To Catch Your Fall | Heathoah

30. Trust Broken

TW: Mentions of being outed

Noah

Here we are. Only 2 weeks left until Nationals. It's been an incredibly tedious journey, with some moments I'd...rather not remember. But, I believe in this team.

There's a few of them going over the semi-finals routine in studio-a and I can telling they're enjoying it. Even Ethan and Marcus aren't arguing for once. If it wasn't for whatever is going on between Winnie and Izzy, we'd be golden. Not them I'm blaming Izzy for constantly being at odds with her. Outing someone is never okay!

I'm just hoping the two can fake their connection for everyone else. We only have a few minutes left to use this room today. With DanceMania being even closer than Nationals, Richelle has started booking this specific floor to go full out on their routines. 

Even if their crew seems to be having much more problems than ours, I can tell she is liking the position of being in-charge. She told me that she thought Summer would put up more of a fight to keep being dance Captain. But, like I tried to tell Emily, she was glad to be rid of it.

Speaking of which. I see the two talking while coming in. I give a nod to Richelle and tell a-troupe that they're finished for the team. Even if they liked it, they still let out relieved noises and go down to get some drinks. I wasn't too hard on them today...right?

As Richelle and Summer start setting up, my best-friend calls me over.

"Hey, sorry to take you away from your work, but have you seen Finn around? He said he'd be coming in earlier. Summer and I can't find him anywhere though?" She asks. 

"No, I haven't. Sorry. Is this really that surprising though?" I've known Finn since we were 5, and he's always been a bit scatter-brained. Pretty sure he might have ADHD. 

"I don't know. He's been a bit...off the past few weeks. Henry was saying the same. Barely been hanging out with Ozzy and Kingston." She starts rubbing her arm, and that's when I realise that I should take this a bit more seriously

"Maybe he's finally realised how big of a pair of pricks they are?" 

"Hah, I hope. That would be a dream. But, um...would it be okay if you could go look for him? You've always had a better sense of direction than me and I just want know he's okay-"

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I wasn't doing anything anyway." I try to calm her down my resting my hands on her shoulders. "I'll go look for him now."

She thanks me with one of those cute smiles she rarely gives. Then I head off. 

There isn't many places where he could be hiding. His height doesn't exactly accommodate for that. I'm sure Richelle would've looked in his usual spots, like the roof, where he tends to go for a smoke. So, instead I head for the boys' locker-room.

Almost as soon as I step in, I can see the steam and hear water. Okay, maybe he just went to have a shower and lost track of time.

"Hey Finn. It's Noah. Richelle is looking for you. You in here?!" I call out. He makes the not-so-bright decision to turn off the shower, which just tells me that he's definitely here. Using this, I go in the direction of the place that is now silent.

"She's not mad or anything. Just wants to know if you're okay. Actually, she said you've been a bit different lately. I know we never got on that well, but if you-

There is nothing else I can say when I turn that corner. It's one of the most horrific things I could imagine. Tears start welling up in my eyes as I process what I'm looking at and the breath gets snatched from my lungs. It's like those few weeks ago all over again. 

Despite the hot air roaming around the tiled-room, it feels like I'm frozen. It's not just me though. All of us just look at each-other, features stuck. 

Finn is completely naked and dripping with soap and water. He's standing behind someone else's ass, who he was for sure about to fuck.

I lock eyes with James, and the guilt on his face is prevalent. There is nothing I can do when I see him but start letting out a maniacal laugh.

"You are so full of shit!"