11. To dump

Sunday morning, the time when Quinn woke up to care about nothing. Sunday was the day to not get up at five but three hours later, the day to be careless but having a relaxed day, the day to be lazy and avoid even the kitchen but order food.

It was the day that actually shouldn't smell so lovely in the morning. Quinn pushed herself up from the mattress and her brows furrowed in confusion as a warm sweet scent ran into her nostrils. It smelled good - too good to be her usual Sunday morning. Judy was never up that early, never before her, she never cooked good-smelling things around that time but only her eggs with bacon a bit after.

Still in confusion, she shifted herself up from the bed and slipped into her hoodie to get outside. Following the smell, it led her straight to the dining table, where her friend was sitting with her back to the blonde; silence and a warm, delightful scent filling the room. She narrowed her brows and carefully walked closer to Judy, placing herself in front of her on the other side of the table.

"Okay, what is that?" Quinn asked skeptically as she faced her friend that stared bemused into space. "You never make pancakes."

Judy's eyes glided to her as she caught back to reality, giving her now the weak and relaxed stare of no confidence like she was dreaming and abandoning everything bad.

"I have three theories. First, Trafalgar's in your room. Second, someone better's in your room. Third-"

"It's third," Judy responded while she kept her look, her eyes appearing so blank and lost.

Quinn covered her mouth in shock, taking the chair to her front to sit down. "No way, what happened?"

The brunette spread her arms to display the tray between them, a big plate with a pancake tower smiling at Quinn. "This happened," Judy spoke with lightness. "I went against my nature. This is for you."

Quinn's jaw dropped. "Who are you? This is never for me. No no no, don't lie."

"Whom else should I prepare breakfast for?" She replied smiling, also extremely awkward to Quinn. It's true, Judy may cook for guys to impressed them, but if the night was over, she never made the effort to actually prepare breakfast for them. Not even if they were 'incredible'. Quinn pointed carefully to the plate and then to herself, repeating the move in disbelief.

With her half-lidded eyes, Judy smiled and pulled out a jar from the chair next to her. "And as I know you don't like syrup, I got you this."

"Oh my god... is this?"

"Yes. Selfmade applesauce, only for you and your pancakes."

Quinn grabbed the jar in impatience and excitement to open it, smelling the content then and poured a big lump over the tower. She took a bite and her eyes grew in awe. "This is heaven. Holy. Thank you."

Sitting there, still in her unusual mood, Judy watched Quinn eating her breakfast that brought new emotions to the blonde. That one looked at her friend, putting her cutlery down and narrowed her brows. "Okay, and now tell me what happened."

"I had asked Law for his number."

Curiosity overcame Quinn and she looked at her friend in anticipation to continue the story.

"Quinn. I'm closing this chapter of my life."

"Huh?"

Judy leaned her face into her palm, staring back into space. Her talking became so confidenceless, so flippantly light, the pressure of her palm against her mouth affected the comprehensibility. "I'm not made for this anymore. I will start a new life with new hobbies, new motivations, and perhaps a new name."

"Holy, did he ask you out?" Quinn questioned shocked. Maybe he had listened to her dating suggestion last time?

"What?" Judy said and moved her eyes to the blonde. "Quinn. I've lost my face yesterday." She pushed herself straight and took a deep breath. "I've never got dumped in my life. Never!"

"Hooooly, what did he say? Tell me everything!" Excitement for news triggered the blonde and she continued to eat while her eyes were never leaving her friend.

"I went to the hospital as you said, asking the nurse who declined information about him. Then I just waited in the halls for him almost an hour! And when he was there, I asked and..." she paused for a moment and looked uncomfortable to the side. "If I need anything from you, I'll get back to you," she recited Law before she added abruptly and still in disbelief, "and then he left!"

"Oh my..."

"Right?! He just dumped me!"

"Oh my god Judy..." Quinn's face showed her digest to the story. "You went to the hospital and waited almost an hour?"

The brunette's expression changed to a look a la 'excuse-me-what?'. "This shocks you?"

Quinn told her casually, "oh yeah, that with Trafalgar, I forgot to say that I also don't like him because he's pretty arrogant."

"Quinn!"

"Did you know that he theoretically considered himself as the 'best' doctor?"

"Quinn!"

Quirking her brow with a displeased smile at the thought, the blonde continued her breakfast. She really had seen that coming anyway that Law would refuse to share his number, rejecting her selfish and straight. It would have been extremely embarrassing if she had asked him back then to get such rejection, whereby it wouldn't even have been for herself.

Judy face-palmed, sighing out loud. "I just got dumped. It's not like I say I'm perfect, I do have my flaws but so much that...? No guy had ever dumped me!"

"Wait..." Quinn stopped eating, minimizing her view to what her friend looked at her annoyed and raised a brow. "Do you like that guy?"

"Huh?" The brunette replied unamused. "What are you talking about?"

"You actually went there after work and waited for him! You would never do something like that! Oh my god, I knew during your slutting, you'll find someone."

"Ha ha, very funny. I'd like to remind you what this whole number thing's all about."

Quinn counted her points on her fingers. "He's handsome, he's good in bed, he's not clingy or lovey dovey, he's the dominating type, and he's gleeful. He's like made for you. Oh, and he dislikes Umeboshi just like you, and is 25 days older than you."

"What?"

"Or..." Quinn stared pensively into space, whispering like someone was spying on them, "he's your male version from a parallel universe. Woah, that would make you super narcissistic."

Ignoring her friend's silly theory, Judy asked surprised but not pleased, "how do you know about him so much?" It was sort of jealousy that painted her mood a little. Of course, she knew that Quinn clearly rejected any of her one-night-stands, let alone showing much interest in any guy, but jealousy was also uncommon for the brunette. Everything that happened was uncommon.

"I asked him. I guess I'll see him forever as Umeboshi now, dry and salty. You better not bring that though, he seems to despise it." Her eyes shifted amused to the side and Quinn thought for herself, hehe Dr. Umeboshi.

Falling with her cheeks into her hands, Judy sighed again and sank her lids in tiredness. "You lucky you. I wish he would be my doctor as well."

"I know you got weird fantasies."

"Handsome young doctor, examining you, how can-"

"Don't," Quinn interrupted her friend and shook her head with a dead face. Thinking back to her appointment, it was anything but wonderful, hot or exciting. Just a no-go. She then finished her meal, putting fork and knife properly down and thanked her friend with both hands clasped together. "Thank you for the breakfast ma'am. It was magical."

"When I start my new identity, you may get more of those," Judy responded halfhearted.

That was a tempting thought, but she, unfortunately, had to reject the idea. "Nope, Judy. It's really depressive to see you like that-" Quinn looked to the side with furrowed brows, surprised about her own statement that made her correcting herself, "no, actually not, it's kinda refreshing." Looking back to her friend, she finished the sentence though, "however, you like that guy and I think you shouldn't give up so soon. All in all he hadn't said that you won't see each other again."

"Okay first, I do not like that guy. Second, it probably means that when he needs sex, he'll come over. But what about me? Is that not pretty selfish?"

Furrowing her brows one more in dissatisfaction, Quinn whimpered, "oh maaan, why do you have to destroy everything? It just sounded like a cute love story and then you have to bring in that..."

"Grow up, Quinn," Judy said and got up with the tray. "This will be part of your life as well one day."

"We could have a car now if I get a coin every time you consider me a child."

"Yeah, I'll keep going, maybe that wonder will happen in the future."

Her head followed the brunette walking to the sink to get the dishes washed. It's not like Quinn wasn't aware of that or asexual, she just got annoyed by it as for her it seemed like no one was taking real feelings seriously anymore. Why was it always about loveless intercourse? Her ex-boyfriend was the biggest asshole, since he just had used her to satisfy his pervert fantasies, and she actually had fallen for that like an idiot. As she tried to explain her view, she gestured with her hands to it. "Anyway, I never said it won't, it's rather a side topic though. The focus is the chemistry between two human-beings. As long as non of them's asexual, making love will happen automatically, thus not necessary to mention for me."

"And he's just a sex interest, so."

Pouting her lips in defeat, Quinn leaned her chin with her hand on the backrest. "Okay, you're right... I'm sorry..."

"Oh, by the way, your work had called and asked you if you can jump in for a five-days school trip next week with fourth graders. One of the teachers can't because of some accident or so."

Next week? She actually got her appointment on Tuesday; should she made a new one instead? "Five days without me at home? I'm not sure."

"Geez, I'll survive it," Judy responded with a light laugh.

"Naah, it's not that. I'm rather scared that you'll have coitus everywhere... on the couch, on the dining table, on the kitchen counter, in my room..."

"Ah, that may be true. Don't worry, I would clean it," she answered with a big amused grin.

Contorting her face in disgust, Quinn also spoke it out. "I don't want any body liquids at a surface I usually connect with food."

"Don't worry, I'll only make them cum on your bed."

"Oh gawd! Judy! Gross! Gross! Gross!"

The brunette laughed. "Just kidding."

She said just kidding, and the rule said when Judy said it was a joke, then it indeed was one. But, Judy was like a minefield, hiding explosive surprises everywhere and every time, and just the thought of any naked guy in her own bed made Quinn cringe hard in disgust. "Oh, where are you going?" She asked as she watched her friend strolling away after she had finished the cleaning.

"Back to bed, hoping to come up with a great new identity."

Lowering her eyelids, the blonde just wondered if she had ever come with that idea to not to be known as the hoe of the hood. "Ohh Judy, you're exaggerating."

The brunette turned around with her posture not as straight and elegant as normally but heavy and sluggish. "Remember when I told you that I would make a contract with the devil? This would be the moment, ...if I hadn't seen my soul leaving me already as those painful words pierced into my body and torned it out with the awfullest violence a person could do to someone."

"Uhuuu..." Quinn said with her blank face of cluelessness, having no advice in her repertory. The way her friend was acting and exaggerating like she normally would do, it could only happen when it hit the brunette really bad. Such an ego pushing girl that defined her identity with the lust of men... Quinn closed her jaw and breathed out with an eye roll. "God, you're acting like he signed the divorce papers."

"Good morning, Quinn," Judy said and got into her room, closing the door quietly.

There weren't a lot of things in this world that could bring the brunette down, so receiving such rejection from a guy (Law or any other random one) must plummed her self-esteem. However, Quinn was sure this one to have been just a short phase of her being dumped the first time, so nothing she seriously had to worry about. At the latest when that guy would come back after craving for her, Judy would be back to normal. Hey, maybe the blonde would have a meal from her every day until then?

Sitting on the chair and dreaming about potato pancakes and applesauce, Quinn suddenly had another, less joyful thought. If she would jump in for the teacher tomorrow on the school trip, she better would go out today to send out the letter she had wanted to send for so long. But it was raining... The sound was so calming when you could cozy yourself at home, but walking outside was just a booh.

And still, Quinn decided to get up. Dressed comfortably in jeans and an oversize sweater, she knocked at Judy's door and opened to look inside. The person meanwhile had curled herself into the blanket, looking annoyed over the edge. "What is?"

Smiling wryly about her usual behavior, Quinn replied, "I'll get out to send off a letter. Just saying."

"What letter?" Judy asked and sat up, brushing her hair back.

Lowering her lids in awkward hesitation, the blue eyes moved aside. "Don't be mad at me, okay?"

"Oh, your application for this art class?"

"Yeah... I didn't apply last year because I just started my teaching job, but now the deadline for this year is in a week, and-and-and..."

"And you just wanna leave me alone."

"What nooo! I just apply and hope for an invitation to the qualification test, and then wait just to see if I do have the skills for that class...! You know, it's kinda like a validation thing and-"

"I was just kidding," Judy then stated, calming her friend. "But really, if you wanna go, then do it. I won't hold you back."

"Huuuh? I said this is just a challenge to myself! I love my teacher job!" She claimed with furrowed brows as they turned to discomfort. That art class she wanted to apply for was out of their city on a renominated university; and if she ever got the chance to attended that one, it would be a huge push up in her CV besides making big connections during her sojourn over there. It was tempting to try, but Quinn felt bad towards Judy and her students to leave.

Judy smiled at her. "The moment you'll receive an invitation, you'll wave with considering it. Means, I'll make you pack your stuff and kick you out of this city."

"You do realize this apartment's half paid by me," the blonde responded with a blank face as if her friend was stupid.

Her eyes rolled in annoyance. "Geez, you know what I was supposed to say."

"Juuuust kiiiidding," Quinn said with a snickering grin. "However, I won't go! And if, it would be in a year anyway!"

Lying back on the mattress in tiredness, Judy closed her eyes. "However, there's no one here holding you back. If I'm bored, I just follow you into the city."

"Abandoning your job? I thought you do pretty well with your boss?" Surprise crossed her face. Judy had a simple office job, Quinn didn't even know what she was doing there, but she knew from her telling that her boss was a nice guy. At that moment, she was not in the position to think about leaving the office and hope for another job...

Judy pulled the blanket over her head. "Just leave already."

The blonde then closed the door with her lids half over her eyeballs again. Well, Judy was just as moody as always. Because she had been awakened pretty early, she was surely kind of sore that moment, thus she better let her get her deserved rest.

Looking out the window, Quinn sighed by the thought of getting out into the rain. The weather prognoses for the whole fellow week should be like that, it was just tiring to think of it and kind of depressive to see the world tinted in all those gray and dull colors. As Law still got her umbrella, she took her friend's, which was a plain red one with a black handle. She left the apartment then, entering the noisy and wet streets where as good as no one was outside but her. It kind of reminded her of the day she had gone to the hospital as melancholy crept in the sky, which was already a month ago, leaving her speechless how time just flew.

The nearest postbox was 20 minutes walk away into the city, or she would take a 5-minute bus ride. It was one every hour on Sundays, and she checked on the timetable just to see that she just missed the last one by ten minutes. How annoying...

Quinn decided to walk. She rarely saw the city on that weekday anyway, so it was like a little wet adventure of getting a letter to the postbox, made her just imagined it to be a video game. It was honestly somewhat relaxing too to be alone, only surrounded by the pouring water that made her feel a little nostalgic. She remembered a little from her childhood when her father went out with her and chased for the end of the rainbow after it rained cat and dogs. Her mother was so angry of him as both came back soaked to the bones, probably ended up with a big cold, but she couldn't remember that as she was not older than six back then.

Reaching the postbox, she threw in the letter and turned away to the bus station. The walk might have been nice, but she wanted herself to be spared by another walk back. On her way to the next bus station, Quinn saw a girl sitting on the backrest of a bench, her posture rather depressive as the rain drowned her completely. She furrowed her brows by the look of her loneliness, feeling the sadness that spread from her face not far from her spot. Questions about her well-being, her issues, it concerned her and so she decided to walk up to the girl. Something must have happened to her. Maybe she needed a helping hand, some comfort, something to happened to show her that the world was not a cruel place.

Surprised reddened eyes met her as Quinn stopped in front of the lonely person, holding the umbrella over her with a smile. "I would ask you if you're alright, but you're clearly not."

The girl looked ashamed and embarrassed down, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm okay! I-I was just needing some time alone."

She was saddened by something, but too proud to receive help. Could that anyone take amiss? Quinn was basically a stranger after all. Careful about what she was saying, the blonde kept her smile as she tried to approach her though, to at least get her out of the rain. "I really don't wanna annoy you but... believe me, you'll regret it the next few days with a thick cold when you're staying here under this shower."

She had short and light ginger hair and was probably also shorter than Quinn. Looking up to the blonde, she smiled at her quite forced and tried to sound normal, if not happy. "Thank you, but I'm really alright!"

Quinn sighed and closed the umbrella in her hand, now standing purely in the rain as well, earning confusion from the girl. "I know you're probably thinking 'what the hell' now, but I'm weird so that I decided to stay here with you until you get under my umbrella and accompany me to the next roof." As the girl furrowed her brows to her statement, Quinn added convinced, "I was ill last time as well and believe me, something ridiculous like that can change a looot!"

That her doctor was her bestfriend's sex interest was a great change in her daily life. She felt inserted into a TV show, what was quite amusing to her honesty, but also somewhat awkward.

The ginger's eyes fell to the umbrella and then back to the blonde, who just had the same wet look as her now, but happier. "Uhm, you... I'm really okay..."

Seeing her insincere smile again, Quinn took place next to her casually. "I know the best medicine against crooked smiles like yours." She took a deep breath with a wide grin and said, "how do astronauts organize a party?"

Not sure about the answer and if she even should answer, she was staring at Quinn and waited for her to say something.

Quinn looked to the side and smiled sassily into her face. "They planet."

As a short silence followed, the girl suddenly giggled with the failing attempt to hold it back. "That one was good."

"Whaaat?" In huge surprise, the blue orbs widened. "You found it funny?!"

"Yeah, that one was really not bad."

"Oh my god! I'm Quinn! I don't wanna be obtrusive or so, but people usually dislike the jokes I'm telling, and I don't know, I think they find puns unfunny whereby I think them to be the funniest! My bestfriend rather laughs about other people's misery and she thinks I'm childish! Not that I'm talking bad behind her back, I love her and I do tell into her face what pomegranate she is, beautiful but sour and bitter!" Stopping from her hysteria with some pantings, she took a deep breath before she continued with her conclusion, "sooo, you're one of the minority that laughs with me!"

Snickering to her excitement, the girl pointed to the umbrella to tell her opening it again. Quinn then immediately did and looked at her with big eyes. "Gaaawd, thanks! It's so freaking cold!"

"I'm sorry," the ginger answered with a smile. "I'm Koala."

"Koala?! What cute name!" Quinn exclaimed then in light fascination.

Koala rubbed her cheek with an awkward smile, less with Quinn's opinion. "Uhh, thanks, but I don't really like it as my schoolmates used to mock me during my teenage time."

"Woah, I bet it were some people with boring names!"

She laughed quiet- but heartily about the blonde's cheerfulness.

"Hey... I don't wanna be pushy but..." Quinn suddenly leaned her face with suspecting eyes to the girl. "Is your problem about... love?"

Feeling caught, she drop-sweated with blushed face. "H-how do you know?!"

"People tend to feel embarrassed crying about love as they worry to be too melodramatic, thus claim everything to be alright."

Looking indeed embarrassed away from her, Koala covered her face with one hand. "There's a guy I like and I know him for so long. I kinda confessed to him but it was totally awkward and he didn't say much either, so I became desperate and somehow we ended in a fight, and now I'm here."

"Woah..., uhm..." Quinn felt weird and bad that she had made her telling so much. "Y-you don't have to tell me if you feel uncomfy, I mean I'm ready to help you with some advice, though I'm bad at giving advice; but it's rather something to tell your best friend than-"

"But what if he is your bestfriend?!" Koala snapped with pink cheeks in frustration.

The blonde placed one hand on the girl's shoulder, staring determined into her eyes. "If he's your bestfriend, I'm sure it's just a miscommunication thing and he likes you too!"

Confused, she was glaring at Quinn, questioning her confidence.

"I mean, this is only something I could observe from my students. If something develops over friendship, both of you will feel the differences, the little teases, the little flirts and the different kind of caring," was her response. She then put her hand back down and turned to the front. "My students were only 5th grader I know for a year, but I could watch their interaction and how it changed - what was really cute by the way and later they became the class couple! He's your best friend, I'm sure he doesn't want to hurt you on purpose but had felt unsure and overran during the moment."

Thinking about her words carefully and also somewhat surprised, Koala stared at Quinn. She hadn't been prepared to meet someone to talk to in her little love misery, hence felt thankful for her attention. "You're right, I-"

"Of course there are jerks too who seemed to be nice or friendly but have no clue about women's feelings and thoughts!" Quinn cut her off without even noticing she did, her sort of irritated face that caught fire turned back to the ginger. "In case he's just a total moron about love, plays with you or whatever, dump that jerk! Maybe he's just after your body! I know a lot of dudes who are friendly to women only to bang her in the end! Else they aren't that nice and perverts! Groaaar, don't let yourself being make the fool!"

"Ah no no, Quinn," she replied laughing, gesturing her with both open hands to cool down. "He's not like that, I know him since we're teenagers, he's a very kind guy and not any sort of those you mean."

Lowering her eyelids with her lips tightened to a bow down, Quinn tried to register her words and consider them true. "Hmmpf, if you say so... Nice and pervertless guys are rare. I only met those," she said and muttered annoyed to the side, "even my male colleague keeps staring at my ass, as if I'm not noticing that..."

"I'm sure you'll meet someone someday who appreciates more of you than your female treats," Koala stated with a warm grin.

Quinn liked that girl, she was carrying so much positive energy. Talking to her was refreshing and she felt sympathizing with her instantly, thus hoping with all might that between her and her male best friend everything would turn out well.

A/N: Well, no Law in here I know, I'm sorry~ But Koala appeared randomly dun dun dun, talking about her best friend (who you sure know lol) - I try to avoid more OC's as much as I can :D

miki - naw, thank you for your review! I was really happy to received and read it. Glad that you like Quinn and etc.! I love writing conversations and happy that you enjoy them. I also do like to write character thoughts, but I avoid to write down too many as the story should also develop through their verbal interaction. Else way it would be too easy to see where the story goes by reading every single thought haha. Also, Shachi and Penguin will be interacting more later, their time will come xD Your english is fine, I understand it all :D Learning by doing! It's not my first language too :)