47: Riley

Quinn and I wait in the living room as my parents talk to hers. I feel so bad for everything Quinn has gone through, she doesn't deserve this. She's one of the best people that I know, she deserves the world.

I can feel her start to tremble as my parents finally end the call and walk closer to the sliding door. They enter the house with big smiles and I can't help but turn to Quinn and pull her in for a hug.

"After a while, we finally convinced your parents that you should stay here for the remainder of the week. It's best to give you and them time to process this," my mom explains to Quinn who breathes a sigh of relief.

"I can't begin to thank you all for everything you have done for me," Quinn declares.

My parents pat her back and ask, "What are you in the mood for dinner, Quinn? You get to decide."

"Oh gosh, I have no idea. I don't want you guys to make anything, let's just order some food. I'll pay, I have money saved up," Quinn replies, but we stop her.

"Quinn, don't worry about the money, it's our treat. Just tell us what kind of food you would like," my dad replies to her.

Quinn hesitates for a bit before shyly responding with pizza. My parents nod and my mom gets up to make the order. Quinn turns to me to ask, "Do you mind if I take a shower and borrow clothes, I'm starting to get very cold now."

I say of course and we head upstairs to my room. I hand her towels and clothes and she shyly takes the items. "Thank you so much."

"Anything for you. Also, do you want me to wait for you or go?"

Quinn looks down and I notice her cheeks start to flush. She refuses to look me in the eyes as she says, "Um, i don't think you should wait, we don't want to have the same problem as last time."

"What happened last time?" I ask.

"You know..." Quinn rolls her eyes at me and continues, "Last time I took a shower here, we sort of had a problem because my towel dropped when we fell."

My face immediately gets hot as I remember. "Right. I should probably go. I'll see you downstairs when you're done," I blurt out and run out the door as I hear Quinn laughing.

I head downstairs with my parents and my mom just finsihed making the order for pizza. She sits down at the table with my dad and they look confused.

"What's wrong?" I whisper.

My parents look at each then at me then back at each other. They do this a few more times before my mom pushes my dad. He sighs and announces, "You're mother and I wonder if you are gay."

I widen my eyes and take a few seconds to process what they just said. "Why would you think that?!"

"Well it's just because you and Quinn are very close so we thought..." my dad begins but I cut him off.

"Just because I have a gay friend that doesn't mean I have to be gay too," I reply.

"No, we didn't mean that, sweetie. It's just, you've been acting differently around Quinn. And we've also seen less of Mason around," adds my mom.

"That doesn't mean anything. I'm just different because I'm making friends and growing and Mason and I aren't together anymore," I say.

"Wait what!" My dad yells.

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you guys that detail," I sheepishly reply.

"Oh my, how could you forget that, it's so important. Are you okay, Riley? What happened?" Asks my mom.

"We just both made the mutual decision to not be in a relationship. We are still best friends, but it just wasn't working out romantically," I explain to them.

"Is that because of Quinn?" Interrupts my dad.

"Oh my god no, why do you guys keep thinking I'm gay!?"

"Well, you've done some pretty questionable things, Riley," my dad teases.

"Like what!"

"Well, first of all, you did buy her flowers and candy. You tried to plan a perfect date for her and you guys are inseparable. Plus you can't stop talking about her," my dad adds.

"She sounds just like you when you fell in love with me," my mom tells my dad.

"Wait! Hold the fuck up! I'm not in love!" I say.

"Watch your language and no one said you were in love. Are you sure though? You are being very defensive," my dad tells me.

"I am not gay, okay," I reply.

My mom and dad look at each other and I can tell they aren't convinced with my answer, but they don't push me. I don't know what I am yet. I'm not fully gay, I've had crushes and feelings for boys in the past.

"Okay, you're not gay. However, even if you were, just know that we would accept and continue to love you with all our hearts. You're our baby girl, you always will be and nothing is going to change the love we have for you. It's okay to be yourself, you deserve to be as true to yourself as possible," my dad explains.

"Loving someone is a very powerful thing Riley. It changes you, whether that be for better or worse. It's not something to be afraid of, it should be embraced," my mom adds.

Their words make me feel better. I'm becoming more comfortable in my skin, but I still need time to figure things out. I don't know what I am now and it's bothering me that I can't label myself yet.

A few seconds later we hear the doorbell ring and my mom gets up to get the food that was delivered. I get up to head upstairs to tell Quinn, but before entering the room I knock. I've learned my lesson from last time, I don't want to be anywhere near her if she is naked.

The thought of that pops in my head and I can't get it out. I don't think I would be able to resist trying to kiss her if she wasn't wearing anything. That or I would just stare and neither option sounds like a good idea. I would just make a complete fool of myself.

"I'm decent," Quinn replies and I walk in. When I see her I freeze in my tracks and stare at her as my heart drops.

Quinn tilts her head to the side and asks, "What's wrong? I promise I'm wearing shorts, you just can't really see it because of this huge hoodie you have."

I don't dare say a word or make any movement. As I continue to stare at Quinn I can feel this empty feeling in my chest. I get the earge to cry, but I hide it.

"Food is ready!" Yells my dad from down below.

Yet I stay frozen. Quinn walks closer to me and gently puts her hands on my cheeks. "What's wrong?"

"The hoodie...," I begin. I hesitate before saying anything else because I know that telling her the truth is going to hurt me.

"What's taking you guys so long," my mom suddenly asks from behind me. When she looks into my room and around me at Quinn she stops dead in her tracks. My father is right behind her and he does the same thing.

Quinn immediately lets go of my face and looks so lost. "Did I do something wrong?"

My mom is the first one to snap out of it and responds to her, "No, sweetie. It's just that we haven't seen that hoodie worn in a while. It belonged to Raf."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'll take it off right away and put something else on," Quinn replies frantically.

"No, it's okay. Really, don't worry. It just took us by surprise. It's nice to see that hoodie again," my dad says.

"Oh yeah. Food is ready, that's why we came up. Come on down you guys," my mom says as she pushes my dad out the room.

I try to snap out of the initial shock and move slightly so that Quinn can walk out the door. "I can take it off now, if it bothers you. I can't stand the thought of making you sad," she whispers.

"It's okay. It's kind of nice seeing it again, I forgot I had it in my closer. Plus, I don't think you taking it off is a good idea now, you probably don't have another shirt underneath. We don't want another mess up like with the towel," I tease to relieve the tension. As much as it hurts to see the hoodie, it also brings me a bit of peace that Quinn is wearing it. Raf would have liked her, they probably would have been good friends.

"You're right, I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of you like that again," Quinn replies looking down at the ground. A strand of her wet hair falls in her face and without a second thought I reach forward and brush it behind her ear.

Quinn looks at me and I can see her cheeks turn pink. "Don't worry, I would never think of you as foolish. You're everything but that," I blurt out.

We stare at each other for a few seconds before we hear my stomach grumbling. I give Quinn a sheepish smile as she chuckles.

"Come on, let's go eat," she says grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room.

This girl will be the death of me.

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Author note: Happy Birthday. Here's 2 chapters today as your present.