Madelyn's POV
I gasped, trying to catch my breath as I ran into the hospital. The smell of all the disinfective spray along with all sorts of medication shot through my nostrils. How welcoming.
I'm almost late for work and I still need to change into my scrubs, I just knew that staying out late last night wasn't a good idea, especially if I had a shift the next morning. Kids won't want to see their doctors looking like zombies first thing in the morning.
My co-workers who I never really interacted with gave me weird glances, but I couldn't really care less so I just returned those with smiles. Judge all you want, this is a hospital, not a runway. Pun intended.
Finally stopping in my steps as I reached the staff's room, placing my key card over the sensory blob thingy, I don't care what it's called, at this point all I want to do is get in. Hearing the beep, I immediately pushed the door open.
"Maddie, you're this close to being late." Julia shook her head at me. I gave her a cheeky grin before walking over to my cubby, which is next to hers and placed my bag down.
"Well, since you're still here, you were almost late too." I chuckled and started taking out the things I need.
"Fine," She let out a laugh, fixing her hair a little. "You got me there."
Julia is a good friend I had since I started med school, we would often study together for all the horrid assignments the professors gave us. And now, we're last year residents in the same hospital, currently working in the ER, though we decided to pick different specialties for later on.
While I decided I wanted to become a pediatrician and hang out with kids most of the time, Julia wanted to go into psychiatry. She decided that instead of working hands on with the patients she would rather talk to them more. Well, she's doing really good so far.
"I'm going to head out now," She patted my shoulder, as a way of saying 'see you later'. "Lunch later?"
I nodded in response, fixing my own clothes and taking the things I need from the little locker above my cubby. "Of course, we always have lunch together." And that was her cue to actually head out.
I tied my hair up in a ponytail before heading out, walking to the nursing station where most of the staff are right now, either chatting or checking on different cases. I guess the hospital isn't that busy today, not that I want it to be, no one should come to the ER on a normal basis. But still, it feels a bit too peaceful.
Maybe it's due to the fact that it's only 7 AM right now. Yeah, definitely that.
"Hi Maddie, how's your morning." Jamie smiled at me before looking back down at her computer. Jamie is one of the nurses here and we've became friends overtime, co workers as well, though I'm questioning why she even considered becoming a nurse when she has the face of an actress.
"I'm doing relatively well," I joked. "almost coming in late. How bout you?"
She grinned, typing reports down. Already? At 7? "I'm doing great, my husband drove me here this morning, and he promised to pick me up after work as well." Did I mention that she's married already.
I raised a brow. "Doesn't he always drive you because he kind of also works here?" I asked back, holding a laugh.
"Yeah, and I like that." I just shook my head at her, smiling. Taking a seat next to her, picking up a document, or rather reports of cases. Maybe I could help with one of the patients if something happens, this is the ER after all, things always happen.
"Hi Emma sweetie, how are you?" I smiled at the young girl sitting on the bed. Looking at the medical records, she got stung by bees and had an allergic reaction. Though it's not that severe, meaning life threatening, her family still brought her in the ER. Which is good, things like these should be treated as soon as possible.
"I'm in pain." She mutter, staring at the ceiling, looking like everything in life has disappointed her. Which is kind of funny, but in situations like these, laughing is just inappropriate. She literally has rashes all over her body.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." I placed my hand on her arm, trying to seem as sincere as I could be. "I'm just going to take a look at you okay? Like a small check up." I told her placing the stethoscope on her chest. "Inhale. Good job. Exhale."
"I hate bees." She said, making me chuckle lightly.
"I bet. But you do have to admit that they help us out a lot, those pretty flowers outside are probably like that because of them." I looked at the machines she's connected to, checking off the check boxes on my clipboard.
"Set her on some antibiotics. IV drip and give her some hydrocortisone cream to help withe the rashes." I told the nurse beside me, stuffing the pen into my pocket. "And check her temperature every hour in case the situation starts worsening."
"Understood."
"Okay Emma, I'll be back later to check on you, okay?" I tapped her leg lightly earning a nod, smiling at her mother too before exiting.
I looked back at at the clipboard in my hands, reassuring that I didn't get anything wrong before actually writing it down in the system. But before I could even get far, I felt myself slam into a hard surface, dropping my clipboard.
Don't tell me I ran into a wall. I swear, you are the most clumsiest doctor out there Madelyn, you need to fix this.
But to my surprise, I was met with a pair of dark, brown eyes when I looked up. My eyes widening realizing that it was a person instead of a said wall.
"I'm so sorry." I muttered before squatting down to pick up the clipboard and some files as they sort of scattered around me.
"It's fine." The guy answered back, squatting down to help me pick up the remaining pieced of scattered paper. My brows furrowed as I looked up at him, ignoring the abnormality my heart feels seeing him, I should get it checked out if it happens again. Funny, I don't think he works in the ER, or I would have seen him around, right?
"Are you new?" I blurted out before anything. And I think you need to shut your mouth while you fix that clumsy problem of yours. "I-I mean, uh. I'm sorry." I sighed, looking at the floor as I stood back up.
The man just chuckled. "It's fine, and no, I'm not new to the hospital. I've probably been working here longer than you have." I frowned at what he said, taking over my things that he collected. Why does that make him sound arrogant, or am I just overthinking? Maybe a little bit of both?
"I see," We stared at each other, and to be honest, it's sort of awkward. "Uh, I'll get going. Thank you." I gave a slight nod and rushed over to the nurse's station, Jamie looking at me with a teasing smile.
"Seems like you're bringing some spice into your residency years." She giggled, wiggling her brows at me playfully. I just rolled my eyes and took a seat beside her, placing the clipboard down on the desk.
"Funny. As if the ER isn't 'spicy' enough." She laughed again, as if she stopped before.
"You know that's not what I meant," She sighed, finally stopped laughing. I don't even understand why she's laughing in the first place, what's funny anyways? "I think you might have pulled the guy though, he almost started looking at you with heart eyes if you didn't move away."
I made a face of disgust. What in the world is that supposed to mean, I think she's just exaggerating. We haven't even met before, how could anyone look at someone with heart eyes if they are completely strangers. "Your marriage drove you crazy."
"Pfft. At least I have a marriage, you aren't even in a relationship and you're like 25."
"Touché." I laughed, starting to write in the report. "But honestly speaking, I don't even know the guy. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't know me as well."
"Wait." She suddenly said, making me look at her. "You don't know him?"
I gave her a weird look, what is she even saying? "No? Am I supposed to?" I asked after shaking my head. This hospital is the largest in the city, how am I supposed to know everyone.
"Oof." She went back to the computer. "This is going to be interesting."
What in the world is that supposed to mean?
"Do you know him?" I asked back, raising a brow at her.
"Secret." She smiled. Frowning, I just went back to work. Why in the world is that a secret, it's not like he's some top secret gangster or criminal at the top of every country's wanted list, so why is she acting like that? This woman is getting weirder day by day.
I was focused on working that I didn't even feel the presence of someone standing in front of. me until they cleared their throat.
"I was texting you if you wanted to head to lunch now, it's lunch time you know." Julia said, raising a brow at me seeing that I was working. Then she turned to Jamie and smiled. "Hi Jamie."
"Hi Julia, Maddie here just encountered her own meet cute." I frowned, what in the world is she even talking about?
"Oh?"
"You heard that right. She fell into a man." Jamie started laughing, probably remembering the scene of me bumping into the guy and dropping my clipboard, and i'll say this again, I bumped into him. I didn't fall.
Julia started laughing as well, the image probably appearing in her head. How dare they speak as if I am not here when I am just sitting next to them, literally. "Who?" She suddenly asked. Great question though, I would like to know as well.
But to my disappointment Jamie just mouthed something, giving Julia a knowing look before the latter's eyes widened, laughing in disbelief. What in the world are they telling each other and why can't they just speak like normal human beings? "No way." She said between laughs, turning back to look at me, gaping while having her mouth covered with her hand.
I gave her a frown. "Why? Do you know him?"
She snickered, shaking her head. very unconvincing but I couldn't really do anything about it. Like, do I threaten her to tell me what she knows while holding her a gun point? I can't do that.
"Crazy crazy, delusional human beings." I stood up.
"You're crazy as well you know, you chose to become a doctor may I remind you." Jamie smiled, sarcastically. Well, she isn't wrong about that.
"Would you like to come?"
"No, I'm meeting with my--"
We both cut her off. "Husband." Julia and I laughed as she just sent us a glare, leaving after giving Jamie a light wave, one that she returned while rolling her eyes at us.
"She never eats with us anymore." I said, pouting playfully while clinging onto Julia's arm.
I just felt her snicker. "That's her husband, of course they'll eat together."
"Yeah, but they eat together at home anyways, she should hang out with her friends too."
"Well," She turned and shot me teasing look. Oh, I don't like that look, not one bit. "Maybe you'll know what it feels like soon." She laughed at herself, oh, so funny.
As if, I rolled my eyes, not forgetting to give her a frown as well, making her laughs louder. "Don't laugh so loud, we're in a hospital."
"As if anyone cares, those machines are louder than my voice anyways." She grinned as we walked inside the elevator. The doors were about to close when someone called out to us.
"Shit, please wait!" I frowned at the profanity, who has the guts to shot like that in a hospital where there are possible children roaming free along the halls.
Julia, being herself went to press the 'open door' button, the doors once again sliding back open. If it were me though, I would have just watched the door close, so much for cursing loudly in a hospital.
But my eyes widened, almost falling out of my sockets as I saw the person who was catching his breath. My heart starting to flutter as my eyes met with his round doe eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Thanks." He gave a light smile to us, breaking me out of my trance as he stepped inside. "This elevator takes forever, so thanks for letting me in. I need to finish lunch before a surgery as soon as possible."
So he's a surgeon?
"Of course, somehow everyone uses this elevator." Julia smiled back, nudging me playfully. Great, I guess she really caught on to Jamie earlier.
I turned to look at him, only to see him smiling back at us. I just returned the same gesture.
Gosh, this is so awkward.