"If it's any consolation, I... I'm feeling confused as well."

He turned towards me, leaning on the wall with a smile on his face. This time it wasn't a smirk. It was a genuine smile with a hint of sadness behind it, a hint of remorse.

"Do you want to hear a medical fact, Dr. Ricci?" He asked, the smirk back on his face, hiding every emotion from a second ago behind an invisible mask.

Almost as if he couldn't endure his own feelings.

"No!" I pushed off the wall, the smirk on my lips camouflaging a sadness I was suddenly feeling.

This was only a slip up; I regretted revealing just a glimpse of the emotions I was feeling for the stranger in front of me. With the urge to run away, I climbed up the first couple of steps towards the locker rooms, like I originally intended. Before the distance between us grew even further, he wrapped his hand around my wrist and turned me around, halting my movements.

"They say the tongue is the strongest muscle of the human body..." His devilish grin overpowered my actions. "Wanna fight?"

I scoffed, pulling my arm away from him annoyed. He laughed at my reaction as he stared me me, even though I was standing on the first few steps.

"Actually, you're wrong." I took another step upwards, still holding his gaze. "The eye muscles can be considered stronger. Fast and constant movements make for a high endurance muscle." I turned around, facing now away from him as I walked up another couple of steps. "Except when they fixate on a certain object."

I heard him chuckle behind me and I turned my head to look at him. He was already staring.

"And the second strongest muscle should me the gluteus maximus. Also known as the great behind. So please, watch while I use my anti-gravity muscle while I walk up these stairs."

I winked his way, feeling triumphant when he clenched his jaw watching me. Being a tease wasn't my style, but this was a win in my books.

I drove home as fast as I can, trying to outrun the same thought troubling my brain. He seemed set on playing with me, but if provoking me was what he wanted, I would find ways to challenge that King even more.

"Honey, I'm home!" I shouted as I entered our apartment.

I kicked the door with my leg, balancing the bags I was holding in my two hands. I wanted to be meticulously prepared for tomorrow's surgery, which explained the books in my right hand. Wednesday was also laundry day and I brought all my dirty lab coats and scrubs I was stuffing in my locker since last week; thus what I was holding in my left hand.

Leaving everything in my bedroom I threw all my dirty clothes, along with the ones I was already wearing, in the laundry basket in the bathroom. I entered my room in underwear and sighed as I took off my bra. Nothing was a bigger win than the freedom after taking off my bra for the day.

I quickly changed into grey sweatpants and a short sleeved pink t-shirt that was hanging around in my bedroom, when my stomach rumbled in protest.

This brain needed fuel, and it needed it right now.

Stella and Markus were already on the couch devouring their pizza, when I sat beside them, holding back a giggle at my twin's Avengers' pajamas. In that moment the heavenly smell entered my nose and had my mouth watering in seconds.

"Please tell me it's normal Italian pizza with no pineapple", I asked, praying that Pineapple pizza didn't cross our doorstep.

"Dios mio... What's wrong with you? Actually what's wrong with both Ricci siblings?" Stella's questioning look made me laugh. "Who doesn't like pineapple on pizza?" She protested.

"Stella, for the last time. Pineapple on pizza is an abomination. Who thought of that in the first place?" Markus took my side. Of course he did. He is my twin!

"You Ricci siblings are insane!"

A contempt smile was on my face as I took a bite from the cheesy goodness... you can never go wrong with pizza Margherita.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Markus asked, taking another slice of pizza from the box.

"Excited doesn't begin to cover it." I said, taking a large bite from the cheesy goodness.

"It's like you'll be losing your OR-Virginity." Stella winked at me before continuing. "Well at least that type of virginity. Because I don't think you'll be popping the real one anytime soon."

I choked on my pizza, reaching for one of the glasses of water already on the table. I took a sip, trying to steady my breathing. I gave her the look, an amused smile gracing her features.

That was a blow bellow the belt.

"Stop trying to corrupt my sister, Stella. That's not happening while I'm around."

"Don't worry Markus. She can't really corrupt me if she's in the same boat as me." I winked at him while blowing a kiss to my best friend.

The look on his face gave him away; his eyes were wide as he stared at a blushing Stella that turned away from my brother's heated gaze.

"Is that so?" His voice was a tone deeper, his eyes searching hers as she refused to turn around.

He wasn't as interested in his twin sister being a 24 lame virgin as he was from the news he got about Stellz. Her blush definitely made him ten times happier. Why were they still playing this game of cat and mouse, I didn't know. It was so obvious that they had feelings for each other, for years now, although I didn't know what was holding them back. Or maybe, I did know, just didn't want the responsibility of all that.

He coughed once, getting on his feet. His movements were giving away how awkward he was feeling.

"I'll go study for a while. You two behave!" He said, leaving the two of us alone.

The moment we heard his bedroom door close, Stella jumped towards me with a grin on her face.

"We have so much to catch up on. Tell me all about sexy Mr. King", of course she would start the minute my brother walked in his room. "First of all, congratulations on the surgery tomorrow. You are going to tell me all about it once it's done. But now I need some hot, juicy, spicy details girl!"

"There's nothing to talk about. Believe me."

"Oh come on. Tell me something, anything, please. You know how boring my life is. Ugh, and it's only Wednesday. Can this Friday come already?"

"You know you're on call on Saturday, right?"

"Don't remind me!" She frowned, picking another slice of pizza. "Now spill the beans before I take the pizza box in my room."

"You wouldn't."

"I would and you know it."

It always worked with food. Damn it, she knew me so well.

"Well... he is a very attractive stranger, with an uncanny way of hiding things."

I was lost for a moment, thinking about him; the pain in his eyes, his bruised body, the bleeding knuckles, the scars on his abdomen... probably from continued assaults. He was an enigma I was desperate to solve. But I had no right to his deepest, darkest secrets, or the warm feeling of his hands on my face when he first touched me. I had no right to anything.

I told my best friend everything about him; his teasing personality, the moments he provoked me to get a reaction out of me, how he pushed away every time I tried to solve the riddles. I told her how frustratingly close we were to almost kissing, when Savi entered the room, making me a blushing mess.

"Hang on! What?" Her eyes widened in fear, making me regret everything. "Erika you can't be that reckless on hospital grounds. You could lose your position in the program, let alone be suspended for inappropriate behavior."

I took a deep breath, biting my lip in both frustration and fear. She was right. Absolutely right.

"I know... I'm sorry. I- I don't know how I let myself slip up like that."

We were silent for a moment, before she decided to lighten the mood; I needed that.

"You mean to tell me you actually like him, not just his looks? Like, are you trying to get back out there?"

I blushed at her words, pushing her away playfully.

"Stop it, you know it's not like that."

"My baby Erika is about to open her wings and experience a whole new world filled with devious smiles and lust. Say goodbye virginity, hello America!"

"Shhhh" I put my hand on her mouth, not wanting Markus to hear. "First of all, he's my patient, so nothing's gonna happen. Nuh, uh! And second of all, don't act all mature with me. You haven't been with a guy yet, either!"

"Key words chica: haven't been yet. Not didn't want to. I just want it to be magical. I want to feel safe and be sure."

I laughed, pulling her in a big hug. "We are just a bunch of 24 year old, virgin Italian/Spanish weirdos."

"You are excluding Markus from this narrative, right? Because a virgin is something that boy isn't."

Her remark held something I couldn't put a finger on. Was she angry? Hurt? I knew they actually cared about each other, but this was something between her and my brother, of all people. I never knew how to handle this.

How could I approach this, anyway? Ask straight away? Rip off the band-aid?

Stella always kept her feelings to herself and even if I brought it up and straight forward asked her, she would find a way to change the subject or deny every thought on my mind. It was always better if she came to me first. That way she wouldn't shut me out. Our friendship always worked out like that.

"What's he like?" She changed the subject again. I was ready to avoid the question, but the frown on her face revealed that she needed a distraction of some sorts.

"He is kinda shady," I told her, taking another slice in my hand.

"Brandon? How come?"

"Well, he had this cuts and bruises allover his abdomen and dry blood around his knuckles. And let me tell you, that shoulder dislocation is not from a fall."

"Look, to be fair, the guy was once an MMA fighter... well, that's more like a hobby now that he's a rich CEO and lawyer in his own firm. You actually know the building; it's the Metropolitan skyscraper down Michigan Avenue." She said factually.

"How do you know all that?" I asked her amazed.

"I knew I've recognized him from somewhere. And Markus confirmed my thoughts after rounds yesterday. We've actually watched a couple of the Guardian's fights back in med school together..." She blushed at the last part and I wiggled my eyebrows, making her elbow my ribs. "Anyway... Did you ask him about it?"

The Guardian. I had to remember that name.

"Well, yeah. He kept shutting me out. So I kept asking him, and to spice things up I added a pinch of irony." My voice got softer towards the end of my sentence, resting my head in my hand on the sofa, readying myself for what was to come.

"ERIKA!"

Whatever she was about to say, I knew she was right.

"Only because he refused to answer my questions truthfully," I tried to justify my actions.

"Dios mio, no more excuses. You always do that when a guy comes near you. Did you actually do that on purpose, to drive him away. He's not gonna tell you anything personal. He doesn't know you!"

She was right, I thought to myself as I nibbled on my bottom lip.

"He... He somehow saw right threw me, saying how all that was just an act to hide how I'm really feeling inside." The prick definitely knew how to push my buttons.

"Well, was it?" She looked at me knowingly and I sighed, nodding. "Erika, you were 16 and Matteo was just a boy. You're lucky you found out about him cheating sooner rather than later."

I froze for a moment, reminiscing memories of my first and last relationship. Matteo was Markus' best friend, but unlike romance books, we didn't have a happy ending. He was a pushy boyfriend, asking, complaining about me not giving myself fully to him, while his football buddies already took the next step with their partners. But I was still a kid at sixteen; I didn't even know myself, let alone give everything to him. When I found out he was with other girls, I wasn't surprised, but still felt broken inside. He didn't have the patience, he didn't want to wait. I wasn't enough for him and that's how I've felt ever since.

Here in Chicago I tried dating a few times, but it didn't work. Being cheated on hurt too much and was the main reason each and every relationship after him ended before it even started. By now, the walls were thick and high like skyscrapers, that I couldn't trust anyone enough to let them near me. Med school and work were the best excuse, since they were mostly true; I was almost always immersed in my studies. My time was too precious.

"It will take time, but one day you'll feel comfortable enough to fall in love." Stella nudged my shoulder, knowing the rabbit hole I was losing myself into. "That's how every new adventure begins, chica," she winked at me before hugging me close to her.

"I'm not saying he should be your adventure. Just... stop pushing people away from you. Getting hurt is a part of life in this world. There are no perfect soulmates, just beautiful souls to complement our own."

I thought about her words for a while. And the more I thought about it the more I pictured his arms around me, pulling me in his warm embrace. I would love to get to know more about him. But then again, he was my patient. I was his doctor. We were two strangers.

"Come on." She pulled away for a moment, bringing a carton of apple juice and a glass from the kitchen. "Let's just relax for now before you go and read up on tomorrow's surgery. I can help you, if you want."

I smiled at her. How could I ever deserve a human being like her in my life.

"You know me so well!" I smiled at my favorite beverage.

"Of course I do, you nerd! I love you, don't you ever forget that."

"I love you too, Stellz."