The Stories Behind Finley Robinson (Young Adult)

Four: Space Cakes

Finley

I knock on Juliet's door, but she does not answer.  Kellan's hands are weighed down with bottles of wine and food for the evening.  He gives me a wide stare telling me to open the door. There is music playing and I don't want to barge in without giving her a chance to answer.  I give it another knock and wait. Kellan lets out a heavy sigh, letting me know his arms are feeling weighted and his patience is growing thin.

I turn the key in the lock and push open the door before grabbing the grocery bags I have laid to the side. The smell of recently baked chocolate hits my nose as soon as we cross the threshold. "Oh good lord, what is that heavenly smell?"

"Smells like cake," Kellan says, laying the bags and bottles on the dining room table. He turns and walks into the kitchen. "She made brownies, mate."

He is rummaging through the drawers when I meet him in the kitchen. My nose squares to the warm pan of cooling brownies and my stomach growls in hunger. "Do you think she'll mind if we have a some?"

"I'm one step ahead of you," Kellan says, coming over with a knife. "What's she going to say? You're doing her a huge favor tonight. Besides, I firmly believe that in desperate times like these, it's better to ask for forgiveness than for permission."

"Exactly what are the desperate times?" I ask.

"There is a tin full of warm brownies and they're making me desperately hungry!"

I chuckle as Kellan cuts the brownies into squares and hands one to me before cutting one for himself. It's perfectly warm, soft in the middle, hard on the edges and it has an extra spice or something. "Mmm!" I say and Kellan nods in agreement.

We each have one more before we start to get everything ready for the evening.

I open a bottle of my favorite wine and pour a glass for both of us.  As we find bowls and set up the food and glasses, I start to feel a little light.

Juliet

Why am I so nervous? I can hear that Finley and Kellan are here as their laughter can be heard through my bedroom door. I put the final touches on my hair and double-check my appearance. After a deep breath, I make my way to them.

"Hello." I meet them in the living-room. They have set up some appetizers and bottles of wine on the table.  It looks nice. "This looks great, guys. Thanks for setting it up."

"You know what looks nice?" Finley says from the couch.

I turn to look at him and Kellan, giving them a smile.  Finley hangs over the arm of the couch, slumping over the side, relaxed.

"What's that?" I ask.

Finley slowly lets his eyes roam down my body and back up to meet my eyes, "You love, you look great."

Something isn't right. His eyes are glazed and he's sitting more relaxed than I've ever seen him. His voice is slow and sexy, not a hundred percent normal.

"Finley, are you alright? How much wine have you had?" I ask, looking at Kellan and noticing he's a bit off as well.

"Only one glass. I've never felt better. In fact, I feel completely divine," Finley says slowly as he pulls the glass to his lips and leans back into the chair. He raises his eyebrows at me as he takes a long sip, making my toes curl in my shoes. "Those are the best damn brownies I have ever had. You are an amazing baker."

Oh no! The brownies! "Oh god! You had the brownies?" I yell as I run into the kitchen. Finley is saying something as I examine that they have eaten about a quarter of the pan.  "Oh my god. You two ate the brownies?"