The Starting Line

Chapter 1

The hospital was as amazing as Eleanora remembered it. She readjusted the bag on her shoulder, a big, bright smile on her face as she followed the other interns as they were led through the hospital.

She remembered this path since the last time he visited him. She didn't get the full tour, and assumed they were now just telling her the places they didn't show on his first tour.

"And this is where you'll put your stuff. There are too many of you, so just get a locker. The showers and bathrooms are open to everyone, just make sure you close the cubicle doors while you use it." The Doctor who was guiding them said, opening the doors to the locker room.

Eleanora has a small trouble looking over some of the others' shoulders, biting the inside of her cheek as she looks around at a tall, blonde woman.

A tap on her arm made her move her gaze from the locker room to his side. A fellow intern with curly brown hair that was a small too long in the front gave him a small smile. "You know, I can move so you can get a better view. I mean, we'll see it every day for the next year, so it's not as exciting, but still."

Eleanora let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Oh no, it's okay. I can see it later. But thanks." She said softly, moving her eyes in front of her. The Doctor guiding them had been harsh and unforgiving with people who talked about her, and Eleanora really didn't want to be yelled at before her first day had really begun.

The man nodded, looking at her for a moment, longer than was really necessary before returning his focus to the front. Her voice was now a whisper as he leaned closer to her. "George O'Malley, by the way."

Eleanora looked at him with a slight turn of her head. She held out her hand for him to shake, giving him a dazzling smile. "Eleanora Amedeo. It's nice to meet you, George."

The group of interns was quite large. Realistically, Eleanora knew that it would be more difficult to reach the top with so many people. But it also meant that she would meet more people in the new, foreign city she had just moved to.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a woman who stood next to her. She looked at her, giving her a warm smile. Smiles were the only thing Eleanora knew she could always do. No matter how she felt, she always kept a smile. Whether it was comforting another person, cheering them up, helping herself through a dark time, or even lying and just getting through a horrible situation, she always counted on her smile to get her through the day.

The woman – another intern, Eleanora assumed – handed one back halfway. Eleanor had not seen the woman before her, and from the flushed complexion and panicked expression on her face, she could tell that she was running late.

Eleanora felt compassion hit her lightly and leaned toward the woman, her voice low as they walked through the hallways. "You really didn't miss much. Just one tour and some of the overly arrogant guys at the front got yelled at."

"Now I wish I hadn't missed it." The woman joked and Eleanora gave a small giggle. She soon turned her attention to the front as the group was led to a room that she could only assume was an operating room.

It was empty, but beautiful and as impressive as Eleanora could have hoped for. She had only seen two operating rooms in her life, but neither of them compared to this one.

The group dispersed around the room, Eleanora slowly walking towards the operating table. She didn't touch it; she was too afraid of being yelled at for touching something in the sterile environment.

She felt butterflies explode in her stomach as she looked at the table. Her entire life had led up to this moment. She was now a doctor, a surgical intern at one of the best hospitals in the country. And soon, she would be helping with operations and would be assigned cases.