Quinneths - 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕣'𝕤 𝕡𝕖𝕥

JESSICA SULA in PANIC

1.01

               a   freshman   approaches   her   with   a   green   glow   stick.   quinn   politely   declines,   waving   her   hand   to   shoo   them   away;   bravado   she   would   later   come   to   regret.   she   enters   with   the   confidence   she   was   born   into.   a   steadfast   belief   she's   above   it   all—   you   know   the   type:   everyone   else   but   me.   exclusivity   from   human   frailty.   closer   to   god   than   man.   it   was   the   morrison   way   and   quinn   was   not   immune.

               at   first,   she's   presented   with   options:   a   staircase   with   a   ghoulish   figure   looming   and   a   claustrophobic   hallway   of   chains.   she   would   rather   take   on   an   opponent   she   can   see   so   she   chooses   the   stairs.   as   expected,   the   robed   figure   lunges   at   her   as   she   reaches   the   top.   she   pushes   back,   laughing.   this   wasn't   scary.   this   was   corny.   this   was   camp.   it   was   a      kkg   event   after   all.   she   should   have   known   to   lower   her   expectations.

               quinn   has   little   interest   in   the   party   laying   ahead;   the   same   as   every   year   before.      in   fact,   she's   only   making   an   appearance   because   that   was   what   was   expected   of   the   greek   letters.   for   all   the   rivalry   between   them,   they   made   sure   to   show   up   to   each   other's   occasions   as   a   point   of   cooperation.   she   was   tri   delt's   vice   president   of   recruitment,   so   personal   choice   was   outside   the   equation.   she   did   her   best   not   to   be   the   rain   on   everyone's   parade...   by   this   point   in   the   halloween   season,   in   all   honesty,   her   social   battery   was   draining   fast.

               she   moves   forward   through   the   haunted   house,   coiled   hair   bouncing   on   her   proud   shoulders.   the   sophomore   finds   herself   in   an   empty   room.   her   first   impression?   apathetic.   the   room   is   wallpapered   white   with   some   pictures   plastered   on   top.      she   gets   closer.   curiosity,   as   usual,   reaping   bitter   fruit.   

she   recognises   a   word   emblazoned   over   and   over   again   in   bold   block   letters.   

          MISSING         

the   brunette   steps   back,   first   in   shock,   then   again   in   disgust.   a   weight   drops   in   her   abdomen.   with   a   nauseous   gulp,   she   turns   and   walks   out   as   fast   as   her   tiny   frame   is   able.   blinded   by   revulsion,   quinn   opens   the   next   door   she   sees,   hoping   for   an   exit.   she   isn't   paying   attention.   the   memory   of   greer   is   suffocating   her   senses   just   enough   for   idle   complacency   to   mutate   into   foolishness.   this   next   room   is   pitch   black   and   out   from   the   shadows   comes   a   paunchy   man   dressed   as   a   clown   —   face   paint   and   all.   he   makes   a   grab   for   her.   quinn   screams.

                      by   the   time   she   runs   all   the   way   back   to   the   entrance   she's   pale   and   clammy.   she   falters   over   the   front   step,   vision   blurred,   and   vomits.   exorcist-style.

Catherynne M. Valente, The Bread We Eat in Dreams; “Mouse Koan”

ironlvngs·:

     instead of denying, he shrugs at her — he’s never denied the attraction he’s had to her before. to her face, at least… in front of greer ? well, he had to keep up appearances, no ? plus, the ongoing illusion of what’s going on between greer and link ?? would be shattered, if he publicly went for her cousin. “ it’s human nature, isn’t it ? why are we constantly breaking the rules otherwise ? besides that, though, you hold your head up high. that’s attractive. ” he responds, leaning back against the wall after exhaling his smoke into the running water. “ well, you’re in this locker room alone.. in the middle of the party. planning a costume change or hiding ? can’t be anything else. ”

               she   smiled   coyly.   "i   was   waiting   for   someone   interesting   to   show   up,   and   they   did,   but   i'm   appalled   by   your   lack   of   imagination."   quinn   stubbed   her   half-smoked   cigarette   out   on   the   white   tile;   it   hissed   against   the   moisture   as   it   died.   before   she   could   think   herself   out   of   it,   quinn   nimbly   swung   herself   over   his   lap   so   that   she   was   straddled   on   top.   the   skin   of   her   thighs   met   his   jeans   and   she   hoped   she   had   picked   the   right   moment   to   make   a   move.   as   her   hands   weaved   lightly   behind   link's   neck,   she   looked   into   his   eyes   and   thought   of   all   the   late   nights   he   left   her   on   read.   all   the   contemptible   craving,   despite   her   better   judgement.   "don't   you   know   how   much   fun   a   woman   can   have   while   everyone   thinks   she's   alone?"   

ironlvngs·:

     the pill ( or was it more than one ? link couldn’t even remember anymore ) that he’d gotten from ollie earlier was definitely at the forefront right now, and it mixed quite well with the loud music and bodies going in and out of the pool. though, even with that, link knew that he was due for a breather soon — and he was sick and tired of freezing his ass off outside when he goes for a cigarette. 

    so this time, they opted for another five second hiding spot — the locker rooms. though, there was sincere doubt in his mind that there weren’t a couple people in there already fucking each other. to his luck, though, upon opening the doors, it seemed a bit quiet. that is, until her voice came through just as he shut the door behind him. 

   link turns around to face her, unable to keep the grin from forming on his lips at her comment. “ i’d follow you through a thousand storms, quinnie, and i’m sure you know that — but following you to a bathroom ? or… locker room, whatever this is. that’s a level of creepy i’d like to stay away from. ” he scoffs, looking up the ceilings, wondering if he could get past the smoke detectors if he smoked in here. “ — and it pains me deeply that you think of me that way. ”

               quinn   rolled   her   eyes,   albeit   as   confused   as   ever   internally   by   link's   hyperbole.   he   had   a   way   of   saying   the   most   insincere   words   in   the   most   genuine,   charming   way.   it   made   you   second   guess   yourself   —   which   she   suspected   was   exactly   how   they   liked   it.    "be   pained,   then."   she   retorted.   in   her   defence:   it   was   bewildering   to   have   someone   flirt   with   you   privately   and   then   lowkey   act   like   you   didn't   exist   with   an   audience.   

               she   noted   the   box   of   cigarettes   in   their   hand.   the   blonde   stood   up   and   stretched   her   arms   in   an   arc   before   making   link   an   offer.   "lend   me   a   smoke   and   i'll   show   you   an   old   private   school   trick."

Hayley Williams — Simmer

“Am I free? There is some thing still holding me. Or am I holding it?”

— Clarice Lispector, tr. by Stefan Tobler, from Água Viva (via feral-ballad)

𝕨𝕙𝕠      @ironlvngs​ 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖  the pool party 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟    late into the evening, the attendees are suitably buzzed

              she   sat   alone   in   the   men's   locker   room.   after   a   failed   attempt   to   complete   her   dare,   quinn   was   toying   with   the   idea   of   giving   up   and   going   home.   while   she   didn't   want   the   anonymous   'g'   spilling   her   secrets—   she   also   knew   if   they   did,   they'd   have   little   left   to   blackmail   her   with.   was   it   worth   the   risk?   as   tempting   as   it   was,   at   this   time   in   the   term;   absolutely   not.   it   was   still   early   enough   in   the   year   that   the   whispers   would   follow   her   into   next.   that   paired   with   greer's   disappearance   and   she   would   be   a   laughing   stock.   she   cared   too   much   about   her   reputation   for   that.

              so   she   fell   on   her   backup   plan...   as   shameful   as   it   was.   the   scheme   was   basic,   a   little   desperate   and   it   relied   on   the   base   desire   of   even   the   most   prudish   college   students   to   give   in   to   their   lust.   ogden   students   in   particular   had   a   proclivity   for   believing   they   were   god   given   gifts.   if   she   targeted   someone   she   had   some   kind   of   history   with,   someone   she   knew   would   fall   for   her   flirting,   quinn   was   sure   she   could   pull   this   off.

              just   as   the   blonde   was   about   to   get   up   from   the   bench   and   go   back   into   the   main   hall   where   the   pool,   and   most   of   the   party,   still   was,   lady   luck   dropped   a   prize   goose   into   her   lap.   she   tilted   her   head   as   the   door   swung   shut   behind   link.   the   overheads   were   off   and   the   light   was   low.   still,   she   could   make   out   their   silhouette   from   that   mop   head   they   called   hair.   "you   better   not   be   following   me,   crawford."   she   sung   into   the   space   between   them,   her   voice   honeyed   and   inviting.

𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕠𝕟

          ———      ⁂      Quinn   grabbed   it;   quickly   turning   and   calling   out   its   owner's   name.   The   library   was   lively   today   and   she   got   a   few   looks.   Still,   none   of   those   eyes   belonged   to   who   she   was   looking   for.   The   sophomore   crossed   her   arms   over   her   chest   and   started   walking   to   the   double-doored   exit.   She   liked   attention.   Not   glares.   Quinn   popped   her   head   past   the   frame,   looking   left,   looking   right.   They   hadn't   gotten   far.  

                                               ❝   Hey!   You forgot this.   ❞