Good pharmacist, Bad pharmacist

There is a tiny line between love and hatred.

"That's all for the briefing today. Just a few reminders: remember to bring your lab coat for your hospital attachment next week, and don't forget to check for your partnership, alright? Class dismissed."

As Dr. Azita concluded the briefing, the bustling chatter of final-year students filled the hall, echoing the excitement of embarking on their second last semester. I gathered my belongings, straightening my tie as I surveyed the room.

I am Ethan Sawyer, a fourth-year pharmacy student from the University of Mannitol (UM). I am just a final-year student trying to make it to the end, a black-haired guy with a slightly tall figure, around 181 cm, and wearing glasses. To sum up, I look like just a regular guy you'd normally find around any university.

"We're finally in the last year, right, Ethan? I don't know how we can survive these three hellish years. I'm tired. Why did I even apply for a pharmacy course? I must be insane."

Here's my best friend, Henry Winston. My polar opposite in many ways. His fiery red hair and freckled cheeks radiated vivacity. A social butterfly and the life of the party. He's a bit shorter than me, maybe around 176 cm, and we've been good friends since our first year despite our personality clashes.

"You're just realizing it now? Three years of turmoil, and you're just now questioning your sanity? Don't you know you've been insane forever? Stop complaining and stop blocking my way out. I want to leave," I said, as his leg blocked the exit.

"Oi, let's chill for a while. Your room won't leave you if you're late. Have you checked your partner?"

I put my bag back on my chair and took a seat beside him.

"Nope. Wait, are you checking yours right now? Check for me as well," I asked him, this is so insignificant for me, Whomever my partner is not an important thing as I prefer to do it individually, why does it need to be done with a partner anyway? Can I ask the lecturer's permission to do it solo? Is it possible? Maybe I should go to the lecturer's office before going back to my dorm.

" OMG, I will be with Sarah. No way" Henry was over the moon and it interrupted my thought. 

"Good for you, maybe you can confess finally. How long are you going to chicken out anyway?" 

Henry's face reddened. "Don't say it out loud, what if she heard?" He started to look around but the girl in question had already left the classroom. 

"She is not here anyway, have you checked my partner as well" I asked him, not taking my eyes off the digital version of the Lippincott Book of Pharmacology on my iPad. I don't have time to waste on my friend's three years of silly crush. People with crushes are tiring. How can you like someone so much but only stare at them from afar? Take this guy, for example. He can communicate perfectly with anyone, but when it comes to Sarah, he's hopeless. He can't even make eye contact with her. A crush is such a waste of time. Thankfully, he's rational enough to avoid this childish thing. 

"This internet connection is killing me. I can't access it," Henry complained.

"Whatever. I'll find out myself later. I don't care much." I looked around. The classroom was already empty. Should we leave now?

'Why was he kept like a prisoner here?'

The door suddenly opened, and I directed my gaze to the front door. My face turned sour. A girl with clumsy movements was having trouble opening the door. How can a person get stuck opening a door? What a mess. 

Amber Harrison, a name whispered in hushed tones among my peers, synonymous with incompetence and inadequacy.

'Wait, he doesn't mind being partnered with anyone except her. Clumsy, pushover, people-pleasing, incompetent, and a bad student. It will be hell to be with her. I mean, she's here to retrieve her bag after missing half of the class. What a sore sight. Sometimes, he thinks she embodies everything he despised throughout his whole life.' She makes him want to leave this classroom as fast as he can.

"Let's get out of here." Finally, Henry moved his legs away, and we descended the stairs to the front door. I glanced my eyes at that miserable girl, and she was tidying up her table. Miserable girl.

I was too indulged in my thoughts, unaware that I had been staring at her until her hazel orbs met my blue eyes. 

Yet, as our eyes met, a fleeting moment of connection passed between us. Her hazel orbs sparkled with warmth, offering a glimpse into a soul shrouded in mystery. It was a revelation that unsettled me, prompting a wave of discomfort to wash over me.

She slowly offers her smile.

I hate it. Why are you suddenly smiling? Can't you just know your place and miserably look away? I averted my gaze and continued walking. What a mess. At least I won't have to endure her miserable demeanor for a month. Great.

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"Thirty minutes later, I arrived at my single room. I did a WiFi check, signed in to Spectrum, and waited for the information to load.

"Okay, let's see." The WiFi was slow, so I took a quick trip to the toilet.

"Still loading. Maybe I should use my hotspot. What a pain."

Finally, after connecting to the hotspot, I was able to access the information.

"So, my partner is... Hmmm, wait... No way. I hate it. No way. Ah, double pain."

"What a pain." I threw my phone onto my bed. I let out a heavy breath before reaching for my phone on the bed as the words stared back at me 

Ethan Sawyer - Amber Harrison.

"It will be my worst one month!" I said before jumping on my bed. I looked at the ceiling before closing my eyes.

Little did I know, that there is a tiny line between love and hatred, also between good and bad.