Page 34 of What We Got Wrong

“Married,” Quinn replied, spitting it out like the word tasted bad on her tongue. Okay, maybe she was going to give Emma some pushback. “You’re thinking about leaving school to get married? You’re only nineteen!”

“Remind me where I said that I was thinking about leaving,” Emma responded, and this time, she wasn’t defensive, just irritated. “I know he and I are going to get married eventually. But I’m also aware that this is the only time I’ll ever have to swim and be on my own. It’s just…well, it’s tense right now.”

“I’m sorry, bud,” Quinn replied, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. “That wasn’t very supportive.”

“It wasn’t,” Emma said. “But I told him I want to graduate before I get engaged, before we start that part of our lives. It’s important to me.”

“I’m glad that you were able to draw that boundary,” Quinn said.

Emma rolled her eyes at Quinn’s therapy speak before playfully poking her in the shoulder. “When is Liv getting in?”

Quinn blushed, warming just at the thought of seeing Liv again. “Haven’t you been talking to her nonstop, too? Why don’t you know when she’s flying in?”

“I do, but I just wanted to see your face light up when I mentioned her,” Emma admitted, laughing. Quinn just shook her head, trying not to engage. Emma liked to tease her, was all. She couldn’t actually see Quinn’s mind racing at all times with thoughts of Liv. “And when will your girlfriend be here?”

Emma made a face as she asked that, laughing again when Quinn’s face fell, probably because she’d made her point. “As you know, Scarlet commutes. She’ll be here on the first day of classes, I assume.”

“You assume,” Emma replied, confused.

Quinn didn’t meet her eye. “We broke up. In July, actually.”

“Are you serious?” Emma responded. “I mean, like…hallelujah, but why didn’t you say anything?”

“Wasn’t ready to talk about it, I guess,” Quinn answered shortly.

“Well, I’m glad because she was the actual worst,” Emma replied before stopping for a moment. “I’m not being helpful right now, am I?”

“You’re not,” Quinn admitted, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

“Did you tell Liv?” Emma asked, obviously careful with her words.

Quinn shrugged at that. “I’ll tell her soon. Maybe when we’re in person next week? I’m assuming she’ll be happy about it, too.”

“Hmm. You have to tell her sooner rather than later. I think her feelings are going to be hurt if you don’t.”

“I think she’d understand,” Quinn said, and she was pretty sure that she meant it.

Emma pressed her lips together, but Quinn didn’t push it. After several moments of silence, Emma said, “Do you need anything?”

Quinn shook her head and then turned her attention back to the weights. “Another set?”

The next week, on move-in day, Quinn was vibrating with excitement. She’d moved all her things into the dorm she and Liv were going to share, in the same building as the previous year but on a different floor, so she was just waiting, stewing in her anticipation. She’d tried to temper it by taking herself for a long walk, but when Liv texted that her rideshare was arriving in a few minutes, her adrenaline started to build again.

Which was totally normal for someone to feel when they were excited to see a friend after a long time apart.

Just like it was totally normal to meet your friend in the drop-off zone of the parking lot, to give her a quick hug by way of greeting and insist she let you carry her bags across campus. They’d walked maybe a hundred feet before Quinn stopped, turning back to Liv, looking directly into her ice-blue eyes, her long hair shining in the sun. She was as beautiful as ever.

“I really missed you,” Quinn said softly before pulling Liv into another hug.

When she stepped away, Liv’s hand lingered on her upper arm. Quinn enjoyed it for a moment, until she accidentally looked, noticing the way Liv’s fingers were splayed across her bicep, drawing attention to the movement. Liv pulled away like she’d been burned.

“Sorry,” Liv murmured before clearing her throat. “I just. I really missed you, too.”

Quinn practically preened at that, before picking up Liv’s bags and continuing to walk. “How was your summer?”

“We talked every day,” Liv replied, as if to remind her. “But it was good. My parents were gone for almost all of it. So it was…not nearly as stifling as it could have been.”

“Did you get the chance to spend time with any of your old friends?” Quinn asked, and she was proud of her subtlety.