Autumn Leaves, Heartbeat

'𝙰s 𝚃he 𝙻eaves 𝚃urn 𝙾range'

Quinn watched the blurred buildings out the window of Rosaille's jeep, nervousness pulsing in her veins.

Everything seemed different, yet looked the same.

"You okay?" Rosa asked, giving her a little nudge from the driver's seat. She noticed Quinn's behavior, which was usually like this — fidgety and anxiety-ridden.

She shrugged. There was no way to explain it. It had been an entire year since Quinn left her hometown of Pennsylvania. And now, here she was, two years after the incident, turning into the driveway of the house where it all began.

Rosaille pulled the brakes, and Quinn exhaled. She was back.

Quenton looked through the window, watching his sister as she stepped out of the car. Quinn walked to the trunk, grabbing two suitcases. The door opened before she could knock. "I thought I'd never see you again," Quenton greeted, "I kind of liked that."

She rolled her eyes, "You don't have to tell me you missed me, Quent."

"I have a list of reasons why I–" He replied, interrupted by Quinn lunging herself at him. Shocked at her movement, he stepped back but returned the hug with a smile. Rosaille entered soon after, dropping their carry-on bags into Quenton's arms.

His eyes lingered on her for a second too long, a smirk playing on his lips, "Glad to see you haven't changed since last time."

She frowned, "Was I supposed to?"

"You should know I wouldn't want that," He lowered his voice.

"Quenton, is someone at the door?" Their mother called from the kitchen, tearing him away from his focus on Rosa.

"Is it. ." She walked into the living room, wiping her hands with a cloth. "Quinn?" A warm smile broke on her mother's face, embracing Quinn the moment they touched again. Everything seemed complete. . almost.

As they hugged, Quinn couldn't shake the feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

Times like these reminded her of that day – crying in her mother's arms when the doctor came out to the waiting room. She took a deep breath before pulling away, swallowing those suppressed emotions.

Her mother welcomed them in, hugging Rosa, and ushering them to the living room.

"How was the drive here? How is college? I need to hear about it all." Her mother smiled, placing a plate of cookies on the coffee table, to which Quenton shamelessly picked up three.

Linda Brookes was a selfless woman, much like her late husband. If she could help anyone, even in the smallest way - she would've. All she ever wished for, was to raise a family and grow old with someone.

Which she did, to some extent.

After catching up on everything, her mother returned to the kitchen.

"Where is Dustin?" Quinn asked as her brother slumped into the chair nearest to Rosa.

"Work. He got called in this afternoon."

He wants to see you, though." Quent added.

Those few words made Quinn smile. She met Dustin Cooper at the end of ninth grade. Their friendship eventually grew into a deep admiration for one another. And that's all they kept it as. Even though everyone around them could tell that Dustin was in love with her from the beginning.

But Quinn never noticed.

And besides, she couldn't fall for him. She wouldn't.

It would ruin everything.

—

Pennsylvania was a beautiful place around this time. The atmosphere and the weather made Quinn fall in love with Autumn in the first place.

She pushed open the door to the café with a sigh of contentment. Classical music played quietly inside, and the smell of coffee smothered her as she stepped in. Few customers were sitting around.