The Ballerina and the Rocker

Quinn

The southern California sun was brutal as it blazed down on Huntington Beach. Quinn had certainly lived through hot summers, especially when the Hartford’s lived in Texas, but this particular heat wave was merciless.

“I think the pool’s turned into lava,” Audrey said, dripping wet and covered in a towel, as she approached her little sister who was sitting sprawled out on the couch enjoying the central air conditioning.

“The world is forcing us to stay inside,” Quinn said, her hot and tired body not stirring the least bit from the couch. “I feel like I’m wasting the summer.”

“It’s always summer here,” she said, pushing Quinn’s legs aside so she could take a seat on the couch. “That’s what makes California so great!”

“You know what I mean.”

“Look, enjoy being lazy while you can. Because before you know it you’ll be back in New York dancing your butt off wishing you had the summer back.”

She knew her sister was right, but there was definitely a difference between relaxation and being a being a couch potato. And right now Quinn was reluctantly indulging in the latter.

“I think Zacky and I might be going to catch a movie later,” Quinn told her sister. “You can come with us - it’s out of the house and air conditioned.”

A contemplative looked crossed Audrey’s face as she thought about the invitation. “Nah, thanks though,” she answered. “As much I would love being third wheel with my little sister and her adorable boyfriend, I think I should start applying to some more jobs.”

With that, Audrey got up off the couch and headed upstairs. Quinn remained sprawled on the couch, soaking up as much cool air as possible before stepping outside again.

Zacky

“What are you doing next Saturday?” Quinn asked as she stepped into Zacky’s room through the window.

“Oh, hey,” he said, looking up from his paused video game. “Come on in.”

“Shut up,” she teased, taking a seat on his bed. “So?”

“...so?” he repeated, turning his swivel chair around so he was face-to-face with Quinn instead of the television.

“So,” she continued, “what are you doing next Saturday?”

“Something with you, I’m guessing?” he teased. Her nostrils flared and she pursed her lips; he loved when his teasing got to her like that.

“Well, now I think I’m going to ask someone else instead.” She turned to leave back through the window but he was too fast. Zacky quickly hopped on over and tackled Quinn to the bed, leaving her giggling.

“I’m not doing anything next Saturday,” he said with a smile.

“Good, because you’re coming with me to a baseball game.”

Next to music, Zacky’s greatest passion was baseball. He loved watching it and he missed playing it; summer wasn’t summer without indulging in America’s favorite past time.

When Saturday came along Zacky joined Quinn and her family in Anaheim to cheer on the Angels, only it wasn’t just another baseball game.

“Making his major league debut, left fielder Mason Hartford!”

When his named was announced for all of Angels Stadium to hear and Mason came running onto the field donning the red and white uniform, Zacky, along with the four other Hartford’s and Mason’s fiancé, cheered as loud as they possibly could.

“So here’s my brother, playing major league baseball,” Audrey said once the game had gotten underway. “And I can’t even get a job at Gap.”

Being at the game was fun, but being at the game with Quinn made it even more so. Zacky had no idea just how intense she could be; she was like a whole different person.

“Aw come on, he was safe!” Quinn stood and shouted at the ump, who clearly couldn’t hear her, when her brother was tagged out by the Mariners’ third baseman. "You can visit my mom's optometrist if you need to!" She sat back down and angrily broke a peanut shell.

“Why haven’t we gone to games before?” Zacky asked her, amused. She smirked and tossed the peanut shell at him.

It was nice to know that even they had been dating for over a year there were still things about Quinn that took him by surprise, and he hoped that would never change.

Quinn

Quinn, Val, and the guys sat in a shaded grove in the park, away from prying eyes. Brian took a swig of SoCo before passing the bottle to Jason Berry who followed suit before handing it off to Jimmy. When the bottle came her way, Quinn declined and instead passed it to Zacky who had, in his words, taken it upon himself to drink for both of them.

“Are you sure you don’t want some?” Brian asked Quinn, waving the near empty bottle of Southern Comfort in her face.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she shot back. “Besides, someone needs to look after this guy.” She nudged Zacky who was beginning to have trouble balancing.

“What? I’m perfectly fine…” Zacky said, practically falling into a tree as he tried to take a cigarette out of his pocket.

“Drunk bitch,” Brian laughed before finishing off the alcohol. “Who’s in for more?” Jimmy immediately raised his hand as Jason shouted something in agreement. Val, Matt, and Matt Berry followed the them out of the park where more drinking awaited them.

“You can go with them,” Quinn told Zacky as he tipsily contemplated whether to follow the group or his girlfriend.

“You don’t wanna?” he asked, drunken face showing concern. Quinn smiled in amusement.

“I’m just going to head home - but you don’t have to!” She didn’t want to be one of those nagging girlfriends who insisted her boyfriend do everything she wanted, sober or not.

After some slurred deliberation, Zacky talked himself into going home since it was his “duty” to make sure his girl got home okay. The walking helped him sober up a tad, just enough so that she didn’t have to support most of his weight as they made their trip.

It was close to midnight when they made it back to the Baker house, and Quinn tried her best to make their way stealthily and quietly up to Zacky’s room, careful not to wake anybody. She closed the door behind them as Zacky fell backwards onto his bed.

“Are you good?” she asked the slightly inebriated boy. He let out a light chuckle and threw his arms up. Quinn took that as a sign to go over to him where he promptly pulled her down to him and pressed his rum and whiskey stained lips against hers.

His one hand clasped the back of her neck while the other slipped under her shirt and rest on her back. She moved to straddle his lap where she then cupped his face in her hands and hungrily kissed him back.

“Thanks for making sure I got home ok,” Zacky whispered, barely taking his lips off of hers. She sat up, pulled her shirt off, and tossed it to the side before leaning back down, parallel with Zacky.

“You’re so welcome,” she whispered back before kissing him.

Zacky wrapped his arms around her torso and rolled over. Now pinned beneath him, Quinn’s breathing became heavier and more erratic as Zacky placed kisses along her collarbone and down her chest. While she had just been planning on crawling under the covers and falling asleep as soon as she got home, she certainly had no qualms about postponing her bedtime now.

Zacky

He liked waking up to Quinn’s body sprawled across his.

Quinn

“Have you heard of a place called Johnny’s Bar?” Audrey asked as she approached Quinn who was reading a book poolside.

“Yeah,” was all she replied with, remembering it all too well as the infamous Halloween bar. “What about it?”

“Well, I’m their newest bartender,” Audrey continued, sitting down and putting her feet in the pool. “It’s not something I need my degree for, but hey - at least its a job.”

“I didn’t know you could bartend,” Quinn said, putting her book down beside her.

“I am a killer bartender. See these?” Audrey pushed on her breasts. “They’ve helped me get many many tips.”

“Oh I see,” Quinn laughed, “but can you make a long island iced tea?”

“Do you even know what a long island iced tea is?”

Quinn paused before answering. “Touche.”

“I’d let you come see me put my talents to work, but you’re not twenty-one yet and I know you would never ever think about sneaking into a bar underage.” She narrowed her eyes at Quinn who, instead of answering, simply picked up her book and continued reading instead.

Later that week the guys wanted to head out to Johnny’s Bar, despite Brian getting slammed with an underage drinking ticket the last time they went out drinking. Quinn had mentioned that her sister got a job at the bar which she thought would deter them from going, but apparently it just made them more excited.

“But she won’t serve us because she knows we’re underage,” she kept saying, hoping to change their minds.

“Or she will and won’t say anything,” Brian countered, as if he knew her sister better than Quinn did. “Besides, your sister’s cool.”

True, her sister was definitely cool and pretty chill, but when it came to her job she was fairly certain Audrey would pull the mature and responsible card. But at this point Quinn figured she’d let the guys find out the hard way.

When their fake I.D.s managed to get them into Johnny’s again without fail, Quinn and the guys made their way over to the bar while the DiBenedetto twins hunted down a table. She almost didn’t recognize her sister when she saw her pouring drinks from behind the bar; while her every day appearance usually consisted of jeans and a t-shirt with minimal makeup, Audrey was now glammed up with smokey eyes and a lacy black tank top which nicely showed off her, uh, assets. Now she understood why her sister had such confidence when it came to bar-tending.

“Oh, barkeep!” Jimmy summoned. Audrey tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear as she perked up to Jimmy’s voice and made her way over to the group.

“Fancy seeing you guys here,” she said, sounding a bit proud. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll have a Jack and Coke,” Jimmy answered. He leaned onto the bar, closer to Audrey before adding, “and might I add you look ravishing this evening.”

Quinn stifled a giggle as Audrey returned the playful comment with a smirk.

“Well, thank you,” she said, filling up a glass with cola. She handed the soda to Jimmy and smiled. “One Jack and Coke, hold the Jack.” Audrey beamed smugly as Jimmy took the glass and glared at her.

“So it’s gonna be like that, is it,” he said before heading over to the table where Val and Michelle sat.

“Sorry about Jimmy,” Brian spoke, taking Jimmy’s spot against the bar. “He can be a bit… immature.”

“Not like you?” she played along.

“I’m very mature for my age.”

Quinn tried not to laugh out loud at the obvious flirting coming from Brian. She felt Zacky squeeze her hand tightly, letting her know he was trying to do the same.

“I’m sure you are,” Audrey continued, leaning against the bar so her face was a few short inches from Brian’s. “But I’m afraid you’re not my type.”

She grabbed a glass of water from behind the bar and placed it in front of Brian, offering him a smile before he sighed in defeat and joined the others at the table.

“Uh, there’s no point in trying, is there?” Matt asked. Audrey smiled and shook her head. “I’ll just have a Sprite or whatever.” She handed the soda to Matt before turning to Quinn and Zacky.

“Wow,” Quinn said to her sister. “You’re good.”

“You’re not gonna rat on us, are you?” Zacky asked.

“Nah,” Audrey said, pouring each of them a Coke. “I don’t care if you guys drink or not, I just won’t be the one supplying it.” She handed the two their sodas and left them with a wink before attending to another customer.

“You were right,” Brian said when Quinn and Zacky had joined the table.

“Told ya,” she gloated.

Zacky

Summer went by way too quickly, as summers usually did. But this one went by especially fast.

“I love you,” Quinn said before planting a kiss on his lips.

“I love you, too,” he said, holding her close to him.

“This doesn’t get any easier.”

“I know.”

“It fucking sucks.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

He looked down at Quinn’s beautiful face and saw her eyes start to well up with tears. He held her face in his hands carefully, as if she was on the verge of breaking. His calloused thumb rubbed lightly against her lip, earning a smile from her sad face.

“It’s a good thing we’re pros at this long distance thing, you know?” he said, hoping to lighten the mood.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a long, “never want to let go” hug. Unfortunately, the hugged ended as quickly as summer did.