𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 ━ 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒏

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season three x episode twenty-four

━𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍 apple juice box to his mouth, sipping from the straw loudly. I try to focus on studying for the intern exam I have later today, but I can't help but notice the loud slurping echoing throughout the room.

"George!" I snap bitterly.

George cluelessly looks up from the book he's holding. I gesture to the notes in my hand.

"Oh, sorry Ollie." He slowly lowers the juice box to his lap, abandoning it entirely.

With a sigh, I look back at my notes. What if I fail the intern exam?

I run through all the questions in my notes for the twentieth time today. I've memorized all of the questions and answers. All I can do is hope I pass.

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

"𝐖𝐄'𝐕𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐓 everything taken care of," Cristina reassures an upset Meredith.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, Mer," I speak quietly, pacing the floors. I raise my hand to my mouth, anxiously rubbing my fingertips below my lips.

"I've got #2 pencils and bottled water."

"Oh, can I have a bottle?" I ask Cristina.

She nods and hands me a bottle.

Cristina continues to comfort Meredith as Alex walks into the locker room.

"What are you guys all standing around for?" 

"I think pacing is a better word to use." Waiting around is agonizing.

The Chief walks in.

"You people need to head upstairs." If my nerves were bad before, they just got even worse. "Dr. Grey will join you in a minute."

I hold up the water bottle Cristina gave me to my lips as I walk out. I down the whole bottle by the time I get upstairs.

I sit down in an empty seat next to Izzie. I am so not ready for this.

"You may open your test booklets..." the woman looks down at her watch, "... now."

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

"𝐃𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒, 𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 halfway through our allotted time. You only have 60 minutes left to complete the exam."

The woman walks around the room, in between every desk. Tick. Tick. Tick.

I unsteadily wipe my forehead with the back of my hand as a small sigh escapes my mouth. 

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐘 test to the woman, and she flashes me a smile. I attempt to smile back, but it probably looks like a wince.

I rush away from the room, nausea eating my stomach away. I meet Cristina in the hallway. We were the first few people to finish our exams.

"I did horrible, Cristina. I feel horrible."

"I'm sure you did just fine, pretty girl. But you didn't do better than me."

My face drops to a grave expression.

"How many people know about the note!? The whole hospital?"

"Relax. It's not the whole hospital. Only half." 

My eyes widen. Cristina cracks, laughing loudly.

"What?"

"I was only kidding!"

My shoulders loosen, not realizing they tensed up.

"I need some fresh air."

I begin to walk away before feeling vomit slowly rise up my throat. I run towards the nearest trashcan.

Hugging the trashcan, I retch into it. I hear Cristina walk up to me. Slowly, she raises her hand to my back, rubbing circles into it.

"Don't tell anyone about this. Understand?"

I heave again as I try to speak.

I steadily rise from the trashcan.

"I feel so much better."

Cristina's face scrunches in disgust.

"You're disgusting."

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒 out of the testing room, George in tow.

"Meredith. Meredith!" George yells after her.

"What? What's the matter, George?" I walk up to him, my face contorted into confusion.

"She didn't write anything on the test..." I look at the end of the hallway, Meredith no longer in my line of view. "She didn't answer a single question. She just sat there."

"Wait! George, ju- just give her a second." Cristina awkwardly fiddles with her water bottle.

George blankly stares at her.

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐔𝐏 to Meredith and sit down in the seat next to hers.

"George already gave me a talk-"

"No, listen. I heard what happened to your fake mom. I'm really sorry about that..." Meredith begins to fidget with her watch. "Um, when I was born, my mom left. Plan and simple. And over time, I came to terms with that. And one day I got a call from some random number. It was my mom. She sounded drunk over the phone. She told me how much she regretted leaving me. Honestly, she kept slurring her words so it was hard to understand what she was saying." I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the next few words. "I got a call two weeks after the call that she died. Somehow I was devastated. I never knew her, what she looked like, and barely what her voice sounded like. She never existed to me, and when she did it was because of some stupid drunk dial."

Meredith looks up at me.

"It won't be easy- grieving the loss of someone who wasn't there for that long. But it still happens. And if you need someone, I'll always be here. If you need time, I'll wait. Whatever you need, I can help."

I smile at Mer, softly rubbing her shoulder for reassurance. 

"Talk to the Chief, Mer. You deserve to retake the exam."

⭒☂━━━━━━━━☂⭒

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 850

𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺: 𝙞𝙜𝙤𝙧 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 

━ 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒

holy shite. i started to write this a few days ago but had a writing boulder in my way, but was finally able to finish the chapter today!! i hope you enjoyed. thank you for over 6k READS + 200 VOTES!!! i am so grateful for you all :'). leave a vote, maybe some comments. again, tysm!