Sparrows

Chapter 38

Marines POV

Quint directs me to his car parked less than a block away because "he didn't want to pay for parking his car for 10 minutes." You got to love it. We get to his car and I can't believe my eyes. An army green, open top jeep, my dream car when I graduate. I have always imagined myself in this car, driving down the promenade by the beach, my hair rising with the wind.

"YOUR CAR." I say in aw.

"Yeah, I get that a lot. Everyone hates it, I call her the girl repeller of the Upper East Side." He says shyly.

"NO, you got me all wrong, it's perfect, it's literally my dream car oh my GOD, okay sorry I didn't mean to be-"

"Marine you are the first person to like my car. Isn't it nice, I always saw it in Australia and I used to have these dreams where I would be driving down the promenade-"

"By the beach,"

"Exactly." Quint grins. Then there is this weird silence, but it felt quite nice, but we brushed it off with a small giggle and got in the car. He then put the directions in his GPS even though I know Harry's address religiously (stop doing that Marine.)

About 10 minutes later we are arriving at Harry's apartment. Large amounts of expensive cars line around the building, waiting in line for valet. Skinny girls in designer dresses coming out of expensive cars with expensive boys in suits on their arms. Just the crowd I like to hang out with. Tell me why I am here again?

After waiting another 10 minutes to get the car parked, we both step into the lobby. It's weird seeing this place crowded, filled with people I have barely seen before. Usually it's just me walking into this lobby, seeing Harry. I don't know, it was just odd, seeing a place that seemed like home fill up and realize it was never yours to begin with.

"So, this guy, how old is he again?"

I shy away,

"He's turning 20 today."

"Wow." Quint says, looking around at the crowd.

"He seems pretty popular, what is there like a hundred people coming in or something?"

I curl my lips,

"Yeah, he's kind of, ‘that guy.’"

Quint laughs,

"Why are you laughing?" I ask.

"I don't know, you just don't seem like you are the girl who likes 'those guys' who have these parties and this particular lifestyle." Quint says looking around the room.

I chuckle,

"I'm not. It's just, you don't really choose, you know?"

"I know." Quint replies understandingly.

"Okay, so what's the plan? Do you want me to pretend to be your-"

"No, no, I am not really up for games, just let's do what we are doing now, going on a date thing, just be there with me, that's it. I don't want you to get involved in all this, I don't even want to get involved in all this either so, yeah."

"Cool, ready to go in?" Quint asks, giving me his arm to hold onto.

I sigh,

"I guess." We start walking towards the elevator until my name is called,

"Marine! Oh it's so lovely to see you again!" I turn around to see Harry's lobby man, Jack. He started getting used to me popping around here and one day asked who I was visiting. Long story short, Harry introduced me to him (Jack was like his second dad, just like Sal to me,) and ever since he has been a friendly face that I have a better relationship with then my own father.