1 PROLOGUE

Coldwell Street #1: Clock Strikes At Midnight

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This story is not affiliated with coincidental social media accounts of the characters.

Please be advised that this story can contain TRIGGER WARNINGS and SENSITIVE CONTENTS that are not suitable for very young audiences.

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NATASHA EQUINOX COLDWELL's POV

"Teacher! Teacher!"

I suddenly stopped walking when a female student stopped in front of me, catching her breath as she hands me a folder. I realized that she was the student the teachers were looking for when I saw her I.D. I opened the folder and saw a list of students who were injured on the field trip.

"I'm not a teacher." I corrected her but she didn't pay any attention to it.

"W-will the doctors treat them?" Tears rolled down from her eyes as she asked me nervously. "I'm sorry Ma'am!" I nodded and smiled to reassure her that it wasn't her fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was just an accident.

Two hours ago, 5 students out of 20 were injured because of a bus accident. Others have minor wounds and they are already treated well by their school nurse. I leaned on the wall after treating the rest of the students. I happened to be staring at the I.D of the students. I was a student of Coldwell U, a university directed by my father, a former Mayor of Coldwell Streets. That school is filled with some good memories of mine.

My eyes scanned the students taking care of their friends. It was always like that, ever since high school, I've changed. My friends left me one by one after that accident. That day, I preferred not hanging out with groups. It became a trauma to me, but some thought it was just a hassle. Not until I met my best friends in Coldwell U. For some reason, the barrier was gone.

I closed my eyes and remembered the times when I was still in my internship. I would go around to different departments and endured everything else.

I remember shuffling my thoughts as I suddenly heard shouts and noises as another patient was rushed to the emergency room. It was always chaos in the E.R. "Hey intern! Please come with me and check the patient in the new ward."

"Yes, Doctor." I immediately took my things and went straight to the ward.

"Good eve-"

"Doc! Nurse! Why isn't she breathing?!" The patient's father cried in front of us, panicking.

The senior resident ran to the patient's bed and pressed the emergency button before checking her vitals. I stopped moving when the kid suddenly held on to my thumb, whispering something to me.

"I want to be there." I looked at her as she pointed at the ceiling. Her eyes sparkled like the stars and smiled bitterly. "My mother said when people die, they'll be one with the sky."

"There are people who love you," the doctor said while the others are putting on their surgical gloves and mask. "Call Dr. Reyes!" She told the other nurses as they prepared her for surgery.

"Giselle Lopez, time of death, 6:47 pm."

I realized that it was too late. My hands trembled and I looked away when I saw bloodstains on the head surgeon's scrubs. I can't believe I just witnessed another death. I covered my face and sighed heavily. I went outside of the operating room and washed my hands. I finally sat on the bench for the first time, taking off my mask.

That was how my internship went by. I planned to be a pediatric surgeon from the start but somehow, it wasn't easy as it seems since we are holding the lives of children. You have to be courageous and confident but I always happen to remember the past. I have no regrets that I chose pediatrics instead of surgery for my residency.

I knew I wanted to work with kids. Even if I have a bad day in the hospital, as soon as I meet my child patients, I turn on my high pitch voice and jolly demeanor when I talk to them.

There was no other choice. I endured everything as I was faced with different kinds of children patients. Their uniqueness, attitudes, and personalities. Some were even troublesome that I even grew into them. Every scene of relatives, family members, and friends crying because of the loss of their loved ones was still very heavy for me. Other than that, I had to endure the scolds and shouts of the seniors. And here I am. I smirked, looking at my I.D.

'Dr. Nyx Coldwell.'

I stood up and started walking away and changed into new clothes. I wore a pair of ripped jeans and a white hoodie. I partnered it with white sneakers and tied my hair into a messy bun. Inhale. Exhale. I felt excited as I was meeting with my best friends. I went inside the coffee shop with a wide smile on my face.

"Nyx! You're so late!" Clyzyll, one of my best friends, tapped me lightly on my arm. I placed my bag on our table and decided to order. I noticed that they haven't ordered yet, I guess they waited for me.

"Are you okay?" Zhyan held his chest in an exaggerated manner. "Your pants are torn." He made a sad face while staring at my pants. My smile immediately faded. "Ouch! Sorry!" Kynthia and Zeus started laughing when I hit him on his head.

"Hey...I saw you at the hospital earlier." Clyzyll approached me, standing at the back of the line. She looked stressed and worried than I am. "I was there on the field trip."

"Are you okay?" My eyes immediately scanned her body, looking for wounds or any cuts. She's a professor in Coldwell U. "Where did you all go anyway?"

"We went to different kinds of museums, buildings, blah blah."

"Why didn't you talk to me?"

"You were staring at the floor, thinking of something deep." She complained. "Something must have happened."

"Ah, no don't worry."

"I'll have a Frappuccino," I told the lady at the counter. Kynthia will be paying for our orders today.

"Are you a teacher?" The lady asked and I just shook my head, not making the conversation long. Up until now, some people think that I'm a teacher. Why?

"Because you look like a nerdy principal!" Zhyan laughed when sitting at our table.

"Ugh...this is just a hassle," Kynthia complained while putting a scarf around her neck as she wore sunglasses. "Nyx," Kynthia called me. "Do you want a blind date? Don't worry, he is a Virgo. You're both compatible." She was talking to me but I didn't understand her. I stiffened when I heard a familiar name that caught my attention.

"One Americano for River!"

I looked at him, parting my lips as he stood up walking to the counter without any emotions on his face. Why is he here? He was wearing a beige dress shirt tucked in a pair of burgundy pants. People would look at him as if he was a head-turner.

"Hey are you even listening to me?!" Kynthia flicked my forehead, as the others waved their hands in front of me.

"Yeah, I'm listening. My answer is nope." I tried to fix my statement in her context.

"Nope? I said, what time is your duty so I can set up the blind date."

"My next duty is from 7 am to 9 pm. I won't accept your offer." It would be tiring to go on with dates with my busy schedule. It would be a hassle for me. I don't even have time to sleep! I've been awake for already 27 hours now since there were a lot of patients. God, what do kids do these days? I immediately stood up which interrupted their conversations.

"H-hey! Where are you going?!" My friends chorused, others even stood up. I looked back again and saw him. He was tall as he stood in the crowd. I decided to just leave the coffee shop. But it was too late.

"Nyx, how about your orde—"

"One Frappuccino for Nyx!"

His eyes widened as he saw me but I pretended that I didn't see him. My emotions were already gone when he just abandoned me.

Without any words.

Without any explanation.

No warning.

No answers.

I walked past him as if he wasn't there.

As if he was a ghost.

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