Chapter 1
Julian Godwin and I had been sworn enemies since high school, all the way through college.
The day he was admitted to the hospital, I happened to be rotating through urology.
When my attending told me to insert Julian's catheter, his face flushed bright red. He said, "Get someone else."
I smiled sweetly. "Can't."
The next day on rounds, he yelped in pain, "Mom!"
Both my mentor and I answered at the same time, "What?"
*****
Julian and I were sworn enemies.
Our feud kicked off way back in high school and it dragged on all the way through college as med students.
Our houses were only a street apart.
We'd been classmates since kindergarten.
He smashed my piggy bank, so I cut up his stamp collection.
He ratted me out for reading novels in class, so I posted his love letter to the prettiest girl in the next class on the bulletin board.
That was how our grudge started, and it only got worse over time.
We were like two roosters who couldn't stand each other. If we didn't pick a fight every time we crossed paths, it would feel wrong.
When it was time to apply for college, I gritted my teeth and went for the top medical school in the country.
The day my acceptance letter arrived, I made a point of circling his house several times.
But the very next day, I saw his familiar smug profile picture pop up in the freshman group chat.
He was enrolled there, too.
And to make things worse, he was in the same major as me.
Our rivalry picked up right where it left off, straight from the high school halls to the anatomy lab in college.
I thought that was the peak of our twisted fate.
Little did I know, things were about to get crazier on my very first day interning in the urology department.
The department head handed me a patient file.
"Bed three. Get ready for the pre-op catheter insertion," he said.
I took the file, my eyes landing on the patient's name.
Julian Godwin.
Those two words were like a spell. I was rooted to the spot, completely stunned.
Seeing me hesitate, the department head, Brian Ransom urged, "Hurry up, Alyssa. What are you spacing out for?"
I took a deep breath and forced a stiff smile.
"Got it, Dr. Ransom," I replied.
I pushed the medical cart piled high with sterile supplies, making my way toward bed three.
Each step felt like I was treading on clouds.
Julian heard me coming and slowly opened his eyes.
Our eyes met.
The air between us seemed to freeze.
Julian's face went from confused, to shocked, and then straight into utter disbelief and panic.
That usually smug, mocking face of his was now totally pale.
When I saw his reaction, my shock started to fade.
In its place, a rush of excitement I couldn't put into words took over.
I fought back a laugh and put on my most businesslike expression.
I said, "You're Julian Godwin in bed three, correct? I'm the intern, Alyssa Raines.
"I need to perform a pre-op catheterization for you."
Julian's lips moved, but it took him a long moment to get the words out.
"What... did you say?" he managed.
I waved the catheter kit in my hand, flashing him an extra-bright smile.
"I said, I'm going to put a catheter in you," I replied.
I made sure to really stress the last few words.
Julian's face went from pale to red in an instant.
He shot up in bed, pulling at his abdominal wound and hissing in pain.
But he didn't care about the pain.
He pointed at me, his voice trembling. "Get someone else. You have to get someone else!"
My smile didn't budge. If anything, it got even softer.
"Sorry, Julian," I said, sounding extra sweet. "Dr. Ransom put me in charge of your pre-op today.
"You're stuck with me."
I slipped on sterile gloves, expertly unwrapped the catheter kit, and took out a cotton ball soaked in disinfectant.
The metal forceps gave a crisp clink against the tray.
Each sound seemed to jolt Julian's already taut nerves.
He watched as I calmly prepared everything.
He stared as I picked up the disinfectant-soaked cotton ball with the forceps and walked toward him.
He went completely rigid, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously, his eyes blazing with humiliation and resistance.
"Alyssa, don't you dare," Julian snapped.
I loomed over him, a victorious smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth.
"See if I dare," I shot back.
I leaned over him.
The cold, disinfectant-soaked cotton ball was about to make contact.
Julian finally surrendered, completely giving in.
Or maybe, faced with the unbreakable wall of medical protocol and his own embarrassment, he resigned himself to his fate.
I handled the whole thing by the book, like a model intern.
The room was dead silent it was almost scary.
The only thing one could hear was the crinkle of the catheter packaging and my matter-of-fact instructions.