Incision of the Heart ✓

Chapter 38: The Future, Together

The last day at Johns Hopkins Hospital carried an unexpected weight, a palpable tension that hummed through the hallways like a faint electrical charge.

The premeds had gathered in the auditorium, the morning sun filtering through tall windows, casting long shadows across the polished floors.

The heavy scent of antiseptic still lingered in the air, mingling with the faint remnants of coffee from the break room.

It was a far cry from the familiar hustle of their normal, crowded classrooms—this was the final stage of something immense, a turning point that neither Emily nor Liam could fully prepare for, even though they had spent years getting ready for this day.

Both of them sat in silence, their fingers subtly entwined beneath the table.

Even after months of working side by side, something about being at this precipice still made Emily’s heart race.

Her breathing felt shallow, but she managed to mask the anxiety with a soft smile as she glanced at Liam.

He was leaning back in his seat, relaxed, his jaw set with a quiet confidence that she adored.

He didn’t look nervous.

Emily exhaled a slow breath. Why was she nervous then?

They had made it through everything together, hadn't they?

Their years of hard work, sleepless nights, relentless studying—they had been a team.

Harvard was within their reach.

Yet, Emily couldn't shake the uneasy feeling crawling up her spine.

Was it the culmination of the medical school application process?

Was it fear that something might go wrong?

Or maybe it was the weight of the decision they'd made without even realizing it—the decision that they would always be in this together, for better or worse.

Before she could lose herself in the swirl of thoughts, the chatter in the room began to quiet as Dr. Reynolds, the chief cardiothoracic surgeon, took the stage.

He was a towering figure in a crisp white coat, his calm demeanor radiating authority.

Behind him stood a projector screen, waiting to flash images of their evaluations, but no one was paying attention to that.

Everyone was waiting for the real moment—the moment when the program would end, and the results would come in.

"Welcome, everyone," Dr. Reynolds said, his voice booming over the microphone firmly. "You've all come a long way. And though this is the final chapter of your internship here, it's just the beginning of your career in medicine. You've demonstrated passion, intelligence, and resilience throughout these past months, and I do not doubt that each of you is destined for greatness."

Emily clenched Liam’s hand tighter, but he squeezed back reassuringly, his touch grounding her.

Dr. Reynolds went on to call up the students one by one to give their evaluations.

Emily’s heart skipped with each name, but it wasn’t her turn yet.

And then finally, it was.

"Emily Carter," Dr. Reynolds said, his voice carrying through the auditorium like the sound of a bell ringing in the distance.

Emily stood, her legs trembling slightly as she made her way to the stage.

The applause was gentle at first, but as her name carried across the room, she felt the eyes of her peers on her.