Chapter 12: Soup and Curry

Finn's POV

"I don't know about this, Heather." I muttered nervously as Heather fixed the collar of the outfit she forced me to wear. 

"It will go great, I'd just need a buffer just in case I become an awkward mess." She smiled at me as she finished. "Look at yourself!" 

She faced me towards the mirror. At least I looked great. I unbuttoned the top button on my shirt, loosening it up a little bit so I wouldn't be suffocating the whole night. 

The plan was that I would go first in the restaurant so that Oliver won't see that I'm in the restaurant. I'd be hidden and giving Heather a buffer if she started to waver. I was hesitant but the thought of being around the two of them date sounded a little fun but I knew it was gonna hurt me. Whatever, it was said and done. I just hope I don't cause them trouble.

. . . 

Not even after five minutes, the two of them were already seated. I was in the back, away from them but still enough for me to be able to have a clear view. I know it seems pretty creepy for me to be scouting them from afar but it's for the sake of friendship. I just hope nothing goes wrong.

I ordered myself a glass of iced-tea, I quickly thanked the waiter before I looked over at the two. Oliver seemed to have said something which made Heather laugh. As Oliver started a conversation, Heather's eyes wandered around and landed on me. I raised an eyebrow, silently asking her what was wrong. She shook her head before focusing on Oliver again.

After a few more minutes, my mind got bored of looking at the two. What was the point of watching them talk if I wasn't able to hear what they were saying. Instead, I looked around the restaurant. It had a very home-y atmosphere, with all the warm lighting, the tinted windows, the decorations such as pots of plants, picture frames and small trophies mounted on shelves and the leather booths with soft lights above them. The chatter around me weren't prominent enough to annoy me. For the first time in a while, I felt relaxed. I would never have expected that being in the same restaurant where Heather and Oliver were in a date would ever be pleasing. 

I laughed at my thoughts which I didn't realized might've been mistaken for mental issues. Who the hell would be laughing by themselves? Me, obviously.

The time sipped away just like my iced-tea on the table. Scrolling through Twitter, get brain damage. Scroll through Instagram, it's Twitter reels. Scrolling through my gallery, there's... nothing to scroll through. I sighed and set down my phone, my eyes going back to the two. They were halfway through their food, I could see in their eyes, they were genuinely enjoying each other's company. Heather were telling stories while Oliver listened with a smile on his face, and that glimmer on his eyes when a person was truly happy. How he would run a hand through his blond hair, how his dimple would appear every time he would smile. Damn this guy.

It seemed like an hour have passed when the desserts for their table came. They're conversations have not cut off even when the waiters would ask them questions. They looked like a real couple. 

A subconscious smile made its way onto my face while looking at the two enjoying themselves. Just as I was about to look away, I saw the nightmare that was about to ruin everything. The one sight I didn't think I was gonna ever see on this day. 

Bella Lee-Evans.

She strut into the restaurant and when she was just about to pass, she suddenly 'noticed' Oliver and Heather sitting there. I saw just as Heather's face went pale while Oliver's smile faded when they both noticed Bella.

"Oh my God! What a coincidence, Oliver. You're here too!" Bella's annoying voice broke through the polite silence that I'd hope would've lasted longer. 

"Uh... Bella. What are you doing here?" Oliver asked dryly, no sign of amusement on his face whatsoever. 

"What? I'm just passing by! This is a public place, isn't it?" She said before wrapping her arms around him. 

Oliver stood still, his arms still on his sides as he gave Heather an apologetic look over Bella's shoulder. 

"Anyway. Since we're both here. I'm actually just gonna sit with you!" Bella said and as she was sitting, she suddenly seemed to have noticed Heather there, seating uncomfortably. "Who are you?"

I seethed silently at their interaction. My blood practically boiling as I hardened my grip on the glass in my hand.

I knew damn well that this meeting was no coincidence at all. Bella must have been stalking Oliver or she had inside info or something. And it was clear as day that she was thirsty for him, doing whatever to get near him. The desperation was thicker than her foundation that was three times darker than her skin tone. 

"Uh... I-I'm Heather." Heather shyly introduced herself. 

Because of the chatter around me that was slowly getting louder by the second, I lost the ability to comprehend what they were saying anymore. I just saw that Oliver looked annoyed and angry, Heather looked hurt and Bella looked proud with her little conniving smirk. 

I whipped out my phone to text Heather.

'wtf is happening???' 

'She's flirting with Oliver'

'wtf, get her out, pour water on her or smthn' 

'I can't, it's fine.' 

I looked over at their table just to see Bella's hand have reached Oliver's shoulder. Bella continued to babble while Oliver tried to shake her arm off, but failing. I stayed glued to my seat, not even daring to move since if I did, I would've done something I'd definitely regret. 

After a few more minutes, I noticed that Heather have excused herself from the table and was approaching the bathroom. Bella took this opportunity to inch her chair closer towards Oliver. I couldn't watch whatever was gonna happen and so in the next moment, I was already approaching the two. 

I casually pulled the seat next to Oliver and sat down like I owned the table. 

"Finn? What are you-"

"Now, what the hell are you doing here?" Bella interrupted Oliver just to snap at me. 

I raised an eyebrow at her before chuckling, cracking my knuckles to end a bitch. "Honey, this is a public place, isn't it?" 

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Oliver press a fist to his lips, suppressing a laugh. My chest filled with pride just from that.

Bella glared daggers at me, and I could practically feel the heat of it. She grumbled before inching her chair away from Oliver with a loud screech. 

I gave her a smirk, and it was my turn to move my chair closer to Oliver. 

If she was gonna ruin Oliver and Heather's date then what was my purpose but to ruin her plan? She wasn't the only one who could play mind games.

"So... Bella, I heard that going for a foundation which is actually a match for your face is miles better than looking like an Oompa Loompa. You should really try it." 

Oliver coughed subtly but I knew he wanted to laugh.

Bella's right eye twitched as her neck went red. It took her a few moments to compose herself before her resting bitch face returned. "Oh yeah? And I heard dressing up like a circus clowns doesn't attract many peers. That's probably why you only have that one loser friend."

I snickered. "That... didn't even make sense. You literally just contradicted your own argument in the same sentence. That could've been a good roast if only you actually spent the effort to use your two remaining brain cells to think if what you're saying is even remotely close to being coherent but I guess, you peak in high school, what did I expect?"

Bella's neck once again turned red but this time, her face turned red along with her neck. I couldn't decipher if she was turning into an Oompa Loompa or a bell pepper.

I raised a cocky eyebrow. "What's got you heated? You didn't understand half of the words I just said?"

She suddenly leaned forward, her face morphed into a snarl. "Listen here you rat. I am the daughter of one of the most powerful man in this state who can literally buy your existence. I am Bella Lee-Evans."

"I thought we've already established that no one gives a shit about you being 'beLLa LEe-eVaNS'. You probably cry to your daddy 'cause he didn't buy you a Mercedes for your 12th birthday or whatever you blobfishes celebrate."

"You rat-"

"Bella. Can you please shut up? You're actually so embarrassing." Oliver finally stepped in and calmed the vulture freaking out.

"Oliver, you're choosing that... that rat's side?! He literally kept insulting me!" Bella- thankfully- whispered at Oliver angrily.

Oliver rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Bella, you come here and ruin mine and Heather's lunch uninvited and you expect me to back you up? I don't like being rude but you crossed the line. Do you want me to call you a car?" 

"Yeah. You're turning into a tomato." I chimed in.

Bella sat there, in shock, her mouth opened in a frozen gasp. I just kept looking back and forth between them. Because I've never seen Oliver talk like that, I've never seen him be so worked up about something. Just as I came back to reality, I then noticed Bella's eyes, settling down on Oliver's lips.

She was about to kiss him.

I stood up perfectly in time to shield Bella from Oliver just as she was surging forward, but in the process, I knocked into a passing server who happened to have been carrying a plate of curry. And guess where it all poured to, same ole Finn.

I felt the warm liquid pour down my back and splash onto my face and all over my shirt.

"Oh my Gosh." Bella gasped out with a slight laugh.

I looked down at myself in shock as the dish started seeping into my clothes. I then looked around just to see that everyone's attention have turned on to me... To me who was covered in green curry.

"I'm so sorry, Sir. Please let me help you clean up." The server said in guilt which made me feel worse, considering it was my fault how that happened.

Oliver stood up, already looking sickly worried.

"No, no, no! It's entirely my fault. Let me pay for the damage." I said urgently, handing him ten 100 dollar bills just to be sure. 

"But sir, this is too much-"

"Uh, the rest is your tip, thank you!" I said before bolting past the server and out the entrance.  

Once I was out of anyone's sight in the parking lot, I leaned against the wall, still trying to get the remaining curry off of me. I had most of it off when Oliver came running around the corner, his eyes on me immediately. 

"Finn. Oh my God, I'm so sorry, are you okay?" He said as he took off his jacket to help me clean up.

"Oliver, your jacket's gonna get dirty." I said with a grimace, gently pushing him away from me. 

His eyes held guilt. "I don't care, I'm so sorry about what happened there, I wish I could've done more." He said as he finished helping me clean up.

I chuckled humorlessly. "Heh, I actually stood up there 'cause Bella was about to kiss you."

Before he had the chance to reply, Bella turned the corner, a smirk on her face.

"Well, would you look at that! Karma is a real bitch, huh?" She said, her arms crossed on her chest as she laughed, looking at me like I was some lost puppy.

My hands balled into a fist as I controlled the urge to go for her. "You know who else is a real bitch?" I asked sarcastically before advancing towards her.

Oliver wrapped an arm around me, stopping me from getting near Bella.

"Finn, don't." 

"No, let me just-" I struggled against Oliver, trying to get his arms loose but then I stopped and just collapsed against him.

"Well, this is gonna make a good headline for the Lancaster School News, don't you think? Let's see you try me next time. Toodle-oo darling." She blew a kiss towards me before walking away. 

"That bitch." I hissed silently before burying my face into what I thought was my hands but I then realized that it was Oliver's chest. I suddenly stepped away, shyly fixing the stained shirt that I was wearing.

"Everything will be fine, Finn. I'll... do something about the, uh, the school blog. But for now, can I do anything for you?"

Yeah, kiss me. 

But obviously, I didn't say that. Instead, I just shook my head no. I was about to say something when Heather came around the corner, a worried look on her face.

"Finn, Oliver. What happened? Where's Bella and why was there a mess at our table?" 

Oliver ran a hand through his face. "Uh, well, Bella's gone and... Finn bumped into a server when she tried to kiss me. Which I haven't thanked you for, by the way." He turned to me, giving me a grateful smile.

"Are you okay, Finn?" Heather asked me as her eyes wandered my body, scanning for any injuries.

"Yeah, I'm just... covered in curry, no biggie." 

Heather shook her head, a grimace passing over her face. "I'm so so sorry for dragging you into this, Finn. This is all my fault for asking you to come here. I ruined everything. I'm so sorry." Heather apologized. Her lips began to wobble before engulfing me in a hug.

"Hey, it's fine. It was my choice anyway." I reassured but I knew that it was gonna take more than that for Heather to not feel like shit. 

"I know I'm just gonna bother you with me blaming myself so I already texted my aunt to pick me up. Finn, thank you so so much for doing all this for me and I'm sorry for dragging you into this." 

I nodded this time.

"Uh... I'll come with you just in case, is that fine?" Oliver offered to Heather to which she nodded. The both of them left me in the parking lot. 

I sat on a concrete curb, my hands around my body as I stared at the horizon that was turning pink. Heather and Oliver must've went with this particular time in the afternoon so that when they were done eating, they could watch the sunset together... but obviously, not everything went to plan.

I felt alone.

I felt hurt.

And covered in curry.