Chapter 3 A Desperate Deception

I stood by the refreshment table, my fingers trembling slightly as I poured myself a glass of sparkling water. The room around me buzzed with animated conversations, laughter floating in the air like a sweet melody.

I absentmindedly watched the groups of familiar faces, reminiscing about the long-gone days when carefree innocence ruled my life, and social expectations were merely whispers in the background.

"Dr Anderson! You still working those long hours at the hospital?" a voice chimed. It was Rachel, a girl who had always held court at our lunch tables, gliding through life with an enviable grace.

Rachel was radiant, her skin glowing, her laughter infectious. She had everything I had ever dreamed of; a flourishing career, a stunning fiancé, and what appeared to be a flawless existence. I managed to smile, my cheeks stretching uncomfortably.

"Yes, the ER is pretty hectic," I replied, the words feeling shallow even as they left my lips. Rachel's eyes sparkled with curiosity, the kind that poked at my already fragile ego.

"Still single?" Rachel asked, tilting her head slightly, her smile wavering just a fraction.

"The single doctor who can barely manage her own love life!" Tiara, a former cheer captain, teased, her laughter bright and piercing. It was playful, lighthearted, the kind of jest that was familiar and yet stung in a place I wished was impervious.

"Or still on the dating apps?" chimed in Michelle, another classmate, as the two exchanged conspiratorial glances. Their demeanour, while playful, felt like armour concealing their own vulnerabilities.

It was easy for me to project my fears onto them, constructing a narrative where their jibes masked envy rather than affection. Caught off guard, I feigned a laugh, attempting to shrug off the comments with an ease I desperately wished were real.

"I'm just too busy saving lives," I replied, the words tasting like gall on my tongue. I could sense the edges of their laughter sharpening, and in that moment, I understood all too clearly how perceptions could twist in a room filled with old friends.

"Busy saving lives or busy being saved by someone special?" Tara's wink left me questioning whether my response had been effective at all.

The laughter around us faded momentarily as a silence fell, thick as cream. I felt heat rising to my cheeks, and the embarrassment coiling around me like a vine.

"Actually, I've been seeing someone for a few months now," I blurted out, the words spilling forth before I could gather my thoughts. I wasn't proud of the fib, but I needed to find a way to shield myself from the judgment I felt swirling in the air.

"Oh!" Rachel leaned in, eyebrows raised in delight.

"Do tell! What's he like?" In that instant, my mind raced. What could I say? I desperately clawed for a semblance of confidence, a morsel of bravado.

"Javier", the name spilled out of my mouth.

"Wait, THE JAVIER MORTIS?" someone asked, the surprise palpable.

My heart thudded as I nodded, the intrigue of my lie beginning to unravel in vivid colours. In my mind, I could see the image of him; tall, with kind eyes and an understanding smile.

It was an identity I invented on a whim, and for a fleeting second, it ignited excitement and thrill in my otherwise mundane evening. The chatter swirled around me, speculation crystallising into wild assumptions that fed the fiction I had constructed.

As my friends pushed for more details, I found myself embellishing story after story, crafting a whimsical relationship that existed only in my imagination.

With a nervous laugh, I replied, "He's kind of a big deal," before quickly changing the subject, hoping to divert the attention from my own shortcomings.

Inside, however, I felt a pang of guilt and shame. It was a mask, a facade I wouldn't be able to hold up for long.

I slumped against a pillar, a tepid feeling spreading through me as I recalled the guy I once loved, Mark. We had shared youthful dreams, our paths seemingly intertwined, but somewhere along the line, we had drifted apart.

Mark had found his place in the world, and what had I done? Let myself get swallowed whole by the hospital's fluorescent lights and the unyielding timelines demanded of me?

Just as the memories threatened to consume me, a warm voice broke through my reverie.

"Amanda, are you okay?"

Startled, I turned to see Kayla, my high school friend, staring at me with concern etched across her face. We had shared many adolescent secrets, often devouring slices of pizza on the bleachers, but we, too, had lost touch over the years.

"Uh, yeah, just lost in thought," I answered, forcing a smile, though it didn't reach my eyes. Kayla stepped closer, the warmth radiating from her presence providing a brief comfort.

"You look like you've seen a ghost. Come join us, everyone's reminiscing about those old days. You know how it is; 'remember when' stories."

Mentioning the words "remember when" felt like opening Pandora's Box. I was instinctively aware that my memories would swirl up in a storm, dredging old insecurities and regrets. As much as I wanted to escape the scrutiny, the swell of nostalgia tugged at me.

"Yeah, I should probably get back," I replied, trying to sound casual.

My mind wandered back to the classroom scenes of our past: the sloppy teenage crushes, the shared dreams, budding ambitions, and the naive belief that life would always go according to plan.

Now, the once innocent excitement felt tainted by painful reality. What had modified the lives of my peers so significantly while I remained stationary, painstakingly moving through each day only to repeat the same stories?

Among the group, I caught sight of Emily, a former high school rival whose achievements had always shadowed my own. She had pursued medicine with the same fervour, but upon branching into specialities, she had quickly climbed the social ladder within the medical community.

To me, every triumph Emily shared was a confirmation of my own inadequacies, an overwhelming reminder that I was not measuring up.

"Wow, look at you all living it up!" Emily's voice cut sharply through the crowd, her bright smile forced, but her eyes a little too calculating.

"I've just returned from an international seminar in Paris, can you believe it? And I'm about to launch my very own clinic."

The applause and chorus of "Wow!" echoed around, slicing deeper into my skin. I fought against the urge to withdraw entirely as the laughter and praises flowed. Why did it feel like life had turned us into competitors? A race I had not even wanted to join.

Suddenly, an old flame entered my line of sight...