#Chapter7
EMMA'S POV
/"Conventional surgery using image guidance technologies is also becoming common and is referred to as surgical navigation, computer-assisted surgery, navigated surgery, stereotactic navigation..../"
I blindly looked at the professor who had been lecturing for an hour. His words felt like coming in one ear and going out of another without me comprehending a word he said.
I had been like this for two whole weeks, not being able to focus on anything as my eyes wandered back to the dream that I previously had.
/"Emma, you are lost in your thoughts again!/" I heard a voice at my side. Lina, my friend and the only person who dared to be nice to me on campus, was looking worriedly at me.
/"You've never been like this before. Are you sure you are alright?/" She quietly asked me.
I blinked at her before smiling. /"Of course,/" I told her. /"I was lost in my thoughts just now,/" I admitted to her.
For the past half month, I had been going through all of my routines. I studied, went to all of my classes, and avoided Zelda and her lackies. Externally, nothing seemed to have changed on me. However, I still could not forget the dream that I had.
'The dream that seemed to be a reality,' I bit my lower lip.
No, it was not like I was hoping for it to be real. It was just... I felt that I was stuck in a limbo between fantasy and my reality, and I could not get out of it.
'Even until now, it is as if I could feel his kisses on my body and the way he called out my name,' I thought as I felt my face becoming hotter.
Lina stared at me for a few seconds before gasping, effectively catching my attention.
/"What's wrong?/" I asked her.
/"Nothing. It's just... it feels like there is something different about you just now.../" She scratched her head.
/"Anyway, do you have anything to wear at our university's ball?/" Lina whispered excitedly. /"I found some cute dresses at the thrift store near my apartment. Do you want to come over there with me?/" She added.
I furrowed my brow at her statement. Every ten years, our university would be holding a grand ball and invite all the members of the faculties, the students, and the alumni of the university. Since our university was the most prestigious university in the country and one of the best in the world, the event had always been a big event and everyone was very excited to attend it.
In fact, most of my classmates had already prepared a dress for the ball even months before the event. It was only me and Lina who were the oddballs and had not prepared for it until now.
/"I'm not really keen on attending the event,/" I whispered to Lina who had widened her eyes.
Going in the event meant that I would need to socialize with the people in my department. These people liked to make my life a living hell whenever possible. Thus, I didn't want to attend that party. I especially did not want to spend more time with them.
/"I know it might be hard, but we should attend! The medical directors of the best hospitals in the country are alumni and would attend this event. Some will even recruit interns on the spot! We absolutely need to be there!/" Lina told me with passion. /"Especially you! You are the rank one student in our batch, even beating 'that person.' Everybody must be wanting to recruit you!/" She added.
/"Professor!/" Suddenly, the female classmate behind us raised her hand. Lina and I immediately stopped talking.
The old professor stopped his lecture and gestured to my classmate to continue. She slightly sniggered and said, /"The two behind me had been non-stop gossiping and were not paying any attention to your lecture./"
/"Yes, professor! I heard these nerds talking about dressing up for the ball. They talked about going to a thrift store for a dress after class,/" The person beside her loudly said.
/"Ooooff, nerds with thrift stores dresses?/" Someone sneered.
Immediately, everyone burst into mocking laughter.
I blinked and stared at my classmates who were also not paying attention to the professor but yet could laugh so hard. Lina hurriedly looked down to her desk. She did not say anything. Yet, her face was flushing red from embarrassment.
I sighed. If they had done it to me alone, I would have let it pass. However, they even had to bring Lina in this matter.
/"I'm sorry to disturb you, professor. But I was listening to you lecture,/" I told him.
The old professor fixed his glasses and stared at me and the shrunken Lina. Then, he asked, /"Ms. Hill, what are the other terms for conventional surgery using image guidance technologies?/"
/"They are also referred to as surgical navigation, computer-assisted surgery, navigated surgery, stereotactic navigation, professor,/" I answered him.
/"And when do you use endoscopic endonasal surgery?/" He lifted a brow at me.
'Thankfully, I have read all of this in advance,' I thought to myself before answering him. /"They are used in pituitary tumors, craniopharyngiomas, chordomas, and the repair of cerebrospinal fluid leaks, professor,/" I answered him softly.
/"Correct,/" the professor stated before returning back to his lecture. /"So it seems that you were not the one paying attention to my class!/" The professor said. Effectively, my classmates who were mocking at us kept awkwardly quiet for the whole duration of the class.
x x x x x
/"You should not have done that,/" I heard Lina say when we were walking towards the thrift store after class. /"Those people will make your life much harder after this./"
I lifted a hand and pat Lina's forehead before saying, /"It's been four years. I am used to having a hard school life. What more can they do to me?/"
Lina turned red before looking away. /"You're only saying that! Later I won't save you when they come running after you!/" She told me before the two of us laughed.
Suddenly, a stunning woman stood in front of us, blocking our way. I was startled and was about to walk around her when she moved and blocked me again. Then, she said, /"Excuse me, will you girls come over to my shop and look at the dresses that I'm selling?/"