â Q U I N N â
Sometimes you have to give people a taste of their own medicine. Revengeâit's like the shadow side of fairness. There's something about it that's wickedly sweet, like a hidden confession of all the pain you've been holding in. Sure, people talk about forgiveness being a virtue. But me? I wasn't about to be holy or virtuous. I wanted justice, and to me, that meant vengeance.
The pulsing beat from the bar inside still seeped out into the dark, narrow alley. Out here, no one could hear her scream.
"Quinn, please. I'm begging you. Stop. I didn't mean to," Ashley whimpered, struggling to stand up. I stepped closer, grabbed her chin tightly, and forced her back until she hit the cold, unforgiving wall. The impact made her gasp.
"Didn't mean to, Ashley? Are you fucking serious?" I hissed, my voice sharp as a blade. "How dare you hurt someone who's done nothing to you!" My hand rose, itching to strike, as if it had a mind of its own. My fist clenched tight, and the sight of her sniveling face only made it clench tighter. She flinched as I swung, bracing for the blow. But at the last second, my fist slammed into the wall beside her, inches from her face, the sound echoing in the silence that followed. Her eyes were wide, full of shock and fear.
"Please, Quinn. I'll do anything. Just don't hurt me, and don't release that video," she pleaded, her eyes wide and desperate. The sight of her begging made my stomach turn.
I leaned in close, tightening my grip on her chin. "Why don't you start by crawling to the hospital and apologizing to my roommate," I said, my voice low and cold. "Tell her you're a horrible, desperate bitch who deserves to rot in hell. And make sure you're on your knees when you say it. You hear me, Ashley?"
She nodded, and I released my grip, watching as she crumpled to the ground. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a coin, tossing it at her feet. "Give that to Elise. If she doesn't get it back to me in 24 hours, I'll see you in hell, Ashley." Without another glance, I turned and walked out of the alley, leaving her there in the dark.
The next day, 5 PMâI sat slumped in front of my computer, head pounding and eyes aching. My hand was swollen and wrapped in a bandage, each keystroke sending a sharp sting through my fingers. But I had to push throughâI needed to finish coding this program before next week's presentation to Professor Phillips. The semester was almost over, and the deadlines were piling up.
Frustration simmered beneath my skin as I typed slower than usual, the pain in my hand a constant reminder. I cursed under my breath. Hitting that wall was reckless. If I'd actually connected with her face, maybe it would've felt worth it. I kept my focus on the screen, working away, when I heard the door creak open behind me.
I didn't turn around, but I knew it was Elise.
"Quinn? I'm back," she said softly.
"Hey, El. Good to have you back here." I forced myself to finish a few more lines of code before finally turning to look at her. Elise smiled warmly, her face glowing despite the cut on her lip and the bruises marking her neck.
Standing just behind her was the green-eyed, blonde woman. She looked uncomfortable, her emerald eyes darting awkwardly around the room before landing on me.
â C H L O E â
True strength lies in letting go. The best revenge is choosing none at all. Heal, move forward, and don't let yourself turn into those who hurt you. There's nothing as powerful as a soul that decides to forgo revenge and dares to forgive the ones who caused it pain.
Even though I couldn't completely understand how Elise could so easily forgive Ashley, I knew it wasn't my place to question it. Elise has a pure heart, one that seems to forgive everyone who wrongs her without hesitation. It made me wonder how she'd managed to share a dorm with Quinn for nearly three years.
Then again, after seeing Quinn's protective side, I began to see things differently. The way she was with Elise last nightâthe fierce protectiveness, the gentle wordsâshowed me a side of Quinn that most people probably never see. When she's around those she cares about, she doesn't have to put up a tough front. She can just be herself, and it's genuine.
I volunteered to drive Elise back to the dorm campus since I was at the hospital, working on my internship requirement for next semester. As we walked down the hallway, I felt a knot in my stomach. I was anxious about how to face Quinn after everything that had happenedâthe shouting, the accusations about Elise's injury.
Elise opened the door and stepped inside their dorm, and I nervously followed her in. There she wasâQuinn. She was slumped in front of her computer, her back turned to us, clearly focused on whatever task had her attention. Elise greeted her, and Quinn replied without looking up.
After a moment, Quinn turned her head slightly, and I could feel my unease growing. I quickly glanced around the room, trying to avoid her gaze, but my eyes eventually landed back on her. To my surprise, she didn't look angry. Instead, her expression was calm, her eyes relaxedâso different from the intense anger I had witnessed the night before. It made me wonder what was going on inside her mind, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, things could be okay between us.
"By the way, Quinn, Chloe invited us to have dinner tonight at that Japanese restaurant outside campus," Elise said as she walked into her bedroom.
"No," Quinn replied, her voice steady as her eyes followed Elise's voice into the room. I felt my eyebrows knit together involuntarily when her gaze suddenly met mine again. I quickly looked down, trying to avoid her stare.
"But that place looks nice," Elise insisted, her tone hopeful.
Quinn slowly stood up and made her way toward Elise's bedroom. "You're not going anywhere tonight, El," she said, her voice calm but firm.
Overprotective much? You're not her mom, I thought, a little annoyed. Is she still mad at me? I couldn't shake the feeling that she was, and this was just her way of trying to hide it.
Elise stepped out of her room suddenly, her voice pleading. "Please?" She was still trying to convince Quinn.
Quinn let out a sigh as she looked at her roommate. "It's just that I already made dinner, El. It would be a waste of food if we don't eat it."
"Oh! You did?" Elise's eyes lit up with curiosity.
Quinn nodded, a hint of pride in her voice. "Yeah, some fish and chips, japchae, and stuff."
"You made japchae?!" Elise couldn't hide her excitement, her face brightening even more.
Quinn smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. "Yeah, but if you prefer to eat outside, I'll just have the food I cooked tonight. No biggie." Her tone was playful, teasing Elise.
Elise shook her head immediately and then turned to me. "Chloe, is it okay to postpone that dinner tonight?"
I nodded, smiling at her. "Of course, no problem, Elise."
As I slowly turned to leave their dorm, Elise called out, "Wait! Where are you going?"
I turned back, still smiling. "Going home. Just wanted to make sure you're safe back here."
"No, you're not. You're joining us for dinner first," Elise said with a bright smile. Quinn slowly turned around, making her way back to the computer.
"It's okay, Elise," I replied, trying to brush it off.
"Please, Chloe?" Elise insisted, her expression so innocent and hopeful as she tried to persuade me.
"There's enough food to feed three people tonight. You're free to join," Quinn interjected, her voice cutting through the air. She turned to face both of us, and to my surprise, a soft smile appeared on her lips before she turned back to her screen. My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of relief washed over me.
I took a deep breath and nodded at Elise, finally accepting her invitation.
Quinn wasn't kidding when she said there was enough food; there was a feast laid out that could easily feed five people. The table was filled with mouthwatering dishes: fish and chips, BBQ ribs, herb-roasted chicken, a fresh vegetable salad, and japchae, the Korean dish that Elise absolutely loved.
As we dug into dinner, the atmosphere felt light and lively, with Elise finally starting to show her cheerful side again. Surprisingly, the conversation flowed easily among us, filled with laughter and stories. I found myself glancing at Quinn more often than I intended. Her demeanor transforms when she spoke to Elise; she smiled genuinely, laughed heartily, and spoke casually, revealing a warmth that contrasted sharply with the intense persona I had seen before.
Every time our eyes accidentally met, I couldn't help but feel startled, quickly looking away, still embarrassed about how I had treated her the last time. After we finished eating, I helped them clear the table.
I stood at the kitchen counter, putting the remaining food in the fridge, when I noticed Quinn stacking a few dishes on the table. As she carried the stack and made her way to the sink, I stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
"Let me take care of those," I volunteered, grabbing one end of the stack of dishes she was balancing in her hands.
"It's fine, I'll do it," she insisted, tugging the dishes back toward her. It felt like we were caught in a playful tug-of-war.
"Please, let me," I said, glancing down at her bandaged hand before meeting her gaze again. I could see the faint hint of reluctance in her eyes.
After a moment of contemplation, Quinn sighed and nodded. "Okay then, thanks." She relinquished her grip, allowing me to take the stack from her. As I turned to the sink, I felt a small surge of warmth all over my face.
"I'm sorry, by the way," I began, my voice slightly shaking. "For accusing you of hurting Elise."
"That's fine," she replied shortly, and I sensed the tension hanging in the air.
"I see you're still mad," I said, trying to gauge her feelings.
"I'm not," she insisted. I turned to face her fully, noticing she was leaning against the fridge, holding a glass of water. My eyebrows knitted together, but her expression remained calm.
Her eyebrow arched at my expression, as if challenging my perception. "I don't really care what people think of me. So don't beat yourself up, Chloe. It's fine."
I nodded, wanting to avoid any further arguments or misunderstandings, though guilt still lingered in the back of my mind. "I invited Elise to go out and party with us this weekend," I shared, trying to lighten the mood.
She hummed in response, her interest piqued.
"It's just going to be me and the girls. I want her to loosen up a bit after what happened," I continued, hoping to reassure her.
"And are you sure your influence won't lead her astray?" she shot back, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips despite the firmness in her voice.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, confusion creasing my brow.
"Don't let her hook up with random guys. She's not like most of the women," she said, her tone slightly warning.
"Hey! Are you saying I won't be a good influence on her?" I retorted, my eyebrows knitting together again.
She laughed softly, her amusement evident. "Well, seeing how easily some guy grabbed a handful of you during a drunken party, I rest my case." Her tone had shifted to playful teasing.
I rolled my eyes at her. "Mean! From what I remember, that guy was paid by someone to flirt with me," I defended, my tone light despite my irritation.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, gorgeous," she replied with a chuckle as she leaned away from the fridge and slowly walked back to her computer.
Her use of the nickname made my cheeks blush. It seemed she really wasn't as mad about our previous confrontation as I'd feared. I had braced myself for revenge after accusing and misjudging her, but I was wrong. I smiled as I continued washing the dishes, feeling lighter as we bantered back and forth.