Time skip month later
As Owen walked into the hospital, he felt a sense of nervousness wash over him. He had been thinking about Hayden nonstop since last night, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
He made his way to the nurses' station to grab his assignment sheet, and that's when he saw him - Hayden, standing by the coffee machine, sipping a cup of black coffee. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time stood still.
Hayden's eyes cr crled at the corners as he smiled, and he walked over to Owen. "Morning," he said, his voice low and smooth.
Owen felt his face heat up as he returned the greeting. "Morning, Hayden."
As they stood there, the tension between them was palpable. Owen couldn't help but notice the way Hayden's eyes seemed to sparkle, the way his hair was slightly rumpled, like he'd just run his hands through it.
Just then, a nurse came over, breaking the spell. "Hayden, we need you in OR 3."
Hayden nodded, his eyes never leaving Owen's face. "I'll be right there."
As the nurse walked away, Hayden turned back to Owen. "I have to go. But I want to talk to you later."
Owen's heart skipped a beat as Hayden's eyes locked onto his. "Okay," he whispered, feeling like he was drowning in those dark eyes.
Hayden smiled, a slow, sexy smile, and nodded. "Good."
As Owen stood there, frozen in place, Emily walked up to him, a mischievous glink in her eye. "Hey, lover boy, looks like someone's got a crush," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.
Owen's face turned bright red as he shook his head vehemently. "What are you talking about, Em?"
Emily chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't play dumb, Owen. I saw the way you were looking at Hayden. You've got it bad."
Owen's denials only seemed to fuel Emily's teasing. "I do not," he protested, trying to sound firm. "I was just... admiring his... his... medical skills."
Emily raised an eyebrow, her smile dripping with skepticism. "Medical skills, huh? Is that what they're calling it these days?"
Owen glared at her, feeling his face grow even hotter. "Shut up, Em. You're reading too much into it."
But Emily wasn't having it. She leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I think there's something going on between you two. And I think it's more than just doctor-patient."
Owen's heart skipped a beat at her words, but he refused to give in. "There's nothing going on, Em. You're just being dramatic."
Just then, Hayden walked back over to them, his eyes scanning the scene before him. "Everything okay here?" he asked, his voice smooth and calm.
Emily's grin grew wider as she glanced between Owen and Hayden. "Just having a little chat, Doctor," she said, her tone dripping with innuendo.
Hayden's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing, his expression unreadable. "Owen, I need to talk to you about the patient we had yesterday. Can you come with me?"
Owen nodded, grateful for the escape, and followed Hayden away from Emily's teasing gaze. As they walked, he could feel Emily's eyes on him, and he knew he wasn't going to hear the end of this anytime soon
Few minutes later
Owen was hiding behind a block pole, peeking around to see if the coast was clear. He was trying to avoid Emily, who had been teasing him nonstop about Hayden.
Emily crept up behind him, her footsteps silent on the floor. "Hiding from someone?" she asked, her voice low and playful.
Owen nodded vigorously, not turning around. "Yes," he whispered, his eyes scanning the area.
Emily's smirk grew wider as she asked, "Who?"
Owen's eyes darted back to the hallway, and he leaned in, whispering, "Emily, now be quiet. I don't want to get caught."
Emily's laughter bubbled up, and she couldn't contain it anymore. "So you're hiding from me because you know I was right?" she asked, her voice rising in amusement.
Owen's eyes widened in horror as he realized it was Emily behind him. He jumped back, his face bright red, and tried to cover. "I wasn't hiding... I was... admiring the... the pole," he stammered, pointing at the pole like it was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen.
Emily's laughter was contagious, and she doubled over, holding her stomach. "The pole? Really, Owen? You're going to tell me you were admiring the pole?"
Owen glared at her, trying to play it cool, but his face was still flaming with embarrassment. "It's a... a very... sturdy pole. Yeah."
Emily wiped tears from her eyes, still chuckling. "Sturdy? You're something else, Owen."
Just then, Hayden walked around the corner, his eyes scanning the scene before him. "Everything okay here?" he asked, his voice smooth and calm.
Owen's face turned bright red again, and he tried to play it cool. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just... admiring the pole."
Hayden's eyes cr crled at the corners as he smiled. "The pole, huh?"
Emily burst out laughing again, and Owen glared at her, trying to shush her. But it was too late. Hayden had already caught on, and his eyes were sparkling with amusement 😊.
Hayden chuckled, a low, husky sound. "I think the pole is getting a lot of attention today."
Owen's face turned even redder, and he mumbled, "Shut up, Hayden."
Emily was laughing so hard she had to hold onto the pole to stay upright. "I'm... I'm going to... get... a picture... of this," she gasped, pulling out her phone.
Owen's eyes widened in horror, and he lunged at her, trying to grab the phone. "No, Em! Don't you dare!"
The chase was on, with Hayden watching, entertained, as Owen and Emily played a game of cat and mouse around the pole.
Hours later 5:55pm
The news report sent a chill through the crowd gathered in front of the TV. Owen's eyes widened as he listened to the speaker, his mind racing with the implications.
"...Dr. Mike, known as the top scientist, tested one of his experiments, but unfortunately, it turns out to be the most dangerous thing he has done..."
Hayden's expression was grim, his eyes fixed on the screen. "This is not good," he muttered, his voice low and serious.
The camera cut to footage of people running wildly, some of them biting others, as the voiceover continued. "Earlier today, he bit more than 10 people, and those people have bitten 100 more..."
The crowd gasped, and Emily's eyes were wide with fear. "Oh my god, this is like a zombie apocalypse!"
Owen's heart was racing, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. He glanced at Hayden, who was watching the TV with a intense expression.
The speaker continued, "Some have been caught and taken away, while other scientists are trying to find a cure... but there are still others out there, not yet found."
The TV screen showed a picture of Dr. Mike, his eyes wild and his face twisted in a snarl. Owen felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized the danger they were in.
The speaker's voice was stern as he gave the warning, "So, an advice is going to everyone out there: don't stay out till night. Make sure you're at home before the sun goes down."
The room fell silent, everyone processing the news.