Page 35 of Meet Cute

Finn goes stiff. “...You should.”

“I really should, shouldn’t I?” It’s almost cruel how much I want to hate him. “But I don’t, Finn. Not at all. You’re hurting… I can see that.”

To my surprise he starts bawling, clinging even tighter as he sits on my lap like an oversized dog. “You’re too good. Too good for this world, too good for m-me… too good for your family.”

There’s a layer of malice in that last part, as evident by his nails digging into my back. “No one will ever deserve you. B-But I want to, god… I really want to. U-Ugh…”

Every word that leaves his mouth sounds like a plea. Does he need me to care? Does he need me to want him? But why? What did I ever do that was so special? Visit him? Talk to him? Be his friend?

“You’re such a good person…” he says—as if the thoughts in my mind somehow reached him. “I don’t… the way you t-treat me… I can’t lose it…” His grip loosens, but something seems off. “I won’t lose it. I won’t. You’re not leaving me.”

Pulling out of the one-sided hug he was giving me, everything shatters. That manic look is back, and he’s staring at me with something eerily close to hatred. “W-What can I do to keep you? Do I need to l-lock you up again? Should I just… your legs… Maybe breaking them wasn’t enough… Maybe I should—”

“F-Finn!” My voice breaks at the end of my shout. I don’t even realize I’m shaking at first. “Stop… P-Please stop… I’m scared… I’m really scared…”

For once I’m being fully honest, even if it doesn’t necessarily feel as though it’s the right decision. His silence is more horrifying than when he speaks, because at least then I can see some semblance of his thoughts and try to understand, even if I really can’t most of the time.

His mouth opens, but still no words come out. Maybe he’s stunned, or maybe he’s realizing this is all so pointless. Was it the right thing to say? What if he comes to the conclusion that the only solution is to dispose of me and move on?

The silence is eating me up inside, but I know I have to do something. I really don’t want to die, not like this. I don’t want to become a missing persons poster, and I don’t want to be the topic of some shitty YouTube video that dramatizes my life to the point it’s unrecognizable. I don’t want it. I want to live. I have to live.

I have to.

Lunging forward, my body acts before my mind does. His chapped lips find purchase of my own, and despite how sluggish I feel I bring my arms up to delicately rest on his chest.

It takes Finn five quick seconds to process that I initiated the kiss before coming back to his senses. His mouth presses up against mine with so much force our teeth clack together, but that doesn’t deter him at all.

Warm, calloused hands begin to explore my frame—starting from my chest and sliding down to the small of my waist. Even when drool begins to run down my chin he doesn’t dare pull away, kissing me like I’m his lifeline.

“I love you,” he moans when we do finally part. Even though he’s panting he still clings tight to me, and at first I can’t imagine why. But then I feel how his sweatpants tighten and something more solid pokes and prods at my thigh. “I love you so much. I-I love you… I’ll make you feel good. U-Ugh… I—ngh…”

Finn shudders, sloppily kissing at my neck before disappearing down between my legs. He hits the floor with a thud, hands on my knees before throwing them apart without a care. I wince at the brief jolt of pain that causes. “D-Duncan… I love you… Let me s-show you. I’ll p-prove it…”

This is so wrong, yet I can’t stop myself from beginning to get hard. The shame that follows is a sickening sucker punch to the gut. “S-Stop it, Finn! Don’t!”

His head hangs low, resting against my thigh. Unmoving, he shudders and clings tighter instead. “I… I-I don’t know what to do—I just… I-Isn’t this what you want? How do I…?”

Despite how shaky he is, he forces himself backwards, landing on his ass and avoiding my gaze at all costs. “I’m s-so pathetic…Can’t even… Ugh!” Rosy cheeks turn a fiery red as he shoots up and gets in my face.

“W-Why did you kiss me? If you don’t like me… you don’t…” My heart sinks when he trails off and slowly begins to realize my plan. Even without speaking, the way he stares at me is enough to know one thing: I’m absolutely fucked.

TWENTY-SEVEN

“Finn, no! Stop! S-Stop!” I scream even if my pleas fall on deaf ears.

Thick digits squeeze into my arm as Finn drags me back down the stairs to the basement. Once we reach the bottom he pushes me against the bed with anger I didn’t know he was capable of. When he hurt me before, it wasn’t done with anger—it was done with sorrow.

But this? This is something new.

Maybe the severity of the situation hadn’t fully dawned on me, but now that I have this angry man staring down at me I realize how awful things are for me. Did I actually think I could somehow manipulate him to free me? I am such an idiot. I'm the biggest idiot.

“You were… you were just playing with my feelings—my emotions… like everyone else does…” His jaw clenches as he comes closer. I want to scurry back to the corner of the bed, but I need him to trust me.

So I sit there, gazing up at him with my best doe eyes even if “cute” is something I’ve never been called before. I should be shivering, but I can’t show how scared I am or else he’ll never believe another word I say. Oddly enough I don’t think he’d kill me, but I don’t wanna find out what he would do, either.

“I didn’t mean to,” I admit hastily. “I was…. I-I was scared, Finn.. You… I mean, come on! You fucking kidnapped me!”

“No, I didn't!” Anger bounces off the walls as he shouts. “I just… I-I wanted… I…”