Chapter 16: 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟓

BREE

I thought of every possible way how Finn’s answer could be someone else and how I would get out of that situation.

But I didn’t think about what I would do when his answer was what I thought it could be.

“It’s you,”

I go rigid the moment those two words leave his mouth. I can’t utter a word and I can’t move a muscle. So, I just stare at him.

The club stays alive in the background. Music growing louder every second, drinks being poured, glasses being clinked together, people dancing, drinking, talking.

My body finally decides to move when a mixture of disappointment and sadness passes through his features.

“Finn-”

“I need to go,”

Finn walks past me towards the exit but I stay rooted in place.

I push my feet to move and hurry outside the club to talk to him. To say anything.

But when I step out, he’s nowhere.

ᯓᡣ𐭩

Finn disappears the next day.

He didn’t really disappear, he went to his home country. He goes there once or twice a year but I never knew the reason why.

It’s been two weeks now and he’s not back.

I told Rose and Arzo about what Finn answer was and this was their reaction.

Arzo

I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW ITTTTTTT!

Rose

BEST FRIENDS KNOW BESTTT

Arzo

EXACTLY!

I CAN’T CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT! YOU TWO ARE A PERFECT COUPLE!!!

Rose

CURRENTLY PLANNING THEIR WEDDING

Me

SLOW DOWN!

Finn and I haven’t even talked properly and these two women are already planning our future.

It’s obvious why Finn never confessed before. It’s because of Ryan.

Ryan trusts Finn but he’s different with mine and Jack’s partners. If Finn and I become a couple, Ryan will look at Finn differently and treat him differently.

Neither Finn nor I want that.

Rose and I are having lunch when our phone dings with a notification at the same time.

We pick up our phones and open our group chat.

Arzo

Finn’s back.

Arzo took on the responsibility of finding out when Finn will return by asking Faizan. To keep Faizan’s heart at rest, he’s the only man- aside from Finn- that knows about what Finn told me.

I send Arzo a ‘thanks’ then put down my phone.

“Are you going to visit him?” Rose asks.

I nod.

“What are you going to say to him?”

“What I should’ve said two weeks ago.”

ᯓᡣ𐭩

I visit Finn at his company. I don’t call him to let him know I’m coming or he would do everything in his power to avoid me.

As the elevator opens to the seventh floor, I step out and make my way towards what I think is Finn’s office.

A woman is seated outside his office in her own small kind of office. Her hair is tied in a bun, glasses resting on her nose as she types something on her computer.

“Excuse me?”

The woman looks up from her computer and asks, “can I help you?”

“Is this Finn Romano’s office?” I ask, pointing to the office beside her.

She gives me an overall look then her intimidating eyes come back to my face, “you are?”

I swallow, “Bree Hartford. I want to talk to him.”

Something changes in her eyes and her lips lift up with a hint of amusement.

“Go ahead. He's inside,” she says then goes back to typing on her computer.

I blink at her.

Shouldn’t she be informing him…?

I shake my head and make my way to his office. I give a soft knock on his door before I twist the knob and let myself in.

Finn’s office is a large space with tall windows. On the right side of the office is a desk, with chairs on either side, and two tall cupboards along the right wall. In one corner, there's a bookshelf. On the left side, there’s a couch and coffee table.

Finn is seated behind his desk- which has his computer, pencil holder and a notepad- flipping over pages of his file. His face doesn’t show the usual calmness or joy. He looks.. Disturbed.

I close the door behind me. I part my lips to greet-

“What are you doing here, Bree?”

I freeze.

He didn’t even look up…

“I came to talk to you,” I say, he still doesn’t look up, “About that night-”

“There’s nothing to talk about,”

I freeze again then force myself to relax, “Yes, there is,” I say, “I didn’t say anything-”

“Exactly.”

I grit my teeth, fisting my hands. I storm towards his desk and slam my hands on it, making him halt in his task.

“Don’t cut me off and look at me when I’m talking!” I demand.

He takes a moment then closes the file and looks up, locking his eyes with mine.

But he doesn’t say anything.

He’s so different today.

Ignoring the unfamiliar strange aura surrounding him, I say, “I promised to help you ask out your crush. So, ask me out.”

“No.”

I blink at him, “no?”

He stands up, making me stand straight as well.

“What do you mean no?” I ask as I watch him walk around his desk to one of the cabinets, “I thought you liked me.”

He freezes after he opens a drawer, “like merely defines my feelings,” he says and puts his file in.

My heart skips a beat at the same time the drawer shuts.

“Then why aren’t you asking me out? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Or… you have other ways..”

He keeps standing in a position where his back is facing me, unabling me to see his expression.

“Leave, Bree.” He says, softly but doesn’t turn around.

I make sure my voice is soft when I speak, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just leave.” A pause, “please.”

I keeping standing for a couple seconds, expecting him to explain his behavior or even say we’ll talk later but he says none of it.

“Okay,” I quietly mutter then exit the room without hearing another word from him.

I didn't even got to say what I wanted...

I guess all it took was a confession to realize I wasn’t it.