Earlier, Finn's perspective…
"Ready to go, love?" I ask, Mandy nodding as she zipped up her duffel bag and grabbed it before we left down the hallways, my right arm protectively around her and shielding her from the looks and whispers of our co-workers.
It's when we exit the building that there's paparazzi outside and cameras go off, me and Mandy heading to the Altima and trying to get in it when a photographer grabs Mandy's right arm, me running over and shoving the guy away.
"Back off of her!" I yell at him, the paparazzi scattering like coyotes.
"And I thought I hated the vultures." Mandy says as I open the passenger door, her sitting down and me checking her arm and finding that it's already bruising.
"He almost pulled your arm out of the socket, lass." I say.
"I bruise easily, it runs in my family." Mandy says, me lightly stroking her hair and kissing her hand before she buckles up.
I close the door, running to the driver's side and getting in before buckling up and closing the door. Starting the car, I don't see them following us.
I don't think it's fully hit her yet what Alex has done, spilling her secret out on Tv… but it's hit every entertainment news channel and they're going crazy.
Why should anyone be judged by their past actions?
Present time, Third person perspective...
You better watch what you say
You better watch what you do to me
Don't get carried away
Girl, if you can do better than me
Go, yeah, go
But remember
Good love is hard to find
Good love is hard to find
You got lucky babe
You got lucky babe
When I found you
You put a hand on my cheek
And then you turn your eyes away
If you don't feel complete
If i don't take you all of the way
Then go, yeah, go,
But remember
Yeah go
Just go
But remember
Good love is hard to find
Good love is hard to find
You got lucky, babe
You got lucky, babe
When I found you
Finn noticed that Amanda didn't reach over to turn the radio as he drove to the apartment… but he did notice her trying not to cry and changed the station himself before lightly rubbing her left shoulder.
He had noticed sometimes that she would go quiet, zone out… and after tonight, he didn't blame her.
"He ain't worth crying over, love. Not after what he did." Finn says as Amanda looked at him when the music blared.
We did somethin' we both know it
We don't talk too much about it
Ain't no real big secret all the same
Somehow we get around it
Listen it don't really matter to me baby
You believe what you want to believe
You see you don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee)
Somewhere, somehow, somebody must've kicked you around some
Tell me why you want to lay there
And revel in your abandon
Honey, it don't make no difference to me baby
Everybody's had to fight to be free
You see you don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee)
Now baby you don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee)
Baby we ain't the first
I'm sure a lot of other lovers been burned
Right now this seems real to you
But it's one of those things
You gotta feel to be true
Somewhere, somehow, somebody must've kicked you around some
Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped
Tied up, taken away and held for ransom
It don't really matter to me
Everybody's had to fight to be free
You see you don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee)
I said you don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee)
You don't have to live like a refugee (don't have to live like a refugee), ah, ah
Amanda brushed her tears away as Finn stopped the car in the driveway, the two grabbing their things after the car was off and locked and heading into the apartment… it had an inviting feel to it, a safe place for them to rest their weary heads and bodies.
Finn closed and locked the door after turning the lights on, cradling Amanda's face in his hands before kissing her on her forehead… his arms wrapped around her tiny body, the two hugging tightly.
"What a fucked up night…" Amanda says after the two had let go, Amanda unzipping her hoodie after setting her bag down.
The hoodie was set down after the heat had kicked on in the apartment, Finn deciding to say what was on his mind.
"Want some whiskey? Or something warm to drink? Maybe decaf coffee would be better."
"Yeah… just let me get cleaned off first." Amanda says, the two hugging again before she headed upstairs with her duffel bag.
She returned downstairs about 10 minutes later, her damp hair in a messy ponytail and her wearing a pair of grey flannel pajama pants and a light green pajama top. Sitting down, she felt a warm cup of coffee placed into her hands and saw Finn before he sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
Amanda leaned into him as he kissed her on her forehead and lightly stroked her hair before they let go and drank their coffee.
"I do miss it… Alex and me just talking, spending time together… I've known him since I was 18 years old. We really don't talk anymore aside from talking about the NXT shows…" Amanda says, the fingers on her right hand entwining with the ones on Finn's right hand as his arm was once again wrapped around her shoulders and her legs stretched out on his lap.
"What you miss most is the friendship you had with him… but we're not gonna be pulled apart, I care about you way too much, love." Finn says before they set the empty coffee mugs down.
"I care about you too, Finn… the others don't like it, that's their problem." Amanda says as she shifted her body around.
Her legs now curled towards her own body as she leaned into Finn and her head rested on his shoulder and him kissing her on her forehead.
It wasn't long after that when she fell asleep, Finn picking her up into his arms and taking her upstairs to his room.
Tucking her into the bed, Finn quietly headed downstairs and put the cups in the sink after rinsing them before heading upstairs. Changing into his own pajamas, he climbed into the bed and wrapped his left arm around Amanda's back before kissing her on her forehead and closing his sleepy blue eyes.
After tonight, he didn't want her to be alone.