Dog Tags

Chapter 29

Quinn's POV

Once I manage to pick myself back up I go on with my morning. I tell Jared, my dad, and Etta about the phone call before having breakfast, and then I got back to my room to take a shower and get a move on with my day. I am currently standing in front of my wardrobe dressed in a comfy white-off-the shoulder-sweater and black jeans with tiny rips at the knees as I think of what I want all I need to pack for the weekend, "Going to a friend's house for the weekend shouldn't be as hard as a college math course."

I comment out loud to myself as I toss my toiletry bag and my makeup bag into my duffel. The sound of someone knocking on my bedroom door breaks my focus on picking out outfits. "It's open!" I yell from inside my closet and I hear the sound of my door open, "Quinn?" I hear my brothers voice ask as he walks into the doorway of the closet, "What do you want Jared?" I ask not looking away from the fall section of my closet. "Just wanted to spend a little time with you before you left for the weekend." I turn my attention away from my clothes and over to my brother,

"I am only going to be gone for 2 days and besides I am sure that you are going to be working this weekend." I grab the outfits that I think are prefect for the weekend and walk past my brother and out of my closet over to my bed. "You seem really excited about this party?" Jared asks sitting on my bed next to my duffel. "Of course I am, Chris is one of my best friends and it is weekend full of nothing but horror movies 24 hours." I fold my clothes as I put them in my bag, "Speaking of the party, I heard that there is going to be a costume party on Saturday."

I nod my head because Chris only just announced this morning, but what is a Halloween movie fest without dressing up in costumes. "I am assuming that you are going as Harley Quinn?" Jared knows that is my go to costume, but this year I went out a bought a new costume just in case something like this popped up at the last second and my other costume I have spent months on making myself, "As a matter of fact I am not, for Chris's party I will be dressing up as Daphne from Scooby Doo, and for Halloween this year I will be dressing up as a military girl in honor of Brenton." Jared smiles at me as he leans on his arm,

"You aren't going in anything too revealing, are you?" I roll my eyes but I know that if I am not dealing with Jared then I will be dealing with my dad. I pullout of my Daphne costume from my bag, "It is just a simple dress that almost comes to my knees." I say annoyed of how over protective Jared and my dad can be sometimes. "You and dad do know that I am an adult and can wear something without getting the stamp of approval first." I lightly snap at him as I place the costume back in my bag and start putting my pajamas in the duffel. "We are just looking out for you Quinn, none of us would ever forgive ourselves if anything happened to you." I sigh knowing that they mean well and I love them for it. 

"Nothing is going to happen to me because I am hardly ever alone, but I love you for caring." I kiss his cheek as the two of smile at each other, "Speaking of overprotective, you didn't say much about the phone call from Brenton." That is true, all I told them was he called and will be home sometime next month. "I gave you all the important stuff, the rest is private." Jared takes my hand in his making me look at him in the eyes. "I am talking about what happened last night. Did you tell him?" I snatch my hand away from him looking at him pissed off and confused, "For the last time Jared, what happened last night with Nick was my letting me guard down for a second, and it will never happen again."Jared just stares at me like he trying to get inside my head,

If it didn't mean anything then why not tell Brenton the truth?" I throw the clothes I have in my hands onto the bed letting out a frustrated sound,"Brenton has an enough to deal with being a marine, I don't need to add to it with something that meant nothing." Jared places his hands up in surrender,"Alright, I will let it go." I sigh picking up the clothes and placing them in my bag, "Thank you." Jared clears his throat before opening his mouth again, "Is Nick going to be at the party?" I glare at Jared before nodding my head, "Yes,he is going to be there, Emery told him about it and his girlfriend isn't into the whole Halloween thing." Jared bobs his head clicking his tongue,

"I am not blind Quinn, but I think you are if you don't see that you are falling for this guy. I see the way how just by the mention of his name gets a reaction from you, and I think it is a bad idea for Nick and you to be in close proximity to each other." I try to hold my anger in but at this point it is like a dam slowly starting to break, "I don't; care what you think at this point Jared, this is not your life it is mine, and I will live it that way I want, and that means I will do what I want!" I yell at him and the look on Jared's face is a mixture of emotions.

Before Jared can say anything more I throw the rest of my stuff in my bag, "I don't want to hear it Jared, I can't take any more people talking about Nick." I put on my lace up black heels and grab my purse making sure that I have everything I need, "I am really starting to think that Nick was right when he said that people makes judgments about other people because they don't want to look in the mirror and face their own faults." I scoff at my brother before grabbing my duffel bag and walking out of my room and head downstairs. As I walk into the kitchen I run into my dad, "Slow down pup. What is wrong?" I run my hand through my hair looking to the blue eyes of my dad,

"I am just in one of those moods where I am sick of people telling me what they think I should do instead of letting me decide on what I want to do." My dad hugs me as I let out shaky breath hugging him back. "Slow and deep breaths." I listen to my dad and actually calm down a little as we pull out of our hug. "I have taught you to stand up for yourself and for what you believe in, never forget that." I nod my head as I stand up on my tippy toes and give my dad a kiss on his cheek. "If you need me for anything I will be over at Chris's house until Sunday, I love you." I walk past my dad and head outside and just before I close the front door I hear my dad,

"Love you too, and be safe." I smile as I head to my car loading everything up and once everything is loaded I head to Chris's house.