DINNER & DIATRIBES. . . JACKSON AVERY!

chapter seventeen: shock to the system & superfreak

Briar is very pointedly not meeting Alex's gaze.

She fiddles with her pen, taking it out of her coat, then putting it back in, then makes a big show of adjusting the friendship bracelet she still keeps on her at all times. After that, she grabs her stethoscope for the day–she has three that she switches out. Today she's feeling the dark blue one. And then, well . . . she can't resist sneaking a peak at Jackson next to her.

It is not her fault that he looks gorgeous in a white muscle tank, okay!

Alex snorts from next to her, getting a withering look from Briar, who is valiantly pretending that her cheeks aren't bright red.

Her and Alex have never actually had a discussion about her little . . . crush . . . on Jackson Avery. They don't need to: he knows her too well. She knows that he knows that she knows that he knows . . . or whatever. Why talk about it?

Thankfully a pager goes off loudly right as Alex tells her that she needs to get laid. As if she doesn't already know that!

"Sounds big. I'm betting M.V.C." Jackson declares, and Briar perks up at the mention of a bet.

"I bet it's an apartment fire." She throws out there, getting a nod from Alex.

"Definitely. Or a multiple M.V.C." Alex adds on, getting a small smile from Briar before she turns to Jackson, very pointedly looking him in his eyes. His pretty, gorgeous, can't-look-away green eyes. Briar actually kind of hates how pretty this man is.

"I bet fire." She reiterates, smirking at him. "You still thinking M.V.C.? How much are you willing to put on it?"

"Loser buys drinks after shift."

"Deal. Get ready, I need a night off: I'm gonna drink." Briar warns him, feeling a little disappointed when he pulls his blue scrub top over his head right after they shake on it. She was enjoying the view, despite trying not to look too obviously.

"When's the staring gonna stop?" April asks, and Briar grimaces as she looks around the room, flipping off some of the more blatant people.

"As soon as the novelty wears off. Just ignore them." Jackson states, but Briar shakes her head.

"Yeah, no, you have to be an asshole to them. Call them out." When they both frown at her, she rolls her eyes. "Speaking from experience here! After George died, people gawked for weeks. That is, until I tripped up Nancy on the stairwell. They started avoiding eye contact after that. Just bully them back."

"That is not advice I thought I would get from you." Jackson admits, while Briar just shrugs.

"All I'm saying is that sometimes a little bit of bullying is good for assholes who won't mind their business."

"Yes!" Lexie shouts, grabbing everyone's attention. She's glaring at a group of residents on the other side of the room. "Okay, I am the crazy one! I am the one who freaks out and screams at people . . . like that!"

"Case in point, Lexie Grey." Briar laughs, giving the girl a proud smile before they leave the room as their pagers beep. Ahead of them, a few residents are talking about Lexie. Briar catches the word nutcase and snaps.

"Hey, Mary, remember when your boyfriend–who doesn't even work here–dumped you in the cafeteria and you cried for two months straight?" Briar asks with a mocking smile, staring straight at a resident that she heard whispering about Lexie. "What was it he called you? An adulterous slut? Shut your goddamn mouth about Lexie Grey before I start sending the video around."

She scampers off with her friends, Briar smiling smugly as she watches her go.

"I'm honestly kind of scared of you." April whispers, both her and Jackson gaping at her.