A dangerous misunderstanding

*Ding!*

"…"

The weekend was uneventful, and Summer's Monday was as packed as ever. She hardly got any sleep that Monday night, and she opened her eyes way before her alarm usually rings on a Tuesday morning, but it was the sound of a very early message that had her grabbing her phone to check it.

/Zack (Gabe's Colleague)

Good morning! Did you sleep well? Hope we're still on for our date tonight!

Z.

Tue 5:45/

The phone slipped from Summer's hand and fell on her face.

"Ouch!" She turned around and pressed her sore nose against her soft pillowcase.

Zack didn't really have to remind her, try as she may, she wasn't able to forget about that upcoming date with him. He invited her over for dinner at his apartment that day in front of her brother, but Gabe put his foot down and objected fiercely.

"As if I was crazy enough to go to his apartment on my own two feet," her voice came muffled as it resonated through the pillow.

She was going to meet up with Zack after work and sit in the restaurant that's across from their building. She hated that her date would be within a walking distance of her home, but with Zack being her neighbor, seeing him in the restaurant across the street instead of one of their apartments was just the lesser evil.

Once her nose stopped throbbing because of the impact, she pulled herself up and then out of bed, turning her alarm clock off while she was at it. She went to the bathroom deciding to start the day earlier than usual.

"The sun is not even up in the sky just yet," she said in a sarcastic tone wishing her stomach was okay enough for her to put some breakfast on the table and enjoy it since she had the extra time. But as if on cue, her stomach turned when she recalled the few bites that she had to swallow at dinner last night.

"Just how awkward will it be to see Andrew today..."

Summer managed to avoid Andrew last Friday and again on Monday, but she knew that she couldn't avoid him forever.

***

It was, indeed, awkward to see Andrew that Tuesday.

Perhaps it had something to do with the anonymously left chocolate on her desk and the way he was so obvious about the fact that he was the one to have left it there. He kept staring at the bag until Summer gave in and put it in her purse. 'If they were anything other than Hershey's Kisses, I would've just ignored them,' she had no idea how Andrew knew what kind of chocolate she favored, but she couldn't afford to contemplate for longer too long.

With the heavy load of work that was suddenly dumped on her team, the ominous date that loomed around the corner, and her empty stomach that hadn't gotten a decent meal since lunch on the day before, Summer was already low on energy.

***

The image of Zack sprinting towards her without even looking left and right while he crosses the street between them was the stuff of Summer's nightmares.

She jumped and waved like an idiot in the middle of the street ushering him to look out, the restaurant she stood a few steps away from was very close to where that accident took place the day before, and she was still traumatized about it.

She breathed easier once Zack was next to her then slapped his shoulder as hard as she still could, "How can you cross the street like that!"

His already alarmed face looked surprised, "Oh, I have perfect sensors, I'd definitely know if a car was coming,"

That was the stupidest thing Summer heard in her entire 29 years of life, 'And this guy is supposed to become a doctor?!' The thought of Zack being responsible for another person's life was outrageous.

"...Let's just go eat," Summer sounded dead even to her own ears as she started walking.

He blocked her way, "Before that, what's wrong? You look… troubled,"

Zack had been imagining seeing the sunny Summer he crushed hard on all day long, but the woman in front of him looked gloomy, someone he almost didn't recognize.

It wasn't all there is to it.

Something had changed in Summer's life, and he was determined to find what that was tonight.

She gave him a strange look that he had never seen on her beautiful face before, "For now... I'm hungry... Can we just go inside already?" She took a side step and then started walking towards the restaurant once more.

Zack was very disappointed; he didn't dream of this Summer and wanted to get to the bottom of what bothered her before their date begins.

He caught up to her and blocked her way once more, "How about we talk first, then we eat when both of us are in a better mood, huh? What do you say about that?" He asked with abundant hope.

Summer's emotions which were usually very evident on her face kept on changing, Zack wasn't able to determine how she really felt about his proposal, but he knew that it was the right thing to do, his goal was to have fun with her tonight and show her a good time. His other goal was for her to invite him back to her apartment, he was desperate to erase the last memory he had with her over there.

A suddenly expressionless Summer looked at him with two cold blue eyes, "You know what, Zack, I'm very sorry but this won't work out,"

Another wave of disappointment washed over him, "...Okay, I guess we can discuss whatever that's wrong over food then," he surrendered.

But Summer didn't move a muscle, "No. You don't understand. What I'm saying to you is that this date won't work out," she said sharply.

Zack frowned and scratched his head, he waited so long for the two of them to finally go out, but if he had to be honest about it, he also preferred to go out with her usual self, not this one.

He grinned and nodded, "Okay, then, when should we go out again?" He paused to think about the best time possible, "Over the weekend would be best, do you think you can drop by for lunch at my place? I'll cook for you…" He trailed off when she put a hand on her forehead and rubbed it over and over again. "Hey, are you having a headache?" He wondered what other symptoms she might be having.

The med student decided to compile a list of symptoms right then and there, she was already exhibiting a change in behavior and now a headache, Summer might have a disease that he can diagnose and help her with. He was sure that she'd see him through different eyes once she realizes just how talented he is.

Her hand dropped like it weighed a ton next to her, and he wondered if her limbs ached.

"Do you by any chance have more symptoms other than a headache?" He began.

She murmured something too low for him to hear, he was about to ask her what she said when she looked at him with crazy eyes.

Zack flinched when she stomped her foot down.

"I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry but I can't go out with you ever! I might be dying soon, but I think I'd go crazy before that happens if any of this…this…" she struggled to find the right word, "Any of this monkey business continues!"

"Monkey…" he repeated absentmindedly, still shocked by her latest declaration about not having long to live.

"Goodbye, Zack, next time you see me, please pretend that you didn't see me at all, and I'll do the same for you, let's get back to being strangers since we don't know each other that well anyhow,"

As Summer turned around and looked both ways before she hurried to cross the street back to her apartment, she was satisfied with her decision to draw a line between her and one of the candidates.

Her confidence was very short-lived.

By the time she reached the door of her apartment, she wondered if she just made a huge mistake by blowing Zack off when he could truly be the true love from the prophecy. But she was too mortified to run back to him after that little speech she made.

She groaned as she made her way inside.

Zack stood in the same spot for a while longer, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. He realized something very vital to him as he replayed her declarations, he couldn't accept the fact that the sun that shone every day from the apartment across from him was doomed to set soon.

"…I think I'm in love with her,"