After All, I'm Your Secret Admirer~!!

Ch37 - Baker's Man

Ping!

Paige blinks up at his bedroom's ceiling as his phone's text tone goes off. At first, he decides not to answer it, but then it goes off again.

Ping!

And again.

Ping! Ping!

And finally, Paige just gets frustrated enough to check the thing.

There's several different texts. One is from Brandon, a simple "here for u" having been sent. Another is from Sue, a gif that says "GWS" is in bright, light up letters. Next to it is a small drawing of a plain faced Sue with a thumbs up.

That one, admittedly, makes Paige smile a bit.

Then there are two from OJ.

They read, "Paige, I was informed earlier today that you aren't having the best of times recently. Is that why you haven't texted in a bit? I of course have no issue with texting less, but if it's because you're not feeling well, I'd like to know so maybe I could help?"

The second one goes on to say, "I don't mean to pry, of course, but I worry about you. You're one of my dear friends and you mean a lot to me. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you, alright? Anything at all. I'll text you later to check in, but feel free to tell me if you'd rather be left alone for right now. I will absolutely respect your wishes."

Ugh. Now even OJ knew something was wrong. At this point, the whole school would know something was wrong with him. And then it'd get out that he had another person in his head. And he'd be treated like some sort of roadside attraction, people coming up to him and begging to see Leaf, telling him they'd pay him and everything to just do it once! Just do it once!...

...Paige realizes he's shaking. When did that happen?

+++

The next day, Quinn stays home. "I thought we could make pancakes and watch your favorite movie today!" she grins after he wakes up around 2 in the afternoon. "I did think you would've gotten up sooner, but that's alright. We can have pancakes whenever!"

Paige actually smiles a bit, his mom's happiness being infectious. "Alright," he yawns. "Let's make pancakes."

Quinn jumps up off of the couch and claps her hands, rubbing them together. "Alright! Mother-son bonding time a-go-go!"

She's so full of life and vigor, it restores some of Paige's. He's smiling passively, happy at the thought he and his mom get the chance to do something together for the first time in what feels like forever.

But then, once they get to the kitchen, all of the wind in Quinn's sails dry up. "Um," she giggles. "Paige, sweetie?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"We don't have any pancake mix."

Paige can't help it. He bursts out into a laugh. "Mom!" he giggles, "How long have you been up?"

"Since around 10..." she answers shyly.

"And you didn't think to check if we had mix this whole time?" He's honestly laughing the hardest he's laughed in a hot minute now. "Silly!"

"Oh, c'mon!" she laughs along with him. "Give you Mama a break, will ya? I just got so, so—" she ruffles her kid's hair, "—soooo excited to make some pancakes with my little man I forgot!"

Paige swats her hand away weakly, big grin on his face. "Mooom!" he giggles.

Quinn giggles back, and then she sighs. "It's good to see you happy again, kiddo." Her smile turns sad. "You were really starting to worry me there."