Entering this building was one of Beirut’s worst nightmares . She just hated how white this place was . How people never stop talking nor moving . She always felt uncomfortable coming here since she always got a headache a few minutes after her arrival . To put it straight Beirut hated hospitals and everything about it .

But she had no other choice . She had a checkup she needed to attend and even though she really wanted to skip it like the previous checkups she had . She couldn’t and even if she could she wouldn’t  dream about skipping remembering her father’s threat  before leaving the house “Beirut get this check up today or else” she didn’t know what he meant by else but thinking about it made her shiver and that is how she ended up inside the hospital .

Sitting in one of the hospital’s dull chairs Beirut hummed the melody of one of her favorite songs trying to get her mind off the fact she is in the hospital . Trying to avoid getting a headache . Trying to get her mind off the stressful environment .

Soon enough it was her turn to enter . She made her way to the doctor’s room and as she was in front of his door she read the name plate that was stuck on the door “ Dr. Patrick”

“hmmm what a nice name” Beirut thought . But as soon as she knocked on the door and entered that thought flew out of her head and got replaced by complete nervousness .

“hello” said the doctor scanning Beirut’s medical folder” “Beirut I’m glad that you finally decided to come to get your checkup . you have been canceling on me for a few weeks now I was starting to think you will never arrive” .

“yeah about that well I was a bit busy you know with my job and everything” she said laughing nervously . But as their eyes meet a bulb lit up in her head “have I seen him before ? he looks so familiar” she thought as she scanned his face.

“ok then let’s start with this checkup shall we” said the doctor getting up ready to start .

As the checkup progressed both of them sent different kind of glances towards each other trying to figure out what the other was thinking .

As the checkup came to an end Beirut felt a little bit gutsy “its now or never” she thought and so she asked him “ I’m sorry if this is wrong to ask but you look familiar . Do I know you from somewhere?”

He laughed a bit “Beirut it’s me Patrick from high school”

Beirut sat there dumbfounded trying to recall him and then it hit her “ oh my god Patrick it’s been a while how are you ? you changed a bit”.

“Well I must admit puberty hit me late” he said laughing a bit .

And they sat across each other in complete silence smiling to each other until Patrick’s watch rang signaling his lunch break . The ringing of the clock woke them up from the little moment they were having .

Beirut realized its her time to leave “I think I should go now” she said awkwardly standing up “ it was nice meeting you again” she turned around and walked slowly towards the door waiting for a sign for her to stop and stay there .

Patrick on the other hand didn’t want their little meeting to end like that . He had a bit of a crush on her back in the day so he thought it would be nice to talk a bit so he called her name “ Beirut “

She turned around a bit too fast showing her happiness that he still got something to say to her “ yes Patrick” and Beirut could of sworn she saw a little blush on his cheeks .

“would you mind joining me for a small lunch ?”

And her face lit up followed by a “ sure why not I’d love to join you for lunch” .

Soon enough both of them were sitting in the hospital’s garden enjoying their lunch and reliving their high school memories . But their enjoyable time didn’t last long since Patrick’s break was soon over . Beirut stood up and cleared the leftovers .  feeling sadness wash over her . she didn’t want this meeting to end she was having too much fun . “ well its time to say goodbye”

“I guess so” says Patrick mirroring the same sadness inside of Beirut  . But he got a courageous idea and he wanted to act on it . so as he bid Beirut goodbye and saw her walk away he called her name loudly making everyone around him look at him . And Beirut turned around to look at Patrick with complete shock but neither less called back ” Yes Patrick” .

“you should come back for another checkup next week”

“and why is that?” asked Beirut in curiosity

“because you will be tired” he smiled at her but Beirut didn’t get it .

“cause you will be tired from running through my mind until then” and then it clicked in her mind and she started laughing wholeheartedly at him “ sure see  you next week doctor” she responded between the laughs .

After that visit the hospital stopped looking so gloomy in Beirut’s eyes . And lets just say she now enjoys going to her checkups .