𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ━━ 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

seventeen | knitting

"I'll go get us some more drinks."

I leave for the main area of the bar, noticing Meredith fiddling with yarn and a pair of knitting needles. Joe watches from the opposite side of the bar while Derek stares in confusion.

"Do I need to call an animal shelter?"

"For what?"

"In case she needs some cats."

"I can still hear you, Lev." Meredith twists and turns her fingers in odd directions. "And no, I don't need cats."

Derek stands upright, glancing over my shoulder. "How's your date going?"

"It's the third date I've been on this week." I pull my hair back between my shoulders. "Not a single one of them knows how to work around a doctor's schedule."

"So, he's not the one?"

"He's not even in the same realm as the one."

"What can I get you, Levie?" Joe tosses a liquor bottle in the hair, spinning it acrobatically before catching and pouring it.

"If I could drink, at least I wouldn't have to finish this date sober." A growl leaves my lips, but I control my aggression. "Just a vodka soda and an L.P.."

"An L.P.?" Derek questions inquisitively.

I smile proudly. "A Leven Phoenix. It's a club soda topped with a lemon."

"She's the only one who gets it."

"Joe, I am keeping you in business. Don't mock me."

"One vodka soda and an L.P. coming up."

Grabbing a napkin from the nearby stack, I jot down a phone number and slip it in front of Meredith's pile of empty peanut shells.

"What's this?"

"Number to the local animal shelter."

"Leven."

"You never know."

The next morning, early before our shift begins, Meredith and I drive to the local vet for Scar's yearly checkup.

"Dr. Dandridge. Nice to see you again." I greet the young vet with a gentle smile. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought a friend."

"Leven, did you get another — oh, this one's human." His eyes widen at the sight of a knitting Meredith.

"She's sworn off all men and taken up. . .knitting." I grimace at the word. "Say, are you looking for a girlfriend?"

He grabs Scar's leash. "I could go out on a date, yeah."

"Oh, perfect." My hands clap together. "Does tonight work for you?"

"It does, yeah."

"Gives me plenty of time to get rid of the yarn."

"Uh. . .okay."

Four of the six interns scrounge through the booklets of cases, searching for the most interesting one to later fight about.

"Damn it!" Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd walks in, dabbing at a coffee stain. "Sex. Hot sex. I need that!" She mocks herself under her breath.

The center of my eyes gleam in amusement. "Wow, I've never seen her so. . .bitchy."

"I need an intern. Now."

"I'm with Bailey."

"I'm with Burke."

"I don't do vagina."