"Yeah, something like that."
He looks awkward talking to me. Normally, I'm pretty good at starting conversations with almost anyone, but in this case, I really don't know what to say.
"Do you want a drink?" I gesture to the full table of half drunken cups behind me and laugh slightly. I almost faint when I hear a small chuckle come from him. He's closer now. When did he move closer to me?
He clicks his tongue, "Yeah, I think I'll pass. Plus, I don't drink."
"Oh, okay." I suddenly felt awkward holding my drink, so I set it down on the table. "Soooo how was your day?"
"What are you doing, Kiara?"
"I- what?"
"Inviting me to a party with you? Trying to start a conversation?"
Something in me almost snaps, and my whole body tenses up. "I'm sorry, what? You came up to me. And why is it such a problem to have a conversation with me?" I don't know if it's my tone or the fact that he didn't expect me to react like that, but he slightly flinches back and raises an eyebrow.
"It's not a prob-"
"Yeah, I don't believe that. For a whole week, you've been acting like I don't exist, and whenever I try and say something to you, you either interrupt me or brush it off like whatever I said doesn't matter. What the hell did I do to make you not like me so much?" Subconsciously, I got closer to him during my rant. Enough where I have to physically look up at him. "Seriously, what is your deal with me?"
Finn doesn't back up from me. Instead, he leans down close enough where he doesn't have to raise his voice. "I don't not like you, Kiara."
"Then why? Why don't you talk to me? Dismiss me like I'm nothing?"
He drops his head and says something, but I don't hear it.
"What?"
"I said I'm sorry, okay. I just -" He runs a frustrated hand through his hair and lets it fall messy around his face, "My day was good, how about you?"
I'm confused for a second before I realize he's answering my question from before. I almost tell him that he should explain himself, but looking at him, it really looks like he's struggling to do this. It's obvious this is the best I'm getting tonight, and I'm not going to pressure someone to explain something they don't want to. I guess this will just be a work in progress.
My body physically relaxes, and I let out a sigh. "It was okay, I kinda just read all day." Finn looks relieved that I didn't push him about the subject, and a small smile makes a way onto his face. Did I mention he has an amazing smile. I mean, I haven't seen an ACTUAL smile from him yet, but still.
"You read? What type of books?"
A full smile makes its way on my face at the opportunity to talk about books. "Well, the majority of the time, I read romance or dramas, but mystery, crime solving books are amazing. I wish there were more good ones, but I have only a couple that I would actually be able to read over and over again." I almost keep talking, but I look back up at Finn to see him looking back at me with a small smirk playing on his lips. Both his eyebrows are raised as if he's shocked at how quickly my mood changed. I clear my throat and look away embarrassed, "Uhh, but yeah. Romance mainly." My whole face feels like it's on fire seeing the way Finn is looking at me.
"Yeah?" He says in a teasing tone, and I roll my eyes. "I read too." He doesn't seem embarrassed about the fact that he does. It's not weird, but I know a lot of guys that don't like to admit they read because it's embarrassing.
"Wait, really? What do you read?"
Now he looks embarrassed. I never really thought about how Finn would look blushing, but it's actually really cute.
"I mean, I don't know, just anything, I guess."
"Oh, come on! I just went on a whole rant about mine. Give me one genre."
He scrunches his nose up and looks away while moving his hand to the back of his neck. I don't miss the way his muscles strain through his black t-shirt. This is the first time I've noticed what he's wearing, actually. Worn out baggy, blue jeans with a black shirt that fits him painfully well and a pair of really run-down air forces.
Finn looks back at me while I'm mid checking him out, and when I look back up at him, it almost seems like something flashes across his eyes.
"Hey, um wanna talk somewhere maybe a little more quite?" I'm not sure where there would even be a quiet place in this house is, but this is the best conversation I've had with someone in days, and I wouldn't complain spending more time with Finn. "Yeah, sure -" I cut myself off when I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder and move me 2 feet back.
Before I see who it is, I see Finn tense up and stand back up at his full height. Any sign of him him having a good time about our conversation is gone and replaced with a look of disgust. I look up and see Chris returning the same look back at him. What the fuck is going on. I jerk Chris' arm off my shoulder and back away from him.
He looks shocked that I did that but quickly covers it up with a smile and crosses his arms across his chest. "What are you guys talking about?"
"None of your business, Chris. Do you need something?"
"Um, yeah, for you to come with me. You're supposed to stay with me tonight, remember?"
"Okay, that doesn't mean you can just pull me away from a conversation I was having with someone else. If you don't remember, you left me to talk to your friends."
"Okay, I said sorry about that, but I'm back now, so let's go."
"You. Can. Wait. I'm going to finish talking with Finn-" I look to my left to where Finn was standing, but he's gone. I swing my head around and try and find him through the crowds of people, but he actually disappeared.
"Looks like your boyfriend left." Chris says with a whole lot of attitude.
I scoff and look back at him with my eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Fuck you Chris. I'm going home."
"Wait, Kiara, I'm sorry, please stay." I feel his hand grab mine while walking away, and I snatch it back.
"No."
"Well how the fuck are you getting home? Cause last I remember, I drove you here."
I don't respond and walk back inside the crowded house. In all honesty, I don't know how I'm getting home, but I'll figure it out. I just need to get out of here before I run into Chris again. I've really had enough of him today.
I think about asking Finn to drive me home, but he's nowhere. God, this was going so good, too. I walk around the house aimlessly, looking for someone I recognize, but I swear there is no one.
Fuck.
