Summer Days to An End

Chapter III.

One week after their movie night at Lo's house, Leo and Finn lay stretched out in front of Finn's TV, stricken with the blazing summer heat as they let their gaming controllers sit in their laps.

After a few moments, Finn exhaled loudly as he stood up and pulled off his shirt, beads of sweat having settled across his defined chest.

"Do we really have no plans for this week?" He asked, ruffling his hair as he placed his controller on the coffee table before him.

"None between our group, unless," Leo started, glancing at his phone as he saw a text appear on the screen.

"Unless?" Finn replied as Leo opened the message he just received.

"Well, yesterday I got an invite to a barbecue tomorrow from one of the guys, only I'm not sure if the girls will be down to go."

"I guess it all depends. Who's hosting it?" Finn asked in turn.

"Aaron Peterson, actually I just got a message from him about it," Leo said bluntly before he showed the text, as Finn rolled his eyes.

"I don't know, man, Miyo and Lo might be fine, but Selah will probably pick a fight with him if we're not careful." Finn said as he took his seat yet again next to Leo.

To the boys, Aaron was a friend, seeing as they had all played on the same sports team for two years straight, and got along well otherwise; it was with the girls that problems would arise with him. That same year, he tried to frame Selah for an incident that took place in a classroom after school, and she would have been punished for it had the real criminal not stepped forward and admitted to it. Still, she never forgot about it, and of course, never forgave him either.

"Well, no one said we have to tell them who's barbecue it is, we can just say one of the guys invited us to go." Leo suggested, whilst Finn pondered the thought. As good as the idea sounded, there was always the chance that someway, somehow, they would be found out. Regardless, this was the only idea that the two could come up with to avoid a confrontation.

"Fine, let's do it, but if the girls find out whose party it is, then I'm saying it was your idea to keep it secret. Tell him that we'll be there." Finn said at last.

"Deal." The two shook hands as Leo replied to the text, as moments later the two resumed playing their game for another hour or so.

Unbeknownst to them, the next day was not to end well, and for more reasons than one.

"Finn, whose party is this anyway?" Miyo asked as the five of them pulled up to Aaron's the next day, the smell of multiple different foods being grilled greeting them as they stepped out of their car.

"One of our guys, but don't worry about that. For now, you guys go ahead and have a good time, get some drinks or whatever." Finn played off her question as he led them inside, despite him seeing Lo give Miyo an unconvinced look about his response.

"Oh yeah? Where do you two plan on heading off to, might I ask?" Selah started, her remark sending a slight shiver down Leo's spine as he remembered his deal with Finn, who noticing Leo's discomfort, spoke again.

"It's as I said before: with the guys. Ciao, ladies." Finn grabbed Leo as the two of them headed to the back patio of the house to meet Aaron, whilst the girls remained in the foyer.

"Well, whoever's house this is, it certainly is nice, so let's not waste our time here. What do you say we get some drinks?" Lo said in a lively tone as she threw her arms over both Selah and Miyo's shoulders.

"Sure, but give me a minute. I'm going to head to the bathroom first."Miyo slipped under Lo's arm and headed down the opposite end of the hallway, whilst Selah and Lo proceeded to the bar outside on the patio.