Chapter 9: Greasy Hangover Texts and Plans

Arthur's pov

After Cobb left I went back to my 'office' and pushed my phone around on the table for a bit, sliding it from hand to hand back n forth. I eventually decided I was being a little bitch and that I should just text her, but being the nervous little sketch that I am I decided to sleep instead and just went home to my apartment down the street. It's just a little one bedroom place but it's all I need, it holds me and my stuff and that's enough for me.

The next morning I woke up feeling like an idiot. Why didn't I just message her? I don't understand my brain sometimes and I'm supposed to be the smart one. I marched into the kitchen and threw some cereal in a bowl with some milk dumped on it and sat in front of the TV eating it and watching a documentary on the Mayan civilization, History channel always has really random stuff on it, always interesting though. I finished my cereal and walked back to the kitchen to put the bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. I stood there leaning against the counter for a while just staring at nothing until I slapped myself mentally and just sent her the text I had written last night, "Hey how was the rest of your night? I'm sorry I had to leave dinner." It was around noon so I figured she'd be up and alive by then.

Haylie's pov

"Hey, how was the rest of your night? I'm sorry I had to leave dinner." I squinted a bit while I read it, I was so hungover that the light from my phone was stinging my eyes, but I was determined to read and respond. "It was alright, had a couple friends over and had a few drinks. I think I'm gunna take a quick nap but then wanna go grab some food?" I looked away from my phone and threw my hand over my closed eyes trying to squash out the pounding headache I had as I waited for a response. Ugh why did I drink so much? I groaned and rolled over in my bed in an attempt to burry myself in the blanket when my light was flicked on and a giant force came hurling at me, "JAAAASOOOOONNNNN OOOOWWWEEE" He had leaped on the bed with full force and landed half on my hips, how is he so awake?! "Why are you so giddy?!" I smacked him in the back as he squirmed around in my blankets, he's definitely still drunk. "Get ooooofffffff," I groaned and pushed him until he rolled off the other side of the bed and fell on the floor with a thump. "Who ya textin? Eh? Whatcha doin? Whats goin on? Wanna do something?" I simply glared at him, "JAAASON THE SHOW'S BACK ON!" I heard Cory yell from the other room, "we're watching Night at the Roxbury on TV, wanna join?" aaand he was calm again, "nah it's cool, I'm gunna take a nap I think." "Later gator," Jason jumped on the bed and ran across it heading for the door while shoving his hand in my face obnoxiously. Ugh. I rolled over again so my face was thoroughly buried in the pillow when my phone went off again. "Ya food would be grand, I'm starving! And it's my treat for bailing on ya ;) Text me when you wake up :)" I read Arthurs text and smiled and thought to myself, it's nice to know he didn't bail on dinner on purpose, and Ijust responded with, "K, will do :)" and then fell asleep holding my phone.

Arthur's pov

I read her response when my phone rang, "It was alright, had a couple friends over and had a few drinks. I think I'm gunna take a quick nap but then wanna go grab some food?" I read that and thought, I'm not hungry at all, but answered with, "Ya food would be grand, I'm starving! And it's my treat for bailing on ya ;) Text me when you wake up :)" Yessss, she's not angry. I threw my fists up in the air in mock triumph knowing she hasn't given up on me and waited for her response. Just as I got her text, "K will do :)" Cobb called.

"Hello?"

"Hey Arthur, we're all getting together at the warehouse to discuss how this is all gunna go down. Meet us there in 45 alright?"

"I JUST made plans with Haylie to take her out for food because I bailed on her yesterday."

"When are you going?"

"Whenever she wakes up."

"You made plans with her while she's asleep? I don't think that counts as plans, sounds kind of one-sided to me."

"Hah. Hah. Hilarious. I spoke to her and now she's napping."

"Right, anyways, we need to figure this out so meet us in 45 at the warehouse, you can leave whenever for your little 'date' and we'll just catch you up later on the stuff you miss."

"Sounds good, see you soon."

I put my phone in my pocket and left to my room to get dressed. After I looked in the mirror, and looked at myself; black pinstripe pants, white shirt, black vest, black shoes, black coat, silver watch... I look good.

While I waited, I decided to do a bit more research on the staff of this bank. I rifled through the staff list reading off the names until I got to hers, 'Haylie Mainer'. Actually I wasn't sure if it was her or not, I don't know her last name, but not many people spell 'Haylie' like that. I figured maybe I'll ask her casually where she works later when we get food, for now though I'm going to do some grade A snooping. Age: 27 good, not too much younger than me, only about 4 years difference... if it's her... Birthday: January 12th, shit if this is her, her birthdays coming up soon. I should do something really cool for her... Full Name: Haylie Marie Mainer, Marie, I've always loved that name... Family: Mother and Father- deceased. Harsh... Brother- Sean Gavin Mainer, 24. Sean...yup... it's her. I sat back in my chair and stared at the screen. I wonder if she knows anything about this... maybe I'll ask her about this while we're out too... Position: Teller clerk. I rocked back onto the back legs of my chair for a minute or two before printing off the page and moving on to the next staff member. Business is business, right?

In 45 minutes exactly I walked through the doors of the warehouse, only Cobb and Yusuf were there. I shook my head lightly, "Classic Eames, always late," "Pardon me, Arthur, but I do believe I got here far earlier than you did," I looked over to see Eames walking towards us from around a pillar, damn, I thought to myself. "Alright so how are we going to do this, guys? Let's drum up some ideas here," Cobb looked directly at me, "Arthur, do you have any more information on the staff for us?" I pulled out some papers I had printed off and handed them to Cobb, "Haylie actually works for this bank, I just realized this, I could talk to her later... see if she knows anything." "Sounds good, that will help, Yusuf, anything new on your end?" "Not too much no; I've only been making more of the compound, I haven't done much experimenting lately." "That's good; we're going to need a lot of the stuff. We have to make a few dives, which reminds me, I need to go find us another forger. "What's wrong with me? I take offence to that," Cobb put on his jacket as he looked up at Eames, "any recommendations? I think we need two." "Shall I come with you then? There's a man in Italy I became friends with while I was doing a job for a girl who-... Well that's a story for another time. Point is I think he'd suit the job." "Alright," Cobb grabbed some papers and his cellphone off his desk, "Italy it is. I'll call Saito, maybe he can hitch us a flight on that airline he bought," Cobb shot a wink at Eames. "We also need a new architect with us." Eames looked up at him, "All of your issues are done with, why don't you just build?" Cobb merely looked at him then looked away as he put his hand in his pocket to feel for his totem, "I want someone devoted to it," was all he said as he walked out the door. Yusuf got up and went to the back where his lab was situated and I just sighed and hung my head over the back of the chair. I was about to get up and head to my desk when my phone went off, "Hey, I couldn't sleep the boys are too loud. Food?" "Sure, where would you like to go?" "Anywhere greasy, I am suuuuuper hungover right now I need something to just soak it right up." "Haha alrighty, I'll come pick you up in 10?" "Sounds good :)" "Alright, I'll let you know when I'm outside k :)" I headed for the door of the warehouse when I remembered I was going to take her into another dream. After thinking about it for a moment I grabbed the silver case from behind my desk, "Yusuf, would you be able to help me out later? I'm gunna take Haylie for a dream," he looked up from his desk at me, "of course, just let me know when." "Thanks," I nodded in appreciation, straightened my coat a bit and left.