School Daze
Chapter 7
Filing out of Mr. Peterson’s 3rd period was like trying to survive a bull rush in Spain, Quinn thought while shuffling her way outside into the hallway. A sudden push sent her tripping over her own two feet and landing in the middle of the hallway flat on her face. Naturally every single paper flew out about her onto the now crowded floor of the English wing, followed by her algebra and English book. It was hard to pretend that the snickers and whispers weren’t centered around your public accident, but even harder to keep a nonchalant countenance as if the obvious didn’t bother you. Sitting up slowly, Quinn reached for her papers and sighed at the mess she had made.
“ Next time you should watch where your going, you never know what’ll trip you next.” Scarlett stood directly in front of her, accompanied by her swarm of friends who only helped to emphasize the hilarity of the situation by beginning to laugh louder. Balling her fist, Quinn stood to her feet and swiftly knocked Scarlett against the lockers that stood behind her. Seeing nothing but red Quinn went to plunge for her but was held back by a sudden strong hold. Brewing from weeks of anger towards an obvious bitterness thrown her way by Scarlett, Quinn felt ready to throttle the dear life out of the girl. She thought maybe the girl was satisfied by denying her a spot on the cheerleading squad, it was no surprise to Quinn. In fact she welcomed the outcome with open arms, doing spread eagles in mid air with nothing but a panty resembling an ill fitting bathing suit bottom for coverage wasn’t necessarily her idea of a missed opportunity. Quinn even got over the fact that she wasn’t going to be apart of the popular scene when it came to the girls of Stoneybrook High, although her ties with Justin and Trace and of course her charming good looks did keep her in good grace with the guys. She had really much gotten over the fact and quite appreciated Bernice as being her only girlfriend and of course Justin and Trace. But, with all that taken in to account- and of course her upbringing in New York, she just couldn’t allow herself to take anymore. It seemed that Scarlett needed to be taught a lesson. Forgetting that someone had in fact placed a strong hold on her, Quinn lunged for Scarlett again. This time an arm came around her center and lifted her up and against a rather firmly sculpted body. Squirming all the more in order to figure out who it was that held her at such a disadvantage, Quinn desperately tried to see who it was that now carried her down the hall. Finally after turning the corner, placing them both in the Science Wing, she was released to her own will. Turning she should have guessed she would see him standing there, looking down on her with his usual grin.
“ Justin.” she sighed falling against the locker, refusing to meet his bemused gaze head on. She was already mad enough at one person, she didn’t feel like starting in on yet another argument with him. She also didn’t want him to see her embarrassment of almost killing his ex-girlfriend in a dispute that was inevitably about him whether she wanted to admit it or not.
“ I know, I’m sorry. But you got a lot of fight in you girl.” he smiled walking up to her and cupping her chin with his finger. Breathing in, Quinn moved to place her hair behind her ear a trait Justin had already picked up on as being a sign of her nervousness. Looking her over before meeting with her eyes, Justin silently questioned what she had to be so nervous about. Over the past few months, their relationship had escalated into one of a friendship that was based around him trying to hide his feelings for her in his protectiveness and her shying away from him whenever the tension got too hot to handle. Justin did his best to keep his growing feelings for her underwraps, and in return produced a lovely brotherly-sister relationship with her. Her and Trace of course grew closer, not quite on the level of exclusive dating but perhaps closer then not. So as his brotherly duty, while walking past on his way to study hall, he had to scoop her up and prevent her from destroying his ex girlfriend yet current mistress. He was sure he’d hear about it later on that night after work when he finally made his rounds to her house.
“ I’m sorry.” Quinn grumbled. By now he had informed her of the true details of his and Scarlett’s relationship, although he was pretty sure she had known all the while. She also knew about the other girls, who’d occasionally flash her dirty and evil looks whenever she came in contact with them. Justin figured she had to know, because it was the only way to balance their relationship and keep him grounded. With this knowledge, she wouldn’t possibly think he’d ever develop feelings for her and they could continue to stay friends and grow close.
“ It’s ok.” he smiled and touched her cheek right when she rolled her eyes. He loved it when she did that, she always looked so damn cute getting angry with him.
“ And I bet you think this is funny.” she sighed crossing her arms over her chest. Justin looked down, slowly moving her arms to her side and then kissed her cheek lightly.
“ Actually hilarious would better suit the description...” he stopped her before she walked off and brought her back to directly in front of them. He waited while she moved her hair to behind her ear and smiled. Trace was one lucky guy. “ but you can’t stoop down to her level.”
“ That’s easier said then done.”
“ I know, but your better than that Q.” Justin touched the side of her cheek and waited for her to smile at him. Finally giving in, she looked up at him with a smile in her eyes and hugged him close.
“ Thank you J.” she sighed into his shoulder. Justin held her tight, not needing any thanks on her part. For her, he would do anything.
Tabitha walked into the living room from the kitchen to see Justin and Anthony bent over the coffee table looking over a magazine. She smiled at the sight and wondered why it was that Quinn hadn’t taken a liking to him instead of Trace. Not that Trace wasn’t as attractive or charming as Justin, well he wasn’t and maybe that’s why Tabitha favored Justin better.
“ Thanks for the milk J.” Tabitha smiled crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the wall of her livingroom doorway. Before leaving work, Justin had called to see if she needed anything from the store before he made it to her house. Looking at him, Tabitha couldn’t be more elated that Quinn had made friends with him and Trace. She never knew that she could ever feel comfortable with Quinn spending so much time with older boys, however Trace and Justin were exceptions.
“ Okay, will it be Friday the 13th or Fear.” Trace announced kissing Tabitha on the cheek and entering the living room with a bag full of movies and snacks. Quinn followed behind with Bernice, both stopping to hug Tabitha before plopping on the couch.
“ Come on Ant, time for you to get ready for the bed.” Tabitha said and watched her son’s face fall. He had so been enjoying his time with Justin. Tabitha always sensed that Anthony needed an older brother and couldn’t be more satisfied with Justin as the one to fill the position. Anthony looked to have felt the same way.
“ Awwww Mom, cant I stay!”
“ Come one kid, listen to your Mom.” Justin sighed ruffling his black curls. “ How bout Trace and I come scoop you tomorrow to ball?” Instantly Anthony’s face lighted up and he ran to his mother, pleased to be off to sleep so that he could wake up and play with Justin and Trace.
“ Yeah squirt.” Trace smiled and Tabitha winked at him. She loved them both, either way you wouldn’t lose with either one. Tabitha, however, would have still chosen Justin.
Bernice smiled knowingly as she watched the way Justin looked over at Trace and Quinn. Snuggled on the love seat, Trace and Quinn had fallen asleep in each others arms. You couldn’t have told her to believe that she would ever see this side of Justin Timberlake or Trace Ayala, never in a million years. Quinn had brought something out of them, that she had never seen before. And as for herself, Quinn had brought true friendship and laughter to a world where Bernice lacked it all. She had never had a friend so honest and open with her like Quinn was. Whenever they went shopping, and Bernice took it upon herself to think the One size fits all really applied to her, Quinn would always be the one to correct her.
“ I would never let my girl go out like that.” Quinn had smiled and placed a necklace she had picked up for the both of them at Claire’s around Bernice’s neck. Truth, there was no one quite like Quinn. No one at all.
“ She’s the greatest.” Bernice sighed softly drawing Justin’s attention. Nodding silently, Justin agreed and turned towards the television. Bernice could tell that he wasn’t quite ready to be open about his feelings for Quinn so decided against saying anything. Not only had she had the chance to get closer to Quinn, but she also had a chance to get closer to Trace and Justin over the past few months. For the first time ever, Bernice would be buying Christmas presents for friends. Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes and snuggled against the pillow. She wouldn’t trade her new life for the world.
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