Hi There,
Greetings, to all of you fellow PCA enjoyers and enthusiast. DarcyBeDippy85 here with a spanking new chapter of Quogan greatness and an APOLOGY! Sorry this chapter is probably coming to you a week and two days late, I hope I make it worth the wait. I worked on it that entire time and it is my longest chapter to date, I had two kiddie birthdays (A five year old and three year old), a huge family visit (3 of my mom's sisters and their husbands) and work all in between (AHH!). The first thing I want to do (besides grovel for your understanding) is thank RhrGreatness (that's baby sister/beta reader), Nichigoh, and the Guest reviewer who commented on this past chapter. Such encouraging words! God bless you all, you keep me going! I want to thank all of you following this story or me as an author! You're all wonderful, hope you're still enjoying! Sticking to the same pattern (consistently predetermined in the former chapters) this chapter will be written in Logan's perspective. I really hope anyone whose read this far is having as much fun reading these and I have had dreaming them up and writing them down (and not to mention the fun that has been shared sister to sister throughout has been spectacular!) I hope you all enjoy and this brings a little extra sunshine to everyone who needs it! Much Love!
"The Collective Trails of a Quinnventor and… Logan"
Chapter 5 – Mirrors and Mayhem
Have you ever had plans for an evening, that weren't only last minute but had a lot riding on 'em? Have you ever had something come along unexpectedly and take a big stinking dump on everything that you had been about to plan and there was nothing you could do about it? Not only did this happen to me today on into this evening, but I was completely powerless to do one thing to fix it really. I'm Logan Reese, I do not do weak, hopeless or helpless. Those are all words I use on other people. Not ME!
Have you ever felt like the entire universe was working against you, to make certain that each thing that COULD ruin everything, DID ruin it?
That's what today was from beginning to end, I do not lie.
I'd gotten up early, (okay, I didn't leave my bed, but I was awake and I have a laptop, that's where I was working) researching the best ways to impress dates in or around Hollywood. I was looking for the most extravagant at first, because I imagined if I was on a date with me that is how I would be best impressed. If this was about any other girl that I have kinda pursued in the past, she would have gotten at least that from me. Then somewhere around buying out whole restaurants for just the two of us… it occurred to me that Quinn wasn't at all a normal cookie-cutter typical type of girl. Not to say she's weird or anything, she's just so different from anyone else I've dated or ever known. None of the normal stuff would work on her, she's too smart and she would see it as overcompensating or something.
No way that would be good. So switching gears, I began to look up more scientific geek stuff she might love and just before I fell asleep again from the sheer boredom of this search… Just before I could pick up a phone and start to actually plan any of the things I wouldn't mind watching her geek out over or try to explain to me…
My Dad and Chauncy marched into my room, and in one unfair swoop of Chauncy's arm… My laptop was closed and so was possibly any way of ever making any of this up to Quinn. I'm not being over dramatic either, for what my Dad had to say was by far something I had not been expecting.
What could my only real parent have possibly had to say to make all of this chaos start? My Dad is getting married… TODAY! Not sometime soon, not next week, not tomorrow or the next time I visit... TO-DAY! On top of all of this, his choice of bride is a lady that has been giving him the run around for years. Also one that hates children, and hates me [I'm pretty sure] because she still considers me a child even though I'm nearly grown.
I have no idea how many step-moms and almost moms my Dad has given me in my life, besides my birth mom (not that she deserves to really be grouped with parents or… humans). It's literally a number we both start out counting and always get side tracked before we're halfway through the roster. My point is that after dealing with that many of my Dad's ladies. I have kinda gotten this super power where I know the kind of mom I'm getting almost immediately. This lady has never given me good mom vibes. It could be all of those comments, I've heard about "Thanking God his brat's a boarding school student." Or the ones where she doesn't cover my ears well enough when she hisses, "This one's not too bright' over my shoulder to her friends. Then on that same breath tells me "I love you," The moment she uncovers my ears.
So not only is all of this happening at the worst possible time, but my dad isn't even ruining my life to be with a step-mother choice I can get behind. No, he's throwing himself at some piss poor child star trying to make it back in the Bizz by screwing a producer for a while. Not just any producer either but a guy who's had tons of something she hasn't… called success!
I was so mad and none of my anger management exercises were working! I ended up losing it on a few of the coordinators and the costume designers who were clothing most of the wedding party. Since this was happening on the same soundstage we'd been on yesterday. The wedding would be taking place in a set built to look like a famous chapel that is supposed to have some memories for my dad and the 'lagoon-a-creature' that he was marrying.
It was Chauncy who seemed to notice, "Master Logan, you don't appear to be at all happy about your father's wedding."
"That's because I'm not, Chauncy. I had plans for today, important ones that can't wait, can't delay and… There's nothing to be done about it now." I complained.
"Hmm, yes… I'm sure whatever plans they were; your father's happiness must be a real downer for you. See this?" He asked moving his pointer finger back and forth over his thumb. He explained, "Observe, the world smallest violin playing a tune for you."
"Not funny Chauncy-"
"Master Logan, if I may…" Chauncy said, like I had any real chance of stopping him. He said, "Your father has struggled to find happiness for many years now. This a grapple that you're well aware of, that has given you nearly as much pain since you were a baby. He could have married this woman and told you nothing about it. He could have even gotten married in the actual church that exist in my homeland instead of erecting this impressive replica. However, your father couldn't exclude you like that, he did all of this, at short notice; just as much for your benefit as his own or his bride's. The least that you can do is put on a convincingly happy face for him."
"I'm trying Chauncy, but again the arrangements I was meant to schedule today… they weren't just silly or for nothing… They were so important…
"Perhaps your friend Professor Pensky could be of aid, would you like me to fetch her for you?" He asked and I said yes so quickly that Chauncy looked at me a bit strangely for an uncomfortable amount of time, before he ran off and returned with Quinn in record time. Just as I was stepping out in my nearly finished coat and pants I would be wearing for the ceremony. Quinn was dressed in jeans and a purple top that just looked so striking even as other girls in ballroom gowns and floor length gowns were all around us. Chauncy announced to all of the costuming people. "Mr. Reese would like just a moment with his friend."
Then he took us off to a quiet spot nearby, which ended up being the bottom level of a tiny spiral stairwell. Then I kept noticing him looming just off to the side of the door, possibly eavesdropping. My jacket and everything were still so peppered in pins and others things that could stick me, I couldn't sit down even though I really wanted. Quinn took a seat on the first few steps and hugged her legs, she looked so much more comfortable than I felt.
You don't know how relieved I was, when I saw that her face wasn't mad. She wasn't seething or screaming (or even worse, crying) as I'd been imagining that she would be all day. She seemed pretty amused by the whole thing. She said, "Your Dad just made the announcement on the set inviting everyone to his wedding. I see you're spiffing up for the occasion, right now. You clean up pretty good, dude."
"Thanks, look Quinn, I'm sorry that I'm not gonna-"
"Logan there's no need to say sorry."
"Are we still gonna be friends."
"Of course we are, that was never in question. You're acting like I was gonna corner you, breathing fire." She said laughingly as she stands and steps close to me to fix the flaps of my jacket and started to knot my tie, that had been hanging un-tied around my neck, for me.
"How do you know, how to do that?"
"Please, my old school [in Seattle] wore uniforms every day, and you learn quick when you see it that often." While she was close and not facing a direction so Chauncy could see or hear what she was saying, she whispered, "Though maybe this is a sign, ya know? Maybe we are kidding ourselves and friendship is all that I can offer-"
"No, Del Figs is a boring blockheaded jerk, and I'm an even bigger one. You shouldn't be paraded around the way Zoey and Lola did either. Y-You should be… with…"
With who? I asked myself, Who was anywhere near worthy enough for this… beautiful, bright, always interesting, never boring chameleon of all sciences.
"…with…" I tried again and had to stop all over again.
That was when a brilliant idea flicked on, the mental light bulb, over my head. I watched Chauncy wander off to help make certain something was done right, Quinn had just finished tying the knot and took a half step back to investigate her work. Pleased with what she saw, she couldn't have known the effect she was having on me, even taking that step back. As if I really needed more of a push to tell her my idea, the breeze blew her smell at me and I couldn't hold back my question another moment.
"Why don't you sit with me at the wedding, and be my date?"
"Y-Your-Your date?" She glanced around behind her, even asking quietly, "is there someone behind me?"
"Quinn!"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not used to all of this material glitz and glamor, all of the style and chaos. It's all very intimidating and kinda ferocious back there; where all of the girls are fighting over a scrap of fabric like lionesses over a zebra carcass. Or struggling for a chance to sit within that church knowing they were the prettiest so they have a better chance of sitting with you. As unaccustomed as I am, even I know better than to think for even a millisecond that I'm the kind of eye-candy that the producer's son needs to be keeping company with."
"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" I asked and one look at her face told me the truth before she said a thing.
"I looked, why do I look like I didn't? I looked, I just can't spend endless amounts of time staring at myself… Not everyone is that fond of their reflections." Then she tacked on, "I don't know how you do it. Looking into them all the time and always having at least one on your person at all times. I would end up breaking so many mirrors and having tons more bad luck, if I did that."
I told her some more truth, "It's all about confidence. Having self-assurance in how I look lets me have it everywhere else too." Then I pulled my easy-access mirror (A small rectangle with a slip-cover) out of my pocket and made her look at herself as I said. "Look at her, she's smart, fun, beautiful and easily one the most brilliant people I'll ever know."
She glanced around my mirror, arms crossed saying "You don't really think that."
"For someone so smart you can be so hard on yourself." I shook my head and put my mirror back in my pocket.
Chancy was suddenly back saying, "Master Logan, I really must return you to the wardrobe department and Professor Pensky needs time to ready herself as well, I'm sure. As hip as Mr. Reese appears to be, even he wouldn't appreciate those jeans in the front row of his wedding."
"No, I'm not leaving till I have an answer, Quinn. Will you be my date to this wedding and let me make up for all of the crap that happened yesterday?"
"It's completely unnecessary- "
"But?" I drew out knowing a 'but' was coming.
She rolled her eyes and said, "But if it's that important than yes, I will be there waiting at the back of the set to walk in with you and everything."
From there I was rushed back to finish getting ready for this 'throw-together' wedding. I have to admit I was pretty psyched… not about the wedding, not even a little. But sitting with Quinn and her making all of this fun somehow just being there. That is what I was looking forward to. You would think that I would have learned by now, things aren't nearly this easy.
When I finally arrived at the back of the church set, first it took me forever to get anywhere near where I was supposed to be meeting my date. Blame it on my new stepmom's entire family turning out for this thing. Which could have been the entire state of California for all I knew. It sure felt like it! I was in that line for over an hour before I was anywhere near the door and there were still tons of people behind me. The ceremony was running thirty minutes behind; I'm guessing from the mob of guests. As I got up to the window just outside the back corner of the cathedral like set. I noticed something funny…
Not funny like ha-ha! Laugh out loud… but funny in an odd way. Quinn was already seated inside of the church. She was seated behind a thick column, so that she probably couldn't see a thing. My first thought was that she must have had second thoughts and didn't want to sit with me.
Again, that little voice [though this one sounded suspiciously like Michael], whispered in my ear that "Something was not right about this whole picture, something stinks and I needed to get to the bottom of it BEFORE this wedding began."
When I finally reached the doors and the bride (along with her clique of superficial skanks all on their phones the whole time [yes, that means the ceremony too]); I didn't even have to ask what happened to Quinn because my step mother answered me before I could ask. She rushed at me and shouted, "OH THERE HE IS! My soon to be step son! I will remember your name better when we're family, dear. Now you're going to be going just after my mom and dad enter." She threw me in my place in the line-up of family, which thankfully had my grandparents in front of me. She practically threw me at the cheapest looking giraffe I've ever seen. I say giraffe because not only was that the animal print on her dress and with her platforms and stick like physic, she was nearly two whole feet taller than me. She had a New Jersey accent, smelled like fish sticks and smog, kept sucking at something caught in her huge horse-like teeth.
I kept looking at the heavens and asking God, is this all some late and bizarre punishment because of that giraffe I tore in half that Zoey had given Chase? I mean I've heard that big guy upstairs having a great sense of humor and I admit that if this was happening to anyone else I would probably be the first one to laugh my butt off… But was all of this really happening? Really?
Was I just in my bed still asleep and dreaming?
Then Leighton (my nearly official step mom's name) dropped the bomb, "This girl is much better than that sick and homely looking thing that kept saying she was your date. I couldn't have my future son's rep thwarted with her kind. Anorexic, pale, four eyed little nerd-girl."
I threw down the giraffes hoof away from me, which had been clutching me like prey (even though later Quinn swears that giraffes are vegetarians). I said in the most intense voice I have ever used on this lady. "What. Did. You. Just. Say?"
A look of confusion crossed her dumb face, because I don't think I have ever spoken to her this directly or seriously in all of the time I've known her. When all that came out of her were nothing more than sounds, no actual words, I took a step closer and asked, "Do you think that that's how it's gonna be? That my dad is gonna let you tell him what to do so, I will too. Lady, let me tell you right here and now, that I am not stupid as you call me. Who I date, who I see, who my friends are; has nothing at all, to do with you or what my dad does for a living. My friends are the most important thing in my life besides, my Dad. If you ever hurt him, if I walk back here and find that you have hurt my friend who I ASKED to be my date… I will never forgive you."
"Listen Lionel-"
"My name is Logan, Lo-gan."
"Logan, listen sweetie, I didn't realize… I mean, I don't think that you're stupid."
"Don't lie to me right now, and make this worse for yourself. When you cover my ears and call me stupid, I still hear you. The only reason I put up with it is because you make my dad smile. When you interfere with my life however, there's no way that's okay. The friend you just sent away had her heart broken by a jerk back at school, he made her feel small like you probably just did and if you have hurt her, if I can't make this better, if you hurt my dad, if it gets back to me that this marriage is nothing more than a career move and publicity stunt that I think it is. You better plan on not living in the U.S. anymore, because that is probably the only way I won't come after you. Ask my grandparents or any of my former step moms and almost-moms seated up front with me."
As I went over to lead the giraffe girl and her trashy brown press on nails back to the back of Leighton's side of the church set. I noticed my granny and gramps totally had my back. Warning Leighton just how fiercely I protect my dad and he protects me. I personally ushered the giraffe girl to her seat, explaining that I could not leave my friend alone. Then I walked to the back of my dad's side of the set and b-lined to Quinn.
She jumped up and hugged me as soon as she saw me and I apologized.
"Don't be sorry, she's right, I'm much better seated back here."
"No, she's not and I told her so-"
"No please, tell me you didn't."
"Well, I can but I would be lying." I shrugged while she let out a panicked sound and her hands rushed to her face.
"God, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, I have had to do the same with so many ladies in my dad's life."
"Huh?" She asked.
"Do you remember lately when we were talking about my dad being a romantic?"
"Uh-Huh?"
"Well, his way of being romantic is that the poor guy falls hard, deep and fast. Sadly, those kinds of matches tend to fizzle out just as fast. So I've gotten used to having to stand up for myself to strangers." I explained before lowering my voice and whispering in her cute little ear. "However, I didn't seriously think my dad would ever actually marry this one. She's a former child star and way too desperate." I couldn't help it I totally kissed her ear sneakily. Then I continued out loud, "That's the reason I never stood up to Leighton before this surprise wedding crap today, when she's gonna be a new mom, for sure… or it looks like she might."
"You mean we're standing at their wedding and you're saying this could not even be a sure thing?"
"Well, it's rare, but some have chickened out and left Dad at the altar. I think it's happened twice? Over the course of my life... so, it's likely to be a sure thing, I don't know. Just come back here with me and let us find our seats."
She stopped and yanked on my hand saying, "Logan No! I can't - I can't go back there- "
"Yes, you can and you have nothing to worry about. Trust me…" She looked like a panicked and scared little baby for all of a second. All fidgety and looking down at her feet, so I glance back at the group that were our classmates. All of them were looking forward and waiting for the ceremony to begin, so I said, "Hey," and made her look at me by tilting her chin up. I told her, "Hold your head up high, you're with me, okay? It's just you and me."
She took a second while I knocked on the hidden door I'd used to sneak in the back that can only be accessed by the right people. I'm one of those people. Before it opened, we shared a smile that let me know she was alright, and all wasn't lost. Then the moment we were let back into the entry alcove that was holding all of the most important people of the wedding party and immediate families. Leighton was all apologizes and bull, Quinn was of course, all graciousness and kindness till we were standing together back in line, right behind my nanny and gramps again. As soon as Leighton had walked off and was out of earshot. Quinn acted like she was straightening my tie, but really she was pulling me closer by that tie and she whispered, "If I ever attend another wedding with you again. Remind me to bring some boots if that lady attends."
I couldn't help but laugh, this is why I insisted on having her up here with me. I whispered back, "I think I'll need to wear some, every time that I come home, for a while."
"You know, that might be a good look for you."
"Ya think?"
"Yeah, you might rock that."
When it was time to walk in, I noticed nanny took hold of gramps arm and they walked in just the perfect picture of what any perfectly aged couple should be. My gramps, dog that he is, even gave nanny a kiss on the cheek to the delight of the crowd who 'Oow'ed and 'Aww'ed. Way to upstage me gramps! How do I compete with that?
Then I started to panic, I knew it was passed the time we were meant to be walking. I just had no idea what we should do? Should we cross arms, or should I simply bend my arm and offer it to her? Did we hold hands? Should we interlock our fingers, or mitten hands? I know my head was about to spin, when suddenly, I felt Quinn do this thing where she hugged my arm to her with both arms. She loosened her grip as we walked so it wasn't nearly as tight as it had been in that moment. I wished she could have held on that tight the whole way. Even more than that, I wished that I was back into one of my sleeveless shirts so I could feel more of her all but snuggling hold. Instead of just the little bit being filtered through all of the layers I was wearing at the moment.
Was it suddenly stifling in this place or was it me? It's me? Just checking.
As we walked in and took our seats, I was finally able to really looked at her. As we'd walked in, everyone had been looking at her and everyone had been smiling. Leighton must have no taste and be partially blind (or just completely bias) to not see what the rest of the room saw in Quinn. She wasn't in a floor length gown, her's was shorter, and showing off her legs nicely. The top of her dress, the part that was on her torso, was tighter than the rest and appeared almost completely bright pink and yellow because of all of these flower designs that were really close together. The rest of it was a floaty light green color, that was made for dancing. She even had these matching bands in her hair that were the same bright pink with similar flowers that were white and yellow. Her hair was all penned up and curls. She was just so pretty; I couldn't stop staring. She kept catching me when she wasn't talking with my grandma about the silly things all grandparents say to young people. All of the normal stories I wish that she wouldn't tell, you know... the usual.
The ceremony began as my dad and his groomsmen came in and took their places at the front of the church set. My dad winked to me as he always does. Then Dad saw Quinn and moved his eye brows up and down and 'thumbs up'ed me. A part of me wanted to 'thumbs up' right back, but I was too angst-y and angry to really try… for one, if I get caught I might embarrass Quinn. On top of that, this other louder part of myself wanted to say, "Slowdown old man, get your own! This one's with me and it's not only been a hell of a fight getting to this moment; it's been a knuckle to knuckle, tooth and nail, uphill climb to this battlefield of a ball you're throwing! I've worked way too hard to turn back now, and this is your stinking wedding day... keep your eyes on your own prize, please!" So all I ended up doing was shaking my head back and forth.
Then the bridesmaids started to come in and once they were all in their places, the bridal march began and everyone stood to respect the bride. I had half a mind to stay seated, but Quinn tugged me up then she took my hand and hugged the rest of my arm to her again as if to say that she had my back. Son of a Bitch, WHY did I have to wear all of these dumb layers. Something in that moment told me that regardless of whether or not my dad's relationship would last, this moment felt like one of those that would always stick with me. I have no idea why, it was just Quinn doing one of those things that all girls do, when they're excited or excited for you. She even bounced up and down against my arm in delight. Mother of GOD, where is it written that men have to smother themselves for big occasions like this one? I ask because I want to know where to aim the punch, if not the gun!
I mean, sure not all stand out moments in my life are this good while at the same time torture. Another stand out moment happened during another trip when my dad had given a little more notice and I brought both Chase and Michael with me. They sat in the front row with me and bawled throughout the whole ceremony. That was one of Dad's prettier ladies (now one of his prettiest exes), they kept going on and on about how beautiful she was, how lucky my dad was, and I was gonna be so lucky if I ever saw my dad again after this.
Michael's exact quote was "If I had something as fine as that girl is, waiting for me in some tropical paradise. I might never EVER leave it again, even if I had kids, I'd be like 'what kids?' See ya! Nobody would hear from me till I was dead and gone, then all everyone would say was, 'that Michael knew how to live, ya know? He went happy!'"
Then Chase was all cutting in, "Logan's Dad is not gonna do that! He's got this dad business nailed so well that he can be a great husband in the topics, the confident Los Angeles personality and still be a great Dad for our pal."
He was right…
My dad really is the only parent I need.
As if this fact needed to be proven… This tale is far from over.
The wedding began without a hitch, everything was smooth sailing even as a huge lady sang Leighton's eight chorus song that Leighton swore was 'their song.' When the fourth chorus began, Quinn started to giggle behind her hand, by the time the song stopped we were all in tears we were laughing so hard because it simply wouldn't end. Don't ask me why this was so funny, it just was; and everybody was roaring along with us when it finally ended, laughing and standing ovation. The singer looked so proud of her performance when really we were all more thrilled it was over. Right after that the officiator asked both Dad and Leighton to say their 'I do's which they did and then the aged officiator (a lighting guy named 'Bucky' a sweet old dude who's lit so many sets of so many great films). Bucky asked that same old question they always do in movies. "If any one objects to these two being joined in holy matrimony; speak now, or forever hold your piece."
A guy in the back didn't just object but he shot off a pistol straight up in the air and scared us all to death. It was a stage prop luckily that only shot blanks, but the guy was not okay with Leighton marrying my Dad. His name was Donovan, and he was supposedly the reason Leighton had been so reluctant to marry my Dad all this time. So my Dad and this Dona-whoever started to argue loudly and it was all a big mess. That ended up with not only my Dad NOT marrying Leighton, but Bucky officiated a different wedding and instead ended up joining Leighton to Donavan, while my Dad got to walk away a free man. He was such a cool guy about it all, he even gave the couple a couple of days in the place he'd been planning to take Leighton for their honeymoon.
That is as long as it was agreed that the reception was now my Dad's party. He said that would break everything even. (Which isn't true, but what can I say my Dad's a good guy.) It was looking like the worst thing that had happened was that we had had to sit through that god-awful nevering ending song.
Just when it seemed like things could have been far worse…
They were…
It happened right after the last of the non-Reese family had filtered over to the church set. I heard the doors to the back of the church set burst open like they had been blasted. A demure voice boomed, "Malcolm… Dar-ling, you look so much older than I remember you looking."
I knew that voice anywhere. It sounded wealthy, cold as space and I felt the chills shoot down my body and my hands automatically ball into fist. The only thing I didn't know was if I was shaking from her arctic unfeelingness, or if it was bottled rage that was quaking me.
My Dad was wearing the same guarded expression that I was. Even if he was in much better control of it. I didn't realize I was still holding Quinn's hand till she yelped in pain as asked, "Logan! What's wrong." Somehow she said the words urgently while quiet enough to not carry.
I think I did bite out a "sorry" to her, before everything goes to a very dark place. I can't even say that with much confidence. It's the effect that woman has over me. Dad and I probably looked more alike in that moment than we ever have to most of the people surrounding us.
My Dad greeted her surprised, "Devlin… what a surprise, I didn't know that you'd returned. How was… Europe?"
"Oh, a total bore as always, I don't know why I ever even bother venturing that way anymore. Then again everything's always so boring here, one must try something new every now and again shouldn't she."
Quinn gripped my right fist and asked softly in my ear, "Logan who is she?"
What could I say? Technically, Devlin is the person who gave birth to me; that doesn't make her my mother. I've never been allowed to call her mother in public, or at home, or even in privacy. She never calls me "Logan," even though that's my name, because it's a name that my dad gave me. She'll screw it up just for spite, claiming that I screwed up her body when I was born. Like I asked to be here? Nope, I have to call her 'Devlin' and she'll call me some stupid name that isn't mine and make me feel small any chance she gets. How can I explain something so sick, twisted and ugly about me, and sum it up in a whispered sentence.
"It's complicated, you don't want to know, trust me."
It was the best I could do.
"Loo-gos! Look how tall you're not, aren't you in at least middle school by now?"
"Devlin, if your face was any more plastic, it would bounce." I fired back, and Dad jumped between us before it got physical. Holding her back he told me to take Quinn to the party, and leave this to him. Which would have worked great if my mother had a soul. But as I took Quinn's hand and started to pull her out. My biological mom was laughing…
You read right, laughing saying… "Oh no, don't tell me juniors brought his first girl home finally! Watch this one honey, he ruins lives, bodies and women's youth."
Before I was gone, I stopped at the door and yelled back, "You'd already sold all of that to the devil long before I was ever here, DEVIL-LIN!"
Then the great doors to the set slammed shut and we were out of there. Quinn kept asking me questions and kept screaming for me to slow down. She just didn't understand that I could not be where this woman was. That not only did it sicken me, but I knew it was even more toxic to my dad. Whose now, still facing her; and probably getting hurt by her all anew as we speak. She kept shouting that I simply have no grasp of slipper floors and pointy heels.
I knew the reception (now Dad's celebration) was happening a few doors down, but I pointed out the party to Quinn and told her that I would find her in a little bit. I just had something to do first. She snagged my arm and said, "No Logan, you gotta level with me. What just happened back there, who was that lady and why are you wigging out so bad right now? I need some info here."
"Look I know you do, and I promise to come clean later. Just not right now, I need a minute. It's not the easiest thing to explain. Just go to the party and I'll be right there." She gave me a long hard look but did go into the party.
By the time that I got back to those huge doors I could hear both of my parents in a screaming match. It's literally the only kind of exchange I've ever seen them have. I was getting ready to walk in when suddenly the doors flew open again and I was nearly knocked out by them. My mother (if you can call her that with a straight face) instantly punched me in the face on sight and I fell backwards. I probably wouldn't have fallen at all if I hadn't already been stumbling, but Devlin isn't a black belt, she wasn't even sober… she'd just struck at the perfect moment. Besides my shattered pride and a split lip I was just fine, Devlin was about to try and do more damage when all of dad's bodyguards rushed in and trapped her. Before she was carried her off, screeching something about me ruining everything in her life, blah blah the normal stuff... All things that any kid dreams of hearing their birth mother yell. My Dad stepped in front of me and said, "NO WAY! If you even cast a shadow over my son anymore, I will have you thrown in jail so quickly that your rubber little face won't even have TIME to look surprised. Get her out of my sight."
Then she was outta sight, followed by her entourage and a slew of studio security (Which is the next best thing to the secret service around these parts). Dad kneeled down next to me and pat me on the shoulder saying, "That's gotta hurt, are you alright? I can still have her put away."
"She's not worth the red tape, Dad. What did Mommy Dearest want besides Marilyn Monroe's life - minus the tragedy - and no wire clothes hangers?"
"I have no idea, I get the sinking feeling this trip was just to ruin my wedding. She said give their marriage six weeks at the most, since she'd bought out the groom to make it convincing."
"Are you kidding?"
"I wish I was, son… that woman credits us as ruining everything for her as long as we live and breathe. I know it's impossible to imagine her any other way for you, but that's sad. That is not the woman I married. Yes, that girl was vain, still loves mirrors too much and can't sing… but she was still the love of my life… the person she is now isn't anything like that girl at all."
"Dad, I appreciate the heart to heart, but you are talking about the woman who just punched me to the ground."
"You're right, Devlin's problem is that she's never truly happy, she doesn't know how to be. So she just does her best to make everyone she's in contact with as miserable as she is. The best thing you can do son, is go back to that party and show everyone that she hasn't won. Go back and enjoy it with me and all of our guests. Now when I say all of your guests, I do mean the other girls as well as Quinn. But if you were to wish for some more exclusive time with that little gem, I can't say that I would blame you-"
"Daaaaad!" I growled in warning.
"What? You've never brought just one girl out of your group before and mooned over them the way you've been staring at Quinn. You've brought plenty of girls home with you, but not quite the way you brought this one…Chauncy agrees with me, don't you Chauncy?"
"On what, sir?" Our butler asked appearing out of thin air. I was so used to them double teaming me over the years, I don't think I even blinked.
"Logan and Miss Pensky?"
"Hmm, yes, the little professor who made our entire kitchen a laboratory the last time that she was in your house. This time we gave her a big enough room to contain it all in her own little area."
"Don't you think that she's good for the young master?"
"I must confess I think she is, she could definitely bring up his grade point average, if nothing else."
"Yes, and she's quite beautiful without appearing too fake, a rare find in this town especially."
I had finally had enough and I seethed, "Would the two of you hens, quit clucking along about me, like I'm not here! Quinn isn't just here to raise my grade point whatever, or earn me points for having non celebrity arm-candy! She's just here as my friend! Got it!"
"Whooo-hoo!" My Dad whooped in approval. "I knew it, he totally likes her, look how red he's getting."
"This is red with rage, not blush you idiots!" Somehow in all of that fury, I managed to bite the split in my lips and tore it a little worse. Both my dad and Chancy were openly laughing, not even trying to hide it as I was handed a tissue and I was directed at a bathroom to clean myself up a bit.
Once I had, I was expected to co-host Dad's dumb party. I did everything that I was supposed to for that the first hour, before all of the endless chatter about my diamond-mogul-birth-mother all got to be too much for me to stand. Not to mention every guy in the place from our age group seemed to suddenly notice Quinn and want to dance with her. I had to keep up appearances and dance with some of the other girls too, but I didn't get to dance with her even once. Because my Dad and Chauncy were both just watching for me to either ask her to dance or make a scene or something. Not wanting them to get any more suspicious than they already were… I had steer clear. So I did the thing that I always do when I'm stuck on any of my Dad's sets and not willing to play nice. I hid in one of the discarded prop rooms.
I hijacked one of the spare and already broken igloos that still smelt like a mixture of melting and burnt plastic on the inside. I took off my tie, and settled down in the padded bottom of it with a huge pillow and comforter like thing and just chilled out listening to my pearpod. About three songs in, a tiny head was poking into my igloo's little crawl hole and I noticed Quinn's face. She asked if she could join me, and I tried to tell her I didn't think it was a good idea to crawl into the tiny space in her dress. Then she slid in anyway and I noticed that she was wearing her outfit from earlier (purple top with jeans).
"How come you got to change early?" I all but demanded, since I was very uncomfortably in a suit and in a tiny place. Sure I had tossed the jacket and tie by now, but I was still in a button down dress shirt and dress pants which is code for very prickly, hot and itchy.
"Well, I'm a guest and not a host, but you look like you've given up on your hosting duties for the day too." She shrugged, then she looked back through the opening and said, "enough about me though. My question to you right now is how did you manage to climb in here dressed as you are and not destroy your suit? I feel like it somehow defies at least one of my laws of science."
"It probably does since when I climbed in here I did still have my tie tied, my coat on and shoes too." I am trying to relax after a stressful day after all.
She was sitting across from me in the tiny space, but her folded Indian style legs were completely pressed to my legs folded almost the exact same way. She asked,
"How did those actors make it look so easy the other day when I was struggling like I didn't know the simple mechanics of the human form."
"The simple - what?"
"Oh, like I didn't know how to work any of my limbs." She explained.
"Did my Dad send you down here?" I asked while I was staring her down trying to see if I could since the pity or judgement that normally came with a 'mom'-experience.
She shrugged, "No, actually everyone out there seemed to try and warn me to stay away from you for a while. Which I can still do if you'd like, but I figured I'd at least ask you if you'd like some company."
"Who said to stay away?"
"Just about everyone, and they all seemed to have plenty of stories on lock about the people who didn't listen in the past." She said looking perfectly relaxed, but that could just be because she was dressed so much more relaxed than me. Like she wasn't even scared of any of these tales proving true.
"Well, I don't mind you being here, but I can't say I would be as welcoming to everyone if they wanted to join us." I assured and she shot me a strange look.
"Where would we put them?" She asked so seriously, I couldn't help but laugh and grimace when my lip screamed out that it didn't want to split anymore.I ended up touching it and checking my finger for blood. When Quinn asked almost excitedly "Are you injured?"
"You honestly didn't already know that?"
"No! Can I see, can I see, can I see?" She clapped, "PLEASE let me look. I'm a total fan of a good cut, scab, scar, you name it!"
"It's just a split lip." I shrugged but she was already crawling over to my right side and complaining about how hard it was because the mat that igloo was sitting on was so slippery.
Quinn is starting to grab on to me just to gain better traction. As she says, "You know this is giving me war flashbacks of those really big 'Play Places' that are attached to all of the McDonalds-"
"The what?"
"You can't tell me you never got to play in a 'play place?' That huge tube looking monster build on to McDonald's-"
"Of course I did, I just didn't know that they had a name." I explained as she finally got to my face in her hands and the first thing I heard her say is…
"I can't see a thing in this darkened fake ice shack. I need better lighting." Then she pulled out her keys which had a teeny flashlight welded into the keyring. Then as she shined the one-watt tiny flashlight directly in my face. "What a baby, all of this fuss over this teeny little thing. I happen to have just the thing for minor cuts and burns like that back in my purse. I'll apply it when I get back to it, or before you turn in for the night, if you like."
"I would appreciate that," I did somehow manage to say as her hands were gently everywhere all over my face and head. Either she was turning my face to give herself a better look. Or she was tugging at other parts of my face for some reason.
Then she began to talk to herself. "You're lips are healthy and very well moisturized, so it's unlikely the divide was caused by dryness… you're like a clapstick commercial good, you must use tons of chap sticks."
"You're welcome." I smirked and felt her playfully thwack me. She's left that one wide open, I had to take it.
Then she went on talking to herself, "It's not very deep, it looks like it was your upper left canine tooth that took the stab. How did you do that?"
I wasn't entirely sure if the question was directed at me, after all of that chatter. I answered anyway, "You don't want to know."
"I wouldn't have asked about it, if I didn't want to know; but if you don't want to talk about it, I understand." She shrugged as she sat back and left my face and head alone. She pulled one of her legs up and hugged it as she reminded, "I do seem to recall you promising more info at some point. I'm just a bit impatient, is all."
I blew a loud sigh up into the ceiling of our tiny haven and then turned my head to shoot her a look as I asked, "I'm not going to hear the end of this till I explain at least a little, am I?"
"I would appreciate a little info, but take your time. I get the impression that this is a touchy subject that somehow involves that Devlin lady whose always on all of the celebrity pages of all of the magazines."
"It does, her fist actually made this happen," I said, pointing at my face. Quinn gasped loudly and covered her face with her hands pointed like a steeple.
Between her palms I somehow heard her muffled voice ask, "She hit you? Why?"
"She is my birth mother," I revealed as Quinn's face grew impossibly more shocked and she started to sputter the word, "What?" over and over.
"I don't believe it, that terrible human being… no, it can't be. You've gotta be – but she did say all of that stuff about you ruining – Oh, she can't actually think that way right? She smelled really strong of vodka, gin and oranges. She was too drunk to be held accountable for any of that, right?"
"I wish I could say yes, but Devlin has never been around me enough when she is sober for me to judge."
"You even call her Devlin?"
"She's always insisted on having no connection with me, pretending we aren't related. Especially when she's in public. She likes misery and making anyone who can't avoid being connected to her, just as miserable. My dad swears that she was the love of his life once, but when I was born… she went through so many changes… Having me threw her off of the deep end and she's never been the same. He won't say it's my fault but let's face it, it is."
"Logan, it can't be your fault; you didn't ask to be here."
"Devlin shouldn't be anyone's mother, she's just awful-" I felt a hand take mine and I looked up to see Quinn giving me a look that didn't have one ounce of pity in it. Nothing makes my madder than sympathy or seeming pathetic. She smiled at me, and thanked me for telling her. Then she asked, "Does anyone else know about Devlin?"
"Chase and Michael have heard of her legends, like you they don't push or judge which is… nice… and rare. James and the others haven't heard a thing about her, or at least they haven't from me. You're my only friend who's ever seen her, and for that, I can't apologize enough." The hand that had been resting on top of mine now interlaced it's fingers with mine. So I tugged her to lean her head on my shoulder, and just held her tight.
"You don't have to apologize. I'm glad it was me, and that now I know how to act the next time we meet. She's not gonna see Quinn the meek little house guest next time. No sir, she's gonna be getting introduced to Quinn the She-hulk protective warrior. Friend to her son and her worst nightmare." She said and I couldn't help it I laughed. Really laughed which made her laugh too. Every time our chuckling would calm down, Quinn went on promising things like, "I mean it! She messes with the bull she gets the horns. That woman has no idea the can of worms she just cracked open."
Laughed so hard, my sides began to ache, I took a deep breath and just like that… I felt better. I turned my face to look at Quinn who was right there on my shoulder. She was so close, all I wanted to do was kiss her. She looked so cute, she's been so kind, she'd helped me feel so much better so easily… but Devlin had ruined that. I couldn't make out with a busted lip. I kind of hit the wall of the igloo with my fist and I guess Quinn heard that.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
"Just Devlin wrecking something else for me today." I told her honestly.
She sat up from my shoulder and asked, "What's that?"
"Don't worry about it." I waved my hand, the one that wasn't still holding hers. She was kind of playing with my fingers between hers and she was staring at the game we were playing there when she asked…
"Where you thinking about that thing that keeps happening between us lately, that thing that your pricked lip could hinder?"
"It doesn't matter if I was, there's nothing we can do about it."
"Oh I beg to differ," she said while she was still studying our hands like they were the most interesting specimen she'd ever studied.
"Huh?" I asked… sort of. What was this now?
"There are quite a lot of other things we can do that don't involve your lips. Some of them may still have mine in the equation… but if you're up for it I could show you what I mean?" She suggested and there it was again, the warmth that overtook the very air surrounding us. That elusive something that kept happening whenever I was close to this girl at all. Or when I was thinking about her, or when we were alone like now. I don't know if my eyes sparkled the way Quinn's always did when these moments were happening, but something about that glint was better than any firework display I've ever seen. It was the magic and I had to clear my throat so I wouldn't sound too effected.
"Well Quinn, I've always known you were a genius in nearly every subject. What are some forms of making out that aren't actually making out?"
"I will show you, just because I'm an awesome friend that way." She smiled before she began to teach this like it was a lesson.
"Let's start small, shall we? Usually I've let you control most of how and where these moment's lead. So this might freak you out, you might even hate it. I don't know, so… Let's start here and see where we end up? Alright?"
"Where's here?"
"Where I am right now, sitting with my head on your shoulder… is that okay?"
"Well… yeah, but you could come a bit closer," I suggested.
"I could, but is that what you want?"
"Would I have suggested it if I didn't?" I asked back and turned so that her legs were draped over my lap and then she pulled herself up into my lap.
"Better?"
"Much better," I said putting my arms around her for a moment.
"Holding hands is good too." She said taking both of my hands that had been hugging her tight and getting me to hold them instead.
I agreed with a half-hearted "yeah."
So she asked me, "What is that face?"
"I liked it better hugging you close."
"You don't like holding hands."
"No, I like that just fine but if we're this alone and I feel this crappy I may need a little more." I explained as I trapped her in another tight hug; she laughed and tried to wiggle free saying.
"Hey, you caught me all turned weird facing the other way! I can't return your hug like this."
From somewhere in her heavenly smelling hair, I may have said, "Maybe all I need is to be able to hold you tight… just for a minute, just hold you tight and not have something tearing you away."
She stopped squirming and said, "Logan… I'm not going anywhere; I won't even leave arm's length. I just want to turn and hold you back…okay?" She asked and I took a deep breath through my nose. Wishing I knew what in the world made her hair and skin both smell so different yet good.
She stayed true to her word and just turned so that her arms could wrap around me just as tight. I had to admit, it was better when she was facing me, like this we sat there for every bit of five minutes just like that. Before I felt that I needed to remind her, "Wasn't I being schooled on all kinds of ways we could make out without actually making out?"
"Hmm, Oh! That's right. We were doing that, sorry; I just got distracted, it's been a big day."
"It has, and if it's too much we can just stay like this the rest of our time in here, if that's what you want. I was just really interested in what other… methods you may use or like, ya know? Not to mention you mentioned that some of these could involve your lips while mine are out of service at the moment… well, they can't really come into too much contact without re-splitting."
"Yeah, I got it, and I will go on just as I started but since you holding on to me is far too distracting-"
"For both of us." I put in there.
"I'm gonna just skip to all of the one's that involve-"
"Kissing!" I tacked in there.
"Boy, you are really excited about this whole kissing part aren't you?"
"Well, it's not making out but how bad can it be." I shrugged.
She shook her head and said, "Very smooth," completely sarcastically and I thanked her just the same.
So she sat back from where she'd just been leaning on me and took hold of both of my hands. "I'm gonna treat this like a normal field study in my lab. I'm gonna try tons of different technics and places and see how you respond. If any of this is gross, feels too weird or isn't something that you would like to happen again. Just let me know at any time. I will be asking for your opinion throughout, and just be honest, okay."
"Um, sure… but where are you gonna begin?"
"I was thinking I would start with your hands, if that's cool."
"My hands?"
"Yes." She said before planting kiss on the top of my left hand and then another to my fingers. She repeated the same attention to my right and asked, "Okay, so far?"
"Yeah, I mean, it's nothing to kissing you the normal way, but it's nice, I guess." I said honestly, it did feel a little strange, but she was being so sweet. She was trying so hard to cheer me up and it should be the other way around. The very sight of Devlin had completely trashed anything good coming from today at all… I was so certain of that… I was…
Then Quinn kissed the soft inside bend of my right elbow and trailed kisses up the slope of my right shoulder. Which made we want to tear the damnable sleeves off of both shoulders. Seriously whoever first sewed a damn sleeve onto a damn thing could kiss my ass. Why was I being treated to such fun when I couldn't even enjoy the feel of her lips on my ever bare (normally) arms?
Her face appeared in front of mine and asked, "How's that?"
"Uh… better. A little better." I shrugged.
I wasn't expecting her to repeat the same on the other side and instead of stopping like she had on the last shoulder. Her warm breathy trail of kisses didn't stop till she'd peppered my left shoulder, kibbled her way past my left collar bone (which was bare because I'd undone the top few buttons) and made it almost the entire way back to my right shoulder.
This time when she asked, "Is this okay?" I nodded my head up and down, I couldn't seem to get words to come out. Most of the kisses we'd shared had been my doing. My initiation, my control, I decided how long they went and I was lost whenever I'd kissed her. Whenever that got flipped, whenever she took the reins and did anything… I was a new kind of lost. It took you too another place, where she was in absolute rule, and I kinda wanted to live there. Again no one could get me nearly as worked up, bent outta shape as this girl… but I was finding out today that no one could put me back together like she could either.
Let me tell you when her lips began to treat my neck the same way she'd just treated my shoulders… I wasn't lost any more, I was just gone. I know I was grabbing onto her head and pulling her closer, I was whispering all kinds of things I can't even remember now. Most of them were probably something like, "God I want to kiss you." It really was the only thing my mind wouldn't stop screaming. The feeling, the want I had been carrying around my chest all of this time, was now more of an urgent need. Yet I couldn't re-bust my lip making out with my friend dimly lit ice house prop. I had to give my mouth time to heal and not disgust this beautiful girl who was beginning to scare me with not only how right it felt to be with her. Or even how much I sought out the moments like these with her… It wasn't because she needed me either, it had all come together and made me need her.
She trailed kisses up the middle of my throat first from the base of my neck to the tip of my chin, then she did the same to the left side, followed by the back and finally the right of my neck all to my heated whispers of nonsense. She giggled so many times and it was the bubbly, wonderfully contagious noise that I ended up chuckling right back. Then she trailed her way up to my right ear and she lingered there just long enough to almost make me lose it. Then she kissed my right temple, then the center of my forehead then the left temple. Then she found my left ear and lingered there long enough to make me feel like I was gonna explode.
I felt a mushroom cloud erupt from me and shoot up in the air overhead, when she asked me in that right ear, "Do we still think making out is the only pleasure kissing can bring?"
I was quiet so long that Quinn started to back pedal. "Did I push you too far, was it too much-"
"NO, no, no." I finally got out and she let out a deep relieved breath. "It's not anything you just did… it's just starting to scare me a little how…" The words would come, I couldn't begin to think straight. So I just took her hand and put it against my neck which was pounding and asked her, "Do you feel that? Do you feel how crazy that is."
"That is pretty fast," she smiled taking my hand and trying to get me to feel her 'pulse-point.' I didn't feel a thing besides the unthinkable softness of her neck. So all this accomplished, there was no way I was sleeping tonight. I was gonna be lying awake all night imaging what it will finally feel like when I get to kiss her there… again, when I get to dish out a little bit of this same medicine to her… Quinn accused me of kissing her exactly this way when we'd been on my couch together in my dorm room (which was also the time Chase witnessed us). That I had made her heart quote, "Feel like it was going to beat it's way out of her chest."
Guess that is kinda like the mushroom cloud mind-blowing I had here today. That doesn't mean that I won't find some time after this that I can make her heart race the way she's been making mine sprint all day. No, next time it would be my turn.
Then she did something else that shocked me, she sighed really loud and indignantly. Before turning on that sexy teacher, 'let-me-school-you' tone and said, "Alright fine, but if your hand travels at all, you are getting the hell slapped out of you."
Then she took my hand and placed it to the center of chest, and just slightly to the left. Not only was her heart beating just as fast as mine, but I swear they were in sync like they were the last time that I had felt her heart beat. I pointed out to her, "This isn't the first time I've felt your heartbeat."
"I know, that was your head this is your hand, which is a lot more dangerous because it can travel and it had better not."
"Why?"
"You know exactly why!" She exclaimed and I quirked my eye brows at her and she said again, "No!"
So I asked, "Oh come on, Have I ever touched you there?"
"No you have been nothing but decent and respectful, which is why you get to keep those pretty hands of yours. Let's keep things decent and respectful or those babies are gonna be gone."
She had never been this overly protective before, there had to be some reason for her getting this worked up about this. So I asked, "Has anyone ever touched you there?"
"Oh yeah," she answered without hesitation. "Do you remember that week I dated everybody? Yeah, some of them were grabbers, some squeezed, some squished me against them very hard when we hugged and I'm not fooled-"
"Who did that?" I demanded.
"Don't worry about it, I can take care of myself. Trust me, it'll never happen to another girl they date. I straightened them all out and if I see that this isn't true, I'm giving the girl of their choice means of protecting herself."
What other girl in the universe is gonna give you this answer. She kissed both of my cheeks and both corners of my mouth (the slit was closer to the center) and all argument from me was gone in a blink. All I did say when she was done was, "I would never do that… even if I wanted to… not unless I knew that was something that you were okay with."
"I know," She agreed softly, and she whispered in my ear, "That's why I'm here with you and not out there on the dancefloor tonight. That's why you get kisses and they all get to shoot the breeze. So while it's not much, Logan you have been an outstanding friend to me throughout all of this Mark-malarkey, speed dating hokum and Brooke Bull-crap."
"Say 'Shit' Quinn, go for the gold." I requested.
"You know that I won't-"
"You will, I'm a terrible influence and I intend on rubbing off on you, a lot more."
"I hope you do, I also wish that some of this was helpful to you. After all that you've done for me in the last few weeks; I really hope that I can bring you a shred ofthe same comfort that you brought me."
"Hey… you did. I feel a lot better since you slid in here, but I'm afraid that just how grateful and helpful you've been will have to wait till this is better," I said pointing to my face. "Then I plan to show you rather than tell you."
"I look forward to that-" she did get out before Chauncy's booming voice was informing us that we should be leaving in the next few minutes. That I needed to change out of my suit and reclaim my clothes before we headed home.
From that point on, nearly the rest of my night was completely separate from Quinn. Besides when we'd sat together in the car and held hand down in the darkness where no one could see. Oh, and when she realized that she hadn't put her miracle cure on my cut and showed up right outside my room and put her finger to my lips.
I asked her, "Is this about to get kinky or-"
"No Logan! I was just putting something on your cut. Now go to sleep, and don't wash that off."
"What happens if I do? Wash it off I mean?" I asked.
"Then it won't help you like it could, now good night."
"Good night!" I called back and that was it. We were both getting up early in the morning to head back to PCA. She needed to repack all of her science stuff in to her bag, which needed to be done with special care. So most of the rest of her free time was spent doing just that. You would think hours after leaving that little stinky dome I would be over what had happened in it, but when I lay in bed. It was just how I'd thought it would be, I couldn't stop thinking about all of the ways I was gonna show that scientist my appreciation. There was no sleep, but plenty of dreaming.
Well that's it for this entry, now it's your turn readers, what did you think? Did you like it, love it, hate it, tolerate it? Let me know, I love hearing from you all and reviews keep me going! Thank you anyone who is reading this right now, you are fantastic for reading all the way to this point. The next chapter will be the first that will be actually including moments from episodes (besides the first) and missing moments from in between. It will be taking place during the epi when Logan and Quinn realize they want to start dating. It should be on time Saturday, keep your eyes peeled for an update around then. Till then! God Bless and Much Love!
~DarcyBeDippy85