im afraid so |✓| finn wolfhard

²⁵ { that }

the crickets frame the only peace violet had left. she makes the quiet walk out to the dock on her own.

she hears the others; shouting and laughing together off in the distance. their voices bouncing off the waters edge.

it was a distance from the house to the lake. down the backyards hill, and through a tree line. she wished it had been longer. she wished she hadn't agreed to borrowing the bathing suit and going out there.

in fact she stood in the middle of the hill; debating on turning around and going back in. but his laugh clashing with hers sent anger down violets spine. she had to fight for what she had; even if that only meant being out there with them.

she approaches them; walking down the wet dock as they all splash around a few feet out.

maddie turns to look at her, smiling.
"oh good, the bathing suit fits!"

"yeah, its alright." violet looks down to herself. in a way, she was confident with herself. she's always been that way.

just because maddie was a different kind of beautiful; didn't make violet any less. she didn't compare herself to maddie physically at all. she didn't need to. that was not the part of her that was intimidated.

"you look great, vi."

for a moment, she takes in finns warm words. her heart flutters as if it were the first time he had said something so nice to her. it sinks as maddie splashes him. in almost an instant, finns attention was back on her; getting her back with water. laughing.

"get in violet." ayla tries to cheer her up; watching her face drop in sadness.

"yeah, c'mon vi, hang out with us." malcolm smiles pity at her.

but she takes it, nodding as she climbs her way off the dock. the warm water shocking her body in goosebumps. it made the air unbearable to be in.

malcolm grabs her hands, pulling her closer to the group of the three of them. they try to distract her, they try everything they can. but violets glance keeps glancing back to her boyfriend, it was unattainable, the way her heart sunk each time. a horrible feeling.

it didn't take long before violets tolerance was up. she thought that by being there she'd be able to stop what was going to happen. but she underestimated just how much she could watch. her body hurt; a heartache.

she pulls herself out of the water, wrapping a towel around her water beaded body.
"i'm going to head in."

she hoped that maybe he would notice her; ask her to stay. but he keeps talking to maddie. violet frowns, turning around to leave.

"yeah maybe i'll go too." ayla follows after her.

finn barely noticed much until malcolm got out, the last one out of the water besides himself and maddie. violet already through the trees before anything was even said.
"you guys getting out?"

"yeah" malcolm responds,
"violet mentioned it before she left but thats okay, you're busy."

even malcolm himself was annoyed with the way finn was blowing violet off like that. he leaves to follow the others back up to the house.

by the time he gets up there, violet is in the shower. the two others standing around the basement living room talking.

"vi in the shower?" malcolm asks; putting a shirt on followed by his glasses.

ayla nods, staring between the two boys.
"i feel so bad for her."

"i knew this would happen." jacks head shakes.