“Look, I know you might think I’m meddling, but as someone who’s studying medicine, I have to say something. Don’t push yourself so hard. If you let yourself rx a little, it’ll actually help you in the long run. Try to get more rest and stop staying up sote, okay?”
“I’m not you.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, an awkward silence fell between them.
A voice called out from the hallway, breaking the tension. “Zachary, you ready? Let’s go grab lunch!” His seatmate jogged over from the next ssroom.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Zachary slid his things into his backpack and stood up.
“Seriously, being wound this tight isn’t doing your grades any favors.”
With that, he headed out, leaving Ignatius alone in the ssroom.
Rumors travel fast, and sure enough, Zachary barely made it down the hall before his friend was at his side, grinning. “So I heard things got pretty wild in your exam room today? People are saying you swooped in and worked some magic on Ignatius–like, one minute he’s copsed on the floor, the next you’ve brought him back to life. I’ve known you all this time and you never told me you had secret
skills like that!”
Zachary blinked, surprised. “That story’s already making the rounds?”
His friend just shrugged, utterly unfazed. “Come on, with how tense things are at our school, gossip is all anyone’s got to keep themselves sane. It’s not like that other school across town, where everyone’s chill andid–back. Wait–hold up, you really did save Ignatius, right?”
He grabbed Zachary’s arm, eyes wide with curiosity–more interested in the drama than in any actual heroics.
Zachary couldn’t help butugh, his voice gentle. “You’ve been watching too many TV shows. He just had a stomach cramp from nerves. All he needed was a short break and some water <i>to </i>settle down. Everyone’s so on edgetely that the stories get blown way out of proportion. Don’t believe everything you hear.”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry.” His friend nudged him with an elbow. “Say, did you figure out the answer to thatst problem on the test? I only got one solution… Actually, never mind, don’t tell me. If you did, I might lose my appetite.”
<b>12:41 </b>
But rumors had a way of growing wilder with every retelling.
By the end of the day, everyone at Crestview High seemed to know the story: some student fainted during a test, and the ss’s top guy–handsome, of course–had miraculously saved him.
“Word is you yed hero today. Not bad, Mr. Dawson’s star pupil,” Ste teased when she spotted Zachary after school.
He gave her a weary smile, already tired of repeating himself. “People are exaggerating. It really wasn’t a big deal.”
As usual, Zachary was waiting by the entrance for Alessia, looking slightly embarrassed as she approached.
“Hey, let me introduce you. Queenie, she just got back from overseas.”
“Nice to meet you,” Queenie said.
“Nice to meet you too. Alessia’s mentioned you before.”
Zachary scratched behind his ear, bashful.
“We’ll get going, then,” Alessia waved, saying goodbye to both of them.
Once Alessia and Zachary disappeared down the street, Ste and Queenie turned in the opposite direction.
“Alessia’s second brother and her third brother couldn’t be more different, could they?<i>” </i>Queenie remarked.
Ste <i>nodded</i>. “Yeah, her third brother used to y gigs at a bar–he’s got a real bold personality. The second brother, though, he’s gentle, more like Alessia’s mom.” “When the exhibit’s over, we should go visit them,” Queenie suggested.
“Actually, I’ve never really visited either. We should go together.” Ste slipped her arm around Queenie’s shoulders; the bracelet on her wrist matched Queenie’s
earrings.
“Sounds good.”
Meanwhile, Zachary and Alessia, thanks to moving house, no longer had to cram onto the bus every morning–their new ce was just a ten–minute walk from school.
“So, was today the first time you checked someone’s pulse outside the clinic? How did it feel?”
12:41
Chapter