He can't see me.
"You have to live a little," Roxana says. She is seated on my left. Her seat is near the window.
I can't take my eyes off him.
I nod, "Mmmh."
"So you are coming tonight?" Her voice is full of excitement.
He runs his hand through his hair. His eyes fixed on his phone.
"Where?" I have no idea what she is talking about.
"Back to school party, duh!"
"No."
"It's our last quarter on campus, you should have fun. Otherwise, you will be graduating still a virgin."
He can't even avert his gaze. He never looks at me.
"Did you hear what I just said? And what is that you are looking at?" She moves to get a better angle.
She follows my gaze.
"Quinn, such an eye candy. Don't start fantasizing he is out of every girl league except her." She tips her head towards the door.
Courtney Emerson.
The sole heiress to Emerson industries.
She walks in with grace, her hair freely flowing on her shoulders. Her steps are calculated and intended. Her presence demands attention. The entire class watches her, except Quinn who never bothers to lift his head.
She walks straight to him.
He lifts his head, bored.
"You didn't show up last night." She attempts to whisper but everyone hears.
Quinn's head swivels to my direction, our eyes lock.
"Let's settle down." A male voice announces.
I Am forced to take a double look just to confirm. Mr Marcelo's eyes are staring back at me. I thought I won't have to face him this semester.
"Cara makes sure you see me after the class," he says.
Everyone turns to give me a sorry look.
The class starts. I keep my head low though I can occasionally feel the burning stare of Mr Marcelo through my skull.
The entire period is a blur and is relieved when it ends. I pretend to be packing my stuff as the class slowly empties. I lift my head hoping Mr Marcelo gave up and left.
He is still waiting for me.
I might just have to face him now than later.
I take slow strides to him. We are just the two of us, in the room.
"You didn't show up for our coffee date." He goes straight to the point.
Mr Marcelo is the youngest lecturer in the entire institute. He has an angular body posture, his baby face makes him look younger for his age and, his dimpled smile makes him very attractive.
"I travelled to visit my family during the break." I lie.
He raises his eyebrows, as if not believing me.
"Okay. Let's reschedule it to this Saturday."
I take in a sharp breath and nod.
"Great. See you then." He happily states.
Roxana is waiting by the door, obviously, she has been eavesdropping. She gives me a mischievous look.
I walk past her and she closely follows.
"I have known you close to four years, but you are as mysterious as the first day I met you." She says behind me.
My phone beeps. It is a private number and I know it's Quinn. I open the message.
Doctor's appointment. Quarterly check-up. Be there in the afternoon.
I shove the phone back into my bag.
"I have to go. See you later for our fries tradition," I say.
Roxana rolls her eyes.
"Where are you going?"
I hesitate to try to find a good lie.
She speaks, "See, this is what I mean. Secrets and lies are what you are good at."
I laugh a bit as I hug her. "You think too much." It's all I can say before saying goodbye.
I rush down the hall to the bathrooms, I text my brother, Oliver. After some minutes of him not replying. I decide to call him.
"Need me?" He taunts me.
"I texted you a few minutes ago."
"So now you want to be seen with me?" I know he is wearing a smug as he says this.
"No. Just met me at our place."
I end the call before he starts saying the kind of family we are if we can't be seen together on the campus.
The walk to a secluded part of the campus is slow and agonizing. I have to occasionally look back to see if anyone is following me.
Oliver's raggedly car is seated by the end of the road. It looks like it's held together with baling wire and duct tape, and running on prayers and borrowed time.
Dark smoke is coming from its exhaust pipe. I can never understand his love for the old rusty thing of a car.
"I shouldn't be doing this," he says, when I board the car.
It takes a while for his engine to run.
"I am sorry, but we are almost there Oliver. We will have our old lives back," I say.
He doesn't respond, he only reaches for the radio and tunes to a rock and roll station. The then increases the volume. I know it's his way of shutting me out.
I turn to face out as he drives.
He kills the engine a couple of buildings away from the doctor's plaza. I immediately spot Quinn's jeep.
I step out. "I will be back," I say.
"I am not waiting for you. I'm sure you will find other means and a brain to make you see what you are about to do."
He doesn't wait for my answer nor reaction. He just drives off.
I shake my head before starting to walk towards my destination. It is a short walk and doesn't give me the luxury to think. I push the doors and walk-in.
I spot Quinn seated on the waiting area. He is wearing an impatient look.
"She's waiting," he says, at a hearing distance. He never waits for me. Not that I care, the feeling is mutual, for now.
He heads towards a door written Dr Anika. I can never get used to doctor's visits no matter how many times I get to experience it.
She is seated on her desk. She doesn't look up when we walk in, despite Quinn slamming the door to get her attention.
She finally closes the book she was writing. She wakes up. She has the posture of a soldier. Every action she takes is precise and purposeful. She smiles in the cold and distant way professionals do. I can never relax around such expressions.
She goes through her files looking for ours. It is a routine procedure we go through three to four times a year.
She sits down and starts with the normal regular questions. Do we have other partners we are sexually involved with other than us? She asks when I last had my cycle, blah blah.
We both answer, she takes our blood samples to test for any STI's and serology. She goes further to test me for the presence of HCG hormone.
My booty call agreement with Quinn is that we don't have other sex partners. Of course, Quinn gets to date. He has a playboy name to live to but he never beds his playthings. We get check-ups regularly. And the important part of our relationship is purely sexual. Out there in the real world, we don't know each other. We are total strangers.
"We are clean." The doctor comes back with the results.
Quinn stands up ready to go. He barely acknowledges either of us as he walks out.
I give her a fake smile.
"It was nice working with you. As per Quinn, he said this is your last check-up. Be safe." The doctor says.
Last checkup?
I find Quinn about to leave.
"Why is this my last check-up?" I'm feeling all confused. Because I know what this means. He wants to end our agreement.
"Yes, it is." He doesn't answer what I asked. His demeanour is that of a bored person. And his attitude is 'I am Quinn I can do what I please, I don't care.'
"Why?" I ask frustrated.
"I don't I owe you any explanation neither do you. I will call you when I need you."
I watch in horror as he gets in his car and drives off.
Quinn's pov I get into my car and sit clutching the steering wheel firmly. I am angry. I recall how badly I have treated Cara. I can't help but direct some anger towards her. Why does everything have to be this damn hard? Why did she have to complicate it the first night we met? I hate everything about it. I watch her from my jeep, she stands outside the clinic. I don't know what she's waiting for or who? Her phone rings and she starts to talk, she laughs, it is an intoxicating one, so genuine. I knew this day must come the day all the madness and the booty calls will end. It has been four years of nothing but pleasure after pleasure. Now I must end it. I must say goodbye and forget it. A cab arrives and she boards it. My phone rings. It is Becky, some girl I fucked during my self-discovery Europe tour. She moved to the states for work, she has been pestering me about catching up and we all know what that means. I sent her a quick text that I will be there. I might as well get
"This is amaziiing, " she says and dips another fry into the yoghurt and takes a bite."I told you lemon biscuit flavour is the best," I say.She takes the last remaining fry and turns to me, "You win, lemon biscuit it is. Though chocolate chips are still bae." She smiles tilting her head."Speaking of bae's where is yours, I don't see his stuff around," I say, my eyes skimming the expensive condo she lived in.She is the daughter of the country's top fashion designer Ignad Rivers. The sole heiress to Ignad fashion Company. She comes from money like everyone else on our campus.The institute is for the rich and famous kids. The who and who attend the school. To survive you have to fit in.Her eyes fall, her hand's fiddle with the yoghurt cup. The back of her hand wipes a single tear that is about to fall. Roxana always loves to play tough, even when she isn't feeling all tough. Like she recovered from a nightmare, she smiles at me."I kicked his cheating ass out. I can't feed, house a
The road to hell is paved with back arching toe-curling orgasms and devilish looks that silently whisper "baby please".'baby please,' Is the look Quinn gives me.Yeah, i am weak as a frail twig. I gave in to his I need your text, and here I am.His head is tilted, staring at me through his long thick lashes and trying to feign a babyface. Which is a massive fail, because he is Quinn. His features are rough. His perfect chisel face is purple, bruises print his face. Probably he was in a fight. It is not in my place to ask or care. That is the kind of relationship.His faces inch forward, his cold lips brush mine. My body trembles at the simple act. I feel him smoothen the fabric of my red dress. "I like the one you wore earlier." He whispers."Please," I'm surprised I can form any coherent word. His lips lightly brush mine in a teasing manner. My body aches and my fingers itch to grab him and have my way with him and end his little torture game. He moves from my lips to my cheek an
Two days pass with a sluggish pace that leaves my skin crawling. Classes and assignments distract me from Quinn, for a while. Though the thought of him ending our agreement before I put my plan in action nags me. "This is embarrassing but I need your help." My brother, Oliver, says from the other side of the phone."What is it about?" I ask curiously. He never asks me for help it is the other way round."I will meet you in the evening at your place to explain." "Okay," I say unsure if to be worried about the whole help thing. "Bye C.," He says his nickname for me before hanging up. A way to get me to agree to whatever he is planning.I tap my feet impatiently, I look behind me and across. The hall is deadpan silent. I look down on my phone. Only a message from Roxana stares back. It is an emergency meeting, requesting we meet at Cole's Cafe at lunch. I curse at Quinn cause after all these years he is yet to trust me to give me his personal phone number. Now I have to stalk him like
Cole's Café is a fifteen drive distance. All the way I listen to Hey there Delilah by Plain White T's. It was my mum's favourite. And eventually grew to become mine. I was nine years old then when the song was released. She told me the song reminded her of my father. "Why?" I would innocently ask. "Because a long time ago before you were born. We were poor. Very poor. But your father would remind me that one day his dream would pay the bills.""Just like he promises Delilah that his guitar will pay the bills." I would understand.I pull into the Café parking space. Today is on Thursday and the day is usually slow and lazy. As expected the Cafe is almost empty. Friday's and Monday's is when the students hog the tables. To discuss plans for the weekend and later discuss the events from the weekend.Cole's Café is an eccentric shop. Not your usual yuppie coffee place. More like a bar, with Occasional barbecues.I spot Roxana immediately, she lifts her hand and waves, as I get closer I
The group orders their meal. I'm a nervous wreck around them. Every single stare from them makes me shudder. It's like they can tell I don't belong here, that I am a fake. "The gala is still Saturday night, right?" Jermaine turns to Quinn. Quinn just nods.Jermaine goes back to his phone, after a few minutes he lifts his head, with a victorious smile. "I just secured a date to the gala with Elsie." He announces. "Elsie with the big boobs?" Lee asks. "Mmh." Jermaine nods. Ryan scrunches his nose in distaste. He rarely talks. "Up top" Lee high 5's Jermaine."What about you Ryan?" Courtney all over sudden asks. When our eyes meet, I can see a mischievous glint in them. "I plan to go with my parents." Ryan answers."That's sad. Why don't you ask Cara over here." She purses her lips together as she looks at me. "She looks like a sweet girl." She adds. Someone clears their throat. I turn and find it is Quinn. His eyes are narrowed and jaws tightly clenched.I shift uncomfortably o
Quinn's povI zip my leather bag, I turn to find four pair of eyes staring at me."What!" I bark."You just have this goofy look on your face." Lee notes."And you have this moronic look of a face, so?" I state back."You are hopeless." Lee throws his hand."We are heading to Cole's Cafe, do you want to come?" Jermaine asks.I hate the place, it is too overcrowded. The only thing I find tolerable is their coffee and the owner. I became acquitted with Cole in my freshman year. As the rest of my peer partied and lived their youths. I would spend my weekends there. Typing and auditing some of my father's client. Once the place would empty, Cole would join me. We talked about politics, weather, sports, history, the modern woman...and I once mentioned my booty call with Cara. He huffed and sighed to what had become of the women today. On serious days he would talk about how hard it is to run a business in a shitty economy and government policies. He wasn't lucky to serious employment after
I close my eyes and squeeze them shut for a moment. I expected Quinn to call or text. I am a little disappointed. Okay, very disappointed. My little guide book, 'How to make him yours' is supposed to make him beg. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating, I just put in action one step out of twenty steps. A figure blocks my path, deterring me from reaching my destination. I lift my head, the morning sun blocking my sight. "Good morning sunshine? Miss me?" Chad asks. I blink twice to get a better view of him. The sun has kissed his face making him look like an angel with a halo, while in a real sense he is the devil. "Get out of my way Chad, not in the mood." I groan. He leans forward as if inspecting my face. I take a step back."Looks like someone is 'inflammatory' and didn't get a dose of DIClofenac last night. That makes two of us." He says. "So you are finally admitting you are gay." I taunt him."Oh, I can show you how gay I am not." He wrinkles his eyebrows suggestively.I scrunch up