Incision of the Heart

Chapter 11: Lines Blurring

Emily sat at her desk in the shared premed dormitory, staring at her laptop screen.

The words of her latest essay on the ethics of clinical trials refused to cooperate, forming nothing more than a blur of half-baked ideas.

She sighed and leaned back, rubbing her temples.

The hospital’s night shift had left her exhausted. More than that, her thoughts kept drifting to Liam.

The unexpected teamwork, the shared adrenaline of the code blue, and the quiet moments afterward had shaken her resolve to see him purely as a rival.

“No,” she muttered, sitting up straight. “Focus, Emily.”

Just then, her phone buzzed.

Liam Grant: You’re not going to flake on today’s rounds, are you? Dr. Patel would never let us live it down.

Emily snorted. Leave it to Liam to poke fun while holding her accountable.

Emily Carter: You wish. I’ll be there. Try to keep up.

She tossed her phone aside and returned to her essay, though her thoughts lingered on Liam’s unexpected message.

---

The hospital halls were abuzz with the energy of a new day.

Emily arrived early, ready to impress Dr. Patel during their rounds in the cardiology unit.

Liam, of course, was already there, leaning casually against the nurses’ station as if he owned the place.

“Nice of you to show up,” he quipped as she approached.

“Early bird gets the worm, Grant,” she retorted.

“Ah, but the second mouse gets the cheese,” he shot back, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Dr. Patel arrived before Emily could respond, cutting off their exchange.

The group of premeds trailed behind him as he began his rounds, pausing at each patient’s room to discuss their conditions and treatment plans.

Emily took meticulous notes, but her focus wavered when Liam asked a particularly insightful question about a complex case of atrial fibrillation.

Dr. Patel seemed impressed, which only fueled Emily’s determination to outshine him.

---

The last patient of the morning was an elderly woman named Mrs. Holloway, who was awaiting surgery for aortic valve replacement.

She greeted them with a warm smile, her frail hands clutching the edges of her blanket.

Dr. Patel turned to Emily and Liam. “Carter, Grant, why don’t you explain Mrs. Holloway’s condition and the surgical intervention she’ll undergo?”

Emily jumped in first, outlining the pathophysiology of aortic stenosis and the mechanics of valve replacement. She was careful to phrase her explanation in a way Mrs. Holloway could understand.

Liam picked up where she left off, describing the risks and expected outcomes of the procedure. Their combined explanation was seamless, almost as if they’d rehearsed it together.

“You two make quite the team,” Mrs. Holloway said with a wink, making both Emily and Liam shift uncomfortably.

Dr. Patel raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, moving on to discuss the details of the case with the attending surgeon.

---

During their lunch break, Emily found a quiet corner of the cafeteria to review her notes.

She’d barely opened her notebook when Liam appeared, tray in hand.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

She hesitated but nodded. “Sure. Just don’t distract me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, smirking as he sat down.

For a while, they ate in silence, the hum of the cafeteria filling the space between them. Then, out of nowhere, Liam asked, “Why cardiothoracic surgery?”

Emily blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Why not? It’s challenging, high stakes, and… I don’t know, it feels like the heart is where life happens. Fix the heart, and you fix everything else.”

Liam nodded, his expression unusually serious. “My uncle was a cardiothoracic surgeon. Saved dozens of lives, but he couldn’t save his own.”

Emily looked at him, startled. “What happened?”

“Heart attack,” Liam said simply. “He ignored the signs and kept working. It made me realize how much pressure this job puts on people, but also how important it is.”

For a moment, Emily saw past Liam’s cocky exterior to something raw and vulnerable. It unsettled her, but it also made her curious.

---

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud laugh.

Emily turned to see Sophia, one of their fellow premeds, striding over to their table.

“Well, well, what’s this? Harvard’s golden duo sharing a meal?” Sophia teased, her eyes darting between them.

Emily stiffened. “We’re just discussing cases.”

“Sure you are,” Sophia said, grinning. “Don’t let me interrupt.”

She walked away, leaving Emily flustered and Liam unfazed.

“Relax,” Liam said, finishing his coffee. “She’s just jealous she can’t keep up with us.”

Emily rolled her eyes, but a small part of her appreciated his reassurance.

---

That evening, back in her dorm, Emily found herself replaying the day’s events.

Liam’s unexpected depth, their seamless teamwork, Mrs. Holloway’s teasing comment—it all swirled in her mind, blurring the lines she’d drawn between them.

She shook her head, frustrated. “Focus, Emily,” she muttered to herself. “This is just a competition. Nothing more.”

But as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was beginning to change.