Ok, I officially dedicate this chapter to Leeseelee, because she completely inspired the last one and encouraged me for another. Thank you m'dear.
Many many thanks to my reviewers! ~MissSweetWoman, anon, xoShortee93, and of course leeseelee~ Love you guys bunches.
Enjoy!
I'm in like with you
Not in love with you quite yet
My heart's beginning to
Slightly overrule my head
Bethany Franks was a living artifact. Her voice shook with every raspy breath and her feet seemed to scuttle across the floor. Everything she did was noisy. It soothed Quinn to an extent. She knew where the older teacher lurked at all times.
And currently, she was wandering down the hall.
"Miss Smith, why aren't you in the lunch room with the others?" Quinn smiled pleasantly and closed her book, careful to keep her fingertips tucked inside on her place. It was a romance novel, a new read for her. She'd never considered flighty stories worth her time before, but it was cathartic now. A reservoir of curiosity had been tapped by the heated and colorful descriptions. Her heart would race and her face would flush. And it kept her busy.
So she didn't have to think about Billy Darley.
She could think about Peter the rebellious soldier or Cameron the heroic knight. Those were men she was comfortable daydreaming about in the middle of the afternoon.
"It's hard to read in there." Quinn answered softly, placing her second hand on the smooth book cover. Mrs. Franks shuffled closer, her exhales hissing from her nostrils.
"You can't sit out in the hallway, my dear. You need to be in the cafeteria." Quinn nodded, bracing her hand on the cold tile floor to push herself to her feet.
"Bethany, I told her she could sit out here." The neat clicking of shoes and swish of pants announced the presence of another teacher. Her favorite teacher, Mr. Fields.
"She has a hard time reading when it's loud." Quinn slowly stood, tilting her head to listen as Mr. Fields came to stop at her side. He had been in a good mood that day, noticing how her forehead would crease when the other students would get too loud in the cafeteria. He'd come over and asked her about her book of choice. Thankfully, the Braille versions of her romance novels didn't come with cover art. She'd told him they were mysteries.
"Arthur, she can't be out here without a pass." Ms. Franks was always finding problems, even when they didn't exist. Quinn just wanted to read, but that was proving to be an issue no matter where she went.
"Then could she have a pass to go to the library?" He replied politely, but his exhales hinted towards his frustration with the older woman. There were many things he probably wanted to say, things not nearly as gentle.
After a few beats of heavy breathing, Ms. Franks' shaky hands fumbled with a pad of paper and Quinn turned her head to Mr. Fields. It was a pity he had to be a teacher to so many students who didn't appreciate him. Giving him a smile, she knew he would return it.
"Thanks." She said softly, taking the pass when the elderly woman ripped it off her pad. Mr. Fields' palm patted her back and he started away, back to the cafeteria full of screaming students.
"Enjoy your book, but don't be late to math." Quinn nodded and waited until Ms. Franks had scuttled off around the corner. Then, in complete quiet again, she took out her cane and started for the library.
The first few days of public school had been very difficult for Quinn. Someone had guided her around the halls at first, but even the simplest of instructions were very stressful for her to follow. The building was like an endless maze of halls and doors. But, after a year of trial and error, Quinn knew that building like the back of her hand. Between classes, when no students wandered the halls, she could even go without her cane.
Holding it loosely in her right hand, she barely swung it back and forth as she walked to the library. It was utterly silent except for the muffled classroom noise.
"Squint!" His voice blasted in her ears like a gunshot and Quinn nearly toppled over, bracing herself against a wall of lockers as her heart took off in her chest. He chuckled as she righted herself in a bolt, embarrassment burning in her cheeks.
"Did I sneak up on ya?" Billy Darley's voice sounded more unique every time she heard it. No one even remotely emulated him. There was only one bass like his, and she thoroughly hated how much she loved it. Unable to think up a proper retort, she bit down on her jaw and pushed forward to the library. He was still a fair distance away, clomping his big boots in her direction. "I know you can hear me"
"What do you want?" She murmured over her shoulder, hiding a small grin. It was incredible how differently Billy acted around her now. All because of one afternoon.
"I need to talk to ya." He answered, growing louder as he neared. Quinn realized she'd intentionally slowed down, letting him fall into pace beside her with ease.
"We're talking now." She fought off a blush, her responses reminding her of the cheesy dialogue in her books. But Billy wasn't a hero or a rebel. He was just a nice face and a deep voice. Nothing more.
"Yeah, Squint. I caught that." He grumbled. His scent was strong, flooding her nose with leather, cologne, and smoke. "We gotta go somewhere else." Quinn's stomach was busting with butterflies, impeding her ability to think clearly.
"I have a pass to go to the library." She murmured, tapping her cane louder. It helped her remember to take a step, to keep moving. Otherwise, she feared she might come to a stop altogether. Billy huffed a snort through his nose.
"Fuck the library. We're goin' out back." Quinn swallowed her heart and tried to ignore her nerves.
"What are you talking—" She didn't get to finish. His arm appeared around her shoulders and he turned them left, away from her destination.
"Just trust me." He murmured. Quinn squirmed against his body. He'd pinned her there like an appendage, making her panic. She couldn't guide herself with him being so pushy.
"Billy, let go." She muttered. But he didn't release her. Instead, her cane was suddenly out of her hand and she heard distinct clicking as it was folded up.
"Just chill, Squint." Now her face was flushed for an entirely different reason. Billy was practically abducting her, taking her only means of sight and taking her out of her safety zone. Quite literally. And it was starting to scare her. She hadn't forgotten who he was.
"Billy…" Her fear must have shown through her voice, because his grip on her shoulders softened. He was holding her then, like how a good friend would embrace another.
"Trust me." His lips grazed her temple, eliciting a wave of shivers up her back. Billy Darley was asking her to trust him. Clutching her little novel to her chest, she swallowed.
The story she'd been reading one was about a police detective falling in love with a woman suspected of killing her husband. And she'd just gotten to the pinnacle moment; the moment where he decides to abandon his common sense and principles in favor of his heart.
Much easier said than done.
Billy moved them quickly, making a beeline for the rear of the school building. Then he came to a stop, releasing her to push open a set of heavy double doors. Quinn swallowed and followed the warm sunshine outside, using her hands to avoid the doorway. To her surprise, Billy took one of her outstretched hands and pulled her through, letting the door clap closed behind her.
"See, much better than the library." He said with a smirk in his voice. Quinn yanked her hand away and locked her knees, refusing to take a step further.
"What do you want?" There was an odd echo off a dumpster nearby and it bounced off the brick wall, out into the open parking lot. The sun felt good on her face, so she turned away from the chilly shade, hesitantly stepping further from the school.
"Just give me a minute." He muttered, moving around behind her. Quinn didn't care enough to try and figure out what he was doing. She was certainly going to get in trouble for this, and she wasn't even a willing participant.
"Give me my cane." She demanded, frustration fueling her bravery. Billy chuckled.
"You'll get it back when we're done." That pushed her to the limit and Quinn whirled around, frowning in his general direction.
"What does that mean?" The clank of the door opening cut off her yell, drowning the echoes of her voice with sharp metallic screeches.
"Bout fuckin' time." Billy growled, his voice suddenly an octave deeper than before. Someone had arrived. Quinn strained to distinguish between echoes and the original footsteps. Two people.
"Sorry Bill." Her heart skipped at the reply. Bodie. He'd been in her English class at the beginning of the year. Quinn knew him in voice only, recalling the few comments he'd made about the young, blonde teacher they'd had. Apparently Miss Samson had been very attractive. "This mothafucka tried ta duck me."
"Billy, I swear ta Jesus, I didn't—" Then there was a dull thwacking sound and the unknown speaker let out a short shout before falling to the ground. Quinn jumped and immediately hugged herself.
"Don't make me hit ya again." Billy snarled. Then his boots were scuffling across the gravel in her direction. "Come 'ere, Quinn." She stumbled backwards, grappling with the shock that had stolen her composure.
"Get away from me." She hissed, swinging her arms in an attempt to evade him. Billy snatched one of her elbows without a moment of hesitation and pulled her back towards the school. "Let me go!" Tears of fear started to fill her eyes and he let out a short sigh.
"Relax. I'm not gonna hurt you." Her face crumbled and she tried to turn away. But there was no hiding her crying. "Jesus Christ." Billy murmured.
"Why's she here anyway?" Bodie asked, his voice growing closer as Quinn was pulled towards the school. The third, injured person was still on the ground, shuffling gravel around as he groaned.
"Just…" Billy swung her around, gripping both of her shoulders with his hands. Then he was talking directly into her face. "Quit crying. The sooner ya help me, the sooner you go back ta your book." Quinn turned her face away, but a hand caught her chin and turned it back. "Promise." The last word surprised her and Quinn swallowed, taking longer breaths to slow the tears. When she was calm, Billy released her face. "I need ya to tell me if this kid is lyin'." She frowned and he quickly continued. Apparently he'd remembered that she didn't like being treated like a parlor trick.
"I need ta know because my ass is on the line. Got me? I gotta know." He spoke so softly, she was sure Bodie hadn't heard. Those words were for her only. Billy was admitting he needed her help, that he depended on it. Quinn started to wipe the tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Billy's body moved away and she tucked her book to her chest.
"Get up." His voice was harsh again, ordering the third person to his feet. Quinn shifted her weight nervously, listening as the ground scraped with movement.
"What will you do if he is lying?" She asked, shivering in the shadow of the school building. Billy moved back towards her.
"That's my problem. Not yours." The two other boys came closer, crowding her with sound.
"Are you going to kill him?" She asked the question hesitantly, almost whispering. Bodie made her jump as he let out an abrupt laugh.
"Is she serious?" The third boy made a small grunting sound and Bodie's tone turned mocking. "She thinks we're gonna kill ya." Quinn felt a sense of relief at his reaction. Maybe she was making a bigger deal out of this than necessary.
"You'll wish you were dead when I'm done." Billy angrily growled, his voice moving away to where Quinn assumed his victim stood. "But I won't kill ya."
"Billy I swear—" The boy spoke up again and Quinn flinched before the blow even came, knowing full well that Billy would strike. And strike he did, sending the boy to the ground with a punch to the gut.
"Stop!" She yelped, scuffling away from the three. The tears threatened to fall again, but Quinn forced herself to breathe deep. "Just ask him and I'll tell you." Billy sniffed and the boy groaned, as he was no doubt being hauled to his feet.
"Did ya steal two hundreds bucks from me?" Billy snarled. Quinn blinked in surprise. Who would be dumb enough to do that?
"No!" The boy exclaimed. "I swear, it was all there. All the money was there." Quinn listened to his voice: the pitch, the speed; and she let out a small sigh. Moving slowly, she shuffled towards the boy.
"How much were you supposed to pay Billy?" She asked gently, scuffling forward until she was close enough to hear his breathing. He was terrified and that wasn't helping. It made it harder to distinguish any other emotions in his voice. So far, it was all fear.
"Eight hundred." Billy snarled from beside her, covering her arms in goosebumps. With as much courage as she could muster, she turned her head in his direction.
"I was asking him." Bodie made a soft snorting sound and Billy stepped into her, his dark scent engulfing her.
"Don't push me, Squint." Quinn frowned as he snapped into her ear.
"I'm not." He exhaled angrily, his breath brushing over her neck. It was hard for her to hold still. She wanted to fidget, or move away. Turning her head back towards the boy, she took a deep, cleansing breath.
"How much?" Miraculously, her voice was as smooth as silk, calm despite her spiking blood pressure.
"Eight hundred." The boy breathed. Quinn nodded.
"Did you take the two hundred dollars?" Billy shifted beside her and the boy rushed to answer.
"No! I swear ta god. I ain't lyin'. I swear to ya, I ain't lyin'." He sounded defeated by the time he finished, repeating his words on the verge of tears. Quinn listened without a word, but Billy couldn't wait any longer.
"THEN WHO THE FUCK DID?"
"I don't know, Billy. Wasn't me, I swear." Quinn's face fell and Billy suddenly lunged. In a blur of voices and shuffling, the boy pleaded with Billy as Bodie joined in, muttering threats of his own under his breath.
"Stop!" Quinn shouted over the commotion and Billy flew into her face, panting and furious.
"I saw your face, Quinn. You KNOW he's lyin!" Out of impulse, she reached out and grabbed at him, ending up with a handful of his jacket. Immediately Billy was silent.
"He is lying." She said softly, holding onto his jacket with a vice grip. "But I don't think he took the money." Everything lulled into quiet and Billy's breath hit her face as his anger slowly ebbed.
"What's that supposed ta mean?" She released him as he spoke, his voice finding an even keel once again.
"I think he knows who took it." Quinn brought her book back to her chest. "Or has an idea of who might have." She added gently. Billy didn't answer, looming over her.
"Ya know somethin', ya little fuck?" Bodie was the one snarling now, a solid smack telling Quinn he'd hit the boy in question. She wanted to run, cover her face, something to get away. But Billy stood in front of her, unmoving as Bodie continued the interrogation.
"Bucky, man." The boy finally murmured. "Idiot was flush last week and everyone knows he doesn't have dough like that." Quinn relaxed and Bodie suddenly chuckled.
"Well shit." Making his way over to Billy, Bodie gave another short laugh. "The blind girl's a mind reader." Any relief she had felt was gone in an instant. Face lined with anger, Quinn lurched backwards and felt along the brick wall to the double doors. Being a spectacle was not new, but now she was an amusement as well, being used like a living lie detector test. She didn't get far before Billy was in front of her, blocking the way.
"See, that wasn't hard." He muttered quietly.
"Leave me alone." She hissed, tugging open a door. In her huff, Quinn didn't remember the slight incline into the building and she tripped. As she braced herself on the door, Billy grabbed her arm, holding her upright.
"Come on, Squint…" He grunted, helping her into the school. But Quinn tore her arm away, thrashing from his grasp.
"Don't touch me." His small snort of a reply only made her angrier. He thought it was funny? He had dragged her out of the school, forced her to help him, and now he was laughing?
"Here." Her fingers touched plastic and Quinn relaxed a little as Billy put her cane in her hand. "We good?" As she extended the cane, her anger bubbled over. Smacking the tip to the floor, she swished it over the even tile.
"Good?" She stomped away, emboldened by the ability to see where she was going. "I'm humiliated and angry, not to mention I could get in trouble for not being in the library right now." Swiping the back of her hand over her cheek, she rid her face of any trace of tears. She wasn't sure if he was even listening. For all she knew, only the walls heard her ranting down the hall.
"Humiliated?" Alas, he was there, following with quiet steps. Quinn felt more angry tears in her eyes but it didn't stop her from continuing.
"Let's get the blind girl to read minds. We'll just steal her cane and make her helpless." She hissed.
"I needed you."
"Then ask!" She whirled around and Billy let out another small snort. "Why are you laughing!" Quinn couldn't believe him. She was enraged at his lack empathy. He'd gone from only mocking her in class to dismissing her feelings completely.
"You're kinda hot when you're mad, Squint." If she'd been red-faced before, she certainly was then. "Better close that mouth…" He purred, coming closer. "Or I might not ask ta kiss you." Turning on her heel, she kept walking down the hall.
"Why start now? You just do whatever you like, it seems. Hurt people, use people—"
His hands whirled her around and one palm cradled her head while the other pressed into the small of her back. And in a swift movement, he pinned her up against a locker. Before she could protest or even resist, his mouth was on her own. But it was very different from the first time he'd kissed her.
Billy took his time, aggressively tasting her and nibbling on her bottom lip before he took a breath. When he finally did let her go for air, Quinn could feel the room spinning, listening as he purred a laugh against her cheek.
"If ya moan like that again, I'm gonna start thinking ya like me." He growled, trailing his mouth to her ear. With a stunned blink, she tried to remember. Had she moaned? Her heart was screaming in her chest, her ears were pounding, and she could barely stand. Maybe she had. He nipped at her mouth and Quinn gave in, reaching up to touch his lips. They had been her favorite part of his face. Pouty and soft, perfect against hers. He let her touch them for a moment before he closed in on her again. But this time he spoke, whispering against her lips.
"Quinn." She shivered as he said her name. As she gasped, he devoured her mouth and her hand slid back into his hair. His mane. It was down, almost to his jaw, and she locked her fingers in the long, soft strands. Billy groaned and ran his thumb over her jaw. When his tongue slid between her lips, she definitely heard herself whimper. Gossip held up on one front; he was a stunning kisser. Taking a breath, she let her head fall back on a locker.
"You could have asked." She panted. Billy leaned in and ghosted his mouth to her ear.
"I don't ask for things. I take them." He purred. Then he kissed the corner of her mouth, backing away until she couldn't feel his warmth. "And I never say thank you." He added. She opened her mouth to retort, but the building erupted in a shrill ring as the bell announced the end of lunch. So that had been his thanks? A hot, incredible kiss in the middle of the school hallway? Quinn's heart leapt into her throat. Anyone could have seen them. He must have known that.
"See ya 'round, Squint." He was walking back to the double doors when he called to her, his voice almost lost in the sea of their approaching classmates.
"Not my name." She muttered back.
When she finally made it to Mr. Fields' classroom, the second bell rang. She'd barely made it to class on time, and yet she wasn't bothered by that fact. Finding her seat in the front row, she sat softly at her desk and pulled her book from her backpack. She found her spot easily enough, reading absentmindedly as Mr. Field's called roll. And as she read the words, her mind kept returning to one thing. Billy's voice, saying her name. Closing the novel, Quinn let a small grin spread across her face.
"How's the book?" She smiled as Mr. Fields passed her desk.
"Good." She replied. "But I've read better."
If you have ideas for another chapter, please BY ALL MEANS leave them. I'm starving for inspiration. However, I wouldn't expect an update soon, as I will be graduating college in early June. :P…and yet, I'm suffering from Peter Pan syndrome.
