STOPS

Wednesday

QUINN's POV:

I cannot get Taylor's stupid song from my head because it played on the coffee shop throughout my whole shift.  Somehow, 6 hours doesn't cover it and I had to hear it again for myself. So as I stood waiting on the platform I took out my earbuds and my phone. As my phone lit to life, I realized that I cannot remember the title of the song. 

I closed my eyes as I tried to quiet the world around me so I can hear the words in my head and search for the lyrics. It was during this time that I felt the presence of another human being coming too close. 

Instinctively, I clutched my backpack that hung loosely around my right shoulder. Not that it has anything of value inside, it was just a warning that I knew he was close and should thus alert him off if he intends any harm. 

I slowly opened my eyes but I was looking at the ground, and I can see his shoes beside me. I slowly lift my head to look at his face in case he does intend to harm me and in the event that this ends up in the police station I need to give them his description. I should've just run away I know instead of having to overthink this stuff. 

He was way taller than me but his features were alarmingly similar. My heart throbbed loudly within me. Damn that iced coffee that I took on my way out. 

"Hey Quinnster, good morning." I met his familiar eyes. 

I took my earbuds off, theong search completely off my mind as I mustered a smile. 

BARRY MILLER's POV:

Quinn Barrett.

It had been a while since I allowed Quinn to cross my name, much less let her name escape my lips. Mark was right, she was the one we saw last week.

Her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail high on her head. She was holding her bag close to her which makes me wonder if she thought I was some bad guy about to make a move on her. I chuckled at the thought and her eyebrows came together in question. She must have said hi or something in reply to me but I honestly didn't hear it.

I was lost. Lost in the memories of her and everything in between. I never should've said Hi without stupid Mark to save the conversation.

I willed myself to looked at her eyes and mutter some sort of small talk.

She was looking straight into my eyes as well. Her body looked tired but her eyes were alive and looking into it was sucking me into everything I've been trying to forget.

QUINN'S POV:

"Hi Barry" I said. I hoped my smile reached my eyes or else it would've looked creepy. He surprised me and I had no strength left to offer a genuine smile.

He was looking at me from head to toe, it was making me self-conscious.

"Late class?" He asked as we finally heard the sound of the train a few meters away.

Come quicker. I whispered to the train into the tense air hanging between us.

"Late shift" I explained. "I work at the coffee shop near the library, how bout you?"

"Late class," he said.

The train stopped in front of us and he let me stepped inside first.

"How many stations?" he asked as he settled on the seat next to mine.

"5," I said.

"7," He said, realizing too late that I wasn't asking.

He turned to look at me suddenly and I had to pinch myself in order to fight the urge to run away as his eyes bored into my skin.

"What?" I asked, looking up at him. The only way to face your fear and all this awkwardness that I was feeling was to face it head-on.

He had always been taller than me ever since he hit puberty which makes looking up at him harder. Barry has a thing with making eye contact. He has an intense stare. He stares like you talking was the most fascinating thing he has ever seen. I loved and hated it at the same time.

"It's been what? 2 years?" He said, he turned away and looked straight ahead at our reflection in the glass window in front of us.

"Yeah, it's been so long. Can you imagine?"

"It was just senior year then when you crashed your grandpa's car," he said, the memory of Grandpa's angry rants still embedded in my brain.

"It was the tree, the tree crashed into me," I attempted to clarify.

"And I was copying off your assignment during freshman year here like it was yesterday, then we never saw each other after that class ended and now you're here. In the actual flesh and you haven't aged a day Quinnster" Barry laughed.

He always called me Quinnster.

"You always take the train home?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I live kinda far away, dorms within the campus are too expensive ever since my parents decided to go on world tours and I was left to fend off for myself. I've never seen you take the train before though" I said, attempting to keep the conversation going.

"Mark wanted to take night classes this semester and since we have the same minor subjects, we took it together" Barry explained.

I wanted to ask two questions but only one seemed right at the moment.

"Night classes?" I could have gone with Mark but I was staying off the topic of him.

"He failed half of his subjects last semester because he couldn't get up early"

"From partying?" it sounded more like an accusation than a question.

Barry laughed. "yes"

"So Mark, uhm why is he not with you?" It was the only logical question to ask next.

"he's 'sick' or so he texted," Barry said, putting up air quotes when he said the word sick. "So the coffee shop near the library huh, I've never seen you there," he said

"Have you ever been there?" I asked

"thrice maybe," he said. "I mean the library is not my favorite place on campus"

"I work late shifts" I explained

"Why?" he stressed out on the word longer than necessary.

The train slowed down and I realized that we were finally at my stop.

" I get off here," I said, quickly standing up to dash out the opening doors before he could get another word out.

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BARRY'S POV

Barry watched after her in surprise. She seemed in a hurry to get away like hanging out with him was something she had been looking forward to the entire train ride.

Besides, why was she so so excited to get away when she was the one who broke his heart? He should be the one avoiding her at all cost.

He was doing a pretty good job at it though for the past two years. He was getting by okay. He had managed to stop dropping by the library altogether the last few months when he realized that she was working there.

But when he saw her at the platform tonight he just couldn't stay away from her any longer. Besides, before all the feelings got involved, she was his best friend. And tonight all he wanted was to talk to his best friend.