Chapter 20 – A New Beginning & An Unexpected Reunion

The last exam paper was finally in my hands.

I stared at it for a moment, taking a deep breath before putting my pen to work. This was it—the final stretch. The moment I had been waiting for, the one that would decide the next phase of my life.

As I wrote my final answer, something inside me shifted.

For months, I had been lost, wandering through life like a shadow of who I used to be. But now, I had a purpose. A future I was actively choosing for myself.

When the exam bell rang, signaling the end, I placed my pen down, exhaling deeply.

It was over.

I had made it through.

---

At home, my parents greeted me with warm smiles. Mom pulled me into a tight hug, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself melt into it.

"You did it," she said, her voice filled with pride.

Dad gave me an approving nod. "Proud of you, kid."

Noah, of course, smirked. "About time. You’ve been buried in your books for weeks. I was beginning to think you forgot how to have fun."

I rolled my eyes but smiled slightly. "Maybe I did."

Mom sat beside me at the table as we ate dinner. "Have you decided what you want to do next?"

I hesitated for only a second before answering. "I want to go to medical school."

She blinked, surprised but happy. "Really?"

I nodded, feeling more certain than ever. "I want to help people. I think… maybe this is what I’m meant to do."

Dad looked at me thoughtfully before nodding. "That’s a good choice. A strong one."

Noah groaned. "Great. Now you’re going to become even more of a nerd."

I laughed, shaking my head.

For the first time in a long time, I felt… okay.

Maybe even good.

---

Days turned into weeks, and soon, I was preparing for my next step.

I had applied to a well-known medical college and, to my relief, received an acceptance letter.

It felt surreal—packing my things, getting ready to move forward. I spent my days reading about college life, picking up supplies, and planning for a future that, for the first time, I was choosing for myself.

Noah teased me endlessly about it.

"You sure you don’t want to be something cooler? Like, I don’t know, a detective or something?"

I smirked. "Unlike you, I actually like helping people."

He clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch. That hurt."

I laughed.

A real laugh.

I didn’t realize how much I had missed that sound.

---

The first day of college came faster than I expected.

As I stepped through the grand entrance of Redwood Medical College, my heart pounded with a mix of nerves and excitement.

Everything was new.

New buildings, new people, new possibilities.

I held my books tightly against my chest as I made my way through the crowded hallways, students rushing past me, conversations blending together in a chaotic yet thrilling atmosphere.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was part of something bigger.

Like I was starting over.

---

Then, it happened.

I turned a corner, not paying attention, and walked straight into someone.

Books nearly slipped from my hands as I stumbled back, muttering a quick, "Sorry—"

And then I looked up.

And froze.

Because standing right in front of me, smirking as if this was the most natural thing in the world, was Ethan Carter.

"Well, well," he said, amusement dancing in his emerald-green eyes. "Looks like we meet again."

I blinked, completely caught off guard.

"You?" I breathed out, still processing what I was seeing.