Dog Tags

Chapter 46

Quinn's POV

Nick and I are now driving home and as I look out the car window I find myself thinking of Wisconsin and how much I miss it there this time of year, the snow gently falling covering the whole city in a fluffy white blanket of snow, the way the snow covered the tree outside the apartment window, how if you looked outside and watched the snowfall you get the feeling you're inside a snow globe, and the warm memories that I have of Brenton and the friends I made in school. 

But when you live in the state of Nevada winter doesn't really exists here because during the days it is in the 70's or high 60's and then at night it is low 60's."You're quite over there." Nick says snapping me out of my thoughts, "Just thinking how much I miss actual winter." I say sighing but Nick lets out a chuckle, "I guess I can understand that, but winter in Nevada isn't so bad." I shrug my shoulders, "I think one of the positive things about this year is that I won't get sick, after Christmas season is over." Every year when Brenton and I would come to Nevada for the holidays the next day after we back home in Wisconsin I would sick as a dog for almost a week, and Brenton tells me every year it is because we go from cold weather in Wisconsin to the dry heat weather here in Nevada.

"Do you know when you are going back?" Nick asks and I wonder if he is asking for a personal reason or just really wanting to know, "My senior year doesn't start until like the third week in June, which mean I should be leaving around the end of May that way I can clean the apartment up and get back into my routine."Nick pulls into the driveway and parks the car on the street because there is a familiar jeep in my driveway, "Wonder what Anthony is doing here?" I ask as I gather my stuff making sure that I have everything before getting out of the car with Nick right behind me,

"I had a great time tonight." Nick leans against his car putting his hands in his pockets, "I did too, it was one of our more exciting hangouts." Nick chuckles nodding his head, "I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to Shark Reef Aquarium with me tomorrow?" Nick kicks himself off his car and stands only inches away from me, "I don't have work tomorrow,and I love the Aquarium." Nick takes one of his hands out of his pocket and lightly bushes my hand with his, "I am taking that as a yes?" I slowly nod my head as Nick takes his fingers and brushes my cheek, 

"The aquarium doesn't sound like a typical Nick hangout spot." Nick's blue eyes gets more intense as we stare at each other,"Haven't you noticed by now that when it comes to you and me that everything is far from typical." Nick's accent sends goosebumps all over my body and we lean towards each other and right as our lips are about to touch the lights in the living room come on, "I think that is my cue to call it a night." I lean up giving him a small kiss on his cheek, "What time do you want to pick me up?"Nick steps back towards his car with an odd expression on his face, "How about I pick you up at noon?" I sigh before heading up the driveway, "Goodnight Nick." I say waving at him and he waves back to me, "Night Little Dove."  I smile at the once nickname that I hated but it has grown on me.

I walk inside once Nick drives off and the moment I do I see Jared and Anthony standing there and they look at me like they don't even know who I am, "What the hell happened to you?" Jared asks as him and Anthony both don't look impressed by my new makeover, "Hello to the two of you." I say with a laugh as I put my bags on the counter, "What did you do your hair?" Anthony asks while I run my fingers through it, "I changed it up. Can you two relax and stop acting like me buying clothes and changing my hair is the end of the world." I make the mistake of turning just the right way that reveals the tattoo.

"WHAT IS THAT?" Jared yells walking over to me and grabbing my wrist as Anthony and he look in disbelief at the ink I got. "You got a tattoo?" I pull away from my brother looking at him wondering why he is freaking out on me, "Yes, and I don't want to hear anything from anyone because you all have tattoos." I comment grabbing my bags and walk into the living room before I am stopped again, "You change your hair, you got a tattoo, and now you have this devil-may-care attitude all of sudden." I sigh turning around to face both Anthony and Jared,"I had a little bit of a rough start to my day, but then things got better and now I am actually happy." Anthony walks up to me with concern in his eyes, 

"What happened today?" I really didn't feel like talking about but knowing my brother and Anthony like I do they aren't going to let this go until I tell them."Fine, I will tell you." I place my bags on the chair before sitting on the couch with the two of them. After telling them everything that happened today the next thing out of their mouth is something I didn't expect, "I should have known Nick had something to do with this, he is corrupting my little sister."Jared snarls very upset over nothing, "Nick is not corrupting me Jared, he was a true friend today and helped me through a tough time." Jared scoffs punching the wall. "You have to admit Quinn, it does strike us as odd to hear that you wanted this change in your life after Nick entered it." I shake my head tired of getting into this fight over and over again.

"Everyone thinks that Nick has been this horrible influence on me and changed me for the worst, but has anyone really looked at how much of a positive influence he has been in my life, and has anyone noticed just how much he has changed since he started hanging out with me." Jared and Anthony look at each other with a look that tells me that I am right, "Maybe instead of focusing on the negative maybe the two of you along with the rest of my friends and family should look closer at what Nick and I have been able to do for each other since we became friends." I stand up off the couch grabbing my bags and head upstairs to let Jared and Anthony really think of what is more important to them, their hatred for Nick or their love for me.