OVERKILL ★ CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
(I Knew You First.)

QUINN HATES THIS. SHE REALLY fucking hates this.

She should've gotten thirty extra minutes of sleep, instead of waking up at five in the morning (after only getting three hours of sleep after Ted's visit, mind you). She shouldn't be caring this much about what she wears today. Or how her hair looks. Or if she applied concealer in a way that doesn't look patchy. And she knows she loves to dress up, loves to do her makeup, and her hair—it's a vital part of her morning! That's because she likes to just look good, but this time is much different. This time feels much less for herself, and much more for someone specifically.

(She doesn't wanna think about his name).

She'd just finished ransacking her closet for a nice shirt before the sun even came out. She tried different variations of blouses (even sneaking into Christa and Harvey's room to ransack her sister's side of the closet) before thinking, I've never put this much effort into what I wear at work before. She more focused on her hair and makeup for work than her outfits since she wears something of the same variation of clothing each day. If she looks more dressed up today than usual, everyone will think something's up (or at least, that's what her head is telling her). She ends up just putting on her favorite sweater and the least-raggedy jeans in her closet. She thinks she's an idiot because she got up super early to find something to wear, only to wear what she always wears. She curses herself as she walks down the steps of the building and onto the street. Nate should be here in a few minutes.

She sits on the front steps outside, taking out her phone to use while waiting for Nate to arrive. She sees a thread of messages from when she'd put her phone on silent, ranging from understanding texts from Rebecca to a lot of the boys asking if she'd died . . . and then texts following an hour later about how they hope her sister feels better. She feels bad to do so, but she dodges all of them. Her main focus is to look at the message Keeley had sent, since one was in all caps and she remembers now that the girl had something to tell her.

Hey can you call now I'm free??????

And I'm dying to tell you what happened I can't hold it in. It's like a really strong piss

Okay you might be busy I'll fuck off.

Morning. Where are you?

Oh Rebecca just told me. Give Christa my best

LISTEN I CAN'T BEAR NOT TELLING YOU ANYMORE SO JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU READ THIS

But I saw Jamie a day ago and he asked to come back to Richmond? I didn't give him a definite answer.

If your reaction is a mouth drop I need you to send a photo since I'm not there to see it.

Quinn gapes at her phone. Not because Keeley saw Jamie, but because Keeley thought it was vital to tell her specifically. Quinn has purposefully left her interactions with Jamie out of conversation in respect for the fact that he's Keeley's ex. The only times he's mentioned are when Keeley would mention him, and something he'd do in their past relationship. She doesn't overthink those interactions too much, since the main focus is on Keeley. But, oh fuck, now she's going to rethink everything. Like why was Keeley telling her this? What does she know?

She doesn't get a chance to type out a response, since Nate shows up amidst her overanalyzing of the subject.

"Had Ted told you?" is the first thing that comes out of Nate's mouth when she enters his car. He's pulling out of her street as soon as the passenger door shuts.

Quinn rolls her eyes. "Did more than that; fucking showed up here at one in the morning."

Nate glances at her confusingly. "Why'd he go out of his way to do all that?"

"Because—" Because Ted is aware of the weird friendship Jamie and I had and thinks he can utilize it by having me be someone Jamie can actually talk to since everyone else hates him. "—I don't even know. He was on a lot of caffeine last night."

"Huh," hums Nate.

"What do you think about him coming back? Are you okay with it?"

Nate scoffs. "Absolutely not. Fuck him. But he's going to be great for the team. To have him and Dani will break our tie streak in no time. Ted and Beard have already—"

He continues to go on about the plays they discussed when Ted had told them last night that Jamie is returning. They got into action right away, talking about how this could improve the team and how they'll have to move around the starting lineup. Quinn tries to keep up, for Nate's sake, but it's hard when she doesn't really understand the terminology he's using . . . she really should start to learn them.

Once they make it the stadium, before parting ways at the entrance, Quinn grabs Nate by the shoulders and looks him dead in the eye.

"You got this."

Nate frowns. "Do I?"

"Yeah. Ted said Jamie sounded really sorry when he saw him at the pub, but just in case he isn't, you've got it regardless." She may feel whatever she feels for Jamie, but she knows how he used to be (how he might still be). She'll always make sure that she has the team's back as well.

"Thanks, Quinn."

She smiles, bidding him a final goodbye before making her way to the office. She quickly peers into Keeley's office to see if she's already arrived, but her chair is empty. Her initial plan had been to discreetly (non-discreetly) ask Keeley why she texted her about seeing Jamie. To ask Keeley what she knows. But since she hasn't arrived yet, Quinn resorts to going back to her office to collect her thoughts. It isn't even half past seven, and she's already had the oddest morning she's experienced in awhile.

A part of Quinn regrets agreeing to Ted's plan. But then there's another part of her that's selfishly excited to see him again.

She goes over what Ted had told ther the previous night. He just wants her to talk to Jamie, or whatever; make him feel welcome because it's painstakingly obvious that not everyone will be happy about his return. According to Ted, Sam even had his own moment of anger when it was just rumored that Jamie was coming back. Sam hadn't informed her that any of it had went down, which she thinks makes sense since he's somewhat aware of the feelings she's harbored for Jamie.

It just isn't very clear when her duties as the Jamie Welcome Committee (Ted's words) will begin. He hadn't informed her of that part at all, even though he talked about it all as if Jamie was precious cargo about to be exchanged. She wonders if she'll have to go down to the pitch, or pick him up from the locker room like a bodyguard.

What she isn't expecting, however, is for her took up from her desk and see Jamie standing in the doorway of her office.

"Holy fucking shit."

Quinn stares weirdly at the door, a small breath leaving from her lips as Jamie stands there. His duffel hangs lazily from his hands. She wills her brain to say something that doesn't give away her surprise over the fact that it's too fucking early in the day for her, and he's already here. "Hello to you, too."

"Sorry," says Jamie, frowning, "That's was fucking rude, weren't it?" He shifts uncomfortably by the door. "I just—when Ted said you worked here now, I didn't wanna believe it until I saw it for myself."

She manages a smile, her heart pounding in her chest at the sight of Jamie near her for the first time in months. "We'll I'm here . . . and you can come in."

He nods, taking the room in before dropping his duffel on the side of the door. She watches his movements, expecting him to sit by the sofa, or the chair on the opposite end of her desk. Instead, he makes his way to her desk—her end of the desk. He leans his side against the table as he peers down over her shoulder at her laptop. His eyes squint as he adjusts to the light of her laptop.

"Woah. You're actually, like, fucking working and shit."

"Hey," Quinn interrupts, annoyed, but her tone still managed a playful lilt. "Don't act too surprised that I have a job."

He blushes, embarrassed. "Sorry, sorry. It's just weird because I left and now I'm back, and everything's changed."

She looks up from her computer to Jamie, to see him looking down apprehensively. "Yeah, a lot of things are different now. Think you can handle it?"

His eyes shift to her. "I think so. Um, Ted told me to come here first. Said it's better if I first come out during training instead of the locker room."

"Smart choice." Quinn can't imagine what the locker room would be like if Jamie had gone there first. He'd made a lot of enemies for being the reason Richmond got relegated in the first place. He'd made a lot of enemies for how he'd treated them. "What made you decide to come back?"

Jamie huffs a laugh. "If I told you that no one else wanted me, would you think I were a prick?"

Quin doesn't even bother giving him a response. She tosses him a look like, no shit. She's happy that she can wordlessly convey that; it means things are okay. They don't have to exist in a plane of awkwardness from their time apart. It makes seeing him again all the more easy.

"So, how've you been? You're gonna have to explain to me later the chain of events that made you work here."

Later, later, later. The words echo through Quinn's head. There's going to be a later. He expects there to be one.

"I've been good, falling into a routine," she says after a few moments. "How are you? How's the life of Jamie Tartt?"

He scoffs. "Don't even get me started. Have you seen me on the telly?"

"I—" Quinn thinks she might want to spare him the embarrassment of knowing that she did, but switches her mind at the last second. ". . . Yeah. I stopped watching immediately, though. It was too weird."

Jamie hums. "Good choice." His eyes shift from her to her desk, observing the surface before zoning in on one item. "What's this, then?" He reaches it out, arm stretching out in front of her to hold onto the yellow bunny.

"'Who is this,'" corrects Quinn, softly taking the bunny from him. "This is Mrs. Sunny Bunny. The boys gave her to me when I joined. Isn't she adorable?"

"The boys got you this?

She nods eagerly. She recounts the story to Jamie. She loves talking about the moment she shared with them that day. It was a gesture she never thought someone—let alone a group of people—would go out of their way to do something like that for her. The thoughts of her old stuffed toy don't feel as bad when she has her new one with her.

"That's nice of them," he mutters.

"Yeah," she sighs fondly. "She actually has magical powers, you know?"

Jamie scoffs. "Does she?"

Quinn nods. She hands him back the bunny. "Just holding her is good luck. You're gonna need it today."

Jamie looks like he's about to say something else, but footsteps by the hallway results in both of them turning their heads to the door.

"Oi, you fucking knobhead. Don't answer my texts one more time and I'm stealing your black mesh top and not giving it back for—Jamie?"

Keeley gapes at the sight in front of her, and Quinn begins to roll her chair away from Jamie. She thinks back to Keeley telling her that Jamie asked to come back to Richmond. Why did she see Quinn as someone worth telling so eagerly?

"Keeley," Jamie nods his head.

Keeley smiles, before turning back to Quinn. "You fucking heard me the first time right? Ignore another message from me again and I'll rip your head off." It should sound threatening, but both of the girls know it's just how Keeley expresses her concern over the fact that she hasn't heard from Quinn for nearly two days.

"I'm sorry!" Quinn raises her hands defensively. "My phone was silent, I'm sorry."

"You better be," huffs Keeley. "How's Christa, then? Is she feeling better? Does she still text her friends even when she's sickly?"

Quinn playfully rolls her eyes. "She's better and her phone was off too, silly."

"I expect more apologies later—the groveling kind! I'm gonna go to Rebecca's, but I suspect you're too preoccupied to come with?" She raises her eyes suggestively at Jamie, who gives her warning eyes. He's been silently observing the interaction the whole time.

"So," begins Jamie once Keeley's footsteps have died down, "you've gotten pretty close with everyone, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I have. It's really hard not to love Keeley, though, right?" smiles Quinn fondly.

"She does have a way of getting in someone's head, yeah." Jamie hesitates for a few moments before saying, "It's just—it used to be just me that knew about you, and now everyone loves you."

Quinn scoffs. "We interacted once before I met everyone else. And you were being a dickhead."

"Still. I knew you first. And now they boys are buying you stuffed rabbits and Keeley's asking how your sister is."

"Congratulations for your personal bragging right, and thank you for stating the obvious," she says sarcastically. She has to mask how this interaction is making her feel, somehow. How is she supposed to perceive Jamie grumpily pointing out how close to everyone she's gotten? Her stomach is turning into knots.

"Hey," he chastises, "you're supposed to be nice to me today." He goes to continue, but looks mildly annoyed as his phone pings. He pulls out his phone to look at the message and frowns. "Ted said I should get ready for training now."

"Oh. Good luck." She tries to think of something encouraging to say. "Don't be a dick."

Jamie rolls his eyes. "Amazing advice." The space beside  Quinn feels void as he moves to hoist his duffel over his shoulder. "I'll see you later?"

Quinn nods. "Yeah."

This goodbye is different from all the other ones. This time, there's actually a guarantee that they'll see each other again. She'll see him tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that (assuming the boys don't drive him away in tears). This goodbye doesn't leave Quinn nervous that she won't see him again for who knows how long.

He's halfway out the door when he turns back.

"Wait, I have a question. Has Keeley . . . told you anything?"

She raises an eyebrow. "'Told me anything'" she echoes. "Like how you guys dated?"

"No, no. Not about her and me. About me and . . . anything else. Like something I did?"

"I'm not a mind reader, Jamie. You're gonna have to be more specific."

"Just—never mind." He breathed a sigh that sounds like it's out of relief. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

Quinn is left alone in her office, more confused than she was before. It doesn't matter, though, because she's going to corner Keeley sometime today to ask for answers . . . and advice.

★

"We need to talk."

Keeley looks up from her tablet. "About Jamie?"

"Yes." Quinn cements her spot on the chair opposite of Keeley.

As soon as Quinn found a time where her and Keeley were both free from leaving the little bubble of their neighboring offices, she didn't hesitate to make her way a door down to finally have some sort of debrief with her on what's been going on. She brings her knees to her chest, getting comfortable in the plastic pink chair.

"Why were you so eager to tell me that you saw him? Did he mention me?"

Keeley pretends to think. "No, he didn't—but I suspect he would've if he hadn't had a one track mind on rejoining Richmond."

"Then why?"

At this, Keeley puts her tablet down on her desk. She leans close to emphasize her following words: "Because, Quinn, I'm not a fucking knob. I know you two are friends. And I know we haven't talked about Jamie loads, but that's because I wanted you to bring him up on your own time. But things are different now. Now that he's back, I'm going to need every single debrief of every single interaction."

How does Keeley know? "How do you—?"

Keeley, already reading the girl's mind, presses a finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

"Well, that just made me more confused," frowns Quinn.

"Eh, you'll survive. Stay on topic."

Quinn remembers what they were talking about initially. "Yeah, we're friends . . . ? I think. But I don't like Jamie, Keels. Not like that."

"If I tell you that I'm completely over Jamie and that I don't give a fuck about girl code, will you turn that statement around to make it true?"

"Keeley," Quinn throws her head back, groaning. She peaks her head forward. ". . . maybe."

A loud squeal leaves Keeley's lips. She stands up, heels pounding on the floor to close her office door. "Babe, that's how it's always been. And I fucking knew it!" She grabs onto Quinn's arm and pulls her up from her chair and onto the sofa. She places a pink pillow on each of their laps. "Okay, now you have to explain everything. I know you saw each other in Manchester."

Quinn gasps. "You little shit. How do you—"

"That's also a secret. I need to hear your side stat. Go on."

So, Quinn tells Keeley about the first night they met out in the parking lot. She tells her about the night at the bench—after the benefit for him and in the middle of dinner for her.

"You know, I dumped him right before that. So if you fucked him that night, it would've been fair game."

"Keeley!" Quinn's face is red. "Don't even."

"Sorry. It was quite an emotional night for you, wasn't it? I'll save the intercourse comment for a different interaction."

Quinn rolls her eyes. Then, she continues to tell Keeley about the interactions in between, the ones before training and matches. She tells her about the night of the ritual, where they cursed their fathers up and down. She tells her about Manchester (that Keeley apparently suspected happened . . . Quinn doesn't even know how she managed to deduce that). And finally, she tells her about what happened after the Man City match.

Well, not everything about after the match. She gives the key details of seeing Jamie and how he hugged her ("For reasons I can't state—mainly because I don't even know. But still! It was a personal moment."), and how he held her hand to his chest and the way it made her insides do somersaults—how it still makes her insides do somersault whenever she thinks about it.

"That's some Jane Austen shit," gapes Keeley. "I didn't know that plonker had it in him! Jesus fucking Christ."

"I thought I was gonna pass out after it all went down."

Keeley tuts. "The fact that you kept all of this from me—and Rebecca—is making me question our entire fucking friendship."

"Not the fact that I have a crush on your ex-boyfriend?"

"You're such a fucking killjoy. How do you expect to get anywhere with Jamie with that useless cloud over your head?"

"I feel guilty, Keeley," groans Quinn. She's been feeling guilty. Even finally being able to talk about it with Keeley (which she thought would never happen), isn't alleviating the guilt fully.

"Well don't. I'm serious. Can't you tell by now that I'm rooting for you guys more than I've rooted for my own parents? I can't believe you've kept all of this from us."

"Well, I told Christa about it. And it helped. But I guess it still weighed down on me, keeping it from you and Rebecca—"

"Who you are going to repeat all of this to, by the way."

"That should be fun," mutters Quinn. "Hopefully our joint brains can help me figure out what to do."

"What do you mean?"

". . . I can't keep having this crush, Keeley."

The girls looks offended. "And why not?"

"Because . . . I don't know! Don't you feel like it complicates things a bit?"

"No, I think you make it complicated for yourself."

Quinn grimaces, but she knows Keeley is right. She's been overthinking all of it for months, and now everything is all muddled and mixed with how Quinn thinks things are, and how they actually are.

"Think of it like this—you don't have to do anything. Let Jamie do all of the work!"

"Assuming that he likes me."

Keeley rolls her eyes like the thought is silly "'Assuming' that he likes you, yes. Make him work for it."

"You're saying this as if he already likes me."

"It's called manifestion, you bitch."

Quinn laughs, knowing that Keeley actually believes that will happen.

★

A/N: YAY JAMIE IS BACK!!!!!!!!