Fast Cars and Broken Dreams, or How It All Started

It's kind of difficult to tell what someone is thinking. Actually, it is very nearly impossible. You see, despite the entire Internet's repertoire of body language, facial expressions, and anything else that pops up under 'how to tell what someone is thinking' in a Google search, it is still close to never that you can guarantee someone's thoughts. I can guarantee, though, that Quinn could never have guessed what Oliver was thinking in the last few weeks they were together. 

Quinn, you see, was a girl set on a singular path in a small town where getting married and working at the local beauty parlor was a wonderful life goal, where the little church at the end of Main Street was a popular destination on Sundays and where everyone had known you since you were born. 

And so when she, head cheerleader, homecoming queen Quinn began dating Oliver, quarterback, homecoming king Oliver, she envisioned a wedding in the little church and a little blue house and three kids and working in the beauty parlor kind of happy ending. They were Village Pines' High power couple, the most popular kids in a graduating class of about fifty kids. When Oliver told her he needed to talk to her after graduation, Quinn had visions of sunsets and engagement rings and sweet words. She never thought the words "I can't be with you anymore" would be involved, and heaven forbid "I'm in love with someone else" be coupled with those words! 

And now, she sat down on the hill near the river (the exact place where Oliver had first asked her to date him) she couldn't imagine where her life would go from here. All her dreams of getting married and beauty parlor gossip and three beautiful children (Nate, Mariah, and Justin) and a little blue house were broken in a few words and another girl. 

Quinn sat (and cried, of course. It would be ridiculous if she were to deny it, any sensible girl would cry!) and stared at the water. Eventually, though, she got up, brushed off her white cotton sundress, and walked along the road to her home. About halfway there, (whilst she was lost in thought, cursing fate and wondering if the universe was playing a joke on her) a car drove by her. 

Well, I think 'drove by her' is the wrong choice of words. It barreled down the road towards her and screeched to a halt a few feet away. Inside, there seemed to be a haphazard pile of what appeared to be quickly packed bags and a girl. It was Rebecca. She was rumored to be the most troublesome girl in town. Not to mention that she listened to weird music that nobody'd heard of. 

For a while, the girls stared at each other, Quinn contemplating the fact that she was almost hit by a car and Rebecca thinking over how she was supposed to continue on her way when Princess Quinn was in the way. 

"Where are you going?" Quinn called out.

  Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "Anywhere but here."

 Perhaps answering the popular princess of Village Pines would make her move faster. Not that Rebecca had anything in particular against Quinn, it was just that Quinn was currently standing in her way. Quinn looked at the car. She looked at the packed suitcases and the impatient Rebecca. 

"Take me with you." 

There wasn't much left for her here. Her dreams of a life with Oliver Daniels were crushed, she was going to be the latest gossip of the beauty parlor she worked at, and she felt absolutely certain that Oliver and this mystery girl's wedding would be one of the last things she wanted to attend. Rebecca blinked. 

"Excuse me?" 

Quinn wanted to go with her? What about her beauty shop dreams and the whole Oliver thing? Sure, he thought he was in love with someone else but... He would probably get shunned for dumping the perfect Quinn Logan. 

"Rebecca, please. Take me with you." Quinn was practically begging. 

"Um..." Rebecca glanced over her shoulder. "If you can pack what you need and be back within an hour I'll take you." 

 Quinn smiled and thanked her as she ran by. That was surprisingly easy, she thought. Then she didn't think at all. It had gotten her into too much trouble.

At home, nobody was there. They were probably at the town's only restaurant, Bloomsbury Kitchen. That was where Oliver and her were supposed to go after graduation. That's where everyone expected them to show up engaged. Tears slid down Quinn's face as she furiously packed. A pair of sneakers, t-shirts, jeans, skirts, a dress or two, everything was thrown into her suitcase. She grabbed her wallet and a box containing a random stash of money and ran back to Rebecca's car. Sliding in the passenger seat, she grinned and put her stuff behind her in the back.

"Let's go."

Author's Note

Please give feedback this is my first time just throwing something out there.