Sienna

After a whirlwind morning of getting introduced to the facility, meeting what felt like half the hospital staff, reviewing endless policies, and completing what had to be a mountain of mind-numbing paperwork, the clock finally ticked over to lunchtime.

Tray in hand, I weaved through the chaotic café, scanning for a spot to sit. The place was packed and noisy, and everyone looked just as drained as I felt. As I wound my way through the chaos, I spotted Ayesha sitting at a small table in the far corner with a girl whose pale porcelain skin contrasted sharply with her dark hair. They seemed to be deep in conversation. Relieved, I made my way over. "Hey, is it alright if I join you?"

Ayesha looked up, and a bright smile broke through her otherwise exhausted face. "Sienna! Of course, please sit." She said, tapping the empty space beside her.

I slid into the seat, grateful to take a load off my feet. "Finally, some food," I groaned, setting my tray down.

Ayesha grinned, gesturing to the girl sitting across from her. "Sienna, this is Mei. She works in hematology. Mei, this is Sienna—the new nurse I was telling you about."

Mei flashed me a warm smile, her monolid eyes sparking. "Nice to meet you, Sienna."

I smiled. "Likewise."

"So how does it feel to be back in the field?"

"It feels... Overwhelming." I said with a sigh, already unwrapping my sandwich. "But so far, so good."

Mei snickered. "You've already met the devil, Odette, so you've survived the worst. If you can handle her, you'll be just fine."

I chuckled. "You're right about that."

We made small talk for a few minutes, the noise of the cafeteria buzzing around us. I felt myself relaxing, the tension from the morning slowly easing off my shoulders. It was nice to feel like I was starting to find my footing, even in this chaotic new environment.

As we ate, the café doors swung open with a flourish, and in strolled a group of surgeons whose white coats seemed to billow behind them as they sauntered in, talking loudly and laughing like they didn't have a care in the world. Typical.

Ayesha immediately rolled her eyes, her expression turning sour. "Surgeons," she snorted into her drink, shaking her head. "I can't stand them. Their egos are through the roof, acting like they're gods just because they hold a scalpel."

Mei snickered, pushing a lock of her shining hair behind her ear. "They're all the same everywhere, so full of themselves."

Ayesha nodded, rolling her eyes again. "Exactly."

"Speaking of egos," Mei leaned in between us. "Have you guys heard about the new assistant head of neurology? Apparently, he's covered in tattoos and is, like, super talented."

Ayesha's eyes widened. "No way! I heard about him. Everyone's been talking about his ink and how ridiculously hot he is!"

I chuckled, biting into my apple. Workplace crushes and gossip weren't really my thing, but it was fun to listen to them gush.

Ayesha sighed dramatically. "It's like the universe decided to give us a soap opera doctor, in real life. Do you think he'll like me? My baba always wanted me to bring home a brain doctor."

"Save it, he's probably already got his pick of all the hot nurses," Mei quipped. "Bet he doesn't even need to try."

Ayesha sighed again, leaning into me. "I'm sure he doesn't. Those eyes? Forget about it."

"Sounds like you two need to focus more on work," I teased.

Mei rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, even you would swoon once you met him. Just wait."

I laughed again, shaking my head. Then I returned to my meal. The idea of a tattooed neurosurgeon did sound kind of intriguing, but I wasn't about to get pulled into the conversation.

"Ya Allah! Sienna, look!" Ayesha tapped my arm, her eyes dilating. "That's him! That's him!"

I glanced up, more out of curiosity than anything, but the second my eyes landed on the supposed surgeon, my stomach flipped.

Xavier?

Xavier?!

I felt my pulse quicken. What the hell was he doing here?

He walked into the cafeteria, casually chatting with another doctor. He looked... different. Same broad shoulders, same confident stride, but the fresh haircut made him look sharper, more defined. His tattoos peeked out from under his teal scrubs, teasing glimpses of ink that I knew trailed down his arms.

Out of nowhere, our eyes locked, and in that split second, his expression shifted. I looked away quickly, trying to hide my own reaction.

"Look!" Ayesha tapped me again, her voice a mix of excitement and disbelief. "He's coming over! Do you think he noticed me?!"

Panic set in as I glanced up and saw him gravitating towards our table.

Shit.

I shot up from my chair so quickly it scraped against the floor. "I, uh... I've got to get back to work," I stammered, already backing away.

Ayesha blinked, confused. "Already?"

"I just remembered something," I said quickly. "Catch you guys later."

Before they could ask any more questions, I was already speed-walking out of the cafeteria, my heart racing.

This was bad. Xavier being here was bad.

I rushed down the hallway and ducked into the first empty room I found—an on-call room. Leaning against the door, I struggled to catch my breath. My mind was in chaos, spinning in frantic circles. Xavier. Here. How was this even possible?

My pulse pounded in my ears, each beat echoing the anxiety I felt. This was a complication, a complication I did not need, especially with Tristan in the picture. If he ever found out...

I felt a strange wave of dizziness suddenly hit me. The room tilted slightly, making me unsteady on my feet. I wobbled to the edge of the bed and sank down, taking deep, steadying breaths.

That sprint must have taken more out of me than I realized.

I rubbed my stomach in soothing circles. This wasn't the end of the world, right? I just had to avoid him, keep my head down, and—

The door creaked open, jerking me from my thoughts. When I looked up, my stomach dropped.

Great.

"Fancy seeing you here, Sienna." Xavier drawled, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

I tried to act surprised, as if I hadn't just sprinted away from him in the cafeteria. "Xavier! I didn't realize it was you. You're here."

"Yeah, I'm here," he said, leaning casually against the wall and folding his arms. "But the question is, why did you run away from me?"

"I wasn't—I didn't run away," I shot back quickly, trying to sound nonchalant. "I just... had work to do."

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You've never been a good liar, Sienna."

Alright, that was enough.

I stood up, desperate to get some space between us. "I should get back to work," I said, brushing imaginary lint off my scrubs. "Long day, you know?"

But as soon as I took a step forward, that same dizziness hit me again, harder this time, and before I knew it, I was swaying on my feet. Xavier was instantly by my side, catching me before I could fall. The closeness was almost overwhelming, and I could feel the warmth of his body against mine which didn't help my pounding heart.

"Whoa, you alright?"

I nodded, forcing a small smile. We were standing close—too close that I feared if I moved the wrong way, our lips might accidentally touch.

"You can't tell me this is a coincidence, Sienna," he said softly, his gaze dropping to my lips before flicking back to my eyes. "Fate keeps throwing us together."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

His eyes searched mine, intense and unwavering. "Are you still with him? Your boyfriend?"

I nodded.

His arms wrapped around me tightened slightly. "Is he... treating you right?"

The door suddenly flew open with a loud bang.

"Is this an on-call room or a make-out lounge?" Miss Odette snapped, her voice cutting through the tension like a cold wind.

Xavier let go of me instantly, and I quickly stepped away, feeling my face heat up. "It's not what you think, we were just—"

"Back to work, now!"

I nodded quickly. "I was just leaving."

Without another glance at Xavier, I slipped past Miss Odette and rushed out of the room.

This was a complication I definitely didn't need.