Heartbeat Between Shifts

Odette is staring at the building in front of her. Her best friend, Adeline is on the other side of the phone. She tells her to take deep breaths. It's not even her first day yet. It's in 2 days. She's in the hospital, because ever since she got her posting letter, Odette has been angsty. She was to start in the emergency ward. Being a dramatic princess she was, she cried so hard she threw up. Her housemanship is finally starting. In a year, Odette Stanley is going to be a doctor. An officially certified doctor. “So what does the emergency ward look like? Does it smell like chaos like people normally say?", Adeline asks as she chews a mouthful of chicken wings. “Stop eating with your mouth full. Weren't lawyers taught etiquettes?," she scolds. Adeline and Odette had been friends since Odette threw a stone meant for a bully on her head. The poor thing swole to be as big as Odette's fist. She basically befriended her out of guilt. The friendship was a good one, so Adeline had no hard feelings. They've been friends since. “I'm at home and exhausted. We were talking about your new life. Can you see any hot doctors?" “I have a boyfriend stupid." Adeline cackles, choking on her food in the process. Odette mocks her best friend. Two clumsy friends is a very dangerous combo, anyhow you want to look at it. “I wasn't asking for you. I know Henry is perfect blah blah. I'm asking for me. I wasn't kidding when I said we're getting married together." Odette completely ignored her. "I haven't gone inside. Why would I even go inside? Just barge in there? Imagine they think I'm a patient? That's so embarrassing. “ "Shut up,“ Adeline screams. Odette flinches, high key regretting she has earphones in. "You're a doctor. There's no room for overthinking. “ While Adeline provides her very famous pep talks, an ambulance drives into the ward. There's a bleeding and convulsing woman. She's dying, fast. A doctor is on her trying their very best to perform CPR. It's so hectic, Odette isn't seen. It's not like there would be anyone stupid enough to stand in the path of paramedics. " Hey, get out of the way. You're blocking the way.“ Someone is even nice enough to shout. The i***t has earphones in. A new plan, run her over with the stretcher. Odette is still obliviously laughing because Adeline is suddenly very hilarious. She's about to bark a retort when there's a force on her shoulder. It happens in seconds because one of the earphones is flying out of her ear and she's falling on the sidewalk. Her elbow is scraped and the earphone is crushed. The paramedics look at her lying on the ground and shake their heads. One is even laughing at her. “That wasn't very nice fool." It's not very common for Odette to go around cussing at people who hurt her. She is pissed because of the broken device. Her boyfriend gifted it to her. She turns to her attacker. An older, obviously hotter but very irritating man. He's dressed in scrubs standing in front of the emergency department, but that doesn't ring any sort of bell. She's still pissed. “Hey. You don't know what an apology is? You've broken it. Are you going to buy another one or even say a goddamn thing? “ He yawns, not even bothered to cover his mouth. "I'm not alive long enough to endure this okay? You're welcome. I saved you from being a patient at the hospital.“ He's walking away but Odette follows. Guess what, childish and confrontational are what makes her human. She's to be the bigger person and walk away, but no. Chaos is fun. Everything is fine as long as this tired looking stranger doesn't pull out a knife out of his hair. “Why would I need to apologize to you?. You hurt me and broke my stuff. Who should be apologizing here? Cause it's definitely not me.“ The man opens his mouth to say something but then closes it. "Did you perhaps get lost looking for the psychiatric ward? It's a bend to your right, not left. “ Odette is too surprised to say anything. That was a very good insult that would forever be kept between her and the stranger. It'd only be horror if Adeline got her ears on such incriminating information. The stranger walks away before she catches a glimpse of his name tag. At some point, Odette had flung her phone in the bushes. She searches for it and shortly finds it. Since she's already in the hospital, she takes advantage of that to get her wound checked. She can't afford to be terribly wounded two days before she's an official houseman of Petals Hospital. Is she to knock on the door? No. Does she do it anyways? Yes. Does she push the door clearly written pull? Yes she does. She goes to the nurse's desk. “Hello, can I get my wound cleaned? I fell outside. It hurts." A short and red haired nurse attends to her. The red on her head looks fake and she's left to wonder why a nurse would be allowed to dye their hair. She's led to a chair where she's questioned, and her wound cleaned. Odette thanks her and leaves. If she's to pay, she doesn't know where, so she carefully sneaks out. Sike. Our Odette isn't a criminal. Just clumsy. She pays the accurate fees but lingers. Trying her best to study as many places as she possibly can. After all, she'll be here for months. “Anything else?" She shakes her head and leaves. In the taxi, Adeline calls back. She picks the call, answering with so much sighs. "Please tell me the doctors are too hot to handle. That's why you're sighing like that? Did anyone do anything? It doesn't meet your expectations? What happened? “ She wants to rant. Yap and curse doctor jackass. But, Henry's call comes through. “I'll talk when I get come. Henry is calling me. I'll soon be there okay?" “If you see me, know I died because of gossip starvation. Go enjoy your boyfriend." She laughs at her best friend's silliness and ends the call. Henry of course, called to ask about her day. Odette grants her boyfriend a VIP pass to hear about her day, while Adeline is at home rotting. Henry is laughing his lungs off. “It's not funny. I was pissed and then so embarrassed I couldn't even breathe." “I'll get you another earpiece if that's the problem okay? No need to work yourself up about unimportant people. Focus on starting your career. Okay?" “Yeah. Thanks. You always know what to say. You're amazing." “Nope. I'm amazing because I have an amazing boyfriend." The taxi driver looks like he's seconds away from puking. Odette whispers her 'i love you' and ends the call. At home, Adeline is nice enough to make lunch. “You're just nosy because today was an interesting day." Adeline flips her hair, right in Odette's face. “You like my authenticity don't you. Now spill. “ Odette repeated everything that happened to Adeline. She was desperately trying to stifle her laugh. “Oh my god. Detty, you're an i***t. You would've preferred to be run over? He was being romantic. Can I come with you on your first day so I can see him? “ "Don't you have a case? Stay away from my hospital. I'm going to shower. “ Odette goes to bed, heart in her throat. It's days closer to her first day. That night, she has another nightmare. Only, the arrogant doctor is in it.