Chapter 2 : Ghosts and White Coats
Alexis sat hunched over his desk, the harsh light of his study lamp making the shadows under his eyes even darker. His notes were a mess of scribbles, highlighted lines, and sticky tabs. He had three exams coming up, a presentation on cardiovascular emergencies, and a lab practical he hadn't even started preparing for.
Yet, in the middle of this chaos, one name kept creeping into his thoughts Liyah.
He hadn't meant to disappear on her. At first, it was just one late-night study session. He missed her call, replied late the next morning with a tired "hi." Then another long day at the hospital, another late reply. Soon he couldn't keep up with the flow of "I miss you" and "Are you okay?" because he wasn't okay he was drowning in anatomy charts and patient case files. So he let the silence swallow them both.
Alexis rubbed his eyes and leaned back. He still remembered how she'd giggle when he teased her, how she'd pout if he ignored her messages for too long. He never wanted to hurt her. He just didn't know how to love her properly while trying to keep his dream of becoming a doctor alive.
Sometimes, in the middle of stitching a cut during clinicals or reading about rare diseases at 2 a.m., he would unlock his phone and scroll through their old chats her selfies, her voice notes laughing at his dry jokes. He wanted to text her, but the guilt and the exhaustion always won.
Meanwhile, back on campus, life moved on for Liyah, Mirah, and Missi.
Mirah sat under a big mango tree behind the library, sharing snacks with Missi while Liyah tried to finish her assignment.
"You girls should focus," Liyah muttered, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"We are focused… on this food!" Missi said, stuffing her mouth with chips. Mirah laughed so hard she nearly choked.
Despite Liyah's best attempts to bury herself in schoolwork, her thoughts would drift back to Alexis. She wondered if he was eating well, if he was still up at night solving complex medical puzzles while forgetting simple things like sleeping or replying to her.
Back in his dorm, Alexis's roommate banged the bathroom door open, startling him from his thoughts.
"Bro, you've been staring at the same page for an hour," the roommate said. "Go sleep. Or text that girlfriend you're always brooding about."
"She's not… never mind," Alexis mumbled.
He knew he owed Liyah an explanation. He knew she deserved better than this silence. But right now, even his own heartbeat felt too loud in his head. Maybe once he passed this semester once he could breathe again he'd find the right words.
For now, all he could do was carry her in the quiet corners of his mind, between the pages of medical textbooks and the white walls of the hospital ward.