Contemporary Life // FILLIE

After Curfew

Finn's POV:

That night I ended up climbing out of Millie's bay window with her parents just arriving home. I somehow slipped past her front yard and into my car, fortunately driving away without a trace. Today, while Sadie took Millie out dress shopping, I decided to go ahead and take the free time to get a tux before deciding to stop by the Brown residence. I went with a simple, dark grey tux... again, I do not look good in colors. As for Millie's song.. I'm still working on, it's a work in progress and has yet to be planned out where or how I will perform it to her. With my hand on the top of the wheel, I lurch to a stop as I park on my cracked driveway, breaking away from my thoughts. Sighing I take out the keys and lock my car, the thought of the British brunette still roaming in my mind. Aware its past curfew, I carefully creak open the front door, tensing up when a high pitched creak echoes into the dark house. A lamp suddenly is clicked on in the living room to reveal Mom sitting in her rocking chair with a robe on over her night gown, her legs crossed over one another.

"It's after curfew, Finn." Mom states flatly, an annoyed and tired look on her face. I let out a sigh while closing the door behind me, preparing myself for a lecture. "In fact, an hour past. Care to tell me where you where?" She asks curiously, glancing up at the clock hanging on the decorated wall. I run a hand through my hair until my fingers graze the cotton beanie covering most of my hair as I look around, trying to decide on a smart answer. "Uh... no?" I guess with my brows scrunched together. She lets out a sigh as she removes the reading glasses from her eyes, setting them down on the table beside her. "Son, tell me, were you with a girl?" She instructs with an already pitied disappointment expression. "What? No! Well yes, but-" "Finn, when will you finally stop doing this and clean up your act? This isn't healthy, mentally and physically." Mom explains, causing me to roll my eyes in disgust. "Mom, I was with Millie. And I've only been with her for the past 4 weeks."  I inform, rubbing the side of my face due to exhaustion. Her features soften to a more wondrous look, as if she's trying to read my thoughts and figure out the sudden change in me. "Millie, huh?" She repeats, to which I nod. "Have you... slept.. with her?" She questions hesitantly, a suspicious expression plastered to her face. My eyes quickly widen as my eyebrows furrow, the question making me easily uncomfortable. "No! No." "I'm just making sure." She explains, which I facepalm to. "My god, Mom." I mumble in embarrassment, shaking my head.

"Okay, well.. I guess you can keep your car privileges this time, but that's only because your actually doing something right. So don't think you're getting off the hook next time, got it?" She says as I start trudging up the stairs, giving her an 'ok' sign as a response. With that conversation over, I sluggishly go through my nightly routine and roll into bed so I'm laying on my stomach. After scrolling through various social media for a little over thirty minutes, I decide to probably get some sleep before school tomorrow.. or I guess today now since it's past midnight. I drift off to sleep with that same someone always occupying my head, though truly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

-

My eyes sleepily open to the sound of my alarm, being suddenly awake causing my breath to hitch as I stretch my arms out. I quickly snatch my phone from my bedside and click it off, glancing around my bedroom after. Noticing how dark it still is, I push a hand through my tangled dark curls- not really being a fan of dark mornings in the winter. I push myself out of bed and grab the nearest pair of jeans followed by a SWRMS white t-shirt and throw them on. Before leaving my room I instinctively grab a beanie from my shelf and pull it over my messy hair while also speeding down the stairs. Knowing my parents are already at work, and Nick doesn't have and courses today, I come into the empty kitchen and grab a frozen blueberry waffle; taking a large bite of it as I take my bag and thin black bomber jacket as I go out to my car parked right where I left it on the driveway. My muscle memory kicks into gear as i begin driving my way to school, listening to New Order as I make my way into the school parking-lot.

Shifting into park, I peer ahead at the students walking side by side towards the school, recognizing them instantly from living in such a small town with all the same people. With a sigh I grab my heavy ass backpack and sling it over my shoulders, shoving my hands into my jean pockets as I walk in the same path the group before me did. Arriving on school grounds, I go over to our usual table outside the school to find that everyone except Millie hasn't arrived yet. Weird, she usually rides with Sadie and Noah. So why is she alone?  She continues to scribble words in her notebook as I sit down next to her, not noticing my presence just yet. I lean over her shoulder, reading what she wrote aloud. "Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." I read, the first words that escape my mouth causing her eyes to snap to me as her hand stops writing. After finishing the last sentence, I shift my confused eyes over to hers. "What's that mean?" I ask innocently, truly not understanding. Blinking a few times, she seems to fall out of a trance as she glances down at the paper. "Uh.. it basically means, 'nothing gold can stay' as in nothing will last forever- I guess." Millie explains, breaking eye contact as she mutters the last words. "Do you believe that?" I question, raising my brows at her. "What? N-No, it's just for a class." She protests while shutting her notebook and stuffing it back into her bag just as the others come into view.

"Hey Fillie, what's up?" Sadie teases, her being the one who made it up. Millie rolls her eyes at her name for us, shaking her head with a small chuckle as I smirk. "So guys, you ready for the Snowball tomorrow?" Noah interrupts, clapping his hands together with his elbows on the table. The rest of us glance to each other and simply shrug, not think too much into it yet. "I think the real question is: are you?" Gaten questions, pushing his shoulder in a friendly manner while still managing to show his actual curiosity. He rocks his head side to side as if he was debating, "I don't know.. I just hope I don't mess up with Kenzie, you know?" Noah explains, tapping his foot repeatedly against the ground. Caleb slings his arm around him and gives him a comforting smile, "Don't worry man, you'll do great." He insists, patting his back before starting a private conversation with Sadie. After a few minutes of talking, the bell finally rings, signaling for all of us to head to first hour.

Millie's POV:

The first couple of periods fly by, my first hour with Finn being pretty uneventful seeing as he fell asleep mid-lesson, and third was still hilarious as ever with Sadie's presence. Eventually the bell for lunch comes around, allowing me out of the class and into the halls. I make my way to the same locker I go to everyday, stuffing all my things in there so I can head to lunch. "Yo Millster, what's cracka-lackin?" Noah greets strangely, shooting me a finger gun as he leans onto the closed locker beside mine. Giving him a confused look, I squint my eyes at him. "Did you just say 'cracka-lackin'?" I ask slowly, knowing Noah would never say that a day in his life. He lets out a defeated sigh and runs his hand through his recently cut hair. "Millie, I don't want you to get jealous or anything but- Kenzie asked me to sit with her at lunch, and I kinda feel like I'd be betraying you guys or-" He rambles out nervously. Stifling a laugh, I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him from speaking. "Noah, it's fine. Were juniors, not sixth graders." I explain, giggling. Noah's facial expression changes into one that makes it seem like he just mentally facepalmed, which he probably did. "Right, yeah- I know." He states, giving me a quick hug before running off to find Kenzie. Noah Schnapp, the most sweetest boy ever.