The Goldstein Girl

5: Cat Bonding

It'd been a good month and a half before something excited happened. That day, Quinn was waiting for Tina by the Quidditch pitch when she heard the yell. The same girl Quinn had fended Achilles off was again standing near Achilles, but this time his arms were around her.

Quinn jogged over to them and folded her arms over her chest, "What did I tell you, Tolliver?"

The girl pulled her robes tightly around her. Hair strands blew in her face. Achilles' arms were suddenly up, and he was looking at something behind Quinn. She thought it was the game until he said,

"Who's that pretty girl?"

Quinn turned around. Tina had just arrived at the pitch and Achilles has forgotten all about the girl next to him. Tina saw Quinn and walked up to her, wrapping her friend in a hug.

"What's your name?" Achilles asked, looking directly at Tina.

Tina looked at him dismissively answered, "Porpentina Goldstein."

Achilles chuckled, "Who thought it'd be a good idea to name their daughter that?!"

Tina's face burned red, "My mama! And it's a variation of-"

Achilles approached her, "Hey. Did I ask?"

Tina furrowed her brows, annoyed, "Yeah. You did, dirtbag."

Quinn widened her eyes and pulled Tina away. Achilles wasn't done.

"See you soon, prickly girl!" he called.

Quinn shook her head at Tina. It was a silent way of telling her, leave it. Sure, Achilles was a dirtbag, but Quinn would never call him that to his face. Suddenly, Tina yanked backward.

"I said see you soon." Achilles announced.

Tina squirmed and hit at his hand; Quinn was the one who handled him. She clenched her fist and swung her arm. It came in direct contact with his face. Achilles flinched and let go, jumping up and down while holding his nose.

"It's broken!" he screamed, "I think it's broken!"

Quinn folded her arms, "I should hope so. I meant to."

Quinn took Tina by the hand and guided her away. She left the stands and reentered the school. She saw Tina's lip started to tremble out of the corner of her eye and wrapped her in a comforting embrace.

"Hey. You're okay. I promise." she whispered in Tina's ear.

Tina leaned into the embrace and returned Quinn's hug. The girls walked through the halls, passing the stragglers late for the game. Those stragglers rushed to one end of the hall as Quinn and Tina walked leisurely to the other. The girls found their way to the library and sat down just to talk.

Quinn sat beside Tina and stared out the window, "I would've suggested we stay down there, but circumstances made me change my mind."

"You didn't have to hit him." Tina reminded her friend.

Quinn sighed, "I know, I know. It's just- Achilles makes me want to-" a long pause, "-you know. He makes me wanna-"

Quinn ground her knuckles into her palm as she gritted her teeth. Quinn saw Tina shake her head in disapproval out the corner of her eye, but Quinn could've sworn she quickly hid a smile. the girls were quite rudely interrupted when brown ragdoll cat leapt onto the table in front of them. Tina gasped slightly before grabbing the cat and snuggling him in her arms.

"What're you doing out, Lolly?" she asked with a weird voice.

Quinn giggled in admiration. This interaction made her think of something else to say.

"I have a cat, too."

Tina looked up from Lolly as she scratched the cat's underbelly, "You do?"

Quinn nodded, "Yeah! His name is Olly and he's an orange tabby!"

Tina stopped scratching Lolly's belly for a moment, "Why haven't you said anything?"

Quinn shrugged, "You never asked."

"Well, can you bring-?"

She was interrupted by a streak of orange jumping up between them. Quinn's eyes went wide as she grabbed the cat.

"What are YOU doing out?!"

Olly the orange tabby rubbed his head affectionately into Quinn's chin, before playfully biting at her nose.

"Hey! No! Bad kitty!" Quinn said through a stifled giggle.

Tina had started laughing so hard, she nearly fell out of her chair. Quinn saw this out of the corner of her eye, dropped Olly on the table and grabbed Tina, still holding Lolly, placing her back on her chair normally.

Quinn smoothed out Tina's hair and smiled, "There you go." she sat back in her own chair, "I'm sorry. You're not my brother. I don't know why I-"

"Hey, you're okay. It was a little weird, but it reminded me of my mama."

Nothing more was said. Tina looked away and started petting Lolly again. Quinn didn't picked up Olly and stroked his back. The girls sat in silence for a long time.