Echoes of Home

Chapter 23: Echoes of home 

Quinn felt the weight of exhaustion settle over him the moment he finally lay down in his bed after a long day of traveling. Even though his body had been enhanced by the genetic drugs, which meant he rarely felt physically tired, his mind was another story. Convincing his parents to accept both the Range Rover and the reality of his wealth had taken an unexpected emotional toll. His mind had been racing all day, and now that he was back in his room, the mental strain finally caught up with him.

He let out a long sigh as his head sank into the pillow, pulling the blanket tightly around himself. The familiar comfort of home, combined with the fatigue, allowed him to drift off almost immediately. Within minutes, Quinn was sound asleep, his breathing slow and deep, lost in dreams.

On the other hand, Lisa, who was lying on his bed for the first time, found it difficult to relax. It wasn't that the bed was uncomfortable—on the contrary, it was perfectly cozy—but sleeping in the same room as Quinn, in his childhood home, made her feel restless. She had never stayed the night at a guy's place before, let alone shared a room with one. Though they weren't sharing the bed, the thought of being in such close proximity to him stirred a mix of nervousness and excitement.

Lisa lay there in silence, listening to the faint sounds of Quinn's steady breathing. She rolled onto her side, facing the wall, and tried to calm her racing thoughts. But no matter how hard she tried, sleep just wouldn't come.

After what felt like an eternity of tossing and turning, she quietly called out, "Quinn?"

There was no response.

"Quinn?" she repeated, her voice a little louder this time. Still nothing. She frowned and rolled over to glance at him, hoping he might stir.

But to her surprise, Quinn was completely knocked out, hugging his blanket tightly like it was some sort of lifeline. His face was peaceful, and his body was relaxed. It was clear that nothing short of an earthquake would wake him from his deep slumber.

Lisa couldn't help but smile a little at the sight. He looked so different when he was asleep—calm, even innocent. It was a sharp contrast to the focused, determined version of him that she had come to know.

With a quiet sigh, she turned back over and closed her eyes again. The day had been long for her too, but it took another thirty minutes of restlessness before sleep finally claimed her as well.

---

The next morning, Quinn was still deep in sleep, sprawled out on the mattress when the soft sounds of footsteps entered his room. Lisa, now refreshed after her restless night, stood in the doorway with his mother, both of them exchanging amused glances as they looked at the still-sleeping Quinn.

"Honestly," his mother sighed, shaking her head. "He hasn't changed at all."

Lisa giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Is he always this hard to wake up?"

"Oh, you have no idea," his mother replied with a chuckle. "Watch this."

She stepped forward and gently shook Quinn's shoulder. "Quinn, wake up. It's morning."

Quinn didn't stir.

She shook him again, a little more firmly this time. "Quinn! It's time to get up."

Still, no response. Quinn remained blissfully asleep, unaware of his surroundings.

His mother sighed dramatically and turned to Lisa. "See what I mean? This boy could sleep through anything."

Lisa smiled but said nothing, watching curiously as Quinn's mother reached for something nearby—a slipper.

With expert precision, Quinn's mother lifted the slipper and gave Quinn's blanket-covered leg a light swat. "Get up, you lazy boy!"

The slap wasn't hard, but it was enough to jolt Quinn awake. His eyes flew open, and he instinctively rolled over, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as if it would protect him from further slipper attacks.

"Ow, Mom! What the heck?" Quinn groaned, still half-asleep. He blinked groggily and rubbed his eyes, squinting up at his mother, who was standing over him with a mischievous grin.

"You brat," she scolded playfully, crossing her arms. "Do you know how long I've been trying to wake you up? You're not a kid anymore. Get up!"

Quinn grumbled something under his breath, still not fully awake, but then his eyes caught sight of Lisa standing just behind his mother. She was grinning, trying to suppress her laughter as she watched the scene unfold.

For a moment, Quinn felt a flash of embarrassment. He hadn't expected his mom to wake him up in front of Lisa like that. He shot Lisa a fierce look, half-playfully, half-annoyed. "Don't laugh," he muttered.

Lisa, however, stuck her tongue out at him teasingly, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Before Quinn could say anything else, his mother gave his ear a gentle tug, pulling him up from the mattress. "Don't you dare glare at your girlfriend like that!" she scolded. "And don't be rude. Now, get dressed. You're going out to show Lisa around town."

Quinn sighed, his resistance fading. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slowly got to his feet, stretching his arms above his head. "Alright, alright. I'm up."

His mother gave him one last pat on the shoulder and left the room, leaving him and Lisa alone.

Quinn yawned and looked over at Lisa, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed, still smiling. "Did you sleep well?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Well enough. You?"

Lisa blushed slightly, remembering how awkward she had felt the night before. "Took me a while, but I managed."

Quinn chuckled softly, still feeling a little embarrassed about the whole morning ordeal. "Guess I'm not as easy to wake up as I thought."

"You think?" Lisa teased, standing up. "Come on, let's go. Your mom said we should explore the town."

---

A short while later, after breakfast and freshening up, Quinn and Lisa stepped out of the house into the bright morning sun. The small town where Quinn had grown up felt different to him now. It was familiar, yet somehow distant—like a place that belonged to a past version of himself. Walking down the streets with Lisa by his side made him feel like a tourist in his own hometown.

"So," Lisa said, glancing around as they walked, "show me the places where little Quinn used to run around."

Quinn smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You sure you want to see all that? It's not exactly glamorous."

Lisa laughed. "I didn't expect it to be glamorous. I want to see where you grew up."

Quinn pointed out a few landmarks as they strolled through the town. The park where he used to play soccer with his friends, the small corner store where he used to buy snacks after school, and the high school where he spent his teenage years.

As they passed the old ice cream shop, Quinn couldn't help but smile at the memories. "This place used to be my favorite. Best ice cream in town."

Lisa's eyes lit up. "Oh? Is it still open?"

"Yeah, but it's not as good as it used to be," Quinn admitted. "But we can still check it out if you want."

Lisa nodded eagerly. "Let's do it."

They stopped by the ice cream shop, where they ordered two cones and sat on a nearby bench to enjoy them. As they sat together, licking their ice cream in the warm sun, Quinn felt a sense of nostalgia wash over him. It had been so long since he'd just sat like this, enjoying the simplicity of life without worrying about business, money, or responsibilities.

Lisa looked over at him, smiling softly. "Thanks for showing me around, Quinn. I'm glad I got to see this side of you."

Quinn chuckled. "It's nothing special, really. Just a small town."

"But it's your small town," she said, her voice gentle. "And that makes it special."

Quinn's heart warmed at her words, and for a moment, he forgot all about the chaos of his life in the city. Here, in this quiet town, with Lisa by his side, everything felt peaceful.

He smiled back at her. "Yeah. I guess it is."