Word Count: 1527
Finn blinked hard as his eyes met the bright lights illuminating the field, making his warm breath visible in the cold air. His feet dragged along the grass as he trudged towards the dark blue bleachers, filled with people who came to watch the football game. The game he wasn't allowed to play.
The black jumper he was wearing, with the hood covering his messy curls, was successful in telling people not to talk to him. He was in a mood. He managed to reach Sadie without anyone talking to him, slumping down in the seat next to her. "Well, someone's in a bad mood." Sadie teased, pulling the hood of his jumper down.
"Sadie, I'm here because you asked me to come. Don't push it." In Finn's mind, this was true, he cared a lot about Sadie and didn't want to disappoint her.
"No, Finn, you are here because you should support your team." They glared at each other before Sadie shoves his shoulder with her own, forcing a smile to form on his face. "Cheer up, I invited Millie too, and you need to get her to stop thinking you're such a debby downer."
As if right on cue, Millie approaches carrying three coffees in her arms that were covered in a white knit sweater. She had a frown on her face as she walked up the steps trying not to drop the drinks. "Hey, guys." She smiled, stopping next to Finn, she furrowed her eyebrows as she quietly said, "do you mind if I just sit here, Finn? I don't want to risk spilling these trying to squeeze past you guys."
"Yeah, sure," Finn mumbled, a bit offended that she felt she had to ask to sit down next to him like it's the last thing she would've wanted or something.
She carefully sat down next to him, handing him a coffee to pass down to Sadie and then giving one to him. She cupped her drink in her hands and rested it on her shaking legs. She wore blue denim jeans, but it was colder than she thought it would be. If she had known, she would've brought her coat and beanie.
Sadie leaned behind Finn to tap Millie on the shoulder, "how are you, Mills?"
"Yeah, not bad. Yourself?" Millie responded to the small talk, trying to ignore the awkwardness derived from Finn being placed between the two girls. Sadie just nodded, and Millie looked at Finn, an attempt to break the tension. "How about you, Finn?" He looked at her, confused. He'd zoned out, eyes watching the rest of his team warm up for the game that was to start in a few minutes. "I asked how you were."
"Oh. Yeah, well, could be better." He tried to force a smile, making Millie raise her eyebrows. "No offense to the two of you, but I'd much rather be out there than sitting with you guys." He said quietly, not sure if it was the right thing to say considering Sadie told him to convince Millie he wasn't so pessimistic. "But, with your help, I can get back out there!" It came out as more of a question, as he awkwardly elbowed Millie.
Millie looked at him, eyes squinted, contrasting his which were wide with embarrassment. After what felt like, to Finn, centuries, she smiled and let out a small laugh, "yeah, Finn. You will get back out there." She repeated.
He opened his mouth, not even sure what he was going to say, but before he could get any words out the buzzer went off to signal the game was starting and he was startled by Sadie leaping up next to him, already cheering on the boy who had her undivided attention.
As the game goes on, it consists of Sadie barely staying seated and always yelling out to Caleb, Finn slowly shrinking into his seat as he watches in envy and Millie watching between the game and Finn, feeling bad for him.
Occasionally, Finn will murmur a comment about the game, this time, "you know, if I was playing I'd go from there," he points, now talking more to Millie than himself, "over to there, because in a minute, they're going to make a play to that guy on that side of the field." His eyes remained on the field, and sure enough, less than a minute later the ball was where Finn said it would be. "See, told you."
Millie sighed as she watched him, seeing his disappointed all over his face, "Finn?" His warm, brown eyes diverted from the game to her, she smiled small, "you're smart, you'll be back on the field in no time. You just need to get back on track, and luckily, you have a great teacher to help with that." She joked, gently touching his shoulder briefly.
Her touch left a warm feeling in his body, traveling to his lips and causing them to curve upward. "You really think so?" He questioned, doubtfully. He thought he wouldn't be able to play anytime soon, but Millie's reassurance gave him hope.
"Oh, I know so." She laughed, turning back to watch the game.
Finn's eyes remained on Millie, as he wondered how he'd never really noticed how kind the girl he'd been... friends with? Well, more, acquainted with was, his whole life. When they were younger, they were connected at the hip. Their mums were friends from high school, so they were together a lot. As they got older, they became different people and clashed a lot more.
Finn's thoughts were interrupted as Sadie sat down next to him, "that's bullshit!" She cursed as the other team scored a goal. Finn and Millie laughed at her sudden change of mood.
—
Finn and Millie stood outside Sadie's car as they waited for her to finish flirting with Caleb, Millie couldn't understand how she could hug him when he was soaked in sweat, her nose scrunched up at the thought. She groaned, "I'm cold, I'm gonna go get the keys from her."
Finn watched her walk towards the two, noticing one of her converse shoes were untied. She kept her distance from the sweaty Caleb when she asked Sadie for the keys. Being the polite person Millie is, she made sure to congratulate Caleb on their win before walking away.
"Your shoelace is untied." Finn pointed out as soon as Millie got back to the car, she gave him a puzzling look. Finn glanced at her feet, "your shoelace. It's untied." He repeated.
"Oh, thanks." She gave him a lopsided smile as she bent down to tie them, throwing him the keys to unlock the car. Finn was about to hop in the back before Millie piped up, "sit in the front, she'll drop me home first so it only makes sense," and with that, she got in the back, closing the door behind her and muting all the talking voices from outside.
The voices reappeared briefly, as Finn opened the passenger door and got in. They both sat in silence, watching their friends flirt from inside the car. Finally, they saw Sadie point towards the car, signaling she had to go, but not before Caleb kissed her cheek.
Sadie had a spring in her step and a grin on her face as she approached the car, getting inside and not saying a word before she turned the car on and the heat up. Finn and Millie glanced at each other before looking back at the ecstatic girl, who suddenly put her hands together and brought them up to her chin, turned her body around so she could see Millie as well as Finn, "he kissed me on the cheek!" The words burst out of her mouth.
Finn and Millie smiled as she began to drive home, talking about how much she liked him and hoped that they could be in a proper relationship. After five or ten minutes, Sadie pulled up outside Millie's house. "Thanks, Sads. See you guys later, drive safe!" With that, Millie slammed the car door, quickly walking down her front path and opening the unlocked door, but not before turning back around and giving a quick wave.
Sadie pulled away from the curb, glancing at Finn often. She stopped the car outside of his house and he turned to her. "okay, Sadie. What is it?" He sighed, having given up on pretending he wasn't noticing the judgemental look in her eyes.
She looked back at him, directly into his eyes, "Finn, she's giving you a lifeline. Take it."
With that, Finn gulped and nodded, turning around and getting out of the car. He turned around as he was about to walk into his house, seeing Sadie peering out the car window at him, eyebrows raised. He nodded his head again, this time faster and more sincere, and then walked into his home.
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(A/N: I'm Australian, so I'm not completely sure how American sports or schools or anything work. So please, please, correct any mistakes I make so I know for the future!
I hope you guys are liking it, any feedback is greatly appreaciated.
All the love,
A xx
