Hi again. :)

I read your reviews and I needed to say this: As long as even one person reviews the crap I write, I'll continue. Because I'll know you're reading, right?

'Kay, I'll shut up now. :D

Chapter 5

RPOV

"The date's at seven and you get ready at half-past-six?" Keller asked, hands on hips.

"Yup, pretty much," Rashel shrugged, the picture of indifference. But inside, she felt that butterflies were using flamethrowers to maul her.

"And he said you're supposed to wear something nice," Keller's eyebrows were pulled together.

"Yup."

"Well, I – personally – was already thinking that if he said 'casual', we'd put you in nice clothes and doll you up like Dominick – I mean, pretty blondes," Keller 'coughed' slightly. "And...erm...ah...where was I?"

"Before or after the 'pretty blonde'?" Rashel asked, making sure to leave out the 's'.

Keller shot Rashel a glare. "I'm helping you out here, Rashel. Least you could do is cooperate, you know."

Rashel rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right! Since he said you'd have to wear nice clothes to strut around like that black-haired Redfern slut – " Rashel threw a pillow at Keller but couldn't help laughing. Keller had a ...vivid way of describing Lily Redfern, " – we should make you drop-dead gorgeous instead!"

"What? Are you trying to out-do him in everything?"

"Pretty much. Now, we only have one problem."

"Yeah? What's that?" Rashel was bemused by Keller's antics. Keller never fussed about these 'girl things' before.

"I have no idea how to put that crap onto your face, 'Shel."

QPOV

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Keller winked as she waved Rashel goodbye.

"Whatever," Quinn rolled his eyes. "See ya later, sis'!"

"So...where are we going?" Rashel asked after a while, her eyes wide.

"Somewhere, dear, somewhere," Quinn said, putting on a slightly crazed smile and patting her hand.

Rashel pursed her lips and said, "ah."

Quinn raised his eyebrow, trying very, very hard not stare at her for too long.

…

Because he was driving, you pervs.

"Ah?"

"I see why Keller's talking like that now...dear," she said, patting his cheek.

Her hand was cold, he noticed.

Look at the road, look at the road, look at the road...

"Hey, Quinn?"

"Yes?" he sucked in a breath through his teeth, glaring hard at the car in front of his.

"When are we gonna get there?"

"By tonight."

He knew, without looking, that Rashel had rolled her eyes and continued to stare at the pounding rain.

RPOV

"The Crypt?" Rashel asked, confused.

"Yeah, I used to come here all the time," Quinn said, shrugging and pulling her hand, "come on!"

The place looked slightly like Hades, in Rashel's opinion. The purple and red lights flashed everywhere, and the music was weird. Off, somehow. Like it was being played backwards or something.

"Sit here, I'll...get something for you to drink. And I promise it won't be drugged," Quinn chuckled, leaving her sitting on the kind of tall chairs you saw in pubs.

Rashel sighed, her finger tracing the grain of the wooden counter top.

"Hey there," a voice whispered from behind her, "I thought we'd get to...know each other better. What d'you say?"

Rashel froze and slowly turned.

The was a blonde there: tall, looks only slightly scraping good-looking...and judging by the smirk on his face, thinks he's God's gift to women.

Rashel rolled her eyes.

"Heyya. Sure, I'd love to get to know you...when the sky rains pickles, pigs fly and youfinally brush your teeth."

His eyes harden, and he put his arm against the counter top, leaning closer to Rashel. "Come now, honey. It'll be fun. Just the two of us, backseat of my car? How does that sound?"

He sounded so sure it would work. It was almost pitiable how desperate he was.

Almost.

"Shove off, jackass." Rashel jerked her knee upward, kneeing him in 'the place where the sun doesn't shine so brightly'.

The...person's eyes watered and he groaned, "this isn't over."

Rashel smirked and growled in a very 'Keller-ish' way, "bring it."

QPOV

"I leave you alone for two minutes and – Ivan?" Quinn stopped mid-sentence, staring at the pathetic mess on the floor.

Ivan didn't seem to hear him, too absorbed in his...private pains.

"You know that asshole?" Rashel asked, arms crossed.

"We've...met," Quinn said, a lump forming at the back of his throat. He never found evading the truth so hard before.

"Quinn..." Rashel said tiredly, "I think...I think I wanna go home now."

"Sure...gimme five minutes, okay?" Quinn murmured, and then grinned, "besides, it's not like you'll have any trouble with persistent guys, right?"

Rashel chuckled softly and said, "okay."

Quinn made sure Rashel's retreating back was out of view before he crouched down next to Ivan and warned, "you touch her, Ivan, and I will make the rest of your life hell."

RPOV

Rashel sighed. "So much for a first date, huh?"

Quinn looked at her for a second before stiffly turning his attention to driving again. "Naw, it was something special, right?"

"I suppose..."

"A special first date for a special girl."

Rashel rolled her eyes. Now that was from Keller.

QPOV

Keller was upstairs, probably in her room studying her ass off for History judging by the light from the table lamp. So he presumed it would be safe to say, "I'll walk you there."

Rashel shrugged.

RPOV

"Well...see ya," Rashel said. God, this is so damn awkward.

And before she could slam the door shut, he kissed her. Bloody kissed her.

Rashel blinked.

It was sweet and...it was just Quinn.

He had his eyes closed and he was still there.

So Rashel kissed him back.

Sweet, wonderful, perfect...until she realized he was muttering something along the lines of "Dove..."

QPOV

There was something wet on his shoulder.

Why was Dove crying?

He hugged her like he used to when they were younger, and she was upset with something. Somehow, she always stopped crying after that.

"Don't cry, Dove. Please..."

She seemed to cry even harder, sobs leaving her lips every now again.

He opened his eyes and it wasn't Dove anymore. Rashel stood there, green eyes usually bright now dull.

"Get lost, jerk."

"But..." There was no 'but's, he knew. He'd done something wrong. Dove was gone. Rashel deserved better.

"Get lost. I can't believe I let you use me. What am I? Number fifteen? Twenty? Just go away, John Quinn."

"I'm sorr – "

"Don't give me that shit. I don't give a damn about you anymore," the tears rolling down her cheeks seemed to want to prove her wrong.

"Don't. Don't cry, please," he pleaded softly, reaching out to touch her face.

"Save it," Rashel snapped, taking a step back. "Why don't you see Dove or something?"

And it was the name Dove, that made something snap inside of him.

He kissed her again, and before she could react, he left closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry."

Reviews are appreciated, as usual. :)