The older brothers best friend

Chapter 18 - Yasmin

Yasmin

The restaurant where we all sat was cozy. It had lots of plants and cozy corners that you obviously were meant to read in. I looked around the table we all sat at. Josh sat next to me and I was having a conversation with Disa who sat on the other side of him. I had ordered a sandwich and a cup of coffee with a splash of milk in it. The waiter looked charming and the surrounding came over me as a wave of smoke. I felt uncomfortable. All these people I didn't know. I had issues hanging with a lot of people. I had been working on it for years. It just never went away. The smoke that came over me, that made me feel like I wanted to curl up in one of those reading corners.

Josh tapped on my shoulder. Then he dragged my coffee on the table to me.
- He got our coffees mixed up.
He chuckled. I smiled gently.
- Happens to the best of us.
I said. I looked for Linny who I was sitting across from me. She looked down. She swirled her spoon in her cup. I tried to get her attention. She looked up and I mimed if she was alright. She just smiled. Then I looked at Finneas, who was talking to Siri. He laughed at her joke and I felt the urge to walk up to him and smash him on his head.

But I didn't. I stayed put.

We walked down the streets of Manhattan. All of us were starting to get tired. You could feel it in the energy around us. I looked at Linny who was standing looking inside a shop. I walked up to her and laid my arms around her shoulders. I could see that her eyes were tearing up. I hugged her gently. She wiped her tears away and sighed. I wanted to hurt Finneas, truly, against the brick wall. Linny put on her jacket.
- I'll go back to the hotel. I'm not feeling great.
I nodded.
- We'll both go.
She shook her head and put her hair behind her ears.
- No, you stay. Have fun, we're in New York for Christ sake.
I chuckled.
- No. we'll both go.

We said our goodbyes to the gang. Josh looked concerned for Linny but she shook it off and blamed it on her period. Finneas stood still not moving. Just watching from afar. I looked at him and he didn't give me any reaction back. I rolled my eyes and took Linny's hand and off we were.

I tried to not scream shitty words about Finneas. I knew Linny loved him. And me hating on him would not make her feel better. She didn't say anything. Until she sighed and started a sentence with a "I". Then she stopped and acted like nothing. I stopped and looked at her. She looked at me as I crossed my arms.
- What?
I said. She shrugged.
- What?
She said.
- You were about to say something? Go on, say it.
She twisted.
- I was just gonna say, that I- that I think that I should talk to Finn when he gets back.
I sighed deeply.
- No.
I said. She looked confused.
- No, why should you? Why shouldn't he talk to you first? Beg you for forgiveness for ruining your day and spending it with that girl.
- It's not like we could hang out as a couple in front of everyone?
Linny said irritatedly.
- No! But, he made you cry for goodness sake Linny! And sure, you acting as a couple wouldn't be possible, but he could act like your friend. Be kind, he's your boyfriend, right?
She twisted.
- I just think that he has to step up a notch.
For you. And not act like a baby just because his daddy left him 100 years ago!
I was screaming now. Linny looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown. Tears were forming in her eyes. Then she broke down. Her tears began pouring down. She leaned against a wall behind her and covered her face with her hands. I stood still, not sure if I were to come close if she would slap me for yelling at her, or hug me for support. I did nothing. I just stood there, waiting for her to clam down by herself.

After about 10 minutes, she wiped her tears with her jacket. She looked at the grafting passing us. People had been watching her and probably wondering if she were alright. Her eyes were tired. She looked at me. I looked at her. She hugged me. I hugged her back.