Dog Tags

Chapter 43

Quinn's POV

Nick and I spent the rest of yesterday watching Riverdale and ordering pizza, I can't stop thinking that maybe Chris was right when he said that I was falling in love with Nick, and the comment from Sarah about how Nick and I make a cute couple is also weighing on my mind. As for today I am dressed a sand colored sweater, light blue jeans, sand colored boots, and I am spending the day with my friends at the mall. Right now, I am in Vault Street Clothing with Emery and Caily while drinking my peppermint mocha Frappuccino. "Are you going to tell why you have been sneaking around with Nick?" Emery blurts out making almost cough up my drink all over the place.

"Where did that come from?" I ask through my coughs getting the attention from other people in the store, "Nick seems different as of late, and I know that has nothing to do with Nikki or the baby." I finally get my coughing under control and take a few deep breaths, "I didn't know how to tell you Emery, I know that Nick and you have a very fragile friendship and I didn't want to come in between you." Emery grins but I can also see hurt in his eyes because after the party at Chris's house Emery told me that doubts our friendship and feels like I would pick Nick over him,

"I am happy that Nick finally has that positive person in life, but I just don't want you to get hurt." I nod my head knowing that Emery just like everyone else is looking out for me when it comes to my friendship with Nick, "My mind has been on nothing more than the holidays and more importantly Brenton finally getting to come home." Caily walks up to the two of us with her bags in her hands. Caily is 23 years old, a little over 5 foot with long curly brown and brown eyes. "I am all set" Emery quickly takes the bags for Caily as the three of us head out of the store and head to the food court to meet up with Nick, Reed,Chris, and Alexa.

As we reach the food court we find the group and sit down all together. "What took the three of you so long?" Reed asks staring daggers at Emery who ignore the look and leans back in his chair as Caily places her head in his forearm."Caily took a little detour and did some shopping." Emery says and the way that Caily and him look at each other you can tell that there is something there."Reed and I are almost down with the small amount of shopping we needed to do,but our shopping had more to do with Christmas." I smile getting that Christmas feeling that I love so much, 

"Speaking of Christmas, we need to figure out when and where we are having our annual Christmas celebration." Chris says putting his arm around Alexa. Since freshman year of high school my friends and I have all picked one date during Christmas vacation to get together and exchange presents along with just having a good time, and even when I moved away I was always home for the holidays. 

"It is still a few weeks away, and I sure that we will figure something out." I say looking up over at Nick who is having a deep conversation with Reed but their voices are low enough that no one can hear them. "I will talk with the rest of gang and let you know what they say." I nod my head at Chris as Nick stands up from the table, "Well I am full, and I have a few places to shop yet." Nick looks down at me adjusting his jacket, "I could use a woman's touch with picking out a gift for Nikki." I sigh getting the weirdest feeling of annoyance by Nick even suggesting that I help him pick out a gift for his pregnant girlfriend.

"Since I don't trust you do it on your own I better come with you." I stand up throwing my empty cup in trash before grabbing my purse off the table, "We will meet you at the fountain." I say as everyone just stares at Nick and I and once we are going up the escalator I see the group of them in a heated conversation.Nick and I are walking around trying to get ideas for Nikki but Nick doesn't seem to know much about the girl that he has been seeing for almost a year now, 

"You really are the worst boyfriend ever, by the time Brenton and I reached the one year mark even as friends we knew almost everything about each other." Nick growls as he just shrugs his shoulders when the two of us are stopped by someone else that I haven't seen in a long time. "Quinn?" The woman asks as Nick looks from me to the stranger than back to me. She is around the same age and height as Caily with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. "Rachel." I say my voice cracking a little out of nervousness. The person standing in front of Nick and I is none other than Rachel Greywood who is the older sister of my Brenton, 

"Nick I will catch up with you." Nick looks at me unsure but I incline my head and Nick walks off leaving Rachel and I alone. "How are you?" I ask feeling the tension between us, "I think a better question is what the hell is going on between you and that guy who isn't my brother?" I shake my head at her knowing that Rachel has never liked me and will look for any excuse to turn Brenton against me,

"Just let me explain." Rachel crosses her arms over her chest looking at me with a death glare, "Who is he Quinn? He must be the guy with the horrible rep that I heard about from Emery?" I stammer and stutter over my words haven been thrown off by the fact Emery would have told Rachel anything about Nick and I, "I can't believe this is how you choose to treat my brother after everything he has done for you and not to mention what he is doing for his country." I feel like Rachel is personally attacking me for no reason at all. 

"No!You have it all wrong Rachel!" I yell trying to let her no know my side of things but she doesn't seem to care. "You think? Because from where I am standing I think I am seeing you for who you really are." This really starts to upset me and I am not sure how much more I am going to take of Rachel yelling at me for no reason, "Please Rachel, I have been more than faithful to your brother, and I don't know what Emery told you but Nick and I are just friends and that is all." Rachel rolls her eyes and scoffs at me,

"I knew from the moment Brenton brought you home that you end up breaking his heart." I stare at Rachel knowing that she wouldn't be talking like this if Brenton was here, "You're joking right, please tell me you are joking?" I ask her wanting to really know if she was just make this up or if she really thought this way about me. "Look at the facts Quinn, my brother is off risking his life while you are here at the mall making a fool of him and our family." I am done with one sided conversation and I am done with listing to Rachel tells lies about me,

"I don't know what are you talking about Rachel? I haven't done anything." I start to walk away but then Rachel grabs my arm and step WAY over the line, "I can't wait for Brenton to come home and he can finally see what you truly are, a cheating, lying, manipulative slut of a parasite." I lose control of my emotions as I slap Rachel across her face as hard as I can, "You have no idea what it has been like for me, trying to keep myself together for everyone around me, but I am officially over trying to little Ms. Prefect for everyone,I am done with people trying to run my life for me, and you can tell Brenton I said that because when he comes home I will tell myself anyways."

Rachel holds her cheek looking me in total shock, "I am not going to let you ruin my brother, and that is promise." I let out a laugh as I look deep her eyes, "Why don't you do everyone a favor Rachel and take your righteous attitude and go to hell." I say looking at her in disgust before walking away to go find Nick.