Baby steps - A TNS Fanfiction

Beatrice

Flashback

Piper dragged the washing cloth over the last bowl in the sink, before depositing it on the draining rack with bubbles still sliding over the surface. After pulling the plug on the sink and drying her hands, she checked the clock hanging on the wall. 5:43.

Finn's parents were going to be back at six, and seeing as the sleepover was unplanned, the sixteen year old felt that she should be going.

"Why are you up so early?" Her boyfriend had one shoulder pressed against the doorway, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm.

"Because, I need to get going. Your parents-"

"Don't worry about my parents," Finn mumbled, before noticing the drying kitchen appliances. "But they'll never believe I willingly did the washing up."

"They'll have to, because I wasn't here, got it?"

Piper checked her dance bag, making sure everything was there.

"I think I've left my hoodie in your room," Her eyes were widened in panic and before Finn could even tell her to loosen up, she was hurrying up the stairs to find it.

He couldn't understand why she hadn't checked for her hoodie earlier instead of prioritising the dishes, but then again only Piper knew what went on inside her head.

The sound of the front door opening jolted him out of his thoughts, and came face to face with his older sister.

"I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow!" Finn grinned, going to hug her. His sister pushed him off and went straight to Piper's bag.

"Is she here!" Bea shrieked, holding up the bag by the straps. A water bottle fell out of an open side pocket and clunked on the floor.

Weighing up his options, he decided on the one sure fire way to avoid getting Piper in trouble.

"Who's here?" He put on his best confused face.

"Don't pretend like you don't know! Where is that-"

The second to last step creaked loudly as Piper accidentally put her weight on it. Bea had rounded the corner in an instant and glared at her younger brother's girlfriend. Then her face relaxed into a smile.

"Oh, it's just you," There was something about the way she said it, as if whatever had been bothering her previously didn't matter anymore.

Finn's older sister extended Piper's purple backpack to her. "This is yours, right?"

"Um, yeah.."

"Okay, cool. Mum and Dad's train got delayed so they'll be home at seven. Take care!" Bea sidestepped her and went up to her room, leaving a very unsettled Piper standing on the stairs.

"See? Nothing to worry about my family?" Finn held his hand out, and she swung her bag over her shoulders before taking them.

"Your sister seems kind of, well-"

"Intense?"

"Mm, yeah. I know it's not really my business, but is she okay?"

"Oh yep, ha why wouldn't she be? She's totally, one hundred percent okay."

Piper raised an eyebrow, completely aware that he was lying to her.

"I should still go," She pulled her hand away and walked past.

Just as she reached the door, Finn called out: "You forgot something!"

Smiling to herself, she turned back around and kissed him. He blushed and held up her water bottle.

"I meant your bottle, but I don't mind if you want to make a habit of kissing me goodbye."

End of flashback

Beatrice Mackie massaged her forehead with her fingers, wondering if she'd started making the scones earlier then she would be at home. As of the moment, she was leant against the center table in the small kitchen in the back of the small cafe which she ran.

The pretty woman huffed, and a strand of bleached blonde hair fluttered in front of her face. With greyish blue eyes and pale skin, she held a certain unapproachable beauty. That was one of the main things people always compared her and her brother to.

Whereas Finn was smiley and likeable, and could almost certainly win over any woman he wanted, Bea was either admired or hated but no in-between.

The best way to describe her would be as one of those cliché high school girls, who is both feared and loved by her peers, but with nobody she held particularly close.

The oven started beeping, and she grabbed a tea towel and took them out. Running the cafe by herself took a lot of work, but by hiring teenagers for cheap pay and a business plan lasting for at least another two years, Beatrice got by.

After transferring the bakes to the cooling rack, she was startled to hear the bell on the door ringing as it swung open. She'd forgotten to hang the closed sign in the window, simply assuming nobody in their right mind would go to a cafe at 9 o clock at night.

"Hello! I'm awfully sorry but I forgot to hang the closed sign in the-" The words dried in her throat as she stared at the brunette across from her.

"Hey."

"I thought you were gone for good."

"So did I."

Finn's hotel room

Finn closed the lid of his laptop and sighed, lifting it off his lap and onto the bedside table. He noticed his phone ringing with an unknown ID, and assumed it was a wrong number. Still, the caller left a voicemail, and curiosity called him to listen to it.

"Hi, if this is Finn Mackie, call me back when you can. This is Audrey, Piper's flatmate. Long story how I got your number, but if she's with you please tell her I'm sorry."

The voicemail ended.

He called back.

"Hi! Is this Audrey?"

"Yep, is Piper with you?"

"No, she isn't. Did you fight or something?"

A pause

"Something like that. Are you sure you aren't covering for her?"

"I'm sure, but why do you think she would be with me?"

"Because her suitcase has gone."

This is shorter than usual, so sorry for that!