CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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CHERRY WOKE UP WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE. As she recalled the memories from last night, and saw the snow on the ground through the partially opened curtains, she's never felt more happy. Quinn wasn't in his bed still, she felt him leave about half an hour ago. The brunette could've laid in that bed for the rest of her life because one: it smells like him, and two: it's so fucking comfortable.
But nonetheless, she slowly got up in a desperate need of some salt and water. But first, she brushed her teeth. She was careful not to spill toothpaste or water on the oversized shirt she was currently wearing with a pair of shorts underneath so she didn't have to change.
As she made her way into the kitchen on a snowy Sunday morning, the smell of eggs and burnt toast became more intense. "Are you burning the toast?"
"Oh shit!" Quinn quickly hustled to the toaster and pulled out the completely burnt pieces of toast. "I was supposed to bring you breakfast in bed." He says before throwing away the toast with a frown on his face.
"It's okay, Q." Cherry sat down at one of the chairs on the island. "You have any coffee?" He mumbles an incoherent answer along the lines of yes, and slides her a Canucks mug with coffee in it. It's the exact shade Cherry prefers her coffee.
"Good morning, by the way." Quinn says before giving her a soft kiss across the island. The brunette hummed into the kiss. Moments like these, despite them being small and short, she adored the most.
"So, my parents are throwing this Christmas slash New Year's Eve party banquet thing on the 28th, and I was wondering if you'd go with me?" The dark-haired boy asked while plating the food he cooked. As Cherry sipped her coffee, she didn't know what to say. His parents or his brothers didn't know they were back together, let alone talking. Cherry hasn't spoken to Jack since he blew up in her face, and hasn't spoken to the rest of his family since a little while after the breakup.
As if he could read her thoughts, and most likely can, he said, "We don't have to tell them about us, okay? And I doubt anyone will actually ask about why we are going together. And you don't have to go if you don't want to, it was just a suggestion, okay? I don't want you to feel pressured, Cher."
"No, it's okay. I'll go. I really do miss them all, it'll just be.. a lot." Cherry stated messing with the hem of her - Quinn's - shirt.
"I'll be right by your side, okay? If you're stressed or overwhelmed, or anything just let me know and we're out of there." He reassured. Cherry nodded as he slid her a plate of food, thankfully none of it was burnt.
They ate in comfortable silence as Cherry stared out the kitchen window looking at the snow that covered the streets. Quinn was fine, Cherry was fine, then all of a sudden, she started crying.
"Cher, love, what's wrong?" Quinn spoke softly as he spun her chair toward him. His eyes scanned hers for an answer, but all he was met with was a waterfall of tears.
"I- I don't know. Can I-" She choked on another sob. "I don't know." The first explanation Quinn thought about for her unexpected cry, could be that she's pregnant. But there's no way she could be. What are the odds of that?
Cherry has been wanting to ask him this question since the moment he told her what really happened. She's been pushing it down, but you can only suppress feelings for so long.
"Can I ask you something?" The brunette asked quietly and shakily. Quinn has never seen the girl so timid and nervous in his entire life. Her eyes moved frantically around - looking at the island, the floor, her food - anything but the man in front of her.
"Yeah, of course." Quinn said as his hand moved to her knee. He tried to comfort her by rubbing his thumb against her knee, but it didn't work. He left his hand there anyway.
"How..." She paused. If she was going to ask, she needed to do it now. There was no more backing out. No more suppressing. She had to. "How many times did you need me and I wasn't there?"
Her eyes finally connected with his, but now he was the one avoiding eye contact. He's always needed Cherry. There's never been a day in his life since he's known her where he didn't need her. "Just, just please be honest." She added.
"More times the I'd like to admit." Quinn can recall at least twenty times he felt like the entire world was happening just to him. Life was moving too fast, everything was too loud, and he couldn't breathe. Those moments are when he needed Cherry the most.
"I'm sorry I- I wasn't there." Cherry hiccuped. Quinn immediately shook his head.
"No, Cher, no. It's not your fault, okay? You're here now, and that's all I could've ever hoped for." The dark-haired boy took both of her hands in his. The defenseman's heart hurt for the woman in front of him. He never wanted her to feel like this. Feel like she had made a mistake or she should've done something different. Things happen, but that's all in the past. That's all he wanted her to know.
"Promise?" The girl said. Quinn nodded. He held out his pinky and connected it with hers. They both kissed their thumb, then connected them together.
"Promise." Quinn replied. They both sat there in silence. Cherry looked out at the snow, as Quinn watched her. She didn't realize it, but he did. He noticed how her eyes lit up anytime she looked at the snow. The way the happiest glow was present on her face, the stubble smile - Quinn noticed it all.
Calm before the storm: a common saying used by a lot of people to explain how these are the last calming moments before insane ones. Most of the time, the saying is used when the group knows craziness is upon them.
But Cherry and Quinn had no clue what they were in for.
author's note:
ANOTHA CHAPPY FOR YALL buckle up bc this story is almost over and the ending isn't even planned out yet 🤭🤭
🫵 EAT WATER AND DRINK FOOD
but like in all seriousness, the last chapter that i full wrote ends in an..... okay way so i will post that back the rough draft chapter doesn't really have an ending and it isn't really an amazing chapter so if you want it, lmk but otherwise idk
