Journey (3)

Chapter 45

the very first night- taylor swift

"You're kidding, right?" I ask Maggie, raising an eyebrow. "You're not actually going to go to that, are you?"

"Why not?" Maggie asks. "Sharon said that she wants everyone to be there. And it won't even be that bad."

"She won't personally make sure that each of us is actually there," I point out. "You could easily slip under the radar and not go, which is exactly what I'm planning to do. Do you really think I want to spend my Friday night at some awkward mandatory event?"

Maggie shrugs. "It might be fun," she suggests, although she doesn't seem completely sure of herself. "Anyway, there's always an open bar at these things."

"Not even that could convince me," I say, shaking my head. I'm referring to an event that almost everyone in the hospital is invited to, the opening of a new floor of the hospital. It's not too big of a deal, but it still gets a grand opening event. I've been to several of these events before, and they're just awkward.

"Hold on," Maggie says, smiling. She leans over to where Natalie is walking past. "Natalie? Are you going to the event tonight?" she asks her.

"Of course," Natalie says, nodding. She looks at me. "Let me guess, you're going to avoid it?"

"You guessed right," I tell her. "I just don't get why we should go?"

"Because Sharon said it was mandatory," Maggie points out, firmly.

"I know, but that doesn't really mean it's mandatory," I explain. "Do you really think that Sharon herself is going to personally notice if I don't go? I highly doubt it."

Natalie laughs at this, as she walks off, leaving me standing only with Maggie, who is still trying unsuccessfully to convince me to go to the event tonight.

"We'll all be there, so it won't be that awkward," she says. "And don't you want to go? It's a grand opening?"

"For a floor in a hospital that was already open," I point out, drily. "Since when does a refurbishment suddenly warrant a grand opening?"

"I bet everyone else is planning to go," Maggie says. She leans over again to where Connor is looking over some patient records. "Connor, you're planning to go to the grand opening tonight, aren't you?" she asks him.

"I wouldn't miss it," Connor says, as he turns to face us. "Why? Are you not going?" he asks me, looking straight into my eyes. It's very slightly intimidating.

"There's no way I'm going," I tell him. "You should know how I feel about these things by now. They're always so stiff and awkward."

"With the right people, I don't know...it could be fun," Connor suggests. "I think you should come, Tessa. Remember last time, when you got into that drinking competition with that guy from Pathology?"

I nod, although this memory brings me more shame than pride. I haven't even been able to go near Pathology since, for fear that I might run into him.

"That's all the more reason why I shouldn't go," I explain. "You can all go and stand around in a stuffy room with all of your co-workers, but I'm going home after this shift is over."

"We'll miss you there," Maggie says. "Come on, you should just go. Who knows? Maybe you'll even meet someone there, wildest fantasies talking."

I raise an extremely sceptical eyebrow. "I hardly think that some mandatory hospital event is the ideal place for some sort of romantic endeavour," I say, sarcastically. "I don't think that convinces me."

"I want you to come, Tessa," Connor tells me. "Look, our shift is almost over, you can go back to your apartment, change and then I'll even give you a ride there if you come to the event."