Chapter 12: 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟏

BREE

“What are you thinking?” Rose asks as she plops beside me on the couch, holding a bag of chips and opens the tv.

It’s been three days since our dinner at the cafe where Jack dragged us. Three days since Farhan blurted out that Finn also likes someone. Three days since the knot tied in my chest and isn’t going away.

“Nothing important…” I trail off. Finn liking someone shouldn’t be this important. It did come as a shock because from what I know, Finn has never been committed to anyone and never considered it. Finn may have… special buddies but no girlfriend.

“Can I ask you something?” I turn to Rose.

“Yes.” She throws a chip in her mouth.

“How did you feel when Farhan hinted Ryan likes someone?”

Rose freezes for a second then chuckles, “I don’t know,”

“You don’t know?”

“I focused on the news that Jack and Finn liked someone.” She says, “I didn’t think about who he likes. I don’t care.”

I shake my head, a small smile taking over my lips at the way Rose so easily lies.

It’s true she doesn’t think about any news about Ryan. She pretends to dislike him so she doesn’t have to focus on the feelings she has for him.

I won’t tell her this but I don’t believe her when she says she has no feelings for Ryan anymore.

“Why are you asking?” Rose brings me out of my thoughts.

I shrug, “no reason,”

She hums, “I think there is one,”

I look back at her, “like?”

She plops another chip in her mouth, “you’re thinking about Finn,”

My cheeks warm up and panic settles into my stomach.

“What? No! W-why would you think that?” I quickly defend.

“Aren’t you thinking about who Finn might like?”

“Oh,” my body relaxes, “right,”

“You got defensive real quick-”

“It doesn’t mean anything!”

She smiles, looking back at the tv, “okay,”

I sigh, “but I am thinking about who he might like. Do you know?”

She shrugs.

“That’s not helping.”

“Finn never mentioned he was interested in someone. Unlike Farhan. We all know he’s interested in someone, we just don’t know who.”

“You’re right,”

We both stay quiet for a while, the voices of the actors on the tv being the only source of noise.

“Maybe he met someone at the club that night..” I mutter.

“Huh?”

“The night he caught me at the club. Maybe he was on a date,” I say, looking at Rose. My eyes widen when realization hits, “Oh my God, do you think he canceled his date to drop me off?!”

Rose frowns, “what?”

“Why else would he be there? I never really asked him what he was doing there but there is a possibility, right?- Oh my God, what if his date thought I was his girlfriend?”

Rose stares at me as if I’ve grown horns instead of ears.

“What?” she repeats.

I open my mouth to explain further but I get interrupted by our door bell.

Rose mutes the tv, puts away the bag of chips then goes to answer the door.

“What are you three doing here?”

I get up to see who’s at the door and find Jack, Farhan, Finn walk in.

“We were dragged against our will,” Finn points out.

“Why are you here?” Rose asks.

“Allow me tell you the true story because Jack will lie,” Farhan says.

“No, I won’t-”

“We went to the cafe to have lunch but Jack’s crush wasn’t on shift so he dragged us here,” Farhan explains.

Rose and I look at Jack. He smiles awkwardly, “I went to apologize..”

“And why did you drag them here?” Rose asks, “does this look like a restaurant?”

“No but you’re such a good, pretty, talented, intelligent-”

“Promise me to buy me a book and I’ll cook,”

“Didn’t you just buy a book-”

“Okay, get out.”

“Fine! I’ll buy you a book.”

“Two.”

“You said one-”

“Three.”

“Fine. three.”

Rose smiles, turns around and goes into the kitchen.

“Is this how you make her do work?”

I turn around and face Finn- who asked the question.

“No. She does everything without ever having me to tell her,” I say.

“So is bribery necessary for us?”

I hum, “I wouldn’t call it bribery. I’d call it payment.”

Finn makes a face. I laugh.

“I don’t understand women.” He mutters.

“We know,” Jack and Farhan say from their place, earning a glare from Finn.

“No man understands women,” I say, “but, anyways, I have something to ask you,”

“Yes?”

“Do you want my help?”

He blinks at me, “what?”

“Do you want my help? To ask out your crush?”

“W-what?”

“Don’t you have a crush?”

“N-no-”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not-”

“You’re blushing, dude,” Farhan points out from the counter.

“You, shut up.” Finn grits out.

“Come on, I can help.” I say, earning his attention. If I help him get together with his crush then maybe this weird knot in my chest will untie.

“No, you can’t, Bree.”

“Why not?”

“Because.. I don’t think this girl likes me.” He says, a pinch of sadness touching his voice.

“She surely does but can’t show it. I’ll help you ask her out.”

“Don’t. Leave it, Bree.”

“But-”

“Leave it, Bree.”

I shut my mouth. He sighs and walks away, joining Farhan and Jack in their conversation.

I don’t think this girl likes me.

Who wouldn’t like a soul like his?