Texts From Him || Timothée Chalamet

22

"Shit," Winnie muttered. She answered the call without hesitation, her phone on her ear. "Mom??"

Her mother never called her while she was at work. She had only ever texted, to remind Winnie to pick up prescriptions, which she would always remeber to do anyway, or get groceries.

"Winnie," her mother's voice was calm but something was up. "I think–"

"I'll be right there, mom," Winnie assured her, already retracing her steps back out the door.

"Get a taxi and I'll pay," she said meekly.

"Don't worry. And call an ambulance now, don't wait for me," she waited for her mother's okay and then hung up.

An ambulance would be a large cost, but Winnie had some money set aside for this exact situation. To her, her mother's life was worth every cent. There was no question.

It took less than a minute to flag a taxi down. There was still no sign of Jayson. Winnie didn't want to think about it. But she flicked him a quick message, letting him know she'd headed home.

She jumped into the cab, and told the driver her address. Winnie let her back hit the seat, realising there was nothing more she could do. The ride home would take half an hour, likely more.  At least it wasn't rush hour, but Manhattan traffic at any time of the day was unforgiving. Now still, the noise in her head grew. Tears welled. She found her phone in her bag. A distraction.

Timothy.

She wanted to tell him.
—

Winnie:
I don't think I can call tonight. Mom's not good.

—
She starred at the chat, watching as the screen eventually dimmed and blackened. Uneasy, she tapped her phone against her thigh. The feeling of dread–that she was trying to ward off–was overcoming her.

Please reply, she thought, biting back tears.

She considered calling him. But no, she realised, she didn't know what he was doing right now. And what would he do? Was he even in New York right now? Would he even show up if she wanted him to?

Winnie didn't know Timothy.

How silly she was to confide in someone she'd never met, never seen. He didn't count as a friend, not really. That left her with no one. Everyone else had been pushed away. And now, when she needed someone, there was no one there.