The Park, Sunday Afternoon

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

With the day off from work, Hayley made her way back across the causeway on her new-to-her, previously owned bicycle. It wasn't spectacular but it got her around. Plus, it was red, and that made it a great bike.

So, after finding a nice patch of grass to lie down on, she pulled out her cell phone and texted her friends so that they'd know she was here for the afternoon.

Hopefully no one would be mad that she'd kind of disappeared, earlier.

[ooc: Open park is open, and if you think Hayley would've texted your character, she did.]

Comments

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Mad?

No, not really mad. Relieved to find that Hayley was alright? Absolutely.

Which meant that, upon finding the text (she'd been reading and her phone had been off and charging), Hinata had closed her book and made her way down to the park.

"Hayley," Hinata called, smiling slightly as she took the other girl in.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Hey Hinata," Hayley said, sitting up a bit. She pulled her knees up against her chest and smiled. "Nice to finally have a day off. Being a grown-up sucks."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"Does it?" Hinata asked, walking over to where Hayley sat. "What have you been doing then?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Just like I thought," Hayley said, with a shrug. "I'm a waitress at a diner not too far into the town across the causeway. It's long hours, hard work, but they like me and the bosses aren't mean or anything. I just worked I don't know how many days in a row."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"And you're living okay?" Hinata checked, studying the grass. "I would hope you'd call us if you weren't."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"It was hard, at first," Hayley said. "Fifty dollars sure doesn't get you real far, anymore. But I never had to sleep outside or anything like that. I don't think that'd be real safe for me."

Hayley got a conflicted expression on her face. "Sorry about not saying goodbye before I went."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata toyed with a bit of grass.

"Why did you leave that way?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I wanted to see if I could," Hayley said. "I know, it was stupid, I coulda got hurt, all sorts of things. But I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, and that I wasn't the girl that, that Dr. Nygma said I was."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

She nodded slowly considering that carefully as she did.

"Next time," Hinata said, finally. "Let us know."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I don't see how there's gonna be a next time," Hayley said. "You all know where I am now, and I'm not going any father away. I can barely stand to be as far as I am."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Hayley," Hinata smiled, leaning over a bit. "Surely it's not so bad?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"It's kind of lonely," Hayley said. "That's why I came back today. I missed everyone. Nobody at the diner is like you, or Karla, or Elle, or even Didi."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata pursed her lips, wondering if she should say anything about--Didi. Radio had been clear enough that...

"I'm sure Karla and Elle would be glad to see you," she said softly. "But Didi is... no longer here."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Rats," Hayley said, grumbling. "It figures. I didn't even get to say goodbye." She was sadly just thinking Didi had gone home. "But I guess I didn't either, so..." She shrugged. "But you know, I have an apartment now. It's tiny, and there's only one bed, but you're welcome to come any time."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"I will come visit," she said, nodding. "And... Hayley..."

Hinata hesitated.

"Perhaps listen to the last few days of radio podcasts."

She couldn't bring herself to say it to her, not when she wasn't sure how any of it had happened. The radio would let Hayley draw her own conclusions.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I keep forgetting to check out those," Hayley admitted, blissfully unaware. "But then, I don't have a computer yet, and probably won't for a bit. But I'll try. They have them at libraries."

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

"You can use the library here as well," she reminded gently. "It's open for everyone."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but then I have to bike all the way here," Hayley said. "And then I get all sweaty and tired. Why do you think I'm in the grass?"