Thanks for all the feedback everyone! :) Keep it coming, chapter 2 is here! xxxxxx
Finn struggled through the essay and ignored the sighs from Grantly. Finally, Grantly left, and Finn took this as his motion to stand up and go and give his essay in. He quickly found Tom at lunchtime
"Sir" he called, making his way over slowly
"Finished your essay?" Tom asked, unfolding his arms and looking at Finn, who was slipping his glasses back into his pocket
"Yes..its all here" Finn sighed, handing over a slightly screwed up bit of paper
"Ok, well I'll come and find you at the end of the day. Keep out of trouble Sharkey..I mean it" Tom said, looking at Finn walking away, rolling his eyes, giving it some like he usually did. He went over to Sams lunch table upon seeing her
"Got out the cooler then?" Sam asked, looking at him
"Yup" Finn answered, curling an arm around her and pulling her towards him a little. She leant her head on his shoulder
"We didn't mean it about the glasses" she whispered, tapping his nose, watching as Kyle and Josh sat down
"Alright?" Kyle grunted, sitting down opposite Finn
"Fine" Finn said curtly, closing his eyes slightly
"I see you've lost the specs" Josh teased, and Finn chuckled slightly
"Only reading glasses Joshy" Finn chortled, and Josh nodded and picked at his chips
"Wheres Lauren?" Josh asked, looking around
"You mean where isn't Lauren" Kyle said, a small grin creeping onto his face.
Sam whacked his hand
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, frowning
"Laurens become a little..Finn help me find the word" Kyle said, trying to conceal a wider grin, winking at Finn
"Oh god, im not getting involved mate" Finn said, putting his hands up
"Promiscuous" Kyle finished, laughing a little now
"Who knew you knew what that meant..big word for Stack.." Finn smiled, but quickly stopped after a glare from Sam
"What do you mean?" Josh asked, mirroring Sam's facial expression
"Shes become a fan of the boys.." Kyle said, as if he was teaching a thick kid
"I thought she liked Ronan?" Sam said..quickly followed by clapping a hand over her mouth
"We knew, don't worry" Josh gently replied
"Whose she with at the moment then?" he asked Kyle
"Aiden Scotcher.." Kyle announced
"Oh..great..shes gonna get knocked up then.." Sam sarcastically said, in a deadpan voice
"Grandma Sam" Finn singsonged
"Oh Finn don't" Sam snapped back, and Finns eyes widened
"I was only joking Sam" Finn said, sighing a little
"Yeah well don't, shes my best friend" Sam said
"You just did? Ah Well I'll go so I don't annoy you anymore" Finn said, sliding out of his seat, feeling that familiar wash of annoyance and anger about him. He needed to go before anyone saw him like this, snapping..at Sam of all people? He watched her confused expression and swore at himself
"Finn.." Sam started, watching him. He was not being himself today, she was worried.
"I'll go" Josh volunteered, quickly slipping out of his seat and giving Finn 5 minutes to cool off. He filled up a glass of water and started moving again, eventually finding his friend.
Finn leant against the wall, frowning heavily, his breathing stopping and starting. He didn't understand this irrational feeling that was washing over him. He almost snapped at Sam, Sam, the Sam he loved, the Sam that pushed him around in a wheelchair, pushed him around the hospital, even then he wasn't that mardy, just scared. He scared himself. He closed his eyes and opened him when he heard a small voice
"Finn?" called Josh, softly
"Sorry about that mate" Finn shrugged, snapping his eyes open and continuing to breathe raggedly, his brown eyes finally connecting to Josh's ones
"I got you some water" Josh said, again in a gentle tone, holding a cup out to Finn
"Thanks" Finn said, looking at Josh. Josh, his best friend Josh, he had always been there, and there he was now
"Why are you so angry?" Josh suddenly asked, after a few minutes silence, as he heard Finns rapid breathing
"I don't know" Finn answered, truthfully, pressing his back onto the wall and sighing heavily
"Sort it out then mate. We need you this year" Josh said, with a small smile
"I will" Finn said, honestly
"Well, you have improved slightly. Your not smoking weed" Josh grinned, and Finn laughed
"Never really suited it mate" Finn laughed slightly, trying to shake off the vulnerable feeling he had and headngback inside with Josh, who was satisfied that everything was ok again
"Is this essay a joke?" Tom said, more to himself then the other teachers in the room
"Whose essay?" Chris asked, with a sneaking suspicion that he already knew
"Finn..he actually looked serious when he handed it to me and everything" Tom said, clearly annoyed. He had given Finn chance after chance and was getting a bit bored of the "hit and miss" style that he had seemed to adopt with Finn
Chris looked up at the essay "it looks like hes written a lot" he offered, unhelpfully
"Yeah, it would be great work if I could read it. Hes not even writing in the lines" Tom frowned, squinting at the work
"That's not like Finn, his writings usually quite neat, as far as lads go" Chris said, wistfully, taking the paper from Tom and reading it
"Its like it gets more and more sloppy as it goes on" Tom said, watching Chris' confused facial expression.
Ever since the day at the beach, Chris had fought for Finn's continued attendance at Waterloo Road, Karen had wanted to exclude, suspend, especially when Kyle was involved. But Chris had fought again and again, saying he was troubled, but had a good heart, and now he was acting up again, after everything?
"This isn't like him. I thought you said last year he had a aptitude for English?" Chris said, his eyebrows knitting together paired with a frown
"Yeah, he was last year, now hes obviously back to taking the flipping mick" Tom said
"I'll talk to him" Chris offered, and Tom nodded
"Sometimes I think you're the only one he listens to" Tom said "strange how you completely hated him in your first year now your trying to defend him" Tom continued
"I didn't understand him. But I know how that boys mind works. I'll get to the bottom of this" Chris said, confidently
"He hit out at you though" Tom said, second guessing this plan
"All the more reason for me to have a chat to him..my guess is hes acting up because his parents move has caught up with him" Chris said, fiddling with his hands
"His parents move?" Tom asked, caught off guard
"His parents live in America now" Chris replied
"So hes in that big house on his own? The amount ive dropped him back at late times of night and just left him there. You cant leave a kid of his history on his own." Tom worried, sighing slightly at Finns parents. He had known they were pretty much absent from the amount of time that Finn spent round theirs with Josh, but in a different country entirely?
"I don't know.." Chris sighed, and the bell went. One more lesson then he would get to the bottom of this
"Finn?" Sam asked, watching him in English, prodding at him
"Im fine Sam" he weakly smiled at her
"You don't look it Finn, you have a right face on ya, you have all day" she said, and Finn laughed a little at the comment, and rubbed her hand
"Sorry babes I just have a bit of a headache that's all" he said, squinting at the board
"Put your glasses on" Sam said, rubbing his back sympathetically
"After the reaction I got last time, I would rather the headache" Finn laughed lightly
"Don't be stupid Finn put on the glasses" Sam sighed, writing again and looking at him at the same time
"Fine" he said, shoving his hand into his bag and putting on the dreaded glasses again
"Here we go..Austin Powers or what?" Finn mumbled, his slight pang of annoyance fading when he saw Sam's face
"I prefer Harry Potter" she grinned, and stroked his cheek, and pressed a small kiss to it
"Now get on with your work" she instructed, and he grinned and carried on, the dull groan of pain in his head lightened a little by Sam, the light in her blue eyes never failing to carry him for a bit
"See ya babe" Finn smiled, waving Sam off as she climbed into her car with her mum, Rose. Rose hadn't approved of him much at first, seeing him as another bad boy that her daughter was getting involved with, but then he rescued Denzil, and Rose saw Finn in a whole new light. He wasn't bad. He had a good heart
He started to walk off, and was startled by a car beeping at him, he frowned and turned around
"Get in" said the voice of Mr Mead, quivering slightly
"Im fine walking" Finn said, nervously, but sounding harsh.
He did not nor need want a ear-bashing from Chris, he would rather take the half hour walk to his house, even if Chris could get him there in 10 minutes.
"Finn, its not a option" Chris said, coming to a complete stop. Finn sighed and got in
"Im sorry for today ok" Finn said, getting in and watching Chris' expression. He couldn't read it, which is why Chris scared him sometimes. He never knew what was going to be said, or what tone it was going to be in.
"Finn, do you know how much ive fought for you to stay at Waterloo Road?" Chris asked, trying not to raise his vocal pitch too much
"I know.." he started
"No but you don't do you. I have tried and tried then you come out with this" Chris said, fumbling in the back pocket of his car and pulling out the essay
"What is that?" Chris asked, watching Finns forehead crease slightly as he saw the essay
"I couldn't think" Finn said, quietly
"What, so write a load of crap no one can read and your let off..that may have been ok in year eleven Finn, but this is sixth form, you're A-Levels, your future" Chris continued
"Look I know ok?" Finn said, taking a deep breath
"I know you've had a rough time lately, but you were doing well last year, I don't want to see you fall back into old patterns" Chris concluded, swerving expertly in front of Finns house
"Oh I see, your talking to me to make sure I wont try and kill myself again. Don't worry sir, I wont" Finn retorted, anger rising inside of him again, that uncontrollable anger, he felt strange, like he was in some sort of out of body experience, like he wasn't him
"No, no" Chris started
"I just wanted to make sure everything was ok. I don't want you mucking up this year for yourself, especially when its so important" Chris replied, wearily, knowing that getting worked up was only going to make situations worse
"I didn't mean to fly off the handle today" Finn almost spat, curling his hands together
"What happened then..like the essay, what happened there?" Chris asked
"I couldn't concentrate sir, honestly I couldn't. I sat there reading, but I couldn't see, then everyone laughed at my glasses, then I just couldn't remember what I was writing, I don't know whats happening to me sir, but I don't mean to go all funny on everyone" Finn said, his face starting to become red.
He was also embarrassed in the knowledge that he was nearly in tears, and started to get out the car, avoiding Chris' eyes
"Finn.." Chris started
"No" Finn answered, darkly, stepping out the car, wobbling slightly
"Finn get back here" Chris sighed, putting a hand on the wheel, watching the younger boy, who started to crumple. He leaned out the window
"ARGH" cried Finn, who clambered to the ground clutching his head, in severe pain
"Finn?" Chris asked, getting out the car, "FINN" he shouted, watching as the troublemaker started to have a fit, his body shaking uncontrollably everywhere
"Ok Finn, its going to be ok, im with you" Chris said, his own voice shaking..maybe there was more to this behaviour then he thought
Irrational behaviour- Out of character behaviour
Headaches- Fitting-
What did this lead to?