Shooting Stars

CHAPTER 68

Fifth year was the hardest year of residency. Every surgery Aria performed would go on her record, the wins and the losses. In just a few months, she would be up for her boards. The pressure was mounting, and she knew that every decision she made in the OR mattered.

She stood in the break room with the rest of the residents, listening as Owen gave his usual lecture. He paced in front of them, delivering a speech meant to be a reality check.

"Fifth year is the hardest year of your residency," Owen began, looking at them all seriously. "Every surgery you do will go on your record—the wins, the losses. In just a few months, you will—"

Aria, like the others, tuned in and out of Owen's words, having heard it all before. She couldn't help but think about how she was approaching the middle of her fifth year. She wasn't just thinking about passing the boards and proving herself as a surgeon. She had a lot more on her mind—how to balance the weight of the job and her personal life, especially as her relationship with Alex continued to grow. It wasn't easy, but Aria had always liked the challenge.

"You're O.B. now? Oh, how the mighty have fallen, huh?" Jackson's teasing voice cut through her thoughts, snapping her back to the present. He was looking at Meredith, who sat next to Cristina. Jackson's comment was aimed at Meredith's current rotation.

Meredith looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?" she asked, a little annoyed.

"You're in OB now? Seems like you've gone soft," he teased, clearly enjoying the chance to poke fun at his friend.

Aria saw Meredith's expression falter for a second, as if the weight of everything—her sister, the pressure, Zola—had hit her all at once. She missed her daughter. That much was obvious.

But before Meredith could respond, Alex chimed in from across the room, grinning. "She misses Zola. Her uterus hurts."

The teasing was all in good fun, but Aria couldn't help but notice how Meredith didn't laugh. She just stared off into space, her mind clearly elsewhere. Aria felt a flicker of sympathy for her, but didn't say anything. Meredith didn't need pity, she needed her daughter back.

"Leave her alone, dirtbag," Cristina muttered to Alex, her sharp tone cutting through the banter.

Alex smirked, unfazed, and Aria shook her head, amused by the dynamics between her friends. Despite everything they went through, they still found moments to joke. That was part of the magic of their friendship—they could laugh in the middle of the chaos.

Owen, however, was not one to let the fun last too long. His voice cut through the chatter again, stern and focused. "It is extremely important that you rack up as many good outcomes as possible for your boards. I will receive an e-mail if any of you exceed more than ten bad outcomes in your O.R. Ten... any more is unacceptable."

The room grew silent as the weight of Owen's words settled in. Aria could feel the tension in the air, as everyone understood just how much was riding on their performance this year. She had to get it right. No room for error.

April, who had been sneaking in a late arrival, quickly apologized. "Sorry, I got stuck in the lab with Bailey."

Owen didn't care about her excuse. He quickly reminded her, "I don't care where you were. I care that you already have... two bad outcomes in your O.R."

April's face turned red, clearly embarrassed. She looked away, hoping to escape the scrutiny.

"Loser," Alex muttered under his breath, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. But Owen wasn't letting anyone off easy.

"Of course, that's nothing compared to Karev's impressive five bad outcomes," Owen added, pointing a finger in Alex's direction.

Alex immediately defended himself. "I keep getting dud patients," he said, trying to make light of the situation, but everyone knew better.