Straight through the Heart

Chapter 7

A/N : Robin Smith picture? Not sure if this is how i figure him. Robin has blue eyes, dark brown (almost black hair). He's tall, lean, and wears thick glasses most of the time. Robin and Naomi are: 1/2 italian, 1/8 french , 1/8 chinese, and 1/4 brazilian. I want to say they both look Italian except their blue eyes.

"Are you absolutely sure with this decision?" My counselor, Dr. Stilinski, frowns at the paper before her.

"Not really, but my hands are tied." I shrug defeatedly. What choice do I have? If I go through my plan, then I know my family will literally hunt me down, throw me in a bag, and bring me home. When it comes to situations like this, family always come first. I may not have the Ricca name, but a Ricca will do anything and everything to protect and save another Ricca.

"As your counselor, I should accept your decision. However, as someone who has known you for the past years, I'm going to say this as a friend and off the record: I'm not accepting this form." She turns the paper around and nudges it to me.

"I really have no choice but to take a leave of absence for an indefinite period of time." I nudge it back to her. I know she means well, but she also doesn't know the position I am in. For the past years, I have been coming to her for help and guidance. I'm sure thousands of students have come to her, so I'm just another student. However, working as her lab assistant and homework grader for many of her classes, we have developed a friendship. She's a teacher for upperclassmen alongside her advising position.

"Naomi, you're only one quarter away from completing your biochemistry degree. I have never seen someone excel at such a fast pace, especially with your computer science minor." She pauses and asks for clarification, "Did you make it a double major yet?"

"I'm considering it, but I'm not completely sure yet. I mean I know what I'm doing. I'm already ahead of the game so by the time I come back I might be on track like normal students. Plus, this could be a good break to explore myself. That sounds weird, but you've always known I have had doubts about my majors. I still don't know whether I love biochemistry enough to go through graduate school and so on."

"You've taken the MCAT already, so it sounds like you're set on the path." She sighs to herself. I know she wants to do what is best for me.

"Yes, but that's only a backup plan." I just got the results back a few weeks ago. I haven't told anyone but Dr. Stilinski. I feel guilty not even telling Rob but I just want to wait until I'm sure I want to go to graduate school before I tell anyone.

"What's stopping you from pursuing your dreams?" Her eyes pierce through me. "If you can answer that question, then I'll accept that form."

I frown at the challenging question. Growing up in a successful family, I have been challenged from birth both mentally and physically. Every relative I know excel in all areas, which is very intimidating. It was no question that I too would strive to become someone my family would be proud of. I picked the second typical route: psychiatrist or surgeon. I knew it was tough work but if my mother could do it, then I could do it.

Speaking of my mother, she was also in a similar position like me. I talk to her quite often about my indecisiveness. I recall her saying that the gap year she took in third-world countries helped decide things for her. That's where she met her best friend, my godmother, Serena. My mother acted as an interpreter and photographer despite studying to become a surgeon. She went back to school and finished her studies, this time with a different attitude. She completed her residency program and continued as a general surgeon. As a surgeon, she's incredibly busy and sometimes the family barely saw her. Realizing this, she took time off and opened up her own clinic or hospital which allowed to her work on her own schedule.