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15

15

Soon we were all gathered in a tiny closet-like room, shoulder to shoulder. Sam sat in front of a worn computer. He pointed excitedly at different pieces of coding. Looking around me, I was met with faces of poorly concealed confusion.

Except for Viola, who just stared at the screen in pure bafflement. Her mouth had fallen open as she mumbled about not knowing what was going on. Just watching her forced me to stifle a laugh. Coughing as a coverup, I said, "Could you explain what that is?"
After Sam's quick explanation, everyone was a lot clearer about what was going on. By using an old program he brought with him, he was able to somehow gain access to their security programming.
"So what do we do now?" Emily piped up from the back of the group.
A silence fell over the room. Every face looked undecided about what to do or say.

But then Beth folded her arms and said plainly, "We'll wait for Tate."
With that, she turned and left the room. Marshall grumbled to himself but followed in suit. Within moments everyone was gone, leaving just my friends behind. There was a quiet pause before Finn asked, "Well, I'm finished with work, you guys want to hang out?"
Sam let out a small chuckle as he declined, turning back to the computer.

Emily, Finn and I set off to the bedrooms and settled in the boys' room. Emily let out a euphoric sigh as she lay down on one of the beds while I sat on the opposite bed.
"I'm exhausted!" She moaned into the pillow. Her faux distress was funny to watch her splay out her arms and legs.
"Working you to the bone, huh?" Finn said jokingly.
"You try carrying up boxes and boxes of supplies during the middle of the night!"
"Half five isn't the middle of the night, Emily," he scoffed.
After closing the door, Finn threw himself behind me on the bed. Due to the sudden dip, I went tumbling back, caught by his quick hand on my back.
Finn let out a low chuckle behind me before apologising. But my mind was blurred by the sudden sensation from his hand. An unsettling feeling swept over me as I got sat up straight, avoiding touching off him.

He waited a couple of moments before snickering, "Now that can't be comfortable, sitting that upright."
He was right; I was getting an ache in my back. "If I lean back, I'll push you off the bed."
I could feel him shift onto his back. "You won't push me off, Sine. You can lean against me."
Even though the annoying feeling was still nagging at me, I let myself rest slowly against his body. I then noticed the stillness of the room as my attention was drawn to Emily. She was still spread out on the bed but now her eyes were shut.

Trying to switch away from the over-touching, I forced a giggle before saying, "Well, she was working since the middle of the night."
Finn didn't respond to my statement, but instead stared up at my eyes.
"What do you think of it here?" His tone was so serious and tense, copying his eyes.
"What do you mean?" I asked, cautious of my answer.
He shrugged but didn't move his gaze.
"What do you think of it here?" He repeated.
I began to think over my answer but looking at his face, I could tell he just wanted a honest response.
"I like it here. Everyone seems really nice. It feels nice to actually be part of some sort of community, you know? One that is finally accepting me into it."
He didn't say anything.
Him running out of the room played in my mind.
"Do you miss them?" I asked softly.
He closed his eyes with a sigh and placed the back of his hand to rest against his lids. No words filled the room, his demeanor saying it all. But this silent left me feeling wary I was coming off insensitive. I don't want Finn to think of me like that.
"It's okay if you do, like..." My sentence was interrupted by him snorting.

He removed his hand to look at me. His eyes were glossy but were accompanied by a smile.
"What?" I could already feel red rushing up onto my cheeks.
"You! I know you don't really get what it's like." Embarrassment hit me like a wave. My hand darted up to cover my burning cheeks.
"Sorry, I just wanted to..."
My words were caught off once more by his own hand gently being placed to my cheek. Its coolness instantly cooling my warmth.
"It's fine Sine. Thank you."
His words sounded far away, muffled. My eyes watched his trail down to my mouth before slowly learning forward.

I jutted back away from him. Finn bounced back as well with wide eyes. I looked to my side. Emily's still asleep. Good. Finn's mouth opened to say something but I got there first.
"I better get going; Tate will be here soon."
He shut his mouth and gave me a tight-lipped nod. "Yeah, I probably have something left to do anyway."

I rose to my feet and scurried out of the room. Shutting the door behind me, I rested against it. A warm feeling simmered inside of me. What just happened? My mind was spinning but it didn't stop my hand from raising to my lips, feeling a smile behind my fingers.
Oh wow.