Sam and Connor shared a look the other surgeon didnât quite understand, silently pressing for an answer from them. Hesitantly, Sam took the charting tablet from Avaâs hands before speaking.
âAva, Sarah left⊠she matched and quit today.â
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Restart my beloved <3
Sarah didnât show up for rounds one day and Ava was mildly concerned
Because this was only about a week after her avoidant moment and Ava knew she hadnât been in the best mindset
She went to ask Goodwin about it because it was customary when a student didnât show to double check and apparently Sarah had called in
Ava really tried to leave it alone
Maybe Sarah was just sick
So she went about her day and let surgeries be a distraction ïżŒ
Until the next day Sarah wasnât there still
Ava was completely preoccupied her whole shift
Connor was surprisingly the first to pick up on it
Mostly because he found Ava in the locker room before a pre op typing away on her phone
He was of course annoyed with her and was like âAva youâre not seriously stalling a pre op meeting for whoever youâre textingâ
Ava just shook her head because she wasnât in the mood to argue
So she didnât push him away when Connor peaked over her shoulder
A long winded email thread boasted Sarahâs name at the top
âYou seriously donât have her number?â
âThatâs not very professional, Connor. Sheâs my student.â
âSo why are you blowing off work to message her?â
So Ava conceded and told him her worries
And it was really that moment where Connor realized Sarah meant a lot of Ava
Not just in the way him and Sam teased her about
Like Ava clearly cared about the med student a lot to check in on her like this
And in a way he got it
Ava was still surprised when he didnât press it anymore
Just elbowed her gently and said âsheâll come back when sheâs ready. Just come do the pre-op, Avey.â
Connor calling her Avey has been on my mind all week
So she did eventually go back to her work
And Sarah responded eventually
âSorry, Ava. Family trouble, I had to go see my mom.â
Ava didnât really believe her
Maybe she did go back to ïżŒConnecticut
But it didnât sit right that she hadnât told Ava and she wasnât responding to her
It just wasnât like her
And maybe Ava was super anxious until she saw Sarah again <3
The backstory to this tsf which I may actually write as a oneshot
Ava had been called to the NICU
A baby was born premature with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
He also had transposition of the great vessels (aorta and pulmonary artery are switched)
She was called to consult but the second she saw his heart on the echo she knew there wasnât anything she could do
The neonatologist knew that but needed the confirmation
The mother was in surgery, complications during her emergency c-section
And the father refused to leave the surgical waiting area
Ava broke the news to him up there
âYour son has a critical heart defect. Given his weight and the state of the organ I cannot ethically recommend surgery.â
âWhat are you saying?â
âUnfortunately his body is not receiving enough oxygen and we can only make him comfortable. His organs will begin to shut down, weâve already seen indications of liver failure.â
The father was silent
He stared at Ava for a while but then turned away, returning to his pacing of the hallway
She was taken aback but couldnât help but explain again
âSir, Iâm afraid your son does not have long. If you would like to hold himâŠâ
âNo,â he said firmly, âCassie should be the one to hold him first.â
âI donât think-â
âIâm not leaving until sheâs okay.â
So Ava went back to the NICU
She couldnât stop herself even though she had other things to do
She knew medically this baby would not survive until his mother was out of surgery and stable enough to see him
And Ava knew far too much about grieving fathers to know she shouldnât push him to see his son
She couldnât bear the idea of this baby dying alone in that incubator
They had given the child painkillers, though he did not have the energy to show any indication of his pain
He wasnât on the vent because they knew it would do nothing, his heart was not connected properly to sustain a proper rhythm or oxygenate him at all
Ava tried so hard to be careful as she picked him up from the bed, the infant fitting almost in one hand alone
He was cyanotic and cold, even as she wrapped a blanket around him and held him close she knew his body couldnât hold any heat
And so she stood, holding the baby close because no one deserved to die without knowing a little comfort
Ava had never been one to do this, it felt like a boundary a surgeon shouldnât cross in most moments
But this was different
He was so little and she knew every single thing that was going wrong in that moment
The clock on the wall said half an hour had passed, the infantâs breathing hoarse and barely there
He was mouth breathing and each inhale shook him
Ava knew it was time
All she could do was press a kiss to his tiny head and watch helplessly as the monitor flatlined
And Ava was shaking when she reached out to silence the tone
A nurse came in then, she had been hovering outside because she didnât want to disturb the doctor
But Ava knew she couldnât stay and risk bursting into tears
So she let the nurse take the baby and she left the NICU
Beelining for the elevator to the roof because she couldnât stand being in the building
Ava found herself standing by the guard rail of the roof
And she let the tears starts
Even though she hated how helpless it made her feel
â you can talk to about anything, you know. â for restart pls? đ„ș
Pt 1
Sarah didnât budge, rather she nudged the door open with her hip and slipped inside the lounge. The click of the door made the surgeon scowl but she didnât look up, which Sarah noted observantly. Ava was never this dismissive with her, not since they got closer, and being shut out made her nervous.
âWhatâs wrong, Ava?â
âNothing,â her tone was thick with enough emotion to say otherwise. The blonde shifted from her perch on the couch, looking ready to flee at a momentâs notice. She kept her gaze trained on a discarded paper cup on the table, one that bore Connorâs name scrawled on the side.
âI highly doubt that,â she retorted, making her way across the room. She was pushing it, she knew that, but she couldnât leave Ava like this. She knew her mentor left a lot of stuff bottled up and the last thing she needed was to explode at the next stressor.
âReese,â Ava warned lowly, annoyed at the studentâs sudden confidence. Of course, she couldnât be truly upset about that, since she was the one who insisted upon helping her build it. Still, it was majorly inconvenient when she wanted to wallow in silence alone.
âAva, you arenât going to scare me away. You can talk to me about anything, you know?â
The blonde finally looked up at her, shocking her a little. With tear-filled eyes glaring a hole into her scrubs, Sarah realized Ava definitely was not okay. Her fist clenched into the hem her own shirt, she huffed before finally giving Sarah an answer.
âI just had a premature HLHS baby die in my arms because his parents couldnât be there,â her words were shaky enough that the venom in them didnât land, âSo excuse me if Iâm not being polite.â
Speaking the words was what caused the dam to break, though. Sarah saw the way she clenched her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears. Thatâs what had her closing the distance between them, risking a harsh scolding because all she wanted to do was make sure Ava was okay.
âHey,â she crouched down in front of the couch cautiously, âIâm not your student right now, okay? Let me be a friend for just a few minutes, please.â
That gentle request tore a muffled sob from the other woman, making Sarahâs heart break a little more. She was standing in seconds, nudging Ava over so she could sit beside her on the lumpy seat. She saw how stiff the blonde was, clearly using all her power to not let her emotions take complete control. A gentle hand on her knee was enough to bring her guard down, though, and she looked over at Sarah.
âI canât-â
âI know, itâs okay,â Sarah answered, leaning a bit closer as a bit of a peace offering. She wouldnât offer it out loud out of fear of scaring her off and she knew Ava would never ask, but the surgeon looked like she needed a shoulder to cry on. It would take a couple more minutes of suppressed crying before she slumped into Sarah, accepting the hug in defeat. It was a turning point for them, she realized, but she didnât have time to focus on what that meant. Ava needed her support in that moment, no strings attached.
Med student!Sarah; everyone needs a real support system
Word count: 2335
CW: minor parental gaslighting/manipulation
***
Sarah had hoped no one would notice, though she quickly realized her body gave itself away all too easily. No amount of caffeine could hide the sluggishness in her movements, her limbs feeling heavier than lead. If it wasnât that it was probably the way her voice held no cheerful tone like it usually did, instead her words fell flat and had April casting her concerned glances.
She kept to herself that day, all too exhausted to even try to be social. As long as she made it through her clinical hours she could go home and sleep, at least for a few hours. She hadnât gotten more than six the past few days, instead pouring over her textbooks that had taken their rightful place strewn across the floor. The exam for her latest rotation was coming up and Sarah was feeling the anxiety far more than usual. That was at the fault of her mother, though the woman would say it was her daughterâs problem alone.
âSarah, you need to stop worrying over such silly things,â she had told her over the phone, âThe only thing you should focus on is school.â
âMomâŠâ
âNow, you know how important this is. You donât have time for friends, it will only slow you down. My daughter will be a doctor, right? You wouldnât let me down after all this money Iâve sentâŠâ
It always ended like that, the passive aggressive cherry on top of narcissism. Her mother wasnât maternal in the slightest, though she would still use her relationship to Sarah for her benefit. Sure she made certain Sarah had all the money she needed to be successful, but it all came with a price. She was expecting her daughter to make a name for herself as a doctor, which would of course leave room for bragging and manipulation on Elizabethâs part. Sarahâs whole future rested on her motherâs money as much as it did her own success, which was an unfortunate feat she was beginning to despise.
âReese,â if she hadnât already been sitting down, the sudden voice on her right could have knocked her off her feet. She winced at her own jumpiness, turning to look at Connor sheepishly.
âDr. Rhodes,â she pushed a scrap piece of medical tape into her textbook before letting it fall shut on the marked page, âHi.â
âYou okay?â
âYeah⊠yes of course. Just getting some studying in.â
âUh huh,â he looked at her for a moment and Sarah knew she probably wasnât helping her case by looking like a whole mess, âAva was looking for you.â
Usually a mention of her mentor would immediately grab her attention and send Sarah scurrying off to find out what she wanted. This day, however, she wanted to do the opposite. Ava could see through her in seconds and Sarah didnât have the energy to be chastised for being spacey or distracted. She was burnt out and as much as she enjoyed being on the surgeonâs service she would much rather go home.
âOh?â Was all she said, getting to her feet. She checked her watch, realizing it was just in time for her break to begin. Sarah gathered her textbook along with her glasses she had opted to wear that day instead of contacts. One more look at Connor preceded her reply, âIâll go find her in a bit then.â
She didnât look back at the fellow but she knew he was probably watching her in confusion, her attitude much different than usual. Usually she would be following after Ava like a lost puppy, so the fact that she didnât even ask where she was was wildly out of character. Sarah didnât have the time to worry too much about it though, a chirp from her phone letting her know her mother had more to say to her.
***
âCheck on your med student.â
âWhat?â The look Connor got from his colleague was a guarded one, clearly she didnât know where this was going. Connor and Sam had been pestering her for a while about her soft spot for Sarah Reese, so Ava had become accustomed to assume teasing would ensue at any mention of her.
âShe looks like a mess today,â he said as he snatched a chip from the bag she had been munching on, âBloodshot eyes and way more jumpy than usual, and thatâs saying something.â
âWhat happened?â
Connor shrugged but couldnât help the little smirk at how concerned Ava immediately became, âDonât know. Thatâs why you should check on her.â
***
Ava found her in the locker room reserved for med students and interns, thanks to one of Sarahâs classmates who pointed their instructor in the right direction. She wasnât sure what to expect when she nudged the door open but what she got was a bit of a shock.
Sarah was sitting in front of her locker, knees pulled up to her chest and her grey scrubs already a bit dusty from the floor. She was staring blankly at the textbook propped up on the bench, completely unfocused from the words. She mustnât have heard Ava come in because she didnât react, the only sound being a sniffle.
âSarah?â
Just like Connor had pointed out, she jumped far more than she had ever before. Ava knew the medical student was on edge most days, but this seemed a bit concerning. That worry only grew when she came around the corner to face Sarah properly, not expecting quite the sight she found.
Sarahâs eyes were swollen and red, as though she had been crying for quite some time. That theory was pretty much proven by the tears tracking down her ruddy cheeks, leaving little stains where they landed on her top. Her hands shook as they worried the fabric over her knees, a rhythmic movement that must have been an unconscious thought. The med student looked like she hadnât slept for days or like she had been to Hell and back; or maybe both.
âD-doctor Bekker,â she looked up in alarm at her mentor, very deer-in-the-headlights as if she was terrified of what she might say. Something told Ava it wasnât a coincidence that she hadnât seen Sarah at all that day, since the other woman looked like she had been caught red handed by just the person she didnât want to see.
âHey, donât do that,â Ava was crouching beside her without a thought, âWhat happened to formalities making you nervous?â
âI-â
âSarah, whatâs wrong?â
The brunetteâs rapid head shake sent rouge curls tumbling into her line of vision, âNothing! Iâm fine.â
âOh yeah you definitely look fine,â she was a bit shocked with the casual way Ava dropped onto the ground beside her, seeming unlike the focused surgeon she knew. Ava should be working, not sitting on the dirty locker room floor with her medical student who had spent the whole day avoiding her like the plague. Still, she showed no signs of leaving without an explanation, which made Sarah sigh.
âMy cardio rotation exam is coming upâŠâ
âYes and? Weâve been preparing for this for weeks, Reese. You know the content like the back of your hand.â
âI donât⊠itâs not that easy,â she protested, âIf I donât do perfect on every exam from here on out I might not match into the program I want. I need to be perfect, Ava.â
âNo, donât do that. You arenât allowed to psych yourself out like this. You will do just fine, I didnât train you to hide from the scary stuff now did I?â
âNoâŠâ
The blonde nodded affirmatively, âExactly. So youâve been studying and not sleeping, I take it?â
Sarah scoffed, âWhat gave it away?â
âThe bags under your eyes are bigger than Connorâs ego,â she teased, âPlus the fact that you havenât put that textbook away all day and youâre shaking like you do when youâre living off of caffeine.â
âNot fair,â Sarah sighed, âDonât psychoanalyze me; thatâs doctor Charlesâ job.â
âOh I would never take his job,â Ava replied, âI have a hateful relationship with Sigmund Freud and refused to do psych after med school.â
That was what finally got a smile out of Sarah, though it was followed by an incredulous headshake. Of course Ava would say something silly or unrelated to make her feel a bit better, she always did. She shifted uncomfortably on the hard flooring, looking at her mentor cautiously.
âWhy are you here, Ava?â
âBecause I needed to check on you.â
âYou have other things to doâŠâ
âSarah, youâve been spacey and avoiding me all day. I canât very well let my star med student blow off rounds just to sit on this Petri dish of a floor and cry.â
âIâm sorry.â
âDonât apologize, just tell me whatâs really wrong so I can help.â
âI told you⊠exams.â
âYeah but exam stress doesnât often make you look like youâve been crying for hours straight. What happened, Sarah?â
She knew she was backed into a corner, very aware of Avaâs concerned, stern eyes watching her every move. Itâs not that she didnât want to talk to her, Ava was probably the only person she wanted to talk to about this, but it wasnât that simple.
âExams are coming up; Iâm moving to neuro in a couple weeks.â
âYes? What⊠oh.â The surgeon seemed to have a sudden realization about what really was wrong. She sighed, slumping back against the locker beside Sarahâs before replying, âReese, are you upset you wonât be on my service anymore?â
âDonât say it like that,â she couldnât help the whine in her tone, âI know Iâm being a baby about it, just forget it.â
âNo, Sarah,â the comforting hand that fell on her knee made her jump a bit, âItâs okay to be upset about it. I know you werenât all too excited for CT in the beginning so itâs⊠rather endearing that you like it so much now.â
Sarahâs cheeks flamed at that and she tried to hide them behind her hands, not replying. She hated how upset the thought of rotation change made her, especially since she never even wanted to do cardio. Pathology was going to be her specialty in the end so thatâs the residency she was applying for. She had no reason to feel so attached to cardiothoracics, not to mention the gut wrenching worry that Ava would forget about her.
âHey,â Ava nudged her gently, âSarah?â
âMy mom is on my ass,â she admitted suddenly, âSheâs very controlling and our whole relationship is based on money. She expects me to only think about school and stop âplaying aroundâ in clinicals because Iâm supposed to go to path in the end. Thatâs why I wanted to hate cardio, I shouldnât have gotten attached.â
âOh.â
âYeah,â she shook her head, âItâs irrational the way she makes me so anxious but⊠I need to do perfect, Ava. I canât afford any other outcome, you know?â
âThatâs far too much pressure on you,â Ava looked at her seriously, âYouâre allowed to have a life, Sarah.â
âNot in her eyes. I have to be a pathologist first and a human second or my mother wonât be happy.â
âAnd what about you? Are you going to be happy?â
âThat doesnât⊠it doesnât matter.â
The blonde scoffed, âThatâs rubbish and you know it. You canât do your best if you arenât sleeping and you sure as hell wonât do well in something youâre not passionate about.â
âBut-.â
âNo arguing,â she couldnât help the small amusement at Sarahâs immediate compliance, âPlease take care of yourself, Reese. Do this for you, not anyone else, or youâll regret it.â
Ava didnât wait for an answer, instead she got to her feet and dusted off her dark pants. She held out a hand for Sarah, looking at her with expectant eyes. The student let herself be tugged up off the floor, though she had trouble holding eye contact for very long.
âSarah?â
She hummed in reply, busy wiping ruefully at the tears that had started to fall again during their talk. She saw the worry in her mentorâs face and it hurt a lot more than she wanted to admit. Ava Bekker cared for her of all people and here she was spending the day sulking and avoiding her.
âCome here.â
She was a bit taken aback when the blonde opened her arms, offering a hug for the first time. She wasnât a physically affectionate person as far as Sarah had seen, not with her students especially. Still, it had been a very long time since she had received any sort of comfort like that and she had a hard time finding a response.
Eventually she did melt cautiously into Avaâs arms, surprised by how strong and secure they felt.
The surgeon didnât say anything, just let Sarah lean into her until she relaxed into the embrace like expected. It was clear the other woman didnât get a lot of physical comfort and Ava felt her stomach twinge a bit at how socially distant Sarah seemed. She deserved a support system, especially in such a competitive med program, and it broke her heart to realize she didnât have much of one.
âListen, you are a brilliant student, even if you have trouble with confidence. Enjoy neuro, donât waste that time being upset and instead learn as much as you can. Donât doubt yourself or downplay your abilities just because you think you should be in a lab instead. You would make an amazing surgeon, Sarah, whether itâs in CT or not.â
âAva,â her reply was muffled slightly by her hair, âI donâtâŠâ
âJust put yourself first, okay? And donât be afraid to ask for guidance. Even if Iâm not your mentor anymore once your rotation is up⊠Iâm here, I promise.â
Sarah couldnât think of a meaningful reply, overwhelmed by it all but still soothed by the lilac scent that was so Ava. All she could do was mumble a âthank youâ, but in that moment it was more than enough.
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And thatâs fucking pathetic + platonic rhekker? or any pairing idm !!
Pathetic | Restart
Word count: 381
Prompt: and thatâs fucking pathetic
CW: just rhekker bullying each other (affectionate)
***
âI canât make it tonight,â Avaâs voice interrupted the conversation Connor was having with Sam, not really worried about busting into their discussion. The two other surgeons looked at her questioningly, a bit of annoyance on Connorâs face.
âAva, weâve had this planned for weeks. You said youâd go with us to Mollyâs for the playoffs.â
âI know, but something came up.â
Sam looked at the CT fellow for a moment, just observing her in the way only Sam did. She noted that Ava had taken the time to curl her hair that day, ringlets falling into her eyes despite it being pulled into a half ponytail for work. She was wearing a bit more makeup than usual, nothing too fancy but certainly more eyeshadow than the woman ever did on surgery days. She certainly had time to plan for whatever she was ditching them for, if that and her evident nerves were any indication.
âSomething came up or you have plans with your med student?â
âSam,â Ava groaned a little, âDonât start.â
âI didnât do a thing,â she replied smoothly, âJust a question.â
Connor set down his coffee cup, glancing between the two women for a moment before realizing what Sam said was obvious, âYouâre skipping out on us for Reese?â
âConnor.â
âAva,â he replied in a mocking tone, âWhat happened to being subtle and not fraternizing with your students?â
âIt's strictly professional.â
âYeah sure.â
Sam had fallen silent to watch their bickering in amusement, sipping at the bottle of sweet tea she had been carrying around. In reality it was Avaâs business and she knew she wouldnât do anything to actually risk her career or Sarahâs at Gaffney. If she said it was business then who was Sam to believe otherwise? Ava wasnât Connor, after all.
âYouâre one to talk about professionalism. You donât see me showboating my one night stands through the CT unit, do you?â
âLow blow,â the man retorted, âIt was one time.â
âAnd thatâs fucking pathetic,â Ava laughed as she nudged his shoulder with the edge of her tablet, âWe know youâre all about quick ins and outs, Connor, donât try and compare my assisting a student to your whorish ways.â
restart au - platonic rhekker? i love my little bastard surgeons <3
Neither of them spoke as Connor was suddenly beside her on the roof, leaning with his back against the metal railing and pressing a warm paper cup of black coffee into Avaâs hand.
She didnât need to thank him because he didnât expect it at that moment, not with the way her hand was tightly gripping the railing and dried tears had stained her cheeks.
They had both lost patients over time but he knew how hard it hit Ava still, yet Connor also knew she didnât want to be coddled or reassured; all she needed in that moment was caffeine and silent friendship.
âJust breathe. Like that. Thatâs it.â for reesker? (any au!!)
Frustration | Restart
Med student!Sarah gets frustrated
Prompt: âJust breathe. Like that. Thatâs it.â
Word Count: 945
***
âDamn it,â Sarah muttered to herself as she slipped out of the exam room, tugging on her scrub top because the fabric felt too tight in her frustration. Yet another case where she froze during a central line insertion, which led to Doctor Zanetti taking the kit from her and giving her a dismissive look. Ava promised her that the surgeon wasnât mean, just liked things done in her way and in a timely manner. Still, Sarah had a hard time believing that when Zanetti was so quick to push her out of the way, she clearly had no patience for teaching or mistakes and it was hitting Sarahâs pride more than she would like to admit.
Thatâs why she found herself in the skills lab after shift that day, even though her head was aching from the harsh fluorescents and she had a test to be studying for. Sarah needed to get this right, so she could finally get through a case without an attending or nurse taking over her jobs. It was just a simple catheter insertion, she could do it, and there was no reason to freeze up the way she did.
It was the nerves, Ava always told her. She was too cautious and lacked confidence in herself, which meant she scared herself any time she interacted with a real patient. Sarah was afraid to mess up or hurt the patient, which was foolish and she knew it, but it was a hard habit to break. This is why she wanted to match in pathology, there were no procedures to mess up that would physically harm one of her patients.
It was simple, she had successfully done it a million times in the lab, yet in the ED it was so different. Insert the needle into the internal jugular, wait for blood to kick back, then insert the wire. After that the needle can be removed and-
âNo!â Sarah spat quietly when the line slipped, making the wire slide back out of the training dummyâs neck. She had been doing it right, she went over it all step by step just like in her books. She was supposed to be able to do this, she knew the steps by memory, so why was it so hard in practice?
âYouâre hesitating too much with the needle,â the tone was matter of fact but not unkind, laced with a bit of amusement.
âIâm trying,â Sarah mumbled and swiped at some curls that had fallen to obstruct her vision. She didnât look at Ava, too embarrassed for the surgeon to see her struggling yet again with a simple procedure.
âI know, Reese,â she nodded and gestured for her to continue, not moving to help her directly. Ava was someone who believed students had to learn hands on and with as little training wheels as possible. Of course in a surgery she would assist way more but in the skills lab the fellow was content with basically throwing her students into the deep end and hoping they figured out how to swim.
Still, with Ava watching over her shoulder like that Sarah only got more nervous. Maybe it was the way her hands were shaking a little too much that made the needle slip or maybe it was just Sarah overthinking. Either way she cursed a little under her breath when she missed the vein again, glancing at Ava for the first time since she arrived.
The blonde could see how frustrated the student was already, her eyes shielded by the safety goggles she had on but Ava noticed the gleam of unshed tears. Sarah hated crying in front of people but she was upset with herself, it was obvious, and she didnât want her mentor to think poorly of her in this situation.
âSarah, hey,â Ava put a gentle hand on her shoulder, âLook at me.â
The med student sighed and met her eyes properly, setting down the instruments when Ava gestured for her to do so. She looked at the doctor expectantly, waiting to be chastised for her lack of skill and confidence. The discipline never came, though; instead, Ava surprised her.
âJust breathe,â her hands were still on Sarahâs shoulders and she mimicked a deep breath, âLike that.â
Sarah obliged, though embarrassment flooded her in a suffocating warmth. The deep breathing did help though, as did the comforting feeling of Avaâs touch. She was way more patient and compassionate than the other doctors gave her credit for and she always showed it with Sarah.
âThatâs it,â she nodded with a reassuring smile, one that ease the nagging shame in the pit of Sarahâs stomach. As much as she messed up and as flustered as she managed to get, she knew Ava didnât judge her. She was blunt with her but she knew this wasnât all Sarahâs fault, she just needed proper guidance and a confidence boost. As her mentor Ava decided she would see that through, especially since Sarah Reese showed so much potential.
âYou alright now?â
Sarah nodded, smiling back weakly. Ava didnât mention her blush and she was glad, they never really talked about it. Sure there was unspoken tension but neither woman dared mention it. They could only have a mentor-student relationship and even humouring the idea of anything else could cause trouble. Still, that didnât mean Ava couldnât help Sarah improve. She saw a lot of her student self in the American girl and she was determined to help Sarah become the top of her class.
âGood, now no more feeling sorry for yourself. Letâs try that again.â