Quinn pursed her lips as she leaned back in her chair suppressing a smile. She really didn't think that Alison would go as far as lying to her mother. With a friend like her who needs enemies?
She suddenly wanted to smoke on the rooftop to relieve the ache in her heart. Mrs. Bach didn't seem to be pleased by her reaction. Her face turned as black as the bottom of a charcoal pot as she reprimanded her.
"What are you smiling for? As expected you lack maternal education. If you have no mother to teach you then I will educate you," she said and the quirk at the corner of Quinn's lips fell her anger stifling her.
They could insult her from top to bottom but she couldn't tolerate anyone insulting her mother. Her fist clenched till her nails were digging into her palm she said, "If anyone lacks maternal education it is your daughter. Check her call logs. She called me to hang out with her. She is the one who suggested we go to that mansion. Your daughter was drunk and told me that the owner of that mansion was her cheating ex-boyfriend. Now that she has gotten into trouble she lies about it and you come running here to find fault with me," trying her best to keep her language civil.
Mrs. Bach didn't take kindly to her words. She clenched her jaw tightly her eyes brimming with anger. In her mind, her daughter would never do such a thing that would embarrass her family. She knew how much Leif's support in the upcoming elections was thus she would never do anything to jeopardise her boss' re-election.
It had to be this violent and unrestrained dog's fault. Quinn was of mafia blood and grew up in a crime-rich environment. Everything from bullying to smuggling, she had been exposed to. Yet here she was blaming her sweet obedient daughter for this absurd crime.
"You not only commit crimes but also lie about them. You son of a bitch, you can't even take accountability. Like I said where your mother failed I will step in and educate you. I will make sure you sit in a prison for this. Maybe that will wake you up a little so you don't end up like your grandfather. Tsk, let's go," she said before getting up with a humph.
The loud clanking of heels followed as she angrily stormed out of the canteen. Each clank stabbed straight into Quinn's heart as though tormenting her. She closed her eyes trying to calm herself down but the turmoil in her heart lingered for the rest of the day.
Now that her future wasn't certain Quinn couldn't help but check her savings at lunch break. She wanted to know how long the money would last her mother if she went to prison. Her coworkers were concerned for her asking who that woman was and how she offended her but Quinn couldn't talk about it.
A dark gloomy cloud loomed over her for the rest of the day and with a dejected appearance she knocked off work dragging her feet to the subway. When she reached home she changed into her comfortable panda onesie and took out an entire bucket of ice cream reserved for Saturdays and slumped on the couch with her feet.
She turned on the television and streamed some brain-dead romance series while resisting the urge to unlock her cell phone and search online what prison is like. It couldn't be as bad as the darkroom in her grandfather's house, right?
Spoon after spoon Quinn almost demolished the entire bucket when the door to her apartment was knocked. She lazily put on her boot slippers and reached the door before checking the peephole.
When she saw the pink packet through the peephole her eyes brightened a little as she opened the door. Nick was standing outside with the promised cake.
He was smiling happily but the smile on his face stiffened when he saw the chocolate smudge at the corner of her lips. "Binge eating ice cream again?" he asked and she took the box from him seeming aggrieved.
"I had a shitty day and I am an adult. I can eat whatever I want," she said while tugging the strings on the tiny box.
"Okay, adult. Just don't get a tummy ache. You have work tomorrow," said Nick before turning to leave. "Oh and um, you have a little something there," he said pointing at her lips.
Quinn touched the corner of her lips and sure enough, there was a chocolate smudge. "Thank you," she yelled after him and Nick nodded his head lightly while unlocking his door.
With a giddy smile, Quinn closed her apartment door. While she was indulging in the sweet taste, the true person who bought that cake was sitting in the backseat with his eyes closed slightly.
Bzz bzz bzz… bzz bzz bzz
The sound of his ringing cell phone woke him up. Leif picked it up and when he realized who it was he reluctantly answered. He had been waiting for this call for a very long time and was ready for it.
Mrs. Bach's tyrannical voice came through the phone and Leif moved his head a way to prevent his ears from bleeding.
"… I heard your home was broken into and my daughter was involved," said Mrs. Bach and Leif's brows furrowed slightly.
"En," he replied his tone cold and unfriendly like he was disinterested.
"My daughter couldn't have thought of this. It was all that Quinn girl or whatever her name is's fault. She made my daughter do such a thing and I don't think you should let it go," she said sincerely believing that Leif would give her some face but who would have thought things wouldn't go her way?
"If I press charges against her I will press charges on your daughter as well. Like I said before put a muzzle on Miss Bach otherwise I won't be polite next time," he replied and immediately hung up the call.
The du du du sound of the call getting hung up echoed in her ear and her face turned ugly. Since Leif wouldn't deal with her then she would deal with her personally. Such a criminal element shouldn't be mingling in society but unfortunately, she couldn't take her off the streets.