Synonyms For Better

Chapter 11 - Master Finneas

BETWEEN YUMI'S ABSOLUTELY cool description and her contagious excitement, I really, desperately wanted to go and see the rare blue moon orchid, too. But I looked back and saw that our tent looked like a giant, sad pancake on the ground. 

"You go on," I told Jolene, who hesitated. 

"Are you sure, Cora?" Jolene asked, looking absolutely torn between staying and running off to see the cool flower. "We can come back and fix it."

"I'll figure it out, don't worry, Jo. Besides, I'll need someone to tell me all about that flower." When she didn't budge, I reached up and gave her arm a little nudge with my hand.  "Trust me, Jolene, I'd rather stay back and figure this monster out," I insisted, trying to sound braver than I felt. Jolene finally nodded and gave me a tight, quick hug and then bolted like she was, well, Usain Bolt.

So, there I was, alone with a pile of tent parts that hated me. I stared at the instructions, which might  as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. After a few moments of fumbling, I felt a notch at one end of the poles that wasn't there at the other, realizing my mistake. "Aha. So the poles go this way, Einstein. You could have said that earlier," I muttered to myself. I shifted a few pieces and, miraculously, everything started to click into place. 

Just as I was securing the last pole, I heard a rustle and some footsteps from the opposite direction. I turned around and saw familiar dark hair and eyes to go with. Finn appeared, looking around like he was searching for a lost puppy before he finally caught sight of me. "There you are, Cora. I was wondering where you'd gone."

"I stayed back to finish the tent," I said, trying to look nonchalant as I brushed some dirt off my hands. "I didn't want to leave it, like, half-done."

Finn watched me as I finally secured the tent and stood back to admire my handiwork. "Impressive," he said, a playful smile on his lips. "Your dedication is really something." 

I felt my heart do a little happy dance at his words but tried to play it cool. "Well, uh, thanks, Not-Neel."

"You know," Finn then continued, "it's a good thing you got this done. Wouldn't want any ravenous bears to sneak up on us while we're distracted by a flower."

I laughed, imagining a bear tiptoeing through the camp. "Yeah, or worse― ravenous mosquitos." 

"Ah, but of course. Yes, thank you Miss Almond Baba, for rescuing us."

I rolled my eyes and then couldn't help but giggle. "Are you a damsel in distress, Finn?"

"I will be if it's you that's rescuing me, Cora." 

He gave me a cheeky grin and winked, and I shoved at his arm, laughing. He then gave me an exaggeratedly suspicious look. "Though, were there any ulterior motives to your service, Miss A.B? Surely, you don't expect anything in return, do you?"

I pretended to think deep and hard. "Nah. Just your firstborn child."

Finn raised his eyebrows, huffing out an incredulous laugh before he smirked, questioning slowly, "So you want to have my firstborn child, huh?"

"Wait, why are you saying it like that?"

He was suddenly the poster child for innocence. "Like what?"

"I- You know what- Never mind." My face heating up, I looked away and put my hands on my hips as I surveyed the area. "Perhaps those ravenous bears could keep better company."

"Jeez, sorry, Rumpelstiltskin."

"I dare you to spell out that name."

Finn seemed to think about it for a second before his lips mouthed the name again as if sounding it out, and his face blanched. "You know what? I'd rather face the bears. Bring it on."