A Collision of Stars

6

(myra pictured above)

ARIA'S POINT OF VIEW
I stand at my computer while finishing my notes on the last patient when the sound of the ambulance enters. Dr. Okoye gestures for me to leave the screen and run with him. I drop my things and rush over. The paramedics relay the case to the doctor, "Male age twenty-one was in a motorcycle racing crash. No severe injuries but possible head trauma." "Male age twenty in the same crash. Broken arm confirmed, but possible head trauma." "Female age nineteen in the same crash. Severe bruising on abdomen, possible internal bleeding and head trauma." My head spun as the paramedic calls out the last patient. Who could be so stupid to race on a motorcycle?

The girl is wheeled in and admitted immediately. Dr. Okoye calls me over. "Ms. Kapoor, I need to get to work on this young woman. I trust you will be ok looking after the two boys with the residents. Act like an assistant, not a scribe."

I nod. Whenever big cases came or the ER was getting busy, the doctors would ask me to fetch supplies or assist in sterile technique along with my note taking to make it easier on themselves and the nurses. I jog over to the nurses station where Kathy and EmmaLee were looking over the boys' vitals. "I'm here to help."

Kathy, the nurse practitioner, grabs my hand. "Come on, we're suturing." She pulls me into the room where I see Nik with blood gushing from his cheek and bruising on his head.

I gasp, "Ohmygod, Nik! Are you okay?"

He smiles weakly and nods. "Yeah, no biggie. Comes with the lifestyle."

How could nerdy lab-rat Nik be into such a dangerous sport? He'd always been the golden boy of science and yet here he was risking his life! I couldn't help but feel angry. Kathy urges me to keep talking to distract him from the sting of the lidocaine. "Did you at least win?"

He laughs but shakes his head. "I didn't win shit, but Avan on the other hand, he's a champ. When he comes back from his x-ray, you can congratulate him." I gaped at him. Avan was the other kid? Of course.

I smile weakly, but I can't help that my heart races at the mention of his name and that fact that he's here right now. EmmaLee interrupts our conversation by opening the door. "Hey, Kathy? Can I borrow Aria?"

Kathy nods. "Yeah. I'm just finishing up this young man here." She focuses her attention to Nik. "Now, honey, your scans are not ready yet, but when they are, a doctor will come to talk to you. I think you'll be okay, but these scans were precautionary. Another word of caution, motorcycle racing is stupid..." I walk out as she begins her motherly lecture to an already bored Nik.

I enters Avan's room to see he's laying down on the seat with his arm in a bright pink cast. He's on the phone with his mother. "Yeah, mom. I'm okay. It's no big deal. I swear I'm good. Ok... Ok..." He continues to agree with whatever her requests are and hasn't even noticed that EmmaLee and I have entered.

EmmaLee clears her throat and waves to him to get his attention. He ends the call and sits up, finally seeing me. "What the fuck? Are you stalking me?"

My defenses go up. "No! No! I-I work..."

He laughs and interrupts my squabble, "Relax, babe. I saw you when I got in. I know you work here." He turns to EmmaLee. "Thanks for bringing in my girlfriend, m'am."

I sputter out in shock. "I am NOT your girlfriend, you little..." I trail off because I'm at work and need to keep professional. I know my face is red with anger and embarrassment. EmmaLee laughs at the situation before turning to him.

"Mr. Azami, the doctor took a look at your scans. You fractured your radius, hence the cast, but other than a bit of knocking around, you're ok. He's prescribed some pain meds for you and has asked me to tell you that if he could prescribe some common sense he would." We laugh. "Now, Aria's going to take you to your friend's room where you can wait for your discharge papers. Please be more careful." She gives him a quick hug and opens the door for us to leave.

I help him up despite his arm being broken and not his leg and lead him to Nik's room. "Never thought you'd be the one to nurse me back to health" he jokes.

I scoff. "Yeah, no. I can't believe you're stupid enough to race motorcycles. Are you asking to die?"

"I mean, whatever gets you going. You know what I mean?"

No, I did not know what he meant. I knock and open the door to Nik's room to see Kathy explaining the discharge to him. She looks up at me and smiles.

"Aria, can you take these boys home? You seem to know them and your shift is almost over. I can't let them drive themselves." I internally groan and refuse but nod as they grin cheekily at me.

AVAN'S POINT OF VIEW:

Nik and I clammer into her car's backseat. I text him to give directions to his house first, so I can be alone with her.

As he leaves and thanks her, I climb to the front seat. "What the hell do you think your doing?" she asks. Her sympathy for my injuries seems to have disappeared throughout the trip.

"I didn't want you to feel like an Uber driver."

She nods. "So how do I get to your place from here?"

I gives her directions making sure to brush her arm or thigh with my good hand at any opportunity. She doesn't seem to be uncomfortable and move away from my touch like I half expected her to. She parks, and I purposely fumble with my keys dropping them on her side of the car. "Don't worry, I got them!" I turn breathing against her neck, and I'm on my knees feeling around the bottom of her car, making sure to brush against her body as much as I can. I finally grab them and start getting out. "Thanks for the ride."

She seems windblown and out of breath. Her cheeks are flushed red as she speaks before I shut the car door. "You can't be serious!"

"What're you talking about?"

"You get injured, then you get me to give you a ride, and NOW, you get me all hot and bothered to just up and leave!"

I laugh at her breathlessness almost relieved to know how much I affect her. "What do you want?"

"I don't know. We can't... not again."

"Aria, I can't make it better if you don't tell me what you want."

"Get in the fucking car."

I don't have to be told twice. I practically leap into the car, the traumas of the day not impeding my movement. I try to get on top of her before she stops me. "No, you're injured. I'll get on top."

She climbs on top of me, carefully to avoid hurting me more. "Why do we have sex every time we see each other?" she runs her hands through my hair.

"You just can't seem to resist me."

She laughs as I pull off her scrub top and she works on unbuttoning my jeans.