finn feels like there’s nothing that can get closer to paradise than this, sharing an unforgettable trip with a girl that had been by his side since the very beginning, enjoying the taste of freedom that they were being so generously offered. being raised an only child wasn’t something that he had ever even thought of, charli & gabe growing up beside him making him feel like he had something better than siblings, a bond built with people who weren’t obligated to love him, but did anyway. even now, he couldn’t help the fondness in his expression as he listened to charli’s long explanation, riddled with colorful jokes & wit – it was familiar, home being a person, not a place. right now, he felt like the world was at his fingertips, charli’s company making him feel like there’s nothing that could stop him – the threat of reagan’s revenge, his father’s expectations, or xavier’s deafening silence, all of it another day’s worry now that he was spending time with the one person who knew how to help him forget. ‘ if you think i would wear anything else, do you even know me ? ’ he asks, his eyebrows raising in question. it’s rhetorical, however, & remains forgotten the moment that charli agrees that she’s up for his little attempt at fun, and the excitement coloring his handsome features is one akin to a kid entering a candy store, uninhibited enthusiasm brightening up his face. ‘ okay, i have one already. ’ finn stands, sliding out from beneath her legs so he can stand in front of her. in a swift movement, he removes the shirt he was wearing, knowing that if they were going to be out & about all day, that he wouldn’t want it in this heat. ‘ you have to finish that drink, and when you’re done, you have to order another in spanish. ’ with a wicked grin, he settles his hands on his hips, his smile a challenge that he was daring her to accept. ‘ all from the safe, sturdy destination of my back. ’ knowing charli would be likely embarrassed from such blatant behavior, he was eager to push her just a little bit outside of her comfort zone.
the more time passes, the more charli can feel each of the anxieties that plagued her mere HOURS before slowly but surely dissipate. though she sees herself as one of the more fortunate ones in her graduating class worry-wise, even she is followed by her own personal grey cloud on most days. especially as the end of her time in high school draws closer, and with all of the recent ( and emotional ) events associated with the night of her acceptance party. while some would be quick to attribute this newfound and growing insouciance with the fact that she’s finally back in a warm climate, a tequila cocktail floating through her veins, charli knows better than to ignore finn’s direct effect on her mood. his proximity ( and, truthfully, any moment they spend basking in each other’s presence ) has never failed to coax her into a smile. ‘ if you wear anything else, i’ll haunt you, ’ she threatens jokingly, index finger poking into his bicep, ‘ but only like, at really bad times. like when you’re on a first date, or giving an important speech. ’ her face scrunches up in an attempt to seem more threatening as he moves out from under her legs, unhappy at the idea of the contact they just had with one another being broken. not that she is granted much time to dwell on his absence. embarrassingly, and in a moment that feels VERY middle school, she feels her heartbeat speed up and cheeks redden as he removes his shirt. it’s no secret she’s always found him attractive ( who wouldn’t ? ), but there’s just something about him under the blazing mexican sun that charli can’t help but physically respond to. so much so that it takes her a split second to realize she’s staring, eyes darting from his shoulders, to his eyes, to his hair, to his freckles, to his shoulders... once she catches onto what she’s doing, her gaze quickly averts itself, choosing instead to focus on the empty glass by her side. ‘ let me get this straight — you want me, one drink in, to climb onto your back and order a new drink in spanish ? at the bar of a five-star resort ? ’ she echoes, dusting herself off as she gets back on her feet. she frowns for an instant, pondering the dare, trying to pretend the tequila coursing through her body ISN’T screaming at her to do it. a sigh a less than a second later acts as her official white flag. ‘ i better be allowed to phone a friend. the duolingo lessons didn’t teach me anything about ordering drinks ! ’ she exclaims, drawing a circle in mid-air with her index finger to motion the other to turn around.
