Chapter 7: Kool-Aid

Finn's POV

Jason pulled over in front of a literal mansion. The intense LED lights through the windows perfectly indicated that it was, indeed, a place where people are partying. I looked extremely calm but deep inside, my heart is about to fall out of my ass. 

"Bro, why am I so nervous?" I asked myself but I momentarily forgot I wasn't alone.

"It's gonna be fine, It's like that the first time, trust me." Jason reassured me with a warm smile and I couldn't help but smile myself.

"Thanks, Jason."

He nodded before looking outside just as Oliver's car pulled over behind us.

"They're here. Let's go?" He asked to which I answered with a nod.

We got out the same time Oliver and Heather did. Heather and I stayed behind the two while they talked.

"Hey, how've you been? I feel like we haven't talked much tonight." Heather asked me.

I gave her a reassuring smile. "I've been fine and I'm sure you have been too, since you've been with Oliver." I said, wiggling a teasing brow. "But I'm just a little nervous about this party thing since I haven't heard good things about it." 

"To be honest, same. I don't like people and crowded places and so I'm just here because Oliver invited me." She explained with a sad smile.  

I chuckled quietly to ease the tension which seemed to have worked and before we knew it, we were in the front door.

Oliver pressed the doorbell and in less than ten seconds, the door opened to reveal a guy holding a red plastic cup. 

"Come on in, boys and gals." The guy said drunkenly. 

I thought I wouldn't get noticed because of my height but boy I was wrong. I felt a hard slap on my butt along with loud and aggravating laughter.

"Damn, nice ass for a guy." The guy, who also opened the door for us, said.

"I..." I opened my mouth to say something but ended up deciding against it. The three didn't seem to notice so I just said nothing and caught up to them.

"Hey, uh, Jason and I need to see some people so we'll be right back." Oliver said, patting my shoulder a little roughly before waving goodbye. 

"Okay... so let's just avoid people until they come back." I suggested to which she just laughed before wrapping an arm around my shoulder. 

We got ourselves juice in a red plastic cup to blend in into the party. We passed by people grinding into each other while 'Sofia' by Clairo played in the background, these straggots probably don't understand the meaning of the song. Others, however, are making out, guy to girl, girl to girl and guy to guy. Others simply played card games, drinking games and others... are half naked.

"Um... They are, uh, wild." Heather muttered beside me as she gripped my arm.

"Let's... go outside, maybe it's a little calmer." 

The backyard had a big pool where people were... also half naked but at least this time, it was reasonable since there was a body of water nearby, that's the only time when you can be half naked and be acceptable, not whatever was happening inside the house. We found a spot where less people hung out. Heather didn't try to initiate a conversation so I took the chance.

"So... What do you think of Oliver?" I asked almost casually.

She gave me a look of suspicion but it quickly dissipated when she sighed. 

"Honestly... He's so nice and kind to me and I just keep asking myself... 'why?', you know what I mean? Like, why's he so nice to me right now? Does he need something or what?" She questioned and each time, a new expression appeared on his face almost as if she was animated.

"Okay, first of all. Shut the fuck up. You know why? Because you're stunning, you're so likable, you're so smart, and you're a Heather, literally!" 

Her cheeks flushed as she pushed me playfully. 'You're describing yourself, Finn. But thank you anyway." She gave me a sweet smile that she always had when it was just the two of us against the world.

I returned her smile and was about to reply when we heard our names being called. My heart started to beat faster and my mind suddenly went to the wrong places. But then I calmed down when I saw it was just Oliver and Jason walking towards us.

"Hi, what's up?" Heather greeted which immediately captured Oliver's attention. Jason and I grimaced.

When it got too awkward, Jason elbowed Oliver which seemed to have snapped him out of his stupor. 

"So, uh, are you two having fun?" Oliver said, brushing off the awkwardness. 

"Yeah, it's fun to see live reenactments of Porn Hub scenes." I said sarcastically, pointing at a couple who were practically naked, the guy only had his underwear on while the girl's bra was missing a strap.

Oliver grimaced as he shielded the mess from our visions. "Sorry about that... It's always like this but trust me, we've seen worse."

"That's... not as reassuring as you think." I muttered with a forced smile.

"Let's just... go inside. We know a place to hang in." Jason said before gesturing us to follow.

"Oliver." An annoying girl voice called out from across the backyard. 

We all turned to see who it was and lo and behold, bitch ass Bella Lee-Evans stood there with a scowl on her face. She rushed towards us and only got angrier when she noticed me and Heather.

"Why the hell are you hanging out with these nobodies?! Oliver, come with us, and we can-"

"Hey Bella, I think you're in the wrong place. This party didn't ask for a clown show tonight so go back to entertaining kids at the circus." I said which, you guessed it, caused people to lose their minds. Oliver even pressed a fist against his mouth as he fought back a smile.

Bella's eye twitched from my mockery, her face turning red from anger. 

"How bold of you to say that when I'm more popular and known than you here. Just because you're safe right now from me doesn't mean you can mock me. You're messing with the wrong person." She said, her voice under a whisper so that I could only hear it.

"I heard that. And you're not about to do anything to Finn. Honestly, why don't you just go back to your minions and be nasty somewhere else?" Heather, once again, snapped.

Bella was just speechless, her pink lips parted as she stared at Heather and I.

"You-"

"Go ahead! I dare you!" Heather stepped forward, pointing a shaking finger at Bella. 

At this point, the music, the party and everyone was silent. Everyone was watching the drama unfold.

That's when Oliver and Jason stepped in to shield the two from each other before it turned into a bloodbath.

"Bella, you're actually embarrassing. Don't you get tired?" Oliver said through an exasperated sigh.

Bella's mouth hung open as she realized that it was her against the four of us, after a few moments of her looking like a fish, she huffed and walked away but not before casting a glare... towards Heather.

. . .

After two hours of... "partying". I went on a bathroom break on one of the many bathrooms they had here. Just as I finished, I heard two people whispering down the hall. I made sure there's no one that could see me before I creeped closer towards a door where the source of the whispering was in.

"I'll do anything just to get revenge, I don't care if I get caught, so what if I do? She has to pay for that." I heard a familiar voice but I couldn't pinpoint who I heard it from.

"Okay. So is that all? Just a bucket?" Another female asked.

"No! Are you stupid or are you deaf? I already told you two buckets and then the tomatoes!" The original girl said in an aggravated voice. 

Were they cooking some kind of dish for the party? 'Cause yes please.

"Ugh, fine. Your obsession with Oliver is kinda scary." The other female said and I was confused at first but it clicked to me. I was about to listen in again when I heard footsteps from the other end which made me hide back in the bathroom.

It was obvious that whatever was plotted in that room was for Oliver or someone connected to him and definitely not food. It might very well be for me, or for Heather but I'm not about to have their nights ruined.  

I waited a few seconds to make sure that no one was in the hall anymore before leaving. I rushed into wherever we were hanging out in previously. I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw Jason, Oliver and Heather still there, talking and laughing.

I was about call to them when I saw someone else approach them, a very familiar girl that I've seen around school... and around Bella. Bella's minion continued to lead Heather into the middle of dance floor where there were less people while I elbowed myself towards the front. 

I was able to reach the middle when someone screamed "Pull it!" 

...And I was able to push Heather away in time.

A wet, red liquid poured down on me, immediately soaking my jacket, my hair and my everything.

A collective gasp filled the room, along with the music fading out as the sticky liquid dripped from my fingertips and my hair. And then I felt something thrown at me, followed by another, and another and before I knew it, dozens of tomatoes had been thrown at me, smearing my skin and the carpeted floor.

"No, stop! What is wrong with you?!" I heard Heather say, followed by footsteps and I was curious what was happening but I couldn't bring myself to look up, I couldn't show my face to everybody.

"Finn! Are you okay? Oh my God, of course you're not, I'm so stupid." I heard Oliver scream out as his footsteps approached me before a jacket was wrapped around my shoulder.

I don't know what was worse, if people started laughing or that dead silence I received from them. It was so humiliating I wanted the earth to swallow me whole there.

Oliver guided me away and outside.

Once we were far enough away for people to not see us, we stopped. He started helping me clean up, removing the drippy tomatoes that were currently staining my blue jacket. My shirt clung to my body with sticky substance that was the kool-aid. 

"Ugh. This SUCKS!" I said as I threw a half broken tomato to the ground.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Please let me help you." Oliver said, a guilty look on his face.

"Everything's just fucking against me. What did I even do wrong? I can't do this anymore."

I sighed in frustration as I took off my jacket roughly. 

"I..." Oliver trailed off as he stood there, not knowing what to do.

I glared at him as I shook my left arm once again to remove the dripping tomato.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Finn. I know you don't want to hear it right now but I'm sorry for letting all this happen, for inviting you, for... for bothering you, it's all my fault why you and Heather are going through this."

My eyes softened as I took a much needed, deep breath.

"It's fine. It's not your fault, it's those monsters' fault for all the shitty things they've done." 

We stayed silent for a moment, letting the weight of my words settle.

"Hey, uh, you have a tomato inside of your shirt." Oliver pointed out out of the blue.

I looked down and noticed that several tomatoes did enter my shirt. I looked at Oliver again... before slowly taking off my shirt.

Oliver's eyes widened and I noticed him swallow from the way how his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. 

"Uh... Y-You know what, why don't you wear my jacket for now?" He said before offering me his jacket.

I took it gratefully and put it on.

"Let's go to my car." He said.

"Where are we going?"

"To my house, Finn. We're not staying here anymore. I'm sure Jason can take care of Heather for now." Oliver said as he nodded towards the direction of his car.

I nodded before joining him. We got in and it was only a few minutes that passed when he pulled over at the front of a mansion. Oliver got out and before I could do the same, he had opened the door for me and helped me out. While we were walking across the gravel path towards his house, I absentmindedly looked up and the moon was shining ever so bright while stars were scattered among the sky, it was so beautiful, too bad, the night was the complete opposite.

The living room of the house was humongous, the floor was marble and the walls were completely white with floor to ceiling windows that was covered with red curtains. They had an indoor balcony and immaculate paintings mounted on the wall.

"Be careful... It's a little slippery since you're... you know." He said, gesturing at the floor that reflected the ceiling.

Once we were outside a particular door, we stopped.

"You can shower there, you can use the towel and I'll send you some clothes, okay?" 

I nodded and with that, he started walking down the hall further when I called to him.

"Oliver."

He stopped and raised an eyebrow at me. 

"Thank you." I muttered.

He smiled and nodded but I knew he was gonna say more so I just cut off our conversation and entered the bathroom.

The bathroom had a homey atmosphere. From the small succulents on the vanity, to the shelves that had small lanterns that produced a soft orange glow, it was beautiful. I just turned on the lights and started on cleaning myself, I took a short shower since it felt quite illegal to be using the water I don't pay for. I used the towel that Oliver gave me and started drying myself. After I was done, I wrapped it around my waist and settled on the sink, looking at myself in the mirror. I was clean, no red liquid, no tomatoes on my body. My cheeks were a little flushed and my wavy hair messily resting on my forehead. 

I stared at my dirty clothes that were beside my hand, it smelled like kool-aid. And in my mind, I was just thinking:

'What if I hadn't made it in time and Heather was the one humiliated?'

How can someone be so cruel that they can do this type of thing? And... who did it?

Oh, who am I kidding? It's that bitch-face Bella, for sure.

"Hey- Oh." Oliver stood there in the doorway, staring at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I questioned, confused and then I realized I was undressed. "Oh."

"Um... Yeah, here." He handed me a shirt that was obviously too big for me. "Sorry. I don't have anything smaller than that." He said sheepishly.

I gave him a genuine smile. "It's alright. It's kinda rude for me to complain about what you offer, you know." 

He stayed there, smiling at me... before he realized I needed to get dressed.

"Oh, sorry. I'll... be in the kitchen." He said before leaving me alone.

I chuckled as I got dressed and then followed him eventually. 

"Do you want some cookies? I helped my mom bake them." He said, gesturing to the plate in front of him on the kitchen island.

I took a cautious seat and reached out to grab one, I started to eat and- oh my God, it was heavenly.

"Hey. Should I be here? What if your mom finds out?" 

He stopped midway of eating. "Oh my mom? She loves you." 

I almost choked on the cookie I was eating from that. "Sorry, what?" 

"I've been telling her about you and she says she adores you, a lot." 

My cheek started to heat up which I hid by taking another bite of a cookie. 

"But she's sleeping right now, so you're probably not gonna see her." 

I cleared my throat, I knew I was still blushing so I just kept eating.

Oliver gave me a side away before chuckling. "Finn, you're blushing."

"No I'm not." I denied with a scowl and continued eating.

We were peacefully eating in silence when I noticed a shadow of a child walking down the stairs. I started to tense up, thinking it was a ghost when...

"Oli?" I heard a child say and the shadow revealed to be a little boy with short blonde hair. 

"Oliver. I'm hoping that's your brother and not some random demon child." I said, looking at him with fear but his eyebrows were just furrowed.

"Austin, why are you awake right now? It's way past your bedtime." Oliver said before scooping up the child into his arms.

"So, that's not a demon child?" I asked which caused Oliver to laugh. The child, which is apparently named Austin lifted his head off of Oliver's shoulder to look at me.

"Who are you?" He asked in an annoying sleepy voice.

I'm your future brother in law.

"Austin, be nice. This is Finn, he's a very nice guy."

The kid looked at me again but he didn't look mean now, his eyes were soft as he blinked sleepily. After a few seconds of staring contest, Oliver, thankfully, broke the silence.

"Oooookay. I think you little guy need to rest now." 

The kid whined as he wrapped his little arms around Oliver's neck. "I want cookies." 

Oliver laughed before settling him down to reach into the plate of cookies. I was eating chewing my own and to my surprise, the kid shyly approached me.

"Hi, Mr. Finn... Are you Fin from Adventure Time?"

I don't and have never trusted a child, especially a toddler like him, so I was a little hesitant about answering because any moment, this child might just throw up on me... but he was so adorable so I just played along.

"Yeah. I wear my costume whenever no one's around and I go on adventures with... with... Daniel...? Daniel the dog who can morph into any shape." I said, blindly guessing the name of that dog from the cartoon.

Austin burst out laughing in a... non-annoying way? Like it was actually adorable.

"That's not his name. It's Jake."

I chuckled. "No, 'cause his full name is actually Daniel Jake, so gotcha." I said before the both of us laughed together.

. . .

Oliver's POV

I'm confused.

I looked as my brother, Austin, and Finn bonded like they were families. The way Finn's eyes would squint from smiling and how his dimple would appear brought warmth to my chest, nothing I've felt before. I've never seen Austin act so friendly towards someone except to me, my mom and my dad. It's Finn's genuine smile that's so bright and his deep laugh. I didn't know what was happening to me. 

Why was I paying attention to the littlest details about him? Earlier tonight, when Finn was humiliated by some of my jerk friends, I've never seen him so vulnerable, I've never seen him so hurt. And just that sight was enough for my blood to boil, it was enough for my protective side to come out. 

But even when I asked him for help because I liked his best friend... I couldn't stop myself noticing him. His wavy brown hair that smelled heavenly, his beautiful brown eyes and his... everything. The more time I spent with him, the more dangerous it felt, and I'm only now realizing.

From how he boasted about how amazing his best friend was, from how he blushes every time I complimented him to how he was bonding with my brother. I was only realizing.

I liked Finn Vasco.

A lot.