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Behind Closed Doors
4.
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'Hungry much?'
After finishing her plate of breakfast (which consisted of bacon, eggs and baked beans), Piper sighed in content, slipping down her seat. The last time she ate something so good was months ago. It was moments like these when she really appreciated Larry for sticking around. Just to emphasise how satisfied she was, Piper rubbed her tummy, smiling wide. 'If you make breakfast for me like that every morning, I'll honestly just quit my job.'
Placing aside his knife, Larry smirked. 'As much as I want you to be here more, I'm not going to let you walk out on your internship. Especially when you're doing so well.' The compliment made Piper's heart flutter slightly, but she wasn't sure if she was flattered or nervous. It cost a lot in order to do well as an intern, and, currently, Piper wasn't sure what she had cost. For the moment, nothing important, considering Larry was still happy to eat breakfast with her.
'By the way,' she dropped her gaze momentarily, 'I have a day off soon.'
'I know. How could I forget?' Larry was already grinning, eating one more fork full of baked beans. 'Got any plans?'
'Do we?' Piper rose in her seat, hoping Larry might have some sort of surprise in mind. She loved surprises, and Larry was particularly good at them. Her smile broadened when she recognised a certain glint in his eyes. Yes, he had plans, for sure.
Larry tapped his nose. 'Who knows?'
It was a good enough answer. Piper instantly started guessing, 'Are we going to a fancy restaurant?'
'Maybe. And maybe much more.'
'Oh, how about a hotel? Wait! A hotel that has a swimming pool. But it has a swimming pool, inside a swimming pool. With our own maid. Who gives us shit when we want it. And a bed. I'd like a bed, but a big one, so I'm not squashed up against the wall.'
'That was once. Plus, we had been driving for hours and needed to rest somewhere. It wasn't my fault the hotel was one-star.' Larry raised a brow. 'Anyway, you weren't complaining at the time.'
'I'll be complaining this time, though.' They shared a smile. 'You promise you really do have plans? You're not just making this up as you go along, right?'
'I thought those were the best trips.'
'Perhaps. But no one-star hotels, okay?'
'Okay.'
'And I want breakfast in bed, too.'
Larry snorted. 'I'll see that can be arranged as well, Your Highness––' The man was cut off when Piper's pager went off again. 'Fucking Hell, do they ever leave you alone?'
'Sorry,' Piper winced, checking her pager. When she read the small alert, Piper widened her eyes and shot to her feet. Larry followed suit, frowning at her as Piper hurried to grab her coat.
'Hey, wait! What's going on?'
'It's Alex!' Piper said, rushing for the door.
Larry stopped. 'Who?'
'Alex. My patient.' Before Larry could ask anymore, Piper was gone.
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The moment she entered the hospital, a fellow intern passed her, scowling. 'Where the fuck have you been? Doctor Healy's gonna brain you.' Cursing loudly, Piper barged past him, heart in her mouth. She shouldn't be scolded. It wasn't technically her shift yet, and she had got here as fast as she could. But the fucking traffic was horrific this morning. Her pager went off again, but she didn't pick it up. She was already at Alex's ward.
Breathing heavily, she pushed past a nurse who was busy taking away a few bloody sheets. Piper barely had a moment to look at Alex, before Healy yelled at her. He was red in the face, angry, and exhausted. He asked where she was, why she didn't come earlier. That, if she intended to become an attending, she needed to be by her patient's side the moment they started showing severe symptoms.
Finally Piper could see the damage. Alex was either uninterested with the scene unfolding before her, or she was half conscious. A bucket sat on her lap, and she weakly wiped away a little blood from her lips. The stench of iron wafted the ward, and Piper felt her insides tighten. Healy had lost interest in Piper, and returned to helping his patient.
Alex had been vomiting blood. A lot of it. She was pale, horribly pale, like a ghost. Her glasses were off, and her eyelids were heavy; she could barely stay awake. Healy said something to Piper, but the blonde couldn't hear him. All she could do was stare at Alex. What she saw was her own fault. She hadn't done her job right. Alex was sick because of her. Because she was a shitty doctor, someone who spent far too much time doting her fiancé instead of helping the patients who actually needed her.
I paged you more than ten times. Where were you?
You do realise if I didn't get here before you, we'd have a serious case on our hands.
This is why I hate interns.
Why were you late? Sleep in? Chapman, you've been doing this job for a few months now. Surely you haven't started sleeping in already.
This isn't like you, doctor. I thought you were good at this.
Are you up for being an intern? Oi, I'm talking to you!
'Sir.' Piper looked at him. She slumped her shoulders. 'The traffic was bad, sir.'
'Really?' Healy was sarcastic at first, but then his expression softened. 'I'm afraid I can't accept that excuse.'
'I know.'
'If it happens again, I'm going to have to give Miss Vause another doctor. Someone who doesn't get stuck in traffic.'
This startled her. At first, Piper thought she was only hurt because her pride had been damaged. When a patient was removed from a doctor's service, it was one of the worst things that could happen. However, it wasn't necessarily her pride that had been wounded. Piper looked at Alex again, and her heart skipped a beat when she realised Alex was watching her from the corner of her eye. There was nothing in her expression.
'Please don't do that, sir,' Piper said, facing Healy again.
Healy sighed. Checked the heart monitor, then turned to Piper. 'I won't. I don't want to. If it happens again, though, I'll have no choice.'
A sigh of relief escaped her lips, which didn't go unnoticed by her senior. Piper turned away while Healy focussed his attention on Alex again, asking a couple of questions, checking her symptoms, making sure she was stable. It was a good opportunity for Piper to recover. She needed to catch her breath, needed to slow down her heart. She was already sweating a little, panicking way too much.
It was disturbing witnessing Alex like this. She always appeared well; she never seemed ill. Piper foolishly believed she would be out of the hospital in the next few days, but, right now, it certainly didn't seem that way. Alex was sick. Very sick. The drugs weren't working; her body was resistant to them. This only meant Alex would get progressively worse if Piper and her attending didn't think of something quick.
There were multiple alternative treatments. Piper just hoped they would fucking work.
Healy stepped away from Alex, took the bucket from her, and made his way over to Piper. 'She's stable, but needs rest,' he said quietly. 'Keep a good eye on her, Chapman. Don't let me down again.'
A brief nod. Piper waited until Healy was gone, before she swivelled on her heel to look at her patient. The heart monitor filled the silence for a while. Alex wasn't looking at her; she seemed resigned, but her eyes were open. She was gazing out of the window, and Piper discovered a hint of defeat in her expression. Apparently, Piper wasn't the only one who felt humiliated this morning. Who knew Alex held a lot of pride herself?
This eased the tension building in Piper's body. Slightly. Piper stepped forwards, grabbed the chart and read what Healy had written. Alex didn't move, said nothing. Placing the chart down, Piper looked at her, tried to adjust her expression so she didn't look so glum. But Alex's misery affected Piper in ways she didn't think possible.
'I'm sorry,' Piper says gently.
Alex meets her gaze. 'Clearly.'
'There was traffic,' Piper started, then exhaled. 'I––' She jarred her teeth. 'If I'd have known––'
'Forget it,' Alex grimaced when she struggled to sit upright. Immediately Piper hurried over and tried to help the woman, but Alex shrugged her off. 'Kid, I can do it, all right? Back off.'
It was sharp. Piper flinched, as if Alex had slapped her. Feeling awkward, Piper remained put, hands at her side. Of course Alex managed, but her attempts to act as if nothing had happened didn't work on Piper. She wasn't fooled. She knew exactly what Alex was playing at. 'You should sleep. Rest. You need to get better; if you stay awake, you'll––'
'Piper.' Alex's expression hardened, and her glare was fierce. It made Piper flinch again, but this time the doctor felt wounded. Insulted, but she didn't have it in her to defend herself. The older woman regretted her tone, relaxed, eased herself. 'I know the drill. This has happened to me before, and I will rest when I want to.'
'You should listen to me.'
'I do. And it's fucking annoying sometimes.'
This caused Piper to grind her teeth in irritation. 'I'm your doctor. I know your disease like the back of my hand; I've treated it before.' Alex cocked a brow, questioning that statement. Piper rolled her eyes. 'Fine. I've read about the treatments made for TB.'
'So, I'm your first?'
'That doesn't mean I can't do this.' Alex winced suddenly, pressing a hand to her stomach. For a moment, Piper just watched her. Then she proceeded around the bed and pushed more morphine into Alex's bloodstream. 'I swear to God, if you don't rest soon I'll––' Now the anger was beginning to spike, 'Alex, I'll kill you myself.'
A chuckle. It was friendly, and Piper had to smile at her result. She had to smile at Alex for still clinging onto a little positivity, despite the situation. 'I think that'd be far more pleasant than what I have right now.'
'Painfully, then, and slowly.'
'Sounds kinky.'
Piper pulled a face. 'You're crazy.'
'Oh. You got me.'
The mood didn't last long, which Piper expected. Alex could try and pretend to feel better, but she had just coughed up blood. Her stomach was cramping up, and no doubt she had a headache. The smile fell, and Alex sighed again, her head falling back against the pillow. Piper picked up the glass of water on her bedside table and passed it over. 'Drink. You'll get dehydrated if you don't. Crazy.'
'No shit,' Alex took the glass. 'Did they teach you that in med school?'
'Yeah. They also taught me on how to deal with psychopathic, TB drug dealers.'
Alex smiled crookedly. 'You remembered my career, eh?'
'It was funny. Really. Don't joke about that to another doctor, though, or you'll be strapped to a bed next.'
If Piper hadn't been watching her so closely, she wouldn't have spotted a wave of guilt pass her eyes. Piper looked away, decided to ignore that. Placing the stethoscope to her ears, she listened to Alex's heartbeat. It was a little faster than normal, and she quickly glanced at her face. The guilt was gone, and in replacement was a softness, a kindness she couldn't grasp. Alex was watching her in a way which made Piper feel hot and warm simultaneously; made her shudder a little, made her smile.
Stepping back, she felt dizzy, unsure on her feet. Piper stuffed the stethoscope into her pocket. 'I have another patient.' It was awkward, but okay. It was okay. Piper took another step back towards the door. She smiled again. Alex watched her with amusement, her eyes taking in every twitch, every nervous fidget. 'I have to go.'
'Then go,' Alex smirked.
'I'm going.'
'Really?'
'Yeah.' Piper rolled her eyes, but couldn't force back the grin. 'Stop staring at me.'
Alex didn't respond, but she obediently looked away, sniggering. It was a sight Piper appreciated, something she would hold onto. She managed to make a patient laugh. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was enough to lift her spirits, keep her going.
Yet as soon as she left, Alex's smile faded and she stopped pretending. She groaned, adjusting her position to feel more comfortable. Everything was such a pain, such a hassle. Alex couldn't sit upright for much longer. She lay back, stared up at the ceiling, and decided to obey her doctor's advice for once. Closing her eyes, Alex attempted to sleep, ignoring the burning sensation spreading in her stomach and up her throat.
For several hours, she dozed, dreamed lazily. But every few minutes, she kept waking up, kept gazing out of the window. Kept feeling the need to vomit, to cough and splutter. She heard footsteps outside her ward, other patients making horrible retching noises, doctors running past at the sound of a code. Alex hated hospitals. She loathed them.
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Nothing looked appetising. Piper had spent so long dealing with a young child who continuously screamed and vomited. The child wouldn't stop crying, no matter what was done. Yes, the vomiting was disgusting, but Piper was admittedly affected by the child himself. His parents were in hysterics, demanding answers from the intern, but Piper didn't know much in so little time. Children were a challenge to treat –– they rarely talked, they rarely knew how to describe their symptoms, so it was mainly guesswork.
After a while, the child began to calm down. Piper had to hold him in a certain position; he liked it when his head was balanced by her hand, and when she rocked him against her chest. It was this angle which soothed him, and was a huge sign in identifying what was wrong. Piper was able to diagnose him after that, and her attending was impressed with the treatment she came up with. Surgery was needed, but as soon as that was done, the child must be taken back to the medical unit again.
Healy confirmed this child was now another of Piper's patients. In a way, she was pleased by this, but also a little unnerved. Piper didn't like treating children, because they were so young. Too young to be ill, and she hoped this child would pull through. He should pull through, but Piper didn't promise his parents a fully recovery. She only promised to do everything she could, and it was enough. For now, it was enough to stop the child's mother from crying, and enough for the father to look her in the eye.
Piper was tempted to skip lunch. The salad wasn't crunchy, and the bread didn't taste nice either. She nearly jumped up in her seat when Doctor Bennett approached. 'Good news, Chapman. Doctor Healy wanted you to see the new treatment we've prescribed for Miss Vause.' He passed over a folder. 'Apparently, you two seem to get along well. I think Miss Vause will be more lenient to take the medicine if you give it to her.'
'Thank you,' Piper smiled, and her attending returned to his job. Sitting down, Piper opened the folder and briefly skimmed through the report. Technically, she should have helped think of a treatment, but Healy insisted otherwise. She wasn't sure if he felt bad for scolding her this morning, or just wanted to do it himself.
Why she was so happy to know Alex may get better was a mystery. Always, Piper was pleased when a patient got better, but –– like with the child –– Piper held Alex at a different level. She was a patient Piper valued. Piper had read her charts, her medical history and everything else she needed to know concerning Alex. Heck, she could recite everything medical about Alex if she had to. No one in this hospital was as thorough about Alex Vause as Piper was, and she liked to believe that was simply because she was a good doctor.
Leaving her lunch, Piper didn't waste any time to reach Alex's ward. Before Alex had time to to see her, Piper was already talking, 'Guess what? We've got your new treatment! This one will work. There's no reason why you should be resistant to these drugs––' Piper cut herself off when she saw the way Alex was looking at her. She smiled slightly, but there was doubt in her eyes; she was only smiling because of Piper's enthusiasm. It was nearly close to sympathy. Piper swallowed, stiffened her shoulders. 'Please take the drugs.'
'I will,' Alex replied. 'You need to settle down, though. Patients are sleeping. You probably woke them up.'
'This isn't a joke,' Piper insisted, stepping further into the room. 'This is serious.'
'I know,' Alex nodded. 'Thanks, kid.'
It was the first "thanks" Piper had received in weeks. 'You're welcome.'
Suddenly Piper's pager went off. Alex's smile fell slightly. Piper looked at her, tried to think of something to say, then turned on her heel and left. Once again, Alex was on her own. She returned to her reading, blocking out the noises from outside the ward, distracting herself from the pain coming and going inside her stomach.
Piper's excitement was cute. Sweet. But she was young, terribly naïve. It sometimes wasn't necessary for interns to wear a different shade of scrubs from the attendings. Sometimes, it was just so obvious when the doctors were inexperienced, when they hadn't seen death, when they hadn't screwed up. And it was fucking miserable.
It was fucking miserable watching those same sweet, cute interns die away slowly inside. Alex didn't hate hospitals for the smell, and fear of never coming out again. She hated hospitals because it fucked up the nurses and doctors. It fucked up whoever stepped through those doors. Alex had been trapped in this building long enough to know this; she had observed plenty, too much. She wanted to go home.
Suddenly a massive card was shoved into her face.
'Hey, fucker.'
Alex lowered her book. Took the oversized card. 'How were you able to afford this?'
Her friend, Nicky, pulled a face at her. 'With money. Which I earned. From my fucking job.'
'Scrubbing toilets?' Alex smiled crookedly. 'I actually meant, how can you afford a card this size when you spend all your dosh on drugs?'
'I don't know. How can you afford going abroad all the time, when you're spending your weight in hospital expenses?'
'Expenses? That's a posh word for you.'
'I know. Turns out scrubbing toilets is doing good for my education too.' Nicky dragged a chair over to sit beside Alex's bed. 'You gonna open that fucking card or what?'
'Sorry. Just in awe that you're still breathing.'
'Fuck off,' Nicky grinned.
Alex admired the large words on the front of her card: "Get well soon!", before opening it. Inside were a variety of signatures, and even a few notes left by a couple of people. Nicky's message was slap bang in the centre, in bright pink. Alex gave her a look. 'Really?'
'I thought it was a cheery colour. Keep you in good spirits and all.'
'Careful. Your hetero side is starting to show.'
'Hey, you wanna see the other messages? I was hoping we could do this quickly before I have to go, so we'll have time to yank that stick out of your ass.'
'Don't worry. The doctors can do that.'
'Like that blonde chick? Does she still come in and check on you?'
Alex lowered the card. 'Well, considering she is my doctor and has to check up on me –– yeah, she does.'
'Red says the ghetto is less civilised without you.'
A snort. 'That's because I'm not there to keep you in control.'
'You did a good job at that. Just so you know.'
Sarcasm. Alex grinned and returned to reading her card. There was some illegible writing in one corner, and she recognised it as Lorna's, who Nicky secretly had a thing for. Or, not so secretly considering Alex called out on it before Nicky even realised her feelings. A few more names were scrawled onto the card, and they were all people Alex had come to know fairly well. The "ghetto" was much grander than the name implied.
Each individual there was either on drugs, or a recovering addict. Nicky tended to switch between the two. The place was a rehab or sorts, although it tended to possess less emphasis on the rehab. Red, the Russian woman in charge, gave the girls food, water, a place to stay, and kept them each in line. Over the years, Red and Nicky had formed a mother/daughter bond, but Alex wasn't as close. Alex had her own place. One of many places.
Alex's home was equally as grand, two storeys high. Inside was luxury. Her job as a drug importer was dangerous and obviously illegal, but it all paid off. Literally. Thanks to her career, Alex no longer had to rely on her mother's savings while she was alive in order to have medical insurance. She could afford it with the hundreds and hundreds of money her boss stashed into her bank account every time she delivered an order.
Yet, her poor immune system and sick health cut her paycheques. Her boss was aware of her illness when she applied for the job. Miraculously, Alex still managed to earn herself quite the reputation as a skilled and efficient international drug importer. A lot of people turned to her when they wanted something trafficked across the sea. Currently, Alex was still at the top of her game, but things were beginning to slow. Her boss hadn't contacted her in over a week. When things got rough for Alex, he tended to avoid her like the plague. The TB was stopping Alex from working.
The girls in the "ghetto" were either customers, or just friends. People Alex found a common interest with. They knew about her career, but kept hush hush about it. As far as they were concerned, being a drug importer was nothing criminal. She was just working her way through life; surviving.
'How you been, man?' Nicky asked when Alex finished reading her card.
Alex offered a small smile. 'I've been better.'
'Yeah. You're telling me. You look rough. You don't think some cocaine might ease the pain a little?'
'Sure. I'll just ask my doctor.'
'Some doctor.' Nicky rolled her eyes. 'I thought doctors treated people, not spend their hours drinking coffee.' Alex frowned, so Nicky added, 'Couple of doctors out there, slurping away. Fat asses too.'
'I forget sometimes why people hate you. But I just remembered.'
'Where's your doctor?' Nicky queried, peering over her shoulder as if expecting Piper to suddenly appear.
'Treating other patients, probably,' Alex replied. She placed her oversized card to the side. 'She can't seem to give herself a rest. Always rushing around everywhere.'
'Pft. Sounds like a typical intern. They're hilarious.' Nicky slumped back in her seat. 'Any hot nurses come visit you?'
'I was too busy dying to notice.'
'You need to come out again, Vause. The nights are boring without you.'
'Aw,' Alex mocked, earning a light punch to the arm.
Just as Nicky did this, they heard frantic footsteps coming towards the ward. Nicky raised her brows when Piper showed herself. The doctor stopped short when she saw the crazy-haired woman sitting beside Alex's bed, and she didn't appreciate the smile curving over Nicky's lips.
'Good morning,' Piper said, brushing past Nicky towards Alex's IV bag.
'Afternoon,' Nicky corrected.
'Good afternoon,' Piper responded, trying her best to remain calm.
Nicky glanced at Alex, then back at her. 'How old are you? Three?'
'And a half.'
'She's snarky, this one,' Nicky said, turning to Alex again. 'Your favourite type.'
Piper glanced up from what she was doing. Alex stared at Nicky. Hard. 'Watch it, Nichols. Let the doctor do her work.'
'Or lack, thereof.'
When Piper sighed heavily, loud enough for both women to turn their attention to her, she felt the tips of her cheeks redden. She didn't like the way Nicky was grinning at her, and she didn't like Alex watching her in general. Piper blinked, looked at Nicky. 'I don't think you can criticise me, when you were in here not long ago because of drugs.'
'Well, I am criticising you, doll. What you gonna do about it? Stick an IV drip into my wrist, force pills down my throat? Knock me into a coma?'
'I wouldn't mind doing that, to be honest,' Piper muttered.
'Ask Vause to do that. She can put you into a coma all right. A long, sex-burning coma that lasts for days. What happened to that chick you pulled a few months ago? She was still unconscious the following afternoon.'
Piper blushed harder, and she nearly smiled. This conversation was just bizarre. Alex, on the other hand, was not blushing. Or smiling. 'Do you need to be here? Or are you just going to embarrass yourself even more?'
'Wow. I feel so welcome.' Nicky stood to her feet. 'Oi, Blondie. If you kill Vause, I'll come back to kill you.' A long pause. Piper stared at her. Then, abruptly, Nicky laughed. 'Interns. I love 'em.' Offering a mock wave in Alex's direction, Nicky turned on her heel and exited the ward. Piper ignored the knot twist in her stomach, and she ignored the wave of envy rushing through her. She knew Alex and Nicky weren't together, and she knew she had absolutely no right to feel this way.
Whatever this stupid feeling was.
She rolled her eyes. Nearly slapped herself. What the fuck was wrong with her?
Now there were less distractions, Piper was able to do her job. After checking on Alex's symptoms, and going over the usual routine to make sure no more attacks were going to occur, she put two bottles of tablets onto Alex's table. 'Here. These should do the trick. A nurse will come by three times a day with your meals and your pills –– take them while you eat.' She deposited the bottles into her pocket. 'And no matter what your girlfriend says, don't take more than one at a time.'
Alex raised her brows, 'Girlfriend?'
'Yeah.' Piper took her chart, walked past the bed.
'Girlfriend?' Alex smiled slowly, 'You think she's my girlfriend?' Piper shrugged, avoiding her gaze. This only made Alex's smile broaden. 'What's that supposed to mean?'
She scribbled something onto the chart. Still didn't look at her. 'Nothing. Never mind.'
'No, what do you mean––?'
'I said "nothing"! I said "never mind",' Piper insisted, her voice unusually high-pitched. Looking at Alex was a mistake. She hated the grin, the knowing look in her eyes, the amusement. This was just a fun game to her. She was enjoying herself.
She was enjoying herself too much.
Piper scowled. Returned to the chart.
'What, do you expect me to wait until you drop everything and come crawling to me?'
That was too far. Piper scoffed, looking at her again. 'Crawling to you?'
'Yeah.'
A dead-pan look. Piper's voice hardened. 'As in, get together with you?' She snorted. 'Are you kidding me?' Lowering the chart, Piper slammed it back onto the end of the bed. 'I'm engaged.'
'Right.'
'You know what?' Piper began to approach the door, but stopped herself from leaving. For some reason, she was shaking a little. Probably because Alex was pissing her off, or because Alex was looking at her in a way Piper didn't approve of, or maybe because Alex was a fucking pain in the ass. 'Maybe. Just maybe we will be friends. Maybe.'
'Friends?' Alex cocked a brow. 'We would be awful friends, kid. Plus, I'm pretty sure it's a bad idea for doctors to befriend their patients. All of that sensitivity crap, you know?'
'No, I don't,' Piper snapped.
'Think about it: you have to treat me. If I die, or if something bad happens to me, that is on you. If we're friends, though, you have to go through a lot more pain. So, consider that before suggesting we may be friends. God forbid.'
'I can be a very good friend!' Piper retorted, 'For the record, I don't care about you that much anyway.'
'Oh. Right. My mistake.'
'Wipe that smirk off your face.'
'Why?'
'Because it makes me feel uncomfortable.'
Alex did allow her smile to fall slightly, but it was still there, and it made Piper grind her teeth together. They watched each other in silence for nearly a whole minute, before Piper decided this was just stupid. Let Alex be a horse's ass and taunt her. So what? Piper was the doctor. She was the one in charge. Alex was a patient, and if that wounded her pride and made her feel like shit, then so be it.
But that did not mean Piper had to deal with her crap.
'Have fun lying in bed. For the day. The whole day.'
'I will. I'll think of you when things get boring.'
Piper stopped. Gave her a look. Ignored Alex's smirk. 'Fuck you.'
'So professional.'
'I'm the best doctor you'll ever have.' Piper grabbed the door handle, turned to her sharply. 'So think about that when you get bored.'
Afterwards, Piper yanked open the door and made a quick escape before Alex could let a word in. And even if she knew Alex was still smirking when she left, Piper couldn't help but feel a little lighter on her feet.
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author's note: Hi. Good news for some –– I've finished White, which means this story is my first priority now. And I have so many ideas, I'm pretty damn excited about it. A huge thank you for all the reviews I received on the last chapter. Receiving so much feedback is bloody amazing, and always leaves me speechless. However, I have a couple of reviews which, while they mean well, do rub me the wrong way slightly. I'm flattered you feel so enthusiastic about this story, but please do refrain on suggesting what should happen. Don't take this badly. I don't want to cause problems, but I'm the type of writer who likes to work alone. Everything I come up with I try to make as original as possible, and I'm extremely reluctant to share and discuss my ideas with anyone. If you have assumptions on what's going to happen, then I'm happy to hear them. But I don't want suggestions. There is a fine line between the two. However, again, your enthusiasm blows my mind. Thank you for offering so much support, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
