Heartbeats of the City

Chapter 14 - Miguel's POV

I was leaning over Ethan's lab results, trying to concentrate. The numbers weren't good. His condition was deteriorating, and it was clear he would need surgery soon. My mind should have been entirely on the case, but instead, it kept wandering to Michaela.

That moment in the station when I heard her say she'd go to dinner with Kevin... it echoed in my head. I didn't expect to feel that tightness in my chest, but there it was, gnawing at me. Why did it bother me so much?

"Hey, you alright?" Rocky's voice broke through my thoughts as he tapped my shoulder.

I blinked, refocusing on the charts in front of me. "Yeah, just looking at Ethan's results. It's not looking good," I said, keeping my tone professional. "He's getting worse. We'll need to operate soon."

Rocky nodded, his eyes scanning the report. "I had a feeling. Poor kid's been through enough already." He paused for a second before looking at me again. "But that's not all that's on your mind, is it?"

I glanced at him, caught off guard. Rocky had always been good at reading me, and today was no different.

"Adrianna," I admitted, sighing. "She talked to me earlier. She wants to... fix things between us."

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "And what do you want? You thinking about getting back with her?"

I shook my head almost immediately. "No, I don't feel the same way anymore. Whatever we had, it's over. I told her that too, but she doesn't seem to want to let go."

Rocky looked at me thoughtfully. "Then why are you even thinking about her?"

I hesitated, then asked the question that had been bothering me all day. "Do you know Kevin? Is he... dating Michaela?"

Rocky looked surprised but then smiled knowingly. "Kevin? Nah, Michaela hasn't dated anyone in a long time. Trust me, if she had, I'd know about it."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "She's going to dinner with him."

Rocky's smile faded as he saw the concern in my expression. "So that's what's been eating at you, huh?"

I didn't answer. I didn't need to. The thought of Michaela with Kevin—someone I barely knew—unnerved me in a way I hadn't anticipated. I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much, but it did.

Rocky leaned back, folding his arms. "You've got to figure out what you really want, man. If you're not into Adrianna, fine, but if Michaela means something to you... you better not wait too long."

I nodded, knowing he was right. But with everything going on—with Ethan, with work—it wasn't that simple. Besides, I wasn't even sure what Michaela thought of me. I had to sort through my own feelings first, but one thing was clear—I couldn't get her out of my head.

I walked down the hallway toward Ethan's room, rehearsing how I would tell his parents about the surgery. Tomorrow would be a big day for them, and I wanted to make sure they felt reassured, even if things weren't looking great. As I got closer, I spotted Michaela walking in my direction, and—next to her—Kevin.