Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

CHAPTER 52: Party! Part 1

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023

  Saturday April 7th,2018(2 months, 4 weeks, 9 days.)

( 1 month, 3 weeks, 8 days after breakup with Jacob.)

(Kye and Finn dating = 4 weeks, 5 days)

(Kaylee & Brian dating = 16 days(2 weeks, 4 days)

"You have a nice little place, Finn." Lucas walks into Finn's kitchen and places bags on the counter. Finn looks up from his phone and nods. "Thanks. I got it shortly after I legally got emancipated." Finn explains as he helps Lucas unpack the bags of drinks and food for the party.

"So you live here by yourself?" Lucas asks him. Finn nods as he places two Vegetable trays on the Kitchen Island. "Yes, I do. Both of my parents are gone and my aunt who raised me..." Finn swallows hard not wanting to think about his aunt Raina. "She left me when I was 16." He says holding back his tears.

Lucas looks at Finn's face and sighs. "Sorry to hear that. That must have been very hard for you." Lucas says genuinely concerned.

"It was. I try not to think about it." Finn shrugs it off as he places a few more Veggie trays on the Island. "That was a dark time for me." He admits to Lucas.

Lucas puts the six 2-liter bottles of Soda in the Fridge where Finn told him to place them earlier. "Now I understand why Kylie is drawn to you." He places a few more bottles in the Fridge and turns around to Finn, whose face is plain.

"She tends to like people who have problems. She likes to help them and build them up. And just like with Jacob, she loves you if she is lying to her dad." Lucas informs him.

Finn recoils back. "What do you mean she's lying to him?" Finn asks.

Lucas' eyes widen. "Ummm...She told Kevin that she was staying the night at Evie's or either Lonnie's."

Finn's mouth drops open. "Are you serious?" He asks Lucas.

Lucas nods. "Yes, I am. She knew he wouldn't let her go to a party. Especially one at your house."

Lucas looks around Finn's nearly empty living room. He looks at his couch and into his bedroom and sees a female's Seaside Sydney school uniform. "And now I know why. You live alone. And you two...." Lucas looks at the school uniform on Finn's bed.

Finn looks toward Lucas' gaze. Finn's eyes narrow on Lucas.

Finn sighs and takes a few breaths, controlling his anger. "We haven't done anything like that. And no offense, but if we have; it's none of your business Lucas." Finn answers Lucas' non-verbal comment. Finn's voice deepens as he says Lucas' name.

Lucas looks away from Finn's bedroom and to Finn. He flinches as she sees Finn's face. Lucas nervously scratches his smooth head. "Sorry to assume things." Lucas apologizes.

Finn sighs annoyed and then he groans and to Lucas' surprise; Finn chuckles. Lucas looks at Finn worried and confused.

Finn shakes his head. "Sorry." Finn regains his composure and sighs as he unloads a few more items from the bags. "It seems like a lot of people assume we have already had sex." Finn grunts annoyed. He grips the Island Counter and looks up to Lucas. "Your assumption sort of triggered me."

Lucas nods. "Sorry about that. With your guys' relationship and how close you two are; it just seemed like it already happened."

Finn nods. "We haven't. And I'm not Jacob. I'll never pressure her into anything." Finn states. "EVER." He says firmly.

Lucas smiles. "Good." He nods at Finn's phone vibrating. "She deserves better than that," Lucas says, trying not to trash-talk his former friend, Jacob.

Finn looks down at his phone and smiles at the text. "Kylie and Lonnie will be here soon with half of the cast. And the other half are coming with Matt and Evie." Finn says as he finishes up his text to her.

"Sounds good," Lucas says. "So there's not going to be any alcohol is there?" Lucas asks.

Finn quickly lays his phone down and shakes his head vigorously. "Hell no," Finn says sternly. "Jakobe and I are the only ones who are legally able to drink and there is no way that I'm going to get caught serving minors in my own house. I have a future to look forward to and I can't be Kylie's Bon..." Finn stutters. "Boyfriend if I'm in jail." He quickly covers.

Lucas nods. "Good. Because I don't think Kylie would like that very much if there was alcohol here."

Finn nervously wipes the sweat off his forehead. He almost blew Kylie's Mermaid secret...well sort of. "I know she wouldn't. And that's one reason why there won't be any here. And I don't drink anyway." Finn explains.

Lucas nods at Finn. "You don't?" He asks Finn curiously as he notices a few empty Vodka bottles on the top of Finn's fridge. Finn nods. "I don't." He says firmly.

Lucas points to the bottles inches away from his face. "So a ghost drank those?" Lucas says sarcastically.

Finn looks toward the top of the fridge. Finn groans annoyed. "No." Finn sighs defeated. "Those were part of my dark past. The past that I'm working on leaving behind."

Finn grabs them off the fridge and shoves them in the broom closet to the left of the front door. "I keep them in my view to remind me that I can overcome my past and addictions and trust that God will take care of me." Finn vents to Lucas.

Finn lets out a huge sigh of relief. He shakes his head. "That felt good to share." Finn admits. "Only Kylie, Jakobe, Brian, and Evie know about that part of my past," Finn explains.

"Wow. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to share it with me." Lucas says. "You didn't have to. You simply just had to say it was part of your past that you'd rather not talk about." Lucas tells Finn.

Finn shrugs. "It's fine. I need to let my friends know about my past." Finn admits.

Lucas snorts. "So we are friends now?" He asks Finn, shocked.

Finn nods and then he shrugs. "Yeah. I guess we are. We aren't enemies. And we aren't just acquaintances. So I suppose that makes us friends."

Lucas chuckles at Finn's answer. "I guess so. I mean you are my understudy in the play." Lucas jokes with him. Finn scowls at Lucas and chuckles. "Don't remind me." Finn retorts.

Finn puts the paper bags in his recycle bin and looks at Lucas intently. "We may be new friends. But if you try anything with Kylie that's not play-related, then we will no longer be friends. We will just be acquaintances." Finn warns Lucas.

Lucas' face pales and his eyes blink quickly. "I completely understand." That is all Lucas can say. He's too caught off-guard by Finn's sudden change in demeanor. But if Lucas was in his position, then he'd feel the same way too.

Before Lucas can say anything else; Kylie finally arrives with some cast members, making Lucas push his thoughts to the back of his mind.