First-Person POV - Hanna
The house was eerily quiet now that everyone had left. The once-bustling party was a distant memory, but the tension between the three of us was suffocating. I sat on the edge of the couch, glancing nervously at the birthday cake in the middle of the coffee table, still untouched. The words "Happy Birthday, Finn" seemed almost cruel now.
Finn stood by the kitchen counter, his face bruised and tense. Across from him, Jacob leaned against the armchair, his arms crossed, glaring daggers at Finn. My stomach twisted into knots, knowing that we were about to have a conversation none of us wanted to have.
Jacob’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. “So, what’s this between you two?”
I looked down at my hands, unsure how to answer. Finn, however, straightened up, meeting Jacob’s intense gaze. “I don’t know, but I want to figure it out.”
Jacob scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “Figure it out? After all this? You dragged Hanna into this mess, and now you don’t even know what you want?”
Finn let out a frustrated sigh. “Look, I didn’t plan for this to happen. It just did.”
Jacob stepped forward, his voice low and firm. “This isn’t just about you, Finn. This is my sister. You don’t get to ‘figure it out’ when you’re messing with her head.”
Before Finn could respond, Ciara waltzed into the room, a smug smile plastered on her face. Her eyes gleamed as they locked on Finn. “Oh, come on, Jacob,” she said, sauntering toward us. “Finn’s not serious about her. Everyone knows it.”
I tensed as Ciara’s words hit me like a slap. She slinked over to Finn, her fingers brushing his arm. “So, you’re really gonna dump me for her?” she sneered, glaring at me. “This little loser?”
Jacob’s fists clenched, and he shot Ciara a warning glare. “Watch your mouth.”
Ciara rolled her eyes, her lips curling into a smirk. “Why? Because she’s your sister? Even though she’s a flirt and a wrecker?”
“That’s enough, Ciara,” Finn said sharply, pulling away from her. “It was never like that between us.”
Ciara’s eyes narrowed, her voice venomous. “But you said…. You told me—”
“Spur of the moment,” Finn interrupted, his voice hard. “We were never together.”
Ciara’s face twisted in anger, but she quickly masked it with a mocking smile. She turned toward me, her tone dripping with disdain. “You’re not even in the same league as him, Hanna. He’ll get bored of you. Trust me.”
Before I could respond, Jacob stepped forward, his voice cold. “Ciara, get out.”