The Pond

Chapter Nine: Chats With Quinn

Thursday Evening
     ~~~~~~~~~~

     "I opened my locker, cramming all of my books in. It was the end of the day, and yesterday, Jackson told me to wait for him at my locker so that he could come see me.

     I passed my weight back and forth, trying to pass by the time I'd have to wait for him. He was taking a while. I texted Quinn for a few minutes before I heard him coming around the corner in the hall and put my phone away in my book bag.

     It was the time of the day when everyone had already left and it was only me, and now Jackson. But today, he had a surprise for me, and I could tell from his smile and the way he held a hand behind his back.

     He approached me slowly. 'Zoey, I'm sorry I took so long, but I got these for you.' He pulled his arm around, holding out a bouquet of flowers, taking my hand in his and looking at me softly. 'Zoey, will you be my girlfriend?'

     I took the flowers from his hand and wrapped my other arm around his neck, pulling him close to me. 'Yes, I'll be your girlfriend!'"

     I spilled my heart out to Quinn in the parking lot after school that day. But when I told her, surprisingly, her face fell in disappointment.

     "Are you positive that's how it happened?" Quinn looked at me in confusion.

     I held out the flowers he gave me and nodded my head, slightly frowning at her disappointment. "Definitely. Now why are you so upset?"

     "Because, I wanted you to get with Wyatt." Quinn looked down at the floorboard in my car and I rolled my eyes.

     "Look Quinn, Wyatt just doesn't like me in that way. If he did, he would have made a move by-"

     "He has!" Quinn cut me off.

     "What do you mean?" I looked at her like she was crazy.

     "He is so sweet to you!" Quinn threw her hands up like it was hopeless. "Zoey, you go tomorrow, okay? I want you to tell me what happens, and if something good happens, like I know it will, then you need to get with him!"

     "Quinn, I'm already dating Jackson."

I don't know why she's so hung up over Wyatt and I... honestly, I haven't even told her the whole story, because for some reason I just feel like it should stay between him and I.

     "Awe. Alright, but still tell me what happens!"

     I took Quinn home, not saying much because my mind was on the same thing it's been on for like, forever. Who do I want? But when I got home, I went straight to texting Jackson until I fell asleep, trying to forget about Wyatt as much as I could bare.

Friday After-School
     ~~~~~~~~~~

     "Hey, Beautiful." I heard his voice behind my locker door before I saw him. He scared me slightly, but I recovered.

     "Hey, Boyfriend." I smiled when I saw Jackson and he immediately engrossed me in a hug. It felt so good to be in his warm embrace. He pulled away and kissed me on the cheek.

     "I'm glad I got to see you, Zo. But, I've got to get going." Jackson sighed and gave me a pouty face. But I smiled to make him feel better.

     "Hey, it's okay! We can do something tomorrow. Maybe, go to the park?"

     "Sure, we'll talk it over tomorrow. See ya." Jackson headed off quickly and I grabbed my bag out of my locker. I watched him walk away, without looking back. It was weird, honestly, that he rushed off the way he did. But,  I remembered that he wasn't the only one with places to go.

    
     I tossed my book bag into my back seat and buckled my seat belt next to Quinn.

     "Well, you're earlier today. What happened?" Quinn put her phone down as we talked it over and I drove us to my house before my study date with Wyatt later.

     "I don't really know, he was acting strange today." I kept my eyes on the road, but gave her facial expressions as I spoke because I knew she was looking at me.

     "Oh boy, let me hear it, Zo." Quinn sounded worried.

     "Well, he got to my locker and surprised me, and it was so romantic. He hugged me and then kissed me on my cheek. But then, he didn't even take any time to talk to me. He just said, 'I'm glad I got to see you, Zo. But I've got to get going.'"

     "Zoey?" Quinn looked at me apologetically. She thought for a few minutes as if what she was about to say would crush me.

     "Yeah?" I had no idea what she was thinking, but I was worried by her tone.

     "Before I say this, just know that I've had many guys, and even though I'm totally team 'Zyatt', I care about you a lot." She paused and I nodded my head with her. She took a deep breath and looked away from me. "I think Jackson might be cheating on you."

     "What!" I pushed on the brakes, not thinking about what I was doing. I threw my head to her and she didn't change her mood.

     "Zoey, push on the gas." Quinn calmed me down with a soothing tone and a pat on the arm. "Honestly Zoey, I didn't say he is for sure, he's just acting sketchy."

     "But he's a nice guy, I don't think he would do that, Quinn." We pulled up in my driveway and got out of the car. I tried to convince her but she wasn't budging. A guy like him wouldn't do that, would he?

     "Zoey, I'm going to say this only because you need to hear this." There goes that pause again... you're killing me Quinn. "But you are judging these boys by the way they seem. For one, any guy can cheat. And two, Wyatt may be Lucas's cousin, but he is a sweet guy to you!" Quinn stopped me in the driveway in front of her.

     I stared back at her, listening closely. It hurts, not knowing what I want. I know that I may make the wrong decision and hurt someone else. I looked back at her and gave up. "Quinn, I just don't know how I feel." My face fell as my eyes filled with tears.

     "Hug it out." She pulled me in and hugged me so tight that I started laughing.

     "Will you help me figure out what I want?" I looked at Quinn and pouted to her, but she didn't let go of me.

     "You know I will."

     Quinn and I sat in my room for hours, talking about the pros and cons of both situations. She made me feel better and actually may have changed my opinion. It took about an hour before we finally decided what to do, right before I left for the park.
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     Ooooo, what do you guys think? Team Zyatt, or team Jackson and Zoey? What should their couple name be?

~morgan_loves_books