𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

31

Sending that to Toby could go two ways, he's either going to apologise and stop making me want to strangle him, or he's going to flip at me for speaking to him that way. But do you know what? I don't give a fuck.

Or do I? Ahh.

The message delivers, and I curl my feet under me while I slump on the couch, a blanket pulled over my body, elbow leaning on the armrest. I'm starting to feel a bit nervous the longer he takes to reply, and it annoys the shit out of me that I am. I shouldn't be worried if he's mad at me. I shouldn't be worried about what he will say, and I shouldn't be holding my breath until his reply comes through.

The screen lights up as Toby calls me, making my eyes widen, sitting up and knocking my blanket off. I stare at it for a few seconds, before eventually accepting.

"Hi," I answer, clearing my throat and repeating the word with more confidence.

"What's going on?" he asks, his tone calm, laced with confusion. "Are you okay?"

I may hurt him when I see him. "Are you having a fucking laugh? Like, really, are you just trying to make me lose my mind? You can't send me hundreds of messages; ignore me all day then ask that." He tries to speak, and I stop him, surely making him roll his eyes. "I'm having a shit time as it is, so if you're calling me to act like a cunt then I'm hanging up."

I wait impatiently, the line silent for a few moments, and I pull the phone away to see if he's still connected. Whiplash eventually coughs and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" I mock his words, raising a brow as if he can see me.

"Yeah, I thought... I don't know, Aria."

Unhurriedly, I make my way to the bedroom, checking on Jason once more, whispering as I go. "You sent me over two hundred messages. That's a little excessive, don't you think?"

"Now that's a little dramatic. I sent like ten, and it was because I was worried about you."

"I'm hanging up now," I tell him, seconds from pressing the button to end the call.

"No! Aria," he sighs, frustrated. "Maybe I did, I can't remember."

"Either you try, or I'm done with this, I mean it. Over two hundred, Toby. And is there a reason why you have my best friend's number?"

"Don't." His manner changes from frustrated to troubled, and I lie back on my bed, pulling the duvet over my body. "You need to stop right now."

I huff, shutting my eyes and shaking my head, thumb and finger running along my brows. "I don't have a clue what's going on here, but I do know that I'm a busy woman. I don't put up with complicated things and I definitely don't do long distance, so what is it that you want from me?"

"You said you tried to message me saying you missed me too, and now you're saying this? If anything, Aria, you're messing with my head."

He has a point, and the thought makes me sigh, softening a little.

"Okay, I missed you... then. But right now, you're annoying me. Can you ever just have a decent conversation?" I ask, listening as he opens and closes a door, the background sounds tell me he's on the ward, and I have an urge to ask how Lucy is.

"How much did you miss me?"

"A little," I answer, fighting back a smile, giving in as he lets out a breathy laugh. "Stop annoying me, please," I whine, playing with the corner of my bedding, picking at the fluff. "Can you just be normal?"

"I am normal."

"Hm, right," I murmur, twirling a thread around my finger. His light laughter has butterflies starting to take over me, my hormones and the logical part of my brain go to war. "Debatable. Especially with your message. No, your threat."