Page 89 of A Hard Fit

“My mom,” Rory muttered. Their gaze dropped to Finn’s socked feet. “Doesn’t that bother you?” they asked.

Finn looked down. “Doesn’t what bother me?”

“Your socks don’t match.”

“They don’t?” Finn frowned and wiggled his toes. “Eh, close enough. They’re both black.”

“Yeah, but one has stripes around the ankle and one doesn’t.”

Finn laughed. “It doesn’t bother me at all. Does it bother you?”

“No,” they said in a way that sounded very much like ‘yes.’

“Okay. Do y—”

“Bailey’s birthday is coming up.” The words tumbled from Rory’s lips, their eyes still down.

“Oh.” Finn leaned back against the counter. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“So…” Finn’s heart scrunched into a ball. “You want to go.”

“Yes.” It was a short, hollow sound.

“Even though Jackson never called,” Finn said, needing to say it out loud.

Rory’s eyes snapped up to meet Finn’s, two pools of emotion. “I have to, Finn. It’s killing me.”

“I know,” Finn said softly. The kitchen was silent around them as they stared at each other. “Do you also get why I can’t go?”

“I don’t want to go without you, though.”

Finn sighed. “I can’t, Rory.”

“Finn…Jackson is my brother. My brother, okay?” Rory sat up straighter, voice filling the room. “He’s in my life forever. I know you’ve cut off your entire family—”

Finn recoiled like he’d been slapped. “That’s not fair.”

“Oh no?” Rory spread their arms wide and looked around. “What happened to your New Year’s Resolution? Where are they? Where are Cali and Bryson? Your sister? Your mom?”

Acid rose up Finn’s throat. He stared at Rory, at a loss for words. “Yeah. I, uh…”

Rory sighed. “Finn—”

“No, you’re right. Clearly, I don’t get how families work. Listen, I’m not very hungry. The spring rolls will be done in about twenty minutes and there’s lemon chicken in the fridge. I’m going to…go for a walk.”

Rory didn’t stop him on his way out of the door.

* * * *

Finn wandered the darkened streets of his neighborhood a while, imagining every glowing window containing a happy couple enjoying their Valentine's Day. And here he was. Alone. Like an idiot.

He pulled out his phone.

His sister answered right away. “Finn? What—? Are you okay?”

“Hi, Liz. I’m fine.”

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