American Cliché - Finneas story

Just us

Chapter Six: Just Us

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The night felt magical, as if the rest of the world had melted away, leaving only Y/N and Finneas in their little corner of the French café. They’d been talking for hours, lost in each other’s stories, jokes, and smiles.

As Y/N took a sip of her coffee, Finneas’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, chuckling softly. “Speak of the devil… it’s Billie.”

“Oh really?” Y/N grinned, a spark of mischief in her eyes. “What’s she want?”

“She’s asking about you, actually,” he said, showing her the text: “So? How’s it going with Y/N? Did you swoon her with your awkward charm yet?”

Y/N laughed, covering her mouth. “Tell her it’s working. Just let her know I’m still here, so you must be doing something right.”

Finneas laughed, typing a quick response: “Yeah, still here. Apparently, she’s not too put off by my awkward charm.”

He put his phone down, giving her a warm smile. “I think she’s already planning on interrogating you at some point.”

“Oh, I can handle it,” Y/N said, waving a hand dismissively. “She can ask all the questions she wants. Besides, I’m not dating you to impress her… or anyone else for that matter.”

Finneas’s heart swelled, his gaze softening as he looked at her. She was so genuine, so open with him, and it was clear she was here simply because she wanted to be—not because of his last name or who his sister was.

“That… that means a lot to me,” he said quietly, a bit surprised by how much it really did. “Honestly, it’s one of my biggest fears, you know? That someone might just… see me as some ticket to fame or whatever. I don’t know if I could handle that.”

Y/N reached across the table, her hand resting over his reassuringly. “You’re not just ‘Billie’s brother’ to me, Finneas. You’re… you. And I kind of like you,” she said, her voice soft, a smile tugging at her lips.

A warmth spread through him, and he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He hadn’t even realized how much he’d been carrying that fear, that guarded part of him that always wondered if people’s intentions were genuine. But here she was, breaking down all of those walls with just her honesty and kindness.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Well, I really, really like you too.”

They both laughed softly, gazing at each other as if they were sharing a secret. The way she looked at him made him feel understood, seen in a way that no one else had made him feel. And for Y/N, it was rare to find someone who could make her feel so safe, so completely comfortable to just be herself.

His phone buzzed again, and he glanced at it to see another text from Billie: “Don’t mess it up! She sounds awesome.”

Y/N peeked over at the screen, reading it and laughing. “She sounds like a great sister.”

“She is,” he replied, smiling fondly. “And you’re right… she’s probably just looking out for me, making sure I’m happy.”

Y/N smiled softly, looking down at their joined hands. “Well, she doesn’t need to worry. I’m here for you.”

As they sat there, hands entwined, Finneas knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he could let himself fall—wholeheartedly, without hesitation, because he’d finally found someone who was in it just for him.