You're Only Market Value

Tour ended just as abruptly as it began. Before I knew it, I was in an airplane terminal with Quinn, on our way to Quinn's new apartment, a safe 100 miles away from mine. We had never gotten around to discussing "us", whatever we were.

But he seemed to be okay with that, and I had come to a silent compromise that if he wasn't pressing the issue, then neither was I. We just enjoyed each others company. and occasionally enjoyed each other's company, if you get what I'm saying.

I only had a backpacks worth of stuff, which I had lived off of for three months on tour. Looking back, I don't know how I did it. He grabbed his suitcase, and we silently made our way to the cab, then to his apartment. It was in an actual apartment building, and it didn't have any water stains, and all the carpet was in one piece. Which puts it about, oh, five million steps above my former apartment.

"Thanks again, Quinn. You really saved my ass." I said, attempting to put my gratitude into words.

"it's the least I could do." he said, throwing his arm lazily around my shoulders, and planting a kiss on my temple. A small smile crept onto my face.

"When you got the lease for the apartment, did you think to buy furniture?" I asked, taking into account the entirely empty apartment I was standing in.

He sighed, then chuckled. "It honestly never crossed my mind, actually."

I laughed beyond laughed. Eventually, he joined in also. I was on the floor, hands hugging my sides, in complete hysterics.

A few minutes later, I gathered my composure and Just laid on the floor, staring at the ceiling, with Quinn next to me.

"I haven't laughed like that in a long time." I stated contently.

He let out a laugh. "Well, I'm glad to lend my idiocy a girl in need."

I leaned up on my elbow, and looked down at his seamless face. "Seriously though, I can't even begin to thank you enough for letting my free load off of you, even if your apartment has no furniture."

He turned to me, a small smile on his face and started playing with a strand of hair that had fall from behind my ear. "It's the least I could do.." He repeated, a serious look on his face.

"You already said that." I said with a pout, unimpressed with his lack of creativity.

"Well let me finish." He said impatiently, then he looked into my eyes, and his hand moved to cup my cheek, and he enveloped me in a slow, passionate kiss. It was one of those kisses that you'd remember for the rest of your life. The kind where time slows around you, and you're in paradise.

Then he pulled away, but lingered an inch or so away from my face, our eyes half open.

"It's the least I could do, for the girl I love."

My eyes shot the rest of the way open. My chin hit the floor.

We were never even officially dating. I hated him. He was just a squatter I had somehow picked up, and ended up here with, but who was I kidding.

"I love you too."

And somehow it didn't matter. There was no furniture in the apartment. We were broke for all intensive purposes.

The smile on his face made it all okay. Everything else took the backseat.

Who would have ever thought that I ever could fall in love?

The universe works in mysterious ways.