In Every Universe | Quinn Hughes

24 | Jack

I PAUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STUPID PARTY THAT I DON'T even really want to be at, two drinks in my hands as I watch Quinn and Lily kiss, and it's not an innocent kiss, either. It's a longing kiss, the kind that you share with somebody you love. I know Lily isn't mine, I know we're not together, but it still hurts.

This whole thing was sort of a mess, but I can't help it. I'm mad. I'm mad at Lily for not telling me that she and Quinn had been seeing each other, I'm mad at Quinn for not telling me that he loved her, and I'm mad at myself for falling in love with her despite knowing deep down that something was up.

I'm mad because I knew she could never be mine, not really, but I still hoped that maybe she would sort of change her mind anyway. That she'd wake up one day and realise that I hadn't just had sex with her in the summer, but I'd made love to her, I'd wanted to tell her how I felt on a deeper level, but I guess Quinn had beat me to it.

They pull apart, and the tears in Lily's eyes nearly make me drop my drinks and go after her, but then Quinn beats me to it, again, he always beats me when it comes to her, and I realise maybe he always would.

I watch them go, Quinn chasing after her desperately, and I know deep down that this was it, that I'd never have Lily again, that she would choose him.

She would always choose him.

I roll my eyes, still holding two drinks, and I storm out to the patio which is, surprising, empty.

Sitting down on one of the lawn chairs with a sigh, I bring one of the cups to my lips, downing half of its contents in one go, and looking up at the stars with a sigh.

I just want to be alone, but of course, my luck is much worse than I was willing to let on, and as soon as I think that maybe I'd finally be able to just get some peace and finish my two drinks in silence, a person flops into the seat beside me with a dramatic groan.

Not just a person, a girl. A pretty girl.

She's got brunette hair that sort of looks like melted chocolate and brown eyes that are somehow light and warm, her skin milky and fair and her features delicate.

She flickers her gaze to me, then down to my two drinks, then back to my eyes. My heart for some reason beyond me, skips a beat at the sight of her.

However, I'm still angry, and I don't want to come across as a desperate loser who's willing to kiss any pretty brunette girl who places herself in front of him, even if she does sort of make my stomach flutter. And so, I try to play it cool like she doesn't make me want to pin her down and kiss her the way Quinn had just kissed Lily.

"You know, usually people sit alone for a reason," I snap at her grumpily.

She sends me a glare. "Yep, and usually they're complete dicks for no reason about it."

It's my turn to glare at her, but she's already staring hard at me, her lips turned into a baby pout that's sort of adorable. "Got something you'd like to say, Princess?"

"Yes, actually," she claps back, sitting up straighter. "I came out here to get some peace and quiet of my own, I didn't know there'd be someone else here. There's no need to be a piece of shit about it."

"Says the girl who's having a cry because she's not getting what she wants?" I taunt.

I watch her bristle, and I don't know why, but I sort of want to kiss her, like, passionately.

"I'm not the one out here having a tantrum, probably over some girl who's rejected you after you offered your dick to her on a platter!"

My cheeks flare as she hits home, not about the dick, but about the girl.