Pulse check
1273 Words
The next morning her roommate popped in briefly before May rushed out for class.
“So, how did it go?” She said with a wide smile.
“Horrible!” She replied in frustration as she packed her books.
“Aww poor thing,” she patted her head lightly, “what happened?”
“They made everything so awkward, Sully and Adam.” Looking at her for consolation.
“You just called him Sully?” She said with a coy smirk.
“Stop it. I'm in pain here,” she avoided her teasing gaze, “ I didn't even want to go for the stupid thing, and just when I thought I could have a little fun, they ruined it. Why do they have to make everything so awkward?”
“It's alright Hun, you'll figure it out. I have to get dressed and rush out soon.”
“What! You just came in.”
“I know but that's life as we know it love!” She gave a ‘you’ll soon understand look’, picked her toothbrush and went into the shower.
“At least eat something please,” she said before stepping out.
“Got it!” She shouted under the sound of running water.
Katherine was in her second year in medical school. Her presence kept reminding May of the inevitable horrors that awaited her. She barely ever had a moment to breathe. May knew, whatever fun she wanted to have, whatever thing she wanted to figure out, she had to do now, because she would soon be Katherine the second—barely having time to squeeze in just one proper meal into a day. Some days, even after night posting, she had to rush for lectures the next morning.
As May got into class, she noticed Adam was early to the anatomy lab. That was new.
He sat in the back, flipping through the atlas with a kind of quiet focus he wasn’t known for. No headphones, no flirting with lab partners, no joking around.
Just... learning.
May noticed.
She slipped into her seat beside Suliver and whispered, “That’s the second time this week,” in a bid to make things less awkward.
Is she really gonna ignore what I said?
He wasn't going to call her out on it. Classic Suliver.
He didn’t look up. “What?”
“Adam. He’s early. Studying.”
Suliver glanced over and frowned. “So?”
May gave a shrug, trying to ignore the twist in her chest. “Nothing. Just… unusual.”
Suliver didn’t reply, but the line of his jaw tightened.
Adam, meanwhile, was chewing on the end of a pencil, flipping between the thoracic cavity and heart valves. Not because he suddenly loved anatomy—but because May cared about these things. She talked about medicine like it meant something. Like it could heal people, not just fix them.
And for once, he wanted to be someone who got that. Not because she asked him to—but because she already had, just by being herself.
He didn’t tell anyone. He just started showing up.
Later in the day Adam sat alone for lunch, by choice.
“Hey, Adam,” came a voice.
Amber.
He looked up.
She hadn’t sat with him in weeks. Not since the semester started. She stayed distant, always in her own small group. He couldn’t blame her. He’d made her life harder just by being her brother. At least she had some friends.
“What’s up?” he said casually.
Amber looked uncomfortable. “Just... needed a chair.”
He gave a small nod, sliding his bag down. “Have a seat.”
She sat, quiet. He noticed the sleeves of her hoodie pulled low, the way her gaze flicked around, like she was scanning for danger.
Adam leaned in. “Someone bothering you?”
Amber blinked. “No. Why?”
“You’ve got that look.”
She shrugged. “Just tired.”
He didn’t push. But in his gut, he knew something wasn’t right.
Later that day…
Suliver walked May to the library.
“I don’t get it,” he said. “Why does he suddenly care about classes?”
May kept her tone light. “Maybe he’s trying.”
“Trying for what?”
She didn’t answer.
He stopped walking. “May.”
She turned.
“Do you like him?”
She paused. “I don't know. I guess I like… who he could be?” She tried her best not to look to stupid as the words came out.
“That’s not the same as liking someone.”
“I know,” she said gently.
Suliver nodded. “Okay.”
But inside, he was unraveling. He loved her—not the idea of her, but her real self. And every moment Adam made her smile, he felt like he was losing.
After her lunch, Amber sat beneath the old sycamore near the student union, hoodie up, headphones in, pretending to study.
Miles spotted her from across the quad. Something in him tugged.
He walked over and sat a little distance away.
“You okay?”
Amber didn’t look up. “Fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I didn’t ask you to care.” She tried to be more easy at the mixer but today was just not the day.
“I know. But…”
Silence.
Then Miles said, “Sometimes I replay things I said. To you. To other people. I wonder if I’d still be standing if someone had said those things to me.”
Amber’s gaze flicked up. “Is that what this is? Guilt? Pity! Do you pity me?” she was disgusted, “you can keep it to yourself Miles, don't want any of it,” she turned back to her book trying her best to ignore him.
“It's not Amber. I don’t know how to undo what I did,” he continued. “But I do know how to listen. If you ever feel like talking.”
She stared at him for a moment, then looked away again.
But this time, she didn’t tell him to leave.
Later that evening…
Adam stayed behind after lab. May had forgotten her notebook.
When she came back in, he was still there, scribbling notes.
“Didn’t think you were the post-lab review type,” she said, half-teasing.
He looked up, startled, then smiled. “Trying something new.”
She walked over. “You highlighted the wrong atrium.”
He chuckled. “Of course I did.”
She leaned in, pointing at the diagram. “This one’s the left. Notice the thicker wall?”
Their arms brushed.
She didn’t pull away.
“You make this stuff make sense,” he said, this time not trying to flirt.
“Because it does make sense.” She smiled.
“I used to think all this was just... rote learning. Now it feels different.”
“Why?”
He met her eyes. “Because you care. Makes me want to care, too.”
May felt her heart hitch a little.
And she didn’t know what scared her more—how easily he said it, or how much she wanted it to be true.
Again, she searched through those clear blue eyes which offered no opposition.
She chuckled. “Yeah. Just came to get my notebook Blake.”
She had never called him that.
He placed his hand on hers. “ May, are you scared that I'm being honest?” searching her eyes and confirming.
“We'll talk later. I have to get somewhere.”
Why was she always running?
- Writer
