Chapter Thirteen
The days were getting longer at the early part of April, but eight thirty still meant almost darkness. The track lights were on, and flooded the red surface of the track and football field of green grass in the middle. The arena was still messy from the long regional meet over the weekend. The big heavy mat from pole vaulting lay askew near the triple jump and the hurdles were stacked neatly on top of each other and in long rows but just barely out of the way of the track.
I stretched under the lights not exactly sure what Fin was planning. Last week we decided that I would spend my required time tonight at his apartment working on tasks. His text threw me, but his promise for a way out of my predicament intrigued me enough to be anxious for whatever he was planning.
The track was nearly empty tonight. The lights would be turned off soon, and those lagging runners seemed to be finishing up their runs before leaving for the night.
He was late. I fixed my hair, redoing my high ponytail so it was tighter. And then I stretched some more.
When he finally appeared on the far side of the track I realized I was nervous. And not just for his proposition. I hadn’t seen him in days…. I was nervous to be near him.
My stomach was jittery and jumpy, my skin tingled with anticipation and I repressed the urge to redo my hair…. again.
I tried to avoid this, tried to stop it from happening…. but I was falling for Fin Hunter.
I wondered if I ever had a chance.
He stalked forward, purpose and intent written all over his determined face. His eyes were almost black with some unnamed emotion and his body rigid like he was preparing to attack.
I stood still, frozen in place by anticipation. “Hey,” I called out weakly, but he just cut a look at me and shook his head.
Finally he was standing over me, just inches away. He looked down at me, trapping me in the gravity of his body. He lifted a hand and for a moment I thought he was going to touch me, but it turned into an accusing finger and he said, “You, Ellie Harris, are a troublemaker.”
Sputtering and noticing that his intensity was driven by anger; I choked out, “What? Me? Why?”
“Girls have been showing up at my door for the past two weeks!” his voice raised just a little bit and I let out a snicker of laughter before I could stop myself. He gave me a glaring look and continued, “I thought I was losing my mind. I thought I was somehow flirting with all these girls, giving them the impressionIwas asking for this!”
His rant only made me want to laugh harder, so I mashed my lips together and waited for him to finish.
“I had no idea most of those girls were into me! I thought we were friends.” His eyes narrowed and he said, “Not anymore.”
“Why’s that?” I asked innocently.
“It’s hard to stay friends after you….” he trailed off and looked away, embarrassed suddenly.
Oh. Oh no. I sent them there to tease him, and because he was crazy if he thought those girls only wanted friendship. They were sending him private Facebook messages practically propositioning him. And at the time I assumed he was the kind of guy to behave like that.
But now….
Now that he came clean about it, I found I was very disappointed in him.
And suddenly really, really sick to my stomach.
“I suppose it is,” I sniped. “So why am I here Fin? How can I get out of this debt?” I sounded bitter even to my own ears and I flushed with humiliation. I made this bed, now I had to lie in it…. I just really didn’t want to.
“Are you mad at me?” he asked incredulously.
“No.”
“You’re mad at me,” he sounded shocked, completely in disbelief.
“I just think it’s unfair how you treated all those girls. I was just teasing you, I never expected you to…. you know.” He was going to realize how much I liked him, in this very moment. He was going to realize how pathetic I was. Jealousy wasneverattractive. To save myself I threw out, “It just seems kind of cruel.”
“Wait,” he demanded, taking a step closer to me. “You’re upset that Ididn’tsleep with them?Thatseems cruel to you?”
His words sunk in slowly as if my brain was having a hard time comprehending them, like it refused to believe the meaning of what he was saying. “I don’t understand,” I finally admitted. “You didn’t sleep with them?”
“Why would you think I slept with them?” he asked more dumbfounded than ever. Before I could answer he got a little bit louder and said, “You think I slept with all of them? Allfiveof them in three weeks?”
