Page 62 of What We Got Wrong

“No, if you want to keep things how they’ve been, I’m in,” Quinn said quietly, before adding, “The rule was only in this room, though.”

Liv cleared her throat. “I believe the spirit of the rule was to protect our privacy. We can do that in an apartment just as well as in a dorm.”

“Hmm. ‘The spirit of the rule,’” Quinn repeated, shaking her head, a slightly distant expression on her face. “Sounds good.”

Liv could tell there was something that Quinn wasn’t saying—she could see it in the clouds of her hazel eyes—but she didn’t push. It was the selfish thing, Liv knew, to not ask more questions. She knew it was, but she was happy with the answer, and she didn’t want to risk Quinn changing her mind.

“Do you have any apartments in mind?” Quinn asked after several moments of silence.

And, yeah. They could do this, they could talk through logistics and make the decision together. This was perfect.

Liv listed a few options, pulling her laptop out of her backpack and setting it at her desk. While Quinn pulled her chair over so that they were side by side, Liv clicked the link for one of the complexes closest to campus. “Are you allowed to use your scholarship for off-campus housing?”

That made Quinn smile for the first time in the length of this conversation. They were both aware that Liv could more than cover the rent for the two of them. Her parents likely wouldn’t notice if she decided to lease an entire apartment building next year. But Liv knew better than to offer, knew that Quinn wouldn’t like that suggestion at all.

“I’ll check it out, but it shouldn’t be a problem,” Quinn said. Liv nodded and began clicking around on the website, showing off the amenities. “There’s an indoor swimming pool!”

Damn it, she was just so adorable. “You will continue to have unlimited access to the indoor swimming pool at school.”

“I know, but it’s still exciting,” Quinn said, like she couldn’t imagine why Liv wasn’t thrilled. “What layouts do they have available right now? Are we late in the year deciding this?”

“Probably, but we’re not too picky, right?” Liv replied. She opened the floor plans tab and selected which months they needed housing. There were a few options left, so she started at the top.

“Do you think we should consider two-bedrooms?” Quinn asked. She was pointing at the section of floor plans lower on the page, tense again, like she was afraid she’d upset Liv with the suggestion.

Still, Liv was incredulous. “Why would we do that?”

“I think it might be the safer option,” Quinn said, speaking carefully.

“But we’ve been sharing a tiny dorm this whole time,” Liv replied. “All of these apartments would be about six times the space we have now?”

“I know,” Quinn responded. “But it wasn’t an option before… I think it’s something we should consider.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be dismissive. It’s okay for you to want space from me,” Liv said. She cringed as soon as she said it, especially when she saw Quinn flinch in response. “I didn’t mean it like that, Quinn. What are your concerns?”

“What are my concerns?” Quinn asked, her jaw tight. Liv could tell by her voice that she was trying not to get upset. “What would your parents say? Especially if they ever met me, and we were sharing a room?”

“They’ve made it pretty clear that they’re never going to come visit, so I don’t see how that would ever be an issue,” Liv answered.

“Okay, my parents then,” Quinn replied, and sure…that was a good point. “They already make jokes that we’re together.”

“They do,” Liv acknowledged. Quinn’s family mocked each other relentlessly, and she was sure there were other people, too, who had made assumptions about them. They did spend most of their time together, and, well…they were hooking up. They were careful outside of their room, making sure they never held hands or sat too close, but Liv knew there were still moments that she got caught up in Quinn. And, when she didn’t notice, Emma was often there to point it out.

Quinn blushed. “To be fair, they think I’m dating every girl they meet. They’re convinced it’s either you or Emma.”

It had been a long time since Liv thought there was a reason to be jealous of the relationship between Quinn and Emma, but occasionally, the tiniest hint of envy twinged. She felt it now, and a possessive part of her wished that she could fully stake her claim on Quinn.

“It’s not just our parents, though,” Quinn said, bringing Liv’s attention back to the matter-at-hand. “Logistically speaking, like, we don’t sleep in the same bed every night.”

Oh, Liv was aware of that, and she was far too embarrassed to admit that she missed Quinn, viscerally, from five feet away, when they each slept in their own beds. “I know?”

“So, what, are we going to grab a pair of extra-long twin beds to throw into a one-bedroom apartment next year?” Quinn asked. “Truly, is that what makes sense?”

Liv thought for several moments, trying not to feel defeated. It made sense for them to get their own rooms. And it didn’t mean that Liv was automatically losing something. They were still going to live together, they were still going to be in each other’s lives.

“Okay, you’re probably right,” Liv finally said. She clicked on the options for two-bedroom apartments. “Do you want to go see them, or should we just apply?”

“Let’s check out the reviews and make a decision,” Quinn suggested. That seemed like a fair idea to Liv, so they spent a few hours poring over different sites. When they narrowed it down, deciding on the first place they’d looked at, Liv went ahead and sent the link to her parents, asking for their help applying for the next school year.