[Nicole's POV]
Michael wasn't at school today. Either that, or he was running late—really late—because lunch was over, and fifth period was next, and I still hadn't seen him.
Which shouldn't have been my concern. It's just that new students are kind of expected to show up consistently for at least the first month—before the inevitable skipping starts. Otherwise, it doesn't make a great impression.
"Geez," I muttered, mentally scolding myself for assuming he was ditching. Maybe he was sick. And honestly, it wasn't even any of my business if he skipped or not.
"Raise your hands if you're interested," Dr. Rivera said, our AP Biology teacher.
I froze. Interested in… what? My brain went completely blank. Everyone else seemed to know what she was talking about, maybe because they were paying attention and not thinking about new students. I swallowed and kept my hands at my sides.
"Nicole," she said, leaning closer, "I mean if you want to volunteer at the hospital. It's a great way to get experience in medicine—and it'll look good for college applications."
Hospital volunteering? That was perfect. I'd been planning on studying medicine at uni, so this was exactly the kind of experience I wanted. Without overthinking it, I shot my hand up.
"Yes," I happily said, because I truly was. I should be focusing on my career and not some boy who wasn't even here.
"That's it for class today. Next week we'll look over cellular respiration. Those interested in volunteering stay behind," she said as class ended.
I stayed in my seat, heart still buzzing a little from saying yes. A few other students shuffled closer to Dr. Rivera's desk.
As the room emptied around me, I focused on the idea of the hospital, imagining the kinds of things I might get to see, the skills I could start learning. It felt like the first real step toward what I wanted. Saving lives.
I grabbed my backpack and made my way to Dr. Rivera's desk. "Hi," I said, keeping my voice steady.
"Hey, Nicole," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you decided to volunteer. Have you done anything like this before?"
"Not really," I admitted. "But I'm planning on studying medicine at university, so I thought it would be good experience."
Dr. Rivera nodded approvingly. "Exactly. That's the kind of initiative colleges like to see. The hospital coordinators are expecting volunteers next week. I'll give you the forms to fill out—they're mostly basic information and a few health questions."
"Great," she said. "I think you'll learn a lot—and it'll help you figure out what areas of medicine interest you most, for example the ER or maybe an oncologist."
"Return the form before next week, preferably Friday," Dr. Rivera said, sliding a stack of papers toward me. "I can have a hospital staff member come to the school to give you an overview of what you'll be doing. You'll still get full instructions at the hospital, of course—it's just so you know what you're getting into, in case you want to back out early."
I left the classroom feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Hospital volunteering wasn't going to be easy, but I knew it was exactly where I needed to start.
"What took you so long?" Laura asked as I left the classroom.
"I was with Dr. Rivera, talking about how I'm going to be volunteering next week at a hospital—you know, for college applications."
Laura smirked, leaning a little closer, her voice dropping. "Wow… look at you, all smart and ambitious. Let me guess—you're doing it because of your dad, right?"
I hesitated for only a second, then met her gaze. "Yes… but not just because of him," I said quietly. "I want to do this to save lives. To actually help people—not just because the doctors couldn't save him."
Laura went quiet for a moment, then gave me a small, thoughtful nod. "Okay… I get that."
The words lingered with me as we walked down the hall. It wasn't about college, and it wasn't just about my dad—it was about actually making a difference.