Chapter 2: The World Begins To Tilt

Maybe not everything is alright

“Cheque please!” 

Philip raised his hands in a slight beckoning motion to the young Asian waitress who had taken their order to their corner table. She eagerly rushed over with a small piece of parchment with the damages done by the food. When she had gone, Phil turned back to Jocelyn who looked out the window beside her secluded seat. “Do you want to pay or should I?” She didn't bother to look at him, not a glance spared for anything but the pigeons pecking and the scattered remains of a once cheeseburger. “I know how you feel about this…” he trailed off. Ever since the day of the carnival about a week ago she has become more distant than before. She spent more time alone locked in the closet talking to someone, most likely her mother. First the distance, now this. “Hey, honey are you alright?” She nodded and mumbled a “Yeah.” Not wishing to push the matter further he set his debit card on the unpaid bill and stared at it for a minute before it was whisked away as fast as it had come. “Do you just want to go home? I know we planned to…” “Yes,” Jocelyn sighed, “let's just go home.” she stood from the creaky seat and began donning her down vest. As she reached for her beanie a larger hand landed on top of hers. “Are you sure everything is OK? You can always talk to me, you know.” Without looking up she just grabbed the beanie and shoved it on her head. “Yeah I just,” she gently grasped his hand in hers, “I'm tired and stressed…” Not to mention  a little confused. She had thought that her life was so neat and clean like her bed or her notebook. But now this Clint has introduced an entire new bedspread. One that didn’t quite fit the mattress but felt twice as soft. She looked Phil in the eyes and put on a sincere half smile “Let's go home, check on Emily. Maybe we could grab dessert on the way, sound good?” Cheesesteak was clearly not extremely pleased with her skirting around the question but instead of voicing it he only returned the half smile. “Sure, sounds good.”

For a small West Virginian town it was rather odd that it would have a Gelato place but such was the reality. It was a small shop residing not far from the college called Giovanni's. The shop was nothing major to look at and had you been new to town you may skip over the rundown shop without a second glance. But those who look past the dilapidated exterior are greeted by a passionate Italian grandma who speaks broken English at best and her grandson who speaks for her in a heavy accent. “Il nipote!,” she shouted into the back when the bell on the door rang, “si prende cura delle persone adorabili!” a prompt response rang from behind the curtained door “Sì sì nonna dammi un secondo!” He walked out and upon seeing them his customer service smile turned into a genuine grin. The pair had been in Giovanni's numerous times in the past 2 years and had even been dubbed as “Ma familia! Ayyyy, how is my favorite couple in town?” Jo smiled back at the tall boy “Fantastic, Emilio! How is Nonna today?” He nodded softly “She is doing alright for a sambuco. Her memory is becoming no good. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Enough of the woes for today, what can I get you amici!” Jo was part way through ordering a yellow tinted scoop of lemon when the small cowbell strapped to the door rang again. Normally someone else stepping into the shop would never be an issue. And had it not been for the all too recognizable stature and charm of the someone else then Jo would have finished placing her order and taken a seat across from the counter. But as her eye caught the sight of Clint's smile she stumbled over her own tongue tied self and ordered chocolate. She took a seat with her boyfriend and a second later she overheard Clint placing his order “I'll have what she had.” Phil probably said something about loving gelato or whatever but it was Clint that held her attention. Phil noticed this and jealousy flooded his body. Why can’t I hold her attention like that? What is so fantastic about him anyways? When the tall and annoyingly handsome man sat at a nearby table Phil excused himself and with an absent minded nod from his girlfriend he walked to the bathroom. Before leaving he turned on the video on his phone and laid it face down on the table. When he returned the tall man had left and Jo had moved over a chair and was blushing slightly despite her best attempts to hide it. “Who was that, honey?” She looked down at her half eaten gelato “Just someone from class…” “Which class?” “Um…creative writing…I…uh picked it up a couple days ago. Figured it might be fun.” It was true that she had, in fact, picked up a creative writing class this semester but the reasons behind it were very different than those voiced. For ever since she had been first taught to hold a pen she had been absolutely enamored with the idea of writing. Unfortunately this love was backed by the equivalent of absolutely zero skill. She could make the mad ramblings of the maddest of men look like Shakespeare. The true reason she embraced this shame was the very fact that Clint mentioned that he also went to Cambry Partiasani University and was, in fact, an English major with an emphasis in creative writing. So, if it led to more time with him, then creative writing she shall do. Phil stopped the recording as casually as he could before they continued eating in the same awkward silence as was present at the restaurant. The walk home was no different. 

When they began to crawl into their respective sleeping attire. Jo: an oversized Brandon Sanderson tee shirt and pink fuzzy socks. Phil: an old stained pair of Calvin Klein boxers and a white tank top. When he felt the time was right and his courage was high enough, Phil excused himself to use the bathroom making sure to transport his phone with him. When the door was shut he held the crummy speaker up to his ear and pressed ‘play’. Immediately the speaker blared to life with a voice that was all too familiar: “Hey, Clint…funny seeing you here hahaha.” So his name is Clint. “I know right! I just discovered this place last week and it really is the best dessert place in town. I had no idea you also came here…” don't lie, Clint. You definitely knew. “Of course! It's nice to see you here. I’m just here with my boyfriend.” “Oh,” The sound of a sliding chair screeched through the speaker, “I didn’t know that you…well, I should probably leave…” His voice grew more distant. “No, no it's ok. You can stay.” She wants him there. He grimaced but couldn’t pull his ear away. “I don't want to make your boyfriend angry-” “Dont worry about it, Phil doesn’t get mad anyway. Come to think of it, I have never seen him actually mad ever.” The sound of a hesitant sliding chair being slid back into the table from which it came. “Ok, does he also go to college here?” “Oh, yes. He is a business major, like me.” She didn’t sound thrilled about that. “I will be honest with you, I’m not sure if I really love him anymore.” She must not mean that, she wasn't herself that day anyway. If she doesn’t love me then why would she still kiss me or sleep with me? “Woah, woah, woah I’m not sure if you want to be doing this right now.” Again the screech of the chair. “I really should go, see you around Jo.” Foot steps, the ring of the door closing. Jo began to mumble to herself. He could only make out some of the words. “Oh God…headache…Maybe…wrong?” Click. See? Delusional. He pulled the speaker away from his ear, flushed the toilet for posterity and walked out, making sure to pet Emily on the way to the bedroom.

She closed the computer and stood from her chair in the cafe. The cafe in question had been closed for half an hour but the crew was composed of fans and so they were willing to let her stay for a bit longer. Waving her thanks she stepped through the door and into the rainy street. Had it not been for her umbrella she would have been soaked in a matter of moments. Taking a deep breath of rain saturated air she began to walk in the direction of her apartment. Being a bestselling author does not exactly stop you from having to live in a studio and she was no exception. After 15 minutes of splashing through the lake of New York City she arrived at the door. A short trek up the stairs and she arrived at 301. Grateful for the warmth she took one last look at her laptop before setting onto the night stand beside her bed and plugging it in.