Inflicting Pain (Gxg) ● S E V E N | Friend ●

† Q U I N N †

Friend—someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you just the way you are. While some people can make friends effortlessly, for me, it’s not that simple. I think of friendship like money—easy to make but hard to keep. Most people I meet, I see as acquaintances, not friends. A true friend is one of those rare people who finds you when you’re lost in the dark and guides you back to the light. For me, that friend has always been Glenda. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and she’s the one person who’s really seen me for who I am. When I left Texas to continue my studies under a local priest’s support, we lost touch. But even across the distance, Glenda remains the most genuine person I know—and I miss her.

Then there’s Elise, my roommate. I’m fond of her, like a sister. Sometimes I catch her watching me, like she can see the pain in my eyes while everyone believes the smile on my face—like she could see through me. Elise doesn’t know much about my past; she just knows I hook up a lot, bring women to our dorm, and that I’ve got a dark side. But she’s never judged me. In fact, she seems to tolerate my quirks for reasons I can’t quite understand. When we talk, it’s never about my twisted secrets—it’s always about movies, music, or food. I guess that’s why I feel comfortable around her, too.

“Potatoes, lemon, flour,” I muttered to myself, jotting down items to pick up for dinner. Fish and chips tonight—Elise loves those. As I focused on my list, the front door creaked open, followed by the sound of soft laughter—Elise stepped in.

“Oh gosh! I didn’t expect you to be back here this early,” she said, surprised.

“Yeah, just wasn’t in the mood to hang out with anyone after class,” I replied with a smile.

Elise nodded, glancing behind her. “Well, I’ll be tied up for a bit. I brought a colleague over for an interview—it’s for my research paper. This is Chloe Andrews.” She gently guided someone from behind the wall, and then Chloe appeared, the blonde with green eyes I hadn’t quite forgotten. A smile tugged at my lips as I met her eyes, but her expression was one of surprise.

“Chloe, this is my roommate, Quinn,” Elise said, smiling between the two of us. Chloe shifted her gaze from me back to Elise, nodding politely as she returned the smile.

“El, I’m heading out to grab some groceries. Need anything?” I asked, glancing at Elise. She shook her head as she and Chloe settled on the couch.

“Fish and chips tonight, El,” I added, slowly making my way out the door.

“Really?!” Elise’s face lit up, her eyes gleaming with excitement. I nodded with a smile, but as I looked over at Chloe, I noticed the surprise still lingering in her eyes. I held her gaze for a moment before finally stepping out and closing the door behind me.

“Well, this is interesting,” I thought as I made my way out of the building. It seemed like fate was determined to keep crossing our paths more often now.

Sunday—I sighed as I looked at the long line snaking through the coffee shop. Of course, weekends meant the place was packed. I decided to duck into the restroom before joining the queue for my take-out coffee.

As I stepped into the bathroom, I caught the voices of two women chatting in the first two stalls.

“Well, women have urges too! I mean, you guys have only been a couple for two days, but come on! He’s more conservative than you,” one woman said, her tone exasperated. I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation as I entered the last stall.

“He might just want to take things slow,” replied a familiar voice. I smirked quietly, recognizing it.

“Hey, this isn’t the ’80s, Chlo. He doesn’t need to take things slow,” her friend retorted, the sound of stall doors opening echoing in the small space.

“Scar, he’s not that boring. We do other stuff too, okay?” Chloe replied defensively.

“Other stuff like…holding hands? Staring into each other’s eyes? Exchanging smiles and laughs? He needs to step up his game, grab you, kiss you, and take you to bed!” her friend urged passionately.

I couldn’t help but feel amused at their conversation. Still smiling, I opened the stall door and stepped out.

“I couldn’t agree more with your friend. Maybe you should make the first move,” I said, a smirk curling at the corners of my mouth as Chloe’s eyes widened, clearly caught off guard.

“What are you doing here?! And why were you listening to our conversation?” Chloe stammered, her cheeks flushing an adorable shade of red.

I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms casually. “This is a public place, gorgeous. And I wasn’t eavesdropping—your voices were just a little… hard to miss.” I chuckled, my gaze never leaving hers.

“Hi! I’m Scarlet Reed!” her friend suddenly chimed in, extending her hand with a warm smile.

I pushed away from the wall and took her hand in mine, meeting her vibrant energy with a grin. “Mmm.. Scarlet, like the bold, bright red color. I like it. Quinn Grey,” I introduced myself, watching her cheeks flush a little as she nodded.

“Yeah, like the color,” Scarlet replied, grinning. “Funny, though—I’m Scarlet, but green’s actually my favorite.”

“Well, my last name is Grey, and it’s not my favorite color either,” I replied with a chuckle, noticing Chloe still standing there, watching us with a mix of irritation and surprise. Her eyes narrowed, and she cleared her throat, reminding me of her presence.

I shot her a sarcastic smile. “So, you’re into the boring types, huh?” I teased, hearing Scarlet giggle from behind.

Chloe straightened, arching her brows as if trying to look intimidating. “Dennis isn’t boring. He’s a good guy. Respectful to women,” she replied, her tone defensive, though I could see the hint of a smirk at the corners of her lips.

I smirked back. “Respectful, huh? I suppose that’s… endearing,” I replied, my tone playful. 

“Just as they say, the good ones go to heaven,” I murmured, leaning in closer to Chloe’s neck, letting the words linger between us. “But the bad ones bring heaven to you.” I could feel her breath hitch as I slowly pulled back to meet her gaze.

“Maybe you should be the bad girl in the relationship to spice things up,” I suggested, a playful smirk creeping onto my lips. “Who knows? He might not be so boring after that.”

I caught Scarlet’s reflection in the mirror behind me; she laughed and nodded, clearly enjoying the banter. I felt a rush of satisfaction knowing I’d struck a chord with her. Meanwhile, Chloe stood frozen, torn between embarrassment and annoyance, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of crimson.

“Hey, Chlo! Hold on, Hans is outside. I need to grab my stuff from him. I’ll be back!” Scarlet said, glancing at her phone as she walked out of the bathroom, leaving me and the green-eyed blonde alone.

Chloe shot me a look, clearly annoyed. “You think you’re being funny, huh?” she said, her expression half pissed off, half embarrass. I couldn’t help but chuckle softly at her reaction.

I took a slow step toward her, noticing how her eyes widened again. My presence was clearly unnerving her, and it thrilled me.

“I wasn’t trying to be funny, gorgeous,” I replied, my tone more serious. “That was an honest suggestion. If your boyfriend’s that boring, do something to make him excited.” I brushed her hair off her shoulders, tucking it behind her back to expose her neck even more. She stood still, her wide eyes betraying her nerves.

Gently, my hand cradled her chin, tilting it slightly to the side, while the other slid her waist, my fingers grazing her bare skin from her crop top. Goosebumps erupted beneath my touch, and I noticed her breath quickening. Leaning in closer, I whispered against her neck, “Show him how electrifying your touch can be.” Her breath hitched as my fingers traced slow circles on her waist, and I leaned in closer. “Make him feel turned on as your lips travel all over him,” I whispered, letting my lips glide from her neck to her ear. I could smell her perfume—a hint of Baccarat Rouge, intoxicating—and it suited her perfectly. I felt her swallow hard as I breathed her in. “Let him feel your body,” I continued, my hand sliding up under her crop top, stopping just beneath her breast. A soft moan escaped her lips sending a jolt through me, making my jaw clench, my own breathing growing heavier. “Show him how wet you can be, Chloe,” I murmured, letting my voice carry the edge of my desire as I gently bit her earlobe. She arched into me, her body pressing against mine as her breath came in quick, uneven gasps. I could feel her heartbeat pounding against my chest. 

I breathed in deeply, wrestling with my control, trying to keep it together as images flashed through my mind—of turning her to face the mirror, pressing her back against me as we watched ourselves in the reflection. I could almost see her face—eyes dark with desire, lips parted, as I slid my hand down to her lingerie, taking her right there. My hand would roam her body, exploring, teasing, caressing her breast, my fingers pinching her hard nipple until she was as lost in this as I was—watch her face in the mirror, a mix of passion and surrender. I pictured slipping my hand beneath her lingerie, feeling her warmth, her wetness on my skin—my hand. Lean in, nibbling softly on her neck, savoring how soft and delicate her skin felt beneath my lips, as our reflections showed her desire, her eyes heavy with lust. The thought raced through my mind, loud and overpowering: God, I wanna fuck the shit out of her and I’m dying to make her feel that way. The urge to lose myself in her was almost overwhelming, but I knew I had to hold back. My hand lingered just a moment longer before I pulled it from beneath her shirt, taking a second to breathe and regain control. With a deep, steadying breath, I leaned back slightly to meet her gaze. Her eyes were closed, her lower lip caught between her teeth, chest rising and falling rapidly. Gently, I withdrew my hand and used the other to tilt her face toward me. Slowly, she opened her eyes, the surprise still there but mingling with something else—something deeper, a desire that mirrored my own.

“Make someone feel that,” I urged softly, “and I’m sure they won’t be bored, gorgeous.” Just as I stepped back, the bathroom door swung open, and Scarlet reentered, startling Chloe out of the moment.

I finally got my coffee after waiting in line for what felt like ages. Outside the shop, Chloe and her friend Scarlet were sitting at a table. Scarlet chatted away happily, but Chloe seemed lost in her own world, staring blankly at her coffee cup. As I stepped outside, my eyes flickered between the two of them. For a brief moment, our eyes met—her emerald green eyes locking onto mine—but then she quickly looked away. I couldn’t help but smirk.

Just as I was about to take a step and cross the road, I heard a voice call out behind me. “Jacoby?!” My heart stopped, and I froze, my eyes wide as I recognized that name. “Hey! Jacoby! Is that you?” The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. Then she appeared in front of me. “Hey buddy! It’s Glenda!”

I stood there, my body frozen, blinking in disbelief.

“I’m sorry, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m not Jacoby,” I replied softly, my heart racing. I wanted to hug her, to feel the comfort of an old friend, but I wasn’t ready to face her yet. I had to hold myself together.

“Uh, uh! Don’t mess with me, Jacoby. I ain’t forgetting that face yet, bruh!” Glenda exclaimed, her thick Western accent ringing out in the air, cheerful as always.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, trying to brush past her. I crossed the road without looking back, I couldn’t bear the thought of sharing my struggles with her, of revealing just how messed up my life had become. The embarrassment weighed heavy on me, and I hurried away, tears welling in my eyes.

“Whenever you’re ready, Jacoby, you know you can always talk to me.” Her words cut through me, causing tears to spill down my cheeks. But I kept my gaze forward, unwilling to look back. Over the years, we had drifted apart, losing touch and communication. So, imagine the whirlwind of emotions that hit me when I saw her again, my dear friend, while I was still trying to piece my life together, it felt unbearable. I just couldn’t face her like this—not when I felt so fragile and broken. The last thing I wanted was for her to look at me with pity—I just wanted to disappear.