Lover // n.h au

Part 9

Warning: NSFW (no readers under 18 please)

•••

It was a particularly bad day. One of those days where Quinn just knew she shouldn't have gotten out of bed. She could attribute it to the fact that she didn't sleep. Or the fact that she'd hardly talked to Niall in a week. Or maybe it was the fact that her mother had left her four voicemails throughout the night which resulted in her unable to sleep.

Whatever it was, there was something in the air. It was a storm cloud. Quinn could practically see it as she walked into work. She was early because she tossed and turned the whole night, giving up around five.

Her boss was waiting for her, a frown on her face which never was a good sign. Quinn barely got a breath out before her boss jumped on her about an article that wasn't done. And Quinn was finding herself confused because obviously she can't write an article if she doesn't know about it that's kind of like philosophy. Philosophy is kind of like one of the pillars for which the natural history museum was built on.

Quinn was angry. Not because she was given a deadline. She could meet the deadline. Quinn was angry because it wasn't her fault and somehow when things went to shit they were not her boss's fault, they were Quinn's. Quinn hated it.

It had her sitting at her desk ready to cry, ready to pull her hair out because it wasn't fair to be this stressed out and angry about a job she only half liked. Quinn was suddenly angry at herself for in this moment of deep frustration she wanted nothing more than to hear Niall's voice.

"Fuck," Quinn breathed out, feeling her eyes sting. She would not cry in her office. She wouldn't. "This day is so stupid," she mumbled, picking up her phone.

Her fingers moved on their own, dialing Niall's number. She pressed the phone to her ear, knee bouncing under her desk. She clutched her cup of coffee in her other hand, lip tucked between her teeth.

On the last ring, Niall picked up, voice rough and scratchy. "What's up," he whispered.

Quinn was angry with herself all over again because she'd woken him up and he didn't deserve that. For her to be waking him up at the smallest inconvenience. "Sorry were you sleeping," Quinn answered after a moment.

"Yeah I was," Niall cleared his throat. "Fuck it's early."

"I'm sorry," Quinn repeated. Her voice cracked and she knew he could hear it. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for his response.

"What's going on?" Niall asked softly. "Talk t'me."

"I hate it here," Quinn rushed out, clenching her fist. "I hate it here. Everything is my fault. All the time and I fuck-" Quinn cut off with a strangled groan. "I hate it," she whispered.

"Are ya at work?" Niall asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm at work," Quinn told him.

"Why?" He asked though she could hear shuffling on his end.

"I couldn't sleep," Quinn admitted quietly. "So I came in early. What kind of person goes in to work when they can't sleep? I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Niall chuckled. "I'm..." he trailed off. "I'm going to come pick you up. We can go for a drive. Grab something to eat."

"No it's okay," Quinn protested weakly. She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sure you have a ton of shit to do today."

"I don't," Niall replied firmly. "I have the day off."

The thought of getting the whole day with Niall was so relieving. Quinn took a deep breath, nodding her head. "Okay."

"I'll be there in a few," Niall told her. "Don't do anything rash, okay?"