A Spirit Between Us (bxb)

Chapter 17 - A lingering whisper.

Walking to class with the unceasing hum of sympathy and never ending questions was its own kind of torment. Every step felt heavier as Finn moved through the bustling hallway, dodging the glances and whispers of classmates too curious for their own good.

"Are you okay, Finn?"
"What happened at the game?"
"Stress getting to you, man?"

He clenched his jaw, the weight of their unnecessary pity more suffocating than the incident itself. Their voices blended into a relentless noise, a backdrop to the more pressing storm brewing in his mind.

Finn's thoughts kept circling back to the library, to Archie, and to a moment that had left him completely baffled.

It had started so ordinarily. They were discussing the book, Archie's tone light, teasing, as it often was. He'd made some offhand joke, something Finn couldn't even recall if he tried now because the specifics didn't matter. It was harmless, normal. Except Finn's reaction was anything but.

He'd snapped back. The words had left his mouth sharp, biting, as if Archie had said something cruel rather than playful.

The moment played on repeat, and every time it felt more alien. His reaction didn't fit. It wasn't him. It was like someone else had reached out through him, taken control, and twisted the moment into something it wasn't.

The only time Finn had ever snapped at Archie like that was when he'd made that stupid comment about Lyla being his girlfriend. Back then, Finn's frustration had a reason, an unbearable knot of emotions he couldn't untangle. But this time there was no reason. No excuse.

As the memory replayed, Finn couldn't even claim ownership it. He'd felt detached, as though watching himself from a distance, powerless to stop his own reaction. The sensation left a sour taste in his mouth, a feeling that ran deeper than the embarrassment of overreacting.

He had immediately apologized, of course, stumbling over his words to make it right. Archie, being the most chill person on the planet, had brushed it off with an easy shrug and a quick, "Don't worry about it."

But Finn physically couldn't stop worrying about it.

By the time Finn slipped into his math class, he was a few moments late, not enough to cause a stir, but just enough to hear the teacher's voice droning three names into roll call. He slid into his usual seat, trying to keep a low profile, and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

For a brief moment, the simple act of sitting in class felt like a lifeline. It was mundane, predictable in a way nothing else in his life seemed to be right now. Immersing himself in schoolwork, even the mindless kind, was his version of pressing pause on the chaos. In these moments, he felt like just another kid trying to make it through the day, not someone grappling with whispered voices.

Well, except during history class. History class was a lost cause. Because that was when he allowed his focus to drift entirely to Archie, who sat a few rows ahead, completely oblivious to the attention Finn gave him. It was a dangerous distraction, but one he welcomed.

His brief taste of normalcy evaporated the moment he caught a pair of eyes glancing at him. Then another. And another. It was like a bizarre staring contest he hadn't signed up for. He groaned internally, sinking lower into his seat. Sure, he got it, collapsing at the game was bound to cause some chatter but this was next level. He felt less like a student and more like some celebrity who'd had a very public, very embarrassing meltdown. All he was missing was the paparazzi and a headline that read,
'Star Quarterback Faints: Is Stress the Real MVP?'

"They pity you."

The voice boomed suddenly, sharp and intrusive, making Finn flinch in his seat.