The Deal by Gabriella Counou, Jennifer Allen (libby ebook reader txt) 📕

“Rob, you didn’t tell her?” Antony whispered.

“No and we were getting married in a week,” Robert sighed. “I’m screwed.”

“Jenna, are you okay?” I asked. I touched her shoulder.

“I’m just peachy, does it look like I’m okay, Quinn?” She asked me the tears in her eyes were visible.

“We will be right back,” I said to them. Robert grabbed Jenna’s wrist. We stopped walking.

“Let me go,” She spat furiously. We both had a thing about lying to people we trusted.

“Lets talk about-“ He started.

“I will talk to you when I am perfectly ready,” She shouted at him. He let go of her arm and Jenna ran up stairs to the bathroom. I followed quickly.

“I can’t believe him, you know I asked him about him being serious with anyone he dated, and I know he was serious unless the magazine lied,” She mumbled.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

“How can I compete with the famous designer rich girl when I’m nothing but a townie?” She muttered.

“Your not just any townie Jenna you’re my best big sister townie the one and the only that I know will stick by me with anything, chicken pox, salmonella, the flu, and allergies, you’re the closest thing I have to a sister,” I said honestly. She cried, I hugged her tightly.

“I’ve got something to cheer you up,” I said.

“What?”

“A makeover, you’ll tease it out of him, it’ll be torture,” I smiled deviously.

She smiled.

“To the salon,” I said pulling her into my room with a flat iron, brush and some hair oil.

I braided the front into a goddess halo around the back. I pulled it into a frenchy type bun in the back then added silver butterfly clips and gave her my butterfly earrings to match. I took out a blue and white gown and white evening purse clasped with a diamond. Then she straightened my hair and she pulled out an burgundy princess gown it was beautiful had come with a silver headband crown thing it snaked around your forehead and the back of head sort of like the lining of a hat. It held my hair in place. I looked like the fire, she looked like the ice. We complemented each other. And we were going to go out and flirt and make the guys jealous. I played the French horn then announced the arrival of Jenna, “Welcoming Lady Jenna Wilhoukem.”

She took the horn. “Also announcing “Princess Quinn Laxly.”

“You look stunning,” Robert said trying to touch her hair.

“Un-Uh, no touchy,” I snapped. “She has to look fresh for her prince.”

“What??” Robert asked.

I ignored his face and his question.

“No you will not, makeup freshly done,” Jenna said waving him off.

“Well, we will see you later guys,” I said to my family and the Eltons.

“Where are you going?” My father asked.

I whispered to Jenna the answer, “We’re going to find guys worthy of our time.”

Jenna told my father and my father told my mom and my mom told Mrs. Elton.

“Oh okay have fun,” My father said smiling.

My mom looked horrified and Mrs. Elton looked sort of upset.

We left out of the house without taking one glimpse at the boys.

We both took a deep breath, “Whew, that was hard,” Jenna said.

“Yeah I-“

The boys both came outside.

We didn’t say a word to them they walked right past us because they didn’t see us.

“I can’t believe this,” Robert said.

“Where’d they go?” Antony asked. “My mom told me they went to go find other guys.”

“What have I done?” Robert groaned.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it,” Antony said.

“I can’t help it Ant,” Robert said. “I shouldn’t have lied then I wouldn’t be in this crap in the first place.”

“Yeah but..”

“I should’ve told her everything!” He shouted. I heard Jenna start to cry. “I love you Jenna,” He whispered aloud.

Jenna bolted and ran towards Robert knocking him down. He groaned.

“Do you mean it?” She asked him.

“Of course I do,” He said kissing her.

Antony looked around for me. But I hid under the patio table. Robert should have beaten himself up it was his fault. Antony had no right to tell him not to. Wrong thing to say.

“Quinn!” He called.

“What!” I shouted. “Now I know I can no longer trust you, you pathetic liar.”

“Quinn, your being irrational. Tell me where you are and we can talk,” He offered.

“Sorry I don’t speak to liars, or cheaters, or heartbreakers and Chalice’s heart was broken. I don’t even know you but now I don’t even think I want to,” I said sharply.

I got up and walked into the house and slammed the door behind me. I slid to the floor up against the door. Tears fell. I heard a car being started and Antony muttering cuss words to himself. I heard Jenna and Robert drive away. Antony coming up to the door. I locked it and ran upstairs I practically ripped off the dress then I threw on my pjs.

I took out my diary and read my past entries,

11th grade

Formal Fall

‘I saw Edward trying to ask me to formal. But he was making a decision to cross the popular border to join us in the loser category. But he didn’t want to make that decision. I knew he planned on it because my friend Meg told me she found out from her boyfriend. But instead of asking me out he accidentally tripped me. Feeling- Disappointed’

No Date

‘Edward took Kati Brogan to formal. Although from what I heard that I was his back up plan. Better to be second then not a pick at all right? Wrong. I officially hate Edward Withers. And I hope he withers away just like his name. Feeling- Angry’

More tears fell as the memories felt so recent. I wiped my eyes, it was no use crying over spilt milk my dad would say. Or in this case a worthless liar Antony!

I skipped about ten more entries then read one that gave me and idea.

I closed my eyes and thought of my scheme. 

You go to public school?

I woke up my door cracked open and my head hurting from staying up late. My plans were still stashed away. I looked into my vanity. I didn’t want to see anything I just wanted to stay here, make plans, sulk, and sulk more, not exactly in that order.

I closed my door. Someone came banging on it within 15 seconds of me closing it.

“What?” I shouted.

“I just want to talk,” Antony said to me through the door.

“Go ahead talk,” I said not opening the door.

“Through the door?” He asked.

“Yeah through the door, I am not accepting liars into my room right now and not ever,” I shouted at him refusing to open the door.

“I just want to say, I’m sorry and I didn’t mean it what I said I wasn’t think-,” He started.

“Oh you do that?” I asked sarcastically.

He groaned mildly annoyed.

I hesitated what was I supposed to say all is forgiven? Or was I supposed to say I love you so much? What exactly was I supposed to do?

“Well okay,” I said.

“Are you going to school today the bus gets here at 7:10?” He asked.

“I’ve lived here all of my life you act like I just got here,” I said rudely. “I don’t ride the bus, stupid!”

I heard him walk downstairs and leave through the back door. Eventually I fell back asleep.

35 minutes later, I decided now would be a good time to get dressed. I was heading towards the closet when I heard an abrupt knock on the door.

Now I groaned.

“Who’s there?” I snapped.

Lana opened the door and plopped on my bed. My eyes went wide she just invited herself in and plopped herself on my bed.

“Oh forgot this wasn’t home, we normally, actually my family does when we want to talk to each other we knock we enter then we sit and talk. So the person will know your coming,” Lana said explaining she got up heading to the door to do it right.

“No, Lana its fine I was just going to go take a quick suds and water. What’s up sister?” I asked her.

“Well, I was wondering… um- there’s this b-boy across the street he keeps giving me things and its kind’ve weird. He said I was pretty beautiful,” She said to me. “Why did he do that that is a double negative meaning I’m ugly, am I ugly?”

“No silly, your not ugly. And by pretty beautiful he means really beautiful. Lana what has Nathan been giving you?” I asked her.

“Oh just chocolate, cards…lots of them, more chocolate hearts, oh and special cupcakes with the ILY on it. I have know idea what ILY means?”

“Oh my gawd Lana its so obvious he’s got a crush on you,” I said smiling. “ILY means either I like you or I love you, both are good.”

“I can’t believe it. I just met him. And he likes me. Oh my gawd. Are you kidding?”

“No why would I kid around with this,” I said punching her playfully in the shoulder.

She giggled.

Her face turned serious. “We also need to talk about something else,” She said.

“What?”

Someone else rapped on the door. Then entered.

Hana. “Sorry to intrude but where’s Antony?” She snapped like she was angry at me.

“Um- I have no clue,” I said looking to Lana.

“He left a note on the fridge saying you’d know where he’d be and another note for you,” Lana said filling me in.

“Oh, but I don’t know where he is. Nor do I care sorry,” I said angry Hana accused me of knowing something of this importance.

Hana’s right eye twitched.

“How dare you? How can you say something like this about my son?” She asked furious.

“Mom cool it,” Lana shouted stepping in front of me protectively. Trying to hide me from her mothers anger cloud.

“Lana stay out of this,” Hana hissed.

“Mom no, I will not let you scare her, like you did Chalice, I know what you really did to Chalice,” Lana said. Hana shook her head. “Yeah I know, you told her Antony was cheating isn’t that right.

“Just because I’m only 15 doesn’t make me totally oblivious to the fact you made Chalice angry. I will not let you hurt Quinn, you know Quinn was upset with Antony last night. And now how dare you accuse her of knowing where he is, Antony will be back let it rest mom. He will come back safely on his own time. He is an adult, let him be one,” She said countering her mom.

Hana looked lost confused a little hurt maybe.

“Well then…,” Hana said softly then she walked out of the door.

“Now where were we?” Lana asked looking back at me like nothing ever happened. She sat back on the bed. I was shocked. Wow, I’d never even had the guts to go up against my mom because my mom was so cool unlike Hana.

“Oh please don’t look so shocked. We’re family now,” She said holding my hand. “Well I hope we still will be. You will try to make it work with my dope of a brother right?”

She asked her eyes pleaded with me.

“Okay but you have to promise me you’ll go out with Nathan Brody,” I said holding out my hand for a shake on it.

“Deal,” She said shaking on it.

“Now you go get dressed, we’re about to