The Unfortunate Occurence at Shenandoah High 2020 - 20. Chapter 20

My second lie to Finn happens on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

It’s the day following homecoming and I’m on my ninth episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I’m lying across my bed with a half-eaten bag of spicy pork rinds sitting next to me when I receive a text from him.

What time should I pick you up, he asks.

Pick me up? I crawl towards the top of my bed so I can lean up against my headboard.

Did you forget?

I tell him, yes.

Leah’s birthday dinner is tonight.

I vaguely remember accosting Keisha and myself and asking if we would come to her birthday party. Did we say yes? Did I say yes? I’m pretty sure if Finn is going I did say yes. No offense to Leah, but the last thing I want to do right now is leave my bedroom.

You still wanna go, he asks.

As if on cue, bright blue light floods my bedroom and thunder rattles my the walls. My alarm clock says that it’s a quarter after four but it feels way later. Beyond my bedroom window is nothing but gray and wet and leaves.

Yup. There’s absolutely no way I’m leaving the house today.

You still there, he asks.

I chew on my bottom lip and consider my options. So, I’m definitely not going to Leah’s birthday thing. That’s a given. However, how is Finn going to feel about me bailing at the last minute? I’m so not the type to bail on plans, especially at the last minute.

The way I see it, there’s only one option.

Would you be mad if I didn’t go?

You okay?

Just feeling a little under the weather. I've been in bed all day.

At least the second part’s true.

You need anything, he asks.

Actually I’m gonna have my dad make me a bowl of soup.

This is actually sort of true. Dad picked up a shift at the hospital. However, there’s leftover wonton soup from when we ordered Chinese a few days ago.

I feel like I should come over and take care of you.

Admittedly that does sound nice but my heart hasn’t quite thawed out from last night. Finn pretty much ignored me during the game and I still don’t know how I feel about our only being a thing when we’re in private.

But I did tell Leah I would come and I get the feeling she doesn’t have a lot of friends, he continues.

It sounds harsh but I’ve gotten the same feeling. Leah barely knows me or Finn or Keisha. We’re not even in the same grade.

You should go. It’s just a few hours and the food’s probably going to be really good.

Meh. My parents have brunch at the Walton Club pretty much every Saturday. The food is pretty mediocre.

Leah did mention your parents know the owners.

Yeah. The Fontenots. They’ve been friends with my family for years. My brother Fabian was married to their daughter but they’re divorced now.

That sounds really awkward.

It was at first but things are better now. You sure you don’t want me to come over?

I’m fine. I promise. Just taking it easy.

Well if it weren’t for this birthday party I’d probably be taking it easy, too. Not a fan of this weather. Rather be in watching a movie or something.

That sounds nice.

Maybe if this thing doesn’t last too long I could come over and we could watch something on Netflix.

And chill?

Finn sends me a series of happy devil emojis followed by a shrugging emoji.

I roll my eyes.

Have fun at the party, Mister Montgomery.

Finn responds with a kissy face emoji.

I reach over and place my phone down on the table beside my bed. Crisis averted. Do I feel bad for lying? Of course! I absolutely hate lying. I really do. That's one of the main reasons I came out. I didn't like lying to Dad and Keisha.

I crawl out of my bed and walk over to my bedroom window. The rain is really coming down. I don't mind the cold and I don't mind the rain but when those things combine, I want to stay inside and eat soup and watch Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler solve crimes of the particularly heinous variety.

I make my way downstairs and I'm happy to see there's still some soup left. After microwaving me a bowl, I grab a Coke out of the fridge and then head back upstairs to my room.

The light on my phone is blinking by the time I'm settled back in bed. I pick it up and see that I have a message alert. I put in my password and click on my messaging app. There's two text messages from Colin. The first one says he's made it back to LA after a two-hour layover in Denver. The second one asks if I have any Saturday night plans.

No plans, I text back. Sorry about the layover.

No worries. I have a few eBooks on my phone to keep me busy.

So you're a reader.

Yessir. Big horror guy.

Love horror movies. Horror books not so much.

So you like horror movies but don't like horror novels?

I read Stephen King's It when I was in the 7th grade and I had nightmares for like a week.

You read It when you were in the 7th grade? Wow. I'm 21 and I still refuse to read or watch it.

You're really missing out. The movies are pretty decent. The one from the 90s not so much.

Maybe when I'm back in town again, you can convince me to watch it.

Deal.

Netflix is asking me if I'm still watching SVU so I grab the remote and turn off my smart TV. Colin now has my undivided attention.

So, I ask. What are your Saturday plans?

I have a date with the Golden Girls. I'm also thinking about having a pizza delivered. I'm pretty hungry.

Okay, don't judge me, but I've never seen an episode of the Golden Girls before.

Okay why don't you just delete my number right now and we'll never speak again.

I'm sorry but a show about old ladies living together didn't seem all that appealing to me.

Let me guess, you watch Sex and the City.

Of course. What self-respecting gay guy doesn't.

Basically Golden Girls is the original Sex and the City.

How so, I ask.

Well, there's Dorothy. She's like Carrie Bradshaw. Basically none of the other characters would work without her. Her mother, Sophia, is the Miranda. She's razor-tongued but super loving. Then there's Rose. Rose, like Charlotte, is super sweet and caring. Then there's my favorite character of all, Blanche. Blanche is like in her fifties but is still having sex and is very unapologetic about it.

Like Samantha.

Yes. Like Samantha. Dorothy, Sophia, Rose and Blanche all share a house in Miami. It's super funny. Some episodes are sad but really good. I used to watch it all the time with my grandmother.

Okay. You've officially twisted my arm.

It's on Hulu. You can thank me later.

Guess I'll add it to my ever-growing pile of things to binge-watch.

I highly suggest moving the Golden Girls to the top of the list.

Noted.

By the way, why aren't you out with your hot man this evening? Is hanging out on Saturday night still a thing with you young people?

Young people? Ha. Okay, Grandpa. To answer your question, it's rainy cats and dogs right now so I'm not going out anyway. Secondly, you remember Leah, don't you?

Gee - how could I ever forget?

Well tonight's her birthday dinner and she invited me and Finn and Keisha.

Say no more. I've had enough of that girl to last me a lifetime.

Leah's sweet.

She's basically like Rachel Berry 2.0.

OMG, I totally said that once.

Every semester there's a girl like her that comes into the theater program and then after a few weeks either she quits or she turns that shit off.

Yeah, Leah's definitely in for a rude awakening after high school.

Maybe she'll magically snap out of it before then.

Doubtful, I say.

So, you mentioned Finn was invited, too.

Yeah. We were supposed to go together but I sort of told him I was feeling under the weather.

The ole lying to the boyfriend so you don't have to go to the party trick.

Trust me, I feel really bad about it. Not exactly a fan of lying.

Well, I won't tell anyone.

Thanks.

So, you have no plans.

Yup. I believe that's what I have no plans.

And I have no plans.

What are you suggesting, Mr. McNamara?

I'm thinking right now's the perfect time for you to be introduced to Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia.

Think so?

I know so. Go grab you a snack and I'll get us set up.

Aren't we bossy?

Always. And I always get what I want.

~

Nine and a half episodes later, I must've fallen asleep because now it's morning and the sun is filling the interior of my bedroom in a truly oppressive manner. I turnover and nearly roll over onto my laptop which is still open. The program Colin used so we could watch the Golden Girls is still open. In the message section, there's a message from Colin that came in at 10:53 PM.

Guess you fell asleep. Goodnight, you prince of Maine, you king of New England.

He's such a poet. I shut the lid on my laptop. I turn over on my other side and see that it's a little after nine according to my alarm clock. I also notice my phone is blinking on the edge of the table next to my bed. Most likely a missed called from Finn.

I've got seven texts and one missed call, all from Keisha. I decide to skip the texts and go straight to the source.

Keisha picks up on the second ring.

"Why didn't you answer my call?" she asks a bit too loudly for a Sunday morning.

"I was sleep. What's up?"

"I'm guessing you haven't seen Facebook this morning."

"No," I say. "Again, I was sleep. Just woke up."

"Thank God," she says.

"What's going on?" I ask, sitting up straight, back propped against my headboard.

"Do me a favor and click on Facebook and please stay on the phone with me while you do it. PS - I'm on my way over. I hope your dad's made breakfast."

I barely hear what Keisha's saying because I'm scrolling through my apps looking for Facebook. I click on the Facebook app and I refresh my timeline. I don't even have to scroll to see exactly what Keisha wants me to see.

Leah Platt's latest post is at the top of my Facebook feed. It's photos of her taken at her birthday gathering paired with a declaration of her latest relationship status.

According to Leah, it's complicated.

I roll my eyes. I can hear Keisha breathing in my ear.

"Have you seen it yet?" she asks.

"Apparently Leah's current relationship status is complicated."

"Not that," Keisha scoffs. "Look at the pictures."

There's over forty pictures in the photo album she's named Birthday Fun. I quickly scroll through photos of a particularly attractive Leah making duck faces with people I don't know. Towards the end, there is a face I do recognize. In one photograph, Leah is perched on Finn's lap with her arms around his neck. Finn looks uncomfortable. Second photo, Leah has her forehead pressed against Finn's forehead. Finn doesn't look as uncomfortable. Next photo, Finn's neck appears to be nuzzled against Leah's neck. By the look on Leah's face, she appears to be enjoying this. Second to last photo, Leah is toying with the top button on the dark blue button down Finn is wearing. Finn has a huge grin on his face.

As my thumbs scrolls over to the next photo, I feel last night's wonton soup creeping back up my esophagus. Leah is kissing Finn. On the lips. Finn is definitely kissing her back. Her arms are twisted around his thick neck. His big hands are on her waist. Both their eyes are closed.

"Hang on, babe," Keisha says. "I'm almost at your house."

"Too late," I say before I watch my Chinese in reverse.