Sucker Punch

Chapter Seven

Finn

After spending the entire day at my internship, I'm ready to crash. I open the door to my bedroom and immediately start stripping to change into pajamas so I can make dinner in comfort. Buzz Buzz. I grab my phone.

Mitch: you eat dinner yet?

Sometimes it's like he can read my mind.

Finn: Nope. I'm fucking starving. You bringing food?

Mitch: Yup. I'm gonna bribe you with it

Fuck.

Finn: What do you want?

Mitch: Almost home

A couple minutes later I hear the front door unlocking and I go out to meet Mitch in the kitchen. He presents me with a large buffalo chicken pizza, my favorite.

"So you gonna tell me what you want now?" I reach for a slice.

"Eat up first, you're less grumpy after you've eaten."

After a few slices and catching up on each other's days, I circle back to his "bribe."

"So what do you need? Why the pizza?" He swallows his last bite then clears his throat.

"It's more of an apology, I guess. I know I said I'd go to the Bluebirds concert with you Saturday, but then I invited Shelby without telling you, which was a dick move," he says but he's fidgeting and I know there's more coming.

"And well, I thought I'd make it better by asking Shelby to invite one of her friends for you. To even things out." Jesus Christ. I just wanted to see my favorite band live. Now I'm being set up.

"And?"

"Well I realized that's also a dick move, because I should've asked you."

"Hence the apology pizza?"

"Hence the apology pizza."

I run my hand through my hair. "A double date, man?"

"It doesn't have to be a double date. I know you don't really do the relationship thing, but apparently she doesn't really date either s-"

"She? Who is she, anyway?" I probably should've asked sooner.

"Oh, right. Ivy."

Eevee. My agitation evaporates.

"Shelby said she was going alone anyway, and you two know each other, so she was the obvious choice." Now he looks remorseful. "Do you hate me?"

I've been thinking about her since last night, wondering what happened with Galeria and Jay, hoping I'd run into her so I could ask. And seeing my favorite band with my best friend, his girlfriend, and Ivy doesn't seem like a terrible night.

"Nah. I like Eevee. It should be a good night," I say and grab another slice.

Mitch just keeps staring at me.

"You like Eevee?" Shit.

I roll my eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Maybe if you hadn't used a cute little nickname I would," he smirks at me.

"It's not a nickname, it's her name in Spanish, she's Mex -" I don't even know why I'm explaining myself.  "You know what, fuck you. I'm taking my pizza to my room," I sputter out and reach for the box.

I can still hear him laughing after I shut myself in my room.

I spend the rest of my night studying in my room and sending goofy texts to my brothers, but my thoughts keep edging back to the concert with Ivy this weekend. Ivy, Mitch, and Shelby, I remind myself.