flopped | lippa

A Phone Call

"What do mean, 'missing?'" Lin stammered, confused, and panicked. "Wasn't she in here with all of you?" If this was what he thought it was... this was bad. Really bad. Lin scanned the room for Pippa, and saw her on the other side, trying to stay calm. She turned her head for a moment, and they made eye contact, but as soon as they did she turned back away- still angry, for obvious reasons. Lin knew that she knew it too, by the way, her hands nervously twiddled together and the terrified expression on her face. She was urgently and rapidly asking questions, trying to figure out what had happened to Renee.

"She was." Chris nodded. "But we were all busy talking to one another, and a few minutes later, she was nowhere to be found. And we've looked everywhere. Her car's still here. And nobody saw where she went."

"Did you try texting or calling her?" Lin asked.

"Yup. All of us did. But we haven't heard anything." Chris sighed, frustrated.

"What can I do to help?" Lin asked. 

"Just keep your eyes peeled," he suggested. "We're hoping she just went on a walk or something."

Lin agreed, and walked away, head flurrying with thoughts. What had happened to Renee, Daveed, and Andrew? Was this all related? He needed a sip of water. He walked over to where he'd been sitting earlier and picked up his glass. As he did, he noticed some writing in a red pen on the coaster.

Strike 3. It said. Lin almost spat out his water. This had to all be connected. The notes. The disappearances. He needed to talk to Pippa, but she wouldn't even so much as look at him. 

People were starting to go home, for it had gotten pretty late. The last few people were migrating to their cars. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. It was Pippa.

"Pip!" he said, wanting to tell her about the coaster. "I need to"

"I'm gonna stay with Carleigh tonight," she said coldly. 

"But, the wedding..." he started.

"I'll be there. We planned too much to cancel it all. But we're really gonna need to talk after."

Lin's face fell. She wasn't going to split up with him after, was she?

"Oh," he said quietly. "Okay. Bye, I love you." he waved.

"See ya," she said. Lin felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart. She always said, "I love you too." Never "see ya." He was so disappointed in himself for causing all of this. He wanted to crawl into a hole and escape all his problems, but he knew that wasn't an option. 

Basically everyone had left at this point, Pippa gathering up the rest of her stuff in the main hall. That's when he heard a low voice on the phone. A familiar voice. From around the corner.

"You got it? Okay good. No, I'm excited to see you too." The voice paused for a moment to listen. Lin saw the person look around to make sure nobody was around- little did they know he was around the building corner. 

"Mhm. Yes, I placed the coaster. Yup, he looked scared. He should be. For Pippa at least." 

Lin's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. There was no way. He covered his mouth to keep from loudly gasping. He felt cold and pale like he was about to pass out from shock. His heart began to beat rapidly. This was not happening. It couldn't be. It all made sense now. 

They looked around again before hanging up the phone and heading in the opposite direction. Lin sprinted inside to find Pippa and tell her what he'd just witnessed. Warn her.

He caught her inside as she swung her purse over her shoulder, about to leave with Carleigh.

"Pippa!" he yelled. "I need to tell you something."

"Not now, Lin. We'll talk tomorrow." she droned, looking down and walking past him.

"No, Pip, listen to me! Please!" he begged.

"I'm not your property." she snapped. "I don't have to listen to you."

And with that, she got into Carleigh's car and they drove away.

"No..." Lin whispered to himself. "No, no, no..." This was not good. She wouldn't give him a chance to talk. This was crucial information. She needed to know.

He climbed into his car and turned on the engine, his mind a storm of thoughts and worries that only got worse as he drove back to their apartment. 

When he arrived, he kicked off his shoes and plopped on the couch. He needed to get his mind off of things. Maybe watching Mad Men would do the trick? He switched on the TV. When he processed what was on, he felt his breath become unsteady and his hands shaky. It was a news channel. And the headline made him shiver.

"Wanted criminal Jasmine Cephas Jones, formally arrested for the attempted murder of Phillipa Soo, escapes federal prison."

He dialed Pippa's number, hoping with all his heart that she would pick up. But it went straight to voicemail. 

His eyes began to fill with tears, and his head with worries. Worries that he'd never see his true love again. Worries that he wouldn't be able to tell her what was on the news that night. Or that Anthony was the one he'd heard on that phone call.