BEAUTIFUL MESS [Book 2] | MIKHAIAH

4 🌸

When the apartment door was knocked,  I went to open it.

"Hey—what the hell?" I said.

Steph walked in, followed by three other people. "Miks, this is Melisa, Krystal, and I believe you know Jed?"

"Uh." I wanted to politely tell him to go away. I had yet to get over the smelly breath and flirtation bordering on harassment.

Jed held up a six pack in each hand.

"Come on in." I was easily swayed.

After seating the group around the living room, the place looked on the verge of a population violation. I didn't notice how small the apartment was until you tried to pack six people around a thirty-two-inch screen on a two-seater sofa that was flanked by desks, walls, and a coffee table. I gave everyone a coaster, for what it was worth, and looked for a place to sit.

Jed, Krystal, and Mel had dragged over various office chairs and dining chairs in front of the TV. Steph parked herself beside Sam, but he, bless him, shuffled over to try and make room for me. I took the offer and squished myself between Steph and him.

Steph grinned. "Hey, babe."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You changed your hair."

Steph ran her hands through her ponytail. "I got bored with firetruck red. Decided to give cherry red a spin."

"Right," I muttered. "So...what do you all do?" I asked.

"We're all doing OB-GYN," Steph said.

"You know, I thought it'd be cool, you know, to see that downtown stuff, but nah!"

We all blinked at Jed, having no idea what language he was speaking.

"Eh?" Steph said.

"Crazy. That shit be crazy!" He muttered some more unintelligible things under his breath and took a long swig of his beer.

"What hospitals are you in?" I asked.

"Medical City. He's been doing gynecologic oncology," Steph said, pointing at Jed. "The rest of us have been stuck with Dr. Sioco doing pap smears."

"I find it highly interesting," Melisa said. Melisa, shortened to Mel for everyone's convenience, was a petite and had stunning silky black hair and thick eyebrows that were reaching for each other across the bridge of her nose. "Unlike him." She pointed at Jed. "He smells funny."

"It's spice, not body odor. Get over it," Jed muttered.

I liked Mel.

"Jed and Krystal have just done the radiology component. I'm starting that next week," Steph said.

I was, too. Studying rotations on top of another was a lesson in juggling with surgically-sharpened swords with handles as hot as lava. Tricky. Those who undertook rotations needed a medal of courage...or perhaps be booked in to get their heads tested. I shrugged to myself and made Steph frown at me.

I looked at Krystal. She was an unknown. I have vague recollections of her being in our first-year classes, but she was one of those people who blend. Normal ordinary features, normal everyday shape, and just plain...ordinary. She didn't stand out at all. Dyed blonde hair, hazel eyes, was all I could really say about her.

"What about you?" I asked her.

"What about me?"

"Do you like obstetrics?"