LIVING THE DREAM ✅

Twenty: The truth, the lunch and the sick

"I can't believe you were right," William laughed, his eyes looking at petri dishes with a lot more microbial growth compared to the petri dishes Hayley left in the incubator at the lab. "Someone is actually trying to actively sabotage the experiments. Why? Who?"

"I told you. That receptionist is probably the one. I wouldn't talk about suspects without mentioning her."

"Again, maybe you're right. Should we tell Theo about it?"

Hayley was about to shake her head no but was cut off by the familiar deep voice.
"Tell me what?"

William shrieked and ran out of the lab, leaving Hayley to think of something. She didn't have to though because Theo's attention was immediately caught by the petri dishes.

"Hmm. This is impressive," he hummed. "I am really impressed. Today, we'll have to do the streaking and incubate again for twenty four hours. You know how to streak?"

Hayley nodded. "I do."

"Good. When everything is finished, come and find me in the sensory evaluation lab. I'll treat both of you to lunch."

"Thanks, Theo."

"No," he patted her shoulder. "Thank you."

Once again, like the previous week, she did the streaking twice - leaving one set in the incubator and keeping the other to take home. The fact that she could get accurate results from an experiment conducted at home and not the one kept at the lab was concerning. However, she also didn't know how to bring up the conversation to Theo.

Once she was finished with everything, she called out to William - who first excused himself for a short call - to go for lunch. She found Theo right outside the sensory lab making a phone call which he disconnected when he saw her.

"Ready for lunch?" his voice boomed through the empty corridors

"Let's go," she followed him outside, William following them a few minutes later.

Theo drove them to the diner from before and got them a booth in the corner - just like before.
"How is Hannah?" Theo asked, his eyes directed towards Hayley.

Hayley took a sip out of her water and replied, "she's alright. Mitchell's been trying to get her to come live with us but she's still hesitating for some reason."

"Hmm. That sounds like Hannah. She doesn't want to bother people alot, but I'm glad your sister and Claire are there for her."

"May I ask something personal?"

Theo nodded. "Sure."

"How close were you and Hannah at uni?"

William let out a loud snort and his shoulders shook with laughter.
"If you are thinking more than friends, nope. Theo doesn't have the balls to ask someone out."

Theo glared at his brother.
"I so do!"

"Then why have you never had a girlfriend I've met? That receptionist has been throwing herself at you since forever."

"I don't like her like that- why am I explaining myself to you? It's not like you have the balls either!"

"Hey!" William gasped

"To answer your question, Hannah and I were nothing but friends," Theo turned to Hayley. "She was a very good friend to me actually. I felt bad that I couldn't help her when she was going through stuff when she has actually been with me through worse."

"Well, she's okay now. I hope."

"She does look okay, at least she did last night at Claire's," Theo nodded

After lunch, Theo gave them an afternoon off because he had a meeting with Hayley's supervisor from school. Hayley cried, wailed, begged and made puppy eyes at him to convince him to say good things to the supervisor.

"What if they tell my supervisor that I was involved in a prank with the receptionist?" Hayley whined as William drove her home

"Theo will tell your supervisor no such thing!" William laughed. "You know what? How about we do something to distract you?"

"Distract me?"

"Uh huh," William nodded. "How about we go driving again? It's been long since you touched the steering wheel."

"But-"

"There's basically no traffic at the flyover this time of the day. We can do all the crazy shit we want and we won't cause any harm."

"Are you sure?"

William chuckled. "When have I ever been sure of anything? Huh?"

It was fun at first, with William helping Hayley change the gears, how to reverse the car, making a turn and well, most of the basics and Hayley was having fun just turning the steering wheel. They drove from one end of the flyover, made a turn and drove back to where they came from.

"Do you feel like a pro now?"

"It's fun," Hayley agreed. "I bet you feel like you're over the moon every time you are driving."

"Not anymore. It gets boring when you do it everyday."

William drove her home after that, staying for an hour or so petting Fitzgerald and left to continue with his paperwork.

The house was unusually quiet. Mitchell wasn't humming to anything or playing a song but it was obvious that she was in the house. Was she asleep?

"Mitchell?" Hayley called out from Mitchell's door, paying attention not to enter until told to do so. Mitchell loved her privacy like that. "Are you there? I'm back from work."

Her voice replied, too soft that Hayley almost thought she imagined it.
"Welcome back."

"Are you okay?"

"I am. Don't worry about me."

That did nothing to stop her from worrying but who was she to force a twenty-five year old woman to talk? Instead, she set up her experiment and went to Claire's. Maybe they'd have an idea why Mitchell wasn't being herself.

"I haven't seen her since morning," Claire shook her head. "But if you insist that she may not be okay, I guess we should go and check up on her. Maybe she caught what Austin has."

"Austin is sick?" Hannah asked. "He was okay when he left this morning."

"He might be," Claire shrugged. "He came in with his eyes all red and being snappy. That's him on his bad days or when he's sick and doesn't want to swallow medicine."

Funny how both of them are sick at the same time, Hannah thought, did they kiss or something?

I'm actually sick but I want to complete this story before April. So, excuse my poor writing, I'll be back to edit it soon.
The story is almost coming to an end btw.