I don't own anything
Aria's POV
It was Friday morning and I was stood in a hot and full subway. Spencer and I had agreed to go to a lunch before my shift started. Luckily, the jounrey was short and I didn't have to stand for too long in the metro where air was anything but cool and nice. I stepped out at Unison Square and ascended the stairs; we'd meet at a restaurant called NewCrystal that was located on the other side of the street.
I opened the glass door and stepped into the restaurant. It didn't take long to notice Spencer who was sitting in the corner table.
"Hey" I said happily and took of my black leather jacket.
"Oh hey" She greeted me back smiling.
"Am I late?" I asked as I sat down.
"No, I was early" She laughed.
Spencer was a really precise and punctual person. She always did all the course work on time and started to study for the exams way before the rest of us. Whether it was an exam or meeting with a friend, she was always there on time. Whereas I ran through the doors of the exam room in the last minute.
"Did you order already?" I asked and took the menu from the table.
She shook her head and said, "Nope, I wanted to wait for you."
We focused on the menus for a moment until the waitress came to take our orders. I took a Greek Salad and Spencer chose Ceasar Salad. Because I still had a shift later on, I only drank water.
"How was you week?" I asked her when the waitress left.
"I've been relazing and enjoyed the last days of freedom" She said, wearing a perfectly straight face.
"Spencer Hastings' has relaxed? I doubt it" I laughed.
"I have! I organized the important documents, planned the timetables for the following months without any rush and read a couple of seriously good researches" She said defensively.
"You call that relaxing?" I continued teasing her.
"Absolutely. I feel a lot more at peace" She said, and we both couldn't help but laugh.
Not long after the waitress brought our salads over and they looked delicious.
"So, are you excited to start at ER?" I asked her as I split a cherry tomato.
"I suppose long and busy days shouldn't excite me, but I am excited. I've wanted it for so long. Though I don't know if ER is the place I want to work at when I'm graduated" She replied thoughtfully.
"I like it. I wouldn't have believed I'd say this after a week but something about it appeals to me" I told her.
"Are the people nice there? What are the other doctors and nurses like?" Spencer asked.
"I haven't met eeryone yet, but most of them I have. My boss, and your future boss, Mark is really nice. Most of them are, but you might bump into doctors who like to remind you that you're just a student" I said, an image of Jackie's perfect demeanor on my mind. I hate how she had a way of making me sound bitter.
"Do those people forget that they were once students as well?" Spencer frowned.
I shrugged for I honestly didn't know. But maybe I could remind Jackie the next time.
"And your supervisor? What are they like?" She asked curiously and took a forkful of her salad.
What was my supervisor like? The question echoed in my ears. It felt like my heart had stopped beating for a second when I heard her question. It took me by surprise and I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell her he was the most handsome man I'd ever seen and I have a hopeless crush on him. Or that I couldn't take him off my mind, not even when I was with her. Not to mention about going for a coffee with him. For a second time.
But it was only a coffee, I reminded myself. Just a coffee.
"He's nice" I said and tried to smile convincingly.
Spencer just nodded and thankfully didn't question anything. I had to be extra careful at work now that Spencer started there too. I couldn't look at Ezra as much anymore. But, tomorrow I could without anyone disturbing us and the thought brought butterflies in my stomach.
"I almost wish I was there already" Spencer said wistfully.
"It's not that easy, you know. It's different to pass exams and take care of real people" I pointed out to her.
"What do you mean?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I did something stupid" I blurted out.
"What did you do?" She asked, sounding almost worried.
"I didn't kill anyone, if that's what you fear" I said quickly. "I just told my supervisor that I could take IV and I didn't. A nice nurse did it for me, but he still doesn't know I couldn't do it" I old her a little embarrassed.
Spencer looked at me a little disapprovingly and finally said, "Aria, you need to tell him before it gets worse."
"I know" I said quietly and continued eating my salad.
After my lunch with Spence I had to go to work, so I took the subway to Grand Central station and walked through the doors of the New York County Hospital. Ezra had been in a morning shift so I didn't have to see him today. It was better that way, so I didn't feel so guilty about lying about the IV.
I changed my clothes in the back room as usually and after that went to see what was waiting for me. It was my first night shift and I wa supposed to get off at 11pm. I looked at the white board that was used to mark which doctor took which patient. It also said what was the matter with them. At least Mark and Susan were working the same shift as I, and I was relieved not to see Jackie's name on it.
"Ms Montgomery, could you take Mr Williams please. His wound needs stiching" Mark said upon seeing me and handen me the patient folder.
"Sure" I replied.
And just when I was going to see my patient I saw Ezra walk towards the reception desk looking extremely care free.
"Are you going home?" I asked him.
"Yes" He replied smiling.
"Lucky you" I mumbled.
"I told you, you'll experience the lovely nature of this job" He grinned. "Oh and by the way, that IV from yesterday was really good" He added before disappearing into the back room.
Emily was right next to me and she glared at me before walking to the medial stock.
"Emily!" I shouted and went after her.
She stopped and looked at me as disapprovingly as Spencer had. And I deserved it.
"I know I should have told Dr Fitz that I didn't take the IV" I said regrettingly.
"So why didn't you?" She asked sternly.
I looked at the floor and again at her before replying, "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to show him I could do something."
"We don't impress people, we save lives" Emily replied.
"I know" I said quickly. "And I will tell Dr Fitz."
"Good" She said and walked through the doors to the stock room.
After a couple of hours I had succesfully took care of 5 patients and returned to the reception desk with Dr Green himself, Mark.
"How's it going with you?" He asked when he saw me and smiled kindly.
"Great" I replied and soon a long haired male doctor joined us. He wasn't that old, but still a good few years older than me. He looked stylish and the gray suited him.
"Dr Ross, would you please take Ms Montgomery with you? She could see the side of a pediatrician's job as well" Mark suggested.
"Yeah, it's fine" He said and I left with him to see the patient.
"So, you're a pediatrician?" I asked him.
"Yes."
"There's two of you here?"
"Yeah, although I think there could be a few more of us here. But, it's always about the budget" He sighed and opened the door to the room.
We stepped in and found a 5-year-old girl sitting on the bed. Dr Ross examined and nursed her. I was watching from afar and answered the girl's questions every now and then.
It was closer to 11 when Dr Ross told me to go home. I took my chance and went to change back into my own leather jacket. I had worked with him for the rest of the night, and he seemed nice.
It was already midnight when I walked down the Lexington Avenue and it was really dark. At home I washed my make up, got changed and curled up in my warm bed. I tried t ó forger the guilt I felt about not telling Ezra the truth about the IV. I would tell him. Perhaps tomorrow?
In the morning I woke up to the alarm I had set for myself so I wouldn't sleep all day. It was my first day off in ages. In fact it was the first one I'd had after starting at the hospital. After turning it off, I noticed a text message from an unknown number.
-Are you still alive from yesterday's night shift? -Ezra
-Easily. Mark even let me leave 5 minutes early. -Aria
-I need to have a word with him about giving my students privileges like that -Ezra
I felt a nasty feeling in the spit of my stomach when he called me his student.
-Your student? -Aria
-Your not? I'm your supervisor? -Ezra
-I belong to no-one :p -Aria
-Whatever Miss Stubborn. Any suggestions where we should meet today? -Ezra
-I'll let you decide. You're the supervisor, right? -Aria
-The West Haven at 6pm -Ezra
I was a little disappointed when he sent the name of the place we'd meet at. I wanted to message him, but then, we'd meet tonight and I'd get to talk to him then. But where did Ezra get my number?
I started to get ready at about 4 and since I didn't know what to wear, I Googled the place to have look at what kind of a place it was. Judging by the photos it was very cozy, so I opted for jeans and a white yet stylish top. It wasn't a date, I reminded myself all the time, although deep down I wished it was. Every time I caught myself thinking it, I had to remind myself about all the reasons why it couldn't be a date. And there were too many of them.
A little before 6 I walked down the Columbus Avenue and towards The West Haven. It looked like an ngliosh pub from the outside. I stepped in and took in the atmosphere – it was lovely. It as cozy and quiet. There were bookshelves full of books and they only served to add to the atmosphere. And then I noticed Ezra who was sitting on a table for two and looking at his phone concentrated. He looked really cute when he focused on something. Just like now. Cute and hadsome.
"Hey" I said and he tore his eyes from his phone.
"Hi" He smiled. "You don't mind I already ordered? I was early" He said and pointed at the pint of beer in front of him.
"Not at all" I said and noticed a young waiter approach me.
"Can I get you something, miss?" He asked.
I had no idea about their drinks, so I decided to trust Ezra's taste and the same as him. The waiter left and I noticed Ezra looking at me a little taken aback.
"What?" I asked, wondering if I looked funny.
"Nothing, I just wasn't expecting you to order a pint that's all. Usually women go for wine or cider" He replied.
"I like to break boring norms" I countered.
"Oh really?" He answered as the waiter neared eith my drink.
"Yes" I replied and took a sip of my beer. "This is a nice place. I had no idea there was a place like this in Manhattan" I said.
"It's one of my favourites. Almost like a library, but better. You can order drinks or food while you read" Ezra said and we both laughed.
"Do you often come here to read?"
"Sometimes. When I was in high school I used to come more often. Actually it was this place that got me interested in literature, and I studied for the exams of the medical school here."
"So it seems everything good begins here" I said whilst listening to him.
I liked knowing those details about Ezra. It felt like having a few new pieces to associate with him.
"So, how did it happen? How did you get into litarature?" I asked him and took a sip of my beer.
"Both of my parents are lawyers and we didn't have any classics in my childhood home nor were they really appreciated. All the books we had were about facts or law. They told you facts. Anyway, I was 17 when I stepped in here for the first time and here I held To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time and that was it."
I listened to him entranced and my eyes never left him. I could never get enough of the pull I felt towards him. There were so many sides to him that I didn't know of. He was intelligent, funny, supportive and had a good heart.
"Your story is more interesting than mine" I said.
"Tell me" He almost demanded.
"Well, it started when I read Wuthering Heights. I think I was 15, if I remember correctly, but I fell in love with and read it three times that summer. When school started we had to read To Kill a Mockingbird and I liked how different it was to Wuthering Heights. And soon I realised I read a classic after classic. It just happened" I explained.
"So you fell in love with Heathcliff and Catherine's desperate love story when you were 16?"
"Yes, but isn't love always desperate?" I challenged him.
"A bit too much sometimes" He said quietly.
By the time it was 9 we had drank our second beers. Where had time gone? It felt like we'd chatted for an hour instead of three hours. When I was with Ezra I lost sense of time and didn't notice the life around us. I was in my own world with him and little by little I start to like that world a little bit more.
We left the pub soon after finishing our drinks and began our walk next to the Central Park. New York was so beautiful at night, when all the lights were on. I'd never get tired of this city. Especially when I get to walk here with Ezra. And still I had to remind me it was not a date. We stopped at the subway station and looked at each other.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked him by the entrance.
"Sure" He replied.
"How did you get my number?"
"It's not very hard these days" He chuckled. I didn't fail to notice he didn't give me a straight answer.
"That's not a proper answer" I said and jokingly nudged him.
"Then you have to find out" He grinned.
"You're annoying" I said and tried to slap him lightly, but he took hold of my wrist.
"Did Catherine think that of Heathcliff?" He asked in a low voice, and I vould feel my skin go in goose bumps.
I ignored his question for right now I couldn't be less interested in any literature characters. Not when I was standing a few inches away from Ezra's lips.
"Did she?" He asked me again, only this time his voice was nothing more than a whisper. I felt him free my wrist and take a hold of my waist, pressing his forehead against mine.
AN: A terrible cliffhanger, I know! I know it, but the more you leave reviews the quicker I update.