"It is your fault she left." Quinn's says as he speeds up on the highway. He's driving like a suicidal maniac.
I grasp the truck's door. I am not ready to die even though I have nothing to live for.
"Will you slow down." I shout at him.
"Was it the attention you wanted?"
"Am last person who would want publicity. I have more to lose than you may think."
"But still went ahead to be here."
Why is everyone blaming me. He is the one that came and kissed me, on the hallway. Where anyone could see us. Then a thought pops into my head, "You sub-consciously wanted us to be caught." I say.
That makes him slow down, "Why would I want that?"
"Because you wanted to sabotage your engagement." I answer.
He scoffs, "Why, because of you?"
I wish, "No, Because you didn't want it."
He brushes me off, "You think you know me, but you don't." He halts in front of a Bar. It looks filthy from the outside.
"I thought you were taking me home."
"You thought, I didn't say so." With that he hops off the truck. I watch him walk inside the bar. Am not going in there, it is just ten in the morning and very early to be drinking. I take out my phone and find missed calls and messages from Andre and my brother. I open Oliver's first.
You okay? just heard about what happened.
I reply briefly that am okay and it is something I can handle.
I open Andre's.
Sorry I couldn't be there for you, I had to take Isabella(my date, if you remember) home. I Will come later at your place to check on you.
I put my phone away. I watch the Bar hoping Quinn will emerge from it. Having had enough I decide to go in and drag him out. It smells disgusting as filthy as it looks.
The beads on the door clink as I walk in. Several people glance my way. My eyes circle the room for a cowboy hat.
"Cara," I turn to the source, it is Meg, Quinn's elder sister. She's sitting on a man's lap. Her blonde pixie shadows the man. They are seated at the corner. I walk towards them, as I get closer I realise she's seated on Leo. They look disturbing close for cousins.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"Am looking for Quinn."
"Oh, so that thing on the papers isn't photoshop. You two are a thing?" She swings her hand round Leo's neck and leans closer.
"There's nothing between Quinn and I"
"I thought I told you to wait in the car." Quinn joins us.
"No you didn't."
"Now I am telling. Wait in the car. We shouldn't be seen together"
"Why, am I that ugly?"
"I don't want the speculation to seem true."
"Join us Cara ignore Quinny." Meg winks at me.
"Meg..."
"She should stay, she called me redundant yesterday and I want to prove her wrong." Leo says.
I slide in the booth. I can feel Quinn's eyes drilling into my skull as I sit.
"Get us some more drinks Quinny." Meg teases him.
"Get them yourself." He sits beside me. "stubbornness is unattractive feminine character." He hisses at me.
"Don't mind Quinn, Cara. He has that misogynist Nickel character that believes a woman needs to be saved."
"Don't they?" Leo says and Meg punches his arm as she stands. She is in a super short pencil skirt and a silk blouse. She sashays to the counter.
"So you and my cousin have been secret lovers for how long?" Leo turns to me after his long stare at Meg.
I want to counter his question, and ask him and Meg. But am afraid maybe Quinn has no idea.
"We were never lovers." Quinn answers.
Meg returns with two glass full of beer.
"Want to do some karaoke?" Meg asks me.
I nod in excitement, I know it pisses Quinn and that is the beauty of it.
"Let's go." Meg pulls me up and I stand with my beer. By the time we are at podium I am done with my drink. "What song are we going to sing?"
We sing the first song together Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol the next she sings Demi Lovato, Give your heart a break. I can see the secret glances she shares with Leo. After she's done. I am the next for my solo. Of course I choose Fix you by Coldplay. Quinn may hate it, but it is my favourite.
When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
When the tears come streaming down your face
'Cause you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Am deep into my singing when I feel my body being lifted from the floor. The drunkards in the bar applaud thinking it is some romantic gesture.
"I hate that song. I can't stand it." He says as we walk out of the bar.
"So?" I ask.
He stares at me briefly and rubs his temple, "You wanted to go home, am taking you."
"Fine." I huff.
****
Quinn pulls at my apartment. It feels like ages since I was here yet it is just a day ago. Roxanna asked what could go wrong in two days? Everything. Friendships have been ruined in those days and a secret I have protected for years is out to the world.
I find my apartment clean than I left it. Pretty sure Oliver brought that gold digger in my house. I find a note on the fridge. That there's food in the microwave. He is a life saver that Nimo wants to steal from me.
I decide to bath first and prepare my notes and books for tomorrow. Am curious to know what happened to Mr. Marcelo and if Quinn dealt with him like he promised. In the meantime time I wait for Andre.