Dirty Little Secret
Chapter 8 - One More Sad Song
Logan stared down at them, frozen to the doorframe. Rory thought he would turn around and leave again, his face like a mask. She felt as if her heart had stopped beating and she was actually hovering above her body, watching the scene from far away. When Logan began to move, she was too shocked to react and the next thing she noticed was Finn being lifted off her body. She saw him fly against her desk like in slow motion – yet when he hit the wood and fell to the ground, she suddenly jerked awake again, quickly standing up, running after Logan who continued kicking Finn with his face like a fist.
"Logan, stop!"
She heard a moan from Finn and how his face twitched in pain as he was pushed into the shattered glass of the broken Tequila bottle. But Logan didn't seem to notice and bent down to lift Finn up by the collar of his shirt. He pushed him against the desk again, before they both stood facing each other, panting, like bulls, Logan with his fists ready to punch Finn, Finn with his hands raised in defence.
Rory stood next to them, tears inside her eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening.
"Logan", she just heard Finn say. "I –"
"Shut up, you lying bastard!", Logan said through clenched teeth, boxing Finn in the face.
Finn tumbled sideways, holding his nose.
"Logan, STOP!", Rory cried.
"You promised me something, Finn!", Logan continued, punching Finn with every word.
It was then that Finn bent over, seemingly out of breath, but then rose again unexpectedly, kicking Logan into the stomach. They continued fighting each other, pushing themselves around the room, kicking, beating, hitting each other, with Rory watching them, crying soundlessly. What had she done?
Logan just pushed Finn into the space between bed and desk, when another loud voice echoed through the room.
"HEY!"
Logan froze, caught in the motion to bend over Finn who lay on his elbows, to look at an angry looking Paris, standing in Rory's doorframe.
"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AND DEMOLISH SOMEBODY ELSE'S ROOM!", Paris yelled, grabbing the collar of a surprised Logan and dragged him after her.
Finn stared after them, panting, putting one hand on his chest. They heard how Paris pushed Logan out of their dorm and then came back to do the same with Finn. But it was Rory who held her back, walking over to Finn with her face soaked in tears. She looked at Paris and Paris just nodded, understanding her roommate without words, before leaving her room.
Rory grabbed Finn's hand (who winced at her touch) and pulled him into a standing position. Biting her lip, she looked at him, how his face was drenched in blood and bruises, how his shirt was ripped and his hands red from scratches and cuts, how he stood uneasily on his feet. He replied her gaze, as silently as she was, and swallowed.
"I am sorry", she whispered almost audible.
"No, I am" he replied in the same tone.
"This shouldn't have happened."
"I know."
"I am really sorry, Finn", Rory mouthed, watching him over once more.
Underneath the blood in his face he looked really pale – which looked odd against his tanned skin. It was then that Rory noticed the blood dripping from one of his hands. She quickly grabbed his hand – at which he winced again heavily – and almost tripped at the sight of it. There, only inches from his vein, were several glass splinters sticking in his skin. Rory gasped and just stared at his hand. She then looked past him at the floor where the broken Tequila bottle was lying, the area around it drenched in red.
"Oh god", she mouthed and quickly dragged Finn after her – until she noticed how he tumbled behind her. "Finn, stay with me!", she cried, before she yelled for Paris. "Paris!"
Her roommate looked around the doorframe.
"Call an ambulance, please!", Rory urged.
"Is he –"
"He's losing a lot of blood, quick, Paris!"
Paris went off. The next second, Rory felt Finn tumble again before he collapsed to the floor. It felt so surreal when she knelt down beside him, how he lay unconscious on her floor, how she felt his pulse, how she cried silently until Paris told her the ambulance was there. Rory couldn't think, she felt as if someone had switched off her brains. She watched how Finn was pulled onto a stretcher, how he was carried away out of her dorm, how she was asked several things and yet just stared at everything unfocused.
Paris stood beside her, as silent as Rory.
"Don't you want to follow them?", she then asked.
"What?", Rory mouthed.
"Go with them."
"What –"
But Paris already shoved her outside the dorm. When Rory saw the staring people outside her dorm, gathering around the ambulance parked right in front of her dorm building, she suddenly came back to her senses. She hurried to the car, just in time to see the doors close.
"Wait!", she yelled.
A medic turned to her.
"Can I come with you?"
"Are you related?"
"No, but I'm his … girlfriend", she said, unaware of what she had said, it just slipped from her lips.
"Well, alright, get in", the medic said and opened the door for her to get inside the back of the ambulance.
She climbed inside and sat down on a bench beside the stretcher, watching Finn lying motionless upon it. She put her hand on his and leant back, trying to breathe normally, as the ambulance drove off towards the hospital.
A couple of hours later, Rory sat on a chair in the hallway of the hospital, waiting for the doctor to tell her how Finn was. She had finally recovered from her shock, knowing that, the next time she saw Logan, she wouldn't care about anything anymore. How could he possibly beat the crap out of his best friend just because of a girl? She refused to think that he liked her a lot more than he would ever say, however he felt about her, he did everything to make her hate him. From now on, Logan was erased from her life.
A voice cut through her thoughts.
"Miss?"
She looked up to see a man in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck looking down at her.
"Yes?"
"You came with –", he asked, looking down at the clipboard in his hands.
"Yes, with Finn. How is he?"
"He just woke up. You can go in now."
Rory nodded and followed the doctor to Finn's room. He held open the door and Rory walked in, seeing Finn how she had never seen him before.
There was a large band aid on his nose and his hands were both wrapped in white bandages, the bed sheets were pulled up to his chest and he was wearing a typical hospital shirt that made him look rather weird. He didn't look as pale as she remembered, but he still looked weak. Poor Finn.
She walked over to his bed and stood beside it, looking down at him. His eyes rested on hers and there was even a little smile on his lips.
"How are you?", she asked, her voice almost breaking.
"Better, love", he said, tilting his head a little, his voice a little hoarse.
"Logan is such an ass!", she said through clenched teeth, sitting down on the side of his bed.
"I don't know, I guess he was right…"
"What? No, Finn, even though you promised him whatever promise, he doesn't have the right to beat you up!"
"I always assumed him to be stronger", he said thoughtfully. "But I never expected to lie in a hospital because of him."
"Admit it, he is an ass!"
"He is, if that makes you happy", Finn smirked, before holding his chest.
"You sure you feel better?"
"I am, love, don't worry", he smiled.
She bit her lip and watched him, her hand stroking lightly over his bandages.
"I'm glad you're here", he whispered after a while.
She looked at him, a sympathetic smile on her lips.
"I couldn't think of any other girl visiting me."
"No way!"
"No, face it, love, I am not the guy girls want to worry about. I am the type of guy to have fun with, to drink and sleep with. But the morning after, I'll forget their names and they will forget my name. It's always been like that. And actually I never minded that circumstance."
Rory watched him.
"They told me you said you were my girlfriend", he added in a low voice.
She blushed lightly. "I just wanted to go with you, and they wouldn't have let me if –"
"It's fine, love. I liked the sound of that."
"You mean… you, you like me to be your –", she stammered, staring at him.
He just smirked at her. "Girlfriend sounds good."
"But that would mean that you're… my…"
"Boyfriend, exactly, love. You're sharp today."
She smiled widely. "But do you think we can do this?"
"Yes, why not?"
"Well –"
"Alright, you might have a point there. I don't seem like the commitment guy, I know, but actually I never met a girl like you. Someone to talk to, to have fun with, maybe this works out just fine. You know, you are –"
He held his chest, trying to sit up a little, suddenly breaking into a heavy cough. Rory watched him with rising concern, but Finn shook his head and recovered quickly. He looked at her and smiled, the band aid on his nose making him look funny.
"Perfect", he finished.
Rory felt tears inside her eyes, breaking into a wide smile. She leant closer and kissed him carefully. He put a bandaged hand on her cheek and deepened the kiss – when the door to his room opened slowly.
"I am sorry to interrupt", they heard the doctor say.
They parted, Finn leaning back in bed, Rory standing up with her cheeks redden.
"Visiting hours are over, Miss", the doctor said, scribbling something down on his clipboard, standing at the end of Finn's bed.
"Is he staying over night?"
"Apparently, yes. We just want to make sure there are no remaining injuries."
Rory nodded, watching Finn.
"I'll come back tomorrow as early as possible", she whispered.
"I'll be here", he replied, grinning.
"Take care", Rory said, leaning down. "Boyfriend", she added, before kissing him softly.
"Same to you", he said, kissing her back. "Girlfriend."
Rory smiled at him and turned around to leave. Reaching the door, she turned once more to wave him goodbye. He winked at her. With that she left his room, left the hospital – realizing once she reached the dark parking lot that her car was still at Yale – as was her purse with her cell and money. Oh no.
She went back into the hospital, walking over to the reception.
"Excuse me?", she addressed the nurse sitting behind the desk. "I forgot my wallet and cell phone, is it possible I could make a call from your phone?"
"There's a pay phone in the hall", the nurse replied, without looking at her.
"Yes, I know, but I don't have any money on me. Please, could I just use your phone to call my mother?"
"I need that", the nurse continued, picking up the phone – without saying anything.
"Oh, thanks", Rory grumbled, turning around.
She then decided to go back to Finn's room to stay until the sun came out again. Opening the door quietly, she saw that his lights were already switched off. She slipped inside and closed the door again, pulling a chair nearer to his bed. She then sat down, watching Finn who apparently had fallen asleep some time ago. She sighed silently, cuddling into the chair.
"That doesn't seem comfortable, love", she then heard him mutter.
She tilted her head until he turned his head and opened an eye.
"You're not sleeping?"
"Can't. Too many meds."
"Aren't they supposed to calm you down?"
"Not when your system is used to alcohol as main food", he said, closing his eye again. "What are you still doing here, love?"
"I forgot my cell and money when I came with you in the ambulance. So I can't call anyone and I can't pay a cab."
"And I thought you already miss me", he mocked, grinning with his eyes closed.
"That too", she whispered, causing him to open his eyes.
They smiled at each other in the darkness, before Finn slowly moved to the other side of his bed to make way for Rory. She eyed him, looking concerned.
"Come on, I'm fine. As long as you don't poke my nose", he said with a grin.
She then climbed into his bed, cuddling against him.
"Are you really sure you want me as a boyfriend?", Finn asked after a while, his arm around Rory.
"Before I'll answer that, tell me your definition of boyfriend."
"Boyfriend … a boyfriend is a male partner in a non-marital romantic relationship, usually considered more than an ordinary friend, especially in a romantic sense."
She giggled. "Now you looked that up before!"
He grinned. "Well, I go to school after all! Anyhow, just pretend I am your boyfriend. I – as your boyfriend – would take you out to dinner and other lovely events, I would be there for you when you need me – and you can still call me Felicity if you like to –, I would buy you lovely presents and actually I would do everything that those cheesy boyfriends in the movies do."
"But I don't want you to be a cheesy boyfriend…"
"So of course I'll be different!"
She laughed quietly. "Like how?"
"Like, um, I would bring you another Julio and Miles every day, I would party with you, laugh with you, be with you…" His voice trailed off.
"Will I be the only one?", Rory whispered, a little afraid of his possible reaction.
He turned to look at her, locking eyes with her, before he leant down to kiss her gently.
"You already are, love", he whispered.
She smiled widely, snuggling against him. "This is great…"
"But we still have one problem, darling."
"Hmm?"
"You remember why I'm here?"
"Oh", she said and looked up at him. "But what are we supposed to do?"
"We have to talk to him."
"But –"
"Rory, I'm still his roommate and his best friend, at least one of them now. I have to clear this between me and him. I owe him that…"
"Hmm, you're probably right…", she whispered against him.
"But that can wait until tomorrow", he said, his voice growing quieter with every word.
"Good night, Finn", she mumbled, kissing his cheek.
"'Night, love."
With that they both fell asleep over a rather unusual evening.
The next morning, Rory awoke next to a slightly snoring Finn. She looked around and quickly remembered where she was. Watching him for a while, just sucking in everything about him, she felt something rise inside her. A feeling she hadn't had for a long time. Sighing quietly, she slowly got out of his bed, shooting him a last glance when she reached the door, before she left his room – just in time for the nurses to wake their patients. Cuddling into her coat, she walked the distance back to Yale.
Arriving at her dorm, the first thing she did was to re-dress, grabbing her purse and leaving her dorm again, her steps quick, her paces long. She reached her place of destination within minutes, banging against the door as soon as she did. When the door opened slowly, she didn't wait for someone to call her in; she just walked inside and glared at the person who had opened the door.
"How dare you?", she asked Logan who slowly closed the door and stared back at her. "How dare you?", she repeated.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't play stupid, Huntzberger! You know what you did and I was wondering why! Are you that arrogant that you can't accept somebody else's feelings? Do you have to beat the crap out of them just because you weren't there first? You know what? It was your own fault. If you had called me last week, none of this would have happened! But you had to ignore me, you had to treat me like that! You had to remind me that I was just one of many. Guess what? No, I couldn't live with that! I am not that kind of girl! So I found somebody else who would respect me, who was there for me. And the first thing you do when you find out is to fight him?"
Rory drew a breath, staring at Logan with her hands shaking at her sides.
"Why did you have to fight him? Why did you beat him? He is in hospital, Logan. Do you know that? He is there because of you! Because his supposed-to-be best friend beat the crap out of him over a girl! A girl you couldn't have! What is it with you? Some days you can't wait to see me again and then there are days you totally forget about me! I can't take it anymore, Logan! I need commitment! And because you are not the type of guy for that, oh, and because of the fact that you brought my boyfriend into the hospital, well, you might know what happens next!"
"Boyfriend?", was the first thing coming from Logan since he had closed the door. "Finn is your boyfriend now?" He laughed coldly. "I don't believe this."
"What is wrong with you? You don't know Finn, you don't know him the way I know him. He is sweet and, unlike you, he wants to try to be a boyfriend!"
"Oh and you believe him?", Logan blurted out, reaching Rory's level of volume. "Do we speak about the same Finn? Have you met him?"
"Yes I have –"
"And you just want to ignore that fact that he's a playboy, just like you think I am!? He will not change, Rory! Believe me! Finn is Finn and Finn is not a boyfriend! I would be a better boyfriend than Finn!"
Rory glared at him with her mouth open. "What?"
"I am", he said quieter, taking a step towards her.
"You are insane! Have you ever heard yourself talking? How dare you? When you weren't there for me, Finn was there and he has been ever since! He is already changing! Unlike you he is actually willing to try!"
"Oh and that makes him perfect, huh? You'll regret this, Rory. You'll regret this big time! But I warned you! Don't you come back to me after he dumped you!"
"How dare you!", she yelled again. "Do you really think I would ever come back to you after what you have done to me? And to him? Is your ego that big? If it is, I'll better leave you two alone now!"
With that she turned around, about to open the door. It was then that his hands grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed her against the closed door. She gasped in surprise and stared at him. He stared back at her, his expression unreadable. His hands squeezed her upper arms, while his jaw was set and his eyes narrowed.
"I told you, Gilmore. Don't mess with me!"
"Are you threatening me?", she asked with her forehead furrowed. "You are such a –"
"Shut up!", he yelled, making Rory wince. "You had to do this, it was your decision. It's entirely your fault. It could have been better, you know? We could have been such a nice couple. But you had to choose Finn over me – and trust me, that was your biggest mistake ever!"
His voice was as cold as ice and Rory suddenly felt the urge to run away. She'd never seen him like that. She was actually afraid he would do the same to her as he did to Finn. But as soon as icy Logan had arrived, he was gone again. He lowered his hands from her arms and stepped away from her. She stared at him, feeling a lump inside her throat and tears burning behind her eyes.
"Logan", she began silently.
"Forget it, Rory" he said and turned around. "You made your choice."
She quickly recovered. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you tormenting me with guilt now? Guess what, I feel everything but guilty! I am mad at you! And I am even madder at you for reacting like this! I just can't hear it anymore! Just go to one of your other girls and leave me alone. And leave Finn alone. Because, yeah, I made my choice and I chose Finn and it's entirely my fault! Do not, I repeat, do not ever blame him again!"
With that she pulled open the door and left before he could even react.
Outside his dorm, she inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. She then headed to her car and drove back to the hospital. She found Finn sitting on his bed, with his chest bare, trying to get dressed. He looked up when she entered and threw her a smile.
"Hello, love."
She didn't reply but walked over to him and pulled her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. He replied her embrace hesitantly. They hugged for a while, before she backed away again and sat down beside him.
"Are you alright?"
"I talked to Logan", she said quietly.
He silently pulled an arm around her.
"And I told him what an ass he is and was and might be forever and that he should leave me alone and that he should never ever blame you again and –"
"Thank you", he whispered and heaved her under a little wincing on his lap, pulling both arms around her, his chin resting on her shoulder.
"What for?"
"Now I can go home again", he grinned.
She slapped his chest playfully.
"No more pain, love, I have to recover first", he smirked.
"How are you anyway?"
"Better."
"That's what you said yesterday as well. So are you feeling better than yesterday – which was already better – or better than from before yesterday – which is the same statement as yesterday?"
Finn watched her with his forehead furrowed. He opened his mouth and closed it again. Before he tried it once more. "I feel very good, darling", he then said with a smile.
"That's what I wanted to hear", she smirked, turning her head to kiss him carefully on the lips. "Oh and your nose thingy is gone. Ooh, what a cute little band aid!", she said, poking his nose carefully – yet not careful enough for he winced as soon as the tip of her finger touched his skin. "Oh dear, I'm sorry!"
He just shook he head, his eyes watering.
"Is it broken?"
"Mhm", he nodded, inhaling sharply. "But the doctor said I'll keep my boyish good looks!" A grin spread on his face, even though it still twitched in pain.
Rory cautiously cupped his face and wiped away a tear that was running down his cheek.
"Stop it", he said, laughing. "I feel stupid already!"
"You don't have to. It's a normal reaction of your body to pain."
"I see", he grinned and tilted his head. "Well, that sounds nicer."
She watched him, smiling, feeling how her stomach once again began to swirl.
"Butterflies", she mumbled, looking down at her belly, smiling.
"What?"
She just laughed quietly. "Nothing", she said, locking eyes with him, before she leant in to close her lips around his. He pulled her arms around her even tighter, while she cupped his face. She just kissed his earlobe, when the door opened.
"And again I am sorry to interrupt."
She let go of Finn and turned around to see the doctor of yesterday again.
"And I am sorry too", she whispered, getting off Finn's lap.
Finn continued dressing and looked at the doctor.
"You are free to go", he just said, signing the clipboard he was carrying. "I just need your signature here and we might never see each other again!"
"What a shame", Finn whispered to Rory, grinning.
He signed the clipboard and got up slowly, Rory supporting him as he began to tumble.
"Ooh, too many painkillers", Finn said, shaking his head.
"And I thought you might remember that feeling from elsewhere", Rory mocked.
He grinned at her and together they left the hospital, heading to Rory's car.
"How cute", Finn said as she unlocked the doors.
"Just get in", she smirked.
He tried. Finally sitting beside Rory, he turned around to her look at her. She met his gaze and started the engine. When he wouldn't look away, she killed the engine again and turned on her seat to take a better look at him. All he was doing was smiling. She bit her lip and raised an eyebrow. It was then that they both started laughing.
"I like this", Finn said, grinning.
"Me too", Rory agreed and leant closer to him to kiss him. Licking her lips, she leant back into her seat and started the engine. "How about lunch?"
"Yes, I am starving", Finn nodded and looked through the windshield.
"God, you are perfect for me", she laughed and drove off the parking lot, heading back to Yale.
A/N: Phew, no more cliffhanger xDD But don't worry, there'll be more chapters, THIS IS NOT THE END! There are still enough things to solve.
So, anyway, chapter 8, wow, I'm writing on this story for less than a week and I'm already dne. It's great. And this is mostly because of the great feedback I'm getting from you guys! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND REVIEWING! Le Sigh. Thanks!
Disclaimer: GG to ASP, titles to AAR.