Grey

Thirty-Six

[RORY]

I had goosebumps for a handful of reasons, letting the cool breeze blow my hair back off my face. Contrary to the physical proof on my arms, I felt hot all over, my hands still shaking from the aftermath of the fight.

I was standing outside alone, still coming to terms with the fact that Finn had left. All of the commotion inside could be heard through the door, the party in full swing as it neared midnight, though my thoughts were far louder. My heart rate still hadn't leveled out as I forced myself to go back inside.

I'd barely taken a step in the door before I saw Jamie making a beeline towards me. I shook my head at him, avoiding eye contact and walking in the opposite direction but he caught up, walking alongside me.

"I'd rather not look at you right now."

"Feisty still," he laughed. "Did rocker boy calm down after his timeout?"

"You were just as much to blame for that little pissing contest," I muttered. "You can stop puffing your chest, really not in the mood to chit chat."

"Oh come on," he laughed, speeding up when I did. I was looking everywhere for Em and Bryce. "Let's go continue our conversation-"

"Fuck. Read the room, Jamie," I turned towards him, at my wit's end. "Read the fucking room. It's not going to happen, now or ever. Now excuse me."

That did the job, stunning him silent as I left him to continue my search. It seemed as though Em and Bryce were also looking for me as our eyes landed on each other. We met in the middle as Em handed me her drink.

"What the hell just happened?" Her eyes were wide, treading lightly. I knew I was exuding every ounce of anger I was harboring. "Where's Finn?"

"Probably at another party by now," I laughed humorlessly, taking a massive sip from the drink. "He can go fuck himself."

"There is something in the water tonight," Bryce mumbled to himself, shaking his head.

Em was dumbfounded, staring at me with complete confusion written all over her face. She slurred slightly as she spoke, the alcohol talking for her. "Can we take like two steps back, what even happened? I don't understand."

"Where to begin," I took the remaining sip of my drink, finishing it off as Bryce traded me his for the empty glass. "He's clearly been bullshitting me about how excited he was to meet my parents because when I brought him over to talk to my dad, he was half there. He was acting so fucking weird and then just left mid conversation."

Em's eyebrows were furrowed but she said nothing, letting me continue.

"Then when I go to find him to ask what was wrong, he's outside getting fucking high with Cal and her half naked friends." Even reliving it out loud made my chest ache, the sense of deja vu overwhelming in the worst of ways. "Naturally, right next to the pretty blonde one, handing her the blunt. Of course."

"I'm sure that was nothing, Rory."

"So I got upset and I came back inside, got distracted, was talking to some people from work. Jamie pulled me aside and we were talking about his last article and low and behold, Finn comes waltzing over acting like a massive prick."

"That may have been my fault," Em admitted guiltily. "I didn't mean to start anything, I just wasn't thinking and made a comment about how he's been asking you out."

"That's besides the point," I seethed, finishing Bryce's drink. "I've never seen him like that and I hated it. They kept talking about me like I was some prize to win, as if I wasn't standing right fucking there. And then Finn, you wanna know what he says? He literally goes, oh, stop? That's not what you were saying to me in bed last night."