His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "I know it looks like it’s been easy for me. I don't have anything to complain about. It’s just I've worked hard to build my own career out of nothing. The fact that it looks effortless is something I'm proud of, but I also think it takes away my credibility."
"Oh, you seemed to have plenty of credibility at the tournament," I said. I slapped his knee. "No wonder you seem to have a neverending fountain of self-confidence."
"Me? You're the one that burst on to the scene."
"That was Arrowa. I'm just plain old Quinn about to go back and scrape by with bottom grades in her nursing program." I crossed my arms and looked out the window.
"Who knows, maybe you'll get kicked out and have a chance to make it on your own," Owen said.
The thought was appealing, more than appealing. By the time Owen parked the car and we walked across campus, I had thought of a dozen legitimate ways to get kicked out of the nursing program. My parents would be angry, but I would be free. Free of them and Sienna's shadow and free to finally take a look around and decide what I wanted for myself.
"Quinn?" Owen caught me with my hand on the door knob of my dorm room. He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. "I know what we haven't been talking about is a really hard thing to talk about. Just know this."
He kissed me. Light and simple, but he let it linger until I had no doubt our thoughts were the same.
"Who needs to talk?" I asked. "We seem to be doing fine."
"Quinn, is that you?"
My blood froze as the door opened and my father stood staring at us. Owen's arms dropped away and all the blood drained from my face.
"Father? What are you doing here? Is Mother okay?" I asked.
"I'm right here," she said. My mother came into view, her arms crossed and one foot tapping. "The question is, where have you been and what on earth have you been doing?"
"Certainly not studying," my father said. He stepped aside and all but ordered Owen and I inside the room.
I was surprised when Owen followed me. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas," he said.
"What are you doing here, Owen?" my father asked. "Please tell me you know why this is a cause for concern."
"Frankly, I don't," Owen said.
"I don't know what you think you are doing to our family, but Quinn is in danger of losing her place in the nursing program. Anything you do is harmful to my girls, to Quinn, don't you see that?" my father asked.
"I'm losing my place in the nursing program?" I prayed my hopeful tone had not been heard.
"No," my father said. "Your mother and I drove here and convinced your advisor otherwise. You are on probation, but you will be able to work your way back up. We'll discuss it as soon as this thoughtless, careless, waste of space leaves."
"Father! You can't talk to Owen that way," I protested.
"No, it’s okay, Quinn. I understand. Your father needs someone to blame and it should be me," Owen said. "Better me than Sienna or you or anyone else. Listen to them, don't lose what you have here before you know what you want."
His words hurt, but I still followed him to the door and grabbed his hand. He squeezed mine before pulling free. "See you around."
"I'm sorry, Owen. This is horrible," I said. I stood frozen as he winked at me and left the room. Then my anger boiled to the surface. "How dare you blame Owen. You know he was never anything but wonderful to Sienna and to me."
"There is no you and Owen, Quinn," my mother said. "That is a ridiculous and terrible thought. You need to get yourself together."
"And that is why we waited to talk to you," my father said. "Because you are now on probation, and because we pay a large part of your tuition, you will be coming home every weekend so we can ensure you are studying."
"I'm not a child," I said.
"Then stop acting that way and get serious about your career," my father sai
d.
They left before I could even begin to explain the ideas I had for my own life or my own career. Under the harsh fluorescent lights of my dorm room, it seemed like I only had one choice, and it had been made for me.