The Story of Finneas - [COMPLETED]

4.

It had been more than a week since I last saw Finneas. We texted back and forth a couple of times, but as he said, he's not very good at texting. He'd take hours to reply, and sometimes he doesn't even reply at all. Obviously, I didn't want to seem needy, so I acted as casual as I could. I wanted to hang out with him again—I even went to Sizzles by myself, but he wasn't there.

Like any other Saturday, it was a lazy day for me. I'm not the type to go out that much; since I don't even have that many friends (I don't know what went wrong). Besides, it was raining cats and dogs. On rainy days like this, I don't even bother to go outside the house, unless I have to go to work. But on a day off like this? Sipping a cup of hot tea and spending all day on the couch really hits the spot.

I walked into the kitchen to brew myself a cup of tea. The rain was going on longer and harder than I thought. Thunders were grumbling so loudly that I couldn't hear the TV clearly. I put a tablespoon of sugar into my tea and went back to the living room. It took me a while to realize that my phone was buzzing under one of the pillows on the couch. Finneas calling, it said.

I quickly picked up and couldn't hear anything but the loud sound of rain on the other end. "Hello? Finneas?" I waited for a few seconds before he finally answered.

"Hey, Brooke. I'm just wondering where you might be." He said loudly, trying to speak over the sound of rain.

"Uh, I'm at home. Why?"

"Good! Good!" He sounded excited. "Can you open the door, please?"

I stood up from the couch. "Wait, what do you mean?"

"Just—quickly, please!"

I got out of my apartment, still holding my phone in my hand. I ran downstairs and cursed myself for choosing an apartment with no elevators. When I opened the front door, Finneas was standing there—completely wet and shaking from the cold. His long blonde hair looks darker now that it's wet. His face lit up when he saw me.

"Hey!" He shouted, trying to talk over the loud sound of the rain. "Can I come in?"

"Sure!" I shouted back and leaned onto the door to make way for him. We walked upstairs and I told him to take off his wet shoes before entering my apartment.

"Finneas, what are you doing here?" I asked him with a stare that says I-can't-believe-you.

He smirked widely. "I was on my way to somewhere and I got caught out in the rain. Your place was close from where I was, and... Here I am." He opened his arms wide.

I raised my eyebrows. "Sure, sure. My advice is you should bring an umbrella everywhere especially at this time of the year. Or—just don't bother going out at all. Like me!"

Finneas scoffed. "Why would I stay home on a Saturday? The weather was also very nice, before it rained down like this."

"Let's just agree to disagree," I sighed. "Anyway, you're making my carpet wet." I looked at him from head to toe. Water was dripping from his hair and clothes.

"Oops, sorry," he stepped aside onto the hardwood floor. "Do you maybe have some clothes for me to wear so I don't—you know—get sick?"

"Uh... I think I have some that could fit you..." I walked into my bedroom and found a navy oversized hoodie, a pair of sweatpants, and a towel. "The bathroom is right there," I pointed to a white door near us.

"Thanks," he smiled sweetly and I felt my cheeks getting warm.

I headed to the kitchen to brew more tea for him. Right as I put his tea on the table in front of the TV, he walked out of the bathroom with the towel over his head. I didn't want to admit it, but he looked really cute wearing those clothes.

"I'll put that in the dryer," I took over his wet clothes. "Drink the tea, you'll get warmer."

After a few minutes, I came back and found him watching TV on the couch, sipping the tea I made him. He turned over to see me. Then he smiled.

"What?" I asked him, trying to hide my own smile.

"Nothing," he said. "Hey, do you play?" Finneas noticed the guitar on the corner of the room, pointing at it.

"Yup, I learned how to play when I was in high school. I just play it once in a while now, since I'm way lazier compared to then."

Finneas chuckled. "Can you play it for me?"

"I'm not that good, you know..."

"Please? I'll buy you a pizza just for a song." He looked at me, his eyes full of hope.

I sighed loudly. "Just one song, then." I picked up the guitar and sat on the couch near him. I decided to play one of my own made-up songs, and after a few verses, he started humming along.

"What song is this? It's so good."

"I-uh..." I hesitated. "I made this up."

His eyes widened in delight. "That's very cool! Oh, hey, what if we made up lyrics for it so someone can sing along to it?"

I knew that someone was going to be him, so I nodded and went along with it. He had brilliant suggestions for the words to use and, well, his voice was better than most musicians we hear on the radio every day, so I just thought, why not?

By the time we finished the song, it was already late at night. He changed back into his already-dried-clothes and finished his fourth cup of tea.

"I had fun today. Thanks," he said lightly as we walked downstairs.

"Me too. Why do you keep grinning, anyway?" I asked him curiously.

His grin grew wider. "I'm just happy. I realized I haven't thought about my ex even once today. It's all thanks to you." He opened his arms and I leaned in for a hug. He smelled fresh, just like usual. My heart fluttered again but I'd already gotten used to it.

The rain had stopped, but I still made him bring an umbrella in case it rains again on his way home. He waved and started walking away. Finally, I thought, I haven't been this happy in such a long time.

I went back into my apartment and found his grey beanie on the table. "I'm gonna give this back next time," I said to myself and smiled as I put the beanie carefully into one of the drawers on my desk.