So if I DID ask...
Finn P.O.V
“So, um, who is this?” Issie asks, gesturing to Alexus.
Alexus and I arrived at The Wood an hour or two ago at 2pm after a morning of junk food and Sherlock. I called my Dad and as soon as he picked up he was immediately stuttering out apologies that I matched with my own. He apologized for pushing me, and I apologized for running off, and then Derek told me not to do that again because it worried Dad to death (I teased him for being a mom) and I agreed, then we hung up with the promise I’d meet the two of them at a local Chinese place for dinner tonight. After hanging up on my dad, Alexus had squeezed me in a hug, before we returned our attention to the sociopath known as Moriarty.
Alexus told me in complete confidence he’s the only reason she’s not a full on lesbian.
Issie arrived an hour after we got to the skatepark, and fussed over my eye a lot, as expected. What I didn’t expect, however, was her being so skeptic about Lex. As soon as I introduced the two, they eyed each other up and down with the same competitive look that I rolled my eyes at.
Of course I can tell what both of them are feeling. They’re both confused, skeptical, and… jealous? That last one doesn’t make sense to me but I push it off.
“I’m Alexus, like Finn just told you,” Lex all but hisses, and I can’t help but notice she didn’t offer her nickname. Clearly a power move that exasperates me to no end.
Issie’s no better as she crosses her arms. “Yeah, I heard her, but why are you together?”
I open my mouth to protest being left out of this conversation, but I never get the chance.
“She came to my house last night after the…” Darren’s sister pauses as her eyes flicker to mine with a wince at my black one. “Disagreement with her dad. We really gotta ice that, babe.”
“I’m sorry, babe?” Issie exclaims, and I furrow my brows at her, not sure where the agitation is coming from as she turns to look at me too. “You two are dating now?”
My face heats up and I say “No!” at the same time Alexus crosses her arms and asks “Why does that matter?” I face her with an astonished look on my flaming face, but she pointedly ignores it.
My best friend stutters. “It doesn’t matter! Why would it matter?”
“Well it seems to matter to you.”
“I’m her best friend! Of course it matters!”
“So it does matter.”
“What do you know? You’ve known Finn for like a day-”
“Yet she came to my house last night.”
“She went to Darren’s house last night, not yours.”
“Then why’d she call me?”
“She did not!”
“Oh yes she did.”
“Why on Earth would she call you--”
“Oh for the love of Satan, shut the hell up!” I blurt out and clap my hands over my mouth immediately afterwards at their looks of pure shock. We’ve started to attract the attention of the totally stoned out teenagers a few yards away, and I curse under my breath. My hands grab each of my friend’s collars and I pull them in the direction of the bridge that we eventually stop under.
“Okay, listen here.” I turn to both of them, but then focus on Issie while gesturing between Alexus and I. “We are not dating.” I ignore Alexus’s hurt look. “And even if we were,
I don’t understand why it would matter! Also, I did call you first, Iss, but you were busy with your cousins and I didn’t want to bother you!”
My best friend groans before nodding, taking this in. “I… guess that makes sense. So, you really aren’t dating?”
“No!” Alexus looks even more hurt and I rush to explain. “She hasn’t asked me or anything, so we’re just friends.”
Darren’s sister’s hurt gets replaced by what looks like sheer chaos. “Sooooo, you’re saying if I did ask you--” She sees my stern look. “Okay, okay, not the time. I get that.”
I face my best friend. “So… are we good?”
She sighs, brushes her curls away from her face, and yanks me into a hug. “Yeah, I guess. But next time, just tell me and don’t assume I’m busy, okay?”
“Or you could just do the exact same thing and come to my house again.” Alexus winks at me over Issie’s shoulder and my best friend squeezes me tighter before I push her away.
I sigh, looking between the two and taking in Alexus’s taller height, Issie’s thinner build, and the fact that they both look ready to murder each other. I’m about to yell at them when suddenly my phone goes off and I see it’s almost 5:30.
“Shit!” A hopeless look is on my face and I turn it to Lex who melts at the sight. “I’m almost late for dinner. Can I have a ride?” She nods and goes to grab my bag as I turn to Issie. “Do you need a ride?”
Lex freezes at that statement and so does my best friend before the two exchange a look and seem to come to a mutual hatred. “Nah, I’m good.” Issie hugs me one more time. “Just, be careful okay?”
I smile at her as Lex starts to pull me away. “Don’t worry, I will.”
***********
The atmosphere in the car is tense as soon as we start driving through the woods. I never really understood before when books used to say you could cut the atmosphere with a knife, but now I get it. In fact, I’m tempted to take the switchblade I know Lex has in her cupholder and cut a hole in the wall of suspense between our chairs.
I never got my driver’s license, mostly because I’m fifteen, but also because Emily tried to teach me to drive once and I almost drove us over a cliff. However I have observed the way people drive over the years. Lex drives with her left foot on the chair and her knee pressed against the driver’s door. Her left elbow gets places on her knee with her chin on her fist and the right hand lazily taps against the wheel.
The way my body is positioned is a little different. I sit cross-legged in the passenger seat with my phone in my lap as I fiddle with my Hamilton pop socket.
Needing some sort of noise, I reach for the radio and start scrolling through the channels. My body flinches at every round of static until Lex rolls her eyes and punches the radio. The little screen flickers before Reckless by Healy plays from the speakers.
The car screeches to a stop, and my head snaps up to see we stopped in the middle of the makeshift road right next to a sparkling river that’s glowing in the setting sun.
“Fuck it,” Lex announces before scooching in her seat to face me. “Finn, this is literally the most stereotypical place ever to do this, but just roll with me for a sec, yeah?”
My thumping heart starts to drown our her words, but I force down the reaction and nod instead.
The girl’s black eyes focus on mine and she starts to fidget with her pentagram necklace. Her gaze flickers to the scenery around us and she curses once more before returning her attention to me. “Okay, this isn’t going to be the best thing you’ve ever heard because, I know I’m smart, but you’re 100 times smarter and I already know anything I could possibly say now has already crossed your brain so I’ll sum it up.” She clears her throat and takes a sip of coffee with a shaking grip. “Finn, you’re a genius. And I know I’ve already said it, but it’s true, and it kinda scares me, but in a good way. You’re really pretty, and sarcastic, and funny, and--”
I hold up my hand before placing both of the appendages over my flaming face. “Please, my face can’t take much more of this.”
Lex melts. “See! You’re adorable too! -Anyways,” she cuts off my sure-to-come protest. “I really like you, and I’m like 50% sure you like me too - you’re pretty hard to read, but I know you get flustered easily - sowillyougoonadatewithme?” The girl squeezes her eyes shut, leaning back so we’re almost the same height like she’s waiting for me to punch her.
A smile bigger than any I’ve had since the Roof starts to make my cheeks ache, and I lean forwards to kiss her on the cheek. Relieved to find her face as warm as mine.
Her right eye blinks open and it’s full of hope. “So….?”
I roll my eyes and lean back into my seat, the smile still aching. “Yes.”
Her face morphs to match mine as she settles in her driving position and starts up the car, pulling back onto the road. “Wicked.”
A few moments of slightly awkward silence pass before something touches my hand. I glance down, seeing Lex’s right hand next to my left while her other is on the wheel. She has her eyes deadly focused on the road in front of us even as she laced her fingers through mine and shows me my hand. “Mine now.”
I kiss the back of her hand without thinking and grin when a blush forms on her face. “Ditto.”
A pause as I remember our argument from earlier.
“Mycroft Holmes IS a lil bitch though.”
“Don’t you FUCKING start, babe.”
*****