When Quince arrived at the dance, he wasn't really interested in anything that was actually going on. The punch, the music, the people, none of it mattered. He'd already delivered the note to Bennett about meeting Courtney in the library and now he was mostly just bored by the wall of the gymnasium. It'd been over an hour since the dance began and Courtney was still somewhere in the crowd, as far as he knew, anyway, and so was Bennett. Quince was pretty sure that Lily left just a little while ago, and now he was just waiting for everything else to fall into place.

Part of Quince still felt like he might've been an idiot for orchestrating this whole plan. After all, he would've been having more fun if Lily agreed to be his date and come to the dance together. He didn't really think there was a chance that Bennett saw Lily through the same lens that Quince did-he was somewhat shallow, and had known Lily for just as long as Quince had at that point. If he'd had any interest at all in her, it surely would have been apparent by then. But, he didn't really see that working out as planned either. To be fair, he'd never anticipated holding her on his lap in the girl's bathroom that week either. Life was full of surprises like that.

When the clock rolled past 9:30, Quince repeatedly checked his phone every couple of minutes. But Brody was still on the dance floor. As it neared ten minutes past, it became quite clear. Brody Bennett was not going to meet Lily like he was supposed to. He was dancing with one of the junior girls on the dance floor, and Quince realized. He realized that there would be no confession or closure for Lily Sanderson that night, after all.

She's just waiting for him, Quince thought to himself, everything settling in his mind. It's not like Quince had any fantasized ideal about tonight being a massive breakthrough, but he wanted the poor girl to get closure. She was supposed to talk to him and get a straight damn answer. Before Quince knew it, he was leaving the gym to walk down the deserted hallways, toward the empty library. His protective instincts were telling him to check on her, to go talk to her and invite her back into the gym for a dance or something. Shannen was still there, maybe they could still hang out and have a good time.

Instead, when he opened the door and laid his eyes on Lily Sanderson, his intentions faded. Quince's determination softened into sympathy, her face just barely lit by the hallway where she sat across the library room. Her blonde curls framed her face, the silhouette of her pirate costume just barely illuminated. She was so expectantly waiting, hopeful and precious. Lily was waiting for the best moment, the most important moment of her life. Quince moved through the tables with smooth determination, eventually stepping up to Lily where she sat.

Does she...does she still think it's Bennett? He wondered, his heart sinking at the way he was treating her. She's so much better than him, in every way. It was nearly pitch black, a window behind her serving as the only light between them. Quince reached one hand to barely graze the back of her neck, leaning down to press his lips against hers. All concern and sympathy dissipated from Quince as his lips relaxed against hers, smoothness and warmth connecting the two of them. Lily's arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close with a very low growl of enthusiasm.

Quince could barely control his feelings; he was beyond pleased. He tilted his head and opened his mouth against hers, swiping his tongue across her lips before finally withdrawing himself from her. He was warm all over, heart racing and grinning ear to ear. Quince had been wanting to kiss her for years. He'd always wanted to be with her ever since she arrived at Seaview and he thought she was so cute, but even more, each year spent getting to know her. All of their banter and his teasing and the way she fought him on everything. All of that tension leading up to this. Quince was thrilled.

"Wow," she breathed. "That was…"

"Incredible," Quince filled in for her, still smiling. It was the only word he could grab for at that moment. He let a moment hang in the air for a moment before he couldn't help himself, taking the chance to gloat. "Bet Benson could never kiss you like that."

"Quince?" she asked, furiosity ringing out. She stepped firmly on the library carpet to stand up tall in front of him, forcing Quince to step backwards slightly.

"The one and only, princess," he answered with a bright, sunny grin. Quince had kissed other girls before, but it had been a while, and none of them felt like that. It was electric, it was intimate, it was connection. There was none of that with any other kiss he'd ever had.

"Aaaaaaghhh!"

Lily's anger practically radiated off of her as she clenched her teeth together, raising one knee to jam it into his crotch before she turned to storm right out of the library, her mind clearly racing, filled with distractions as she walked away to escape Quince. Quince crumbled, groaning and staying stood only for a few moments before sinking into the chair Lily had just been sitting in.

"Wait, Lily-" he said, realizing that she had already left. He ran out into the hallway, looking in both directions to search for her, turning left toward the school's exit. He ran down and turned the corner before he was able to catch up to her. "-wait up, hold on."

The two of them carried on like that as Lily pushed on the front door, stepping out into the Seaview night as Quince kept asking her to stop and listen to him. She walked with such determination, unwavering, still refusing to acknowledge Quince's entire existence.

Was it that bad? Quince felt bad for what he did, but having Lily shut him out entirely was something else entirely. As Lily took off on the sidewalk, fuming, Quince got on his motorcycle to follow her home.

Quince rode ahead of Lily at the last block, riding Princess into his garage. By the time he had her shut off and safely secured, exiting the garage, he came out to find Lily storming up the front porch of her Aunt Rachel's house. Quince yelled for her to wait up, but instead she slammed the door right in his face.

"Ow!" Quince stood on the porch and banged his fist on the front door, shaking the other hand out from the door's impact. "Lily," he shouted. "Let me in."

He could hear Ms. Hale's voice inside, but not exactly what she said. Then, it was Lily's voice. He hit his fist on the door twice. "Let me explain."

Aunt Rachel spoke up, "Is that Quince?"

He listened carefully for Lily's voice, but he couldn't make out the words.

Quince banged his fist on the door again, "I never planned to kiss you."

Then, their voices were quiet again for a few moments. He placed his ear against the wood, frowning as he tried to listen in.

"No, I didn't," he heard, steps suddenly marching to the front door. Quince pulled his face back from the door just in time for it to swing open, his pirate wench standing there with her finger extended to point at him furiously. "He did!"

Quince took that as a literal opening, stepping forward, only to be met with the wood slamming right in his face. "Ow!" Quince muttered a "shit" to himself quietly, gripping his nose as he continued to speak. "Wiwy, just wet me expwain-"

Quince was met with the sound of the metal deadbolt sliding into place. He shook his head at himself and everything that was happening. Lily's complete and utter rage at him was at a whole new level. He stood there on the doorstep, letting his forehead rest against the wood as he replayed the night through his head. Everything was a mess. Lily had no closure or certainty with Bennett. She was pissed at him for kissing her, a choice that he now kind of regretted. Even if it confirmed everything he thought and knew and felt for the last three years, Lily took this as the most unforgivable act that had ever been committed. He could hear their voices inside the house, but still nothing clearly that was being said. It had been silent for a while, he wasn't sure for how long, when he finally heard the deadbolt sliding out of place. Quince pulled himself together to stand up straight, glancing down to wait expectantly-it had to be Ms. Hale answering the door, Lily was too furious to be willing to concede already.

"Quince, she's upstairs," she said, offering an apologetic look. Quince nodded slightly, a little embarrassed to even be in the situation with her aunt.

"Sorry for the trouble," he offered as she stepped aside to let him in. Quince started up the steps into their home. His mind was racing with where to begin-part of him wondered if he should come clean about his feelings, explaining that he'd been interested in her for years. But a large part of him knew that she didn't want to hear that, ever, from him. Especially not right now. Unfortunately, he knew how she felt.

"Lily," he settled on, standing outside of her bedroom door. He hadn't ever been upstairs of their home before, but he knew that this was the room that overlooked the side of his home. Quince waited only a moment, and when there was no response, he wrapped his hand around the doorknob and started to turn it.

The lock clicked into place, and Quince let out a huff of hair, turning his face down to look at his boots. "Lily. Please, just let me explain what happened." For now, that's where he would start. That seemed like the most essential place to start.

"No," that fiery voice of hers fired back, then there were several soft thuds hitting the door. "Go away." A cat meowed from behind the door.

Quince opened his mouth to speak, and then paused a short moment to swallow. His throat was hoarse. Probably from yelling and shouting at her half the way home, he surmised to himself. "I really planned to help you snag Ben-" he paused to clear his throat, a clear ahem, attempt, "-nett." He spoke softer, looking over at where Ms. Hale was just at the bottom of the stairs, watching him. "Figured if you spent more than ten minutes with him, you'd realize he's a total pr-"

Lily finally interrupted again, yelling, "I'm not listening to you." More soft thuds against the surface of her bedroom door on the other side.

"What I mean is," Quince began, trying to clarify. "I gave him the note. He was supposed to be there," he cleared his throat louder, more forcefully this time, swallowing his saliva. "Then I"-ahem-"saw him dancing with"-ahem-"Kiran Siman"-ahem-"and I thought I should"-ahem-"check on you. Damn, my throat is dry," Quince coughed lightly, furrowing his eyebrows. Was I yelling that loud? Dammit, Lily, please, listen to me, his coughs turned louder, Quince covering his mouth into his elbow as he tried to fight it to keep speaking.

"Anyway," he speaks up. "You looked so...expectant standing there in the dark. Like you were waiting for the best moment of your life," as soon as he got those words out, he erupted into yet another loud coughing fit.

Ms. Hale started up the stairs closely, one hand on the bannister. She felt sympathy and concern for both of the teenagers in her home. Each of them were wrapped up in something they had not intended, something much bigger than Quince knew. The consequences of a single kiss were not the same for mergirls like Lily Sanderson, after all.

Once Quince's coughing quieted down, Lily spoke up. There was a soft thud against the door between each word. "I...Wasn't...Waiting...For you."

Quince groaned and rolled his eyes. He knew that. He knew, oh so well, that Lily was not waiting for him. He'd set the whole thing up, after all. "I know," he paused only to keep coughing. His voice was strained and hoarse, desperate for air as he spoke. "I couldn't help it."

Lily's voice was suddenly close and quiet, on the immediate other side of the door. "Water."

A long pause hung in the air between them, separated only by the wooden door of her bedroom. Quince leaned his head back from the door, taken aback that Lily had spoken so quietly, almost a beat of sympathy in her voice. "What?"

"Water. You need a drink of water."

Quince recoiled back slightly, shaking his head. Why the hell was she so concerned for his voice? "It's just a cough. Lily, I want you to understand why I-"

She cut him off. "Go ask Aunt Rachel for a glass of water."

Quince turned slightly to look over at where Aunt Rachel stood on the stairs just as she spoke, "I'm right here, dear."

Quince shook his head, still staring at the stark white door between them. His voice was much quieter and hoarse, almost grating to listen to. "Listen to me, please."

"Aunt Rachel," her voice responded, only not to him. Quince let out a frustrated sigh. "Get Quince a glass of water."

Aunt Rachel responded as if she'd been sent on an official government mission, "Of course."

Quince heard Lily softly sigh from the other side of the door. "And make it salty."

"Right," the woman responded before walking down the stairs.

"Salty?" Quince asked, groaned through his raspy voice. His throat wouldn't let him speak up anymore. "Why the hell would I drink salt water?" Is she insane? What's that going to do for me? You can't just drink salt water.

"It's a long story."

There was a meow, while Quince replayed the way she said that over in his head. It's such a loaded phrase. It feels like a long story, but somehow he feels like he understands just how much that means. A long story? It's a long story about why I should be drinking salt water? He glanced over at Aunt Rachel, who seemed remarkably nonchalant as she shook salt into a tall glass of water.

"Why do I think," Quince paused once more, choosing his words carefully. "That when you say that, it's a gross understatement?"

Lily leaned her forehead against the door, and Quince breathed out of his nose, slowly as she spoke. "Listen. Drink the water. Go home and take a bath. A salt bath. You'll feel better-"

Quince jumped to interrupt her, "No. I'm not leaving until you let me expl-" cough cough cough.

Lily took advantage of his coughing fit to speak up. "I'm not up for this right now."

It was the exhaustion in her voice that Quince accepted with ease. She sounded completely drained, and it was nearly eleven o' clock. He relented.

"Okay. As long as you promise we'll talk tomorrow."

"I promise," Lily answered, shaking her head slightly, her eyes shut tight.

Quince opened his mouth to speak, to tell her that they had to talk, but instead he started to cough again.

"Just go home and take a bath."

Quince choked again, turning away from the door to cough into his elbow just as Aunt Rachel appeared with the tall glass of salt water for him. He reached out and took it, looking at the water for a moment before he downed the glass with relative ease, given that it was salt water. "Thanks, Ms. Hale."

She nodded as if it wasn't an issue at all, watching as Quince furrowed his eyebrows at the cup curiously. I just drank a glass of salt water, and it didn't taste like shit? He looked up at Aunt Rachel, extending a hand to take the cup back. Somewhat dazed, he gave it back, turning to look back at Lily's bedroom door. "Uhh, see you tomorrow, Lily?"

"I promise."