Dead End

CHAPTER 20

23rd of December

Thea took the elevator up to the highest floor, it wasn't her proudest moment, but it felt like the only option. Finn had even disagreed, and part of her felt that she was being dramatic, storming out like that, but Finn had even disagreed with her. That felt like the biggest betrayal. Yes, Finn's allowed to have his own opinions, but the thing was for Thea, this wasn't - I like ice-cream more than cake - this was - you're never going to solve this - and coming from someone that she idolised so much; that felt like shit. It felt more that shit, it was like Finn had just slapped her face, and all the encouraging words from the last year had vanished, and only left a dismal Finn. After that, she felt like she didn't know him.

He was different with his co-workers, and Thea respected that, because in all honesty, it was expected. She couldn't tell if Finn acting different around her made her special, or made her a side project. She reached the top floor, expecting to see another office space milling with people. But instead she met a roof-top, that looked out onto the center of Chicago. She stepped out, and almost felt herself enter a empty, desolate but strangely refreshing world. One that didn't consist of Bobby's missing, Finn's unsimilar persona, Violet's scowl. Everything vanished, and only left Thea and a big city. She felt like that was her life sometimes, Thea against Chicago, Thea against everyone, even if she didn't want to have conflict, she always did.

She sat down on a metal box, it was freezing and Thea could feel the cold nip and he legs through the jeans. But the more she sat, the more the cold faded, and only left her numb and unresponsive. The cold enclosed her, wrapped her up in a big balloon, and didn't pop. She kept on looking out onto the city for what felt like hours, only focussing on the growing coldness, and the sun flickering through the clouds. Even when the cold grew too much, and when she thought the insensibility of her toes, her hands, everything; she still stuck onto the metal box, looking out onto the city, lights now turning off around her.

Thea assumed by the lowering of the sun that it had been more that three hours, and that the night was slowly sneaking up on her. She stood up, dusted off nothing, and turned towards the elevator. She was expecting to see no-one, but instead was met by Violet, arms crossed against her chest, but not in a angry way, more in a - I'm freezing way - and as Thea looked at her, Violets eyebrow furrowed.

'You've been out here,' she paused and added a pressure on the tone 'for three hours?!'

'I guess so.' Thea said timidly, itching at her arm.

'You guess so?' Violet laughed 'Thea, it's Chicago.' Thea tensed up at the use of her name, and her face and body grew hot.

'You, of all people, have no right to even let my name leave your mouth.' She paused, and Violet's eyes widened 'Especially like that.' Thea put an emphasis on the 'that' and watched as Violet turned red, and looked away. Thea was angry, her and Violet were not old pals, she was someone who ruined Thea's life, and that left no room for friendship.

'I'm sorry.' Violet said gingerly 'I didn't know I couldn't.'

'Yes you did.' Thea responded back, and saw Violet's body halt at her words. Told you so, Thea wanted to say, but by the stiffness of the conversation, now was not the time. When was it ever the time? Thea's mind wandered while Violet stood shyly.

'Look, we talked downstairs-' Violet's posture turned straight, but Thea cut her off before she could even start to say something that mattered.

'How did you know I was up here?' Thea asked quickly, and for what felt like the billionth time today, she saw Violet's posture fall like a doll.

'I assumed.' Violet said, then looked at Thea

'You assumed?' Thea questioned; mocking her. Thea knew that there was more to it, so she urged Violet to carry on, and she did, begrudgingly.