Incision of the Heart ✓

Chapter 31: The Final Push

The library at Johns Hopkins Hospital was quieter than usual.

The hum of fluorescent lights and the distant clatter of heels on the polished floor created a subdued backdrop as Emily sat at one of the larger study tables, papers and textbooks sprawled out around her like a fortress of stress.

The faint scent of coffee lingered in the air, though her cup had long gone cold.

Liam arrived moments later, balancing two fresh coffees and a stack of index cards in his other hand.

He dropped into the chair across from her with his usual effortless grace, setting the cup down in front of her.

"Fuel for the sleep-deprived," he said, grinning.

Emily looked up, her face weary but grateful. "I could kiss you right now."

His eyebrow quirked, and he leaned forward slightly. "I mean, I wouldn't stop you."

She rolled her eyes, but a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "Thanks for the coffee. You're a lifesaver."

"Always," he said, pulling out his own set of notes.

The two of them had spent the past week shadowing a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Chen, whose operating room was more like a stage. Watching her perform bypass surgeries with the precision of an artist had been inspiring, but also exhausting.

Their days had started at 5 a.m. and ended late in the evening, leaving little time for the looming MCAT exam prep.

Tonight was their last chance to review before diving headfirst into the test.

---

Emily ran a hand through her hair, her normally tidy bun now a messy knot. "I swear, if I have to memorize one more amino acid structure, my brain is going to revolt."

"You're overthinking it," Liam said, flipping through his flashcards. "Glutamine is the one with the amide group. Easy."

"Easy for you," she muttered, taking a sip of her coffee. "You have a photographic memory."

He smirked. "True, but you've got something better: actual work ethic."

She laughed despite herself. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, here you are," he teased, gesturing to the chair she occupied across from him.

Emily shook her head, but she couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips.

No matter how stressful things got, Liam always knew how to lighten the mood.

After an hour of drilling each other on biochemistry pathways and physics equations, the intensity began to wane.

Emily stretched her arms above her head, groaning softly.

"Alright, let's take a break before my brain shuts down completely," she said.

Liam leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretching out under the table. "Break time, huh? Does that mean I get to ask you deeply personal and mildly invasive questions?"

She arched an eyebrow. "Define 'mildly invasive.'"

He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Okay, how about this: what's your biggest fear going into the interviews?"

Emily hesitated, the question catching her off guard. "Honestly? That they'll see right through me. Like I'm some kind of impostor pretending to be good enough for this."

Liam's expression softened, the teasing glint in his eyes replaced by something warmer. "Em, you're one of the smartest, most determined people I know. You've earned this. Harvard isn't doing you a favor by considering you-they're lucky to have you."