IDGAF: Snippet Five

My thoughts this week: Well clearly I can’t blog even once a week, but I’m still trucking along with Isla! This week you get to meet Finn and then all the players are in place for one heck of a party.

Before you read further make sure you’re all caught up:

Snippet Five: The Crush

The day Finn Campbell walked through the doors of Java House was the day I thought the stars had finally aligned for my love life. My childhood…turned high school…turned life-long crush was in my coffee shop and my boyfriend was not with me.

It. Was. Perfect.

Finn and I met in second grade when I moved in a couple streets away from him. We started off as friends, but when I realized I had a crush on him things got awkward and we never left the awkward phase. I may or may not have gone through a mild stalker stage in middle school trying to win him over without having to speak to him. I would spend my afternoons walking my dog past his house in hopes he’d be outside. My timing never worked out. Nothing ever worked out in our favor.

Once Dillon was in the picture my favorite part of breaking up was the hope that Finn might finally make a move. There were even times when we weren’t broken up I’d fantasize about Finn confessing his love for me and running away together. I had no reason to believe any of that would ever happen. How could we be in love when we couldn’t even hold a conversation? We were worse than a B movie script.

[THE TWO STAR CROSSED LOVERS FIND THEMSELVES PARKING FOR SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME AND WALK TOWARDS THE BUILDING TOGETHER]
Finn: Hey

Isla: Hi

Finn: You going to class?

Isla: Good. You?

[INSERT AWKARD SMILES AS BOTH PARTIES TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY WERE THE ONE TO MISPEAK. THE SILENCE LASTS SO LONG THEY FIND THEMSELVES ENTERING THE SCHOOL BUILDING]

Isla: So…

Finn: Have a great day, Isla!

[THEY PART WAYS]

This scene played out more time than I can count, but it’s not the worst! During our winter formal junior year, the only dance Dillon and I didn’t get back together for, the DJ called for lady’s choice. I quickly made my way across the floor, stood behind Finn with my hand raised and mouth ready to ask him to dance. All of my friends cheered me on from the side of the cafeteria. He started to turn toward me before I could tap his shoulder.

I panicked.

I ran.

I ran all the way to my car.

I went home.

It had been years since I’d seen him face to face. I knew from social media stalking (I guess my stalker phase never actually ended) that we still lived in the same city, but in a mix of hundreds of thousands of people the chance of running into each other was slim, and yet there he was. Like I said, the stars had aligned!
“Finn?” I managed to say somewhere between a squeal and a screech.

“Isla? Oh my…no way!”

My instinct was to run and give him a hug, which went surprisingly smooth given our history. No head bumps or boob swipes, just a normal hug.

“Are you heading somewhere?” I asked.

“I have to go to work in a bit but I was going to grab a coffee and check this place out. I haven’t ever been—”

“Oh this is my favorite coffee shop. Come sit with me. We have to catch up.”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll be right there.” He had a huge grin across his face as he made his way to the counter to order.

I used the time he was up there to text Nicky.

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! I’m having coffee with Finn 😀 what is this life?!?!?

I quickly hid my phone so Finn wouldn’t see.

He sat down with his latte. “So what have you been up to since senior year?”

“I got a degree in hospitality, but all the management position I find require you to be up at the butt-crack of dawn, and I’m just not into that. So I’m working at a little bar and grill down the road and just really trying to enjoy life.”
“Wow, hospitality? Not what I would have expected you to do.”

“Well…surprise.” We both laughed. “What about you? Travel the world? Working some big-wig job?”

“Not quite. I stayed put here in town. I’m surprised we haven’t run into each other sooner. I work just down the street too. I’ve been in school part-time and have an internship with a law firm.”

“So that’s why you look so nice.” I shamelessly checked him out since we were on the topic.

The time flew by too quickly and after some more small talk and updates it was time for him to head to work.

He held the door open for me. “This was really nice, Isla.”

“It was.” I smiled.

“Would you want to do it again sometime?”

The question, the date I’d been waiting to be asked out on for fifteen years. DO NOT RUIN THIS! “Of course.” I couldn’t breathe and was probably making a horribly uncute face.

“What are you doing Friday?”

“Cool.” I shook my head.

“What’s cool?”

Shit! Recover…recover. “Oh, a car that just drove by. It’s gone now! Sorry. This Friday?”

“Yeah. Would you want to see a movie and grab dinner?”

“Actually, this Friday I’m having a little get together at my house. Would you want to come?”

“Sure. What kind of get together?”

“Do you remember my friend Nick?”

“Nick Foster? Yeah.”

“We’re throwing a little end of summer thing. Just real casual. Just you know…if you wanted to…I’ll be there…well duh it’s my house…I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be there.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “What’s your number?”

I texted him my address and we went our separate ways. I couldn’t believe it…Finn Campbell was going to be at my house!