Forgotten Fates

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alice

Paige passes a menu around and tells everyone to text her what they want from the Chinese bistro, while Eli and Cole talk about what to do about the big hole in the house from me throwing Tristan through the window.

"I have some plywood at my place," Finn says. "I can go get it."

"No, you can't go by yourself," I remind him.

"I appreciate your concern babe, but I can walk around the block."

"She is not your babe," Eli growls

"I'll go with him," Cole jumps up and says suddenly in an attempt to stop another fight before it could start.

"Thanks, Cole." I give him a small smile and he gives me a wink.

"Guess I'll be right back then," Finn says lingering on my face like he was maybe hoping I would have been the one to speak up and volunteer to go. Which would have been a colossally dumb thing to do.

"Be safe, please!" Paige calls out.

"Me or him?" Cole asks, jokingly.

"Actually both of you."

"Traitor!" he shouts.

"Hey I don't care about your stupid rivalry. I've known Finn since kindergarten, and even though we were never the best of friends and he can make me crazy some times, I actually do care about him."

"Fair enough," Cole says, kissing her on the cheek, then turns to pat Finn on the back. "Well, it's your lucky day. The girl I'm in love with cares rather you live or die, so I suppose I will have to, also."

Cole's friendly display of solidarity makes me giggle, but Eli just rolls his eyes, clearly not amused. "Let's go get some plywood buddy!" he adds over-excitedly.

"Well, this should be fun," Finn says, shooting a save me look my direction, which only makes me laugh more.

"Now who's the traitor?" Eli mumbles as they make their exit.

I close the door behind them and head to the kitchen to find Paige standing with the phone and Chinese menu in her hand looking like she saw a... well Tyler.

"Umm, did that boy just say he loved me?" she asks looking like she was in shock.

"Has he not said that before?" I ask, just as surprised, and she very slowly shakes her head no. "Wow!"

I run over and she drops everything in her hands to grab mine as we jump up and down and spin in circles. Just like normal teenage girls. Despite everything completely unnormal we have been facing lately.

After we are all squealed out, Paige orders the food and spend some time with Elijah. Mostly going over what happened in the stairwell again, and how Finn was tricked me out of class and then kissed me. I could tell that he believed me, but I know that didn't make him feel any better about the whole incident. And now with Finn staying in the house with us, let's just say I couldn't blame him for being cranky.

It takes less time than I would have thought for Cole and Finn to come back with the plywood. But that was because after walking around the block to Finn's house, they just dropped the planks over the fence into my yard and then jumped it. Made me wonder why they took the long way to begin with. But also gave me an idea.

While waiting for dinner to arrive, the guys get started on boarding up the window. Even with the hole covered it still doesn't do much to stop the cold air from getting in the house. So, Eli makes us a fire, no matches necessary, and I take Finn into the garage.