I wanted to hear was her and my brother doing the deed. Seeing my mother in her after-sex clothes was enough for this week.

"Love you, sweets." Finnic pulls me into a big hug and gives me a slobbery kiss on the forehead that I wipe off when he lets me go.

Harley and Finnic shared a nod like they were making sure a plan was still in action.

He opened my door and helped me in. On the way back to get my car from Finnic's, Harley shared what the nod was about. "I'm going to take you to get your car, but I'm going to follow you home. Finnic told me about the break-in, I'm going to check everything out before I leave."

I wonder if Finnic had shared the full story with his long-lost brother or if he kept it our secret. I hope it was the latter because I didn't want anyone to know what happened. I can't take seeing the broken look in everyone's eyes like Finnic's were when he found out. What happened, happened and it wasn't everyone's business to know about, just so they could give me their pity. I didn't want it.

"The song you were singing was one of my sister's favorites. I haven't seen her in a while." He tells me. "I figured since Finnic told me something personal, I'd exchange the favor." My heart rate increased, was he confirming my suspension? Did Finnic tell him about ...

"What did Finnic tell you?" I ask sounding guarded. He had promised me he wouldn't ever tell anyone.

"Just that your apartment got broken into because of boy troubles." I could breathe again, thank God, I should have known Finnic wouldn't tell him when he didn't even tell our mother or Liz. At least not the full story.

"Right. Thank you for following me back." I told him as we pulled into the driveway.

"It's not a problem."

~.~.~.~.~

"Well, here it is," I say as I unlock the four new locks with the keys Finnic gave me this morning.

Harley walks ahead of me checking all the rooms before making sure the fire escape was locked well.

The mess that was created had been cleaned and a new couch takes the place back where the cut one sat. Having Harley here felt strangely comforting in a less lonely type of way. His large body took up a lot of the room here and I ... liked it.

He was the ledge to a very deep, dark, and deadly lake. You could only tread so far before falling in completely. I had already taken one step and even though the water was sickly cold I couldn't help but see if the next step was just a little warmer or maybe I liked the cold. I liked it because it was what I was used to.

"Alright, you're good." He walks towards the front door, but I don't want him to leave. It feels too good with him here and I know as soon as he walks out that door this place isn't going to feel the same.

"Um." He turns around waiting on me to continue talking but I realize how selfish what I was about to ask was, so I change my mind. "Never mind."

"Don't do that bullshit." He furrows his eyebrows. "Tell me what's bothering you." His determined green eyes lock on my mind and I take another step into his lake. Feeling the chill caress my ribcage now. I wonder how much further I'll go before the water engulfs me.

"I am afraid to be here by myself." The truth slips out of my mind and into the open air, letting him do what he will with it. I've never had a single thought that I didn't have to overthink before it left me. It was like he had this hold on me that forced me to let loose, be more ... me. It was dangerous the way he made me do things I'd never done or felt before.