"I'm so excited!" Lola squealed as the gang sat around their usual lunch table discussing their plans to go to Mystic Beach that upcoming weekend. Finals week had been exceptionally brutal this year and they were all in desperate need of some rest, relaxation and, most importantly, fun.
"I'm just glad this hellish week is over. I thought it would never end" Michael groaned dramatically
"I can't believe our first semester of senior year is over" Quinn said with a bittersweet smile. Of course she was excited to go to the beach and unwind with her friends and her boyfriend but she couldn't help but be a little sad that their PCA experience was coming to an end so quickly.
Zoey nodded in agreement, chewing thoughtfully on a grape "I know. It feels like just yesterday I was coming here and meeting you guys for the first time" she hummed nostalgically
Logan couldn't help but let out a laugh as a specific memory came to his mind "do you guys remember prank week the first year they let girls in?" He asked when everyone turned to look at him curiously, though he knew they did. There was no way anybody forgot the chaos that ensued that week.
"Of course I do" Zoey rolled her eyes. No one could ever accuse her of not holding a grudge.
"Wait, I don't. I wasn't here then" Lola pouted but she went ignored by the rest of the group
"I was almost expelled because of that stupid tradition" Zoey continued haughtily "Or did you forget that part?"
"Oh lighten up, Brooks" Logan snapped back, in no mood for her self righteousness "prank week was hilarious and everything worked out fine, you weren't even expelled. Because of me, by the way. I'm the one that made it so you could stay or did you forget that?" He mimicked her, annoyed at her for being a killjoy and annoyed at himself for being annoyed by her
"Okay" Chase said loudly and forced an awkward laugh "why don't we just move on" he suggested, wanting to keep the peace
"I think that's a good idea" Quinn nodded fervently as she reached out to place her hand on top of Logan's. She didn't want him to feel unsupported but she really wasn't in the mood for the bickering. Besides, she'd be lying if she said she didn't understand where his frustration was coming from.
Logan glanced over at Quinn when he felt her hand on his, his body instantly relaxing at her touch. He gave her a soft smile and wordlessly laced their fingers together, squeezing her hand gently, both of them missing the look of irritation and disgust that was shared between Zoey and Lola at their display
"Yeah, why don't we get back to planning our beach trip" Michael spoke up, trying to help redirect the conversation "what time do we want to get there?"
"Why don't we make a whole day of it?" Logan proposed "Get up early and grab breakfast, hit the beach by like 8 or 9 and then we can come back here to shower and clean up and go out for a nice dinner afterwards. Really celebrate the end of the semester in style. My treat" he offered. Finals week had been hell for him as well as everyone else and he really wanted to have an exceptionally good time, even if that meant having to spring for everyone's tab.
"That's actually a really good idea" Lola had to admit, though the thought of agreeing with Logan on anything made her feel sick. It was just unnatural.
"Yeah that sounds nice" Zoey agreed once everyone else seemed to be on board as well "but I can pay for myself, I don't need your money" she sneered. She'd rather starve than be indebted to Logan for any reason.
"So close" Chase muttered under his breath and shared a knowing look with Quinn when he heard her sigh
"Okay, what is your problem?" Logan raised his voice slightly, getting increasingly fed up with the treatment he was getting. "I was just trying to be nice so we could all have fun. I won't do that again" he scoffed
"By flashing your money around and reminding us all, once again, that being rich is your only personality trait?" She retaliated, her own voice getting louder to match his
"Okay, whoa! Stop it!" Quinn yelled, smacking the hand that wasn't in Logan's on the table, not wanting this to go any further "Zoey, that was uncalled for" she admonished "no one is forcing you to accept Logan's offer but you don't need to be nasty about it and insult him for no reason!"
Zoey and Lola's jaws dropped at Quinn's outburst, not having expected her to assert herself like that. Chase and Michael were trying to look anywhere and everywhere but at anyone at the table and Logan couldn't keep the smug grin off his face. He wasn't used to having someone defend his honor so fiercely and he couldn't deny that he absolutely loved it. She was hot when she was feisty.
"It's Logan. That's reason enough" Zoey jeered, sharing a glance with Lola when she heard her laugh
Logan upturned his free hand, waving it in front of him in confusion at the strays he was catching, shooting the bitchy blonde an angry glare "what the hell? What did I do to deserve this?"
"You were born" Lola cut in with a sarcastic smile on her face
"And we're all suffering for it" Zoey muttered in agreement, narrowing her eyes just as angrily right back at Logan
"Okay, that's it-" Logan's impending rant was interrupted by the piercing ring of his cell phone. Sighs of relief were heard around the table from all of them, save for Zoey and Lola, happy for a distraction and a way to move on from this argument before it spiraled into something more serious.
Logan glared at his phone, irritated by it's atrocious timing, and reluctantly let go of Quinn's hand so he could grab his phone, bitterly excusing himself from the table so he could step away to answer it
"What is the matter with you two?" Quinn turned her attention to Zoey and Lola, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at her roommates expectantly "why do you insist on always picking a fight with Logan? He didn't even do anything wrong"
"Logan's existence is wrong" Lola shuttered, feeling extra snarky and egged on by Zoey's attitude and contempt for their best friend's boyfriend
"Now, don't you think that might be taking it a little far?" Chase intervened, wanting to put a an end to this argument before any real damage was done
"More than a little far" Quinn huffed before Zoey or Lola could respond "all of this hostility towards Logan is completely unnecessary and unwarranted and I won't tolerate it anymore" she said firmly
"Oh but Logan acting like he's God's gift to humanity and being a pompous ass just because he has money is totally fine?!" Zoey's voice rose along with her anger and indignation. She was getting real tired of Quinn, who was supposed to be her best friend, constantly taking her jerk of a boyfriend's side over hers.
"He wasn't doing anything of the sort!" Quinn yelled back defensively "he was just trying to be helpful and nice so we could all have a fun beach trip and he didn't deserve the way you two completely jumped down his throat!"
"Why don't we all just take a moment to calm down" Michael hesitantly spoke up. "We're all friends here" He didn't want to give anyone a reason to direct their anger onto him but he really didn't want this fight to continue. He couldn't handle the tension. "…Aren't we?" He asked after no one spoke up
"Of course we are" Chase nodded, also wanting this fight to be over "we're probably all just still a little stressed because of finals week which is even more reason to stop this dumb argument and focus on having fun"
"Whatever" Quinn muttered and sank back in her seat, pushing her lunch tray away from her, her appetite now completely gone. She wanted to keep fighting, actually. She was sick of the treatment her boyfriend received from the group, most specifically from her own friends, and she was ready to hash it out right here, right now but she forced herself to bite her tongue, if only for the sake of Chase and Michael.
An awkward silence fell over the table, the tension lingering heavy in the air, no one knowing how to break the ice or wanting to be the first one to do it. Quinn was fine with that anyways. Her mood was shot now and she didn't feel like giving them fake niceties.
Michael couldn't handle it anymore. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his emotional support clackers and started banging them together to the utmost annoyance of everyone else at the table
The ice sufficiently broken, Quinn vaguely heard the sounds of everyone groaning and yelling at Michael to stop clacking and she heard him argue back that they calmed him down but she didn't really register any of it. She was too distracted by watching Logan as he talked on the phone. She watched as he paced the grass back and forth, clearly stressed, as he spoke with whoever was on the other line before he stopped dead in his tracks. He stood there, completely frozen for several minutes before he slowly pulled his phone away from his ear. She furrowed her eyebrows in concern as Logan slowly started walking back towards the table, his shoulders slumped and an unreadable expression on his face
"Is everything okay?" Quinn heard Chase ask as Logan sat back down at the table and she turned her body towards her favorite boy, giving him her full attention, waiting for his response
Logan sighed heavily, reaching for Quinn's hand once more "That was my dad. I have to go home for a couple of days for a family thing" he said vaguely, hoping they didn't ask a ton of questions "So I'm gonna have to miss the beach trip"
"Oh this just keeps getting better" Lola cheered happily, her excitement growing even more at the thought of a Loganless trip
Quinn clenched her jaw at Lola's words but forced herself not to react. She could feel the tension radiating from Logan's body and it made her nervous. She couldn't imagine what could've possibly made him so upset and she knew another round with Lola would just make it worse so she squeezed his hand gently to get his attention "are you okay?" She asked quietly, tilting her head a bit as she studied him
"Does that mean our post-beach fancy dinner is out now?" Michael whined before Logan had a chance to respond to Quinn's inquiry, already in mourning for the delicious food he wasn't going to get to enjoy
Logan shook his head slightly at Quinn before he stood up from the table once again, no longer wanting to be around his so called friends. He'd always known he was the black sheep of the group, that he was no one's best or favorite friend, but their blatant disregard for him was extra apparent today and it was starting to get to him "I have to go pack" he muttered and then walked away without another word
"Was it something we said?" Michael called out as they watched Logan walk away from the table
Quinn rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt, beyond irritated at the way he was seemingly incapable of taking anything seriously ever.
She grit her teeth as she weighed her options. She could stay and really let her friends hold it, like she was itching to do, or she could put a pin in that until later and go check on Logan now. She didn't have to think about it too long. Logan was definitely more important than arguing with her friends. Besides, taking some time to get her emotions in check would be better for everyone in the long run. She didn't want to risk saying something in the heat of the moment that she couldn't take back "you guys suck!" she huffed as she got up as well and started off towards Logan's dorm, not even sparing a glance back
Quinn stood outside of Logan's open door for a few minutes, watching him closely as he halfheartedly packed some clothes in his suitcase "Logan?" She called softly, biting her lower lip "can I come in?"
Logan jumped slightly when Quinn's voice broke through his dysphoria, not realizing how long he'd been lost in his own thoughts. He dropped the shirt he'd been attempting to fold and then turned around to face her with a small smile that didn't quite meet his eyes "yeah, of course" he nodded. He couldn't think of anything he wanted more than her company right now.
Quinn shut the door behind her as she entered the room and immediately made her way over so she was standing in front of Logan, her eyes slowly flickering over his face. Her heart clenched when she saw the sadness in his eyes and she reached out to gently cup his face, stroking his cheek lightly with her thumb "what's going on, baby?"
Logan nuzzled into her hand, letting out a soft sigh as the gentleness of her touch eased some of his nerves. He pressed a kiss against her palm and reached for her other hand, lacing their fingers together, as he tried to work himself up to answer her question "my grandfather died. Brain cancer" he said quietly
Quinn's eyes widened slightly and she couldn't stop the quiet gasp that escaped her lips at his words. She knew how much Logan's grandfather meant to him and the idea of him having to deal with the pain of this loss made her stomach churn. She closed the minuscule gap between them and wrapped him up in her arms, rubbing her hand up and down his back "I'm so sorry, Logan" she whispered
Logan melted into her embrace, his arms snaking around her waist as he hugged her back tightly, his eyes fluttering shut as he buried his face in her hair "I can't believe he's gone" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion "I didn't even know he was sick. Nobody told me"
Quinn pressed feather light kisses against Logan's neck, her hand trailing up his back to his hair and she scratched lightly at his scalp "your dad probably didn't want to upset you" she tried to reason, though she knew it was weak. Logan had every right to know about his grandfather's condition and he had every right to be upset that he'd been kept in the dark.
"Or he didn't even think about me at all" he scoffed as he pulled away from their hug "He's never thought about me. My whole life, I've always been a burden to him." He said bitterly but Quinn heard the underlying sadness in his voice "Something for him to pawn off on someone else. My grandfather got stuck with me most of the time. But he never made me feel like he didn't want me around. He was the only person that ever made me feel cared for when I was growing up. The only one that ever showed me any guidance or attention. And now he's gone. And I have to pack to go back home for his funeral" he vented. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes and he blinked them away rapidly, clearing his throat quietly to try and disguise the fact that his voice broke slightly at his words. With that, he turned his attention back to his suitcase and picked up the shirt he'd been previously holding, his hands trembling as he tried once more to fold it.
"I think the packing can wait a bit longer" Quinn murmured as she reached over to take the shirt from Logan's hands, tossing it down before moving his suitcase off the bed. She sat down on the now unoccupied space and patted the mattress beside her "come sit with me"
"But I really need to pack" Logan weakly protested but he sat down beside her nonetheless
Quinn pressed herself close to Logan once he sat down, wrapping her arm around his waist as she rested her head on his shoulder "packing isn't important right now" she whispered. She knew he was just trying to use that as a distraction anyways. "Talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling" she pleaded softly.
"I don't know what you want me to say" he sighed and shrugged the shoulder that Quinn wasn't resting on "no amount of words is going to change the fact that my grandfather is dead"
"You're right" Quinn nodded in affirmation "nothing can change that. But that's not what I meant" she said gently "I meant, talk to me about the way you're feeling. What's going on in here" she elaborated, placing her hand on his heart
Logan looked down at Quinn as she placed her hand on his chest, biting down harshly on his lower lip as he considered her words "I don't know what I'm feeling" he admitted with a slow shake of his head "I'm so mad at my dad for not telling me. I know that shouldn't be what I'm focused on but I can't help it" he instinctively defended himself "no one was closer to my grandfather than I was. Why wouldn't he think it was important to tell me?" He asked rhetorically, his voice hardened with his anger
"I don't know, sweetie" Quinn squeezed his waist lightly to try and calm him down. She wished she had something more comforting to say to make him feel better. "but he should've. You deserved to know. It wasn't right that he kept it from you"
"No it wasn't" Logan muttered in agreement. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself to tell Quinn what was bothering him the most "If I'd known, I could've gone back home sooner. I could've been there at the end. I could've said goodbye" his voice cracked on the last word, betraying just how upset he really was. He closed his eyes as he dropped his head, trying desperately to keep his tears at bay.
"Oh, Logan" Quinn breathed out sympathetically as she lifted her head from his shoulder, reaching over to gently tilt his head up so he was looking at her, her heart cracking when she saw the unshed tears brimming in his eyes "I'm so sorry that opportunity was taken from you"
One look into Quinn's eyes and Logan could already feel his resolve crumbling down. "I just wish I'd have known that the last time I saw him was the last time" he whispered shakily as he finally let his tears fall, unable to keep them back any longer "I would've done it all different. I would've made it really count"
"Baby, don't do that to yourself" Quinn murmured, leaning in close towards Logan so she could tenderly kiss the tears off of his cheeks "you can drive yourself crazy thinking about all the 'what if's' and 'what should've been's' but it's not gonna do you any good. It's better to just try to think about the good memories you have of him"
"I do have a lot of those" Logan sniffled quietly as he considered her advice "you know, when I was a kid, I always resented him forcing me to learn chemistry. I felt like I had better things to do. Plus my friends ragged on me constantly once they found out that I was good at it" he rolled his eyes "but I still always looked forward to showing him my tests. He always put them on his fridge. Told me he was proud of me. He was the only one who ever said that to me" he whispered as more tears spilled down his cheeks "And now he's just gone. And a big part of me just feels empty" he admitted "I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the funeral"
Quinn held his face gently in her hands, stroking away his falling tears with her thumbs "do you want me to go with you?" She asked softly, chewing thoughtfully at her lower lip "Feel free to say no, of course. I understand if that'd be too much or if I'd be overstepping any boundaries. I don't want to impose on your family either. Just.. if you didn't want to go alone, I could.. go with you" she offered, a hint of a blush rising on her cheeks as she over explained herself
Logan couldn't help the small but genuine smile that grew on his lips at her rambling. She was just too precious for her, and his, own good. "You don't have to do that" he told her despite the fact that he very much wanted her to come with him
"I know I don't have to. I want to" she assured him "but only if you want me to" she added quickly, not wanting him to feel obligated to accept her offer
"I'd love it if you came with me" he confessed shyly "if you're sure. I know you were looking forward to going to the beach this weekend"
"Then it's settled, I'm coming with you" she decided and gave him a quick but loving kiss "And I don't care about the beach trip, I care about you" she murmured, her voice softening with sincerity "besides, after the way they acted at lunch today, I'm not sure I even want to go anymore" she muttered and wrapped her arms around Logan once more, holding him tight as she rested her head against his chest
"Yeah, what was that about?" Logan wondered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he slipped his arm around her, trailing his hand up and down her side "why do they hate me so much?"
"They don't hate you" Quinn tried to reassure him though she couldn't say she didn't see why Logan would think they did
"Could've fooled me" Logan huffed but then slumped his shoulders as he let out a dispirited sigh "I guess I can't say I blame them. I mean, I know I haven't always been the best person, especially to Zoey. I've given them lots of reasons to hate me over the years" he admitted regretfully
Quinn glanced up at him, frowning deeply when she saw the dejected look on his face "baby.. we've all made mistakes. We've all done things we're not proud of. We've all been versions of ourselves that we don't necessarily look back on fondly. But we learn from those mistakes and lapses in judgment and we grow from them and we try to be better. And you've done a lot of that. You're a good person, Logan" Quinn praised him, hoping he'd actually listen to her words and get out of his own head.
"Yeah?" Logan asked in a small voice, looking down at her for reassurance "then why do they still treat me the way they do? I mean, they accepted Vince practically with open arms when he came back. They believed he changed. Why can't they do the same for me?"
"I don't know.." Quinn nibbled at her bottom lip. "I wish I did. I wish I could make them see just how wonderful you are and just how much I love you" She couldn't stress that enough "but if they can't see the incredible person you are and how much you've really grown then that's on them"
"I just don't want them to hate me" Logan sighed, stroking his fingers through her hair "as much for your sake as mine. I don't want them to make you feel bad or like you have to be caught in the middle of anything"
"Don't worry about me" she hummed, feeling tingles all over as Logan stroked his hand through her hair and down her back "I can handle Zoey and Lola"
"Oh I have no doubt about that" Logan smirked. He had no doubts that she could hold her own in any situation "but that doesn't mean you should have to"
"I know" Quinn nodded, a weary sigh escaping her lips "I trust they'll come around eventually. Though, I did think they would've by now" she admitted, disappointment lacing her tone "it doesn't matter though. I stopped caring about anyone's opinions about us a long time ago"
Logan looked down at her with soft eyes, gently lifting her head from his chest so he could kiss her deeply "I love you" he whispered against her lips
"I love you too" Quinn breathed out when they parted for air, resting her forehead against Logan's for a moment before she pulled away to check the time, seeing it was approaching 6 o'clock "I need to head back to my dorm" she sighed heavily. That was the last thing she wanted to do. "I need to pack as well and finish up a couple of things before we leave. Speaking of, when are we leaving?"
Logan groaned as he glanced at the clock and tightened the hold he had on Quinn, not ready for her to leave yet "Dad is sending a car in the morning around 7. The funeral isn't until Saturday but we'll need some time to get settled in"
Quinn nodded in understanding, doing mental math of the time versus what she needed to do to prepare for this impromptu trip. She knew she needed to leave soon but she really didn't want to. She didn't want to leave Logan or face seeing her roommates quite yet. She knew that a confrontation with them was unavoidable and she wasn't in the mood to deal with that. "Okay" she let out a soft breath "Then why don't I go pack and we can meet at Sushi Rox for dinner around 8? Does that sound okay?" She asked, looking to him for confirmation
"That could work" Logan shrugged noncommittally, a hint of a sly smile forming on his lips "or you could stay here and we could order in and watch a movie and then I'll just buy you whatever you need when we get there"
"Don't look at me like that" Quinn groaned when Logan gave her his best puppy dog pout. She had never been good at saying no to those eyes. "I would love nothing more than to stay here with you all night. But besides packing, I also need to put away a couple of Quinnventions I'm working on so Lola doesn't tamper with them and I need to feed Herman" she explained "plus, as sweet as the offer is, you don't need to spend money unnecessarily"
"Nothing is ever unnecessary when it comes to you" he kissed her cheek but then reluctantly released her from his arms "but no, you go do what you need to do. I'll finish packing too and then I'll swing by your dorm so we can go to Sushi Rox together" he patted her thigh gently before standing up from the bed
Quinn followed suit, adjusting her shirt as she headed towards the door, Logan trailing behind her. "Sounds good" She agreed as she opened the door, turning around to face Logan once more to give him a quick goodbye kiss "I'll see you soon" she hummed
"Bye babe" Logan murmured, smiling softly as he watched her walk down the hallway, closing his door when she was no longer in view. He leaned back against the door, closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled, his mood instantly dropping now that Quinn was gone and everything set back in. He shook his head to himself to clear his mind and pull himself together, walking back over to his bed so he could finish packing.
Quinn let out a sigh of relief when she walked into her dorm room and saw that her roommates were nowhere to be found and quickly got started on everything she needed to do. She put away all her chemicals and the zap necklace she was working on and made sure Herman had enough food and water to last a couple of days before she got started on packing. She placed her suitcase on her bed and gathered her toiletries and essentials before she went over to the closet to thumb through her clothes, trying to decide what to bring. She settled on her daily outfits fairly easily, grabbing a couple of pairs of jeans, a pair of black pants and a few of her favorite, and in her opinion, nicest blouses, wanting to have a few options. She grabbed her pajama set as well and tossed the items on her bed before turning back to her closet so she could find something to wear to the funeral. She was comparing the two black dresses she had, trying to decide which was better when she heard the familiar sound of her roommates giggling followed by the sound of the knob turning and the door opening.
"Oh. Hey, Quinn" Zoey greeted as her and Lola walked in. "What are you doing here? Figured you'd still be with Logan"
"Hey" Quinn spared a glance at them before she went back to her task at hand. "I got back a few minutes ago to take care of a couple of things but we're going for dinner later"
"Of course you are" Zoey muttered under her breath with a roll of her eyes
Lola shared a knowing glance with Zoey, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood beside the bunk beds "what are you doing?" Lola asked as her eyes settled on the suitcase and clothes strewn about on Quinn's bed "isn't it a bit early to pack for the beach? We don't leave for another two days"
"I'm not going to the beach" Quinn said simply as she finally decided on a dress and tossed it down on the bed with everything else "excuse me" she muttered as she had to step around Lola to get to her bed so she could work on folding and placing everything in her suitcase
"What do you mean you're not going to the beach?!" Zoey exclaimed, crossing the room so she was standing beside Lola, matching her cross-armed stance
"I mean, I'm not going to the beach" Quinn repeated as she picked up the stack she had of her folded blouses, placing them on top of her pants. She didn't know how she could be any clearer.
"Well then where are you going?" Zoey demanded to know, popping her hip as she rested all of her weight on her right leg
"Yeah!" Lola added "if you're not going to the beach then why are you packing? Where are you going?"
Quinn zipped up her suitcase and sat it on the floor beside her bed, letting out a heavy sigh as she looked up at Zoey and Lola, knowing she had to tell them what was going on "Logan has to go back home and I'm going with him. We're leaving in the morning"
"You can't be serious!" Lola yelled at the same as Zoey shouted "oh my god!"
Quinn rolled her eyes at their overreactions and stood up from her bed, bracing herself for whatever was to come "I'm very serious, actually. Logan needs me and I'm going to be there for him"
"Unbelievable!" Lola scoffed, shaking her head at Quinn "You're really gonna blow us and the beach trip off just to spend time with your stupid boyfriend?"
"He's not stupid!" Quinn snapped, glaring angrily at Lola "and I'm not trying to blow you off. I was looking forward to the beach trip as well but-"
"Then come with us!" Lola interrupted before Quinn could finish her sentence "tell Logan that you want to have fun with your friends and that he can go home by himself"
"I will not!" Quinn shut that suggestion down "Logan wants me to go with him and that's what I'm going to do. I'm sorry if that upsets you but I'm not changing my mind"
"Typical" Lola muttered "Logan snaps his fingers and Quinn goes running, to hell with everyone and everything else"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Quinn challenged, her voice rising an octave, crossing her arms over her chest
"Exactly what I said!" Lola yelled, her frustration getting the better of her "you've become a completely different person since you started dating Logan. It's like you're so completely absorbed in him that you forget you have other friends!"
"That is so not true!" Quinn vehemently denied
"Yes it is!" Zoey cut in "Ever since you started dating Logan, we've barely seen you. You're always off with him somewhere. And even when you are around, so is he!"
"That is so hypocritical!" Quinn argued "You and Chase are practically joined at the hip and no one bats an eye. Why is it different when Logan and I want to spend time together?"
"Because we all like Chase" Lola said as if that should've been obvious
"And there it is" Quinn let out a humorless laugh, glaring daggers at both of them as they laughed at Lola's comment "you know, the constant sniping at Logan is getting really old. He's done absolutely nothing to deserve the way you guys treat him"
"Are you serious?" Zoey scoffed, looking at Quinn like she'd grown a second head "how can you stand there and say that Logan Reese has done nothing wrong?"
"I didn't say he's done nothing wrong" Quinn corrected her "I said he hasn't done anything to deserve the way you treat him. He's supposed to be your friend"
"Oh, grow up, Quinn" Lola rolled her eyes, annoyed by Quinn's refusal to see the truth "Logan has never been our friend, he doesn't know how to be one! And if you'd separate your lips from his for five seconds you'd remember just how much of a jerk he is!" She exclaimed, missing the hurt that flickered over Quinn's face
"He's more than just a jerk. He's an egotistical maniac and a sexist pig" Zoey continued Lola's point "and he's just an outright bully. Or have you forgotten the voicemail he left Dustin last year? Or the way he used to make fun of you all the time? He's not a good person, Quinn. Just because you've been blinded to that doesn't mean we've stopped seeing it"
"She's right, Quinn" Lola agreed with Zoey, to absolutely no one's surprise "eventually you'll come to your senses and dump him but until that happens, we're going to keep reminding you of who he really is"
"I know who he really is! Better than either of you ever could!" Quinn yelled, unable to keep calm in the face of her anger and extreme hurt "I know the struggles he's faced in his life, I know his biggest dreams, his deepest fears. I know his insecurities, I know the guilt he carries with him over the very things you use against him. We've talked about all of this" she let out a sad sigh, her voice quieting slightly as she thought about her boyfriend. She really wished she was with him right now. "I also know his heart. I know how loyal he is, to a fault really. I know how much he likes to help people, especially people he considers his friends. And that includes the two of you" she sneered, still bothered by the fact that they said they didn't think Logan knew how to be a friend when he proved them wrong every single day "I also know how much he's grown and changed and how hard he's trying every day to be better. Which is something that everyone recognized and accepted when Vince showed back up and you started dating him five minutes later" she directed that comment towards Lola, becoming annoyed again as she thought about the blatant hypocrisy from her friends "But everyone's standards are different when it comes to Logan and I'm sick of it!"
"Don't bring Vince into this!" Lola snapped defensively, crossing her arms over her chest "it's not even the same thing! Vince worked on himself and made amends with the people he's hurt. He's not like that anymore"
"Oh my god" Quinn muttered under her breath "it's exactly the same thing!" She huffed in exasperation "it might be worse actually. Vince broke PCA rules and then beat up our friends! One of them being my boyfriend! But I was able to get past that and see Vince for who is he now. So was Logan. Why can't you do the same for Logan?"
"Because we've yet to actually see a change in him!" Zoey tried to get her to understand "we've seen the progress that Vince has made. He's actually become a good person" she defended Vince both to ease Lola's nerves and because she actually meant it "but Logan hasn't. He's still the same jerk who thinks he can get buy on his looks and his daddy's money. I don't know how he's managed to get you so wrapped around his finger but I can't wait until he finally screws up and you see him for who he truly is"
Quinn was quiet for a few moments as the weight of their words settled on her shoulders, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. Her friends hated her boyfriend and had no intention of trying to change that. Her anger dissipated and she was just left with a deep sadness and disappointment. "I give up" she sighed, averting her eyes when she felt the all too familiar sting of tears threatening to fall. She pulled the handle of her suitcase up and rolled it behind her as she walked towards the door "it's almost funny that you say that Logan doesn't know how to be a friend when you two have been the worst I've ever had" she said as she turned back to face them, her hand wrapped around the door handle. She saw their faces fall at her words and she knew she'd hurt them but she didn't even care. She relished in it, actually. "I'll be gone for a couple of days but when I get back I'm gonna talk to Coco about getting reassigned. I don't think this arrangement works anymore" she shook her head sadly as she opened the door, rolling her eyes when she saw a very uncomfortable Chase and Michael pressed against the wall opposite the door "you can go in" she muttered, ignoring Zoey and Lola's calls of her name as she started walking down the hall
"Quinn, wait!" Chase yelled after her, taking the few steps to catch up with her when she stopped and turned towards him "what's going on with Logan?"
"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, biting down on her lower lip. She didn't want to say too much before finding out what he knew or why he was asking
"He's just acting weird. Really reserved and quiet, which you know is unlike him" he said, not unkindly "when Michael and I went in the room to ask him if he wanted to shoot some hoops, he was just laying on his bed, facing the wall. He barely said two words to us. I've never seen him this way before. Is he okay? What's wrong with him?" he asked, concern lacing his tone
Quinn let out a sad sigh, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked up at Chase "it's not really my place to say" she murmured apologetically. She didn't think Logan would care if Chase knew but she didn't want to spread his personal business around like that without being sure. "He's just dealing with some personal stuff, I'm sure he'll tell you when he's ready"
"I understand, you don't need to tell me any details" Chase reassured her, not wanting to put her in an awkward position "but is he okay?" He asked again. That was all he really wanted to know anyways.
Quinn was quiet for a moment as she considered his question, not really sure how to answer it "he will be" she sighed softly "it's going to take some time, though. He's hurting really bad right now" she admitted sadly "thank you for asking about him. That really means a lot to me, and I know it will Logan, especially right now"
"Of course" Chase nodded, a bit confused as to why she was thanking him for that "Logan and I have had our differences but he's always been there for me when it really counted. I want to be there for him too"
Quinn couldn't stop herself from giving Chase a hug, grateful that at least one other member of their friend group actually did care about Logan. "Thank you. Your friendship means everything to Logan, I hope you know that" she murmured when she pulled away, giving him a soft smile "do you think you could do me a favor?"
"Anything" Chase said immediately. He was still a little confused as to why Quinn seemed to have such an emotional reaction to his remark about Logan but he wasn't going to push it. Not right now, at least.
"Could you try to get through to Zoey and Lola? Try to make them see that Logan really has changed" she asked hopefully. She really didn't want to end her friendship with them but she would if she was forced to take sides.
"I'll try but I can't make any promises. They really seem to hate him" Chase said hesitantly, not wanting to unintentionally strike a nerve
"I know" Quinn sighed heavily "we just had a huge argument. They basically told me that they think he's a horrible person and that they're praying for the downfall of our relationship" she muttered, swallowing thickly to keep her emotions in check "they refuse to see how much he's changed. Their treatment of him is ruining our friendships and I don't want that to happen"
"I'll see what I can do" Chase promised her. He knew it wasn't going to be easy. Zoey and Lola were so set in their Logan hating ways and he knew they weren't going to change their minds without a fight. If they did at all. But Chase knew that Quinn was right. Something had to give soon if they wanted to keep the group intact.
"Thank you" Quinn breathed out in relief and gave him one more quick hug "I have to go but I'll check in when Logan and I get back to PCA" she told him and then started down the hallway once more towards Logan's dorm once they'd said their goodbyes.
Quinn slowly opened the door to Logan's room, placing her suitcase behind it as her eyes fell on Logan who was still laying in his bed, facing the wall. She held back a sigh, absolutely hating seeing him like this, and walked over to the bed, slipping her shoes off before she climbed into the bed behind Logan, draping her arm across his waist "hey baby" she whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of his head
Logan jumped slightly when he felt the bed dip down behind him, not having heard the door open, but quickly relaxed when he heard the comforting sound of Quinn's voice, melting into her touch as he pressed himself back against her, placing his hand on top of hers. He was so glad she was back, he really didn't want to be away from her, now more than ever. "hey" he murmured, stroking the back of her hand lightly "you're back early. thought I was picking you up at your dorm"
"Yeah, I know. I just had to get out of there" she muttered, thinking back on her argument with her roomates
Logan frowned at the tone of her voice and carefully turned over so he was facing her. "what happened?"
Quinn trailed her fingertips up and down his arm as she gathered her thoughts "a lot" she sighed heavily "they got upset about me missing the beach trip, which I expected. They accused me of abandoning them. Apparently they have a problem with how much time we spend together" she scoffed "But then that argument spiraled into something more serious and some truths finally came out"
"What do you mean?" Logan asked, furrowing his brows at the troubled look on her face and the sadness in her eyes
Quinn took a breath to steady herself, trying to ease herself into telling Logan what happened. She really didn't want to tell him what her roomates said about him. She didn't want to repeat it and she didn't want him to have to hear it but she knew he deserved to know the truth. She didn't want to keep anything from him. "they said some really mean things. Mean and untrue things" she emphasized, not wanting him to take what she was going to relay to heart "they straight up told me that they don't like you and that they can't wait until we break up so that I can "see you for who you really are"" she rolled her eyes as she put air quotes around the words
"Oh" Logan whispered, feeling a knot form in the pit of his stomach. He assumed as much already but having it confirmed still didn't feel good. "well, did they say why?" he asked, chewing on his bottom lip. "maybe there's a way I can fix things" he tried to sound hopeful
"I don't know" Quinn said slowly as she debated the most gentle way to tell him what they'd said about him. She hadn't planned to share all of the little details but since he'd asked, she knew she had to. She could't blame him for asking, she'd want to know what was said about her behind her back as well. "they said.." she paused for a moment and then took a deep breath "it was mostly the usual calling you a jerk and egotistical.. but then they said that they don't think you're a good person and that you don't know how to be a friend" she said carefully, hating to have to repeat these awful words to him "Plus, Zoey is still apparently holding a grudge about that voicemail you left Dustin last year"
Logan swallowed thickly, trying not to show just how much hearing that bothered him. He really wanted Zoey and Lola to like him, even if just for Quinn's sake. He knew how important her friends were to her and he hated the thought of her getting dragged into the middle of all of this. "I've apologized for that voicemail so many times. To Zoey and to Dustin. And I've tried to explain why I was acting that way. They wouldn't hear me out" he groaned "I've tried so hard to make up for the person I used to be. I don't know what else I can do"
"I know, baby" Quinn murmured reassuringly, brushing her finger down his cheek "and I told them that. I told them how much you care about your friends and how much you've changed and grown. I even asked them why they could accept Vince but not you" she told him, wanting him to know that she was on his side. "but it didn't do any good. they refuse to listen to reason when it comes to you" she sighed heavily in resignation at that fact "so I told them that when I get back I'm going to talk to Coco about getting reassigned. I can't stay in that room anymore knowing how they feel about you and us together"
Logan's eyes widened at her words, his jaw dropping slightly "Quinn, are you sure about that?" he asked gently "I know things are tense right now but they're your best friends" he said softly. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like she had to choose between him and her friends.
"That's what I used to think" she muttered "but any real friend wouldn't treat me or the boy I love the way they do. I've been getting tired of their treatment for a long while now, today was just the final straw" she admitted, finally saying out loud what she'd been holding on to since her and Logan first went public with their relationship and Zoey and Lola's attitude towards them both had changed so drastically. "I talked to Chase before I came back here. Him and Michael came to the dorm after they left here. I asked him to talk to Zoey and Lola, try to make them see reason. He said he would try but I'm not holding my breath. And if Chase can't get through to them, then I'm going through with getting my room reassigned" she doubled down on her decision
Logan reached over to stroke his hand through her hair, gently tucking a falling strand behind her ear "maybe you shouldn't go home with me" he said reluctantly "if they have a problem with the time we spend together, this might make it worse. Maybe you should stay and try to work things out with them" he suggested softly despite how badly he didn't want that to happen. He so desperately wanted her with him this weekend but he would understand if she wanted to take some time for herself and her friends, especially now that they were fighting because of him.
"Absolutely not" Quinn disagreed immediately "they only have a problem with the time we spend together because it's you. Zoey spends just as much time with Chase, if not more, and Vince isn't exactly a stranger either. I'm tired of their hypocrisy and just blatant disrespect and disregard towards us" she said seriously "no, I think me staying this weekend would just make things worse"
"If you're sure.." Logan hummed softly. He wasn't going to argue with her, she knew what was best for herself.
"I'm sure" Quinn gave him a reassuring smile as she gently stroked his face, delicately tracing her fingers over his features "I want to be with you this weekend. I don't want you to have to go through this alone" she whispered
"Thank you" Logan whispered, giving her a small but genuine smile. He was beyond grateful that she was going with him. The thought of having to go back home to face his family and the loss of his grandfather alone was too much for him. "I don't know what I do without you"
"You'll never have to find out" Quinn vowed softly "I don't plan on ever letting you go" she sealed her promise with a loving kiss
Logan kissed her back tenderly, his fingers lightly cupping her jaw "I love you so much, Quinn" he professed when they parted, resting his forehead against hers
"And I love you" Quinn reciprocated his sentiment as she pressed herself closer to Logan, gazing deeply into his eyes "how are you holding up, baby? How are you feeling about going home?" She asked gently. She didn't want to press him too hard but she knew that he would bottle all of his emotions up and not talk about them if given the chance and she didn't want that to happen.
"I don't know" he murmured, biting down on his lower lip "I don't think it's really set in yet, you know? It still doesn't seem real" he let out a shaky breath, trying to keep his emotions under control "and having to face my father and his new wife on top of everything else is not something I'm looking forward to" he sighed dreadfully "I still haven't fully forgiven him for getting married, yet again, without even telling me. I don't want to have to meet her for the first time at my grandfather's funeral"
Quinn nodded in understanding, pushing down her own frustration at Malcolm's lack of communication with Logan "maybe you guys could have dinner together Friday night. Try to clear some of the air before the funeral" she suggested
"Yeah, maybe" Logan hummed noncommittally "I'd love to be able to sit down with him, and her, I guess, and actually talk but I doubt it'll happen" he elaborated, not wanting Quinn to think he was just shooting down or ignoring her idea "he's always so busy with things that are just so much more important than me" he rolled his eyes "he probably won't even be home when we get there"
Quinn was quiet as she tried to find the right words to say, though she knew there was really nothing she could say to make anything better and she hated it. She hated knowing that Logan was hurting so bad and that she couldn't do anything to make it better. "I'm sorry, Logan" she sympathized, inwardly cringing at how unhelpful she knew that was "I wish he could be the father that you need. That you deserve"
"It's okay" Logan shrugged slightly and put on a small smile that Quinn could clearly see didn't reach his eyes. "I guess I can't really complain. I know I have it better than most. I've never had to worry about having a home or food on the table" he repeated the words he'd heard so many times before "it's just.. it would be nice to have an actual relationship with him. To be able to talk to him about things other than money or what movie he's producing this month" he allowed himself to say what he'd been holding onto essentially his entire life
"Logan" Quinn breathed out, placing her hand on his forearm and squeezing it gently "just because you've been more financially blessed than other people doesn't mean you're not allowed to ever be upset about anything wrong in your life. You're allowed to be upset with the way your dad treats you. You're allowed to want for more for yourself. All of your feelings are completely valid"
"Thanks, baby" Logan mumbled as he rolled over on his back, gently pulling Quinn into his arms so she was resting on his chest, his hand trailing up and down her back "I wish my dad agreed with you" he confessed "any time I've ever tried to talk to him about my feelings, he just shoots me down. Starts lecturing me about how spoiled I am and how I should be more grateful for what I have" he muttered "that's another reason I was so close with my grandfather. I could always talk to him about what I was feeling or going through and he'd actually listen to me without making me feel judged or like a burden. He was more of a father to me than my actual father has ever been" he whispered, his voice cracking a bit and he closed his eyes against the tears he could feel forming once again
Quinn adjusted her head a bit so she could glance up at him, her heart breaking at the wounded look on his face, wishing more than anything that she could do something to take his pain away. "Maybe things will be different this time" she said thoughtfully as she tried to choose her words carefully "maybe the loss of his own father will make him reevaluate his relationship with you and you could actually make a real connection"
Logan looked down at her with soft eyes, feeling so much unbridled love and fondness coursing through his veins that it was almost overwhelming. Even in his absolute worst times, she could make him feel like everything was going to be okay. He truly didn't know what he'd do without her. He knew he wouldn't be able to survive if he didn't have her in his life- he didn't know how he'd done it for so long. "Yeah, maybe" he tightened his hold on her. He wasn't as optimistic as Quinn was but he appreciated the sentiment nonetheless. He glanced at the clock on the opposite wall, seeing it was nearly 8:30 "hey, why don't we order some sushi before they close and put on a movie?" He suggested, hoping to change the subject and lighten the mood a bit.
Quinn glanced at the clock as well to see the time for herself, humming in agreement when she saw how late it was "yeah, that's a good idea" she nodded as she reluctantly untangled herself from Logan's hold so she could sit up on the bed "I'll order the sushi, you pick the movie?" She looked back at Logan over her shoulder for confirmation
"Yeah, that works" Logan agreed as he pulled himself up from the bed, walking over to the entertainment cabinet, thumbing through his dvds
"Should I order for Chase and Michael too?" She asked before she hit the call button
"Nah, they both said they were gonna stay out tonight" he told her vaguely as he picked out a movie, slipping it into the dvd player
"Meaning you slipped them each some money and told them not to come back tonight" she translated as she put her phone up to her ear
"Same thing" Logan shrugged, smiling to himself when he heard Quinn giggle at his words, and sat back down on the bed beside Quinn as she ordered their dinner, wrapping his arm around her waist, his head resting on her shoulder
Quinn looked down at Logan as he cuddled against her, hanging up the phone and placed it down beside her when she was finished "it should be here soon" she murmured, pressing a kiss to his hair "what movie did you pick?"
"The Hangover" Logan answered "I figured something more lighthearted would be better for both of us"
"Mm, I've been wanting to see that, actually" she commented as she wrapped her arm around him "I was supposed to go see it with Zoey and Lola but I had a Quinnvention emergency and they didn't want to wait an extra day"
Logan frowned slightly at her words, hating the way her friends treated her. He didn't understand how they could so easily take her for granted and cast her aside the way they did. "I'm sorry they left you out like that" he murmured, squeezing her waist gently
"It's okay" Quinn shrugged "it bothered me a little in the moment but I'm over it. Actually, now I'm kind of glad because I'd much rather watch it with you for the first time"
"I like the thought of that too" Logan gave her a warm smile, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Anything they got to share together was special to him, no matter how small.
Quinn turned slightly so she was facing Logan, locking eyes with him as she leaned in to capture his lips in a gentle kiss, cupping his cheek lightly
Logan let out a soft moan against her lips, sparks shooting through him as he felt all of her love and passion through her kiss. He kissed her back just as passionately, wanting to show her just how much he loved her and needed her. He swiped his tongue across her lips, asking for access which she quickly granted. He pulled Quinn into his lap as they deepened the kiss, wanting her as close as physically possible.
Quinn wrapped her legs around his waist as her hands went to tangle in Logan's hair, never once breaking away from the kiss as she settled into his lap. She nipped at his lower lip before she licked into his mouth, their tongues dancing as their hands roamed over each others bodies, both of them getting lost in the moment.
They were forced to separate a few minutes later when there was a knock on the door. They panted softly as they came back down to reality, taking a moment to refocus and catch their breath. They giggled breathlessly at the sight of each other, both of their faces flush and their lips swollen. Logan stood up from the bed first, grabbing his wallet from his nightstand so he could pay for their food.
Quinn followed suit and walked over to Logan's mini fridge, grabbing them each a Blix before she set up their little black table closer to the couch so they could have a place to set their food and drink. She settled down on the couch opposite the tv as Logan walked over with their trays of sushi.
"Thanks babe" Logan murmured when she handed him his Blix once he was settled on the couch beside her, his arm finding it's natural place around her waist as she cuddled up to him
Quinn let out a sigh of contentment as she nuzzled close to Logan, pressing light kisses to his neck as he reached for the remote and pressed play on the movie.
Logan adjusted the volume and then placed the remote on the table, settling back comfortably against the couch, reveling in the feeling of having Quinn in his arms, wanting to enjoy the last few moments of serenity he had with her before having to face what he knew was going to be a long, extremely emotional weekend. He glanced down at her as she laughed at the movie, his heart swelling in his chest at the beautiful sound, double confirming what Logan had already figured out- Quinn Pensky was the love of his life. In that moment, Logan knew that he would be okay, that he could face anything that life threw his way as long as he had her by his side.