Page 16 of War Hope
Heshakes his headjust as we come to theback oftheline.
The pikeyattheFerriswheelswipeshissweatypalms downhistracksuitbottoms,grinningatmeand staringat my tits.Finn clears his throat and slides an arm around my waist. My gaze snaps to his,but he's focused on the pikey, glaring at him. Jesus, what's gotten up his arse?
I hand the guyafiver,beingsure todropit into his waiting palm to avoid making physical contact with him. The next bucket comes around and he grabs it, holding it still.
"Inyaget, sweetheart," the guy says. I skate around him and climb in.
Finn drops onto the seat next to me and the bucket swings precariously. He has to hang his arm over the edge in order to fit in and not have his body pressed against mine.
I pinch off pieces of candy floss and pop them in my mouth. "Sure you don't wantany?"
Ithrustthepink cloud in his face and he swats it away before he folds his arms over his chest. The wheel starts moving and Finngroans,trying toadjusthimselfin the small space. He lookslike asardine.
"You know, if you ate more of this shit and less of..." I wave my hand in his direction. "Whatever the fuck you're eating to look like that...you wouldn't be bitching."
"Iwouldn't bebitchingif youhadn't drug me here. I'm not the fairkind of guy." He huffs again, staring straight ahead. He's such a grouch.
Ishrug. "What kind of guy are you,Finnley? I mean, you fight in a spit and sawdust pub, and stay in your apartment..."I swear, I think he just rolled his eyes."Well?"
Finn archesone of his brows. "What?"
Igroan. "God, you're impossible."
"You'rethe one making me impossible." A short-lived chuckle slips through his lips.
"Honestly, Finn. I swear, conversation with you is like trying to draw blood from a stone." Herespondswithhis preferred silence."Oh, I'll just talk to myself, riding on the Ferris wheel with the strong, silent one—k eating my candy floss." I ramble on and he pulls his vape pen from his pocket, placing it between his lips. Nothing, he says nothing. Glaring at him, I snatch the vape pen and inhale on it, dragging the sweet smoke deepintomy lungs. "You know, you're stressful," I say as I slowly release the smoke. He takes the vape pen back from me. "You're pushing me to smoke." Again, nothing. Jesus-fucking-Christ.
We’renear the topnow and I swing my legs, smiling as I cram more of the candy floss inside my mouth. Finn's staring out over the horizon, he looks well annoyed so I pinch off a piece of the pink fluff and, when he's not looking, shove it in his mouth. His tongue whips out, licking the dissolving sugar from his lips and he glares at me.
"It's good, see? Can't come to a fairand not have candyfloss, Finn, it'sacardinalsin."
He wipesthe back of his hand over his face, sweeping any remnants of the floss away."Youare acardinal sin."
"Aw,"Ilaugh, "Finnleymade a joke." I pat him on his huge bicep. "I'm proud of you."
Another huffand he tosses his head back and closes his eyes. "How many times does this thing go around?"
Ishrug. "I'm not the fair expert, Finn."
"Well,you're a pikey..."
I gasp, pressing my palm to my chest. "Youdid not..."
Asmall grinworks over his lips and damn, he's hot when he smiles. I mean, he's hot anyway, but undeniably so when he smiles. "You're Irish,” he laughs.“You'repikey. It's okay, embraceyour roots."
Isniffandface forward.Brandon fuckingO'Kieffewas a pikey. Trailer and everything. I don't say that though because, you know, way to put a fucking damper on the night and thrust us into an awkward silence whilst stuck on a Ferris wheel."Iam about as far from a pikey as it gets."
"Yeah,surething,queenie."
When we hitthe top of theFerriswheel it jerks to a stop, Thebucket rocks backand forth and I let out a littlesqueak. My hand lands on Finn's thigh, my fingersdiggingintohislegasIslammyeyesshut.He laughs and I flip him off without looking at him. "Scared of heights?"he asks.
"No, I'm scared of the fucking thing swinging like an old man's ball bag,"Isnap.
"Howmany old men have you fucked?" He smirksand I want to punch him.
"You try growingup with a pikey for a friend, and you'll see plenty of drunk old fucker's nut sacks. I'm telling you, I was scarred from the age oftwelve."
There'sa small flicker in his eyesand a slowsmilecreeps over his lips.He shifts hisweight back and forth and the bucketstartstorock."I can't get comfortable..." He laughsas he continues to shift his weight.
