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There wasn't a quiet moment at the dinner table the following night, Millie, her mother and Finn constantly chatting throughout the meal; many incoherent words from conversations with mouthfuls of mood. The sound of knives and forks clinking together was drowned by the conversations, and it wasn't small talk or an over enthused obligation interaction – just pure comfort and interest in what one another had to say.
Finn felt warm and full inside afterward, not only from the meal but also from being surrounded by so much comfort and knowing he is cared for, this warmth grew with anticipation to have Millie as someone more than a friend. Of course, this was something that was already true but he wanted it to be definitive – he wanted to give it a label.
It was a well-known fact amongst their group of friends and even between the two of them that there were underlying, deep feelings they had for one another. The time they spent together was treasured even though it was often. Regardless of the inevitability of Millie being overjoyed to jump into a relationship with Finn, he still felt nervous and feared the worst possible outcome. For this reason, he was awkwardly sitting at the end of Millie's bed whilst she stood at her dresser in front of her mirror and (he assumed) took off the small amount of makeup she had on.
Her voice filled the room for the thousandth time that evening, babbling on about how she hated people who didn't consider Disney movies musicals ("they have singing, dancing, and emotion!"), but Finn was too distracted with his own thoughts to muster up a response to this. Although he thought this lack of input went unnoticed by the brunette who was now taking her small, heart-shaped dangly earrings out she couldn't disguise the slight frustration in her voice upon realizing he probably wasn't paying attention, "are you listening to me, Finn?"
She turned around in the midst of taking the second earring out, her eyes narrowed at the silent and gobsmacked teen whose eyes grew wide once figuring out he'd been caught out, "yeah, of course. Musical snobs, am I right?" He chuckled nervously, but also proudly at his cover.
Millie's warm, brown eyes rolled; knowing that he had indeed, not been listening. Regardless, a small smile spread across her lips which she'd just coated in lip balm, "whatever, doesn't matter anyway," she practically skipped over to the bed and sat beside him, quite closely. "I do have something important I want to talk to you about, though." The volume of the last part was lesser than the first, despite no one else being around.
"Oh, really?" Finn rhetorically questioned, curious about whether what she had to talk to him about was the same as him, "I have something to talk to you about too." Having Millie right beside him and peering at him with eager eyes and an undying willingness to hang onto every word that left his mouth caused his irrational nerves to subside, going from a swarm of butterflies having a disco party in his stomach to a small butterfly fluttering gently.
"Cool, good or bad?" The girl took her bottom lip between her teeth, acknowledging how the abrupt question had somewhat startled the raven-haired boy beside her; confusion written all over his freckled face. "You know, like is what you have to talk to me about good or bad? Happy topic or sad topic? Smile or frown?"
As Millie was about to continue, having many examples of comparison to offer, the question registered with Finn, "good, I think. Yeah, definitely good." He smiled, being certain this was accurate.
"Okay..." Millie nodded slowly, deep in thought, "I'm not so sure about mine, so I'll go first." These words left an unsettling feeling in the air, Millie unsure about how what she wanted to say was going to sit with the boy and Finn, well, he was nervously shaking his leg.
"O-okay," his anxiousness was written in his words and body language – impossible to go unnoticed by a stranger, let alone Millie.
"Oh no, no." She frantically blurted out, reaching for his hand, "don't worry, please. Gosh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to stress you out," slump of the shoulders, frown plastered on lips, "I just don't know how it will sit with you..."
Finn's muscles relaxed following her words and gentle touch, cautiously nodding to tell her to continue. "I really think, please hear me out, that seeing someone about how you're feeling would be really beneficial," Millie explained, knowing this is not a topic of conversation he likes to have – particularly being the center of it. "Please consider it before you refuse, what you're feeling isn't something you should have to endure on a day to day basis and it breaks my heart seeing you so down and... well, anxious." She finished, quietly – bracing herself for the worst (refusal, frustration, denial).
Finn knew Millie was right, he needed to talk to someone it's just been so hard for him to admit this to himself let alone others around him, he breathed deeply, beginning to speak but being interrupted after a single word, "look–"
"No, wait. Here me out more, actually." Millie intervened, turning her body to face him more than she was and placing her hands in her lap. "There are a few really good counseling places that do bulk billing so you don't have to pay upfront, plus you're at the age you don't need parental consent. I could come with you and wait whilst you have consultations and whatnot. Just please, Finn. Consider it." Millie was basically begging him at this point; he couldn't say no.
Ironically, before she had interrupted him he had planned to agree to her initial proposal, he knew it was necessary and if he wanted to make something of the two of them Finn knew he had to do this for not only Millie but himself. "Sounds good," he agreed, calmly. Millie engulfed him in a hug, slightly violently. He was taken aback before realizing it was affectionate and not an attack. Following this, Finn eased into the hug, holding the girl tight whilst she was overjoyed at how easily he agreed.
"Alright," Millie sighed, returning to her previous position. She felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders – one thing to worry less about. "Your turn." Her voice chirped, reminding Finn of what he had to ask.
Finn gulped, reaching for both of Millie's hands in an attempt to muster the courage to ask what he was planning to. Regardless of the circumstances, asking a girl out (especially when you are so fond of them) had always been something that Finn had perceived as terrifying. "I don't really know how to do or say this so I'm just going to try my best, I guess," he started, chuckling nervously before continuing, "Millie, you mean more to me than anything or anyone and I must've done something miraculous in a past life to have been given the gift of your company in this one," Millie smiled warmly, slightly surprised by the compliments, "whatever it was – it was worth it. These recent times we've spent together have been extra special and how I feel about you only grows every day," he shook his head quickly, scoffing at his words, "god, this is lame. I'm going to stop. Just – well, will you be my girlfriend, Millie?"
Millie grinned fondly at the nervous wreck in front of her, shaking her head in a much more gentle nature than Finn had just done, "of course, I'd love that." Finn's face lit up at her response – still being surprised despite Millie not even considering a different response.
Her hand reached for his cheek as she leaned in, her warm eyes locked with his dark ones which were hidden under long lashes. The sensation of their lips touching sent shivers down Millie's spine, igniting a warm, fuzzy feeling in both of their stomachs and leaving them dumbfounded. "Awesome," Finn whispered as they pulled apart, breathlessly.
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Hi sorry for not updating I go back to school tomorrow and
I've been doing all the work I've had over the holidays and organising my school work and whatnot.
vote, comment, idk. Also, this book has, what, like 4.5k reads now or something and thats crazy. Thank you so much!!
