Euphoria

CHAPTER 12

*FINN'S POV*

"Finn! Get your big ass downstairs now!" my mom shouted to me. I groaned and rolled out of my bed. I looked at my phone before I went downstairs and saw it was only 6 o'clock in the morning. You have got to be kidding me.

"What's so important mom?" I stumbled down the stairs and stopped in front of her feeling my heart skip a beat. Her hands were on her hips. Uh-oh. That usually meant she was downright serious.

"The school called. Said you've been skipping." She waved her phone in front of my face and shook her head. "Finn. What's going on? You've always been good in school."

I sighed and rubbed my face. I probably looked terrible. Black bags under my eyes, my sagging cheekbones. I felt horrible.

"I'm sorry mom. There's just a lot going on right now. I'll try harder." When I opened my eyes again and looked up at her, she was smiling sadly down at me. "It's alright, baby. I'm here if you need me, okay?" I nodded and tried my best to smile back at her.

Her words reminded me of Tinsley and how I tried so much to tell her that I was there if she needed me. As my mom waved goodbye to me and headed out the door, I trudged upstairs to get ready for the dreaded school day.

****

"Yo Finn." I looked up and raised my head to see who it was. Evan. "I wanted to apologize for what I said. I never should've doubted you." He sat down beside me and sheepishly looked at me. I gave him my best smile and said, "It's alright. I gotchu." We shared smiles and then I turned back to continue watching kids getting out of their parents' cars, laughing and talking together.

"Finn- I should tell you that-" Evan started to say before I suddenly inhaled a sharp breath and watched as a black Mercedes pulled into the school. A short, brown-haired girl stepped out of the car and was followed by a tall, dark-haired boy. They were talking together and HOLDING HANDS.

I stared at them, especially the girl. It was Tinsley. She was smiling and talking. With that boy! I stared at them, watching as they started up the stairs to the school.

"Evan. Who is that?" I continued watching them, not looking away until they walked into the school and disappeared out of sight.

"Sorry, Finn. I was about to tell you. But then they arrived." I turned back to face Evan and stared at him. "What?" I said feeling confused. "You knew about them?"

He bit his lip and then said, "His name is Tony. Apparently, he switched schools last week and Tinsley and him have been friends since elementary school." He fiddled with his zipper and said, "I don't know anything else about him."

I looked down at the concrete, trying desperately to process this information. Tinsley was back. In school. With another guy. That she's known since she was little. What kind of competition was that? I was doomed. I barely had time to process my feelings for Tinsley before some random guy came and stole her from me. Maybe this would make things easier for me anyway. That way I wouldn't even have to question if I had a chance with her.

I buried my head in my hands and blew out a breath. "What in the world do I do now?" Just then the intercom went off, calling for all the orchestra members, and Evan stood up.

"Sorry man. I've got to go. Text me if you need me alright?" With that, he left and I was left to wallow in despair alone.

****

Homeroom. The teacher was super chill so I pulled out my phone and texted a good morning to Tinsley. A few minutes later, my phone chimed with an incoming text. Good morning to yourself.

I smiled and texted, I heard from Evan that you're back. I watched as the three dots next to her name appeared.

Yeah. I'm back. I bit my lip and texted, Is he your boyfriend? I felt bad for confronting her like this, but I really really needed to know.

We're not official no. So they weren't official. Yet. I blew out a breath and typed an okay. I could live with that. But then, suddenly, images of them kissing and hugging each other floated into my head and I started getting uncomfortable. Tinsley had been my friend since the beginning of the school year.

Her lingering smiles and soft lips didn't even make me question if I truly liked her. It didn't take long for me to like her. And it certainly didn't take long before I went stir-crazy from not telling her. And when another guy comes into the picture, before I could truly figure out how I felt, I became lost. Lost in the crazy crashing, thrashing waves of the never-ending ocean. And the only way out it seemed, would be telling Tinsley my feelings.

And with that, I made up the decision to talk to her after school.