“Why did you ask me to come along again?” Paul asked Benji and Joel timidly, fresh greenery rolling over the hills of Annapolis Municipal Park as the golden sun beamed down at the many patrons to the Madden annual family picnic, 3 or 4 red and white checkered tablecloths of the many tables there squished under the tons of fruits, salads, chips, and desserts, the grill scorching and sizzling into the day. Joel, Benji, and Paul leaped out of Joel’s silver Trailblazer, Paul adjusting the hood of his black Tool sweatshirt over his bleached spikes.
“You obviously haven’t been around us long enough to imagine what our family is like,” Joel responded half-seriously as he tucked his muscular hands in his red Dickies pockets, gazing at his 99 year old Aunt Milly hobbling next to cousin Albert from Louisiana decked out in jean overalls and a straw hat on top of his shaggy brown do as they indulged in a watermelon seed spitting contest.
“Besides,” Benji continued, his playful hazel eyes scanning for anyone worth his first hug of the day, his black spikes piercing like skyscrapers into the cloudless day, “Billy was too busy doing…whatever he does…with his girlfriend, so you had to do.”
Paul laughed off Benji’s comment as Benji’s hazel eyes lit up. His combat boots thudded against the grass as he ran to a gnarled oak tree shading the volleyball game. There sat a girl, half-watching the game, half-picking at shards of grass, her shoulder-length brown hair spliced with chunky blonde highlights, her blue and white striped polo shirt slightly twisting in the autumn breeze under her white zip sweatshirt. Benji leaped frog onto her, Quinn giving this wild person a strange glare as she tried to back up, before Benji’s lips laid sweetly on her forehead, her bangs brushing his nose and lips.
“QT, Baby girl!” Benji shouted, Quinn equally ecstatic as she laced her arms tightly around his neck, Benji lifting her to her feet, her white platform flip flops holding her upright. “You’re definitely the prettiest prep this side of D.C.”
“Benjamin Madden,” Quinn sighed to subside her giggled, her smile widening as she saw Joel and their friend amble towards them, giving them a little wave, “You must be fighting them girls away with a stick.”
“I look just like him,” Joel whined mischievously, giving her the puppy dog look as Quinn laughed, giving Joel a swift kiss on the cheek.
“Typical twin,” Benji complained as he rolled his eyes, Joel sticking his tongue out at Benji like they were 5 again.
Quinn’s attention was drawn to Joel and Benji’s quiet and uncomfortable friend, Quinn stepping towards him. “Excuse my cousins,” Quinn told Paul loudly, Joel and Benji exchanging confused looks. “When they get into childish competition, they forget their manners.”
“Harsh, QT,” Benji responded, feigning pain in his round face as Paul laughed.
“I’m Quinn Kimble,” Quinn introduced herself, holding out her manicured fingers to him, Paul smiling shyly.
“Paul Thomas,” Paul responded, wrapping his pudgy hand around hers as they shook, Benji and Joel eyeing each other with smirks.
“A pleasure,” Quinn nodded to him as she escorted the boys to a free picnic table.
“Where’s Aunt Sara and Chris?” Joel asked Quinn, scanning the dozens of Maddens that gathered here.
“Mom is around here somewhere with your mom and Sarah,” Quinn responded nonchalantly, sliding onto the picnic bench and drumming her thumb on the edge of the table as Benji and Joel climbed on top of the table for a seat and Paul glided in next to her resistantly. “Josh is somewhere around here teaching Chris how to kick flip. So, you guys been busy? I haven’t seen you in months.”
“Yeah,” Benji responded, drumming the palms of his hands onto his knees, “Our 2nd album is coming out next month. We’ve been busy promoting and such.”
“And I’m to assume that this Paul is in your band?” Quinn asked sweetly, Paul’s cheeks flaming against his skin as the boys nodded in agreement.
“You’re a senior now, right QT?” Joel asked, reaching over to the drinks table and grabbing a can of Pepsi.
“Yep,” Quinn responded, nervously nibbling on her bottom lip, hoping Matt wouldn’t slip into conversation, Quinn moving her left hand encrusted with the square-cut diamond ring underneath her leg subtlely. “It’s a little nerve-racking, trying to keep my grades up and be a good girl…person and keep working at the movie theatre.”
“Like you’ll have trouble,” Benji responded confidently, punching genially at her right shoulder, the pain of Matt’s latest lash against her making her left hand shoot up from underneath her leg to push down the pain.
“Wow,” Paul whispered, the glistening of the engagement ring catching his as well as the twins’ attentions.
“You’re getting hitched?!” Joel asked incredulously, grabbing her hand to inspect the ring, his Pepsi can cold against Quinn’s hand.
“God, No,” Quinn responded a little forcefully, her hazel eyes shutting into slits, setting Joel back a bit, Quinn masking her hustled response with a toothy smile. “I mean…me and Matt have been dating for a few years and…we want to get married when the time is right.”
“How come you haven’t told your favorite cousin about this guy?” Benji pouted, running his finger over the smooth design of the ring, “If he’s such a big part of your life?”
“Sometimes…” Quinn began, not comfortable with Paul’s watchful eyes, as if he is a psychic. Quinn though Paul was digging deeper into this than her cousins, that even though he hasn’t said much, he knew more than the other two could even imagine. Quinn shrugged nonchalantly, “Sometimes, it hurts.”
~*~
“What do you think of Quinn?” Paul asked in a rush as the evening began to set on the beautiful day, the boys trodding back to Joel’s car.
“We know what you think, Pauly boy,” Benji teased, even in the darkness Paul sensing Benji bat his eyes girlishly.
“I mean…” Paul began loudly, pushing Benji away, Benji nearly falling over a parked car, “Of her and this Matt guy.”
“Well,” Benji began, shivering beneath his black Atticus sweatshirt, “It seems that she loves him and I couldn’t be happier for her. She deserves it. She’s such a sweetheart and a…QT.” Benji fell into hysterics over his lame joke, both Paul and Joel rolling their eyes in response.
“I don’t know,” Joel replied skeptically, scratching his head with his car keys, “It’s a little weird. I mean, she’s so young. What does she know about love?”
“3 years worth?” Benji interjected, hopping like a bunny ahead to stimulate some warmth in his body.
Paul shook his head. Maybe he was just paranoid for her. She seemed so sweet, so innocent, so genuine, and the way she almost scowled when Joel and Benji pried into her relationship, the way her last sentence “Sometimes, it hurt,” rang over and over in his head like it was an omen. Paul just didn’t feel right about Quinn and her boyfriend. He couldn’t just let this feeling die down…