What? He never waits to see my reaction. The moment the car halts, he's out. Roxanna does the same. I stay seated and rooted. Shocked and sad. "I remember where I met you." Lee's hisses at me. I look around and realise we are the only ones in the car. Ryan is removing the bags from the boot. "I said I remember where I saw you," Lee repeats when I don't acknowledge him. My mind is still preoccupied with Quinn's announcement to care what he has to say. "The Chix xxx club." He says with a smug and that is when he captures my attention. All of it. He smirks when he sees the raw surprise on my face. Like someone who has conquered several kingdoms, he alights victorious. How did he find out? Am always extra careful not leave any loopholes.My hands fly to my chest when Ryan knocks on the car's window and asks if am okay. Am still mad at him for bringing us here. I get out and follow him."Quinn... " His little brother Mets us at the porch. He launches at him and Quinn holds the little
I am glad when the short trip to the small town centre comes to an end. Courtney kept on talking about Quinn and the engagement. I don't know if she was just rubbing it on my face or she was just simply happy.It is an old town with dusty paths. I dig my hand deeper into my jacket and shut my eyes for a moment when the wind blows my hair. I open them and look around and realise the natives are staring at us with questionable looks. "Pfft! Haven't these people seen a Porsche before or a pretty girl?" Courtney flips her rainbow coloured hair. The small town defines what the gap between the rich and the poor is. On our way, I saw acres of lands which the rich owned and then there's the other side of the coin that looked more like the projects. Houses crammed to one another."Let's keep up with time before night falls," Lee warns and casts me a sideways glance. I have been meaning to ask him to keep his finding a secret. Courtney leads the way she seems to know her way. I wonder how ma
Quinn's POVHer sight brings relief. She's the high point of my day. I have craved her presence since we arrived. She isn't aware but her presence is always soothing. Something I will take to my grave than admit it to her. She stands by the open door unsure of what to do. My nerves take a spike as her strawberry scent mix in with the earthly scent that drifts in from the open door, accompanied by the harsh wind. She attempts to smile to cover her blush. She looks sad but smiles to hide it too. I want to unravel what she hides but am afraid of what will come later, I tried that with Misha, look where it left me. Shattered and broken.I'm a Nickel, everything we touch crumbles. I'm just a shell thanks to my father? I shake my head to clear my thoughts."May I come in?" Her smooth voice travels with the wind to my ears. She is a sight to behold. Enticing. "You aren't supposed to be here." I quip in. My eyes travel her hourglass form and the robe that is standing between me and my wi
We are back again to Cara's POV. The sky is more clear and the stars shine brighter in the countryside than in the city. I look up to Quinn who is gazing at me with a blank face. Convincing him we go for a walk was hard. "Why did you choose to have the engagement here?" I ask what has been on my head and pluck at awheatgrasss. "This used to be my grandmother's ranch. My grandfather gave it to her after they divorced." He pauses and gives a small smile, "She loved it." I remain silent unsure where the conversation is heading to. His eyes are focused on the narrow path before us. The barn is disappearing out of sight. My legs burn with cold. He continues, "She reared the largest herd of livestock and employed many workers. This town loved her generous heart." We stop and I look at what is before us. A stream of water, it is clear enough to see the pebbles beneath it. It flows silently. My eyes focus on what is beyond it. Many houses clustered together, the lights illuminating from
I have never hated being anywhere like now. I lift my flask and gulp my drink. I am still sober and I hate it. "Can I have some?" A pretty girl with à blond pixie that Is seated beside me, requests."Be my guest." I hand it over, she takes several gulps of my lite beer."A friend of Courtney or Quinn?" She enquires and passes the flask back. "None." I am quick to answer. She lifts her perfectly trimmed eyebrows. She has the most mesmerising hazel eyes. "I'm a friend of Quinn's friend, Ryan," I answer her curiosity.She turns to the guy seated next to her. He is in a suit with dishevelled hair. It is like he put too much effort to look effortless. "She is with the loser, Ryan." She whispers to him. He peeps to my direction and they both burst into laughter."No offence. But Ryan?" She turns to me.Am offended by these strangers that are laughing at me. I turn back as Quinn goes to his knee and the crowd goes, wow! "Courtney I have known you my entire life. As the little panda tha
I am almost done packing my clothes when I hear the commotion. I decide to ignore it, last night people were too drunk, maybe it is the aftermath. Or the crowd that is slowly arriving for the 4by4 dirt race. Countless cars are parked outside and different media houses are also part of them. I zip my duffle bag."I'm going to kill you." A yell is heard followed by a loud bang. I drop everything and rush out of my room. Am in my nightie and a robe. "You are dead, Nickel." That voice, it is Ryan. I speed up. I get in time as Ryan throws a punch to Quinn. It collides with his cheek and he staggers backwards. Lee, Jermaine and Roxanna are watching the fight with unfamiliar faces that are cramped in the kitchen without attempting to do anything but record the scene."I am tired of you taking everything from me." Ryan throws a second punch, Quinn doesn't even try to defend himself. He welcomes it as he deserves it. This time his lip gets broken.I tag at Lee, "Do something, stop them." I p
"It is your fault she left." Quinn's says as he speeds up on the highway. He's driving like a suicidal maniac. I grasp the truck's door. I am not ready to die even though I have nothing to live for. "Will you slow down," I shout at him. "Was it the attention you wanted?""Am the last person who would want publicity. I have more to lose than you may think.""But still went ahead to be here."Why is everyone blaming me? He is the one that came and kissed me, on the hallway. Where anyone could see us. Then a thought pops into my head, "You sub-consciously wanted us to be caught." I say. That makes him slow down, "Why would I want that?""Because you wanted to sabotage your engagement," I answer.He scoffs, "Why, because of you?"I wish, "No, Because you didn't want it."He brushes me off, "You think you know me, but you don't." He halts in front of a Bar. It looks filthy from the outside. "I thought you were taking me home.""You thought, I didn't say so." With that, he hops off the
Reporters are very predictable. I knew this morning I will find them at the campus, waiting to know the mysterious girl in Quinn's life. I decided to carpool with Oliver, I knew his old SUV that runs on borrowed time and emits smoke as it moves would hide me until I was inside the campus. It worked. "We'll talk in the evening if anything happens i am a call away." Oliver waves as he walks towards the engineering building. I look around, no one saw us. I don't want to drag Oliver in this mess I am in. I'm in a damp mood as I walk past the faculty of Finance. I am angry Andre stood me up, he didn't show up, yesterday. I find students crowded at the notice board. I walk past them ignoring whatever has their interest until I see Mr Marcelo's picture pinned on it. I can't read what is written beneath it unless I get closer. I start to sweat, what if it is a missing notice of death. What did Quinn do to him? I am relieved as I read that the university wishes to announce that Mr Marcelo