Quinn and Brad…
"Playtime is over, huh?" her voice sounded small and slightly distant.
"Quinn…"
"He's right," Quinn's voice perked up, "you have a job to get back to and I have a lot to sort out too. It's not like I expected you to stay here and babysit me forever."
The whole while that she had been talking, it was in that reflexive fast paced voice that she got when she wanted to rush through something, Brad could feel the distance between them growing. Even the way that she remained at his side felt more rigid.
"I never thought of this as babysitting you. I- it's-"
"Oh, I know it's been fun for me too, but your brother's right. You do have a life to get back to."
Brad was silent and focused on the chair that sat across the room.
She can't get rid of you fast enough. First opportunity and poof! ...rebounds never last.
"Tell you what," Quinn sat up, "I will get dinner ready and by that I mean order in, while you make your arrangements, okay?"
She didn't wait for an answer and went into the kitchen to route through the menus that she kept neatly stacked on the counter. Brad retreated to the bathroom to clear his head.
"Brad?" Quinn's voice reached out to him through the bathroom door where he had been practically hiding out.
"Yeah, I'll be out in a sec."
He splashed some water on his face and looked at his reflection. She was funny, smart, and- and going through some shit right now. Shit that she didn't want anyone back home to know about either. That fucking asshole that was supposed to be her boyfriend-
Get your shit together man. You have been fortunate enough to be in the bed of the hottest woman that you will ever meet and just because it's time to get back to work you want to pout? Get the fuck out of here! Now, put on your big boy boxers and enjoy this last night with her before she comes to her senses and changes her mind dumbass.
Brad dried his face and headed out to join Quinn for dinner.
Nick and Max…
"See, I told you. You're looking more like yourself now. How do you feel?"
Max shook his head with a bit of a smile on his lips. Nick had all over him for moping about his breakup with Stacey. He had given him exactly 24 hours to do the depression thing, then it was time to suck it up and move on to the next one. Max had given in because, hey what did he have to lose anyway and Nick always delivered on having a good time. Besides, he had thought as they were in the bar, it wasn't as though Stacey had ever acknowledged him as her real boyfriend to her parents. For her, he- their 'relationship' didn't exist. Nick had got him set up with this girl with long dark hair; dark eyes and a body that would make the pope quit his job. Max had thought, 'where does he even find someone that looks like that in a town as ordinary as Lawndale' but tonight his was not to question why, but instead to go with the flow. He did that completely and without question to his delight.
"The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, I always say." He made his declaration while passing Max the take out breakfast that he had gotten.
"What about you and those girls that you were talking to?"
"No haps, last night was all about making sure that you are on the road to recovery and shit."
"What about the girl that I saw you with before I left? That conversation looked interesting."
Nick thought back to the young woman with the beautiful smile and piercing brown eyes.
"She was nice." He shook himself out of it and looked at his friend. Last night had did Max a world of good, but Max was still hurting and it would take time. Nick just didn't want Max to sink to that low place and staying busy would insure that.
"You two just talked?" Max's voice was incredulous. "That's a first."
"I resemble that remark."
"You sure do."
They both laughed.
"Heard from Jesse?"
Nick cleared his throat.
"Yeah, some major shit went down with him and Jane. He ah… he's been going through a lot more than I realized."
"What happen, he eat her art project or something?" Max laughed, but saw the seriousness on Nick's face and stopped. "What happened, they hook up and she catch feelings or something?"
"Yeah…something like that."
"Well what happened to DeMartino?"
"They're still together… back in Boston."
"What the hell-"
Nick relayed as much of the story that Jesse had given him after showing up quite drunk and needing to talk. Max ate and listened to everything.
"That is so fucked up."
"I know."
"How could we have not known for like years and shit?"
"Well…"
"Don't tell me you knew back when-"
"Not for certain, but I saw how protective he was of her and how he paid attention to everything that she said or did. Remember when that guy was trying to talk to her when she was helping set up the year before 'glasses' moved here and became her bestie?" Max nodded. "You remember how Jesse practically destroyed the poor guy?" Max thought about it and shuddered slightly. Jane had politely tried to tell the guy that she wasn't interested, but the guy was not having it and kept trying to talk to her. The final straw was when he stopped her from leaving by taking hold of her elbow. Jesse had exploded off the stage where that had been doing a sound check and proceeded to pound on the guy. It had taken all of The Spiral and Jane to get him to stop. He had stormed outside with Trent and Jane trailing him to talk. I just thought it had to have blown over a while ago."
"Mmm… what does Trent say?"
"Haven't talked to him; didn't really want to do anything too heavy considering…"
"Oh yeah, his dad and shit. He seems better about all of that."
"Yeah… his girl has been good for him, more so than I thought."
Both men remained thoughtful.
"They're good for each other." Max thought out loud. "I didn't get it at first, what with her being so stand offish, but they seem to bring each other out… in a good way."
"Nice to see….."
"Yeah…"
"Hey Max?"
"Yeah?"
Nick looked at Max with a serious expression on his face and then all of a sudden Max heard the unmistakable sound of Nick breaking wind.
"Oh, you nasty motherfu-," Max hurried away from the room and Nick's laughter, that had quickly filled with Nick's stench.