Bad Habit

twenty five

"Let me get this. . . Straight? Wait. . . Am I even allowed to say that to you?"

"Die."

"Still alive," Aro shot back, jarring his elbow into Finny's side just hard enough. "As I was saying, you're telling me that you and Mosspack and no longer an item."

"Were we ever an 'item', as you say?" Finny asked, scanning his eyes across the bustling hallway. Truth be told he was on the lookout for the very boy they were talking about, but if asked, he'd deny that fact.

"You were a fucking item," Aro replied, accidents bumping into Finny once again. "Like, it's one thing to be friends, but you guys? Take you and me for example. People know were friends, sure. But you and Mosspack? People know you guys are friends. You know what I'm saying?"

"I'm going to say yes to spare the explanation," Finny said, rolling his eyes after getting a sharp shoulder from some random kid. They turned left to wander down the math wing with no true destination in mind. There was currently a class meeting for all the seniors going on, or rather about to go on, but Aro and Finny had other plans. Plans that included anything but the pointless meeting. "Whatever though, it is what it is. I can't change it." Aro glanced at Finny with a weird expression.

"You obviously can change it, but, okay," Aro said as if to make Finny feel like a complete full-blown. "Nothing is set is stone here."

"But—" Finny began, only to cut his sentence extremely short. Walking towards he and Aro was none other than Moss himself. Finny suddenly felt himself caving in and a sense of longing washed over his entire body. Moss was dressed nicely, something that Finny hadn't seen him wear in a while. His long black tee shirt went to his thighs and there was some design on it that Finny didn't focus on enough to realize. He was wearing a pair of light skinny jeans with rips galore, and his small backpack was slung over only one shoulder. His hair was tousled and his eyes were bright, though he still managed to look like his mopey, 'I don't give a fuck' self. His eyes were darting from face to face as he passed his classmates, but Finny's weren't. Finny's eyes stayed glued to Moss and his glorious lips.

Aro looked over at Moss and then back to Finny with enlarged, curious eyes. He watched intently as the boys passed each other, waiting for some big climax. Moss glanced in their direction and made eye contact with Aro before averting his attention to Finny's path. And when he caught Phineas' burning gaze, he frowned and dropped his head down to the floor, lifting his left arm up and around to that he could palm the back of his neck. Finny let out a deep breath and put his head down as well, feeling his shoulder brush past Moss' as they went their opposite ways. And Finny had never felt more alone in his life.

"Holy shit," Aro gasped, jumping up and down with a hand slapped over his mouth. "Did that just happen? You're not even saying hello to each other?"

"Christ, Aro, he told me to leave him alone," Finny replied angrily, "what am I gonna do, just say hi to him all the time? Follow him around? Spark up a conversation? Fuck no, I'm not a fucking stalker and I know how to do as I'm told."

"But. . . What would just saying hello hurt?" Aro asked, completely shocked. "Like, how long has this even been going on? Two weeks?" Finny nodded solemnly as the boys made a turn walk into the courtyard.

"Yeah, and I'm just letting it be," Finny sighed, out stretching his arms to feel the sun's heat on him. "That right, just letting it happen. He wants space? He wants me to give him space as he offers me no explanation as to why or when he'll want to speak to me again? Fine, I'll give him space. I'll give him more fucking space that he wants." Aro scoffed as the boys took a seat at one of the empty wood picnic tables.