Stitches were very simple and easy, but not when a handsome idiot is watching you stitch his arm up and it's your first time in the emergency room as an actual doctor.

Not to mention, this handsome idiot decided to ask me out. It made my heart sink for a moment when he said it and I just thought of all the things that could go wrong. Especially me actually falling for him and then getting hurt. I was lucky last time because I didn't actually fall for Noah. But this man seemed much more irresistible.

I was flustered, so I went to the break room for a moment and then remembered how I was meant to be in the emergency room helping out. I got myself a glass of water and then I went back out to help with more patients. Luckily Dr. Ferrari only gave me simple tasks for my first day experiencing an emergency situation like this. But in the end, I did have to assist in a surgery.

The entire day, I felt so distracted because of that stupid man. His big brown eyes were engraved in my mind though. And the way he looked at me was different from the way anyone has ever looked at me.

I made my way home in annoyance, wondering why this man got to me like this. Men were just dumb, that was my conclusion.

"I hate men! I hate them! I hate everything about their stupid, childish, idiotic behaviour!" I growled, throwing my keys aside on the kitchen counter and collapsing on the couch. I heard the little beeps from the door, letting me know it locked behind me.

Then I heard my phone ringing and I looked down at it.

Dad.

"Hello?" I said, sighing and sitting up.

"You forgot your old man?" He asked.

"Never. Dad. I've just had the longest first day." I sighed.

"You seem upset. What's up with all the huffing and puffing?" He asked me.

I didn't want to have that conversation with my father at that moment so I sighed, collapsing on the couch.

"I'm just tired." I told him.

"I just wanted to remind you about the wedding... I just don't think you want to miss your best friend's wedding." Dad told me.

"Dad... I know you mean well.... But Jordi isn't my best friend. Never really was, honestly. A best friend doesn't act the way she did towards me before I moved here." I said.

"Ava... please. Tell me what really happened." Dad said.

I knew it wasn't fair that he didn't know why his daughter had to leave to a new country the way I did. I had never told my parents all the details of what occurred.

"Dad... she told me that I should stay with him. Then... as if that wasn't enough for me to realize she was a horrible friend, she added that I'd never find myself someone who could actually love me. Those aren't the kinds of friends I want. She can enjoy her life and get married. I don't really care, Dad." I sighed.

"She said that?!" Dad asked.

"Dad. You're stuck in a community full of snakes. Every last one of your so-called friends have raised the worst people imaginable." I said.

"Ava... it was right after high school." Dad said.

"Dad... I was-... I gave so much to people who did their best to break me... I know what I'm talking about. Even if it was kindergarten, they're all snakes." I said.

"Be mad at him, Ava. I understand that. But your friends, Sweetheart, they were good friends." Dad told me. "But not Jordi. I understand why you don't want to be her friend anymore."

"Oh, what Jordi did was nice compared to what the others did." I said, shaking my head.

"Alright. I'm sorry, Sweetheart. Tell me how you've been." He said to me, changing the subject because he knew I'd just become angry soon.

"I've been good. I sleep, eat and now I've started work.... That's about it." I laughed.

"Is your attending nice?" He asked me.

"He's great! Very patient and helpful!" I said.

"That's awesome, Ava! I'm so glad things are going well with your residency!" Dad told me.

"Me too. I was so nervous for my first day.... it was tiring but not too bad. Anyways, how's Mom?" I asked.

"Your mother is great. She's out shopping." Dad said.

"Dad... don't let her go to the wedding." I sighed, knowing she must be going to Jordi's wedding and that's what she was shopping for.

"Ava... you know I have no control over what she does." Dad said to me.

"If she goes, I'm never visiting again. You guys can visit me." I said.

"Ava, honey, relax." Dad said to me.

"No, Dad! I refuse to ever go back to that disgusting town if after everything those people did to me, you want to attend their weddings and act like they didn't destroy a part of your own daughter. How can I show my face in front of them?" I said.

"Ok. I'll tell your mother not to go to the wedding and explain how much it means to you." Dad told me.

"Thank you." I said.

"So... how are you feeling about finding someone new?" Dad asked me.

Should I tell him about that attractive idiot in the emergency room?

"I don't know, Dad. It's hard not to see Noah in every new man I come across." I sighed.

"Like... you still love him?" Dad asked.

"Dad. I'm not convinced I ever loved that jerk. I used to think I did, but that's not how love should be." I sighed.

"Alright, so you see bad qualities in all the other men?" Dad asked me.

"Yes. For example, there was this guy in the emergency room today. He was acting like a total idiot and staring. I didn't say anything, because he wasn't being creepy or anything, and he'd already lost lots of blood." I explained.

"Ok... where's the bad?" Dad asked.

"The bad is that he asked me out and when I said no, he told me he wouldn't give up until he got a date... why can't no mean no?" I asked my dad.

"Ava, baby, listen. The man likes you, ok? And he asked you out but you shut him down. To him, you're special, he wants to at least have a chance. If he was to give up completely, he would never have you. Because you're not going to go ask him out now are you?" Dad asked me.

"Yeah but we just met! And I said no." I repeated, just to make sure Dad heard that.

"Why did you say no? Was he ugly?" Dad chuckled.

"No." I said.

"Was he rude? Arrogant? Gross?" Dad asked me.

"No." I said.

"So what?" Dad asked.

"He's a patient." I explained.

"Well, everyone is going to be a patient at one point in their lives, Ava." Dad explained.

"Maybe I'm not ready to be hurt again, Dad." I sighed. "Last time I let a guy in, he wasted my time, humiliated me and then made me lose all my friends... or I suppose it's good I lost them if they're really that horrible."

"Sweetheart, if that's how you expect every relationship to go, you're setting your future relationship up for failure." Dad said.

"Dad, you know what happened with Noah... it was really bad." I said.

"I know, Sweetheart. You never deserved that." Dad told me.

"I didn't even want to give him a chance when I first saw that he was the one you guys wanted me to meet. Because I knew what he was like. I knew he was a player and a jerk. But then he wouldn't leave me alone and somewhere along the way, he was able to get me to believe that he'd changed for me." I sighed.

"Maybe he did for a while..." Dad told me.

"Maybe. I mean for him to act like he really loved me for a whole year without issues... that probably meant he'd changed a little." I said.

"I just learned through this experience that I do need to protect myself. The fact that I was with him for almost a whole year... that nauseates me." I sighed.

"But not every man is a cheater, Ava. Not every man is going to leave you because you're not ready to be intimate. That boy was disgusting, Ava. Don't let him continue to hold you back." Dad told me.

"You think I should've said yes to that date?" I asked my dad.

"I do. Because a first date doesn't mean anything. You don't want to say no and then live to regret never giving the man a chance. What if he's the best man out there?" Dad asked me.

"He asked me to give him a diagnosis for a chunk of glass in his arm." I sighed.

"Alright.... Well, maybe he's not too bright, but maybe he was just nervous because my daughter is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen." Dad told me.

I laughed, finally feeling a little better after our conversation.

"Only you see it that way, Dad." I said.

"Well, find yourself a man that sees it that way too, Ava." Dad told me.

"You have nothing going for you, Ava. You think you're smart and beautiful and likeable, when all you are is average. No one really even sees you, you're flat as a board and you're not even that smart. Just go back to him before you end up spending your entire life alone."

Those were the words of my lifelong best friend when things got bad. After my boyfriend cheated on me and I dumped him, that was what my best friend had to say to me. If that was what friends were like, I didn't need any. And that's what made me doubt myself, made me feel insecure. To think a man could ever see me as the most beautiful girl in the world seemed impossible.

"I'll keep that in mind, Dad." I said.

"Ava, did that little idiot ever make you feel like you were the prettiest girl there ever was on the planet? Did he ever make you feel so warm and safe and secure on the inside that you never wanted to be away from him?" Dad asked me.

"No. But I know those things are just fairytales, I mean, no one is actually ever going to get butterflies or feel like they're the prettiest... that's just... not possible." I said.

"Of course it's possible, Ava. Your mother makes me feel like no other man on this planet could ever compete with me in anything. She makes me feel confident and makes me feel happy and safe and giddy. She gives me butterflies every single time that I see her." Dad told me.

"Are you just saying that so you don't kill your little girl's dreams of finding a handsome prince to sweep her off her feet?" I asked.

"Ava. Next time you see that man from the emergency room. Make sure to say yes when he asks you out." Dad told me.

"Dad! What if he's a creep?!" I said.

"Then I have no doubt in my mind that Doctor Ava Dara can show him who's boss." Dad laughed.

I giggled and I heard him sigh.

"I love you, Sweetheart. I'd love for you to visit soon." Dad told me.

"I'll visit as soon as I get the chance, alright?" I asked him.

"Sounds good. Take care of my little drama queen for me." Dad chuckled.

"I'm not a drama queen, Dad." I rolled my eyes with a chuckle.

"Alright, fine. Take care of my anti-drama queen." He amended.

"I will." I laughed.

"Say yes when that dude asks you out, got it?"

"Uhm.... No. But if he proves himself worthy, I'll consider it." I bargained.

"That's all I ask, then." Dad chuckled.

"I love you, Dad. I'm sorry I snap a lot." I sighed.

"Sweetheart, never apologize. I'm just sorry I ever suggested you let that boy near you. I'm really sorry." Dad sighed.

"Don't be sorry, Dad. It's my fault." I said.

"It's not your fault." Dad insisted.

"Ok. Whatever. It's over, there's no need to dwell on who did what wrong." I laughed.

"Do you have a night shift tonight?" He asked me.

"No... I should have the night off unless they call me in for an unexpected night shift." I said.

"Alright, Sweetheart. You get some rest, I'll have your mother call you at some point soon." He told me.

"Thanks, Dad." I said to him.

"I love you," he said to me.

"I love you, Dad." I smiled.

We both said our goodbyes and he hung up.

I only had time to get up and realize my fridge was empty before I got a call. I looked down and saw that it was Dr. Ferrari.

"Hello?" I answered immediately.

"Hi, Ava. You got home alright, right?" He asked me.

"Yup." I smiled.

"Good. I'm going to email you some scans, alright. Please check them out before tomorrow morning when your shift starts. If you need anything, Ava, you can call me. My children are around your age, so I consider you like one of my own." He said to me.

Dr. Ferrari was a very emotionless, stone-cold man, but he was very sweet on the inside. He had gotten used to me in our time together today, mostly because I was like a lost puppy following after him. He seemed to know that guy from the emergency room. I wondered if I should ask about that guy.

His name was Gabriel Morelli. So I don't think they're related, unless it's not a direct blood relation. Maybe a nephew or something. Maybe they're just family friends. Who knows.

"Thanks, Dr. Ferrari." I smiled.

"No need for all those formalities outside of the hospital." He said to me. "Even in the hospital, I can just be Federico."

"You're my attending, I'd rather stick to Dr. Ferrari at least in the hospital." I said.

"Alright. But outside of it. I'm Federico, or just Rico. whichever you prefer." He told me.

"Got it." I chuckled.

"So... I had a question." He said to me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You seemed quite upset at the end of your shift." He said to me.

"I suppose." I said, unsure if I should tell him why or not.

"Was it Gabriel? The patient who needed stitches in the emergency room?" Dr. Ferrari asked me.

"Oh... Uhm... yeah." I said, nodding even though he couldn't see me.

"Did he do anything inappropriate?" He asked me.

"No. No, he didn't. I guess I was just a little angry. It wasn't necessarily his fault." I said.

"The boy likes you. He's going to pursue you. If you ever want me to get rid of him for you, just say the word and you won't have to see him again, unless he needs to be in the hospital for some reason." Dr. Ferrari said to me.

"He's alright." I chuckled nervously.

"Good. Don't even let it get to the point where you're stressed out about it. The second it's too much, I'll get rid of him. Us doctors need to focus and this situation can't interfere with that." Dr. Ferrari said.

"Of course." I said, nodding.

"Great. Anyways, my wife is calling me, I will see you tomorrow morning." He said to me.

"Sounds good. I'll see you then." I chuckled, ready to hang up.

"Yes, Princess! Don't worry, I'm coming right away!" He called out right before hanging up.

I immediately melted at that cuteness. He was in his fifties, and the man still referred to his wife so delicately. I needed a love like that. One where my man never stopped showing his affection. Otherwise, I didn't want it.

I was starting to think I should be more open about a relationship though. I was starting to realize how lonely I got all alone in this apartment.

Maybe I should say yes to a date with that man if he ever asks again.

But a part of me was still hurt, scarred, and afraid to get hurt. My one experience with relationships had really scared me. Noah really acted like he loved me. I was astonished about how convincing he was during our relationship.

I could only hope that when I finally had the courage to let a guy in and start a relationship with him, he wouldn't break me again.