Moon Bound

“I don’t think this is a good…” Her voice caught in her throat, her brows furrowing with concern, yet her words were muffled by a soft moan as his lips found her breast. With a smirk, he teased, “Cat got your tongue?”

“*ssh*l*,” she whispered, a playful glint in her eyes as she tried to hide her smile, her fingers curling around him as she pulled him closer, their lips meeting in the dark and lonely forest.

“I still think this is crazy and dangerous,” she said between kisses, her body tense with anticipation.

“Then why don’t you stop and leave?” he replied, his tone teasing, his eyes dancing with mischief.

“Hell no.” Her voice was firm, determination flickering in her gaze as she pressed her body against his, seeking solace in their forbidden embrace.

Their clothes soon littered the forest floor, discarded in their urgency. Their kisses grew louder, echoing through the trees as desire consumed them, their bodies moving In sync, fueled by an undeniable passion.

“I can’t take it anymore… I need you in me now,” she pleaded, her breath hitching as she stared into his eyes, her body trembling with need.

“Your wish is my command.” Just as he was about to proceed, she stopped him, her hand reaching out to grasp his arm.

“Wait.”

“What?” His confusion was evident, his brows knitting together as he paused

“Condom.” Her voice was steady, her gaze unwavering as she pushed him away slightly

“Ughh come on Judy do we really need those,” he protested, his lips trailing kisses along her shoulder

“Yes. My mum would kill me and you if I got pregnant,” she said, her tone firm

“Fine,” he said in defeat, his shoulders slumping slightly as he turned. “Don’t go anywhere,” he said urgently as he ran towards his car.

Ten minutes had passed, and still, he hadn’t returned. Judy’s patience wore thin as her mind raced with worry. “Where the hell had he gone?” she muttered, her frustration boiling over. “If this is some kind of joke, I’m going to kill him.”

Grabbing whatever she could find, she reached for her phone to dial his number, but her heart sank as she realized the network was gone. “F**k,” she cursed under her breath, panic rising within her.

Judy’s mind was foggy, her memory hazy from the intensity of their make-out session. “Max!” she called out, her voice echoing through the silent forest, but there was no response except for the chirping of birds in the trees.

As she walked, her steps became hesitant, her senses on high alert in the darkness of the woods. Without Max’s comforting presence, the loneliness and darkness seemed to suffocate her, sending shivers down her spine.

“I have to get out of here,” she mumbled to herself, her voice trembling. Just then, she heard a rustling in the bushes nearby, causing her heart to race with fear.

“What was that?” she thought, her body tensing with apprehension. Frozen in place, she felt a wave of panic wash over her. “No… I can’t die like this, not today,” she pleaded silently, tears welling in her eyes.

Slowly, she turned, her phone flashlight illuminating the darkness. Suddenly, she saw glowing eyes staring back at her. With a scream, she fell to the ground, terror gripping her heart.

“No, no, no,” she cried, tears streaming down her face as she braced for the worst. But as she opened her eyes, she saw a small dog wagging its tail in front of her, relief flooding her senses.

“What are you doing here, little fella?” she said, her voice trembling with emotion as she scooped up the dog in her arms.

“C’mon, we’ve got to get out of here,” she said, determination filling her voice as she stood up to leave, grateful that she wasn’t facing her demise alone.

As she walked deeper out of the forest, she soon caught sight of Max’s car. “Finally,” she exclaimed, relief flooding her as she rushed towards the direction of the vehicle.

“What the hell, Max? How could you just le…” Her words caught in her throat as she froze, her eyes widening in shock. Her heart pounded in her ears as she stared at the lifeless body beside his car.

Unable to take the next step, all she could do was let out a loud scream of horror. Her body trembled, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she struggled to comprehend the scene before her.

****

Ding Ding Ding.

The shrill sound of Elera's alarm pierced through her room, disrupting the quiet morning. "Five more minutes," she mumbled sleepily, tossing on her bed.

Ding Ding Ding. "Ugghhh," she groaned, burying her head under her pillows in an attempt to block out the annoying noise, but it persisted, relentless.

Frustrated, she stumbled out of bed, her movements sluggish from sleep. With fumbling hands, she reached for the alarm, finally silencing it.

The sudden quietness enveloped the room, offering a moment of relief. "Much better," she sighed, sinking back into her bed.But then realization struck, hitting her like a cold wave. "Sh*t," she muttered, scrambling upright to check the time. Her eyes widened in alarm as she saw the clock. D*mn, she was late.

 Quickly she dashed to the bathroom. It seemed like she was flying as she hurried inside. Time was ticking away, pushing her to go faster. Under the water, she scrubbed quickly, setting a new personal record for her fastest shower ever.

Putting on her clothes in a hurry, she grabbed her keys, her hands shaking slightly with the adrenaline of being late. Rushing downstairs, she practically flew into her car, the urgency palpable in her movements.

How could she have overslept? D*mn it, she cursed inwardly, berating herself for getting caught up in watching that series. She had been so engrossed in the love triangle between Lovette, Enzo, and Frederick that she had lost track of time completely.

The traffic light turned red, and frustration bubbled up inside her. "Sh*t. Please be fast," she muttered, tapping her hands on the steering wheel impatiently. Her eyes darted around the intersection, taking in her surroundings. It had only been a month since she transferred to Oakville to start her residency and follow in her dad's footsteps as a great doctor.

"Being late is definitely not a nice way to start," she sighed, her shoulders slumping with disappointment. Glancing up at the rearview mirror, her eyes widened at the sight of her tired reflection. Dark bags hung under her big brown doe eyes, and her black curly hair was a messy tangle. She had forgotten to put on makeup in her rush to leave the house. "Thank God for the traffic," she muttered, rummaging through her purse for some powder and hastily tying her hair into a ponytail.

Just as she finished, the light turned green, and the cars behind her started honking impatiently. Startled by the sudden noise, she jerked forward and accidentally bumped into the car in front of her.

"Sh*t Sh*t Sh*t"

Quickly, she scrambled out of her car, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm so sor..." Her voice trailed off as she looked up and saw him

Standing before her was a man who seemed to have stepped out of a magazine. His tousled blonde hair caught the sunlight, framing his face in a golden halo. His eyes, a striking shade of green, held a mischievous twinkle, adding depth to his expression. With a jawline so sharp it could cut through glass and a nose that gave him a rugged charm, he was a sight to behold.

Breaking the silence, she stammered, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" His smirk, a blend of understanding and charm, melted away the tension.

"No harm done," he replied with a wink, the warmth in his voice sending a shiver down her spine. As she handed him a piece of paper with her contact details, their eyes lingered, and then again she felt lost in his eyes. The honks of cars brought her back to reality dawning on her where she was rushing to and how late she was she cursed within her.

"sh*t", she stammered, "Here's my number. Call me... I mean for damages and insurance, definitely that... not that you have to call me. I mean you can call if you want to. I'm blabbing. I should get going. Good day, and I'm so sorry," she managed to say, her cheeks flushing as she hurriedly retreated to her car. His smirk deepened, leaving an indelible impression as she sped towards the hospital.

Elera's heart raced as she stood in front of the door, behind which her fellow interns were being addressed. Pacing nervously, she muttered to herself,

"Hi, I'm Elera Wang. I'm so sorry for being late. I was careless and mistakenly bashed into a stranger's car  very striking man... no, no, focus," she scolded herself. Leaning against the door, she took a peek at the hall filled with her fellow interns and doctors

A wave of self-blame washed over her, and she lightly hit herself on the head for the tardiness. Contemplating on what to do, she didn't notice as someone opened the door from inside. Startled, she stumbled and fell. Looking up, she found herself face to face with Dr. Grayson, a very handsome and famous doctor at the University. Everyone had a crush on him, and she couldn't deny she once did too. Being on the floor in front of her former crush only intensified her embarrassment.

Quickly getting up, she stammered an apology, "I'm so sorry." Dr. Grayson, with a scrutinizing look, checked his watch and replied rudely, "Why bother coming if you know you'll be late?"

Attempting to explain, she said, "There was an issue, I had to..."

He walked past her without a second glance. Pausing, he added, "I don't care about your excuses. First impressions matter, and you just gave me a bad one." With that, he walked out, leaving her red-faced and embarrassed.

The other doctor addressing them cleared his throat to silence the murmurs. "Why don't you have a seat, miss?" he suggested.

She replied, "Wang," her embarrassment palpable. Nodding, he gestured towards an empty chair, and she took her seat, acutely aware of the weight of the room's judgment and determined to redeem herself in the days to come.

Later in the day, as Elara takes a sip of water in the lounge, Eric can't help but address the nickname.

"You really can't blame the nickname; it's not every day you get face-planted in front of the great Dr. Grayson. People would kill to be in your position," he remarks, his tone teasing but with a hint of admiration.

Elara snorts, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration at the memory. "Yeah, right. I can't believe that actually happened. As if my day couldn't get better," she says sarcastically.

Lois tries to console her, "Hey, believe me, we've heard worse. Dr. Grayson isn't the nicest person to be around."

"More like the rudest person ever," Elara retorts.

Eric defends, "You can't blame him. With a face like that, he could get away with anything and still be worshipped."

Lois adds, "Eric is right; that man clearly has a relationship with the Greek god."

Despite the compliments on Dr. Grayson's appearance, Elara is unimpressed. She can't help but think about the negative impact he had on her earlier in the day. The thought of how he made her feel small in just a short encounter fuels her anger. She can't believe she wasted much of her early youth admiring someone like him.

"So what if he looks like the hottest man on the planet? I see him as a big *ssh*l* who only thinks about himself and belittles everyone. He is such a jerk," Elara vents, her frustration pouring out.

Unaware of the sudden silence in the lounge, Elara continues to rant about Dr. Grayson. "You know what? He should be called Dr. *ssh*l*. Stupid jerk thinks he is better than anyone."

Suddenly, a clearing throat interrupts her. She should have listened to the little voice in her head that told her to shut up.

"How about Dr. Crazy *ss Fool? That sounds better," Dr. Grayson retorts from behind her.

Elara quietly bends her head in shame. In just a day, this man had made her feel embarrassed like never before. "May I remind you that this is a hospital and not some gossip center?" he replies harshly.

Elara stammers, "I'm sor..." but he walks out, ignoring what she has to say. The lounge goes silent, and everyone exits, leaving Elara alone

Great first day at work and I already made him hate me. Just great.

A week has passed at Oakvillie General Hospital, and Elara has been doing her best to avoid Dr. Grayson after their awkward encounter. As she prepares for another day of work, she finds herself on a video call with her boyfriend, Ryan, who lives in New York. They've been navigating a long-distance relationship since Elara's move to Oakville.

"Come on, I'm sure he's not that bad," Ryan suggests, attempting to ease Elara's evident frustration.

"You should have seen the face of the nurse after he yelled at her... I heard she cried for the whole week. What kind of heartless person does that?" Elara vents to Ryan while slipping into her scrubs.

"Well, he prob—"

Elera cuts him off, her irritation palpable. "Will you stop defending him, Ryan?" she says, picking up her phone.

Ryan chuckles at how cute she looks when she's angry. "I'm just trying to make you feel better," he rep