Contemporary Life // FILLIE

Hope It

Finn's POV:

I kick off my vans as I toss my keys in the glass bowl, hanging up my coat afterwards with a sigh. Sure's been a long ass day. "Finn? That you?" I hear Nick yell from from his room, the sound of gaming almost drowning out his voice. "Yeah! It's me," I shout back, knowing he can't hear the last part. "Don't cream your pants." I add, mumbling to myself as I make my way up the staircase and to his doorway. I watch as he sits in his gaming chair, his fingers switching rapidly along the controller as he stares at the screen intently. "I just got back from the hospital." I mention as I lean my weight onto the doorway casually. With his eyes still on the screen, he responds. "Oh yeah? And how's the chocolate daddy doing?" He asks with honest concern in his voice despite his obvious interest in the C.O.D game. I shrug, "Better than the last time I saw him." He raises his eyebrows, "That's good, right?" I simply nod as an answer, knowing he can't see me but honestly not caring at this point.

"Okay well you should probably sleep soon, it's a school night." He parents, still with his eyes glued to the TV. Yeah.. my last 'school night'. "Right." I reply, about to turn down the hall before remembering something. This may be one of the last nights it'll be like this, that you'll see him. "And Nick?" I query, waiting as he turns his full attention to me for once. "I- uh, I love you. I just.. I don't feel like I say it enough." I confess, my sudden words forming a smile on his face. "I love you too, frogface. Night." Nick admits, waving me off once he's done speaking. It takes all that I have to simply nod and walk to my room instead of telling him everything; telling him what I'm going through, tell him that I'm sorry and not to worry about me, to take care of mom and dad when I'm gone, but most of all.. that I already miss him. Oh how I wish I could form more memories with him, or just spend one more night in the woods with a crackling fire at our feet while we talk about everything, where we catch up and simply be brothers together.. for those few hours that time just stopped for us. Nick, I'm so sorry.

-

Caleb's POV:

I woke up the following morning with tear stains still printed on my cheeks. Without much effort, I quickly realized Finn had obviously left once I had fallen asleep. He had to share my 'motive' I bet.. funny how that works, the one person you trust is only the messenger. Not that I care if he tells them, they probably deserve to know. But after all, who knows if they even know all of what happened. My thoughts drift away as I'm brought back to reality at the sight of Nurse Buono, though she insisted on calling her Cara. "Good morning, Caleb. How are we feeling today?" She asks kindly with a breakfast tray in her hands. We? I don't see you with bandages all around your body and a sister in a hospital room on the floor above yours.. but how am I feeling? Been better. 

I shrug as a response before taking the tray from her carefully and setting on my lap. "I hear your friends are coming over tomorrow to take you out for a few hours, get some fresh air, have fun! That's exciting, right?" Cara mentions cheerfully while setting my torso up using the bed options. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. Why would they want me out of here to hang out.. aren't they afraid of me? "Is that so?" I question, taking a small bite of the buttered toast afterwards. Smiling, she nods frantically. "I have a feeling things will start going right you you, Caleb. I really do." She pipes up, shooting me one last smile before exiting the same way she came. "I hope you're right, Cara.. boy do I hope it." I breathe out despite her absence, sighing before continuing on with my breakfast.

-

Millie's POV:

"Yeah, I hear Jaeden's having a real banger  tonight. I'm definitely going." Chris, a guy who for some reason loves to use the word 'banger', announces to his druggie friend that I forgot the name of. Not that I care to learn it. This is study hall, no body cares and half of us are asleep anyway. I glance over my shoulder to the clock that hands on the back wall, 20 minutes left. "Damn." I mutter to myself, never actually realizing how slow time moves compared to my thoughts. Well, I'd do my homework.. but there's really no point in that when I won't even be here to turn it in on Monday. I snicker in amusement at the though: I won't be here to turn it in. Hell, I could do anything today and there would e no consequences for me on Monday morning. And that's just fact. By then I'll already be living with my sister back in Indiana, along with all of my other friends. The realization of how much wrong I could do without anything to punish me afterwards sends a chill down my back. The sudden cold wanting me to pull the sleeves of Finn's jacket that he gave me this morning further over my hands. It smells like him- it smells like safety. Soon I feel myself falling into a peaceful sleep with the feeling of safety present in his scent.

I jerk myself awake from the fright of sleeping through my next hour, lunch. Thankfully, I wake just before the bell rings. I quickly gather the few things I brought to class and head out of the classroom into the crowded halls. As I walk to my locker I recognize people, for example Jack or Wyatt, but don't have the energy to actually interact with them even if I wanted to. But with my luck, the world doesn't care what energy I have. I turn the dial right until reaching 01, switching to turn left at 13, followed by right at 15. 01-13-15.. why does that seem familiar? Like I've seen those numbers outside of just my locker combo? I shrug off my unimportant thoughts as I click open the locker M353 and swing open the door, glancing at the Polaroid picture of Finn and I that we took only yesterday in my bedroom. With a sigh, I put away my reading book along with my headphones- until being abruptly stopped by the presence of a particular curly headed boy, but not the one I wanted to see. 

"Hey Brown, can we talk?" The boy asks with his brows raised, showing that he's nervous yet still using the old nickname he gave me. I furrow my own, "What's there to talk about?" Wyatt lets out a sigh as his eyes then catch sight of the photo I was just admiring, the photo causing his lips to purse before he continues. "It's just, I don't want you to blame Finn for what happened a few days ago." He explains as his eyes divert to his shoes. I stay silent, already having the problem resolved but still wanting to hear the rest. "It's our fault he got high, we should've been there for him instead of offering what we know he promised his friends and himself he wouldn't take after what happened. I just wanted to say I'm sorry, is all." He admits guiltily, his face pleading for forgiveness- though I'm not worried about that. 'After what happened'? "Wait, what happened?" I question suspiciously with my hand on the locker door as I stare at him. Wyatt runs a hand through his curly, light brown hair. 

"Nothing, he just did something stupid. I can't really remember but trust me, it's not important." He brushes off, to which I furrow my brows but nod anyway. "Um.. so do you think I could make it up to you? I don't know, go out for coffee this weekend or something?" Wyatt asks with a shrug. I press my lips together, "Sorry Wyatt. I have things I've already planned.. but maybe some other time?" I suggest, already knowing there will be no 'other time'. A grin forms on his face quickly at the question, "Uh yeah.. sure. Sounds good." I smile at his response, putting away the rest of my books as he gets called by Jaeden to join his friends. "I'll talk to you later, Brown." Wyatt states with a grin until walking off with his friends. "Looking forward to it!" I shout back as he heads down the hall, again, knowing there isn't anything to look forward to.