The Jerk

The Network

The Network

Copyright Ó AJ Saravia 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the writer.

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.PROLOGUE.

I glanced across at Quinn, frowning as he typed manically at the keys on the board before him on the low desk. Sub-consciously, he reached out a hand for a pile of Cheezles I’d poured into a bowl, stuffing them into his mouth without thinking. Boys.

“Do you think this will work?” I asked, eyes flicking between the bright computer screen and his white-glowing face. I’d left the lights off, Mom downstairs and thinking I was alone, Alice still at the...well, whatever word is better than temporary mental institute. Having Quinn over was probably not the best thing right now, so I’d told Mom an hour ago that I was going up to bed.

He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not sure,” he mumbled, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and leaving a bright orange smear that made me screw up my face. “It probably will. Once we link it to your name and everything, people should come flooding in.” Quinn paused, thoughtful. “Not that that’s a good thing, I think I’d rather see lack of responses than heaps.” After a few more minutes of him tapping away at the keyboard, his blue eyes like that of a bug and him robotically reaching out for more Cheezles, he finally shouted “I’ve done it!” I slapped a hand over his mouth, putting a finger to my lips and immediately looking over my shoulder at my bedroom door. His eyes said, “Sorry.”

“You’ve finished it?” I shuffled closer, leaning on him and peering over his shoulder as he made a space for me beside him. The laptop seemed to buzz for a moment, like it were finalizing a few things, and I smiled when the screen flashed from black to a complete website. “I really do hope that it helps some people,” I murmured, dropping my chin onto his bare shoulder, fingers running up his back to tangle in his hair, making him shiver a little. “Do you think they’ll want to talk?”

“To you?” He smiled and reached behind me to give me a loose hug. “Of course they will. Sweetheart, it’s almost impossible to pour your heart out when you give that puppy face.”

“Which one?” I teased, immediately pulling it. “This one?” I giggled when he rolled his eyes and turned around to poke my side. “Okay! Okay! Stop!” I laughed, jabbing him in his cheek. “Don’t touch what you can’t afford, mister.” My face fell when I looked back at the screen and I wrapped my arms around his shoulder. “It hurts me, you know?”

Quinn let out a warm sigh. “I bet it does,” he kissed my temple, “but at least you’re the type to try and fix it.”

“Try?” I pulled away, frowning. “I’m not trying to fix, Quinn. I am fixing.”

His blue eyes sparkled and he nodded his head. “I know.” He flicked the top of the laptop down and gave me a stern look. “I think it’s getting late, don’t you? I’ll see you tomorrow, all right? And at lunch we can log on and see how things are going.” Quinn gave me a gentle kiss before climbing off the bed and strolling over to the window. He glanced at me from over his shoulder. “For your sake, I hope no one messages in.”

“I do,” I mumbled, “hope, I mean.”

“Good night, Rose,” he gave a small, sad smile and slipped out the window. When I was sure that he was gone, I belly flopped back onto the bed with my head almost buried in the warm sheets. I flicked open the laptop and grimaced.