Chapter 4

Back at my station, a coworker hesitated before sliding up next to me.

"Maya — did you and Dr. Robert break up?"

He hadn't agreed to it, but as far as I was concerned, we were over.

I nodded.

She exhaled slowly.

"That explains it. A patient got aggressive earlier and shoved Dr. Nia. Dr. Robert picked her up right away and rushed her to the ER himself. I was watching — she barely even fell, but he completely panicked."

My brow pulled together.

"Did she hurt her hand?"

The resentment hadn't gone anywhere, but my legs were already moving toward the ER before I'd made the decision.

Back in school, Nia used to throw an arm around my shoulder and announce to no one in particular:

"I'm going to be the best cardiothoracic surgeon in the country."

"Maya, I've got your back once we're both at the hospital."

If her hand was injured, how would she ever operate again?

Every bad possibility tangled together in my head as I walked.

By the time I got there, Nia was lying on the exam table, eyes red.

"Nia, are you okay?"

I crossed the room quickly.

She spotted me and managed a small smile.

"I'm fine. Just twisted my ankle."

I had barely breathed in relief when Robert's voice cut through, flat and cold.

"Satisfied, Maya?"

I had no idea what he meant.

"If you hadn't thrown a fit, Nia wouldn't have come after you to smooth things over. She wouldn't have been in the way of that patient."

His words pinned me to the floor.

I couldn't think straight.

Nia was already pushing at his arm.

"Why are you blaming Maya? That's not fair."

But Robert kept his eyes on me.

"Why haven't you grown up after all these years? You always make everyone adjust around you. Who do you think you are?"

Silence.

Something hot was slipping out of the corners of my eyes again.

As if he'd finally noticed how sharp his words had been, he softened — slightly.

"Just try to be calmer going forward. Okay?"

He reached out to wipe my tears. I turned my head and stepped back.

"Dr. Robert, we've already broken up. Please don't speak to me like that."

Robert let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

"Maya. Enough."

Even Nia looked at me with disapproval.

"Stop being stubborn."

Honestly — they were more alike than either of them knew.

Neither of them could ever really see what I said, what I felt, or who I was.

I pulled up a bitter smile and walked out.

The days that followed, Robert gave me the silent treatment.

Between that and my own efforts to avoid him, we somehow went half a month without exchanging a single word.

But he was the hospital's golden boy, and gossip about him never stopped.

Word was that he brought Nia a fresh-cut steak every single day while she recovered.

Word was that they co-authored a paper published in a major journal and got recognized by the chief of staff.

When coworkers asked me for updates, I just shook my head. I didn't know anything.

One afternoon, Nia stopped me in the hallway.

She caught my sleeve like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Maya, did you really stop talking to me just because you and Robert fought? Come on."

"You two are both impossible. Let me be the bridge here — just meet him halfway. Please?"

I looked at my best friend of so many years.

And felt something cold and unfamiliar wash over me.

We had known each other longer. I hadn't done anything wrong.

So why did she always take his side?