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october 2023
"QUINN? ARE YOU OKAY?" Louis's voice crackled through the phone, laced with concern. Quinn could hear the faint sounds of laughter and indistinct chatter in the background, but his focus was on her—his worry unmistakable.
She had called him but now found herself frozen, unable to speak. The silence on her end was broken only by the soft, shaky sniffles that escaped as she wandered aimlessly down the dimly lit street, her arms wrapped tightly around herself for comfort.
Her breath hitched as she finally mustered the words, her voice fragile. "Are you busy? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called..." Her eyes flickered over the glowing storefronts, blurred by the tears she refused to let fall.
"No, no. Don't apologize," Louis quickly reassured her, his voice softening. "I'm just with some friends, but I can leave. Do you want me to come pick you up? Where are you?"
Quinn glanced around, feeling disoriented as she tried to piece together her surroundings. Her mind felt foggy, the night a hazy blur of faces and sounds. "I was with some girls..." she started, her voice trailing off. "But they all disappeared. And I don't know where my phone is..."
There was a brief pause before Louis responded, his tone gently bemused but still worried. "Quinn... you're holding it. Are you drunk?"
She blinked, staring down at her hand as if seeing her phone for the first time, her grip on reality slipping further.
"Maybe a little," Quinn admitted, her voice small and sheepish. She wiped the back of her hand across her damp cheek, feeling the night air prickle her skin as she walked. The streetlights flickered overhead, casting long shadows on the pavement, making the world around her feel just as unsteady as she did.
"It's Tuesday," Louis reminded her, his voice steady, trying to keep her grounded. "Send me your location. I'll come get you."
Quinn shook her head instinctively, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "No, it's alright," she murmured, her eyes scanning the dark street, though it all looked unfamiliar. "I have my car... somewhere." Her voice trailed off, uncertain.
"You're clearly drunk," Louis said, more firmly now, his concern deepening. "You can't drive drunk."
Quinn's lips quirked into a sad smile, knowing he was right but still unwilling to give in. "I'll find someone, then. I don't want to ruin your... your date or whatever," she said, stumbling slightly as her thoughts became more tangled.
"It's not a date," Louis corrected her, his tone lightening as he tried to put her at ease. "I'm just with some of my old castmates and their friends. I can leave, Quinn. You wouldn't ruin anything."
