As I walk down the path, I spot Michael in the midst of his group of 'friends' before he spots me. I don't know why he still associates himself with them, he's made it very clear to me he doesn't like or care about them. Yet he still walks along almost happily, speaking with only a slight crease in his eyebrows, unlike the usual one. The one I'm used to seeing is as deep as the grand canyon, and I've spent many a moment daydreaming about smoothing it.
His eyes drift between a loud-talking Becky and then Nat, before they settle on me. His eyes seem to light and a grin spreads across his face. That fills me with the most warm feeling of pleasure I've ever felt. It's hard to believe the mere sight of me could fill him with such happiness. I grin back. He looks almost adorable with a hat tucked over his head to shield the cold of New York in November, I just want to hug him.
So when he speeds around his friends to meet me, I do, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pulls me in closer by the waist, to his snow-flecked suit jacket. "Hi," I whisper, resting my head on his chest. "Hey." He smiles, and I can't help but wonder why he's making such a big show of us, I never thought public displays of affection would be his thing.
"You on your way to your dorm?" I nod, smiling. "Yeah." His friends keep walking slowly. I raise an eyebrow as they whisper amongst each other, hushed giggles and words. They whisper, look at me, laugh and then do it again. I've always hated that uneasy feeling, and from the way Becky's frowning with shame, their comments must be terrible.
Michael lifts my chin so I look at him, his smile spreading further. "I'll see you this weekend at the hospital, right babe?" God, every time he says that it's like we've just gotten together again, when in reality it's been more than a week.
I blink hard, and nod. "Yeah, but I've got a few surgeries, you might not see me much." He shrugs, leaning closer. "We'll find time."
When his mouth latches onto mine, I make it a point to ignore the hoots of his friends a few feet away from us. He chuckles, parting from me gently and swiping his thumb over my cheekbone. "I'll see you then. Yeah?" I nod, standing there as he backs away slowly. "Sure thing." He bites his lip staring at me, and then slowly turns, running to catch up with his friends. I hear the vague sound of them teasing, pushing his shoulder, but he brushes it off.
Ana walks up beside me, frowning. "I seriously thought it wouldn't last more than five minutes." She adjusts her wool scarf, and as she frowns at something in the distance I find myself thinking of the cruelties of wool production. I should be thinking of what she did.
I shrug. "Whatever. What could go wrong?" I keep walking, but she doesn't follow."
"Everything." Her voice is hollow and lonely, but knowing. What could she know that I don't?
****
I toss my bloody scrub cap into the associated bin before leaving the OR, swiping my hands together happily and approaching the nurse's station. I need to update the post-op charts.
My body shivers involuntarily as Michael slides up behind me, his arms wrapping around me from behind. "Wow, you smell like sterilizer." He whispers in my ear, his fingers digging into my scrubs just a little bit. I jump, smiling. "Yeah, it was a good surgery. The aneurism popped and squirted blood all over me, but after that it was very fun."
I look up to see Will frowning at us as he erases the sections of the OR board, the surgeries that have already been performed. Michael follows my gaze, pulling me even closer. The tension is hard to move and breathe through. Fed up with the constant competition between them (which to me is completely ridiculous given the fact that Will is my boss) I look down and ignore it.
