When He Strangled Her--a story about love

Day 10

"Did you receive the year-end bonus?" Someone asks in the office.

Everyone's checking their phones.

"How much did you get?" The attending asks.

They whisper to each other.

"Damn! I should have admitted more fatties!" The attending says. The other team does bariatric surgery for overweight patients.

I find an old surgical text book stuffed in a drawer and flip through it. All the surgical methods are so outdated.

"Being a surgeon isn't about how well you study Xixi, " The attending says, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"It's about doing. It's about practicing. Not just reading." He goes on. "Being a surgeon. It's tough work. Doesn't suite a pretty girl like you."

I keep quiet praying that he'll shut up.

"Does Xixi have a boyfriend?" Another attending asks.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asks me.

I pretend I don't hear.

"Xixi!" He calls again.

"Huh?" 

"I asked if you have a boyfriend."

"Leave her alone." A chief from another group says as he walks in. "The girl works hard, she'll be a great surgeon. But maybe choose plastic surgery, that makes more money."

"No use if she can't get married." The attending snorts. "A girl needs a man." He pulls a chair next to me, sits up close, his knees groping the side of my thighs.

"How's that case report going?" He asks.

"It's...going." I say.

"You're so smart Xixi." He says, just loud enough for me to hear.

"Uh huh." I say, waiting for the catch.

"Are you submitting it?" He asks.

"Not yet." I say.

"I should take a look at it when you're done." He says.

"That's alright." I say.

"Just send it to me. I'll submit it for you." He says.

"No, I can do it on my own. Thanks." I say, shifting away from him.

I pull out my laptop. 

Day 10:

"You're doing better?" Ms. Lin asked.

"I guess." It had been almost a month since I last saw her.

"Has anything happened lately?" Ms. Lin said, her notes in her hands.

"I've been pretty busy."

"Busy with your studies?" She said.

"Yeah. You know."

"Senior year." She nodded, "Big year huh?"

I shrugged.

"Have you thought about where to study?" She asked.

"Abroad maybe."

"Why abroad?"

"There's a big world out there and I want to see it for myself?" I said.

"Do you think it might have something to do with your parents?"

"Probably. But I'm almost eighteen. You remember what it's like to be young. I look forward to being independent."