“Well, it’s 12:30. It’s time for lunch.” Dr Weld says brightly. "We'll show you the cafeteria and get lunch!" I chuckle at her constant enthusiasm. She can talk for hours (she has been) and make herself laugh at her own jokes. Her loudness is kind of unexpected because of her outward appearance, so professional looking, yet so outgoing and not shy at all. I'd hate to see her when she's serious or pissed. I wouldn't wanna be on the other side of it.

Just a short walk and we're in the cafeteria. I'm surprised when it looks like a school cafeteria and not a fancy restaurant. There's rows of long tables with benches connected to them. Other patients and techs are coming in too.

"We have a rotationed lunch break in 3 groups, this is the same as breakfast and dinner. You'll typically come to the cafeteria with the patients you work closely with. Unfortunately, we can't all go to lunch at the same time. Today we have group 1. 45 minutes. You get a paid lunch since we're technically still watching patients." Dr. Weld says.

We go down the walkway between the tables to the end of the room where the line to the food stars. She points to a door in the right corner saying 'STAFF ONLY.' "That's our small break room so if you decide to bring lunch you drop it off in that room. It's locked so when you get your new badges you simply swipe, get the green light to head in."

“So, what's today's lunch? Is there, like, specials for each day?” I ask. I haven't forgotten my packed lunch but I'm curious about the lunch schedule if it's something I want to do instead of bring in my own lunch.

"Great question, today is spaghetti and meatballs, but there's always salads and fruit for everyone.” the Dr responds.

A beat happens "Um, as for day to day meals, it really varies week to week and there's typically a pretty good rotation of food. It doesn't repeat too often. You won't get sick of the food here." Ethan says casually.

"Oh great!" I respond.

The cafe seems to be the brightest room in this whole place. It feels as though I could use sunglasses in here. Bright long fluorescent light fixtures and a white tile floor.  The contrast to the deep brown wood, soft lighting, and carpeted floors is striking. 

It feels like the front of my head is pulsing with the start of a headache.

“I’m good with the salad.” Jess says walking ahead of us now to get in the growing line.

I ask Dr Weld access to the staff only room so I can get my lunch. She hands me her card and I get it from the fridge and pass it back to her. The room is small, a pretty basic break room, less bright but still fluorescent lighting. A table, microwave, and fridge. There's even a snack and drink vending machine. Kinda annoying that you have to pay for it since we work here but I probably won't be taking from it anyway. 

We all get our food and sit together at a table. Ethan starts an easy conversation on different random topics. Jessica contributes easily and has all sorts of trivial things to talk about. Like how she’s a hard golf and tennis player on the weekends, how the sports gets her energy and aggression out. Others join in with the conversation. I listen and talk every so often as well but I've never really been a sports girl, which I actually say and get an eye squint from Jessica, again. People talk more in depth about their introduction topics. Reagan shows pictures of her dogs and says their names are King and Queenie. One is an australian shepard and the other is a border collie. They are absolutely adorable. She says her fiance works from home and takes good care of her babies while she's away.

The conversation is light and fun and honestly its relieving to get along with everyone. It's not a super hard day but a lot of information has been given. It'll probably be tougher in practice but I'm still excited for it.

Being new like this feels like the first day of school. Always a bit of nervousness before getting used to it, but its so much better than that.

Out of nowhere, I feel eyes on me. I kind of shake off the feeling but it doesn't go away. A few minutes go by and I look around to see the girl from the art room assumedly staring at me, eyes still covered. I honestly feel bad, I wonder if I did actually offend her. I look down at my food container, it's basically done.

“Hey guys, just reminding you that you have ten minutes left of lunch time!” Says Dr. Weld. She managed to work all the way through lunch. It appears that her clipboard had a bunch of paperwork on it.

 I pack it up and realize I need to use the bathroom, since I have not gone the whole time I've been here and I drank a full coffee. This is the perfect opportunity, and to get away from the peering eyes.

“Ethan, where's the bathroom?” I politely ask.

“It's right outside those doors a bit down the hall on the left. Should have a sign above it.” Ethan says pointing to the double doors we had just walked in from.

“Thank you.” I say then turn and leave. 

 The hall's soft lights are a welcomed sight and a relief to the oncoming headache. I see the sign saying bathroom on the left like he said, but walking to it the hall seems to stretch. 

I don't notice when there's a bang of the lunch doors slamming open and hurried footsteps coming from behind me.

“HEY!” a voice comes from behind, I'm spun and pinned up against the wall. I'm met with the brightest amber eyes I've ever seen although darkened by black shaggy bangs. I can recognize the person in front as the one from the art room.

"Are you okay? Take it easy, can I help?" I say, trying to calm her.

Her creased eyebrows lessen. Her eyes have the tiniest bit of shock in them and mouth opens and closes not knowing how to respond. But her resolve comes back as quick as it left.

"Of course you'd try to act all innocent." She whispers gritting her teeth and glaring.

The cafeteria doors burst again with a few nurses running to us. “You know me. Tell me you know me.” The person asks pushing me back against the wall. Her eyes grow frantic as they look to nurses approaching.

“Don't you remember?! Don't you know?” She asks lowly and frantically but the nurses caught up to us and pull her iron grip away from my shoulders. She's fighting to come back to me, she's unexpectedly strong for her small frame, managing to fight 3 male nurses. The nurses pull her away from the cafeteria and down a different hallway. 

"Rhea, you know. I know you know!"

Is the last thing I hear before she's completely out of sight and far enough away. I stood there stunned, heart pounding.

"You okay? Are you hurt?" I realize Beatrice and Ethan are with me. I don't know which one asked. 

"Ya, I'm okay. A bit shaky and confused but okay…” I manage to get out.

Dr. Weld glances at Ethan seriously. Their expressions mirror each other.

"Ethan, will you finish the tour for me?" Beatrice asks. Ethan only nods in response and heads back.

My headache is nonexistent, probably due to all the distractions and adrenaline coursing my body, but when Beatrice says;

"Come with me to my office." It threatens to come back.