LIVING THE DREAM I ONC 2024 [COMPLETE]

Sixteen: The movie, the bulletproof plan and Hannah

Mitchell considered your place or mine a weird movie. Not because it had one of her least favorite tropes - friends-to-lovers, but because of how everything kind of happened too fast. She could understand two friends getting together after ten whole years but a woman getting with a man who almost had her son killed? Mitchell knew that for sure, she wouldn't get with any one who even blinked at Hayley in the wrong way.

Nevertheless, she enjoyed the movie. Who could resist a happy ending with a kiss at the airport, Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon? Not forgetting Austin's company and free food?

Hint: not Mitchell.

Austin's hand was gently placed on her back as he led her out of the cinema, his other hand holding her little handbag and his own jacket.
"Do you want another drink?" he asked when they finally exited the crowded building

"I'll have a mini mountain dew," she told him. "I like to enjoy as much junk food as I can when Hayley isn't around."

"Talking about Hayley, is she still upset about the dish?"

"Considering the fact that she didn't wake me up when she left for work, she totally is. But I get it. She's probably coming up with the worst scenarios in her head."

"Hmm," Austin nodded. "Guilt can trick your mind, huh? Do you think it'd be helpful if I talked to her when she comes back home?"

Eyes wide and mouth agape, Mitchell turned to him.
"Talk to her? Why?"

"I think it'd be a good idea if someone other than you, especially the owner of the dish she broke talks to her," he paused, sensing Mitchell's unease. "Look, I'm not saying that you aren't good at it or anything. But if it's you, she'll be thinking that you are talking to her only to make her feel better like you are supposed to do as a sister. And trust me, that does nothing to reduce the guilt.

"But if I or Claire talk to her instead and assure her that there's no harm done, that could help. Just saying."

Mitchell stopped to think. Austin had a good point. Once upset, Hayley mostly never actually listened to anything Mitchell had to say. She'd just nod and pretend to be listening, only for her to cry herself to sleep. Plus, having spent a solid week without fighting with Hayley, Mitchell didn't want to be involved in another word fight with her. Call her tired, but she wanted a break.

And what other way to do it than involving your very nice and accommodating neighbor?

"Are you sure it'll work?"

Austin laughed. "It's a bulletproofing plan, Mitch. Trust me, it's called the last born magic."

"But-"

"No buts," he cut her off and pointed in the opposite direction of the cinema. "Let's go get drinks, walk in the park and talk about potential cat names, alright? Today, you are hereby excused from being sad for whatsoever reason as long as I'm here."

And so they did. Mitchell got her mini icecold mountain dew and Austin got water - apparently, he was trying to cut on his sugar intake, something Mitchell found very responsible. The park was almost empty save for homeless people that loved to sleep on the metallic benches and snore like lumberjacks.

"Have you thought of any cat names yet?"

Mitchell shook her head. "My head is dry. I'm trying to come up with something but I just can't!"

"Let's just brainstorm, then. I say Van Der Waals."

"Hell no! I can hardly pronounce that without sounding like an idiot."

"What about Flemming?"

"Is that another science name or something?" Mitchell asked. "Because if it is, then no. I'm tired of the science talk in my life recently. First, it was Hayley. Now there's you, William, Theo and now you want to initiate that poor cat? Please!"

Austin raised his hands up in surrender. "Alright miss anti science, let's hear your suggestions."

"We can call him normal names like Timothee, Tom, Henry, Jack, Max. There's so many non science-y names!"

Austin snorted. "It can't be Timothee, dude masturbated a peach. No, thanks. Henry, Jack and Max all sound like Nickelodeon and Disney stars or something, not my type."

Hours later, they still couldn't agree and the poor cat spent yet another day unnamed. As soon as they made it home, Mitchell saw William's car in her driveway - meaning that Hayley was home. But before she could take any step forward, Austin tugged at her hand.
"Let me talk to her, please," he pleaded.

"Will you be alright?"

"If I'm not," he brought his eyes to stare deeply into Mitchell's skyblue ones. "You will be the first to know."

Mitchell stood outside and waited until Austin knocked on the door and Hayley opened it a minute later.

To make herself busy, she went to Claire's. Hannah's usual chatter wasn't anywhere to be heard and Claire was annotating some music in the living room when she entered.
"Hey!" Claire smiled and waved her over. "Come sit."

"Where's Hannah?" Mitchell asked

"I haven't been able to reach her since last night. She wasn't at work when I stopped by and till now, she hasn't called back."

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know," Claire shrugged. "She seemed fine to me yesterday."

"Fine? I don't think so."

"What? What do you mean?" Claire asked, confused

"I may be overanalyzing everything but she didn't seem fine. Her laugh was dry, not the usual laugh where even tears come out of her eyes or how she ends up beating the person next to her."

"Hmm, that's true I suppose," Claire nodded. "Maybe, it was because Theo and William were here."

"That doesn't make any sense though. It was her idea for William to stay and have Theo invited."

"Again, that's true. Maybe she was just under the weather. Sometimes, you wake up and you don't want to talk. At all."

The maybes were so many and deep inside, Mitchell wished that Hannah was okay.

Hannah will be okay:)