Finn takes the bag without acknowledgment. Grabbing at a pastry, he devours the entire thing in three large sugary bites.
My eyes shine with quiet laughter, watching him inhale another cinnamon roll. It seems to settle or distract him for the moment. Presumably both.
Cole catches it before I try and conceal it behind my cup. A flutter hits my chest at the secret little wink he shoots me. Getting Finn food had been a good call in foresight. Not once have I ever seen him shy away from it.
“You’re still dead, but only after I finish,” Finn says through a mouthful, and this time I do bust out a laugh. I can’t help it. Everyone knows he’s putting on a front, but it won’t amount to anything now that his hunger’s pacified.
“Alright,” I reply with a chuckle. “Whatever you say.”
“I told you I’d take you to school,” Cole says, answering my question from earlier.
In my peripherals, I catch how Finn’s chewing slows, but I don’t turn my head. I can’t, stuck in my surprise. He’d been serious.
“Is that okay with you?” Cole asks when I don’t respond immediately.
My chest heaves. Those icicle eyes defrost slightly as I force my face to stay stoic.
An awkwardness hangs in the air, but it’s because of me. I just… Cole never asks.Ever.He takes ruthlessly, without permission.
I can feel Finn studying me, actually, both of them are, but I’m still trying to figure out what this means.
“You want to take me to school?” I need to clarify.
“That’s what I said, didn’t I? What a friend would do.”
I hear Finn snort beside me and Cole’s head snaps, glaring before coming back to me.
I swallow my emotions. Is that okay with me? I’m unsure but I find myself nodding anyway.
“Want to join?” Cole asks Finn as I get ready to climb in.
My brows pinch, yet again not expecting this from Cole. I assumed he’d want it to be only us. Is he trying to make this easier for me, or is this him being genuine? I can’t decide.
Finn’s face shifts from me to Cole and back again. His expression is as pensive as I feel. “Nah,” he decides eventually. “I can manage on my own. Besides, I have the better car,” he throws over his shoulder, completely serious.
“A matter of opinion,” Cole shouts back. “About the car and the girl.” Saying the last part only loud enough for me before closing my door.
Have his irises always sparkled like this?
The drive to school isn’t as uncomfortable as yesterday. In fact, by the time we reach KPA, I don’t automatically want to charge from the car.
Mainly we chat about my ankle and Cole gives me some more tips on how to help it recover faster. Time seems to speed by and then we go our separate ways.
No added pressure, aggression, nothing. He heads to the gym, and I go to the main building and that’s that.
“Thought you could use these,” Finn mentions, appearing beside our lockers. “It’s not ibuprofen but it should help get you through the day.”
He pulls the pill bottle from his bag, and I uncap it, pouring a few in my hand.
“Something wrong?”
“No, uh, my mom used to take something similar.”She was addicted.
“Your mom took pain meds?”
Only every day of her life.
“I saw I had a few left over in my other locker down in the weight room. They’re from a minor injury last year,” he lifts a shoulder. “Thought they might help.”