The Big Bang Baby [The Big Bang Theory]

Chapter 3

A knock on my bedroom door woke me from my slumber of sleep.

"Halley!" my mom's voice broke through my bedroom door, "You better be up and ready. Your shift starts in an hour!" My phone pinged on my bedside table shortly after. I groaned loudly at the noise, rolled over in my bed, and picked up my phone to see what the commotion was about this early morning. A text message appeared on the screen. I tried to open my sleepy eyes a bit wider to read it. As I switched on my phone, I saw the time was 07:30. The text message came from a number I haven't saved on my phone. I decided to open it up, just in case, it's urgent.

I'll be there in 20 min. Gregg.

I groaned. I forgot that Gregg offered me a lift last night. I quickly saved his new number, hopped out of bed with effort, and headed toward my closet. I threw on a pair of ripped black jeans, a black and white striped top, and a black jean jacket; to give the outfit an edge. A cute, delicate necklace ties the whole thing together. I tied my hair back in a high ponytail, grabbed a pair of white sneakers, and slung my bag over my shoulder as I exited my bedroom.

Hopping down the stairs, I try to put the shoes on my feet, not succeeding much as I almost stumble halfway down.

The hoot of a car horn sounded outside. How has it been 20 minutes already? Does Gregg have a rocketship for a car or something?

I jog my way into the kitchen and grab an apple from the fruit basket because I have no time to prepare anything else.

"Who's here so early in the morning?" my dad asks, walking into the kitchen in his flannel sleepwear, still clearly half asleep.

"It's probably Gregg. He's giving me a lift to The Cheesecake Factory." I say quickly, giving him a peck on the cheek, and head out of the kitchen door and straight to the front door.

"Have fun, I guess?" He shouted as I left. I roll my eyes at his negligence of this whole situation. Was he not there last night when we spoke about me working at the cheesecake factory?

Wait.

I might have forgotten to inform them that Gregg will be giving me a ride over there.

I spot Gregg's car in the driveway. Safe to say, it is not a rocket ship. It does have the color of a rocket ship, shiny silver, but otherwise, not a rocket ship.

"Where are you heading to?" Gregg asks as soon as I take the passenger seat. I grab the seatbelt from next to me, stopping it halfway in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see him eyeing the outfit I have on. I look at him blankly. I slowly peel away my eyes from him and look down at the clothes I'm wearing to check if I accidentally spilled something on them.

"What do you mean?" I ask, continuing dragging the seatbelt across my body until I hear the click to secure it. "I am going to The Cheesecake Factory. You are supposed to know that."

"Yeah, I know," Gregg said, started the car, and drove toward the restaurant. "Your outfit is just not what I would wear for this activity." he looks in my direction for a few seconds and then down to what I'm wearing.

"So what you're saying is I have a good sense of style?" he does not answer immediately. He did not answer at all. I sensed it and decided to change the subject.

"So, how's the studying going for this science competition you are competing in?" I ask, taking a bit of the apple I had.

"Quite well. I have drawn up a studying schedule. It has helped me a lot. I have free time to do my own thing here and there, plus the shifts at the cheesecake factory." it was quiet for a second.

"And your science subjects? Are you beating any of them?" he asks, stopping at an intersection.

"I dropped them," I admit to him. I sneak a glance and see his face is perplexed. "I did not understand what was going on there," I said quickly, taking out my phone and checking the time.

"You're joking, right?" The light turns green, and we're off again. "You used to be so good at them. Getting top marks in class and everything."

"People change, Gregg. That was four years ago," My voice is soft. "I couldn't cope with all the mathematical terminology."

Sometimes I am embarrassed that I had to drop the classes because who would've thought that the child of a space engineer and a mother with a Ph.D. in microbiology would have trouble with mathematics and science. But then again, I am not like my parents.

"I'm sorry, Halley. I know you're capable of so much more than this." I shrug and try to play it off.

"I'll tell you what," Gregg starts, shifting in his seat, looking at me. I look outside and realize we have parked in the parking lot.

"If you take your science classes back up, I'll help you with your science, and you can do me a favor," My brows shoot up as high as they can go. Now I'm intrigued. Gregg never asks for favors. This must be serious.

"Like what?" I ask.

"Girl advice?" he asked in his famous questionable voice as it goes a few octaves higher than usual.

Gosh. This can't be good. It's not a secret that Gregg can't get a girl. In 5th grade, he asked out this beautiful girl, Sienna, but she looked at him as if he was crazy and laughed straight in his face. It's probably time that he went out there and explored this again.

"I'll think about it," I said and walked into the restaurant.