Wrong Number: A Quinton Griggs Fanfiction «completed»

Part 34: I Love You

Quinton looked panicked, and I immediately regretted saying anything at all. "I, um, wow, I really shouldn't have said that. Maybe I'll just, um, let's just eat, okay?"
"No, it's okay that you said something," he said, trying to make me feel better. The fact that he didn't bother to say it back made it painfully difficult for me to feel better. 
"Lunch is ready!" I announced, avoiding any contact with Quinton. I really wasn't interested in continuing the discussion. 

I sat several seats away from Quinton, looking anywhere but at him. The discussion made a turn to ask me about the case, and I didn't have an option to think about Quinton anymore. 
"So, tell us a little bit more about what Jeremy said," Bryce stated, taking a bite of his sandwich. 
"Oh, um," I stammered, "he called and said that they closed out the case and that I'm going to be compensated for my sudden termination."

The conversation kept going, and I zoned out. I was back to focusing on Quinton, and I excused myself from the table, making my way to the bathroom. I really wasn't in the mood to cry in front of all of them, especially if I was crying about Quinton not saying 'I love you' back to me. There was a knock on the door, and I sniffled, wiping my tears with the backs of my hands. "I'll be out in just a second!" I called out.
"Can I come in, Izzie?" Quinton asked from the other side of the door. 
Against my better judgment, I opened the door. "Did you need something, Q?"

He pushed me backward, pressing his lips forcefully to my own. His hands were in my hair as he kicked the door shut behind him. I wrapped my legs around him as he picked me up, setting me down on the edge of the sink. Quinton pulled away slowly, his hands never leaving the sides of my face. "I love you, too. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything in the kitchen. It shocked me, I guess."
"Why would it shock you?" I asked. "Why would me loving you come as a shock to you?"
"I knew that you were really hurt by your ex, and I know that I hurt you, too, once upon a time. I wasn't expecting it," he explained. He was still standing positioned between my legs, and I pulled him in by his shirt. 
I went back to kissing him, and I leaned into him. I was back to feeling safest when I was with him, and I was here for it. 

There was another knock on the door, and we practically jumped apart. I giggled at his facial expression before calling out. "What's up?" 
"Um, well, this is a bathroom, so I need to use it," Bryce said.
Quinton and I both laughed again, and I hopped off of the sink, opening the door. "Sorry, Bryce. We'll get out of your way," Quinton joked from behind me. 

We skipped going back to the kitchen, heading upstairs instead. We laid in his bed for what felt like forever, and I looked up at him as I laid on his chest. 
"Quinton, what are we doing here?"
"We're cuddling," he answered, obviously confused. 
I shook my head. "No, Q. I mean, what are we doing in this relationship?"
He stroked my hair as he spoke. "We're taking things slow. That was what you wanted, right?"
"It was. It is. I just, I don't know. Do you see this going anywhere? Do you see us going anywhere? I'm falling in love with you, and I don't want to see myself get hurt," I answered, my voice trailing off towards the end of my sentence. 
"You're falling in love with me? Like, 'spend the rest of our lives together' falling in love?" he asked for clarification.
"Yes," I replied, nodding. "Like 'spend the rest of our lives together' falling in love. Like 'have a cute family together' falling in love. You've become my rock, Quinton, and I love you more than anything."

He grew silent, but his hand never stopped playing in my hair. I rolled over, burying my face in his chest. I couldn't believe that I had said something like that to him without knowing what he would say back. That was like the first rule of my life. 'Never say anything to someone unless you know what they're going to say back.'
"Okay, my love," he finally murmured. "I love you more than anything, too, and I can see us spending forever together."

Visions of our hypothetical children danced around my head, and I found myself growing increasingly excited at what could be. 
"What are you thinking about?" he whispered, kissing me on the top of the head. 
I wrapped my arms tighter around him before answering. "I'm thinking about you, about us, about our future."
I closed my eyes, allowing my breathing to slow as I drifted off to sleep. 

When I woke up, Quinton had also fallen asleep, and his light snoring was like music to my ears. I loved him more than words could even begin to explain, and that included his snores. 
I pulled myself away from him, pattering barefoot down the hallway and down the stairs to the kitchen. Jaden looked as though he hadn't moved from his spot at the table since we had eaten lunch. 
"What are you doing down here?" I asked, sitting down next to him. 
"Mads is coming over soon, and I knew that I would fall asleep if I sat in the living room," he explained. "What are you doing down here?"
"I'm in love with Quinton."
"And that's what you're doing down here?" Jaden asked, a look of confusion crossing his face. 
"Oh, no, no that's not why I'm down here. I woke up from our little nap, and I don't know. I think that I just needed to, uh, I don't know, say it out loud or something. I just, I love him, Jaden. I owe this all to you, you know?"
"Oh, hey, I just pushed you guys together. You guys did all the hard stuff."