The Unfortunate Occurence at Shenandoah High 2020 - 12. Chapter 12

"So, how are you feeling about the play?"

Finn's using the flashlight on his phone to light our way as we walk the trail behind his home. I can still hear music and laughter but I can't see the stars. The trees on either side of us are so tall and their branches are long and reaching. I miss the heat of the firepit. I rub my hands along my arms as I think about my favorite denim jacket hanging in my closet.

"If you told me at the beginning of the semester I would not only be performing in a school play, but singing and playing the guy who killed Gianni Versace, I would've thought you were a crazy person."

Finn lets out a laugh which echoes all around us.

"Same," he says. "When Coach asked me to sign up last year, I figured I would spend the semester goofing off and painting sets and stuff but now I'm singing and I reckon next week we'll be dancing as well."

I’m so not looking forward to learning choreography but Sheldon knows some guy who is in the theater program at UCLA and apparently he'll be in town next week. This poor guy is giving up his entire fall break to travel across the country to work with us.

"I'm dreading that," I say. "I'm also dreading the whole mandatory four-hour rehearsals, four days a week."

Finn stops and stoops down to pick up a large branch. He tosses it to the side and we continue on with our walk.

"Yeah - I need to talk to Coach about that since basketball practices are about to start," he says. "Speaking of - some of the guys on the team are good friends with some of the guys on the football team. Next Friday's the Homecoming game. We're playing Roswell."

Homecoming Week happens every single year, usually around the same time, however, it always manages to slip up on me. Not that I ever participate even though Keisha begs me to every single year.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go."

There's a million things I'd do for Finn Montgomery if he asked but do I really want to spend my Friday night sitting on cold bleachers watching our football team lose - again? Then again, there would be Finn there - and nachos.

"Sure." I do not mean to drag out the word and thank God Finn doesn't notice.

"Awesome," he says.

"Will I be expected to attend the dance as well because that's where I draw the line," I say. "Tristan Goolsby does not do dances."

Finn laughs again, this time a lot more quietly.

"No - no dance. We usually come back to my place and hang out afterwards," Finn says. "Besides - she's going to be there and I'd rather not have to deal with that."

She, the She-Wolf of Shenandoah, is president of the student council this year which means she's responsible for planning the Homecoming dance. Well, I definitely won’t be going now.

"That bad?" I ask, hoping he'll open up at least a little bit. Several moments pass before he answers.

"I know everyone thinks we were the perfect couple. I remember last year during Valentine's Day, some girl from the school newspaper wanted to interview us because we were voted the most popular couple at school. What no one knows is that week Emily and I weren't speaking to each other. We got into this huge argument at her place because she didn't like that Gina Hudson was my lab partner.

"We faked our way through that entire interview and no one ever suspected we were not getting along."

We keep walking as Finn continues to talk.

"I tried breaking up with her over the summer but her parents got involved and my parents got along and we ended up talking to the youth minister at her church which is crazy because this guy didn't know shit about what was really going on in our relationship. We went to him for about five weeks and I told myself I would give things one more shot.

"And things were pretty good for the rest of the summer. Then a few weeks ago she accused me of hooking up with Mary Beth Tucker while she was staying at her parents' house in Myrtle Beach during Labor Day weekend.”

Finn and Mary Beth, I'm trying to picture it but I can't. Don't get me wrong Mary Beth looks like she could be Megan Fox's sister but there's no way Finn would've hooked up with her. First of all, Finn doesn't seem like the type to cheat. I could be wrong but my instinct on these things are pretty solid. Also, Mary Beth has a bit of a reputation at Shenandoah. Let's just say, she didn't get the nickname Mary-Go-Round because of her fondness for a certain piece of playground equipment.

"I barely even know Mary Beth," Finn says. "We've maybe spoken to each other once, twice and it's usually a hello as we pass each other in the hallway. I would never cheat on anyone.

"So we get into it after school in the parking lot. Usually we keep all of that shit private but I was tired of it. I told her I didn't want to be with her anymore and we haven't talked to each other since which is weird because we would text each other from the moment we woke up and sometimes I'd fall asleep with my phone in my hand."

I can see a break in the trees ahead of us which means we are about to reach our destination, whatever that is.

"Enough talking about her," he says. "Every time I think about her I get so angry and I want to hit things and trust me, I'm not an angry or violent person."

"I know you aren't," I say.

"My therapist says it's good to get all of these negative feelings out so thanks for letting me vent," he says peeking over his shoulder.

We reach the end of the path and as my eyes adjust to the darkness in front of us, I realize we are standing in front of water. A lot of water.

"This is my favorite part about living here," Finn says.

"You have a lake behind your house?" I ask.

"It's really more of a creek but in the summer me and some of the guys from the team come here and hang out and swim. I actually swim here more than I do in the pool."

“So, this is what you wanted to show me?”

“Yeah – this is sort of my little secret. Most people who come over are so focused on the house and the pool, they don’t even know this exists.”

"Well – this is a pretty big secret. It's like your own little paradise."

"Huh," Finn says. "I like that. It is my own little paradise. I come here to think. I go to that dock right over there and I sit on the edge with my feet in the water."

I follow where Finn is pointing and sure enough there's a wooden structure leading out into the water.

"What's that?" I ask noticing something moving on the dock.

"What's what?"

"Looks like something moving – on the dock. Maybe a dog or something?"

"Hmm - I've seen a coyote or two around here but never any dogs. Let's go see what it is."

Finn starts moving and instinctively I grab onto his arm.

"You scared?" he asks. I can hear the smile in his voice.

"No offense but we don't have coyotes in my neck of the woods," I whisper from behind gritted teeth. “I’m in no mood to get my throat ripped out by some wild animal.”

"I'm sure it's nothing," he says. "I come out here by myself all the time and nothing’s ever ripped my throat out.”

The two of us creep around to the dock. As we step out onto it, Finn pulls out his phone and turns on the flashlight. He aims the bright light towards the end of the dock.

You know the expression, a deer caught in headlights?

Both Jon-Jon and Leah look like two deer caught in headlights.

Two very naked deer.