Chemical Fusion

Part 6

Finn's POV:

I arrived at Sarina's (my sister's) about three hours later. I do own a car, and even if it is really janky, it's still my baby. My first and only car. Handpicked from the junkyard and fixed up in said junkyard. Upon entering Sarina's apartment, since I have my own key, I noticed that her shoes weren't the only ones at the door. Another pair of shoes was placed (neater than Sarina's, I might add) right next to the door, which I found odd, until I remembered the whole reason I'm here, to tutor some boy. I placed my own shoes on the rack at the door, and entered.

"Rina!" I called. "I'm here!" I don't expect her to yell back, especially if we have company. Sarina is pretty timid, although mostly in front of strangers. I turn the corner to her room, glancing at the room that used to be mine. It still had some of my stuff in it, but I brought most of what little I had to college with me.

"Hey, Finn." My sister poked her head around the corner of her bedroom doorway. "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, anytime, I guess. Now, who's the kid I'm supposed to be teaching?" Sarina gives me a flat look.

"Straight to business, I see. Trying to leave so early, are we?" She leads me into her room and gestures at a boy sitting on her bed. He glances up as we enter the room. "This is Vincent."

Vincent was sitting with his elbows on his knees, hunched forward over the low table next to Sarina's bed. Even when he looked up, his green eyes were hooded and tired-looking. His hair was curly and brown, mid-length, and a little messy, but it seemed intentional. I give him a friendly wave and he returns it, but I get the impression he isn't thrilled about needing a tutor, so he most likely holds a grudge against me. It's nothing personal, though, so I decide not to take offense.

"Hey," Vincent says, shifting his gaze from me to Sarina. I see. So that's the reason he asked Sarina for a tutor. He didn't intend it to be me at all. Rather, he wanted to hang out with Sarina more, and she took him completely seriously and agreed to find him a tutor. Sarina's actually rather intelligent, but she lacks street smarts and instinct. She probably didn't want to tutor him herself either because she's uncomfortable with him, or because she's anxious that she'll do poorly and his grades will suffer. I could only assume that Vincent is interested in Sarina, and I might have to put a stop to that, especially if she doesn't like him. But, if she does... what am I supposed to do? As her older brother, I guess I should stop him from trying to make advances and go out with her, but honestly, I'm hoping he's a nice guy so Sarina can have someone close by in case something bad happens. She needs someone around that she can trust to protect her while I'm away. So, I guess I should see where this goes with Vincent. I think it's a good sign that he's here in the first place. Sarina is normally a very closed-off person, and she trusts very few people in her own home, especially people she doesn't know well, and most adults in general. So she probably trusts Vincent at least a little.

I move to sit at the table across from Vincent, setting down my backpack next to the place I intend to sit. I don't sit yet, in case Sarina was sitting here before. She moves past this side of the table, so I sit down. To my immense surprise, Sarina sits on the floor almost directly across from me, resting one arm on Vincent's leg. Damn. Maybe I completely misread the situation. Either they're already dating, and Sarina had the audacity to not inform me, or Vincent's gay. No harm in asking, I guess.

"So... are you two-?" Sarina shoots me a glare, and I stop. "Alrighty then. Nevermind." I turn to Vincent. "So, Vincent, which subjects were you struggling with?" I know he probably isn't here to study, and I know that. But Sarina doesn't, and that's what matters. Vincent hesitates for a moment. He glances down at Sarina.

"Uh... science." He looks awkwardly around the room. Poor kid. It's obvious that Sarina likes him, too, but I'm sure he's too nervous to ask her out. Sarina's comfortable with him, and he seems like any awkward teenager, so I think it would be fine if Sarina went out with him. I'll help the kid out a little.

"Science? Sarina, I'm terrible at science. Even if I'm in college, I haven't learned much more than you have. In fact, you've taken more science classes than I have. Why'd you recommend me for this tutoring job?"

Sarina seems a little nervous, which isn't unusual for her at all.

"Um... I just... figured you'd be a better tutor, I guess. Since I'm bad at explaining these kinds of things."

At that moment, Sarina's mannerisms kind of reminded me of Eric's. I wanted to laugh, but I wasn't sure why. I tried to shake off the thought. Was Eric thinking about me, too? This isn't about Eric. What am I thinking?

"C'mon, Rina, believe in yourself a little more. You'd make a great tutor. You used to teach the younger kids in the-" In the orphanage. Fuck. Does Vincent know about... everything? I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. Sarina seemed to have gotten the message anyway. I guess she didn't have a good counter argument, because she stays silent. Vincent looks from Sarina to me, and back to Sarina again. He looks like he wants to say something, and then he does.

"Um, it kind of feels like I should leave. Should I come back another time, or...?"

Sarina sits up straight.

"No, no. Stay."

"If anything," I start. "It feels like I should be the one to leave. Looks like you don't need me after all, and Rina can tutor you instead." Besides, I think, I'm pretty sure I have someone at home waiting for me. That's a weird thought, but somehow, I feel like Eric might be waiting patiently at home for me, hoping I'll be back soon. I don't know where that train of thought came from, but it was actually really comforting, even though it probably isn't true.

Sarina glances briefly at both of us. She seems conflicted.

"Finn, can I talk with you for a sec?" She gestures at the hallway. I shrug, and follow her as she gets up to leave the room. She pokes her head back in for a second. "Vincent, I'll be right back."

She closes the door behind her.

"Finn, why are you trying to leave? Normally, you refuse to because you're 'worried about me'. Why are you so eager to get out of here now?" Honestly, it's a good question. I don't want to give her the answer I've been thinking this whole time. But there's also another answer.

"Don't you want to hang out alone with Vincent? I think you two are a pretty good match, honestly." I grin at her. I can't wait to see how she responds to that.

"And?" She gives me a cross look. "Just because I finally found a guy I like doesn't mean you can give me a hard time about it."

"So are you two going out or what?" I try my best not to laugh, to practically no avail. "He's obviously into you."

Sarina blushes intensely. "Shut up. No, we aren't going out. I don't have the courage to ask him out myself." I'm surprised how quickly she admitted to liking him. I guess she's pretty serious about him.

"So, I think it's for the best that I take my leave, then. I'm pretty sure it'd be really awkward to ask someone out in front of their brother, don't you?" Sarina sighs.

"Look, I know you've got some other reason to leave, and I won't pry, so go ahead and get the hell out, if you must. Be polite and say goodbye to Vincent first." She gives me a small shove toward the closed door.

"Language," I tease. I say goodbye to Vincent, grab my bag and head out the door. Somehow, I feel like this trip was just a waste of gas. For some reason, I can't wait to get home.