"That test was Greek, nothing close to what we are taught." A student banters as they walk towards me. Actually, I think it was a walk in the park. Derivatives and bonds are my stronghold so it goes without saying am going to ace it.
I pull a strand of my hair. Am having a bad hair day and Quinn is nowhere to be seen. I will not be surprised if he turned me down for his fiancee. After all, they were all over each other in class.
The group walks out; Courtney, Roxanna, Quinn and Ryan. This is going to be awkward. Courtney and Roxanna are looking at something in a tablet. Quinn is looking straight at me. Ryan facial expression tell it all. He is torn. He wants to be okay with me, but still wants to stay mad.
Courtney and Roxanna walk past me without a single glance. If Roxanna expects me to apologise, she better be prepared for the four season cause it will never happen.
My lips form a smile as Quinn approaches. He never returns it, he walks past me like we never made arrangements. My face falls until a shadow blocks the sun.
"Hi..." Ryan's voice trails off.
I clear my throat to hide my disappointment from Quinn, "Hi."
"What are you doing here alone?" He asks.
"I was waiting for a friend, we had plans but seems like he stood me up." I answer.
"What a jerk! His loss. Where were you planning to go? I can take you." Ryan says. I can't tell if he is still mad at me.
His words makes Quinn stop. He was just few steps away. He turns back at us.
"The mall." I say and look down at my sundress, i dressed up for nothing.
"I couldn't help but overhear. Courtney and I were planning to go to the mall. We can all go together." He states and calls out Courtney's name. He explains everything at her. She looks displeased but agrees.
"What about the public?" Roxanna asks eyeing me. "What will they say when they see you with the enemy?"
"I will look like the bigger person, after all am the bitch with the carat on her finger not her. Am the one who will be walking down the aisle in six weeks."
Six weeks! The date is already set, three weeks before our graduation. The fact that Quinn is constantly on my life makes me forget he belongs to someone else and I had a mission. That is quite a reality check.
"Ladies enough with your cat fight. Can we all be mature." Quinn says. He turns to Courtney. "Babe, you will ride with me."
Courtney smirks at me. I roll my eyes and follow Ryan. Roxanna decides to drive her own car.
"We are over." I say to Ryan whose eyes are fixated on the road.
"Huh!" He uncharacteristically breaths.
"Quinn and I" I clarify. "We were never a item. It was a one time thing." I keep digging myself deeper with little lies.
"I don't blame you." He stops at a red light. "Girls can't help themselves around Quinn."
I reach for a sealed magazine on his console. I unwrap it after Ryan gives me permission. The cover has Quinn and Courtney with their wedding announcement. I open the page and I freeze. The magazine is offering a load of money to anyone who has more information about me. I read further, their questions about who I am. What family do I come from cause they can't find anything about me.
How deep will they dig? What will they find? Am I ready for the world as Cara Cooper?
I look up at Ryan, he cocks an eyebrow when he sees the worry on my face. Probably he has no idea what is printed on the magazine.
I drop it back, unable to read more and pick a business magazine. Again the Nickel family dominate the front page but not for good reasons. Different companies are suing the Nickel auditing firm for false information. The firm's shares are falling.
"Quinn's father had an heart attack last night but has been kept away from the media." Ryan says when he sees what am reading.
Am sadist because I find myself felling kind of relieved. They deserve worst.
I decide not to give that monster my energy by asking more about him. By the time am done with him. He will experience triple the pain he put on my father. False testifying, that put my father in jail. As if that wasn't enough, he hired someone to slit his throat like an animal while still in prison.
"Are you okay?" Ryan enquires and I look down only to realise I have crumbled the paper and it is starting to tear.
I nod instead.
****
The students have created demand hence mushrooming of malls around the area. We barely spend thirty minutes before we stop at the first mall. Ryan parks beside Quinn's Lamborghini as Roxanna follows with her Maserati. I guess it's new. I have never seen it before.
"This place is too overpriced, i bet Courtney chose it." Ryan comments as we walk in.
I can't agree more. I doubt i will buy anything. This college drained my entire savings, trying to fit in.
We almost bump into each other as Roxanna and i try to avoid each other at the entrance. I call out her name. "This is childish." I say.
"To you maybe." She huffs.
"Don't you have secrets you keep?"
She swallows and blinks before she forcibly pushes past me.
I take long strides to keep up with Ryan. I note he still hasn't forgiven Quinn. No word is exchanged between them.
Quinn leads us to a Noritake store.
"I thought we were shopping for clothes?" Courtney complains.
"We will, my mum needs a new set of dinnerware." Quinn says.
I am his mom? Our eyes lock and i avert mine.
"What about you Cara, what were your plans?" Ryan asks.
"My friend was to help me shop for crockeries."
"Lucky you, since we are already here." Ryan says and adds, "By the way, i saw what transpired at your apartment, where are you living now?"
I almost trip, i nervously look around as three pair of eyes stare back at me. Other than Quinn, none of the them know my brother so i decide not to lie i live with him. "I rented an apartment." I look away as i lie.
"And you never invited us for a house warming party?" Ryan cocks an eyebrow.
"Like i would want to go to a dumpster." Courtney rolls her eyes.
Her words get the better part of me, "Actually how about this weekend, Courtney you are invited too." I say just to prove a point.
A frown etches across Quinn's face and shakes his head disappointed.