Passionately Infatuated | pjm

Chapter 24

"Oh nah, don't you put the blame on me, you skinny ass bitch," Quinn argued as she took on a more threatening stance. "I just put your thoughts down into text. Those words were all coming from you!"

"I know, I'm sorry," I sighed in a frustrated manner. "You're right. I should put on my big girl pants and deal with that shit."

"Damn straight," she nodded. "So, what do you think of Southern Italy? It's sunny and beautiful. Maybe I could visit you on the holidays or just move there with you..."

"Quinn!" I cut her off. "I'm not moving to Italy."

"Why? Oh, you prefer France. Perhaps you're right, they have all that wine..."

"Shut up. I'm trying to think."

"Don't think too much. That's never good. One time I was trying to solve a crossword puzzle and I got a pimple on my forehead from thinking too much. Then I had to-"

My phone rang.

We both screeched. The shock brought a sudden quietness. I looked over to Quinn who seemed as if she had been electrocuted.

"I thought it was dead!" I groaned.

"Kill it with fire!" Quinn hissed, glaring at the little object aggressively.

The phone continued ringing insistently. I leaned down and grabbed it, tossing it in her direction.

"Answer it!"

She was blindsided, jumping back. "And say what?!"

"Say I'm dead!" I blurt out.

"No way!"

"Okay, then tell him that, uh... I had a nervous breakdown and was admitted in a mental facility!" I nodded quickly. "I mean, that could work, right?"

"Di, I am taking the concept of mental health very seriously and I'm not gonna use it as an excuse for you not to take responsibility." Quinn replied, very solemnly all of a sudden.

"Okay, then uh..." I tried brainstorming while the phone kept ringing harshly. "Say that a donkey stole my phone and texted him!"

"You're crazy!" Quinn shrieked. "We need a better explanation, and we need it quick!"

She grabbed the phone in her hand and clumsily flung it in my direction. In the process of doing so, her thumb grazed the screen and it lit up.

"AHHH!" I screamed wordlessly, covering my eyes in horror.

There was silence. I couldn't dare look through my fingers, but I caught a glimpse of the call counting off seconds.

A man's voice spoke deeply.

"Hello? Di?"

The silence grew longer and I could practically hear the blood rushing in my ears. My anxiety was so heightened I could not process what was happening right now.

"Hello? Di, this isn't funny, I can hear you breathing."

Quinn's reaction was so sudden she gave me a jump-scare.

"BOSSMAN! It's you!" she chirped, throwing herself against the couch and taking the phone in her hands. Her eyes lit up as she vigorously pointed at the caller ID. It was our boss, Rain.

Oh, shit. So that's what having a heart attack feels like.

"I have never been more happy to hear your voice!" Quinn said in a singsongy voice, her face glowing joyfully.

I couldn't see his face, but I could sense Rain was abashed. He didn't expect that.

"It's... very nice to hear from you too, Quinn." He said in a voice that was too calm to be natural. He sounded formal.