Newton A Foodie Outing

[Hailey Watts]

Hailey’s stomach groaned so loudly, she swore anyone within 30 feet probably heard it. She sat on the concrete wall outside the Newton Police Station, swinging her legs and staring at her phone. It was the first time she’d been here since onboarding, but instead of her uniform, she was in yoga pants and a Star Wars t-shirt. She’d glance at her phone, look away, and then check it again. Over and over.

Emily had texted her, inviting her to one of the pop-ups she’d mentioned the day they met. Hailey was trying not to let her excitement get the best of her... but she was failing miserably. She’d gotten here an hour early and was now anxiously waiting for Emily to show.

In her time since onboarding, Hailey had been working her assignment in Upper Fens. The area had charmed her, especially places like the Ink Pot. Working third shift, though, had been... interesting. The area had its share of teenage troublemakers. She constantly got calls about kids sneaking into Eden Cemetery after sundown. No matter how many times she responded, she always managed to get turned around in there. Then there were the trips to Mottershead Park, and worst of all, the old Mottershead Asylum. Twice she’d had to respond to kids running out of there, screaming. Thankfully, she hadn’t had to set foot inside—yet.

That was life lately—filing accident reports and chasing after teens to return them to their wealthy parents. It wasn’t exactly the work she’d envisioned when she joined the force, but it was a step in the right direction.

The door to the station opened, and there was Emily. Hailey jumped down from the wall but didn’t exactly stick the landing. She stumbled, and in an attempt to cover it up, bent down to tie her shoes... only to realize she was wearing slip-ons. She rolled her eyes at herself, muttering under her breath, “She didn’t see. It’s cool. It’s cool.”

Straightening up, she forced a smile and turned.

[Emily Reyes]

It was always interesting how plans could get out of hand. Evolve would be more accurate. Emily hadn't meant to go from meeting Hailey by chance at the Newton precinct to going out for food with her, but here they were. She'd caught wind of a pop-up nearby for Mexican-Korean fusion food and the rookie officer was the first person to come to mind.

If she was being honest, Emily was mildly pleased by the development. It was out of her comfort zone, but she'd been doing a lot of that lately, so the prospect was exciting. Was this a new era for her, she thought with amusement, as she pushed out the front door and into the cool fall weather. Perhaps, perhaps. Maybe next, she'd try something wild like buying a plane ticket to anywhere. Take actual flying lessons... She could use that with her broom.

The whole thought process had Emily smiling to herself. She caught sight of Watts perched on the concrete barrier, and lifted a hand to give her a short wave as she descended the front steps.

“Watts,” she greeted amiably as she approached, one thumb hooked under her purse strap where it was slung over her shoulder. “How's it going?”

[Hailey Watts]

She's dressed so nice! Hailey winced inwardly as she glanced down at her own outfit. A Star Wars t-shirt—not even her best one. Just a generic, fake vintage shirt that anyone could pick up from a box store. While she mentally debated the merits of her Star Wars t-shirts, Emily greeted her.

“Hey, Sergeant Reyes! It’s, uh, going. Not bad—it's not going bad. I'm fine. You look nice. Professional, I mean.” She gestured awkwardly at her own outfit. “I’m not on duty, so... yoga clothes. Third shift. It’s... interesting.” Her words tumbled out faster than she could rein them in. “How are you? How’s your day?”

She was rambling. It was always worse when she was tired, and after weeks on third shift, she still wasn’t used to sleeping during the day and being up all night. The sleeping pills she resorted to left her groggy, and the slight bags under her eyes gave her away.

The exhaustion reminded her of boot camp—those early days when sleep deprivation was part of the process, breaking them down as civilians to rebuild them as soldiers. She’d kept a level head through it back then, but that kind of sleep deprivation was temporary, a controlled challenge.

This... this was different. Third shift was a long-term adjustment, and it was wearing on her.

Hailey gave Emily a weary smile, both embarrassed and exhausted by her own rambling. So pretty. The thought flickered unbidden through her mind, followed by a quick mental reminder: But so taken. Something Hailey would have to remind herself of often as the day progressed.

[Emily Reyes]

As Watts started chattering, Emily found she couldn't help her smile in return. The way the other officer rambled wasn't nearly as off-putting as she seemed to fear--in fact, Emily found it somewhat comforting that someone else could be as socially awkward as she often felt--but she didn't try and reassure her with words. Instead, she tilted her head down the sidewalk, warmly inviting her along for the walk downtown.

“I'm doing well,” she sighed, sharing Watts' weariness. They worked long, often thankless hours, but these breaks were certainly refreshing. “Interesting about covers it. Sounds like you're settling in though?”

She glanced over at her lunch companion, lifting her eyebrows in clear interest. Easthaven was your typical city, with weirdness both mundane and supernatural. Any of it made a pretty good story.