Quinn O'Connell was the pretty girl in pink, the homecoming queen and all-around straight-A student. Most people saw her as uptight, narcissistic but most importantly... They saw her as a control freak with her perfect blonde hair and patronising sm...
Warning: This story includes references to sensitive subjects including sexual assault, abuse, strong language and suicide. Please please please read with care, if you are affected by any of the subjects raised, please reach out. You are not alone. Stay safe everyone.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The symmetrical, warmly tanned brick buildings of Forks High School protruded dauntingly above the faded yellow lines and cracked tarmac of the parking lot on a particularly unimpressive Monday morning in mid-March. To the many students that bustled through it after a surprisingly sunny weekend, the now-damp air and stale scented corridors were a small slice of hell. But to the girl with the perky blonde ponytail, those faded corridors and cracked wooden doors were a rendition of paradise.
Quinn O'Connell had a bright, dazzling smile stretched pleasantly across her features, every inch of her appearing perfectly to those who had long since grown used to her ray-of-sunshine personality. From her perfect suede boots to her embroidered crisp white collar peaking over her candy coloured sweater, Quinn was a scene from a fairytale, little golden star necklace bouncing sweetly with every step. The home of the Spartans absolutely loathed their senior resident 'it girl' but with every smile she sent, one was received in return. Quinn O'Connell, the valedictorian, was the girl that everybody loved to hate.
"We didn't catch you this weekend, I thought you were going to come by the coast for a paddle" on her arm, practically in her pocket, strutted Maddison Grey with her pretty brown hair falling in a cape-like sheet against her back. She was the girl who tried far too hard to be something she was not... If Quinn had a new hairstyle, Maddison needed to have it too, she was the girl who cheered on the person she hated most. Maddison was visibly sick with jealousy at the mere sight of Quinn's pretty blue eyes. But she managed to play the role of a loyal friend so well...
At the half-heartedly sad remark from Maddison, Quinn's smile quivered so slightly, it was almost unnoticeable. If you blinked, you'd have missed the way her painted lips forced themself downwards before she recovered and her dimples were back at full power.
"Oh yeah, I am so sorry, it must've slipped my mind" the O'Connell girl didn't give any real explanation and Maddison didn't care for one. There was a mutual, unwritten agreement between them that this friendship would last, withstand the test of time as they had sleepovers and laughed without reason together on endlessly dreary occasions, but the instant that they left after graduation, they'd never speak again.
"Come on now boys, you're making the place look untidy" Maddison's smirk was somehow wider than Quinn's infectious smile as she rounded on the crowding of senior boys that chattered rowdily against a group of painted blue lockers. Yet another obvious difference between Quinn and her deputy... Quinn had never shown even a semblance of attraction to any of the many boys that persued her, always having a kind smile and a few words of rejection ready for her numerous admirers. But Maddison just refused to accept that aspect, the attention of the males as she strutted down the corridors and the daily gossip of sexual encounters was enough to keep her keenly interested.
Perhaps that was where Quinn got her pure persona from, the frigid, saving themselves composure that was so uncommonly associated with popular girls. It was another thing to love and envy about Quinn O'Connell, she was a picture of perfection, not a hair out of place, her nails perfect, her locker void of all but the essentials. Quinn had become a vision of what everybody wanted to be, however, it had also made her the boys' favourite target. Because the male that won even a kiss from Quinn O'Connell would win national bragging rights.
"What? Not liking what you see Grey?" Taylor was Maddison's favourite plaything, she was like a vicious kitten with her many toys but no matter how common the knowledge of her many sexual partners became, no Spartan supporter would ever say no to the notorious glam queen and her astronomically high standards.
"Now, I never said that" her green eyes twinkled magically as she straightened his jacket, his friends behaving like children around him as they whooped and hollered.
"What about you, hey, O'Connell?"
"Such a tempting offer, Ryan, truly. But unfortunately, duty calls" Quinn flashed a dazzling grin, wiggled her fingers in a tauntingly innocent wave and twirled on her heel to be swallowed up hungrily by the bustling crowds. For Quinn O'Connell, the school was absolute heaven and as summer ticked closer, her nerves danced erratically, school was something that she wanted to last forever.
Standing, fidgety and uncertain in the entrance of the dinky little office was a pretty brunette with equally pretty, perfectly porcelain skin that somehow managed to make Quinn- who had lived in the wettest country in the continental US throughout her whole life- look tanned. The slightly round and red-haired lady behind the desk glared naturally at the uncomfortable brunette as they waited together, the rain tapping and the clock ticking being the only sound.
"Hi, you must be Isabella, my name is Quinn O'Connell and I'll be looking after you, welcome to Forks!" she spoke so naturally, so confidently. The words rolled off her tongue before the new girl could even turn to acknowledge her presence. But when she did, and Bella took in Quinn's appearance, she was quickly intimidated and her pretty light blue blouse no longer felt worthy of being considered cute. In the first moment, Bella was intimidated, by the second she was overwhelmed and when her doe eyes had finally finished scanning Quinn uncomfortably, her heart flickered with slight comfort that she was no longer alone in the dreary hallways. Quinn's smile had a very settling affect on Bella Swan, despite how arrogantly proud it seemed.
