Chapter 2 – Sheer Gossip
1325 Words
April froze as if her brain momentarily lagged. “Seriously?!” She hurriedly pulled up her pants. “You followed me in here, you psycho? I don’t understand. Are you after my life or something?!”
Dr. Adrian Smith straightened, trying to rebuild whatever dignity had just crumbled inside him as he forced a measured breath. “Are you nuts or flat-out insane? What are you doing here in the first place?”
April scoffed and threw her hands up. “Dumb question of the year, i***t! I’m here to make coffee!”
He blinked at her, incredulous. “Stop yelling like a maniac and try to think before speaking.”
April gasped, hand flying dramatically to her chest. “Did you just call me a maniac? After barging into my privacy?”
“Whose privacy, if I may ask?” He arched a brow. “Do you perhaps suffer from early onset dementia?”
“What?!” She almost stomped her foot.
“Didn’t you read the label on the door?” he asked, voice low and patronizing.
April glanced sideways finally and spotted the huge bold sign. GENTS ONLY.
Embarrassment flushed up her neck. Her stomach did a tiny unfortunate swoop. s**t. She had been in such a rush that she hadn't even looked.
"Fine.” She muttered, swallowing her pride. “Enjoy your toilet, perfecto señor.” She spun away to leave but Adrian caught her wrist with a firm grip.
“Is that your form of apology?”
“Apparently.” April lifted her chin and held his gaze. She refused to be intimidated by his height, tone, or those handsome features of his that seemed to pore into her being.
For a moment, neither looked away. They were close enough to feel each other's breath. Tension simmered between them, and she held his gaze, refusing to blink first.
Then the door opened suddenly.
Dr. Patrick walked in and stopped midway, staring. The awkwardness and tension burst like a balloon. Adrian immediately released her wrist. April stepped aside as if he burned.
“Get out,” Adrian muttered, mortified.
April shot him one last daggered glare, hissed under her breath, and marched out, Dr. Patrick’s stunned face following her all the way.
On the elevator down, April felt her cheeks burning. Did he just see me pants down? What could that jerk have seen now? She covered her face for a moment, mortified. Does the fact that he looks so appealing and elegant give him the nerves to do as he liked? Her mind reeled endlessly.
As soon as she stepped outside the premises for air, someone nudged her.
“April!”
“Jorge!” She fell into a hug. Her only safe space. Her tall, lanky childhood best friend with those impossible blue eyes.
“Where have you been?!” she pulled back with furrowed brows. “If we had come together like we planned, that i***t wouldn’t have bullied me in the elevator.”
Jorge let out a humorless laugh. “What i***t? Who?”
“I don’t know, one psycho fellow who carries himself like his father built this hospital.”
Jorge laughed loudly. “Maybe you’ve already caught his attention. He probably has a crush on you.”
“Crush my foot.”
“So where exactly are we heading?” he asked, watching her exhale like she had run a marathon.
“Here.”
“Here where?” he looked around, confused.
“Just…here,” she sighed. “I need some real air, Jorge. You can’t imagine, he barged in on me in the bathroom and called me a maniac.”
“No way!”
“Believe me! He just walked in like he owned the place. The worst part is that my pants were down when he came.”
Jorge gasped, putting a hand over his mouth.
“Tell me you are kidding, April. What the hell was he doing in the ladies bathroom?”
“Uhm…” April winced. “It…was the gents.”
Jorge threw his head back, laughing louder now.
“Jorge, it’s not funny!”
“Says who?” He wheezed dramatically. “Oh, which reminds me. Let me tell you something else that isn't funny. We went to see our Professor for the first day briefing… but since you weren’t there, he was furious.”
April slapped both hands over her mouth. “Oh God. Really? What did he say?”
“He was mad we weren’t complete. So there was no briefing. The rumours say he doesn’t tolerate nonsense. I heard he could even fire you on your first day if he thinks you are dumb. I hope he doesn't think you are.”
“But he hasn’t even met me yet!”
“Listen, April,” Jorge lowered his voice, “we need to be careful. Our Professor actually owns this hospital. Nobody messes with him. He is serious, strict, doesn’t flirt, doesn’t even twitch any of his facial muscles for a smile.”
April flipped her hair back with a scoff. “He is all that? And only a mere professor? Not even Chairman or chief?”
“April, he is twenty-eight.”
Her jaw dropped. “Old money, then.”
“And guess what? The person he is rumored to marry, pre-arranged style, is the chairman’s daughter, Lana.”
April squinted. Lana. The girl who had confronted her earlier. “How do you already know the entire history of this place? Today is literally our first day.”
Jorge shrugged. “Locker room gossip travels at the speed of Wi-Fi.”
April exhaled in exasperation. “Fine. Let’s go before we ruin our futures.”
They turned around slowly.
They headed back upstairs to their call room only to meet their colleagues, fuming with anger.
A big guy named Larry, with bushy eyebrows stood with his arms folded. “What’s wrong with you two? We should have had our briefing an hour ago. But you...” he jabbed a finger at April, “weren’t here. And then you..” he pointed at Jorge, “disappeared too when he called us a second time.”
April’s stomach churned. “We are really sorry. We…went to get something downstairs.” air was something after all.
“Tell that to him,” Larry said. “He said none of us should get near any ward until we are briefed, and we must be complete.”
A lady named Candy spoke up, almost whispering. “And we need to be extra careful today. I heard a rumor.” She leaned in. “They are saying the Professor had a secret girlfriend. And she is a new intern like us.”
Larry’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“They fought in the elevator… then made out in the toilet.”
“What the hell?!” Larry and another guy gasped.
Candy’s eyes sparkled with scandal. “It’s so shocking because everyone sings his praises about him being super professional. Never jokes, never flirts, always serious. And I’m just wondering, how can someone so hot be all that?”
“And I’m wondering if you came here for training or for him,” Naomi, the Head Nurse, said sharply from the doorway.
Everyone jumped.
“Also,” Naomi continued, “where is this girlfriend rumor coming from? I don’t want to hear it again. Ever.” Her eyes swept the room. They nodded quickly.
“You are here for only one thing, skill. Knowledge. Experience. So if I were you, I would drop the gossip and stay alert on my focus.”
She started to turn away, then paused and looked directly at April.
“Miss April Scott… for the good of your soul, stay with your group. Don’t wander off again. All of you, come with me. He is waiting.”
April felt her stomach fip as they all followed obediently.
- Writer
