Valentine's Cupcakes [Annie, Fin, open]

[Finlay Eddelman]

ooc: rea;;y long joint post. >.>; sorry

bic:
Finlay felt a lump form in his throat. She had plans. With Nero. It was unsurprising, to say the least, and it wasn't as if he hadn't just agreed to spend the evening with Annie, but he was still painfully jealous. She did sound mildly bored with the prospect of going out with his rival, at least, and that was hopeful, although he was not sure it would be fair to ask her to give up plans she had made. He couldn't back out of his plans with Annie, anyway, he couldn't do that to a friend.

"Umm." He said, looking away quickly as he realized he was staring. "So uhhh swing by my locker to get it?" He mumbled, then turned to the other girl, "Hey, we'll be right back, good luck with the FREE CUPCAKES." He made sure to say that part specially loud for the benefit of the surrounding students. He hoped that when he and Dee got back there would be no more cupcakes left, because everyone would have eaten them all.

He loped along to his locker, feeling shy. "It's not that great," He apologized once they got there, fumbling at his combination out of nervousness. He almost dropped the bear as he shoved it at her, staring down at his shoes rather than her. "Ah, it's, uhhh, I hope it's okay."

Dee nodded when Fin asked if she wanted to go to his locker to get what he had gotten for her. "Sure..let's go do that.." She waved goodbye to Annie with a smile for the moment. They walked out to the lockers, Dee leaning against the one next to him as he managed to get his locker open. Her bag lay at her feet, the roses and the chocolate tucked inside. There was also something else hidden. Fin handed her the bear, and her face lit up. She LOVED his bears, especially the knitted ones cause of the effort and love that went into them. "I love it...Ive always liked your bears." She said softly, looking up at him. "And its perfect."

"Really?" Fin swelled up with pride. He of course was always overjoyed when other people appreciated his work, but hearing a sincere compliment from Delilah was even better than normal appreciation. "Perfect?" He grinned down at her; there was no lack of beautiful girls in his grade alone, but they held little interest for him.

"I just...wanted to make you something...since it's Valentine's and all," He explained, rubbing the back of his neck. That was about as close to a confession as he could bring himself to get, and he actually surprised himself by adding. "Uhhh so Annie and I were gonna go stalk Bowie tonight. If umm if you have time after uhhh or before your errrm plans ahhhyou should come, too." He offered. "Cause it's Bowie, can't say no to that, right? Bowie is better than flowers and stuff." He posited, hoping that she would agree.

Dee held the bear to her chest, running her fingers over the soft material. "Yes, its perfect..I can't eat it and it wont wilt.." She winked at him. She bit her lower lip slightly when he started speaking of he and Annie going out tonight. Annie was a good girl, Fin would do well with her. Dee couldn't help the rolling over in her stomach at the thought of Fin with someone else. "I...maybe..I dont know." She said softly. "I dont want to intrude on your thing with her.." She looked down towards her boots. "Bowie's awesome." Dee said softly, still looking anywhere but at him so he could not see the disappointment in her eyes.

"No, it's...it's cool," Fin tried to reassure her. "She won't mind, she just invited me 'cause one of her dad's is doing the costume designs, it'll be more fun if you come, too." He half-way pleaded with her, "I guess, if you have plans, I mean, I understand if you can't, but...but...." He stammered, trying to get the proper words to come out, "Iwantyoutocome."

She glanced at him. "It's fine Fin..you go..have fun...if I was there, youd spend half the night trying to sign what I was saying to Annie...have a good time." She told him, shifting her bag on her back as a means of looking busy. She needed to hide the fact that her hands were shaking and that old craving was niggling in the back of her head. Damnit. She ended up dropping her bag, the bottom splitting, spilling all her stuff everywhere.

Fin frowned, "I can teach you some sign if that's a problem." He chided. Did she not like Annie? He had always thought the two girls got along, they seemed to as far as he could tell, anyway. "If you don't want to, you don't have to, just, you know, I thought you'd like it." He said lamely.

He bent down to help her pick up her belongings as they spilled to the floor. This was not going that well, not that he had really thought it would. She had plans already, after all, he hadn't expected her to just drop them to go with him.

"He had no idea, she wanted to go, but she wasnted it to be just them, and that was not fair to Annie. Annie was a doll. Dee knelt down on the floor to pick up her stuff, missing a folded note near his foot. "Find me tomorrow or something and we can work on that signing thing ok?" She asked, standing back up.

Fin's shoulder's sagged. Oh, well. Hanging out with Annie was always fun, even if he was disappointed not to spend the night with Delilah. "So uhhh what if I don't want to find you?" He asked her, trying to sound light-hearted about it. "We could maybe just make plans?" He suggested. Then he would know that he had her attention at least for that night, "You, me, ASL lessons...maybe....we could snag a bite to eat or something?" It was easier to ask her to spend time with him when he didn't label it 'date'.

He picked up the note, glancing over the cover out of idle curiousity -- it could be a love note, because he was sure that more guys than Nero had to be interested in Dee -- or it could be a school note, or some girl note between her and a friend. "You missed this."

She nodded. "Sure...tomorow night is good...I should get going..I wanna grab a fast smoke before class..and dont give me that look, I havent had one today." She had been trying to quit, but there were the stray ones. Leaning up, she kissed his cheek gently before starting down the hall away from him. She had ignored the note in his hands, knowing that if he had it in his fingers, then fate meant for it to be there. If he dared to open it, and who wouldn't when their name was scrawled on the outside, it would read.....

Fin...I'm writing this because 1, you'll probably never see it, and 2, because I need to get something off of my chest. These past few weeks I have found myself extremely confused and unsure of what I want. Spending time with you and Ne had been wonderful, andif you only knew what it meant to me to have someone there behind me as I try to put my life together. It means more then I can ever say. God..how do I put this into words...I dont know if I can...I like Nero, hes a great guy, funny and open...but...I dont think he is what I want. I think...no..I know who I want, and it's not him, its you. Its always been you I think. We have so much in common but so many things not that it makes things a challange. You hate horror movies, but you sat throug them anyway, I love when you get flustered
I love how you try to make everyone smile without really wanting to get involved...I just...we lost touch before and I dont know if I could handle it again...with so many other girls in this place, why would you want me anyway? Im just a mess, but at least I have said what I cannot in person..if you do ever read this, I cant lose you..you mean far too much for me to, I want more then just friendship, but if that is all I ever have, thats ok. D"

Fin raised on eyebrow at Delilah. He did not approve of her smoking, but on the other hand he couldn't really tell her not to. It was better that she smoke tabacco than any of the alternatives, anyway. He watched her move down the hall until she was out of sight, then began moving back towards the cafeteria, toying with the note in his hands. He wanted to read it, but was afraid of what it might say. It probably said something like I'm madly in love with Nero, leave me alone. So it wasn't until he was at the doors of the cafeteria that he swallowed and opened.

He almost dropped the letter. It said exactly what he wanted it to say, which was just plain surprising. And it made him feel much, much worse than if it had been a rejection letter, because he hadn't asked her to do anything other than hang out with him and Annie. He wished he had run after her, but then what would he say? Hey, let's ditch the people we have plans with? That wouldn't be nice to either Annie or Nero. And he had promised Annie that he would come back to help her give away cupcakes. He shoved the note into his pants' pocket, pulling out his cellphone, for once very glad to have such a device.

Hey D i no u hav plans 2nite so u want 2 go out 2morrow sumwere nice we ned 2 tlk - F

He thrust the cell back into his pocket, not sure if he was pleased to find out she liked him or agitated he had let her walk off without reading her letter. "Hey, Annie, I'm back."

[Annie Holmes]

Fin’s rebel cry of “FREE CUPCAKES” got a great deal of people’s attention. As if the throngs of people who’d started to jostle elbows hadn’t done enough. Annie was giddy with the fact that people were accepting her gift in the manner it was meant and hugged Dee back when the other girl offered the gesture. So much was going on in so few minutes, but it worked.

Waving Fin and Delilah away as the two ran off to Fin’s locker, Annie watched until the other student’s blocked her view. People were clapping their hands on her shoulders, making eye contact, and speaking slowly, and more loudly (a common mistake for those who thought Annie was only hard of hearing and not truly deaf, but it didn’t bother her… she couldn’t hear it.) to thank her for their treats.

By the time Fin got back he was alone, and there were only four cupcakes left, each being snatched by someone else. Annie knew she’d have to hire him when she was able to open show (several years from now) to be her marketing manager. But where was Dee? Annie liked the other girl. A lot, and had hoped to ask her along to see Bowie with her and Fin. The more people the better, after all. And who knew, maybe Zoey would want some extras for his project. Both Dee and Fin had an extraordinarily unique look to them that just screamed Bowie… in a way. But it was a family name now. Father and son. And Iman of course. No one could ever forget the regal Amazon of a woman.

Where’s D? Annie signed craning her head around to see if she couldn’t spot the girl lingering behind somewhere.

[Finlay Eddelman]

Finlay was pleased to see that the cupcakes had vanished while he was gone; he felt good for his friend that people were accepting her sugary offerings. That made up at least a little for his failure with Delilah.

He cringed when the red head asked about the other girl. He still felt a bit guilty for not running after, but he had told Annie he was coming back, and he viewed that as a sort of promise. It was too late now, anyway, she had a date with Nero. He would just have to try and talk to her tomorrow. If she was willing to talk to him, anyway, he wouldn't blame her if she wasn't. And what if she changed her mind tonight with Nero, what if he were so incredibly romantic on their date that it made her realize he was a better choice?

He mimicked someone smoking in answer to Annie's question. He didn't think she would require more of an answer than that and he certainly did not feel like explaining further. The ringing of the bell saved him from worry for the moment, however; by tonight he was sure Annie would not care anymore why Dee had gone out to smoke instead of returning to cupcakes.

Meet at your place? He wondered. He had no idea where this video was being shot, so of course it would be easier for him to just hitch a ride with her and her father. But she might have other ideas.

[selbyzolnerowich]

Smoking? Ugh. Annie wrinkled her nose at the thought, but didn't judge her friend. Delilah had been through a lot and a cigarette was, while not ideal, better than a lot of what she had done once upon a time. Annie couldn't judge her, but she wished that Dee could stop. Little by little, though, maybe she was getting better. She'd managed to kick a lot of other really bad-for-you habits.

Still, she wished that Dee could come too. The other girl would have had a blast, but it was Valentine's day, and she was a gorgeous girl. No doubt she had other plans.

My place is good. Papa will drive us. The excitement was obvious in the teenaged girl as she gathered what was hers and cleared off the paper wrappers that people had left and those that were hers.

See you later! With that the buoyant redhead hurried off to class, even more eager for the night to be there. Bowie, and someone she could share him with who would understand.

The night couldn't get there soon enough. They couldn't be on the set soon enough. And she couldn't be in Bowie's presence again soon enough. Stalkerish? For someone else, sure. For Annie, it was just cute.