Caught In The Middle

We all have trauma cont...

Quinn frowned. “My what?”

“How many people you’ve slept with.” Lizzy cooed, amused. Quinn thought she looked like she was enjoying this far too much, had she been in on this?

She frowned deeper and more serious. “I’ve only slept with one guy.”

“Really?” They all sounded surprised and Quinn gave them all a strange curious look.

“Why is that so shocking? What’s all yours?”

Reese chuckled. “Get a strike and then you can ask…it’s your turn.”

She huffed and stood up, grabbing the pink ball she had chosen to play with and walked to the alley.

“You think that was actually the truth?” Mac asked Reese as Quinn played her shot.

“She didn’t look like she was lying.” Reese shrugged, watching Quinn.

“She seems strangely innocent of a lot of things…was she home schooled or something?” Lizzy butt in.

Reese’s gaze slid to Lizzy with interest. “Home schooled? Interesting theory, yeah, she seems quite out of touch with a lot but still sassy as shit.”

Quinn managed to get three pins down and then missed the rest on her second shot returning to the table with a disappointed little pout.

“Maybe next time…” Reese teased. Quinn stuck her tongue out at him and dropped into her seat folding her arms with a huff. He chuckled deeply, wiping a thumb over his bottom lip. “f**k, don’t do that…I will not be responsible for what happens next.”

Quinn flinched away and glared at him in shock. His intense gaze just gazed back and his eyebrow lifted as if daring her to do it again.

Mac had jumped up and started the next round, getting a strike. Quinn grimaced and her face fell to the ground. Reese frowned, perhaps this game had done its dash. He looked up at Mac with a look to not say Quinn but Mac frowned at him.

“I’m guessing Quinn will just choose truth at this stage.” He said as he sat down. “So I have a question that I really have been genuinely interested in finding out about.”

Quinn looked up with a sick expression on her face wondering what the f**k he was going to ask. Reese sat up with a grumpy look. “That’s enough.”

Mac grinned. “Nah, hear me out…I’m sure everyone has been wondering what’s up with the lollipops?”

Reese’s face looked surprised for a second and he turned to see that Quinn looked equally as shocked. She pressed a hand to her chest and laughed, relieved. “s**t, I was literally scared and ready to walk out of here…”

Mac just chuckled.

“So?” Lizzy asked. “We are all dying to know? Are you trying to give up smoking?”

“I thought maybe she was diabetic and needed the sugar boost, until I saw they were sugar free lollipops.” Emma said.

Quinn smiled to herself, she hadn’t realized it was such a big deal. “I’m not eating to try and fit into a dress for tomorrow night, I have a function to go to.”

“You eat at lunchtime every day.” Reese stated with a dark frown. “And you hardly need to lose weight…”

Quinn looked at him a little shocked to hear the vehemence in his voice. She wouldn’t have to try and lose weight if Antonio didn’t purposely always buy a dress a size smaller than she was, but she couldn’t say that to him.

She just shrugged. “You asked…I eat one meal a day, but don’t worry, I’ll be back to eating normal on Monday.”

“Hmm, I get it…I guess guys don’t.” Emma said in her defense.

“You want a drink?” Reese asked, like he wanted a reason to suddenly leave.

Quinn’s eyes squinted suspiciously.

“I’m getting one for myself, probably for Tank and Mac too, Lizzy? Emma?”

“Sure, Coke.”

“Thanks, Dr Pepper.”

“Quinn?” Rese asked again, managing an innocent look.

“Fine, can I have an orange juice, please?” She gave him a pretty little smile.

Reese’s head tilted sideways as he scrutinized her. “You’re so polite, have you had etiquette lessons?”

Lizzy giggled. “I had to do those…god, they were such a pain!”

Quinn just seemed to blush and looked away awkwardly.

“A question for a strike, maybe?” Reese commented, smirking at her expression with interest.

Quinn startled and looked back at him noticeably distressed. “Please don’t.”

That made him scowl darkly. Something certainly wasn’t right about this girl and he really wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Quinn looked away and searched out the sign for the bathrooms. “I’m going to the bathroom…” She fled leaving Reese bewildered.

Quinn really hoped he didn’t push things otherwise she was going to have to lie and she was hopeless at lying. She certainly couldn’t tell them she had never received etiquette lessons more submissive lessons, made to be polite when asking for anything of Antonio.

“Wow! She’s so scaredy cat of social gatherings…does she suffer from anxiety?” Emma asked as she stood up. “I’m going to go see if she’s alright.”

Reese raked a hand through his hair and stood up. “I’m going to get the drinks, maybe some loaded fries too…”

“Cool…” Lizzy smiled. “Can I ask you something though?”

Reese gave her a challenging stare that made her stop breathing. “Get a strike first.” He said walking off. “But just realize, I’m not here to talk to you.”

Lizzy gasped at his back, stunned by his sudden coldness.

“Savage.” Mac chuckled.

“Typical, Rice.” Tank commented. “I bet he’s going to the bathroom.”

.

Quinn was staring into the sink, running her hands under the water and trying to convince Emma she was fine when the door banged open and Reese strode in. Quinn backed up to the side wall looking terrified as his heated golden gaze settled on her.

“Hey!” Emma shouted. “You can’t come waltzing in here!”

“Get out.” Reese ordered, his voice low and calm, but deadly. He didn’t even look in Emma’s direction but she knew he meant her. She swallowed hard, glancing at Quinn to see if she would be okay.

“Out!” Reese looked at her then and Emma jumped out of her skin, his order was so menacing and he looked like a werewolf glaring at her with those golden eyes through his fringe of dark hair, deranged.

“S-sorry…” She whispered to Quinn before she fled.

Reese slid his gaze back to Quinn, he didn’t approach her, just leaned back on one leg, his hands dropping into the pockets of his leather jacket and tilted his head at her studying her like she was a new undiscovered animal on the discovery channel.

She looked completely terrified, vulnerable, yet there was a fire in her eyes as she returned his gaze, similar to a cornered wild beast ready to lay its life down.

“Are you alright? I apologize if I stepped over a line, we were just having fun, weren’t we?” Reese’s voice changed tone, it seemed casual, soft and Quinn blinked in surprise.

“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you? Why do you think I would?” His frown was offended.

Quinn shook her head, relaxing a little. “No, I don’t…I just…” She stopped and her eyes dropped to the ground.

He raked a hand through his hair and he saw her eyes lift to watch his movements, like that cornered animal watching the predator. His smirk was smoldering and hot as he realized a small part of him was being turned on by this.

“Did you have strict parents? You’ve never done this sort of thing have you?”

Quinn breathed in a deep breath and folded her arms defensively. “I suppose you could say that they were, and no I’ve never been out with boys before.”

Reese scratched his jaw. “How did you lose your virginity at fifteen then?”

Quinn paled at his affronting question and shook her head, biting her lip nervously.

He saw that reaction and his jaw clenched. Was her first time not a good experience? Had she been r***d or something?

“f**k, sorry…was it not a good thing?”

Quinn looked up at him with a wavering glance as tears threatened and welled up in her eyes. “I’m sorry…I just don’t want to do this. You’re being too much…”

“I…” Reese sighed and collected his thoughts. “I was hoping for a fun relaxed night playing bowls and a few sneaky little games to find out more about you…it obviously back fired…we’ll go.”

He turned away and walked to the door, opening it. He paused when he heard a little ‘I’m sorry’ come from Quinn.

“Look, if you actually want to get to know me come out of here, if you don’t stay in here till I leave.” He walked out leaving Quinn staring at the bathroom door.

“What…the…hell?” She breathed. He wasn’t at all what she thought he was. She thought he was going to force the issue with her, try to kiss her or grope her maybe…instead he had backed off the instant he realized her trauma, apologized even and then put it all in her hands to decide what she wanted.

But what did she want?

What she wanted never mattered, she had never been asked what she wanted. When she tried to do anything for her own self it had been shut down and arrangements had been made for her for the benefit of the Ferrante family.

She liked him…

He seemed cocky and red-flag at first but he held himself to a moral code when it came to girls. He gave the same protective vibe as Cory did but in a much more violent and dangerous way.

Did she dare to go against Antonio and start talking to these guys?

If she kept her interactions with them within campus maybe she should risk it? She was practically an adult now…and she wanted freedom.

She dashed out the door of the bathroom and ran to the bowling alleys. She saw Reese and Tank were gone.

“Where’s Reese?” She asked Mac.

“He’s leaving…” Mac pointed to the exit.

Quinn ran off and threw herself through the door, looking out over the parking lot to see two motorbikes starting up side by side.

She was too late.

She sat down on the step, hugging her arms around herself and watched as the bikes drifted off to the exit.

She saw one stop as he seemed to be looking in his mirror then he turned his bike and headed her way as the other bike waited.

She stood up and watched as Reese came back, lifting his visor and idling his bike beside the steps. “You almost missed me…I’m glad I looked back in hope.” His eyes were sparkling like golden light and she could see he was really happy.

She smiled. “I’m really glad you did to…but I need to do this at my speed, not yours…okay?”

“Sure, babe, just don’t make it too slow…” He chuckled. “I’ll see you Monday, don’t ignore me.”

“I won’t and thank you for understanding.”

“We all have trauma, Quinn, I get it.” He said and banged his visor down, revved his bike and turned it around then took off.

Quinn stared after him.

He had trauma?