The Risk Game

Chapter 4

I was completely lost in the research work I was doing in the lab. My safety goggles had been on for so long that they left a ridiculous print on my face. Doing concentrated research was my favourite part of my job, mostly because it kept me on my toes.

When there wasn't a specific project to focus on, my job could be repetitive or slow at times, something I really didn't enjoy. Now, as I sat at one of the metal desks, making notes on the most recent developments for the vaccine my supervisor had put me in charge of researching, the hours seemed to be flying by at lightning speed. This really exhilarated me and I ended up working well into my lunch break, only noticing it was lunch time when one of my best friends walked into the research lab with two bananas and a container of sandwiches in her hands.

"Hey, girlie." Oratile said with a warm smile on her face as she gave me a side hug. "I knew I'd find you here when you didn't come out for lunch. How's the vaccine going?"

I smiled at my gorgeous friend. Even in her lab coat, she looked stylish with her short butterfly locs and customised prescription glasses.

"It's going." I said, spinning on my wheeled chair to face her. "Still a long way to go before we get to the testing phase."

I accepted the banana she held out to me, my stomach growling in appreciation after I took the first bite.

"Where's Skylar?" Rati asked. Skylar was my other best friend. The three of us had developed the tightest bond in our university days and had worked very hard together to secure an internship at the company where we now worked full-time. Though we didn't all work in the same department, it helped that we were in the same building and could see each other whenever we needed to.

"Toilet break." I said, taking a bite of the delicious banana.

"Oh, okay." Oratile sat down next to me, immediately raving about a K-drama she recently started to watch.

"Wait, so Mr. Lee did what?" I laughed, not believing my ears.

"He literally proposed, right then and there!" Rati laughed with a shake of her head. "My problem is, I would've said yes, Aisha. No hesitation."

I laughed even more at her goofy revelation. "Is he really that cute, girl?"

"Girl, just watch episode one. You'll understand why I'm hooked."

"Hey, girls." Skylar said, walking into the lab with her own food in hand. Skylar was my partner in hair dye, and as she walked to us, I couldn't help but gush at her cropped platinum blonde afro. Her curls were so perfectly defined and juicy-looking, framing her heart shaped face beautifully.

The three of us moved to the empty tables near the windows, away from work, so we could really enjoy our lunch.

"So, how was the weekend? How did the lobola negotiations go?" Rati asked absentmindedly as she grabbed a sandwich from her container.