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HER LATE NIGHT NETFLIX BINGE HAD CAUSED Quinn to sleep in longer than she'd planned, and at the sound of her mother shuffling around outside her door, she snapped up, fixing her hair before glancing at her cell phone. 12:17. She jumped up, knowing that her mother would be barging in soon. Her phone flashed with two missed calls, and upon further inspection, she realized they were from Jess.
"Quinn, sweetie?" It was her mother's voice, calm through the door. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Oh, yeah, mom," Quinn smiled, opening the door to reveal the short Puerto Rican woman that stood in the doorway. "Just stayed up a bit late, lost track of time. Grey's Anatomy does that to you." She chuckled.
"Sweetheart," Her mother began. "I'm worried about you. You've been sleeping a lot lately. You haven't been working out or going out much. Is everything okay? Are you and Jess-"
"Jess and I are fine," Quinn sighed, not in the mood for her mother's lectures. "I just... things aren't going well with my career. I've worked my ass off for the past five years, and what do I have? A pile of student loans and an unsuccessful job."
"Why didn't he come with you?" Her mother asked, still thinking about Jess.
"I asked him not to," she bit her fingernail, a nervous habit she still hadn't kicked. "I thought it would be good... I thought that this was something I had to do alone."
"I think you should call him," Her mother grabbed her hand, admiring the band on her finger. "You need him here."
Quinn nodded, admitting defeat.
Six hours later, Jess Mariano was sitting next to Quinn, their fingers intertwined as they waited for their food. Luke's was busy, the tourists stopping by for a quick meal before heading to the Dragonfly. It was summer; high-time for people from all over to visit little Stars Hollow. Quinn had never really seen the appeal, but she was proud of her little community, nonetheless.
"Thanks for coming here," Quinn whispered, feeling a little guilty. She knew Jess wasn't really a fan of Stars Hollow; he loved his uncle, he was always happy to see Rory, and he would move here if it would make Quinn happy, but he had too many bad memories of the place.
He squeezed her hand tighter. "You know I would do anything for you, Quinn."
She smiled, biting her lip. "I know you would, Jess."
She looked at him like he was the sun and the moon and the stars, because, in reality, he was. Jess Mariano had been her first boyfriend, the first guy who had really noticed her. Sure, during the year they were apart, she had dated thr grad assistant in her ceramics class, which made it veryawkward when they broke it off.
