Chapter 13
Quinn
I hurt. My insides burned and boiled as if they were ready to burst. I hadn’t slept in three days.
“We can go back to the doctor,” my dad said.
“So, they can tell me I’m fine?” I shook my head. “This is all in my head. We both know that. It’s Miss Q.”
My dad couldn’t look at me. Streaks of white peppered his dark-brown hair, and his shirt hung off his narrow frame. To my knowledge, he’d never dated, never lived beyond me. We couldn’t keep going like this.
“It’s going to be bad this time, Dad.” I clenched my hands together. “I need to go somewhere where I can’t cause too much damage. I need to let her out.”
“I wanted you to have a normal life.” My dad still didn’t look at me. “You got to have that Lemon Drop last month, and it was fine.”
“But it’s not fine right now.” I stepped up to my dad and kneeled. “Will you drop me off in the forest?”
My dad finally met my gaze. “If you think it will help.”
I nodded. “Something has to. Maybe this is the answer, controlling when she comes out.” I laughed. “I can be a werewolf. Maybe if this works, I can go out every full moon and go off some of my meds. I can’t sleep for the rest of my life.”
My dad put his hands on each of my cheeks and kissed my forehead. “I don’t know what else to do, but we can try it. I’m sorry, my girl. I’ve failed you.”
I put my hands over his. “Never, Dad. Never.”
I sat in the Happy Rooster's main office.
Sheets of scrawls and boxes filled every corner, giving the room a psychedelic drug trip vibe.
My knees jammed into a solid desk, whereas Horax, the owner, had plenty of space on the opposite side.
Heavy set with a tight-cropped goatee, his light-purple eyes matched the writing on my tab.
He twiddled his thumbs, his expression trapped somewhere between sympathy and joy.
I shifted uncomfortably, unable to shake the feeling that he was loving this.
“That’s how it works.” He held up his hands. “No trades, cash only. Until you can pay, you’ll need to work for access to your TB.”
I frowned. “I need to work just to look at it?”
“I don’t charge interest,” Horax responded. “This is my trade-off.”
I sucked in a breath. It seemed fair enough, I guess. I spent a considerable amount of money that I couldn’t afford to pay. It was theft, fair and square.
“You could always ask one of your friends,” Horax suggested.
I shook my head. “No. It was an amazing night. I don’t want them to know. I’ll figure it out.”
He nodded in agreement, his head going up and down like a bobble. “The Green holds Edinburgh’s largest market. I’m sure you can sell some of your clothing there.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea.” I brightened. “How do I get there?”
Horax leaned forward and licked his lips. “No family, no money, obviously not local. But you made the dragon, right?”
I cringed, not only from his motions, but from the fact that he was right.
“Do I look like a tour guide?” Horax suddenly yelled. His voice boomed through the door, though his anger didn’t reach his eyes.
I shot to my feet, confused. “Ah, right. I’ll, um, do some dishes now so I can see my TB?”
Horax picked up a scrawl. “The team will get you sorted.” He peered at me again. “Tell Matt, the guy you talked to this morning, to give you a note for Moose. He’ll help you.”
This guy's moods were all over the place. I quickly shot up before I could get stuck in another flip. “Ah, thanks.”
An hour later, I’d polished more glasses than I knew the pub had and helped the kitchen staff with a rush of dishes.
None of them seemed surprised to see me, and it eased my worry.
I couldn’t pay my tab; this was fair. I’d sell my clothing during my next free block of time and wash my hands of this with no one the wiser.
By the time I finished my shift, I’d settled into the consequences of my actions and was ready to face them head-on. Doing a few dishes while I figured things out wasn’t really that big a deal. Right?
Matt handed me my TB as I finished my tasks, and two colors I recognized glowed on the message side of the rock.
Blood Red
I've never been part of an impromptu party before.
Last night was IN-credible!!
Moss Green
I've been to too many. My head hurts.
Blood Red
I didn't expect the great pit fighter to be so whiny.
Moss Green
I didn't expect a princess to party with the bumpkins.
Blood Red
I got to be a bumpkin!!
Hero's livid. It's amazing!
I wasn't brave enough to try that yellow stuff, though.
I gagged a little, remembering the combination of lemon and mushrooms. I couldn’t remember how I got the drink now, though. Most of the night was flashes of happiness and singing.
Moss Green
Aye, probably for the better. Strip ya bones that. My fav.
Blood Red
And how'd we end up with it?
Spill.
Moss Green
Big and tongue-tied, did his research. We're get'in lunch, like I'm a proper lady.
Blood Red
You are a proper lady!
You have to let me do your hair!!
Quinn, what placements do you have today?
Do you want to help me get Brit ready for her date?
I blinked in confusion. Oh, this was a group chat, or whatever it was called. I was reading it on my cube, which meant someone included me. I giggled involuntarily with excitement. Unlike a phone, there was no time stamp on the messages, so I kept reading.
Moss Green
I don't think she knows how to use her TB.
Blood Red
We'll just have to shower her!
Little butterflies filled my stomach. I’d read countless funny group chats online and enjoyed the occasional thread of people arguing about who was an asshole.
But I was usually on the outside. Between the drugs and my mental issues, my moments of social time were inconsistent at best. No one had ever added me to a group chat and been disappointed when I didn’t respond.
I bounced with excitement. I didn’t know how to respond yet, but I would figure this out.
Matt gave me a perplexed look as I handed him my TB back and skipped out the door.
Cold night air immediately brought down my high.
I pulled on two more layers and bolted back to my dorm.
The door to my room slightly jammed as I swung it open.
A pile of men’s footwear that definitely hadn’t been there this morning scattered about the small landing.
“What is this?” A heavy tenor voice asked. “Tiny, stretchy, ugh, it smells.”
I crept up my stairs. The man spun the moment my head rose above the last step, and I forced myself to keep walking. He scowled down at me and rested his built arms on his very trim waist.
“I’m assuming you’re my roommate?” His severe mouth twisted unhappily.
I looked down at myself, still dressed in my oil-stained work-study clothing.
Cayden healed the bruising on my cheek, but I’d been unable to remove the worst of the oil on my forehead, and I doubted my last hour of soapy water had done anything for my hair or complexion. I hid my pruney fingers behind my back.
Opposite me, my new roommate seemed almost as finicky as Cayden.
He wore a tunic with a low V-neck, the rich orange fabric adorned with gold and silver accents, belted over silky pants I couldn’t quite place.
A neatly trimmed beard and goatee in bright coral matched his glowing eyes, and thick, well-kept hair curled above his ears.
He wasn’t exactly handsome, but the garish colors, paired with his long frame and surprisingly muscular arms, gave him a unique, almost striking appearance.
I released a harsh breath. Right, I’d been warned. A roommate had always been in the cards.
“It stinks in here,” he stated, not taking his eyes off me. “Why are all these filthy clothes lying all over the furniture?” He shook my sports bra. “And this?”
I reached forward and snatched it from him.
“It’s personal.” I took a calming breath and put myself in his shoes.
I had left my stuff literally everywhere.
“And I didn’t know I was getting a roommate.
Sorry. I’ll get my clothing right now.” Smelling the air, I frowned.
“I haven’t figured out how to open any windows or turn anything on yet.
It has gotten stale in here. That won’t be a usual thing.
” I frowned. “Do we really need to start off this way?”
The man sighed dramatically. “It’s been a long day. I’ve never had to share a room before. This was unexpected, considering my Adler Michelson name.” He looked me up and down, assessing the pile of what I now knew was expensive clothing filling my arms. I pulled them out of our communal space.
“To be honest, I haven’t had a roommate either.
” I set down my pile of clothing on top of my desk and tested the wood beams holding my bed up as a possible new hanging location.
“But in orientation, we were told the goal here is to break down barriers and see everyone as equals. So, I would assume this is part of it.”
My new roommate laughed. “Ha. Right. I’m sure that’s exactly what’s going on here.”
I shrugged; honestly, not sure either.
“I’m Erick, Erick Adler Michelson.” He held out his hand.
I didn’t take it. “My hands are still dirty from my work-study.” I held them up. “But I’m Quinn Question.”
Erick furrowed his eyebrows. “I’m not familiar with the Question family name.”
“There aren’t many of us.” It wasn’t really a lie. “But we do what we can.”
He accepted my answer before pointing at my pile of clothing. “What are you doing, leaving dirty items around?”
Heat filled my cheeks. “I don’t know how to do laundry.”
He sighed. “Small but pampered family, apparently.”
He hummed, snapping his fingers in a rhythmic pattern.
My dirty pile flew into the air between us.
Wind swirled, making the piles churn, before a pop sounded.
A ball of dirt whizzed out of it and sailed toward a window, which opened moments before the dirt hit it.
A man cursed in the distance, making Erick grin.