He’s here.
He’s really here.
Even though I know his voice, I wasn’t entirely sure that I believed it until I saw him. There’s something about the way he holds his body and how he runs, letting me see all of the muscles twisting and bunching under his tight shirt.
He really is a god.
I didn’t want to believe him. I’ve fought against it this whole semester, but the proof is right in front of me. When I needed him the most, when I needed Quinn to be with me, not against me, he finally came through.
Screaming through the pain, I push myself up off of the ground and turn. I have to see what’s going on. I don’t think that Madeline could beat her brother right now, but if she does…
If she does, then I’m next, and I want to see it coming.
There’s a bend in the path below me and I watch as the two of them go around it. Madeline is back on her feet, grabbing trees and branches as she hobbles down the path. Quinn marches slowly towards her, taking his time. He’s hungry for justice and he knows that nothing can stop him.
Using a low branch, I pull myself up and start after them. I have no idea how this is going to end. I hope that Quinn comes out on top, but then what about me?
The view from around the curve in the path is incredible. Madeline had told me that there was a swimming hole down here, but she’d downplayed it a little. There’s nothing small about it. It’s a huge pond that opens up at the foot of the path. Large rocks surround it, which would make it hard to climb out, and the trees around the perimeter of the pond overhang it, some of their branches dangling in the water.
It would be a beautiful place if I weren’t so damn afraid.
Quinn has Madeline backed up to the water. She’s standing on a giant rock facing him, not paying attention to the deep swimming hole behind her. The water is so deep and so still that it looks black, and the thought of people willingly swimming in there makes me shiver.
“I don’t know what you think you’re going to do, Quinn, but I swear to you, this isn’t going to end well for you or your little slut.” I’m not sure that she even knows that I’m here, but she’s spitting vitriol at him. He doesn’t move away from her. Instead, he takes a step closer.
Shaking his head, he reaches out for her. “Madeline, let’s work this out. I just don’t want Abigail to get hurt, okay?”
She yanks her arm back from out of his reach. “Are you kidding me? You’re the one who broke her wrist! You’re the one who valued his internship so much that he was willing to throw her completely under the bus. And now what? You’ve changed?”
He nods, dropping his hand back down to his side. “I can’t let you hurt her. I fucked up, yeah, but things change, Madeline. We don’t have to be like this any longer.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Of course, we have to be like this. It’s what we were born to do, Quinn, and you’re just going to back out now? What the fuck is wrong with you?” She’s spitting mad, her eyes flashing as she faces off against her brother. “You really think that she’s worth throwing all of this away? Newsflash, brother, she’s not. She’s just some pussy, and I promise you, you’ll get more than enough when you land the internship.”
“She’s not just some pussy, Madeline. You know it, too. You were friends with her! You can’t tell me that you didn’t feel something for her when you two hung out.” Quinn sounds confident, but I can hear that he’s begging her, just a little, to hear him.
I’m praying that she hears him. That she agrees with him. That this is all just a terrible dream.
“Yeah, right. Nothing’s worth me missing out on my dreams, Quinn. Not even her.”
Was that kindness in her voice? If it was, it sure didn’t last for long.
“I think she is.” Quinn sounds so sure of himself, even as he’s facing off against his sister. I can’t believe that he’d be the one to stand up for me, not when he was the one who led everyone against me to bully me. “I hated this, Madeline. I know that you love things like this, but I didn’t. Abigail is worth more, and that’s why I can’t let you do this. I have to stop you, I’m sorry.”
I gasp, even though I don’t mean to. Even if Madeline didn’t know that I was here before, she hears me now, and her head jerks up. Her eyes narrow as she stares at me, and I take an involuntary step back.
Even with Quinn standing between the two of us, I’m afraid to let her get too close. She’s like a caged viper, and I’m not sure what she would do if given the chance.
She stares at me for a moment, but she doesn’t move. Taking a deep breath, she switches her attention to her brother. “We can both walk away from this with our internships, Quinn. All you have to do is help me get rid of her, and I promise, nobody is going to care. Daddy will make it all go away, okay?” She’s desperate. I can hear it in her voice. Slowly, she starts to inch forward, looking for a way to get past Quinn and reach me.
I’m not sure that she can get around Quinn, but I’m not really interested in finding out.
I know that I have to run away from here. My wrist aches and my chin still hurts,
