All Chapters of Happily, Hopefully: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

QUINN'S POVThe news of Sara's death had thrown me. I felt off kilter. Half of my emotions were pure guilt for not taking the time to really get to know her. We lived in the same house underneath the same arduous reign of Mr. and Mrs. Carr. I could've been a friend to her.The other half of me thought how that could've been the way my life turned out. I'd almost ended my own life, too. For some reason it made sense for me, but I hated that Sara had ended her life that way.I almost missed my stop reflecting on the mistakes I'd made. By the time I'd arrived home, taken a shower and eaten a light dinner, I was ready for bed. The clock had barely chimed nine, but I felt especially tired. Hearing about Sara saddened me and seeing Justin brought back the years we'd spent together in foster care. I'd rather not revisit that particularly dark period.Seven years wasn't quite far enough removed from that time in my life. It'd left an indelible impression and I still suffered from the effects

QUINN'S POVI startled awake before my alarm went off, as if someone had poured cold water on my head. For an instant, it felt like I'd just been dragged out of the river, shivering with ice water and fear.I rolled over onto my back and bent my knees. A dull ache between my legs caused me to glance down at my right thigh. A very definitive, red handprint marked my leg. Ford's handprint. He'd marked me, made me his, even though it seemed painfully clear he didn't want me. But had he made it so clear?I placed my hand over the mark on my thigh pretending his hand held mine -- that, for a moment, he was as besotted with me as I was with him. Memories of his kiss, the feel of his hands on me infiltrated my every thought. Last night only made me want Ford more. Even with his sudden departure and curt comportment, I wanted him just as badly now as I ever did.He knew about my past now and it hadn't altered how he felt about me. In fact, it seemed to endear me even more to him. I never imag

QUINN'S POVJustin called me at exactly five o'clock as I left the office and I agreed to meet him at Café Expresso on 14th. It was strange to see him again -- a bit like having coffee with a ghost. So much time had passed since I'd last seen him and yet, I still felt like the same broken girl on the inside. I guess I hadn't really changed after all. And neither had he.He strolled into the coffeehouse wearing torn jeans, a shabby red sweater and an oversized coat. His scruffy face desperately needed a shave and his pale blue eyes were bloodshot. He was underweight, his face drawn and colorless.He'd aged more than just the eight years since I'd seen him. He looked tired -- as if life had been too much for him. Mr. Carr had taken out his aggression on Justin for years. I knew what it had done to me watching as a bystander; I couldn't begin to imagine the mental toll it had taken on Justin.He smiled at me, revealing a chipped front tooth (courtesy of Mr. Carr), and lumbered into the s

QUINN'S POVI heard a light tapping in my dream. The rapping grew louder and more impatient -- it seemed to echo around me. As my eyes fluttered open, I realized I wasn't dreaming. Someone was at my front door. I glanced at the clock over the mantle. It was after midnight. I shuffled to the door and leaned up on my toes. Ford's shadowy silhouette appeared in the dark hallway. I couldn't see him clearly, but when my heart began to hammer in my chest, I knew it couldn't be anyone else. My heart never raced for anyone but him.I exhaled loudly and then covered my mouth. My breath still smelled like wine. Perhaps that was a good thing. If he didn't kiss me, I might make it through the evening a little less scathed. Seeing him with Anya had already ruined the night; sleeping with him would only make it worse. I couldn't handle the back and forth anymore.For a second, I contemplated not answering the door even as my hand was poised to do just that. I cursed the lunacy of my decision as I

QUINN'S POVI met Justin at Rock Creek Cemetery the next day. The March air still had a wintry bite to it, but the snow had begun to melt. Spring would soon be here and with it, the pink blooms of cherry blossoms and cool breezes.My boots crunched over hard packed ice and dirt as I made my way toward Sara's grave. I saw Justin there, leaning against her headstone. He lit a cigarette as I approached."Hey, there," he greeted, a puff of smoke and fog clouding in front of him. "Hey.""It's cool you came. I think Sara would've liked having us both here."I knelt down to place the daisies I'd brought in the flower holder. I read her headstone.'Sara Woods' '1999-2020' 'Daughter, Sister, Friend' "Her headstone had to say something, I guess. The Carr's were definitely not her family and she didn't have any friends."I straightened. "I wasn't very nice to her. She only wanted attention from me, but I was so wrapped up in my own misery, I didn't take the time to acknowledge hers."He took