Chapter 10
1504 Words
Thursday morning arrived with the kind of crisp autumn air that made Ava wish she had brought a jacket.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself as she crossed campus, balancing a travel mug in one hand and her backpack over the other shoulder.
Students hurried past, some still half asleep, others already buried in conversations about exams and weekend plans.
It was a normal morning.
At least, that’s what Ava kept telling herself.
Her phone had been unusually quiet the past few days.
Mason still texted.
He still called.
But the conversations felt… shorter.
She hated that she had started noticing.
As she climbed the steps to the nursing building, someone held the door open for her.
“Thanks.”
She looked up.
Emily smiled.
“I figured you’d have your hands full.”
“I usually do.”
They walked inside together.
“Any plans this weekend?” Emily asked.
“Not really.”
“You should come with us tomorrow night.”
“Us?”
“A few people from class are going bowling.”
Ava laughed.
“I haven’t bowled since high school.”
“Perfect.”
“I was terrible.”
“We’re all terrible.”
Ava hesitated.
She usually spent weekends with Mason whenever their schedules lined up.
“I’ll think about it.”
Emily smiled knowingly.
“That usually means no.”
“Not always.”
“This time?”
Ava shrugged.
“I really will think about it.”
“Fair enough.”
They separated outside different classrooms, and Ava settled into her usual seat just before Professor Lewis began the lecture.
Today’s topic was pediatric care.
As the professor spoke about treating frightened children, Ava found herself remembering the little girl at the café two nights earlier.
The way she’d smiled over a cup of hot chocolate.
The way Denise had said children knew who made them feel safe.
Without realizing it, Ava filled the margin of her notebook with one sentence.
Maybe pediatrics.
She stared at the words for a long moment before underlining them.
Maybe.
It wasn’t a decision.
Just… a possibility.
And possibilities felt exciting.
After class, Professor Lewis caught up with her in the hallway.
“Miss Monroe.”
She turned.
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Of course.”
“Our volunteer coordinator from Willow Creek Children’s Hospital is visiting campus next week.”
Ava nodded.
“They’re looking for senior nursing students.”
He smiled.
“I gave them your name.”
Her eyes widened.
“You did?”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
“No.”
She quickly shook her head.
“I mean… thank you.”
“I think you’d be an excellent candidate.”
She smiled all the way down the hallway.
No one had ever recommended her for something like that before.
Maybe she really was becoming the nurse she’d always hoped to be.
⸻
After class, Ava decided to stop by the bookstore before work.
She had exactly forty dollars left in her weekly budget.
Enough for one used textbook she’d been putting off buying.
Inside, the familiar smell of coffee and paper greeted her.
She wandered toward the used book section.
As she searched the shelves, a hardcover photography book caught her eye.
Finding Beauty in Everyday Moments
She smiled.
It felt like the title had been written just for her.
She opened it.
The first page read:
“The best photographers don’t chase perfect moments. They notice the ones everyone else walks past.”
Ava read the sentence twice.
She looked at the price tag.
Twenty-eight dollars.
Too much.
With a sigh, she carefully returned it to the shelf.
“That’s a good one.”
She turned.
Ethan stood a few feet away holding an architecture magazine.
She laughed softly.
“Are you following me?”
His eyes widened.
“What?”
“I’m kidding.”
Relief crossed his face before he laughed too.
“For a second I thought I was about to sound very suspicious.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“You looked terrified.”
“I was.”
They both laughed.
It was easy.
Comfortable.
Ethan glanced toward the photography book.
“You’ve been taking more pictures?”
“I have.”
“I’ve actually been thinking about entering that contest.”
His smile appeared instantly.
“I think you should.”
“You haven’t even seen my work.”
“I don’t have to.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at people.”
She blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“You notice things.”
He shrugged.
“Most people don’t.”
She wasn’t sure how to answer that.
No one had ever complimented her like that before.
Not her appearance.
Not her clothes.
Not her grades.
The way she saw the world.
“I’m not sure anyone’s ever said that to me.”
“They should.”
Silence settled between them.
Not awkward.
Just thoughtful.
Finally, Ava looked at the book again.
“I wish I could afford it.”
Ethan glanced at the price.
“It’s expensive.”
“It’ll still be here another time.”
She smiled.
“I should probably go before I buy things I can’t afford.”
He nodded.
“Good luck at work.”
“Thanks.”
“You too.”
“I’ve got studio all afternoon.”
“Ouch.”
He laughed.
“Exactly.”
As Ava walked away, she caught herself smiling again.
She didn’t even realize she was doing it.
⸻
The Willow Bean was busier than usual.
A campus baseball game had just ended, and students poured into the café looking for coffee and sandwiches.
Denise handed Ava an apron.
“Think you’re ready?”
“I survived finals.”
“You’ve got a point.”
For the next three hours, Ava barely had time to breathe.
Coffee.
Tea.
Pastries.
Sandwiches.
Repeat.
She loved the rush.
It left no room for overthinking.
Near closing time, Denise handed her a small envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Inside was a handwritten note.
Employee of the Month
A gift card was tucked behind it.
Ava looked up in surprise.
“Me?”
Denise nodded.
“You.”
“I didn’t even know we did Employee of the Month.”
“We usually don’t.”
Ava laughed.
“So why now?”
“Because you’ve worked here for almost three years.”
Denise folded her arms.
“You’ve never called in sick.”
“You cover shifts without complaining.”
“You remember regular customers’ names.”
“And every child who walks through that door leaves smiling.”
Emotion caught in Ava’s throat.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say thank you.”
“Thank you.”
Denise smiled warmly.
“You make this place better.”
As Ava slipped the envelope into her backpack, she felt something she hadn’t felt in weeks.
Pride.
Not because someone had complimented how she looked.
Not because she’d done something extraordinary.
Simply because she’d been herself.
⸻
That night, Mason finally called.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.”
She curled up on the couch with a blanket.
“How’s the internship?”
He sighed.
“Honestly?”
“Always.”
“It’s a lot.”
“I figured.”
“I’m trying to make a good impression.”
“I know.”
“I feel like everything depends on this.”
Ava listened quietly.
She knew how much it mattered to him.
“I’ll get through it.”
“You will.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She smiled.
“You won’t have to find out.”
There was a long pause.
Then Mason laughed softly.
“What?”
“I just realized something.”
“What?”
“I’ve spent twenty minutes talking about myself.”
She smiled.
“A little.”
“How was your day?”
This time, when she told him about Professor Lewis recommending her for the children’s hospital volunteer program and receiving Employee of the Month at the café, Mason sounded genuinely excited.
“That’s amazing.”
“It was a good day.”
“I’m proud of you.”
Her smile grew.
“Thanks.”
After they hung up, Ava sat quietly for a few minutes.
Maybe relationships really did go through busy seasons.
Maybe she’d been worrying for nothing.
She looked at the Employee of the Month note again before placing it inside her journal.
As she closed the cover, she whispered the words she’d been trying to believe all week.
“Everything’s going to be okay.”
Outside her apartment window, the wind stirred the leaves across the parking lot.
Autumn had fully arrived.
Neither Ava nor Mason realized it would also be the season that changed both of their lives forever.
- Writer
