on golden pond | fillie

metaphors

finn's p.o.v.

"what the hell romeo,"  i growl, anger growing in my chest.  "you shouldn't be here."

i find my eyes searching for millie, hoping she hasn't seen him yet.  thankfully i find her turned the other way talking to amybeth.

"what finn?  are you scared?"  romeo taunts.  "scared your pretty little girlfriend is going to-"

"shut up."

romeo leans in so close that the hairs on the back of my neck stick up.
"-scared she's going to come running back to me and that you won't be able to save her this time."

my hands ball into fists.
"you should go, now."

"she doesn't know that you're not coming back here next summer, does she?"  romeo asks, laughing.  "you didn't have the guts to tell her."

i swallow hard, my face growing red.
"how do you know that?"

he ignores my question, pestering on.
"you're going to have to tell her sometime, and she'll come running back to me."

that does it for me, sooner than my mind can process my hands are around romeo's neck and he's coughing out: "is that all you've got."

"shut up asshole," i scoff.  "you lay one finger on her and i'll break your damn neck."

his face is turning a blueish colour between my fingers and he laughs the whole way through it, making me squeeze harder.  i barely even notice the stares of others around the room.

i feel strong arms trying to pull me off of him and shouts to stop, people calling my name but it all seems distant, like i'm underwater.

"stop finn! you're killing him!"

my grip loosens at the sound of millie's voice and romeo begins coughing wildly.

i turn to millie and the look on her face throws me off guard, it's a look i know well, she's my best friend so of course i know, but what strikes me is that she's never looked at me like that before, like she was afraid.

i let go of romeo completely, and he drops down on the couch, rubbing at his neck with a grimace on his face.

and when i stand up i notice the room has seemed to stop, everyone frozen in place. i spot sophia and give her a little wave but she just shudders, nearly dropping the cup she holds.

"what's everyone looking at?" i say over romeo's coughing.

a few people sputter out laughs but most people stay silent.

i turn to millie and when i see the tears spilling down her cheeks my heart melts.

i jog to her, cupping her face in my hands.  "hey mills, don't cry."

she shudders, backing away.

"millie. . ."

she looks up at me, eyes wide. "get the hell away from me, i don't even know you."

"millie i'm the same me, i'm your same loser best friend."