I Should Hate You Right Now

[Erin Hackett]

Erin honestly was still getting used to the idea of having a friend and Quinn just made it so hard sometimes. Still, as her dad had put it; ‘if you can make friends with him, then you should be able to make friends with anyone’. That just gave more reason for Erin to really try and give it her all to be the guy’s friend. There was also the fact that she didn’t get why he didn’t want to be her friend. She bought him things, could buy him more things, and liked Pips. Didn’t people want friends that could buy them things they liked and liked their choice in pets? Quinn just always seeming to fight it made her feel like there was something wrong with her.

That was why she often didn’t always leave happy after talking to the guy. Yet; it also made her want to not just give up and cry about it. She had to treat him like a level boss. Read up on him, find out his tactics, level up, and go back at it. Quinn spoke up; making something that Erin assumed was a joke. A small part of her wanted to point out drama over there was when a bug earthquake would hit and the resulting wave that would happen after. Instead she decided to go with a joke in return, to keep the situation like. “Or when an idol is retiring.” Erin responded with a small chuckle. That was kind of a big deal when it was a big name idol.

When Quinn spoke again, Erin could not help but to just stare at him for a moment. She was just taking in the fact that he had actually said that. It didn’t take too long for her to start laughing then, mostly at the fact that he had said the word in such a way, and at herself. "There were a few…I have even been kissed but uh…I um…” Erin struggled to get out. How could she admit to Quinn that there had been chances that she could have been with someone that she actually liked, but it was her fault that things never worked out? “I run.” Erin muttered out as she looked down at the ground.

She started to play with the end of her shirt then, giving herself another pep talk to get her mood back up. None of them really, really wanted you. That is all it is. If they wanted they would have tried a bit better or not let you run. Or uh…nah, you fail at getting the girls you think you are so smooth with. Well in here you are smooth with them but-he is talking. Erin’s mind had started to wonder off until Quinn was speaking up again. “Just work on it and right now say that we are friends and I’ll be cool with it.” Erin responded. She wanted him to say they were friends and at least make an effort to not be a jerk, because that was what friends were supposed to do, right?

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn didn’t know that her idea of a friend was someone buying you things and liking things you liked. If that was the case, than Quinn had even less friends than he thought. He didn’t want to accept her as her friend just because she offered him gifts. He would hesitate greatly about giving them back though. In fact, he’d do anything not to. He never had a camera of this caliber in his hands before and even if he knew it was the photographer than made good pictures, not the camera, having one like this sure helped. The explanation to his attitude was in the oh so cliché ‘it’s not you it’s me’. If Erin feared talking to people and show who she really was, Quinn was suspicious of anyone who came near him and so pushed them away. It was better like this, really. Either they really were up to no good and made fun of you before leaving or they let you care and then broke your heart. He wanted none of that.

After constantly pushing people away, they just learned better than to come near him. It might have been what he wanted but it was also terribly lonely and Quinn was not entirely misogynistic. He needed people around. Observing them and living through them only brought envy and disgust for his own uneventful life. It was why he could not totally push Erin away even when he wanted to.

He was joking of course, and had Erin brought up the earthquake, an awkward silence would have followed. Instead she joke too and Quinn’s shoulders lift up in what could be read as a chuckle. Saying kawai and speaking of this had been weird for Quinn too. It was his odd way of pointing out she was cute. Had she not been gay... but that never would happen, even if she had been into guys. Not with him. He took no offense in her laughing, although he did wonder if he got the wrong name. She did not correct him so he figured she got what he meant. She finally confessed she ran away. “I thought you would say you phased,” he replied. Something he could totally see her do. Maybe he should tell her that the one time he had been kissed, not including her, he froze and was so compared to a corpse. But there was a limit how much he was ready to give out.

“Ok, ok, we’re friends,” he let out, since that seemed like such a big deal for her. “Just don’t expect it to mean I’ll be more than this,” he added, looking down at himself. Even if he could, he was not entirely sure how. “You’re still one of only two people with vids or pics of me blowing fire. And about as many who’s seen it,” he said, pointing where she put her phone. This had to mean something, right?

[Erin Hackett]

Was that...was that a chuckle? Holy shit. Not only did Erin get to see his power, she got to see him basically smirk, and now even something like a chuckle. Achievement unlocked, ultra-rare, and was a gold trophy. Suck it to all of those that had tried with Quinn and failed because she had so totally won. This boss had been conquered and now Erin felt like she was on top of the world, like she could do anything. Well, not anything but at the moment she felt like if Quinn had dared her to do something or she saw a girl she really liked she would have said something.

That was just how much she felt boosted by this whole interaction now. Yes, she still was a little bit worried about how Quinn was going to be after this and if he was not going to at least try and be a little bit nicer. Was it that hard to be nice and not act like you hated the world? Erin felt like everyone should have at least known how to act a little bit if they wanted to make it in this world. Quinn spoke up about how he figured that she would have said that she phased. "Well...I do that too. Like I tend to vanish and then run away but there are other times where I just run and hide without the use of my power." Erin confessed as she started to kick the ground a little. It was so lame.

She was going to die single at this rate. She was sure of it. However; she was not going to let her mood remain low when she was feeling so high off of this whole interaction. Then she was pretty sure she became invisible once Quinn actually said that they were friends out load. Sure he was likely saying it for her to drop it but he still said it. Where was the girl she was crushing on the most right now when she needed her? Erin felt like she could do anything for the moment and had a huge grin on her face. "I know! I feel so special. This is just...man this is super leet! So amazing! I don't think you get what this has done to my ego. I could probably seduce any girl right now. Hell I could probably seduce a guy if I wanted." Erin said as she crossed her arms and held her head up high.

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn could laugh. He could so do that and it was not like an absolutely rare thing that happened once or twice in his life. He was not moody all of the time. Only, he didn’t do it in public often. Or, to be exact, he didn't have a lot of people to laugh around with for them to realise it could happen. So he supposed it was relatively rare. Still, seeing Erin beaming like she was right now was kind of weird and even off-putting. Not exactly what you need to convince yourself it should happen more.

He thought he was being nice to her. Only he was not used to be nice so there was always a moment where he became a jerk and ruined it all. Baby steps were required there and Quinn already made one huge step forward just by being here with her and showing her his power and all. “Yeah, I think your seducing skills suck as much as mine,” he let out, probably being that jerk of his talking out even though he was still being nice right now. He too was not so good at flirting with the ladies. People even seem to think he was gay for some reason.

The fact he said they were friends so she would shut up did not mean he would not act like one. Sure, he’d act like he would with friends, which meant she might not find it very exciting and friendly but he’d be nice. Sort of. He wouldn’t try to get rid of her or be mean to her on purpose, that was for sure. “You’re right, I don’t quite get it. What do I have to do with you seducing girls?” Erin was actually starting to scare him with her overly happy demeanor.

[Erin Hackett]

If Erin would have known her behavior was making it less likely that Quinn would smile or laugh around her, she would have tried to control herself a bit more. It was just a bit hard because she was feeling emotions that she was not really used to feeling. She felt them when playing a video game and that was normally when she would celebrate, thus why she was practically bouncing at this 'victory'. She didn't fully know the whole social norms to things since she lived most of her life behind a computer screen or some kind of screen. At any rate, she really was happy about all of this and could not help but to show.

In truth, Erin was actually a pretty emotionally sensitive girl; despite what she said and tried to act like. Quinn's comment had her reaching out to swat at him on his arm, even if she was super offended. It was a mix of scolding him for saying that about himself and also throwing her into that mix. "Hey, on the internet I'm good at seducing girls. Just...not in person but I'm working on it. Just like you should be. You don't want to die alone or have to really on toys all your life to satisfy your needs, do you?" Erin pointed out and then asked. She personally didn't want any of that to happen but she knew it was a very high possibly. She was Erin after all, no one would want to end up with her, and it was okay for her if people assumed she was gay; because she was.

That didn’t mean she wanted to just give up all hope, she at least like to think, dream, and hope. Sometimes that was all she ever had and it was probably why she was so used to it. Quinn seemed confused by her comment which had Erin letting out a sigh as she tried to think of a way to explain it. "Like...I know I'm super amazing and what not...but I actually have pretty low self-esteem...in person. On the internet I'm awesome but in real life I suck. So when something like this...you accepting us as friends...showing me things you don't really show others. I-it makes me uh...feel special, like I matter...build my self-esteem and makes me feel like I can do anything." Erin said, struggling little bit as the bravado she had built started to go away as she admitted the truth to her friend.

She felt pathetic in a way, needing others to accept her in order to feel like she mattered in the real world but didn't need that when she was 'in that other world'. The world of video games, the internet, and just that place where you could be anyone and no one would ever fully know the truth.

[Quinn Wiley]

This school, and the people going there, was so strange. Sometimes, it was like whoever Quinn was before, who his parents were, what they did, all this did not matter. Like he became someone only starting from his first day here. Sometimes, he reminded himself why he hated humanity and sometimes he found hope in liking it again someday. It was really weird for him and he didn’t know exactly what to make of this. But all of a sudden he found himself a passion, a possible future career, a way of living a life that might not totally suck and result in his imploding because of his power. And friends. No matter how he didn’t ask for it, he found himself with friends around him. He always thought he was alone but he was forced to see now that some would stick around if there was anything bad happening to him. He didn’t get why, but it was slowly sinking in that it was the case.

He knew his comment could be insulting but he also threw himself in it. She was not the only one who didn’t know how to pick girls after all and Quinn didn’t mean to say it to offend her. He was only telling what he considered to be a fact. It was his problem, he would always say the worst of things claiming them as facts. It was true but that didn't mean people wanted to hear them. Sure, he didn’t want to end up alone. Who truly did? He preferred to ignore the toy part though. “I intend to become a fashion photographer. I’ll get all the pretty models for myself then,” he replied. It sounded terrible but that was also a way of showing he preferred not to think about the fact he was single right now. It was not like their lives would end at twenty-three or something. He had plenty of time to get someone. It might be a bit lame that he knew so little of love, or at least the physical aspect of it, but they didn’t have to know that, right? Somehow, Quinn was ready to appear like a bad lover instead of admitting he knew nothing of it.

Quinn never thought he’d be the one building anyone’s self-esteem. Crushing it, maybe, but building it, not likely. Yet she pretended he did just that. He could understand how easier it was to insult someone through a computer screen. They could not see you, you were sort of protected. It was not the same when facing the person. “I never thought I’d make anyone feel special,” he confessed after a moment of reflection. He looked at her. “You should go and get that girl now because if you stay long enough around me, you might not longer feel so awesome.” He wouldn’t mind. He was still too surprised that he might have made her feel good to begin with. And he doubted it was meant to last.

[Erin Hackett]

Quinn didn't say anything about the whole being alone and having to rely on toys all your life, which made perfect sense. Now thinking about it she could not help but feel a little pathetic for saying such a thing and was now blushing a little. Great Erin, just let the whole world know just how lame you are. Erin thought to herself as she started to play with some of the buttons on her jacket to calm herself down and get her mind onto other thoughts. Quinn's comment had her smiling that slowly turned into a smirk as she thought deeper on what Quinn had said.

"Ah, smart-smart. Wish I was good at photography. Maybe I'll get lucky and meet a girl who needs help with her tec stuff and falls madly in love with my nature red hair and charm." Erin responded, unable to help but laugh at that. She felt like there was hope for Quinn, but not herself. They were both still young so it was not like they needed a mad rush to get laid or anything like that, but Erin wanted to lose her innocent before she was too old to lose it. Yes, she thought there was an age when you were too old to lose it and it was the late fifties to sixties or somewhere in there. Hell, she would argue that forties was actually the cut off because of the whole 'forty year old virgin' thing.

"Well...you did." Erin responded as she now started to play with her hair a little before tucking some of it behind her ear; revealing the many piercing in her ears. A lot of people probably didn't know just how many pricing Erin had, but she had a few in each ear, wore rings, necklaces, and had buttons all over her favorite jacket. It was just the kind of girl she was but it was not like she hung out with that many people for them to notice. "She...she is probably straight...and the girl never gets the guy. I...I don't want to feel like an idiot after telling her how I feel and finding out she is not the slightest bit interested." Erin admitted.

Little did she know that it was going to end up happening anyways and that perhaps having gotten it over with now would have been better.

[Quinn Wiley]

Just because Quinn could be a jerk did not mean he didn’t see when people were not feeling comfortable. He was observant and he could tell Erin was being nervous right now, just by the way she played with her jacket. The problem was that it would not stop him from being a jerk. It was something he could not exactly help.

He didn't mean to become a fashion photographer only to sleep with models. That was kind of pathetic. There was a slight feeling of satisfaction at the thought he could hold the career of those pretty girls in his hands though. Some way of paying them back for all the time he felt ridiculous next to them, when not simply invisible. Pretty girls were often bitches. To his knowledge, that is. They just knew they looked hot and could get whatever they wanted from it. A guy like him could not expect to get anything from them. Showing them he was the one in power interested him a lot. But it was not the only reason why he wanted to do that. He just loved taking pictures and some of those shoots could be really interesting. Not to add that he could travel around the world if he ever became that. That too was really interesting. Now, if only he could know fashion a little better. But that was not all too important for him, right?

He looked at her as she wished she had something like that she could use to get whoever she wanted. “Start by not disappearing every time you meet one and they might already fall for your natural red hair and charm’” he pointed out. Again, the thought he could give romantic advice was funny to say the least. What a pair they made!

Erin argued that the girl she had a crush for was straight. And then argued the girl never gets the guy. He was not entirely sure what she meant by that since she didn’t want a guy. Did she mean her friend couldn’t get a guy? He was lost but he tried to follow. “Then maybe you should start going after girls into girls to begin with.” It might not be reassuring but Quinn never told her he was the kind to reassure people. He even warned her of the opposite.

[Erin Hackett]

Quinn pointed out something that she already knew was a problem of hers, which was why she let out a heavy sigh and just shook her head. "I know, I know. It's not that easy. Imagine being kind of terrified of almost every person you meet, then ad din the fact that you are attracted to them, and that you just start to panic the more you think about the things you want to do to this beautiful, sex stranger." Erin pointed out. She didn't know if Quinn would get what she meant and she hardly got what she meant. She just knew it was hard to not vanish or start to have a panic attack when certain things would happen, especially when she was around another girl.

Erin was of course going to work on it. She had been working on it a lot already and had to say that she was pretty damn proud of how far she had gotten in the past months. She had made friends, talked to people, and didn’t vanish as much as she used to. Quinn was actually a part of the reason why she had come this far, but she as not going to say too much on it too him. She didn't want him to get an ego or anything or say something meant in confusion but likely for her to take it in a bad way. Quinn clearly needed to work on his social skills as well, but at least they were in that same boat together.

If Erin realized what she said she would have tried to clear it up. She was just saying a lot and trying to get out how it was not really possible for her to win. She liked to think that she would and she sometimes would try but it was just hard to go against the odds; especially when your mind worked almost similar to a computer when it came to calculating out the chances of success on a matter. Erin could not help but to glare at Quinn a little when he pointed out that she should try going after girl's that like girls.

"It not that simple. Plus it’s not like I go after them, I pretty much like all girls in general. It’s just...with this one I got like feelings feelings for. Ugh, no more. New topics. Let’s go play with Pips! Right now!" Erin quickly said as she started to blush. She was quick then to move to grab a hold of Quinn so she could start to pull him towards his dorm so they could go play with his ferret and not talk about her crushes and girls in general.

[Quinn Wiley]

Quinn probably found this conversation as weird and awkward as Erin did. The two of them talking of love was like have two birds talking of fins. They were clearly no expert, neither of them. “Don’t look at me if you want flirting advice. I’m probably as bad as you are,” he told her. He did not panic when seeing a beautiful, sexy stranger. He stared, stood there, remained silent. And then disappeared. If not the way she did, either with her power or running away, by the simple fact a beautiful, sexy stranger would not lay her eyes on him only he stood in her way and was not getting out of it. He didn't see how he could ever get someone. He totally had no idea how to flirt or even go to a girl and admit he liked her or found her pretty.

He was not even sure how they ended up talking about girls and how bad they were at talking to them. Or more how bad she was but Quinn was ready to include himself since he was no better. At least she was bolder on the internet. He was not even sure he could be through the lens of his camera. He made her blush when he said something evident: that she needed to fall for lesbians and not straight girls. But, as she said, it was not that easy. It was true that they didn't have some physical mark to prove they were or some secret hand shake or something like that.

He wouldn’t mind dropping the matter just like she asked but she did more than that, she decided they had to go and play with Pips. “You do get that ferrets are mainly night animals?” he said. He was pretty sure Pips would wake up and play with her. Or just curl up somewhere, likely her neck, and go back to sleep. The fact he was in the boy’s dorm should also play against the idea of them going there but when he finally managed to have her let go of him, it was just so he could walk next to her on his way to his dorm. “What is it with girls and ferrets? I would have thought they’d think ferrets smelled or looked like long rats or something. I never thought it was a cute factor.”

[Erin Hackett]

This conversation was indeed awkward for the large fact that neither of them had ever been in a relationship so had no room to talk or really anything to go off of in the ways of experience. It was why Erin didn't really want to have it and was quickly trying to think of a subject change or for a way for the subject to just stop in some kind of way. "I'm not." Erin responded with a slight mutter as she crossed her arms over her chest. She should know better than to ask or even talk about such a thing with Quinn of all people.

Sure they were now like official friends by even Quinn's words, but that didn't mean that things had drastically changed between the two of them or to who they were. Quinn was still Quinn and Erin was still Erin. They were both the same when it came to how they were around people with the biggest difference being their powers and how Erin showed more emotions then Quinn did. Thankfully the idea of Pips came to her so she didn't have to worry about talking or working through this whole relationship advice or any things close to it with Quinn.

She was already dragging him off in the direction of his dorm room, only letting go when the boy seemed like he was going to come along willingly. "Yeah, of course I know that. I did a lot of research on ferrets because of Pips." Erin pointed out as she walked with Quinn to his dorm, fully looking forward to playing with Pips. She was certain she could get the little guy to play with her for a little bit or maybe she could even curl up and take a nap with him. No doubt Quinn would fuss about it, but she doubted he would try to stop her.

"You clearly think girls are all the same, which you would be wrong about. Just like guys, there are all kinds of girls." Erin pointed out as she let out a half dreamily sigh just thinking about girls again. They were so awesome, she loved to love her some girls.

[Quinn Wiley]

All Quinn did was take photos. He was more often called a creep than cute. And that was when he didn’t end up taking pictures of a girl already dating a guy that really didn’t like other guys taking pictures of his girl. If Erin wanted help on being bold enough to go to a girl and ask her out, she was definitely not asking the right person. She was also not knocking at the right door if she wanted someone with a good gaydar. He didn’t think he had any.

Quinn was still wondering what this whole friendship deal really meant. Surely, that would not mean she won’t go away. She would, eventually, at the very least after college if he stayed here for that long. He wouldn’t be friends with himself so he could not see why others might want that.

“Oh,” he just said as she admitted looking up ferrets. What else could he reply to that? He was a bit surprised she researched ferrets though. It was not like she owned the animal with him, she didn’t have to do that. She just wanted to know everything, wasn’t it? Her comment about girls had him stare at her. “Well, technically I just thought ferrets would be in the ‘cute but too smelly’ category. They’re kind of in the same family than skunks, no?” He was sure he read something like that once. Oh well, if she wanted to play with Pips, it meant they would not talk of girls. He thought it was a great idea.

He didn’t think too much about dragging a girl into the boy’s dorms. He should have and he did in some way. But, at the same time, it was not like they were about to do anything wrong in there so he didn’t see the bad in it. He opened the door for her and let her take Pips if she wanted. He went near the cage though but to give her a bag filled with different balls, some even jingling, and ribbons. “I suppose you want to play with him, right? Or you can just have him rest on you. He loves to curl in hoods or under sweaters.” And no, he didn’t think it was weird or wrong.

[Erin Hackett]

There was nothing that really needed to be said; besides Erin was super awesome for having looked up information because of Pips. She didn't have to do it but the fact that she did just showed how cools she was or something along those lines. That was what she told herself mentally that Quinn was basically saying with that 'oh' he had let out. Pips was just so cute and if she was going to be allowed to play with him she felt it was important that she knew how to take care of him. Just in case Quinn ever needed her to watch the cute thing, if she decided to get one herself, and just so she would not accidentally hurt Pips from her lack of knowledge.

"Well, yeah but it’s easy to get over things that smell. That is what body wash, spray, and cleaning is for. Plus girls love cute things so they would probably still want to play with Pips even if he was a skunk." Erin pointed out, already getting excited just thinking about it. Maybe she needed to get a pet, something cute that would without a doubt be able to win her some babes. Something that would not get too big, easy to take care of with her busy gamer life, and of course soft/cute so she could love it as well. "I mean I would at least play with him even if he was a skunk." Erin pointed out, feeling like that needed to be known as well in case Quinn was going to start to doubt.

Erin was not even fazed by being in the boys dorm room because they were boys. What was there to look at? Nothing and if anything she would end up getting sick before she would start swooning over anyone. Unless they had their girlfriend over, then all bets were off. She was quick to scoop Pips up out of his cage and give the creature some cuddles, fully prepared to be nipped a little and didn't mind it at all. Quinn was getting some toys out and suggesting what she could do with the little fur ball. "Well I was thinking you would lay down on your bed to warm yourself up, I chill on the floor with Pips, and we could watch a movie or something." Erin pointed out as she was already letting Pips make himself comfortable in the hood of her jacket.

[Quinn Wiley]

He nodded about what she said. He kept Pips’ cage clean and gave the pet a bath at least once a week to get rid of the smell. Pips actually grew to like it. Not as much as drying himself on Quinn’s bed sheets but still liked it. He looked at her rather amused though at what she added, claiming that he was cute enough for girls to want to play with him even if Pips was a skunk. “You’d hug Pepé le Pew? It’s alright, he won’t smell that bad I cleaned his cage yesterday, ” he said, shrugging after he told her that.

Pips was playful alright. Probably why it seemed so odd for Quinn to have such a pet. It was not his fault. He meant to buy a bird but when he saw the price for those parakeets, he opted for a ferret instead. Did he save anything in the end? A little, once you get over the cage, toys, food and bath products. Luckily, Quinn bought kitten food instead of ferret food. It was easier to come by and often cheaper. And it was one thing his aunt was ready to send a bit of money for. She wanted so much for him to make friends or at least to be happier.

She’d love Erin for that reason alone, he thought. And probably ask if they were together. Boy, was he glad his family was in Pennsylvania! He didn’t warn Erin about the little bites she might get. He was fairly sure he told her before that Pips loved to bites at fingers and toes but that it didn’t hurt too much. Or she got bit in the past. He could not remember and didn’t think it mattered. Unless she were to toss his ferret through the room because he took a nip at her finger, he didn’t think there would be a problem.

She had a suggestion of her own for the rest of the day. “Oh. Yeah, sure, we can do that. But we’ll have to watch it on my computer because I have no tv here. Unless you want to go in the living room? It’s not like I’ve never brought Pips there. As long as the dorm door is closed, I don’t mind.” Because the fact any roommate of his might mind clearly did not strike him.

[Erin Hackett]

"If he had his scent glands removed so he could not spray me, then yes." Erin responded with several nods to show how certain she was. If she didn't have to worry about getting a stench stuck on her, then she didn't really care all that much. Skunks were cute after all and she knew that some had them as pets. Maybe that would be the pet that she would get, or maybe she would get a fox. First she had to find out if that was legal to own in this state and if the school would allow her to keep it. If all of that was a go, then she would most certainly get a fox because she was pretty sure it was like her spirit animal or something.

Erin just nodded at the comment about Quinn having cleaned Pips cage, not that she was really worried about the smell. She knew that Quinn did a good job at taking care of the rodent and she enjoyed Pips enough to not be bothered if he did smell a little bit. Not that he did, but if he did she would not have minded. She was already way too excited to be holding the little guy in her hands again, wishing that he would have grown to love those horns she had given him so he would always wear them. She at least had the photo on her desktop background, mixed in with a whole bunch of photos of women and video game charter rotating on her desktop.

Pips probably looked pretty out of place among the babe and video games, but Erin enjoyed it there. Plus it was not like a lot of people even actually got to see her desktop background when she was on her computer in a public place; which was rare to begin with. The nips and bites were no big deal to her by this point and at least it didn't feel like Pips was biting her as hard as he used to; that or she was getting used to it. "I'm cool with whatever. Are you going to be cool with me sitting all close if we watch it on your laptop?" Erin asked as she checked on Pips who seemed to already have fallen asleep.