Disclaimer
This is a work of fan fiction from the Paper Town world which is trademarked by John Green. Quentin and Margo are characters created and owned by John Green, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of Paper Town. This was created for a school assignment, not for financial gain, and is not a part of John Green's canon.
They still hug each other in the cracked darkness of Algoe. Neither of them want to let each other go. They just enjoy this moment for the last hug before heading for different directions. Quentin stares at Margo really affectionately, but with a little pity in his eyes. He probably realizes that this good-bye might be the last one forever. He kisses Margo again and hug her tightly. It is at that time that Margo shakes her mind. She casts doubt on her original plan for now.
"OK, it's...its the time now to... to say goodbye, Margo. I am so pleased that you are still alive. Thank you for the day. It is really my greatest time during my life. I'll keep it forever."
"Please don't, Q. Just hug me a little longer." She murmurs with sobbing sound.
Quentin could feel that she is shivering and holding his back tighter. It seems like she was still very emotional.
"For sure. If you want to say something, just say it aloud. Anything is OK. I am now for you."
"I...I just...don't know." Margo finally bursts out crying. She cries sadly against Quentin's chest, tears running down her dusty cheeks onto Quentin's shirt.
"I...I just feel so empty, lonely and nervous after your sudden intrude. It is a firm decision for me to leave Orland and all sucking things behind."
"Yeah, I know."
"But, when you arrive here, I am doubt about myself whether it is a right choice. It is your arrival that makes me realize Agloe is still a paper town. It is always abjectly silent here for all day long. There are only books and me."
"It is obvious silent and scruffy here."
"That is not a true problem. You are such a real person for me now. Never to be a two-dimension paper person. I know the life I had ever experienced is boring and meaningless, but I really missed our time together. Not only in our childhood, but also the adventure with you and especially today. I somehow feel that I could not leave you."
"Thank you! And I always feel the same way. You are always the girl, as you know, in my mind. I could not stop thinking about you. However, after the day with you, I know I could not be you and you could not either be me. So.. yeah..." Quentin could not keep saying.
After few minutes of silence, "Could you stay here for another few days? I am really confused now. I need your company. Please!"
"OK, I am glad to be the one to company you. I hope you could come back to the normal life with me, but follow your heart. These days are only for you to look back and make your final decision."
"Thank you so much, Q."
Quentin pulls out his cellphone out of his pocket and calls Ben,
"What's up, bro. Have you successfully convinced Margo to go back with you?"
"Come on, I am not here to convince her back. I just want to make sure she is still alive and ask some unsolvable questions in my mind."
"OK, so you finished? Would you go back to Orlando with us together, tomorrow?"
"No."
"What's the fuck to you! You have been convinced to change your life to a vagrant like her?"
"Shut up, you idiot! I will just stay here for a few days. She need my company for now."
"OK, OK, anyway. We will leave tomorrow morning. Whether to go back is up you."
"Yeah, see you then."
For the next few days, Quentin devoted all his time to accompany Margo. They talk to each other about lots of things, make meals and read books together. It is the life that only exists Quentin's imagination—spend all day long with the girl he loves. Margo also enjoys this kind of simple life which is not as boring as she thought. On the contrary, it is full of fun and happiness. The life is so real for her that she could not refuse it.
"Q, I think it is the time for us to get back."
"What! For real? You want to go back to Orlando?"
"Yeah, I have made up my decision. Although it was paper town, it could change. Once, you are just a two-dimension paper person in my mind, but you become so real now. Same as the town and my previous life. Although I could not be you and you could not either be me, both of us could change. You have already made a process on changing yourself. So do I."
"Great! Great! Let's go back now. I have already missed my family."
"Yeah, Let's go."
After a long drive back to Orlando, they both go back to their house, meet their parents and explain what happened to them. In the following summer holiday, Quentin and Margo always hang out together to meet friends, attend party and join in some outdoor activities. Also, they start to read some required book on their university booklist. It is this period of time that their relationship strengthen. Both of them keep each other in the deepest part of their heart. Two weeks before the university start, they hang out together to prepare their new semester. Both of them mainly buy some daily necessities and decoration to their own dormitory.
"Time pasts really fast. The holiday will be soon over. We will start our university life in two weeks."
"Yeah, maybe it's the last time we meet before Christmas. Our universities are really apart. Oh damn, I need to turn back to that paper girl that everyone likes."
"You don't have to. Just to be your true self. Many people will like that. University is a chance to expand your opportunities."
"I hope so." Margo stops talking and make up her mind secretly at the same time—'I will try my best to transfer to Duke.' She does not care about other's opinion to her for now. The only thing she wants is to be together with Quentin. Transferring to Duke was not only a chance to improve herself, but also the way to strengthen their relationship.
One week before September, Margo gets on aboard of the airplane to Florida State university to attend the orientation week for new students. It is really a total new environment for her! It will never be a boring campus in a paper town. The whole campus just like a small town, but far more interesting for her. There are various infrastructure: the grand multifunctional stadium, blocks of residential area with graceful small park between buildings, several bars around different corners of the campus, landmark buildings with different styles for different institutions. Moreover, there are much more people not only from all over the state, but from all over US even around the world. Margo is too exciting to the official start of her university. She believes that it will much more colorful than her high school life. At the orientation week, she soon makes several friends to form up her dorm. Also, she get familiar with several cool boys during the school welcome party. She tells them about her former adventures to the old buildings, unfinished buildings and Algoe. Margo especially mentions lots of details and her changes in mind for her recent journey to Algoe. However, she omits the content in the notebook which she buried in the Algoe with Quentin and the part that Quentin intimated with her. She reddens when she recall that sweet moment with Quentin but none of the guys notice. All of them shows undoubted surprise to this experience and most of them remember a new name—Quentin.
"Do you have an affair with that boy?"
"Come on, we are just good friends."
"Oh, no. Don't deny me. By the way, how sweet you are! He traveled hundreds of miles for you and brought you back. Oh my lord."
Except for socializing with other freshman, Margo finds the school career office and talk about her thoughts to transfer to Duke with her advisor. She gets several advices for choosing requisite classes and clearly understands the difficulty of transferring to such a university. Although she is never an academic guy and a good time manager for herself, Margo determined to change herself in order to meet her goal.
As time passes so fast, the midterm is coming. It is the first big test in Margo's university life. She feels a little bit nervous because of the high percentage of this grade in GPA. Since the freshman year is full of general-education courses, Margo does not perform very well on some courses especially the science and math area. Although midterm is a challenge for Margo, it is still a chance for her to boost up her grade. She has to grasp it! On Friday afternoon, Margo comes back to her dorm after the final class of this week. When she opens the door, her roommate soon jumps out of the bed and walks toward her.
"Are you free for tonight?"
"What's the matter?"
"There will be a party at the corner bar of school during this weekend. The opening dancing party is at tonight. So will you come with me? There will be a bunch of cool boys and hot girls. Also the alcohol."
After a few seconds of silence, "I am really sorry, Hazel. I could not attend this party with you. I have appointed the online Calculus tutoring for tonight."
"Oh, come on, Margo! You have been refused me with approximately the same reason for several times. Why you need to study that hard? I remember your introduction that you were once a very opening girl who loves party and alcohol. Why you only attend one party among the first half semester? By the way, you have already been one of the best student in our class. Why you still spend so much time to improve your grade. It does not make any sense."
"I am really sorry! I have made this appointment one week ago. Also, the midterm is coming. I have to prepare well to face this challenge."
"But there is still one week. It is more than enough for a student like you to review and pass the exam."
"It's true, but I need to boost up my math grade. It is one of my worst courses."
"OK, fine. I really could not understand what are you thinking about." Hazel just turn around and go straight out of their dorm. Margo put her bag down and sit at her table. Should I give up this party again? Her mind is shaking. She could not figure whether it is a good choice to devote all of her time to transfer to Duke. Quentin and her have already built a strong bond between them. Whenever Quentin is free, he will contact with Margo and even have video call with her. She clearly knows that Quentin loves her so much even she stays at Florida. She stares blankly out of the window without thinking anything. At this time, her phone rings. She quickly moves her eyes to her phone and finds out it is Q.
"What's the day, Margo? The weekend is coming soon"
"Yeah, I just arrived at my dorm. I prepare to have the Calculus tutoring tonight."
"Oh, that's good. The midterm will come soon. Hope you could get a good grade. By the way, if you have any questions. Feel free to ask me. I will try my best to solve them."
"Thank you, Q. I will work hard." Margo felt much more determined to her decision for transfer. She puts up all her materials needed for the Calculus tutoring and go to the study room. After Margo finishes the tutoring, she just has a simple dinner at the dinning hall and goes back to her dorm to review the lesson. Staying up until midnight, she still focuses on calculus book to review for the "Series" chapter. After the review lesson from student tutor, Margo gradually understands the basic principle of "Series". She also prepares to do some module test to consolidate her understanding to various concepts. She still feels clearheaded although it has already been 1 o' clock. It was the belief to meet Q that kept her working so hard to meet the required transfer grade.
After one year of hardworking, Margo finally achieves the requirement to transfer to Duke. At the beginning of her sophomore year, she goes to North Carolina happily. After Margo notices Quentin at the school gate, she rushes to him and hug him tightly.
"I am finally here." She bursts out with tears.
"Yeah, you finally made it! What a surprise for me. I could not imagine that you are here. It is my bad that I have not been brave enough to confess my love to you. And it is the time for me now! I love you, Margo! I really really love you."
"I love you too, honey."
"Hopefully we could company each other forever and never separate."
"It will! It will definitely will!"