After Sunset

Chapter Three

BACK AT THE park the following day, Dylan was keeping her usual distance from the others when she heard Quinn say, "May I please talk to you?"

She turned to face Quinn and quickly studied her. Quinn was in a simple but elegant dress, but she was still less fashionably dressed than one might expect of a rich girl. Dylan was surprised she'd managed to catch up to her in those thousand-dollar shoes.

"I don't believe we have anything to talk about," she said.

"I need to talk to you about what happened last night."

Having been in a nasty mood since she got up, Dylan held on to what little patience she had, trying not to blow up. The last thing she needed was a confrontation about what had happened. 

"There's nothing to talk about. I obviously misread the situation, and for that, I apologize. Now if you don't mind, I'd really like to finish cleaning up my area so that I can leave."

"Dylan, please."

The imploring tone in Quinn's voice caused Dylan's hesitation. "I don't want to talk about last night," she said finally.

"Okay then, fine. But we were getting along so well, can we at least try to be friends?" 

The pleading in her eyes tugged at Dylan. No matter how much she wanted to avoid any further involvement, she couldn't bring herself to dismiss Quinn.

"If that's what you want," she said grudgingly.

"Thank you," Quinn said.

"Then do you mind if I walk with you?"

God, she needed a drink. "Only if you don't get personal, if you must talk at all." 

Quinn laughed.

"What's so funny?" Dylan adjusted her crutch.

"Your rudeness. I know you use it to keep people at a distance. But when anyone manages to get the least bit close to you, you use it as a defense mechanism to keep yourself from caring."

"Studying psychology?"

Quinn laughed again. 

"Your sarcasm serves the same purpose, though I have to admit I kind of like it."

Despite her best effort to be offended, Quinn's statement calmed Dylan. "So, if those were just your brothers and sisters, I can't imagine how big your extended family must be," she said.

"It's actually quite big. My father has five brothers and sisters, and my mother has seven. I don't even know some of my cousins. I've probably met them, but I could pass them on the street without knowing them. My older siblings have spent more time with them, so they're better at recognizing them than I am."

"How come you're so different from the rest of your family?"

Dylan told herself that she was just making small talk to keep herself from thinking about smoking, drinking, the previous night's interrupted kiss, and Quinn's surprising news about her engagement.

"There is a big age difference between us. After my brother was born, I guess my parents thought they were done having children, until I showed up. I wasn't planned for. They were more lenient with me, but for the most part, I grew up the same as my siblings. At some point, I just broke the pattern because I didn't want to turn out like them."

"What's wrong with turning out like them?"

"Nothing, there's nothing wrong with them. I just don't feel the need to follow in their footsteps."