Page 74 of What We Got Wrong

Liv held her eye contact, expression full of adoration, mirroring exactly what Quinn felt for her in this moment, their faces so close that she could feel Liv’s breath on her cheek.

“This is against the rules,” Quinn whispered.

“Adventures are exceptions,” Liv said, shrugging, and she reached up to grab the front of Quinn’s shirt, pulling her in for a kiss.

Chapter 27

Liv

December, Junior Year

Liv honestly couldn’t believe the phone call she’d just gotten from her mother. Even though she’d done literally everything she’d promised them—going home every break, working at her dad’s company, her major, everything—her parents were still keeping her at arm’s length.

And now, they weren’t even going to be home for the holidays?

The semester was over, she was about to pack for her flight home tomorrow, and her mom had just told her they decided to stay in Paris for Christmas. And Liv got it, on one level. Paris had been Ronnie’s favorite place to visit. Her sister had been gone for almost seven years, and her parents, it seemed, were still trying to find ways to feel close to Ronnie. Liv understood that better than she could possibly explain, though they didn’t seem to care that she continued suffering the loss, too. They hadn’t even checked in with her on Ronnie’s birthday.

Thank God for Quinn. The way she’d been there for Liv that day… Liv couldn’t put into words how much it had meant to her.

And it was the way that her mom had ended the call. ‘We can get you a ticket, too, if you feel like joining,’ she’d said. Like it was an afterthought. Well, Liv didn’t need to crash their holiday if they didn’t want her there. She wasn’t an adequate replacement for her sister, she felt it in her bones, and so she’d just continue trying to make herself as small as possible. But no. She didn’t want to join them. She didn’t want to visit a city haunted by the ghost of her sister.

She certainly wasn’t going home to Chicago, though. She decided that she could just stay in the apartment. That was fine. Preferable, really. She wouldn’t have to deal with her stuffy house or her repressive parents or the weight of what they’d lost.

So maybe she wasn’t fine, but she would be okay. She would stay in the apartment by herself, even if it would be weird to be there for longer than a few days without Quinn, and she would order tons of takeout and she would watch movies and she would…read and get ahead for her next semester courses?

God, that was sad.

“Hey, are you okay?” she heard Quinn ask when she walked into the apartment shortly after Liv got off the call with her mom.

Liv hadn’t even realized she was crying, not until she lifted her hands to her face and felt the tears with her own fingers. “Oh, I’m good.”

Quinn was unconvinced, and she joined her on the couch, wrapping Liv up in her arms. “You’re not. What happened?”

Being held by Quinn did make her problems feel smaller, she had to admit. Liv was lucky to have her, to be living this portion of her life with someone who listened and was there for her, someone she could open up to and be herself around… At least this version of herself, the closest to her true self she’d ever been. She couldn’t ask for a better person to be around.

“It’s really not that big of a deal,” Liv said, speaking through tears. “My parents are staying in France for the holidays.”

“Are you going to join them?” Quinn asked, sounding mildly confused.

“I don’t think I want to,” Liv answered. Quinn didn’t push her on it, sensing that the topic was bigger than Liv could explain in that moment. Liv wiped her eyes again. “It just kind of hit me in a weird way, sorry. But, I guess I’m staying here for Christmas.”

“Why don’t you come home with me,” Quinn offered. The question was immediate. Quinn didn’t think about it for even a second, like it was an obvious solution. Like maybe she wanted Liv there with her.

Liv blushed. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, Quinn.”

“You’re not asking,” Quinn replied simply. “And my parents would be happy to have you.”

Liv thought for a long moment before speaking cautiously. “I don’t want to send them the wrong message.”

“We’re friends,” Quinn said, sounding quite clear on the matter. “And I’m sorry, but you and I have lived together for years now…you know they already make assumptions about us.”

“That’s fair,” Liv said. Of course, she’d heard the subtle, and more often than not, not so subtle, jokes and jabs from Quinn’s parents. “Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Of course,” Quinn replied. “You don’t have to decide right this second, Liv. I can text them to make sure it’s okay, if you want, but I promise, we’re a ‘the more, the merrier’ kind of family.”

“I’ll think about it,” Liv allowed.

“Great,” Quinn said, and Liv watched as she shot a quick text to her parents asking if, should Liv choose to, it would be okay for her to stay with them over break. As soon as she sent the message, Quinn leaned over to Liv, placing a gentle kiss on her temple, the sweetness making Liv feel warm all over. “Since you are having a rough day, I will generously forgo my turn picking what we watch tonight. You may select something where people blow up, if you must.”