Aphmau's POV

*Play Song*

My quickened heart rate started to decline, but my brain was still frozen in shock. My organs don't often co-exist quite well when childhood crushes are revealed to be my boss, who—the cheery on top—is also married.

I still don't speak, but for different reasons. My mouth a taut line. 

He grimaces in slight hesitation, a confusing mixture of expressions coursing through his facial features.

I back away, nearly tripping on the next step, as I had forgotten, once again, that I was in the hospital's stairwell. 

"This—you...what even—" To anyone who does not have the context of the situation, I must have sounded like I had a speech difficulty.

"Its great to see you." He tries, but his amicable smile doesn't reach his eyes. 

I just step back, my back finding the railing as the cool steel seeps through my scrubs. 

"Aph—" He attempts once more, but I finally regain the ability to speak.

"No." I whisper, shaking my head adamantly.

He pulls in his lower lip, dropping his head.

"You never called—never texted, or even emailed..." I scoffed, feeling bold. "I would've settled for a goddamn carrier pigeon, Lycan." 

"Aph, gods I—"

"How could you." I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I meant—more to you." I scoffed once more. "Silly me." 

Before he says something that changes my mind, I stomp up the stairs in a raging haste, feeling Aaron reach for my hand in one last feeble attempt. I shake him off and slam the exit door so hard it almost broke down behind me.

Gods, what was I thinking?

Now, the thing that distracted me from him...

Is the thing that makes me think of him the most...

Stupid first loves—puppy loves...they're suppose to hurt, teach you a lesson, than stay in the past.

So what is he doing in my present??

*

Katelyn's POV

Where'd Aphmau go?

She was just getting labs. Well, it's not like she was adept in getting things when we were young, if you know what I mean.

"Hey—uh, gods, Firefist." I hear Dr. Bailey call from the nurse station, after finally putting a name to my face.

I come out of my patient's room to respond to her call, knowing I am just one of her personal lackey's and if I resist, it'll be living hell.

"Go find Phoenix, its been hours and I need her to do some charts," Dr. Bailey demands, her sunset hair now pinned up in a messy bun.

I subtly roll my eyes in annoyance, making my way down the rather empty corridor.

I shuffle down the hallway, listening intently for any signs of high squealing. She may not be the child I once knew but it was worth a shot. 

She must have taken an emergency nap in one of the patient's rooms or something along those lines. 

While I neared one of the closets, I didn't find recognizable squeals.

But identifiable sniffles. Oh yes, I definitely knew those sniffles. 

I knock on the door softly, knowing I shouldn't just break in.

"Aphmau?" I ask gently, hoping I wasn't just interrupting a stranger in their daily crying session. #Doctor'slife

"G-go away, Katelyn." I hear her say between stifled sobs, evident sniffles muffling her words.

Yeah, it's Aphmau.

I open the door slowly, finding Aphmau curled in a ball in the corner, her face buried in her knees.

"What—" I start, but she interrupts me, raising her puffy, tear-stained face to speak.

"Did you—know the neuro attending—was...Aaron?" She asks, somewhat sarcastically with a creepy manic-like grin.

"What?" I ask, dumbfounded by the question, my eyes widening.

It can't be—

"Why are you crying then?" I question, taking a seat by her side in the corner of the supply closest.

She laughs, surprising me a bit with the sudden burst.

"He's married, did you know that?!" She shouts while chuckling crazily.

Uhh okay, she must be in shock.

She slowly stops laughing, wiping her tears away as she wavered back into a quiet sobbing mess.

"I don't know what I'm going to do Kately. How—how—can I work here...seeing him...knowing—" 

"I know, hey...you made it when you were younger. You can do it now too." I reassure to the best of my ability. "Plus, he appears the same big oaf he used to be. You're better off." 

Aphmau laughs again—softly, genuinely—this time. 

"Be the better person here, Aph. You'll find someone else...how about that Garroth, huh?" I suggest slyly, remembering the slight flirtation between the two.

She giggles through the tears, gifting me a small smile.

"Now come on. Dr. Bailey is going to chomp my head off if we don't finish the charts—and I happen to like my pretty head."

We make our way out of the closest into the cold, harsh reality of the depressing building.

We trudge down the hallway, Aphmau hastily wiping away the last remaining tears when we turned a corner to find a sad sight.

Aphmau comes to a startling halt, eyes trained straight ahead.

It was Aaron, who was currently conversing with some other attending—tall and brunette with pink scrubs and a lithe figure.

Oh no...pink scrubs.

Have a nice day my crystals!