Chapter 1.11 - Decisions

After telling her story to Kaz there was a long silence followed by the sound of sniffling. Kaz stood up and motioned for Quinn to do the same.

"Listen, Q. I don't have a clue in the world why Sophie would just leave you hanging like that. It doesn't make even a lick of sense. But hear me when I say this!" she said gripping Quinn's shoulders and looking at her with moistened eyes.

"Fuck Lydia! You are the kindest person I know. And you are beautiful and you are smart. I hope you know that, but if you don't I will remind you every chance I get. Also, I love you Q, and if I ever get my hands on Sophie freaking Hudson -" Kaz made a guttural sound.

Quinn's eyes filled with tears. Nobody except for Sophie had ever told her that they loved her. She shook slightly in Kaz's firm grip as she let her friend's words sink in. "Thank you," she finally whispered. "I love you too Kaz."

She leaned to put her arms around Kaz and her friend wrapped her up in a death-grip of a hug. They stood like that for a while and then Quinn spoke.

"Screw Sophie," she said as forcefully as she could manage. "I'm coming with you to St. Claire."

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The week leading up to finals was crazy. Every spare minute was spent studying and putting the final touches on their individual projects. 

"I feel like I am going mad," said Quinn one evening through a mouthful of cereal. Most of the food she had made over the weekend was gone and she didn't have the time or the energy to concoct a full blown meal. "I never thought I would say this, but I just want it to be over so we can go to St. Claire."

Kaz beamed over at her. "It's all good. I told Zara that I'm officially bringing you home with me. She's looking forward to meeting you."

Quinn chuckled. "Did she think I was ever unofficially coming to live with you two?" She paused for a second, thought about it and replied to her own question. "Of course she did because you've been planning this for months, haven't you!" she exclaimed in a mock accusatory tone.

"Um...more like a year." Kaz grinned widely and went back to her cereal while Quinn just rolled her eyes with amusement.

After they had cleaned up, Quinn stood fiddling with one of her cameras and thought about the big move. She couldn't deny that she was nervous and not just about living in the same city as Sophie. Besides coming to Hearst, she had never been anywhere except Sunset Valley. I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb, she thought as she turned her camera off and looked at Kaz.

"I'm scared." There. She had said it.

"Q! You'll be fine! You've studied so hard, you've been to every lecture and your assignments are gorgeous, especially the black and white one."

"No..." Quinn said putting her camera in her backpack. "I'm afraid of moving to a big city. I mean, I'm excited too. But more afraid. Like, what if I don't fit in? What if no one takes my work seriously? The only person I know is you and I can't expect you to babysit me just because I'm feeling like....a big fat baby!" She laughed as the words came out of her mouth.

Soon enough they were howling at the idea of Kaz rolling Quinn through the streets of St. Claire in a giant stroller. Their laughter followed them upstairs and in to their room. They were still cracking jokes as they each crawled in to their beds. Eventually Quinn heard Kaz snoring, a sound that had become a strange comfort over the past two years. 

She thought back to her first night of school and how much had happened since then. But the very best thing to happen to me is snoring across the room from me, she thought with gratitude. All the scary thoughts faded in to the background and Quinn finally fell asleep, her lips curved in to a smile.