Affinity (RDJ)

Chapter 16 - Tomorrow

That night, you toss and turn as you always do. Except it's not the same. Your mind is racing with thoughts about him. You find yourself drifting off into a dream about him, about his lips on yours and his hand in your hair.

You wake up with a gasp, your heart pounding.

Expecting to see something sinister from your nightmares again, you flick your bedside light on quickly and peer around your room. Nothing. You sigh in relief and lie back onto your pillows, basking in the warm glow of the lamp.

This is the first time you've felt sure about something in 6 months. You think you know how he feels for you. And you're definitely sure about how you feel for him.

It physically aches to know you've got a full weekend to bear before you see him again. A full weekend of the same old mundane routine. You don't want to sound selfish or ungrateful for any time that you have; it's just that time with him feels like you finally have a reason in life for the first time since everything happened. A purpose. You take a deep breath - you can do this.

You spend the morning studying, not able to resist googling Robert's name. You're in disbelief at how well known he is on the surgical forums and get so engrossed in the hundreds of glowing news reports written about him from when he won his Harper Avery. He's a 'surgical god' as Lexi would say, and you can't believe he has an interest in you.

You're snapped out of your thoughts by the sound of your phone vibrating on the table. It's a message from George, and after reading it, your eyes are drawn to the time. 2:03pm. Jumping up, not having realised how late it is, you slip on your shoes and run out to the bus stop. You're usually at the hospital by now on a Saturday.

You spend the rest of the afternoon there with your dad, and it's nice when Dr Shepherd drops by to update you on your mom's condition, although not a lot has really changed. You're just glad to have something to take your mind off things for a while, to pass the time.

After a couple of hours, you head back home, and the second you step into the house, you go straight to your room and collapse onto your bed.

Sunday is a long day and you don't even bother getting properly dressed. Your old Guns n Roses t shirt drapes over you, with a pair of grey jersey shorts and white sports socks completing the look. The hours crawl by and you feel like you're going insane. Why is it that time always goes slower when you're waiting for something?

At around 5pm, you hear a knock at the door. 'Hey, Rem can you get that please? I'm just getting dressed!' Rex yells from his bedroom. Rolling your eyes, you slouch off the sofa and to the front door. You pull the door open to reveal Robert on the other side, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, shoulders back. You feel your heart flutter at the sight of him, and you try not to think about the complete mess you look when he's standing there looking like that.

He looks straight at you, clearly surprised to see you answering the door. Noticing that signature grin spreading across his face, you can't help mirror his expression. 'Hey, you,' he says through his grin. Any worry you had about your appearance fades away under his gaze.

'Hey... what are you...' you're trying to get words out but your heart is thumping ten to the dozen at the sight of him.

'Rex and I are going for a drink tonight at Joe's,' he explains, eyes still locked on yours.

'I'm surprised they're having you back after your little performance on Friday,' you tease, biting your lip to try and suppress your smile.

His eyes glint with amusement. 'I promised him an influx of custom from my students in return for the overlooking of my drunkenness. He's a good guy.'

He pauses, considering. 'Hey, I'm sorry about my... demeanour. On Friday. It wasn't my best look, I imagine...' he trails off, grin faltering slightly.

'Turned out pretty well in the end... for me anyways,' you say quietly, looking shyly up at him through your eyelashes. For the first time, you see him blush and that dimple appears on his cheek as he half-grins.

'Yeah... it did didn't it?' You feel heat pool in your stomach at the thought of Friday night, and you can't help but notice the effect it's having on him as well.

You're so attracted to him. You just want to him to pull you in and to feel his lips on yours again...

'Hey, sorry man I was just getting ready!' your brother announces, bursting out of his room and shattering the tension that had been building in the doorway. 'You could've asked the man inside, Remy, jeez,' he jokes, pulling on his coat as he approaches the front door.

'Yeah, sorry...' you mutter, feeling your face redden.

Robert shakes his head. 'Don't worry about it. You ready pretty boy?' he quips, patting Rex on the shoulder and making you smirk to yourself.

'Let's go, old man,' Rex jokes back.

Robert holds his hand to his heart despairingly. 'I'm wounded. Truly.'

You chuckle at them as Rex leads the way to the main exit. 'See ya later, sis!' he calls back. Robert rotates away to follow him, turning back only to grin in your direction, mouthing 'tomorrow,' as he walks away.

You feel a flutter in your stomach at the thought of it and can only manage one shaky nod back to him before he's gone.

Tomorrow.