Dog Tags

Chapter 50

Quinn's POV

"Since I am going to be meeting your family, you might want to tell me about them." I say when Nick and I finally enter the tunnel and I look around at all the beautiful fish and cool looking sharks, "My mom's name is Aria but she won't be at the party because is over someplace in Europe for her job as a freelance photographer, my dad's name Maxwell and he is a lawyer, and I have a 12-year-old little brother named who has an IQ of 187." I look at Nick already impressed with his family and I haven't met any of them yet. "Sounds like you come from a very well and nice family." Nick nods his head as I pull on his hand leading further into the tunnel and continue to marvel at the exotic types offish.

"Reed and Chaz will be there tonight, that way you don't need to worry about any awkward loneliness." I just let out a sigh looking at the fish when Nick clears his throat, "I should let you know that Emery and his mom Adeline will be at the party." I know that might be issue giving what happened at the Halloween party between Nick and Emery. "Do you think it will be okay if I went with you while Emery is there?" Nick scoffs as he turns his attention to the fish, "I don't care what Emery thinks, besides he most likely will be bringing Caily,and if he likes her then he won't care that you are with me." I playfully rolls my eyes as we walk hand and hand further down the tunnel. 

"Tell me about your mom." I turn to him giving him the look telling him that he close to crossing a line, "I don't talk about my mom a lot for a reason, and I am going to keep it that way." I say already feeling my eye filling up with tears,"It's okay to talk about her Quinn, and even more okay to miss her." I let out a laugh as I lean against the stone, "That sounds strange coming from you, I am going to get a lecture about feeling from you?" Nick lets out a huff of air but he also takes my hand, "We all express our emotions in our own way, I choose to play them off and try not to let them bother me, but you aren't like me." I feel my body starting to shake a little as I think about my mom,

"My mom to me was the best mom in the world, she was my best friend and I knew that I could tell her and it would stay between us." Nick nods his head as he wipes away a few tears that fall from my eyes, "I was in my 8th grade art class I was pulled out of class suddenly and my dad and brother were waiting for me in the office, they sat me down in that chair and then I was told my mom had died."Nick squeezes my hand but it brings little comfort to me,

"She had complications with her heart, and in the end that is what took her from her family and friends." I let the tears flow as Nick pulls me into him and I bury my face into his chest, "My mom's family cut all of us off after her death because they blame my dad for not trying hard enough to save her, but I know my dad did everything he possible could for my mom." Nick just holds on to me letting me get all my crying out. Once I get a little control over myself I pull away from Nick, "At first it was like a never-ending nightmare for everyone especially my dad who had to be both parents for Jared and I, but over the years it got better but our family hasn't been the same since." Nick looks at me like he starting to put the pieces of the puzzle together as to why I am the way I am. 

"Over the years, I thought about how many mother and daughter moments that were robbed from me. Helping me with my homework when I needed it, giving me heart to heat talks when I was at the low points of my life, not being there to cheer me on when I needed it, never meeting all my amazing friends, we never talked about boys, she never got the chance to help me pick out dresses for homecoming or prom, see me graduate high school, seeing me off to college, meeting Brenton, and everything else that is going to happen in mu future." Nick places his hand on my cheek and tilts my head up,

"I can't imagine what it was like losing your mom, but you have to know that she was there for every moment of your life, you just couldn't see her." I smile letting out a laugh and nod my head, "I haven't talked about my mom like this in a long time, but it feels good." Nick smiles down at me as his blue eyes shining but the ocean water to shame, "She will always be with you Quinn." I nod my head and I don't know what comes over me but I lean upward and place a small but passionate kiss on Nick's lips.

Nick stumbles back a little caught off guard by kiss but manages by putting his hand on glass balancing himself. For the life of me can't explain nor wrap my brain around the fact of the feeling I get of not wanting to stop as Nick's lips as he slowly parts and his tongue start swirling with mine, both our bodies feel like they are on fire even with the cold and dampness of the tunnel, and then believe it or not it is Nick that pulls away from me. "We can't Quinn, you're just acting on your emotion high right now, and I know that you just need to think about the person that gave you those dog tags that are dangling around your neck." I take a few deep breaths clutching at the dog tags as the passionate fog lifts from over me.

"You actually stopped, I never thought I would see the day that you would stop something like that." I can tell by the look in his eyes that it was something that he didn't want to do but willed himself to do, "We should get going, I need to get you home that way you can get ready for the party tonight, and I have a million and one things I need to do." Nick quickly walks off with me behind him as we enter the gift shop and walk out the exit to Nick's car.