Tiago lies on his bed, his hands folded behind his head. Quinn's head is resting on his stomach. They're both reading a book for their English class, but Quinn can't concentrate. Even though they talked about it, Tiago's reaction the girl's night still bothers her. Why is he acting so childish suddenly? It just doesn't make sense to her.
After having read the same sentence about twenty times, she groans and puts the book down. Tiago frowns at her and does the same. "What's wrong? Don't you like the book?"
Quinn smiles sadly - she'd give the world to have that as her problem. "Listen, I know we talked, but I still wonder why you hate the idea of the girl's night tomorrow so much. What about it bothers you so much? You've always been eager to spend time with me, but you've never been so extremely needy. It came out of nowhere."
Tiago sighs and doesn't answer for a long time. She knows he's trying to find a way to say what's on his mind. Finally, he speaks. "I'm not completely sure myself. The moment you said it, I just felt this intense panic. I know I was wrong, but you know I'm stubborn and even when I realise I'm not being fair, I'm too stubborn to actually admit it. And I know it's a cliché, but the first thing that I thought about when you mentioned girl's night was what you see on TV - girls talking about boys. Famous actors or singers or whatever and how perfect they are. And their boyfriends. I was scared you guys would be making fun of me, and I was scared you'd see what a loser I really am and break up with me."
Quinn frowns. "Why are you so insecure, though? I tell you I love you every day. We spend so much time together. I even gave my virginity to you, Tiago - I didn't do that lightly. So why would you be so scared?"
He shrugs. "My body has changed, I know that. I worked very hard for it, and then Mother Nature helped me out as well, but my neurological wiring is still the same. I'm still so insecure, even though I have the prettiest girlfriend in the world and am Captain of my soccer team and finally, everything seems right. It scares me that it's too good to be true, and then I worry that it won't last. And it's almost as if as long as I'm with you, physically with you, I can blind you to my flaws. But the minute you step back and discuss me with others, you'll see you want someone better, and I'm not there to defend myself or to show you that I love you."
Quinn leans up to kiss him softly on the lips. "I love you, Sir Lopezelot. And I know you love me."
He smiles at her. "You have no idea how much, Quinnevere. I'm sorry I got so insecure and I acted so childish. It was momentary panic - when you said you'd just be having fun, I got scared you don't have fun with me. And I felt so hurt by some of the things you said that I kicked back and got nasty. I'm sorry that I get so nasty when I'm hurt and try to make you feel guilty and shitty. When I feel hurt, I just kick back, and I keep kicking, and I shouldn't. I don't even know why I do that. Maybe I should see a therapist, would that make things better?"
Quinn thinks about that for a minute. "Your insecurity does have severe consequences. Taking everything you just told me into account, your insecurity made you act very childish and needy to a very annoying point, and it made you say things specifically to hurt me and make me feel guilty. That's not good. I don't love you any less - I've known you for a long time. I'll keep loving you. I'm not telling you that you have to see someone, and considering everything we haven't been a couple for that long. We're still figuring it out, right? I mean, we're gonna stay together, but we're figuring it out. And I forgive you, Tiago, as long as you promise to think twice next time. If this keeps happening, maybe you can go see someone. But if you do, it has to be because you want to."
He nods. "I don't want my insecurity to ruin what I have with you. I feel uncomfortable talking to someone about it - I'm the kind of guy to write it down and lock it up. But I'm sick of feeling that way, and I want to stop it. For me, and for you. You deserve better. So I might see if Ms Pilsbury can refer me to someone. The insecurity is so stressful and it makes me so paranoid, I don't want you to have to put up with that."
Quinn suddenly feels pensive. "I'm not breaking up with you, and I never will, but I'm just wondering... do you think if we did break up, we could go back to being best friends?"
Tiago thinks about that for a while. "Honestly? No. I'm sorry, but I've been in love with you for so long and now we're finally together, and I don't want to go back to just being friends. Because I know I'd still be in love with you. I don't think I could handle you dating other people, marrying someone else, starting a family."
Quinn grins. "Well, that's good, because I'd still be in love with you too. And you're the guy I want to date and marry and start a family with. On the family department, I think we should start practising. If we practise a lot now, our babies will be all the more perfect," she winks.
He smirks. "I approve of this."
They both put their books away and get rid of their clothes. The sex is silent, but intense, and very loving. Every caress is so tender, and at the same time grinding against his strong body makes her so horny and hot for him. She loves how they work to together to reach that point where it almost feels like they're melting together, that one moment in which they are ultimately united, in which they are one. She'll never get tired of that, certainly not with her Tiago.