It's Not an Existential Crisis

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

*****ARIELLA's POV*****

"Heyyyyyy you love me right?" I swung around the doorway into Artie and Phil's room.

"What do you want?" Artie sighed as she folded the last of her clothing into her suitcase.

I sat cross-legged on the edge of her bed and began helping her fold, "Do you think I can possibly borrow your grey flannel because... you know, you're-"

"Fat?" She rolled her eyes.

"Pregnant! Pregnant was what I was going to say before you rudely interrupted me."

Artie rubbed her belly, "I don't look pregnant! I look fat- like I lost my will at McDonalds..."

"Artie don't say that! You're barely three months pregnant. Your baby bump will be more prominent soon."

She walked over to her closet and moved some shirts around, "Well since there is no way I can button this up anymore, take it."

She threw the top at me from across the room which I gladly accepted.

"Thanks! You're the best," I sang as I walked out.

"Yeah yeah..." She muttered under her breath.

Before I could even literally put the shirt down into my suitcase, I heard shouting from the other room.

"Ari waiiiiiit, come back!" A whiney voice yelled. I recognized this voice because I heard that exact pitch 4 times in the past couple of days.

I stood in Artie's doorway with my arms crossed.

"Yes?" I sighed.

"You know how I said I loved you?" She rocked on her heels like a kid.

"What are you craving now and from where?" I laughed.

"Okay don't judge me but-"

"Girl I'm not going to be judging you. Especially after what you wanted last week-"

"Peanut butter and pickles together are amazing thank you very much," she then collected herself, "Anyway, I want a Churrasco Thigh Burger from Nandos..."

"Wow that's oddly specific. Okay then, if that's what you want, then I will get it. This is what happens when I sign up to be your best friend, right?" I chuckled, "Do you think the boys want anything?"

"Probably not, I just saw them snacking before they started filming their Impossible Quiz Video," she shrugged.

I took the money she held out for me, and told her I would be back as soon as I could be. I grabbed my keys and raced off to the Underground as fast as I could.

*****

As I was walking out of Nandos, an unknown number popped up on my phone. I hesitated to answer it, but then my curiosity took over.

"Hello?" I asked as I held the phone to my ear with my shoulder so that I can switch Artie's food bags over to my other hand.

"Hi, is this Ariella Jones?" The mysterious voice continued on.

I cleared my throat, "Yes it is, may I ask who is calling?"

"Hi this is Angela DeFranko from Take a Break."

"Oh yes, hi! How are you?" I stopped dead in my tracks. I signed up for an art contest through their magazine like six months ago, so when it ended, I thought they would have just thrown my info away.

"Great, thank you for asking. So I'm just calling you today because we have seen some of your wonderful art projects and a couple of our column editors would love to have you be the illustrator for their pages. Would you be interested in taking this position?"