The dorm felt heavier than ever, the air thick with unspoken tension. Justin Chen sat at his desk, flipping through a medical manual, his brow furrowed with quiet focus. Across the room, Leo Wang paced restlessly, holding a bottle of iced tea like it was the answer to all my problems.
"Myles, drink this," Leo said, shoving the bottle into my hand. "You scared the hell out of us today. Don't even try telling me you're fine."
I took the bottle, its cold surface numbing my palm, but I didn't open it. "I'm fine," I said evenly, though I knew the words lacked conviction.
"Fine?" Leo's voice rose, sharp with frustration. "You collapsed in class! If Justin and I hadn't been there, you'd still be lying on the floor."
"Leo, enough." Justin's voice cut through the room, calm yet commanding. He didn't look up from his book, but the weight of his words silenced Leo immediately. "He needs rest, not your badgering."
Leo scowled, flopping into his chair with a loud sigh. "Rest isn't going to fix this if he keeps pretending nothing's wrong," he muttered, glaring at me. "You're being reckless."
I stayed silent, my chest growing heavier with each breath. Outside, the wind shook the windowpanes, but the cold filling the room came from within, not the weather.
Then my phone buzzed again. The screen lit up with a familiar name: Mason.
Leo leaned forward, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Who's that?"
"Mason. My… uncle," I said, keeping my tone neutral as I stood and walked to the window. I didn't wait for more questions before answering, gripping the phone tightly.
"Myles," Mason's voice came through, calm but serious. "Professor Kai Chow contacted me today about what happened in class. He's worried about your health."
My grip on the phone tightened. "What exactly did he say?"
"He suggested you get a checkup immediately," Mason replied. "And he warned that if you keep avoiding it, he might escalate the matter to the school."
I stayed silent, the weight in my chest growing heavier.
"There's more," Mason continued after a brief pause. "Your father has been paying closer attention to you. He doesn't know about the name change yet, but he's asking more questions."
The words hit me like a punch, and my hand instinctively gripped the curtain. "Why now?" I asked, barely above a whisper.
"It's your health. He's had someone monitoring you since you enrolled, but now he's growing suspicious. If he finds out you've been hiding this—"
Mason didn't finish. He didn't have to. The implications hung heavily in the air.
"I'll handle it," I said curtly, ending the call before Mason could say more.
When I turned back, Leo was still watching me, his eyes sharp with suspicion. "What did your uncle say?" he asked, his tone almost accusing. "And don't you dare say it's nothing."
"It's nothing," I replied, my voice steady. "He just reminded me to take care of myself."
Leo raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You expect me to believe that? You looked like you'd seen a ghost."
"Leo," Justin interjected, his tone calm but firm. "Let it go."
Justin's sharp gaze lingered on me. "Myles, you can't keep this up forever. Whatever you're hiding, it's only a matter of time before it catches up with you."
"I said I'll handle it," I murmured, though even I could hear the cracks in my voice.
Justin nodded but didn't look satisfied. He returned to his book, while Leo muttered something about my stubbornness and threw himself into his chair.
The dorm returned to silence, but my thoughts churned relentlessly. Mason's warning, Professor Chow's suspicions, and now my father's looming presence—it all felt like a storm gathering just out of sight.
I gripped the edge of the desk, my father's words echoing in my mind:
"A doctor? How many of them truly succeed in balancing life and death? Myles, your life isn't meant for this."
But my life wasn't his to dictate.
Even so, how much longer could I hold onto that belief before the weight of everything crushed it?.
The sound of a knock on the door broke the silence, startling all three of us. Justin glanced at the clock, his brow furrowing. Leo shot me a look before yanking the door open.
Standing there was Professor Kai Chow, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room. He took in the clutter—snacks on the table, Justin's open textbook, and me, stiffly seated at my desk.
"Good evening," Professor Chow said, his tone calm but purposeful. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"Professor," Justin greeted, immediately standing. His posture straightened, respectful. Leo, on the other hand, muttered something under his breath but stepped aside to let him in.
I felt the weight of Professor Chow's gaze settle on me. "Myles," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I need a word."
I hesitated, my chest tightening, but I nodded and rose to my feet. "Of course, Professor."
He gestured toward the hallway, not waiting for me to follow. I glanced at Justin and Leo—Justin gave me a slight nod, silent encouragement, while Leo's eyes flickered with a mix of curiosity and worry.
The hallway was quieter than I expected, the faint hum of the overhead lights amplifying the tension. Professor Chow stopped a few steps ahead of me, his posture upright, his expression unreadable.
"You know why I'm here," he began, breaking the silence. His tone was measured but left no room for denial.
"Yes," I replied quietly, keeping my gaze steady.
He let out a small sigh, his sharp eyes scanning my face. "I spoke to your emergency contact. Mason, was it? He assured me you'll be getting a checkup soon. Is that true?"
"I'll handle it," I said, my voice low but even.
Professor Chow frowned slightly, his gaze narrowing. "Myles, you're a bright student. Dedicated, determined. But let me make one thing clear—ignoring your health isn't a sign of strength. It's a risk, both to yourself and your future."
I tightened my fists at my sides, my nails pressing into my palms. "I understand."
"Do you?" he pressed, his tone softening just enough to feel personal. "I've seen students like you before—driven, trying to prove something to the world, or maybe to themselves. But what good is all this effort if it comes at the cost of your health?"
I said nothing, my eyes dropping to the polished floor.
Professor Chow exhaled slowly, his tone shifting to something almost gentle. "Myles, being a doctor is about saving lives, but you can't save anyone if you're not here. Remember that."
The words hung heavily in the air, their weight settling in my chest. I nodded, unable to find the right words to respond.
He studied me for a long moment before continuing. "I won't push this further tonight, but if I see any more signs of negligence, I'll have no choice but to escalate this. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Professor," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
"Good," he said, his gaze lingering for a moment before he turned and walked back down the hallway. His footsteps echoed softly as he disappeared around the corner.
I re-entered the dorm to find Justin and Leo staring at me, both clearly waiting for an explanation.
"Well?" Leo asked, unable to hide his impatience. "What did he want? Are you in trouble?"
"No," I said simply, sinking back into my chair. "Just another reminder to take care of myself."
"Right," Leo scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the bed. "Because that's so believable. You look like you've just been sentenced to a week of dissecting frogs."
"Leo." Justin's voice cut through, calm but firm. "Let it go."
Leo rolled his eyes but stayed quiet, though his gaze lingered on me, suspicious and unrelenting. Justin returned to his desk, but I could feel his sharp focus even as he resumed flipping through his notes.
I let out a slow breath, staring at the iced tea still sitting untouched on my desk. The silence settled again, heavier this time, the tension palpable. My chest tightened as Professor Chow's words replayed in my mind:
You can't save anyone if you're not here.
It was a simple truth, but one that felt impossible to reconcile with the weight of everything I was hiding. My fingers tapped against the desk, a nervous rhythm I couldn't stop.
"You're thinking too hard," Leo said suddenly, breaking the silence. "You always do this—keep everything bottled up like you're some kind of lone hero. We're not blind, Myles. Whatever's going on, it's eating you alive."
I looked up, meeting his eyes for a moment before turning away. "I'll handle it," I said softly, the same words I'd been repeating all night.
Justin sighed from his desk but didn't say anything. Leo, on the other hand, opened his mouth to argue again, but before he could, my phone buzzed.
I froze. The screen lit up with a name I hadn't seen in months—Dominic Shiao.
Leo leaned over, catching a glimpse of the screen. "Who's that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Just… family," I muttered, my throat tightening as I swiped to reject the call.
But before I could put the phone down, it buzzed again. Same name. Same unrelenting reminder of the life I was trying to leave behind.
Justin turned in his chair, his sharp gaze locking onto me. "Myles," he said quietly, "whoever it is, you need to take it."
I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, I picked up the phone and stepped toward the window, the cool glass pressing against my palm as I answered.
"Hello?" My voice came out steady, but barely.
"Myles." Dominic's voice was calm, composed, but with an edge that sent a chill down my spine. "We need to talk."
I glanced back at Justin and Leo, who were both watching me now, their curiosity written across their faces. "This isn't a good time," I said quietly, gripping the phone tighter.
"It's not a request," Dominic replied, his tone sharp but measured. "Father knows about your collapse in class. He's furious."
The world seemed to tilt for a moment. I gripped the edge of the window frame to steady myself.
"How does he know?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's just say Mason's not the only one keeping tabs on you," Dominic said coldly. "Father's decided it's time to step in, whether you like it or not. And, Myles…" He paused, his voice dropping lower. "You might want to check the email he just sent you."
The call ended before I could respond. I stared at the phone in my hand, the silence around me deafening. Slowly, I turned back toward my desk, placing the phone down as if it might explode.
"What was that about?" Leo asked, his voice cutting through the haze.
I didn't answer. My fingers hovered over the laptop, hesitant but compelled, until finally, I opened my inbox.
There it was, sitting at the top. From: Victor Shiao. Subject: We need to talk.
I clicked it open, my pulse pounding in my ears as I read the single line inside:
"If you think you can run, think again. Come home. Now."