Chapter 37 LIANA’S VENT
Chapter 37 LIANA’S VENT
Liana pivoted away from the quad and marched toward the university's medical wing.
She reached the school's clinic and practically cornered a nurse who was busy filing charts.
"Dr. Viktor is in, right?" Liana asked.
The nurse looked up, startled by the intensity in Liana’s eyes. "Yeah, but he’s currently in a..."
"I got the answer I need already" Liana interrupted, not waiting for the rest of the sentence. She brushed past the nurse, her mind set on giving Viktor a piece of her mind.
She reached his office door and threw it open without so much as a knock.
"I can't believe you made me look like a fool last night! You literally stood me up, you—"
The words died in her throat. She froze at the threshold, her heart skipping a beat as she took in the scene.
Viktor was leaning over his desk, while Raina sat on the patient’s chair.
"Liana, you came at the wrong time. I'm attending to a patient" Viktor said, his voice calm but layered with a subtle warning.
Liana’s eyes flicked to the girl in the chair. "Raina? What are you doing here?"
The second the words left her lips, Liana felt a wave of embarrassment. It was the school’s clinic; the answer was obvious.
"I'm asthmatic, so..." She trailed off, clutching a small inhaler in her hand.
"Sorry to interrupt" Liana mumbled, her hand already reaching for the door handle to make a quick exit.
"No, stay. I was just about to leave anyway," Raina said. She stood up, smoothing out her skirt, and walked past Liana without meeting her eyes, disappearing into the hallway.
The door clicked shut, leaving Liana alone with the man who had stood her up.
Viktor sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I guess I owe you an explanation for last night"
"Not 'guess,' Viktor. You definitely owe me an explanation" Liana snapped, finding her voice again.
"I'm sorry about yesterday's night. I got caught up with something I couldn't leave" he explained.
"A phone call or even a text would have done something!"
Viktor looked at her steadily. "I don't even have your phone number"
Liana paused, her indignation faltering for a split second. "You never asked"
"I'm sorry" he repeated.
"So..." Liana crossed her arms, trying to salvage her pride. "Are we still going on the date? A do-over?"
"No," Viktor replied firmly. "I'm busy throughout this week"
Liana felt a sharp sting of rejection. She let out a dry, bitter laugh. "I get it now. You don't like me. I shouldn't force things, I understand. I’ll leave you to your 'busy' schedule"
She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her before she could reach the handle.
"No, it's not that. I’m truly busy for now," he said, pulling a pen and a slip of paper toward him. "Let me have your number so we can chat with each other. I'll make it up to you when the chaos settles"
Liana hesitated, then turned back, scribbling her digits down. She didn't know if she was being played or if he was being honest.