Caught In The Middle

Be nicer!

Quinn pulled into the parking lot to find her usual space taken up with a white BMW. She cursed as she saw the blond haired Mila get out of it and look back with a s**t-eating grin and wave at her before she flounced over to Cory’s truck as he was sitting in it still. He met Quinn’s eyes as she drove past and his expression seemed flat before he looked away to Mila and gave her his usual roguish smile.

“Is everyone here fake as s**t?” Quinn muttered to herself as she went further down and parked her car. She couldn’t believe the crap she had to put up with for the last few days, did they not know she had bigger problems in life than if they liked her or not?

She knew Antonio tracked her phone and her movements and could at any random moment send someone to check up on her. There was no way in hell she was going to take any risk of being caught in a compromising situation with any guy. No matter how damn cute or hot they were. Not that she wasn’t flattered to have the interest of two amazingly handsome guys as soon as she started college, but she was already caught in one spider’s web.

She saw Mila move across the grass to meet up with a couple of other girls and stop, look back at her and then stay put.

Oh, great, are they waiting for me?

Quinn stuck a lollipop in her mouth and got out of her car with a heavy sigh, making her way over to the side entrance. She was wearing army green tights, doc martins and a black fine mesh t-shirt with a black and white plaid shirt tied around her waist, her wrists were clear of marks now so her arms were bare. Her hair was down and one side was braided back. She had chosen this outfit especially to try and piss off the fashionistas and it worked.

“What the f**k are you wearing, are you an emo now?” Mila’s whiney voice called out as her friends twittered and giggled. Quinn noticed Cory walking up with a little frown etching his fine features.

Quinn smiled, friendly at Mila. “Oh, I wore this outfit today because you tried to be friendly yesterday, so I thought this fit would let you know how I feel about that and tell you to f**k off without me actually having to say it. Was I wrong?”

“You b***h!” Mila stomped her foot but hesitated as they all heard Cory’s laughter. He sauntered up and hooked his arm around Mila’s neck making her blush and look up at him with Bambi eyes.

“I don’t know, I think your fit looks badass…especially the black mesh tee with the black bra underneath, nice touch.” He unashamedly eyed her breast’s nice curves.

Quinn scowled at him, turned with a flick of her head, causing her braid to fly around in a circle and stormed off.

“Cory…why did you have to say that?”

Cory tightened his arm around Mila’s neck and brought his mouth to her ear. “Listen, Mila…leave Quinn alone.”

He walked away leaving Mila with tears in her eyes at the threat in his voice.

“What does she have that I don’t? That f*****g b***h is going to pay for stealing my man! Just wait for next week!”

Cory caught up with Quinn, trotting up beside her and matching her walking pace. She flicked a sideways glance at him and her lips pursed into a disapproving pout.

“Hey, are you busy this weekend? There’s a welcome party for all freshmen being held by us, the footy team…”

“Yes, I’m very busy this weekend, sorry.” Quinn said as she walked.

“Shame, it was for just the guys, a hazing really, but then we decided to open it up to the girls as well…”

“Cool…” Quinn said quite noncommittal. “I’ll let the others know…”

Cory’s mouth twisted. “Can’t you cancel whatever you’re doing?”

Quinn stopped walking and turned to face him with a sour look. “Did you not hear Mila just now? I’m being picked on, because of you.”

“I just told her to leave you alone.” Cory shrugged. “She’s a little obsessive…” He grinned like it was to be expected given his good looks.

Quinn’s mouth twisted. “Wow! Ego much…”

She turned away and walked off the path onto the grass in a different direction hoping he wouldn’t follow.

“Hey!” He called out.

Quinn stopped and looked back at the harsh angry tone more from reflex than anything else.

Cory was glaring at her. “Perhaps if you could be a bit nicer to people you wouldn’t be having all these problems…take my advice…be nicer!”

He walked off, raking a hand through his hair feeling annoyed at her brisk attitude.

Quinn stared at his retreating back for a moment, chewing on her lip. A million come backs swirling around in her mind before it was too late and he had gone. She sighed to herself.

‘I can’t be nicer…I can’t encourage you.’ She thought regretfully.

.

Quinn had offered to pick up a couple of the other freshman girls from the business faculty and take them to the ten pin bowling arcade so she didn’t have to turn up alone. She knew she probably wouldn’t have gone if that was the case, she hated having to turn up to social events alone and awkward.

Emma had insisted on going with Quinn as she really wanted a chance to ride in her Mustang and the other girl, Tania, somehow managed to get dragged in by Emma as well.

It was good and had Quinn relaxed and smiling as she pulled into the parking lot. She looked up at the building and couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Emma asked, taking off her seatbelt and checking her makeup in her compact mirror.

“Strike Palace? It’s a bit 60’s isn’t it?”

“That’s the fun of it…this place is decked out retro style, like you’re actually back there…” Tania said, looking out from the back seat. “Oh, look! Lizzy is here.”

She jumped out of Quinn’s car and walked over to where Lizzy was parking her Tesla.

Quinn watched with a small frown.

Emma saw and snapped her compact closed. “What’s the problem? Is it V8 against electric or something?”

“What?” Quinn looked around with a scoff. “No, nothing like that, just her sister lives in the AOII house with the cheerleaders, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah…but Lizzy isn’t bitchy, she’s nice why else would she organize this freshman bonding thing?”

“Hmm, I guess so.”

“You’ve been getting a hard time from those bitches, huh? Is it because of Reese O’Shea or Cory McMillan?”

Quinn snorted at Emma wondering why she was asking. “Neither, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Emma laughed. “Okay…”

“What’s with that sarcastic tone?” Quinn asked a little defensive. She took a lollipop out of her glove box and stuck it in her mouth.

“Nothing…but I saw Reese run after you out of that café the other day, remember. He clearly likes you.”

Quinn gave her a hard look then got out of the car deciding not even to comment, what was there to say? It didn’t matter if Reese liked her or not, she wasn’t free to do anything about it. Just like how she felt about Cory.

She thought back to the night before and how she had gone onto Cory’s Insta page and scrolled his photos. There were lots of him, practicing with the team but also lots without a shirt. Holy heck, did he have a good body! He also had lots of photos with girls, out at clubs, out at the park, around campus…everywhere. It made her think why was he chasing her? Was it just for the notch on his bedpost? She had heard the rumors that he was a player that got around with a different girl every other week, but then how was Mila so convinced he was her boyfriend?