"We need to stop running into each other like this," he said. "But at least this time I'm not saving your life," he added, a cocky grin on his face.

"Do you stalk the hospital or something? Why are you here?" I asked.

"Why am I here? Or why am I here?" he asked, spreading his arms while saying the second part.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Well, nothing from you, m'dear, but it would be wonderful if you stopped crashing into me," he said. I glared at him and then glanced at my watch. "Somewhere to go?" he asked, noticing this. I plastered a fake smile on my face.

"Yes, work, actually. So if you'll excuse me, I have to go," I said in a fake-nice voice. He stepped aside, allowing me to pass him to get to the entrance. When I opened the door, I saw his reflection in the window and realized he was following me. I turned around. "Please, I'm flattered by your insistance on following me, but I have enough admirers," I said. I took a small step back; he was standing awfully close to me.

"Don't flatter yourself, love. I was going to the hospital, too," he said. I noticed how blue his eyes were and how perfectly messy his hair was. I wondered how it felt to touch it--

No! What was I doing? I was in love with Hayden. I had to stop thinking these things. And this guy needed to leave me alone.

"What for?" I asked.

"What do you mean, what for? Why do people usually go to hospitals?" he asked.

"A number of reasons, actually," I replied.

"It was a rhetorical question," he said. I blushed and then squared my jaw.

"You're going to make me late!" I hissed, pushing through the entrance.

"I didn't ask you to stop and pester me with questions," he replied, still walking behind me.

"I wasn't the one pestering!" I argued, turning again and running right into him.

"Lord, woman! You need to have a signal of some sort that lets people behind you know that you're stopping or turning!" he exclaimed, grabbing onto me so I didn't lose my balance. I glared at him and shook his hands off of me.

"Is whatever you have to do at the hospital at the receptionist desk?" I asked him, pointing up at the sign. He glanced up at the sign and then gave me a sarcastic half-smile.

"So eager to get rid of me," he said, a small glint in his eye. I kept my stony expression and he smirked at me. "Well this was fun. I might consider getting a job here, just to have this good fun everyday," he said. My expression changed to alarm. "Just kidding. I would never want to work in a godforsaken hospital," he said, looking around and shuddering. "Well, I'll be off. Nice seeing you again, Sapphire," he said. He turned around and began walking away, his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

"Sapphire?!" I called out, confused. He turned around, still walking.

"You have blue eyes like the gem," he called back. Then he turned his back to me and disappeared down the hallway.

"Awwww!" Kerry, my fellow associate, gushed. "That was such a sweet thing to say," she said. I looked at her.

"I don't even know him," I said.

"That's a pity. He seems like a fine young gentleman. Is he from England?" she asked.

"Like I said, I don't know who he is. I just keep running into him," I replied, shoving my bag into one of my desk drawers.

"Maybe it's fate," she said dreamily. I rolled my eyes internally.

"Or maybe he's a crazy psychopath stalker," I offered. She gave me a look.

"Or maybe he's the one thing in your life that you need to wake you up from your busy, perfectly planned out life," she said. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"I heard about your near-accident," she said. I frowned. How did she find out?

"And?" I asked.

"Well, you'd have thought it would have opened your eyes a bit. You almost died and you're still going to go on living your life the way you always have?" she pointed out.

"Why is everyone so hung up on that? It's like you wanted me to die or something," I said.

"No! Of course not! That's not what I'm saying at all!" she cried, horrified.

"My life is fine the way I'm living it. I don't need to change anything. Just because I like to make schedules and plan what I'm going to do, doesn't mean I'm missing anything. In fact, I miss less, because I know what I'm doing. I need to have a goal to achieve, and having a plan helps me to do that," I said.

"And what exactly is your goal?" she asked.

"To become a doctor," I replied.

"And after that?" she asked. I bit my lip. "Haven't thought that far ahead, yet, have you?" she asked, a small smirk on her face.

"Look, we need to get back to work. Enough of this silly life-talk," I said, pulling out some papers and beginning to write. I saw her shrug from the corner of my eye and tried to push away the thoughts that kept creeping up on me.

My life was fine the way I was living it. I was happy and that's all that mattered.

                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you think I'm missing out on life?" I asked Madison that night. The conversation I had with Kerry at work was still on my mind and bugging me.

Madison snorted, laughing.

"That's an odd question," she said.

"Kerry thinks that I'm too uptight," I told her.

"Kerry can shove a man's balls in her mouth," Madison replied. I smacked her arm and she yelped. "What was that for?!" she exclaimed.

"That was rude and crude!" I said. She rolled her eyes. I laughed. "Haha, that rhymed," I said. She shook her head at my dumb joke.

"In response to your earlier question, yes, I do think you are missing out on life," she said.

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, it's Friday night, you're 21 years old, and you're sitting here," she paused and picked up my physics textbook, "Studying," she said. I frowned.

"Well, you're still here," I pointed out.

"Not for long. I'm about to go clubbing," she said.

"Ugh, that's so immature," I said, looking back down at my notes.

"Maybe it is, but it's fun. And it's the only thing that keeps me from going crazy studying all the time. Sometimes you need a little break," she told me.

"I don't have time to take a little break," I said.

"And maybe that's what Kerry meant about missing out on things," she told me in a somber voice. With that, she got up and went to her room to get ready.

I stared at the neat words that I had written and highlighted in my notes, Madison's words echoing in my mind. Maybe she was right. These notes would still be here when I got back. And I had a day off tomorrow. If instead of going out to lunch with Hayden, I studied, I wouldn't be that far behind.

I shook my head. I was doing it again. Planning.

I closed my eyes and then opened them, making my decision.

I got up and knocked on Madison's door.

"What?" she called from behind the door.

"Don't leave yet. I'm coming with you!" I replied. Then I ran into my own room before she could respond.

"What?!" I heard her shriek in surprise. I heard her open the door and then knock on mine. "What did you just say?" she asked.

"I'm coming with you!" I replied, opening my closet door to figure out what to wear.

"Oh Lord in the Heavens up above. Thank you for this miracle," I heard her say before going back into her room.

I rolled my eyes. I was slightly offended. No one thought I was capable of having fun.

_______________________________________________________________________________

A/N: Votes for the hot British guy? He's in the side-bar, by the way. Sexy as hell.

Oh, and don't forget to comment!!!

XOXO