Avoiding August (ONGOING)

Chapter 10

Quinn would be played by Taylor Momsen. (I edited this picture to darken her hair to Quinn's colour and changed the colour of her skin a bit.)

"It's 8:00, so you should be home by 8:20." August stated after a quick glance at the clock in the car. The engine started, shaking the vehicle to life, the headlights beaming out in front of them in the underground car park.

Quinn fiddled with the handles of the bag full of books she held, plastic rustling. "Alright. Cool."

He pulled out of the car park, and plunged into the night. As the mall disappeared behind them, into the blank dark, she fixed her eyes on August.

The car stopped at a red light, and he turned to her. She went to look away, but then he began to talk.

"Thank you."

"... Excuse me?"

"You... saved me. From that guy." His dark eyelashes casted long shadows over the soft slopes of his cheeks as he looked down.

"Oh. Well, what else would I have done?" Quinn smiled a little. "It's no big deal. It's nothing to thank me for."

The light turned green, and he stepped on the gas pedal. "Trust me, Quinn, it is a big deal."

August's white car rolled to a stop in front of Quinn's house. She unbuckled her seatbelt, pulled his book out of the bag and handed it to him.

"Thank you for the date." She said, and left the car, the long strap of her small handbag swinging clumsily about from her shoulder.

August struggled his way out of the driver's seat, stumbling his way up the path behind her. When she heard his footsteps, she paused to look at him.

He stopped just inches away from her. His breath came out in puffs of white smoke, due to the cold night air. The moon casted a light, bluish haze around them.

"No kiss?" He asked. She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or serious.

Her mind short circuited as he proceeded to lean in. As August's lips feathered over her's, she turned her head, blushing. His lips pressed against her hot cheek.

She tried not to look at him too much; she had rejected his kiss. Surely it wouldn't matter to him; he probably made out with girls far more attractive than her three times a day.

She thought she was imagined the pinch of hurt in his deep, dark eyes as he smiled softly. Was she imagining that his smile was as bitter as it was?

Her face red, she fiddled with the plastic bag of books hooked on her fingers. "Thank you." She breathed out, softly, then made her way into her house.

The street was shrouded in quiet.

August stood there for a moment, before exhaling deeply. He looked down at the novel in his hands, before ambling over to his car and driving away.

Quinn woke to the sound of her phone. Squinting against the light prodding through her window's blinds, she grasped around for her phone. When she got a hold on it, she looked at the screen, and saw that it was a call from Louis.

She cleared her throat and answered the call. "Hello?" Quinn winced to herself at the rough croak of her voice

"Quinn."

"Yes?" She registered that something bumped against her leg. She looked down and saw a book. Did she stay up all night reading? She couldn't remember.

"Me and the boys. Movie marathon. Do you want to come shopping with us for snacks? Wait, are you going to the movie marathon? I shouldn't just assume-"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Um, what time is it?" She rolled around in her bed trying to find where her hair brush could be.

"11:30. Are you up? We're thinking of going to the supermarket to get some food soon."

She lied in the most lively voice she could muster, "Of course I'm up."

"Okay, well are you ready? Text me your address and we can pick you up?"

She swore under her breath, grabbing her brush when she caught sight of it. "Um, yes, alright. I'll just check with my mum and I'll text you." She hung up and raced down the hallway, haphazardly brushing her hair. When she made it to her mum's bedroom, she knocked before bursting in.

"Mum?"

Her mother was wide awake and dressed, smoothing makeup onto for face. What a morning bird. "Yes, Quinn?"

"Can I go to the shops with some friends? After that we're going to have a Star Wars movie marathon."

"Sure. You can even have the marathon here if you want." Her mother offered with a pleasant smile. "Just tell me when you're about to leave."

"Alright." Quinn said, before showering for the shortest time she ever had, then throwing on black jeans and the first white shirt she saw. She dived her her phone whilst doing up her jeans and texted Louis, 'sorry, long convo with mum lol. Anyway, my address is 175 on Westeros Avenue'

'Righto. We'll be there in 5.'

Breathing a sigh of relief, Quinn started looking for her shoes and a handbag.

Not long after she found them, there was the blast of a car horn outside, and her phone dinged to signal a text. Quinn hollered to her mother that she was leaving, ran down the stairs and made her way out of the house.

"Hi!" She called out to the three boys in the large car.

The backseat door was popped open for her, and she clambered in as casually as she could with her small stature. Gabriel was revving the engine from the driver's seat, Louis was nagging at him from the passenger seat, and Thandiwe was sitting in the back with Quinn quietly.

"Seat belt done up?" Gabriel asked, and didn't wait for her affirmative to go speeding up the road.