CHAPTER FOUR- TEST

Quinn hears a knock on the door and rushes to open it. Morgan stands there with a bag full of ready-made cocktails and a smile on her face.

"Hey, I brought some reinforcements," Morgan says, holding up the bag.

Quinn returns the smile and hugs her friend. "Thank you, I really need this."

They make their way to the living room, and Morgan sets the bag down on the coffee table. She takes out two cocktails and hands one to Quinn.

"Cheers to new beginnings," Morgan says, clinking her cocktail against Quinn's.

Quinn takes a sip and feels the warmth spread through her body. She looks at the empty ice cream tub on the coffee table and feels a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Quinn says, gesturing to the ice cream tub.

Morgan waves her off. "Don't worry about it, I've had my fair share of ice cream binges too."

They chat for a while, and Morgan tells Quinn about her latest dating escapades. Quinn listens intently, grateful for the distraction. But as the night wears on, she can't help but think about Declan.

"Hey, is everything okay with you and Declan?" Morgan asks, noticing Quinn's distant expression.

Quinn sighs. "I don't know, we had a bit of a disagreement earlier. He left and hasn't come back yet."

Morgan looks concerned. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

Quinn shakes her head. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine. I just need some time to think."

Morgan nods and finishes her cocktail. "Alright, I should get going. Call me if you need anything."

Quinn walks Morgan to the door and watches as she gets into her car and drives away. She closes the door and leans against it, feeling more alone than ever.

She takes a deep breath and makes her way to the kitchen. She opens the fridge and takes out a bottle of water. She notices Declan's favorite sandwich on a plate and feels a twinge of sadness.

She decides to call him again, but it goes straight to voicemail. She leaves a message, hoping he'll call her back soon.

Quinn spends the rest of the night in the living room, staring at the blank TV screen. She can't shake off the feeling of unease that has settled in her chest.

As the night wears on, she falls asleep on the couch, still clutching her phone in her hand.

The next morning, Quinn wakes up to the sound of her phone ringing. She fumbles for it and answers, hoping it's Declan.

"Hello?" she says, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"Hey, it's me," Declan says, his voice distant.

"Where have you been? I was worried about you," Quinn says, sitting up on the couch.

"I'm sorry, I needed some time to clear my head," Declan says.

Quinn can hear the exhaustion in his voice and feels a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you like that."

"No, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did," Declan says.

They make plans to meet for lunch, and Quinn hangs up, feeling relieved. She gets up from the couch and stretches, feeling the weight of the past 24 hours lift from her shoulders.

She decides to take a shower and get ready for the day. As she steps into the shower, she feels a sense of hope. Maybe they can work through their issues and come out stronger on the other side.

But as she washes the shampoo from her hair, she can't shake off the feeling that something is still not right.

Little does she know, the real test is yet to come.

 ...

Quinn meets Declan for lunch at their favorite restaurant. She notices that he looks tired and stressed, and she wonders what could be going on in his mind. They order their food, and Quinn decides to bring up the elephant in the room.

"Declan, we need to talk about what happened earlier," Quinn says, looking him in the eyes.

Declan sighs and rubs his forehead. "I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that."

"What's going on with you? You've been acting strange lately," Quinn says, reaching for his hand.

Declan hesitates for a moment before taking her hand in his. "I've been under a lot of pressure at work. My boss is putting a lot of pressure on me to meet impossible deadlines, and it's been taking a toll on me."

Quinn nods, understanding his situation. "Why didn't you tell me? I'm here for you, you know that."

"I didn't want to burden you with my problems. You have enough on your plate already," Declan says, looking down at their hands.

Quinn squeezes his hand gently. "We're a team, Declan. We're in this together. I want to help you."

Declan looks up and smiles weakly. "Thank you, Quinn. I appreciate it."

They finish their lunch, and Quinn suggests that they go for a walk in the park. The fresh air and exercise help to clear their minds, and they enjoy each other's company.

As they walk, Declan brings up the box that Quinn found in the basement. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that box. It's nothing important, just some old car parts that I've been meaning to fix."

Quinn nods, feeling relieved. "I thought it was something more serious. I was worried."

Declan chuckles. "No, just some old junk. I'll take care of it."

They spend the rest of the day together, and Quinn feels grateful for Declan's honesty and openness. She realizes that communication is key in any relationship, and she's glad that they were able to talk things out.

As they head home, Quinn feels a sense of peace and contentment. She knows that there will be ups and downs in their relationship, but as long as they communicate and support each other, they can get through anything.

Well... maybe not anything.