lovestruck {F.W}

Chapter 9

RIVERS POV:
so we're basically trailing after lola. it's taking so long and im hungry.
"ugh guys can we get food? im so hungry" millie groans as if reading my mind.
"im busy" lola replies bluntly.
"well we're going to get food" Sadie snaps at her.
"no I'm hungry too sink, we can get food together we are all walking around as a group" Lola snaps at her. Sadie scowls at her little nickname.
"you're taking so long!"
"okay guys can we not?" I but in, i can't be bothered for their arguing.
"yeah I'm with river on that one, come on lola we can come back here okay?"
she huffs but we all go and get food, finally. as were sitting at the table, i feel my phone vibrate, I look so see a message off finn. my heart pace quickens and I start to burn up. why does this happen to me, i barley know him!

finn😍
heyy are you all still at the mall?
Wait does he want to meet us here? i type a quick reply.
yeah we are, did you want to meet us?
wait was that reply too quick? did that sound like I wanted him to meet us? i don't want to sound desperate.
he replies:
yep where are you?
we're just getting food, meet us at sephora?
sounds cool.
and that's it. that's all our conversation is. it's kind of upsetting actually, i want them to be longer and less...blunt.
"hey mill?" i lean over and whisper in her ear, "finn is meeting us at sephora okay?"
i see a smile creep up on her face, that often means she's up to no good.
"millie" my voice trails off, "please don't say anything"
"i won't I promise"
as we start to walk to where we are meeting Finn, but millie and sadie are lagging behind whispering, giving me an uneasy feeling before I could ask anything, Millie yells across the hall making people stop and stare at us. oh millie.
"FINN!" she yells, but his hair isn't the same colour. wait, that's not finn.
"millie!" I hiss, "that's not finn"
she goes a bright red and walks on sheepishly. I've never seen millie this embarrassed before. Lola rolls her eyes at her, making her shrink back and stay behind a little.
"millie? millster? it's okay it was kinda funny" i comfort her.
she laughs "i know! It really looked like him!" and just like that she walks on.
"River!" i spin on my heels at the sound of that familiar voice. now that is Finn. instantly I get that warm butterfly feeling. is this what it feels like to be in love?
"millie sadie! hi!" he pulls us into a hug, i breathe in, he smells like warm cinnamon and I smile. he's tall as well so he's a great hugger. our hug lasted longer than it probably should've but he pulls away first from us. he clears his throat, "lola, hello" he nods at her.
"finn hi!" She bats her eyelashes at him. he looks at us and pulls a disgusted face before turning and walking off. Lola throws me a dirty look before following.
"try to keep up girls" she hisses at us.
after walking for about half an hour around shops and trying on clothes, we slowly come to a stop.
"5:00 my mom will be here soon we should get ready, I need the restroom, anyone else?"
lola and I shake our heads and were left alone with each other. not good.

"so..." I try to start a conversation.
"so what? i don't want to talk to you, can't you tell?" She yells, I wince at the menace laced in her voice. i have never done anything wrong.
"why though?" i question further my heart beating hard in my chest
"because, you took finn and you like him, he's mine and always was okay? you need to back off him. i see the way you look at him but guess what honey? He don't like you, and never will. you already took my part and you're not taking Finn" she glares at me, I can see the anger gathered in her eyes. "you need to stop being such a flirt and leave my finn alone. understand? do you understand??"

at this point I'm shaking. I've never been more upset, I know that she's lying but part of me believes her. I'm terrified, she's towering above me and I'm a short person. my chest is tight and I'm struggling to breathe. the world seems to move slowly and i feel the ground move beneath me. i struggle to focus my eyes on one thing, just like my mom tells me too. everything's blurry and I can't stop the tears from streaming down my face. im alone. my hands are shaking uncontrollably and I try to call for help, but only manage a croak. this has happened so many times, it's feeling that I dread.
"River? River!" i hear millie but she's muffled.
"where's lola? did she leave? oh my god river!"
i feel Sadie and Millie holding my shoulders, either side of me.
"River?" a deep, soothing voice calls me.
"Finn?"
"it's okay, we're all here" i manage to control my breathing and we take a seat on the nearest bench. finn hands me a bottle of water and I sip it slowly. there's something about him that gives me comfort and i don't know what the hell it is.
"River what was that?" sadie asks, I hear the worry in her voice.
"she had a anxiety attack" our heads turn to finn who was sitting next to me quietly, bouncing his leg.
"what happened out here? did something upset you? make you worry? oh no, was it the show, is it stressing you out?"
i rub my head and sigh.
"mill calm with the questions okay? let her think a little"
"sorry" she replies, sadly.
"hey no it's okay, I think maybe I was worrying about leaning my lines too much" i lie because if I tell them about Lola, she'll probably hate me more.
"that's okay, if you like, we can always help you learn them!" Sadie reassures me, but it doesn't help the worry that sits at the bottom of my stomach.
finn looks at me, i give him a weak smile and he smiles back. instantly that worry fades and is replaced with warmth.
"is everyone ready to go?" millie breaks our 'moment' if you would even call it that.
"yeah, let's go" i give her a warm smile.

"hi girls, oh and Finn! Sorry I didn't see you there kiddo!" millies Dad is picking us up this time.
"hi Dad! this is River" millie calls him
"hi there river! So were are we off to now?"
"er well we have to drop finn off and pick up Harper Okay?"
"sure thing mill"

we're looking for Harper. She wasn't with my mom and that makes me worried, she often trails off when she's bored, with her camera. she could be anywhere!! i chew on the corner of  my nail anxiously.
Sadie placed her hand on my shoulder, "she's okay, from what I've heard, she's a smart girl, she can't be far" she smiles warmly at me.
"wait! there she is!" millie shouts pointing to a mob of red hair she's sitting with... a boy?
oh she's telling us all what this is about later.
she climbs in the car next to millie, flushed. we all stare at her. grins on all of our faces.
"what?" She asks innocently.

~word count 1281~
Ooo this was quite an intense chapter for river... and Harper. i hope youre liking it so far!
over and out,
-L💛