Hi There,

Greetings, to all of you Quoganites! It has been too long since I've gotten to do this. The primary reason for that was that my mother had knee replacement surgery. Since my last chapter her preparations for that surgery, the actual surgery itself, her recovery, therapy and even for a while there every whim, pill or little thing that she needed had to be our top priority. Me and my beta reading little sister, I'm happy to say Mom is doing great! We're all really encouraged…

…Then Halloween our busiest time of year happened (because we do it BIG). That was a major set back… I turned a year older in there too… Yay Birthday!

Then our bosses (a married couple and yes, we sisters even work in the same place) retired and sold our place of business to new people whose teaching us as much as we're teaching them! They're all REALLY nice and seem to appreciate people that are jumping in and helping every which way! Thank god! Thanksgiving happened (yes I am american, remember)! So quick recap Mom doing good, Halloween and work seeming to be okay again… FINALLY! Thanks have been given... FINALLY, We can get back to business. Creating cuteness and missing moments for one of our favorite pairings EVER! QUOGAN!

First I would like to thank all of you who favorited this story or me as an author since my last update. I would also like to think the RHrGreatness (for her review and being my beta and the best little sister ever!) the seven Guest reviewers who all wrote in you all fuel these chapters, god bless you! You all had kind things to say and all of you were so excited. I appreciated you all so much! (One Guest was named Renee thanks for being so nice) and CabbieLoverSAC22 reviewed three times getting caught up on the story, Thank you so much (Love your name by the way Cabbie is also one of our favorite pairings and I might write a fanfic for them too one day… that would be major fun, they're so different from any other pairing out there!)! All of you made my day and got me inspired to keep going! All of you had a part in this getting here, so hope you all enjoy!

This one will be described from Logan's eyes! Which is always fun and hopefully all of you enjoy hearing his insights as much as I enjoy taking dictation from him. And there might be an added treat at the end… or in the footnote at the bottom… so happy reading! God bless every single one of you reading this words I hope this was somehow worth the wait!

"The Collective Trails of A Quinnventor and… Logan"
Chapter 9 – Officially… Screwed!

This week had been absolute hell, I'm not gonna lie.

I was away all week till last night (Friday night), and now I can't stop smiling. My smile is perfect, but part of it's perfection is the fact that it's not something I just do all the time. I would look like an idiot, if I did. It takes away from the flawlessness of my grin, if I can't stop. I know that!

Does any of this info wipe my face clean of this high-beaming smirk of refreshing satisfaction?

Nope, not at all.

Nothing seems to dim these brights, I simply can't contain these pearly whites.

Why, you ask?

It's a good question, what in the world could bring on such a change so fast? It's simple, I can't stop because I've never been this happy before now.

What could have made me so happy?

Tons of more zeros in my allowance?

No... but that'd be awesome.

Is it my birthday?

Not yet!

Is Dad getting approached about the new Galaxy Wars Film?

I wish!

Quinn?

Duh, Of course it's Quinn.

After a hellacious week with far too much time apart… Quinn and I have decided to become officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

I know what you're thinking too, "Hey Logan, don't you usually hate any bimbo who starts trying to corner you. Any Britney, Christina or Lindsey who starts calling you her boy toy?"

Yeah, that's usually the case, but… this time's different. I don't know how to explain really, it just is. It's so unlike any other relationship that I have been in… ever.

Usually girls are always pulling that crap on me, or turning me down saying that they're so much better than me. I used to like those kinds of girls… all kinds really… except the ugly or hopeless ones. Lately… I really only like one girl. I'll play it cool, like I'm totally aloof when I'm confronted with persistent flirts… but it's all an act, I can't explain it any other way. It feels like there's this huge picture of her face in front of my face all the time, and I barely notice other girls. This has been going on for weeks on end.

The other thing that makes this all so unbelievable; is the fact that I wasn't cornered, sought out or ultimatum-ed into this either. No! Not this time.

I sought out, I cornered, I made the big moves, I asked her; Quinn, to be my official girlfriend. I have never even thought of doing that with anyone else. Especially after sitting through hours of Nerd-stock at a science fair. I was even wearing neon green and streaks of face paint under my eyes like I was about to run out onto the football field and hit somebody.

We're still not to the point of being ready to reveal any of this to our friends, or public. She did say yes, and she has since then called me baby nearly twenty times. Each time I hear it, I feel like steam is gonna shoot out of my ears… luckily it hasn't.

Anyways, I asked, she said yes. So we're official, and I have to find some way to stop smiling. Fast!

…The Reason Showed Itself Bright and Early Monday Morning…

Since Zoey and Me were both hurt badly a year ago, on the schools wrestling team; our former coach was let go for tons of reasons. I think Zoey and me just added to the pile, really. Anyways, the new coach is this very typical looking soccor-mom-ish lady who must have a closet full of nothing but too-short cache shorts that don't quite cover her tramp stamp. While she may look motherly with her eighties hair and sippy water bottle… she's about as settle as Nurse Krutcher. She busted into our first period class Monday morning telling us (not asking us) that we had one week to become fighters again. To learn all the rules and practice, practice, PRACTICE…

That was not how I pictured my week going. Not even a little.

When I had been on the wrestling team before, we trained for nearly ten solid weeks before we even had our first game. We were gonna get creamed out there our first day if the constant working out and eating things we shouldn't didn't do the trick first.

I didn't feel like rolling around on the rags they're calling 'mates' these days, in a pool of my own sweat. With a bigger, smellier guy who smells like a combination of corn chips and B.O.! Someone who probably likes wearing his spandex uniform. I don't because it clings in certain… uncomfortable places. Besides Michael and Chase ruined the whole thing for me a year ago.

Michael said, "Well now, you know? Some of those guys looked like they was checking you out."

I asked, "How, like weird or like that guys's got it all?"

Michael clarified, "Like he wanted to take you to the movies."

Chase felt the need to add, "Oh yeah, he was. Like he was picking out curtains and china patterns."

"Come on!" I complained, "Could you guys get anymore cheesy?"

Chase felt the need to add, "Knitting booties on the side too, just for you and all of those little tools you'd raise together."

Then they both started acting out my dates with these fighters… for the next several weeks and making kissing noises at the end of every scene. This is the kind of stuff you can expect living with two untapped comedians for years on end. Since my injuries, I had yet to step out on the mats again… till now. I've competed in all of the other sports I usually do, but I just hadn't wrestled since.

When I tried to back out of it. Dean Rivers threatened to drudge up all kinds of past crimes that had been neatly swept under the rugs of his office, and never revealed to my dad...

These particular pranks and schemes were harmless, truly, but take on a different meaning when stamped to your permanent record… It could mean that some colleges wouldn't consider me… or something. Which means that my dad wouldn't be furious for a little bit, he'd be on the brink of violent for years about wherever I ended up going. I know this because he would know that I could have done better, and I could not live with that kind of disappointment in myself, or having to live with the shame of making Dad let down because of me. So, I sucked it up and I had to play nice, even if I didn't want to...

Yes it could have been worse, I did get to spend more time with James and Zoey. Supposedly James dabbled into wrestling at his old school. So Coach-Desperate-Housewife had recruited him too. It was fun, until they got all gross and mushy. Ick! Even now I wish they'd spared me.

I just got Quinn to admit that she wanted to date me. I had planned to spend the entire week sneaking her off places we could make out without an audience. Actual places with lighting, and chairs instead of closets and always hiding. I even booked reservations for Friday night to be our first date that wasn't just meeting up or sneaking around in the shadows. It was gonna be real date, I was gonna make her get all dolled up and take her out to dinner for a change. Like actual couples do…

The reservation time slot would be the SAME TIME as this stupid match, a fight I didn't even want to be in! So I had to cancel and I could just feel my blood pressure rising. Does anyone remember how I used to need anger management classes? I still don't see how any of that bull helped anything or anyone. If you don't have anger problems before your enrolled, you will by the time you leave.

Now this wrestling thing was gonna be eating up most of my week and it was gonna be taking over weeks to come as well. Because this wasn't a onetime thing, Oh no! This was a team credit, so this wasn't gonna be over anytime soon; to say I was frustrated would have been an understatement. At least I got to fight a lot of that aggravation out in the ring, in weight training and on dummies. I had to cancel four of the five times we were supposed to meet up just this first day of practicing alone. I didn't even see her till after dinner that day. I hadn't had dinner, but she had by then, I'm sure.

I was so sore, so beat, and still soo freaking pissed as I walked to our meeting place. I wanted to smack and punch the walls, trees and bushes the whole way to that spot she'd picked out. I was so tender from such a demanded and sudden change in my workout regimen that all I did was walk with my arms sort of rigged at my sides. Mumbling to myself like I was crazy.

Then I stepped into our hiding place in the middle of the biggest bunch of tropical jungle on campus. Deep in it's middle, which isn't even easy to get to for just everybody, there's a tiny place where not only was Quinn waiting with a few battery-powered lanterns she'd probably tweaked to run on something greener than batteries. She also had a mouthwatering, wonderful smelling dinner just for me. When I saw her I just lifted her into a hug where I just held her for probably a whole minute.

She giggled in my ear with her arms surrounding my neck, asking "Aren't you sore?"

"Oh, I'm so sore it's ridiculous, I just missed you more." I told her, still holding on to her.

"And here I was thinking all of this time I needed to take it easy with you, and you'd probably be more excited about dinner than seeing me."

"Oh no, you have it right, I'm very blistered and very hungry." I confessed.

"There's my guy." She said as she hung her head back to look at me, and placed a hand on my right face cheek (it's always important to stress face cheeks as opposed to lower cheek locations). That had me turning my head and kissing the palm of that hand simply because it was the first part of her that I could get my mouth to in that moment.

When I turned my head back to look into her sparkling chocolate eyes (even behind her glasses, not all girls could pull off such cool eyes when they constantly wear glasses). I started to inch in closer to her head with my own as I said, "but the worst part about all of this is that it's cutting into a lot of the precious time I was gonna be spending with you."

A breath away from kissing her, I heard her breathe a soft "hey," before saying a little louder. "It won't be that bad."

"It's not important right now," I shushed her with one finger. "What is essential is you, me and whatever is smelling so good in that bag. But first!" Then I kissed her, pouring all of the stuff I'd wanted to say, but couldn't find the words. Like all of missing her I'd felt throughout my day. Mixed with all of the missed opportunities, missed meet up and make outs. All while I still held her just off of the ground and my arms just felt like they wanted to break. I ignored their screams of pain for as long as I could simply because I did not want to let her go. I couldn't let go of her, not yet. I ended up walking her over to the blanket she'd laid out for this little rendezvous and when my arms did give out, we both ended up laying on the ground. I cushioned her fall, it still really hurt because the ground wasn't even a little flat. It was all roots and rocks, hurt like hell, but for some reason… neither of us could stop laughing. SO yes, I got to finally eat, then we spent the rest of that time sprawled out beneath the stars.

We each made a wish on our favorite stars (which probably isn't a thing, don't try it at home, it probably won't work) and Quinn was convinced every 'star' I picked out was a 'planet' or an 'airplane.' I know my girlfriend is a genius, and it used to really annoy me. There is so much she knows and remembers that I'll probably never remember. As we lay there, I don't know how long… She pointed to constellations, planets and meteorites. I glanced here and there, but in all honesty… I was having a very hard time not looking at her face. Watching the way she had to push her glasses back into place because we were laying at such a strange angle. Looking at her mouth moved when she spoke, the way her beauty mark right next to her mouth would sometimes move too. I got busted staring so many times, I stopped making up excuses. I just started to confess that's exactly what I had been doing, I liked what I saw.

Quinn is a bit self-conscious, which used to annoy me. I'm naturally a confident person, other self-assured people impress me. I used to find it totally aggravating when a person lacked that coolness. I didn't understand until now, that while I have every reason to be so sure of myself, that other person always has a perfectly good reason to be so… unconfident, too. Whenever a new thing reveals itself about Quinn lately, it's really adorable.

Like when we were laying there together tonight, she finally revealed why she was so self-conscious about me holding her hand. Other than the obvious (former boyfriend just didn't give a damn), it's because her hands are a little work-rough. She explained that it's just something that comes from having to wash her hands so often. Dealing with so many harsh chemicals, wiring her inventions, as well as all of the other things she's usually doing with her hands.

I hear all of that explaining and all I hear is this girl is pretty spectacular with her hands. How can that be bad, unless you never want her touching you? Oh, so sometimes she has blisters, calluses and cuts from all of the awesome things she's creating everyday. Who doesn't? I have them tonight myself. My Gramps always says anyone sporting hands like that means that they aren't afraid of working hard for the things they want. How can that ever be a bad thing? I am not opposed to her hands doing whatever they want to me, I encourage it.

I may have taken notice of a patch of skin along a few of her fingers feeling like a scrape. A rough spot here or there. Other than that I found her hands soft and always gentle. Even when she was re-teaching me 'pressure points' to squeeze if any of my opponents prove to be too mean. I tried to explain that I believe this technic isn't legal, but she insisted, saying "I would rather see you flagged and benched rather than hurt. Do you remember how bad that guy messed you and Zoey up?"

"No, I didn't remember that week in the infirmary, I've blocked it all out… Of course I remember and of course I don't want to even do this."

"Are you sure there's no way?" She asked.

I clarified, "No way."

"Is there anyway I can make you feel better."

"Hmm," I said making show of thinking about it. "Well I do have a few ideas, that would definitely help. All of them seem to share one thing in common."

"What's that?" She asked with a flirtatious and knowing glint to her eye.

I used a method I had just learned today that would easily pen Quinn in place on that blanket. Though I would never be that gentle with an opponent and I doubt that anyone I was penning would laugh like music, the way she did. Once she was nicely captured in place, I explained, "None of my ideas had much talking."

Before I could kiss her and happily lose myself in my girlfriend's toe curling kissing skills… I heard a crackle, followed by the undisputable sound of a power surge mixed with the sound of something breaking and suddenly we were cast into pitch blackness. I blinked a few times letting my eyes adjust till I could make out the outline of my girlfriends humiliated form. She was covering her face and letting out this whine that sound like "Nooooooo."

She was rolling out from under my hold, and still hiding her face in some kind of shame. All ready rambling on in freakishly fast technical terms trying to brainstorm about what could have gone wrong, and escaping my gasps all the time. So I snapped her up in my hold, and gently placed her right back on that blanket and made her look at me as I said, "Hey! Do you know what I was just about to say? Before the lights went out?"

"No…What?" She asked, rather pathetically, even sniffling in between.

I got right up at her face and said, "I was just about to suggest that those lights were way too bright for what I wanted to do next."

She was about to ask, a question I could have easily answered. I was simply through waiting another moment. I swiftly stole her lips up in a kiss that didn't end for quite some time. Maybe Quinn's right (she usually is, just don't tell her I said that), perhaps this week won't be quite so bad, if we keep getting even short moments like these.

…True To Her Words…

Today was full of surprises, that I still can't believe happened. Zoey, James and I were all up before the sun was. Running laps around the track. That was the only time that the newbie coach could seem to get for us (sounds like the other coaches are having some fun breaking her in). I really thought that this was just gonna be another crappy day of running myself into the ground…

Then free period arrived and suddenly, Our wrestling team had three new members.

Michael Barrett, Lisa Perkins (yes, that is Michael's L'il Lisa) and my Quinn… Quinn Pensky!

When I asked them how this happened. Lisa explained that our coach's daughter (yes, our coach that is leading this team none of us want to be on) had tried to bully her out of her 'big chocolate chip cookie.' The hulking girl had bitten off way more than she could chew and no, I am not still talking about the baked goods. Quinn had had Lisa's back. Coach had been so impressed with their tag teaming even when it had been against her own kid, she'd forced both girls on the time that same way she forced us.

James asked, "How does Michael tie into this?"

Michael shrugged, "I don't, I just felt left out since all of my friends were on the team so I joined too."

All of this was pretty crazy, but no one was pointing out the most jarring fact that this whole story had revealed. So I ended up practically yelling, "You mean to tell me that that thing coach calls her offspring is a GIRL?"

"Oh my god Logan, her name is Mona." Zoey felt the need to screech.

"It is?" I asked to the annoyed noises of my friends. "I'm not being a jerk or anything guys, everybody on the team calls her 'Mo'… That's even what the back of her team shirt reads and her helmet. Moe without the 'e.' How was I to know that thing was a she…thing?"

As my own friends began to jeer and boo me, Michael swooshed one of his meaty arms at all of them and shushed them saying, "Take it easy on our friend guys. It isn't his fault that he didn't know Mo was a girl."

"Thank you Michael." I said too soon.

"It ain't his fault the poor guy doesn't even come up to her waist. HAHA!"

"Shut up, I'm not short she's an amazon, she's the freak! All of us could never reach her shoulder to pat her on the back, not even James! She's so tall the air's probably a little thinner up there! That's not on me!" I said, only getting more frustrated when none of my friends would even look at me… not even Quinn. I was right, I know I was! Everyone seemed to be looking at something, behind me and suddenly a whistle was being blown directly in my ear. I half expected both ears to start bleeding from it's high pitched squeal.

When I turned my head to ask "Just WHAT was coach's problem…"

That question died right at the back of my throat, and I gulped it down… Because I was staring straight into the face of doom itself. Apparently coach had heard me and wasn't too thrilled with my opinions about her daughter's height, size, weight or choice in nicknames… Break my heart, I didn't even want to be here.

So my punishment for this crime was that I became Mo's personal crash test dummy for the rest of the day. Anything the over achieving brute of a babe felt like trying… was what happened to me… all day. While she got to leave practice looking exactly as beastly as she had when she came in this morning... The same could not be said for me.

I was so swollen, over worked and beaten that I couldn't move by the end of practice.

So what did coach do to make me mobile again?

She got Mo to princess lift me (or 'bridal style' it's the same thing) and drop my stiff and motionless shape into a big metal tub full of ice water.

I could move when I came out of there, but I was so miserable I almost wished I was dead. So I went straight to our predetermined pucker-point proxy, got nice and… I can't say comfortable, but I was sitting and hidden. Then I texted my secret girlfriend to meet me.

She hesitated, not because she was mad, in worse shape or anything. She just didn't want to hurt me, and she knew that our sessions together weren't always gentle and soft. Turns out that we both bring out the crazes in one another… In the best way.

No way that that's a bad thing.

A couple of minutes later, secret sweetheart appeared and came up to sit next to me and hug her knees a good yard away from me. I asked her, "Why are you so far away."

"Because I don't want to hurt you." She said so softly it sounded like it was part of the breeze and not words.

I wanted to say, "You could never hurt me, even if you wanted to." It would have sounded pretty romantic, especially coming from me (it's not like I talk like that to anyone else.) Then I remembered that this is Quinn I'm talking to and I have seen her hurt, destroy and blow up too many things for anyone to ever make that statement believable. Even if their delivery is as flawless as mine, it would be too much like acting and I never wanted to act with her… Not like that, anyway.

She was too… too important, ya know?

No? Yeah, it doesn't even sound right to me. There's a better word a more fitting word that I can't think of… or don't know for this.

So instead I say, "I know you won't hurt me."

When she looked at me so doubtfully, even though I was the one with my arms out. I had to add, "It's gonna hurt me a lot more, if you don't come over here, and at least sit near me."

When I had both of my arms resting around her and I was happily leaned on to her (just slightly). She asked, "Where does it hurt?"

I pointed to a spot on my forearm that was just above my elbow and said, "Do you see this spot right here?"

"Uh huh," She confirmed.

"That is one of the only places that DOESN'T hurt." I informed her.

She kneeled down and kiss the spot I was pointing at slowly… than she asked, "Would you like me to kiss better all the boo-boos? Or would it be safer for me to keep kissing the places that don't hurt?"

"Well… if we start on the boo-boos, we'll be here all night and your lips are gonna be in worse shape than I am now. So, let's not put either of us in more pain. How about I point out to you the places that don't hurt and you decide the best way to award the area in question."

"Hmm, sounds good to me." She said before giving me the most teasing kiss she's ever given me on the lips before. It was criminal, and incredible! How did I ever get so lucky?

That was how the rest of the night played out. Me pointing out the scarce places that didn't hurt and Quinn treating each as she saw fit.
_

Two Days Later…

Yesterday I didn't get any time to contribute to this… whatever this is. Not that I plan to make this an everyday thing, because that would be totally lame. Like a daily journal or something, like a geeky tripped out bozo constantly scribbling away about his life…

Each entry would begin with 'dear journal' or worse 'dear diary…' which is one of the least macho things a guy could ever write.

Oh man I just realized that geeky journal entries about everyday would make me "Doug Funnie…"

Okay, I did watch that show like, everyday… when I was little.

Who didn't? It was always on and comforting.

That doesn't mean that is who I want to be! No, this isn't an everyday thing, people. I will only be writing when I FEEL like it or when something significant happens. So don't go getting all pushy and picky telling me I need to keep this up EVERY day, because it simply isn't happening!

I've got a life to live, I have too much to do, I am one in demand S.O.B., you get me?

Good, and another thing, even the coolest teachers can turn out to be the most demanding jerks.

A huge part of why there was no entry yesterday was because I had too much work to do on a project that coming up due the same time as this tournament. Since all of my projects run on the later side of due dates, I figured my teacher would understand this one being later too… turns out she insisted on it being early so I had to get it done in a hurry. I had to have it ready to present by 1 o'clock today and I did it… but that hadn't been easy by any means.

When I wasn't hacking away at this presentation, or other school related BORING things…I was sparing in the ring with one of my teammates. At least that was helping to get some of my frustrations out. Which would have sucked completely if it weren't for the fact that sixty percent of the team is made up of people I like.

Twelve percent of it I liked enough to call my secret girlfriend. See, I am both hot and smart (... well, Quinn did teach me that but, anyways, you get the drift)!

I have never been on the same team as someone I was dating. Not from lack of trying either, it's simply something I've never dealt with beforehand. I've never had to spar with anyone I've been seeing either. So imagine how the thought of this scared me yesterday. It intimidated me so much that I couldn't carry on believably without giving too much away.

I kept seeing it all blowing up in my head, all through out running laps that morning. We were up again before the butt crack of dawn, I was too inside my own head. Either I would be too gentle and everyone would notice. Or I would hurt Quinn and she would just blurt out our secret or worse end things when I got too rough. It was making me nuts and coach ended up screaming at me for a good five minutes after track this morning. She told me to shower up, get myself to my morning classes and when I came back during free period practice. I had better show up with nothing but fighting on my mind.

She even told me that it was more important than ever because we finally had teammates that reflected all of the different phases of what fighters needed. Of course their was "Mo" and "Sockberger" (a meaty guy I knew from the football team) our two strongest teammates.

Coach even went to the trouble of saying everybody else's best talents and advantages. Michael represented a classic "talking-fighter,' I didn't even know that was a thing. Supposedly his chatter box - endless talking can be considered a fighter tactic. Can make you laugh, just as quick as it can break your concentration and then you're the one laying on the ground. Didn't realize his constant jabber jaws were a weapon. While Lisa's the opposite, strong silent type that moves faster than a tiger and stings like a cobra. She tells me this like I haven't beat her every time I've spare with her. I'm thinking coach is half in love with all of the girl fighters though.

She said this whole thing about Zoey fighting from somewhere deep inside with her whole-self, (see what I mean about the half in love part) not only does she give her all physically, but she fights with all her heart. Yeah right, like that's gonna win us a championship. Oh, that little tiny sass factory doesn't know when to quit. Let's just give her MVP status (Most Valuable Player), the rest of us don't even need to be here. Then she said, James is one of our tallest fighters, and slimmest. It makes him very hard to grapple and hang onto. He's always twisting too easily out of everybody's hold, so you end up having to stay in constant motion to keep up with him. She's practically calling me short, and easy! How else can I take that?

She thinks she has to tell me that Quinn's brain is her best weapon. Like anyone whose ever been in a room with her for all of two seconds can't pick up on that, (secret relationship not withstanding) she'd won so often on her first day that she was making way too many of us guys look bad. Coach even reminded me that all I had to rely upon was my strength. Like I didn't know that already and like that wasn't a viable option when I'm fighting people. Which makes about as much sense as playing football and not hitting each other. What COACH does that? She pointed out that I carry a short fuse but that could be a perk as easily as it could be a weakness. So she pretty much took a dump on all of who I am and asked me to work harder in the same breath... Does this lady know who I am? I'm Logan Reese, I don't have weaknesses! Thanks coach, way to boost morale…NOT!

Quinn later told me that if Zoey is the female fighter staked for fighting with all her heart, and being... I am definitely the guy who does that on our team. Now that's the kinda stuff I needed to hear. See her brilliance is obvious, it doesn't need to be pointed out. It speaks for itself.

I decided that's probably the only way that I was gonna get through this, was to not let the worry eat at me. Which meant I was gonna have to put it all completely out of my mind. To just not worry about it till the time came. So I walked in the gym a new man for free period practice and I was unbeatable. I took down nearly everybody that came at me, I even managed to pen the Neanderthal Mo to the mate when her turn came up. Did I mention how freaking good that felt after a day of being her personal punching bag? I had to fight the urge to yell "TIMBER!" when she was going down. No need to piss her off more, I guess.

I beat James easily enough, just beat Zoey on a technicality because she was fighting way too dirty. And coach didn't feel like blowing a damn whistle! (She says we're sexist but you know what, I think she's way more sexist than any of us guys) I beat Michael by tickling him, I even managed to trap Lisa because Michael distracted her… oh, I would not wanna be him later. The only problem with all of this success is that I wasn't alone. Somebody else was kicking just as much tail as I was and that someone just so happened to be my secret girlfriend. Quinn was just as untouchable as I was and I was impressed… though not as surprised as I probably should have been. Though neither were the other girls on our team, so I didn't feel so bad. The coach had been raving about Quinn's brains being her strongest weapon and damn if she wasn't showcasing it.

It was here, the moment of truth, both Quinn and me had defeated all of our co-players. Both of us had even managed to beat Mo. Now it was time to finally face one another and my heart felt like it was gonna tear itself outta my chest with a chainsaw. How in the world was this gonna end, did she even want to do this? Did she want me to fake an injury, I could do that ... I guess. If that was what she wanted me to do.

It just didn't sound very fun.

So taking a chance and never being one to shy away from a challenge… especially when there was a crowd.

If I hadn't been so focused on not thinking about just how many dumb things I could do to ruin this for Quinn and me… I might have looked at a clock and realized, there was no way this could happen now. Just before we grappled, the coach blew the whistles ending practice and shooing us all off in different directions.

Up till this moment, I had no idea what it was gonna be like. Dating someone I had to try and think about how I could beat. A girl that I had to spar with on the mats and I knew I could never outsmart her. My only chance was to out-strengthen her. If I went to gentle on her everyone would get suspicious. If I got too rough, Quinn would get mad and possibly end it all right there or the next moment we're alone.

Those were the only conclusions my mind could think up in the heat of the moment… "Oh Come on"… I told myself. "It can't be as grim as all that, there has to be some way that this can end better than any of that crap could. This is Quinn we're talking about, those are all normal girl problems and Quinn isn't normal, she's extraordinary. That's part of why you're so into her…" So I just tried to brace myself for anything & not worry so much, since there was no way we were gonna be getting this hurtle over with now. I figured that I'd try to use this time we were given to see if I could gauge what she wanted this to be.

Quinn did not disappoint, as we were still standing in that center ring and people were still scattering to leave. She walked right up to me and knocked me with her creamy skinned, boney, pointed little shoulder and said in a competitive croon, "She just saved your life."

After I choked back an appreciative chuckle that so wanted to come out. I put on my game face and best aggressive growl and snarled, "Yeah? Well we'll get another chance to rumble after lunch. That is… if you show."

The gathered crowd not being shoved on by our coach, added to this experience by "Ooooh"-ing and "Whoa"-ing! As I crossed my arms and quirked my eyebrows at her.

Quinn silenced them all with her voice as clear as the crack of a whip, "Oh I'll be here alright… the real question isn't if either of us won't show. We're both creatures who enjoy a good contest here or there. It's one of the only ways we are actually almost similar, we both like to showcase our strong suits. The real question is can you, Logan Reese; handle my strong suits?"

The people all around us made even more noise, until I took a step closer to Quinn and made a point of looking her right in her glittering eyes. She was thriving on this exchange just as much as I was. I made a point of looking down at her and saying, "Whatever you've got. Tell me where and when so I know when to celebrate winning."

"Next practice, after school, and the only one who will be celebrating is me." She bit back and that was when coach physically dragged Quinn away as her assistant coach pushed me the opposite way (towards the boys locker room). As all of our teammates gushed about how good this faceoff was sounding. Quinn and I gave each other the stare down over our coaches shoulders. Neither of us broke the contact or blinked till we were outta sight, so even that stare down was a draw. The moment I was free of her eyes and I blinked. I stepped away from the older assistant coach guy who'd slide and shoved me backwards the whole way to locker room…

I was slammed with a completely new concept that I hadn't considered till that very moment. It wasn't gonna be the winning, losing, sparing, competing-believably, trash talking or any of actual normal team stuff that was gonna be hard. It was gonna be the Broadway production I personally was gonna have to put on throughout the rest of this team's existence to hide the fact that I was way too turned on by ALL of this fire that I already felt.

GOD she's HOT when she unleashes that beast warrior she keeps locked inside! The same one I've watched her uncap to take down scholastic goals and opponents. I can't remember ever seeing her use it for sport like this before… not ever.

How did I seriously never notice till now. How did she hide this from the world so long, was Mark really that much of a leach on her life? Her personality… Sex appeal? Or has she simply blossomed since he set her free, or since she became mine?

Seriously, is this gonna be the basis of every entry here on out? Am I ever going to find out another fact about this girl that doesn't send me up in absolute all-consuming flames? Does she have any grasp of what she's doing to me? Any idea how much I wanted to say "Oh to hell with all of this secret bull." Then throw her up against the nearest wall and show her just a bit of how crazy this was all making me?

Crap! Why did I go there? Now I'm picturing it! Imagining the heat and the relief that her hands, arms and affection always carry. The way she holds on to me, so carefully yet reliantly. The way her breathing will catch when I do something right, or she'll smile or laugh, the way one of her legs would have maybe hooked my hip if she's truly lost...

Thankfully, that was the moment that Michael and James decided to dump and entire icy cooler full of blue raspberry Blix over my head. I feel like some steam may have come off of me when it hit me. They claim everyone who racks up the best scores get a splash of the stuff.

Michael fanned his face saying, "Not to mention, you stink! I just did this whole locker room a service."

But James totally gave it all away by patting my shoulder and saying, "Besides you looked like you needed it, dude."

"The Blix bath?"

"No, I was thinking more the cold and ice, your face is completely red." He explained.

"No it's not!" I said glancing around for the nearest mirror (which was on my locker door), when I saw my reflection I nearly jumped a foot in the air. I was so freaking red that not even my golden tan wasn't doing much to hide it. What the hell!

I think I even exclaimed out loud, "Why the hell am I so red?"

Which sent James yammering on about it being "something that happened to all men when a pretty girl told him just how badly she planned to rule his ass later today."

"What?" I said incredulously. Did he just call Quinn "pretty?"

"You know, Quinn, she was totally talking about throttling you later. Even when people fight and hate on each other as much as you two do, it's awesome. Zoey is always doing it to me too… though… she is my girlfriend and Quinn's barely your friend because you insult her too much."

I told James to, "Go screw himself and your fortune cookie bull crap." Then I got the hell outta that hell hole. I stalked all the way to class but thank god lunch was after that, and I got to spend most of that alone with Quinn. When I showed up still mumbling under my breath and steaming. Quinn was worried that she'd over stepped in her trash talking display and I had to assure her, that wasn't it.

So of course she was relieved but then asked, "Well, what is bothering you? And making you make that face?"

"What face?" I asked and she impersonated the face she was seeing.

I couldn't help it… I laughed and so did she. How is it that she always makes me feel so much better, so quickly? No one has ever had that power over me, like she does.

"Come on… do you wanna talk about it?" She asked and in that moment it occurred to me exactly what had pissed me off so much about my conversation with James. What was steaming my clams even as we speak.

"It's nothing really… it's just… James really pissed me off, is all."

"How did sweet, soft spoken, laid back; 'Zen-master-of-the-world' James, do that?"

"Well, talking about feelings is lame in a locker room."

"Why?" She asked, pointing out that "Some of the best, most important conversations can be in that setting."

I allowed, "Yeah, if you're girls, maybe…. But two grown guys like us, there's always guys just standing around naked, for too long. If I did that it would be alright, because I actually look good, not all of them do. It always feels like an after school special from the eighties. With bad lighting and not enough budget for convincing extras... that keep their clothes on." I tried to explain, but Quinn could see straight through my attempt to say what had really bothered me.

"Oh come on, that's can't be what disturbed you. What he said is partially true, Men and Woman have been at odds for as long as there has been Men and Women.

"It wasn't the Ice cold Blix bath, it wasn't the fact he compared our combative fires to his and Zoey's puny tea light."

"Then what was it?" She asked soft as whisper, as I trapped her against the same closet wall I had weeks ago at the beginning of this crazy understanding we've reached. Back then we'd just started to tap into this thing between us, I don't think either of us had any idea how big it would get, how vital we were becoming to each other… even then.

I still can't believe I never realized how awesome she truly is. She pulled my arms even tighter around herself and said, "Come on, talk to me."

A breath away from kissing her, I confessed, "It's because he called you 'pretty.'"

"Oh," she said looking down from where my face had been getting closer. So I backed up a little, and stopped. She went on to say, "I thought he was being very kind. I mean, I know I'm a total nerd factory that only works on anti-cool-"

"Hey-hey-HEY!" I interrupted, "That isn't what I mean!"

"Oh… than what did you mean?"

So I explained, "I meant that he called you 'pretty.' Just 'pretty!' Like he's any judge of real beauty, he's dating Zoey, he thinks that she is what beautiful looks like. Please! I have seen better looking-"

"Hey! Watch it!" Quinn interrupted in warning, even though her face looked surprised in a good way. "That is one of our best friends that you're talking about. Zoey is gorgeous-"

"So are you." I didn't hesitate.

"Regardless," she said her voice soften in shock, and the fact she was touched. Why haven't I been telling her this everyday, just to get this reaction? "Zoey, Lola, Lisa and me are all pretty in different ways so watch how you go around dumping on them because they're very important to us both."

"Yeah and you don't compare." I did say it and meant it, even though it was whispered on a short distance from kissing her. I felt her hand land on my cheek.

"You know, I seem to remember someone else saying I was 'pretty' when we were sitting on a bench together, just before he put my glasses back on and made me see him (the real him) for the first time. The phrase 'pretty' isn't as insignificant as you may think."

As much I enjoyed our games of trash talking and our promising to inflict bodily harm in that gym today. I have to admit, I liked these games much better. When we're right in each other's faces, whispering just a short distance from kissing and we're just waiting to see who breaks. It's pretty pointless really, I usually lose and grab her first. The best part about these games is the fact that it's pretty impossible to actually lose, you always both win.

"At the time it was okay to say pretty because you weren't my girlfriend yet. You'd only given me a peek at the real you too. Even then… I was biting back the words I really wanted to use."

"Why?"

"Because that day you had been trying to be something you weren't… not you. It didn't feel right using the words I really felt till you were yourself again. When I put back on your glasses, it was like I'd flipped a switch and you were back and… You know how I reacted."

"Yeah…" she grinned in that irresistible way that let's me know, she really liked it and it's just starting to make her blush talking about it. She went on to say, "I don't think I'll forget that reaction anytime soon… But you mentioned words that you were holding back then too, what words?"

So I turned my face into the hand she still had resting on my cheek and kissed the heel of her hand "Beautiful…"

I kissed my way up her wrist then her arm stopping at her elbow to say "one of a kind"

Then I kissed the rest of the way up her arm till I reached the crest of her shoulder and whispered in her ear "Without a doubt the best thing to happen to me in a long time."

I heard her make a noise like she was fighting tears, then she grabbed my head and our lips met. Everything beyond that is a warm tangled blur that I wouldn't trade for all of the world.

Just like our showdown on the mates that afternoon, coach had a very hard time getting everyone to do all of the things that they were supposed to be doing. We stole the show, later on when asked by Jerimiah Trottman, for the PCA news boardcast. Everyone was totally talking about the match-up between Quinn and me. Even though technically Mo beat everyone's stats. We were the faceoff that everyone was talking about. Coach was so thrilled to get some positive PA for the upcoming match (Friday), she didn't even mind that her own kid was getting overlooked and underappreciated…

So not only does soccer-mommy dearest need to come a long way as a coach. She needs to step it up on her parenting skills a level… or twelve. Otherwise she's gonna end up in a home when she's old with no one ever visiting her diapered ass.

Trying to show Mo that not everyone missed her potential, the girls extended and invite for Mo to join us all at dinner. She never showed though… I know it's terrible and selfish… but I was so glad she didn't. If she had, the girls, all of them (yes Quinn too) would have been all trading lip glosses and mascaras or something. Bonding and bashing us guys over freshly painted nails and sushi. Sure all of that sounds great, I guess if you're a female. To me though, if I were a hot chick and I had a heartbreaker like moi... I would much rather curl up with my favorite hunk even if he likes to keep everything hush-hush.

We spent the evening making s'mores over a Bunsen burner and snuggling like we weren't gonna be trying to kill each other in the ring tomorrow.

That was all the day I didn't write about, who has time with all of that happening?

The reason I wrote about it now was because I don't have much to say about today. Really, I don't! The tournament is tomorrow and I think that coach was determined to kill us today herself rather than let anyone else try. Mo's personal crash test dummy for today was Michael, because supposedly he had been overheard this morning insinuating that "Miss Mo needed some midol."

I didn't know what that was, so Lisa had kindly explained…

She may need to find a new boyfriend after this, if Mo lets him live today the tournament will end him tomorrow.

Besides practicing till all of us were so sore we didn't even want to think about tomorrow. The only cool thing that I can think to mention that happened today was a teeny tiny thing that happened on the bleachers during our huddle time. All of us were feeling the pressure, we were all pumped, sweating and wearing our game faces when I noticed, Quinn was wearing the nicest smile. It was excitement and she kept looking at all of the faces around her, and as I was thinking it, Coach broke the spell yelling, "PENSKY! Why in Sam Hill are you smiling so sweetly? Where's your game face?"

"Oh it's here coach!" She said, before explaining, "This is just the first time I've ever gotten to be part of a team like this this. I mean, I played in the first boys vs girls basketball game to ever be played here at PCA, but other than that I haven't participated much in any of the physical teams or groups. I have been dedicating all of my time and energy to science or my inventions. To say I find this comradery refreshing and inspiring is a true surprise."

"Huh?" the coach asked.

Zoey had to dumb it down, "It's been a really long time since she was part of a team like this one and she's loving it."

"Oh." The couch realized pretty dimly while I was thinking 'even I got that one.'

Then coach got up in Quinn's face, and said; "Than let me see that competitor, that beast, let me see that game face!" and then the two had a game face off. Which was adorable from Quinn's end and terrifying from our coach's! Which made us sport all of our best game faces, before running off to get cleaned up before returning to the rest of our normal classes.

Yep, tonight we were both so sore, so beaten and so dreading tomorrow we agreed that it would be best to take some time and rest separately… that was the plan.

Then I got text just now from my totally smoking hot girlfriend asking me, could I meet her in that one spot, "that one where… you know…"

…And I do know…

Even the genius can't do without for one whole night… Gotta go!

That's all for now readers, Quinn's chapter will be picking up where this one left off, but that's not all. You guys have been so patient and so cool that at same time that I am posting this chapter. I am posting a bonus one right behind it. One that is a bit different from any other I've written so far. I hope that you all will enjoy it and I hope that it is a little better than having waited all of this time for just one chapter update!

Hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, and yes, I really am posting another chapter at the same time that I am posting this one. And NO, I do not intend on any future chapters ever taking this long again.

Did you like this one, love it, hate it, tolerate it? Let me know. I love hearing from all of you and your kind words really powered this chapter as well as the others! Thank you again all of you who reviewed, or favorited this story or me as an author. Thank you anyone reading this right now! Thank you RHrGreatness for being my beta, for keeping me inspired, focused and for just being the best little sister ever!

Hopefully you're all able to click over to another chapter right now! God bless and Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85