CHAPTER 10

Tilly walked with a proud smile on her face, happy and sad tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Relief filled her when she saw Finn stood outside the Garrison, smoking a cigarette. "Finn," she called, walking quick.

He looked up, smiling at the sight of her. "I did it," she croaked, throwing herself into his arms. He hugged her.

"What's that?" He asked quietly, taking her hands in his. She stared down at the stains on her hand that were once crimson red, but were beginning to turn brown. "It's red," she whispered, "i don't like red."

Her breath quickened as she scratched at her hands aggressively.

"Matilda stop, we can wash it off." Finn pulled her hands apart, ignoring the tears that escaped her eyes.

She was overwhelmed, scared, happy. Unsure of what to do. Finn carefully led her to a broken drain pipe that dripped with cold water. He helped her wash the blood off her hands. Anybody who didn't know the girl would have thought she was insane for crying over her hands being red. That wasn't why she was upset. She was upset because she didn't know she was capable of hurting somebody like that.

"See," he said gently, "it's off." He said, placing a hand on her cheek. "What happened?"

"I stabbed him."

"Where?"

"The leg.."

"He'll be fine," Finn assured her, carefully wrapping an arm around her for a few seconds. "Isiah said he'd buy you a drink," he said, trying to cheer her up.

They both joined Isiah, Cameron and Henry in a booth in the main room of the Garrison. Cameron moved over, making room for her to sit. "Not seen you in a while," he observed, sliding her a drink that he hadn't yet touched.

"Been busy," she said truthfully, picking up the glass.

"How's ya mum, heard she's working." Isiah said, genuinely interested.

"Yeah, i think she's trying to turn things around." She nodded, tapping her fingers against the glass.

-

Matilda helped Finn carry Isiah down the road, toward his house. "You're fucking heavy, Isiah," she groaned, struggling to walk.

They eventually reached the small house, using his keys to unlock the house.

"Come on, Siah, lay on your side," Matilda urged, placing him on the couch. He grunted and turned over, his arms falling off the edge of the couch. "Go to sleep," Finn said, pulling Tilly by her arm.

They left the house and before they walked off, she locked the door and placed the keys through the letter box.

"I'll walk you home," He said, tucking his hands into his pockets as they grew cold. "Okay," she agreed happily, holding onto his arm.

Without realising, Tilly had began drunkenly rambling on about Billy. Which slowly started annoying Finn. Both of them ended up in Tilly's house, sat in front of the fire in her bedroom.

"He knew nothing about me, which i think is ridiculous by the way. Like the whole colour situation, it's so clear that blue is my favourite colour," she explained dramatically.

Finn had tried his best to let her talk but he'd had enough.

"He never cared enough to learn them things." He shrugged, his legs out straight on the floor. "But i cared," he said, staring into the fire. "I picked up on them things without even realising."

She tilted her head, crossing her legs.

"It's me that knows your favourite colour is blue because that was your fathers favourite colour. It is me that knows why you're so against me and Isiah doing cocaine. Matilda, it's always been fucking me who knew these little things. It's always been me, not Billy, not Isiah. Me. Why can't you see that?" his voice cracked slightly, "Matilda you've always made me feel normal. Nobody else, you."

He took a breath.

"I always love being around you because you struggle in the same ways i do. You make me feel like a person."

Tilly blinked a few times.

"And i just wish you'd see that it was never Billy, it was me." He said, not wanting to look at her. "And i'm sorry for saying all of this because i know you're probably feeling a lot right now but i can't sit here anymore. I can't listen to one more thing about Billy."

"Finn." She whispered, wanting him to look at her.

The familiar tension filled the space between them as Finn looked at her longingly. After their last kiss, they didn't even talk about it. She was so caught up in what was going on with her boyfriend, it had slipped her mind. Her feelings for Finn had slipped her mind because she was too focused on trying not to walk around the streets covered in bruises.

She felt as though a part of her always felt something my for the Shelby boy. But then Billy came along and he just seemed so perfect.

So perfect that she'd pushed them other feelings aside. Which she now regretted.

Finn on the other hand, had fancied Matilda ever since they were little. At first he thought it was a typical school crush. But when they became close friends and they began going out with Isiah. He found himself feeling jealous when they'd dance around with each other.

Of course Isiah felt nothing for the Willows girl. But Finn couldn't help but get annoyed at his friend when he got to do all them things with her.

During the seconds of silence, they'd inched closer to each other and Finn's hand now rested on the side of her neck. He smirked, using his other hand to pull the ribbon from her hair.

"You bastard!" She shouted, laughs leaving her mouth as she fought for the blue item back. She was annoyed that he'd practically teased her.

"You're going to have to give me a kiss to get it back."

She jokingly gagged at his words. "You're vile, Finn Shelby," Matilda insulted, leaning up to his hand that held the ribbon above her head. She grabbed it and leaned forward, accidentally pushing Finn back onto the floor.

He grabbed her sides in attempt to stop the fall but it didn't work.

He burst out into laughter as her face grew red, realising their position. He reached up, pulling her face down in front of his and smiling. He wasted no time before kissing her.

Finn Shelby had finally grew a set of balls. His brothers would be proud.

Tilly felt as though fireworks were exploding in her stomach. Yeah, they'd kissed before but this one felt different.

He pulled back for a split second. "Tommy says you need to work an extra shift this week, cause it's leading up to Christmas."

"Can you not do it for me?" She suggested.

"No way, Til." He shook his head, holding her shoulders as he sat straight.

"Boring," she sighed, leaning against the end of the bed.

"I'm not boring," he argued.

"You fucking are!"

"Not."

"You're such a child, Finn Shelby." She scoffed, pushing him back again but standing up and sitting on her bed, laughing as he just lay on his back, not saying a word.

"Well, i've already got you a present, so I should hope you're buying me one," he said, his hands on his stomach.

"You don't deserve one."

"That's horrible, Matilda." Finn said, sitting up. "I know," she shrugged, grinning. "I'm kidding, i'll get you something. What do you want?"

He thought for a moment. "Surprise me."

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